Coordination & Planning

2858 resources

Greening the Ivory Tower: A Review of Educational Research on Sustainability in Post-Secondary Education

  • University of Saskatchewan (SK)
  • Dalhousie University (NS)

There is a deficit of multi-site studies examining the integration of sustainability in the policies and practices of post-secondary institutions. This paper reviews what comparative empirical research has been undertaken ...


College students are flocking to sustainability degrees, careers

  • USA TODAY (VA)

With an increased interest in the environment and growth in the "green collar" job sector, colleges and universities are beginning to incorporate sustainability into their programs. From MBAs in sustainable-business ...


Green, Greener, Greenest

Green is good for the planet, but also for a college’s public image. In a Princeton Review survey this year of 10,300 college applicants, 63 percent said that ...


Sustainability is everyone's job, but some get paid for it

  • Macalester College (MN)
  • University of Minnesota, Morris (MN)

Employees whose sole job is to improve "ecofriendliness" are popping up at colleges and businesses in Minnesota and elsewhere.


At students' behest, colleges add efforts to address climate change

  • USA TODAY (VA)

More and more, prospective students want to know what universities are doing about climate change - from reducing their own carbon footprint to preparing students for the environmental challenges ahead.


Celebrating campus sustainability leadership on Earth Day 2016

  • University of Alberta (AB)

The University of Alberta's annual Campus Sustainability Leadership Awards are given out on April 22 to help celebrate Earth Day. This year, we awarded seven groups and individuals for ...


Green revolving funds: A sustainable investment

  • College of Saint Benedict (MN)
  • University of Dayton (OH)
  • Sustainable Endowments Institute (MA)
  • Blessed Earth (KY)
  • Saint John's University (MN)

There has recently been a groundswell of interest in sustainability in all its forms, and two organizations — Green Seminary Initiative and Seminary Stewardship Alliance — have emerged to provide resources and ...


UConn Earth Day Spring Fling & Arbor Day

  • University of Connecticut (CT)

Students gather on Fairfield Way for UConn’s annual Earth Day Spring Fling.


Higher Education: Features, Trends and Needs in Relation to Sustainability

  • Technische Universiteit Delft

The progress of sustainability within higher education has steadily increased in focus over the last decade and has increasingly become a topic of academic research. With various scholars, journals and ...


Campus Environment 2008: A National Report Card on Sustainability in Higher Education

  • National Wildlife Federation (VA)

This comprehensive study by National Wildlife Federation and Princeton Survey Research Associates International reviews trends and new developments in environmental performance and sustainability at 1,068 institutions. It recognizes colleges ...


Routledge Handbook of Higher Education for Sustainable Development

  • University of Vechta
  • Leuphana University of Lüneburg
  • RMIT University

The Routledge International Handbook of Higher Education for Sustainable Development gives a systematic and comprehensive overview of existing and upcoming research approaches for higher education for sustainable development. It provides ...


Sustainable Stanford Earth Day Photos

  • Stanford University (CA)

On April 19, 2016, Stanford’s academic, student, local community and leadership came together to celebrate our university’s history of sustainability discovery, innovations and application.

Knowledge to Action was ...

  • Posted April 29, 2016
  • Photographs
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Business Case for Campus Efficiencies and Climate Change

  • National Association of College & University Business Officers (NACUBO) (DC)

Questions from NACUBO's Sustainability Advisory Panel for business/finance officers to ask about the future. One of 41 posters presented at the NACUBO 2015 Annual Meeting, July 18-21, 2015.

  • Posted April 28, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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Student Sustainability Advisory Committee Materials

  • University of Central Florida (FL)

A webform was created for an easily accessible application that allowed for extensive outreach. The application did not require any paper usage and allowed for easy organization. The application did ...


Beyond the Curriculum: Integrating Sustainability into Business Schools

This paper evaluates the ways in which European business schools are implementing sustainability and ethics into their curricula. Drawing on data gathered by a recent large study that the Academy ...

  • Posted April 26, 2016
  • Publications
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Educating Responsible Managers. The Role of University Ethos

The current economic crisis is forcing us to reflect on where we have gone wrong in recent years. In the search for responsibilities some have looked to Business Schools and ...

  • Posted April 26, 2016
  • Publications
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Greening the Campus: Institutional Environmental Change at Tulane University

  • Tulane University (LA)

This study explores the barriers to institutional change at Tulane University and attempts to develop ways to overcome them. The central conclusion is that the inability for Tulane to make ...

  • Posted April 25, 2016
  • Publications
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Higher education’s sustainability imperative: how to practically respond?

  • University of Colorado Boulder (CO)

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe four phases for how universities have addressed a sustainability agenda and offer specific lessons for how and where experiences on one ...

  • Posted April 25, 2016
  • Publications
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The contribution of sustainability assessment to policy development in higher education

This article builds upon the experiences and results of the application of sustainability assessment instruments in higher education. First, a short overview of existing sustainability assessment tools will be provided ...

  • Posted April 20, 2016
  • Publications
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Getting an empirical hold of the sustainable university: a comparative analysis of evaluation frameworks across 12 contemporary sustainability assessment tools

  • Leuphana University of Lüneburg

Although it is increasingly recognised that higher education institutions have to play a critical role in the progression towards a sustainable development, the question of what fields and issues universities ...

  • Posted April 20, 2016
  • Publications
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Campus sustainability governance in Canada: A content analysis of post-secondary institutions’ sustainability policies

  • University of Saskatchewan (SK)
  • Dalhousie University (NS)

Purpose

This paper aims to provide an overview of a content analysis of sustainability policies from Canadian post-secondary education institutions. The paper reports findings on the orientations to sustainability evident ...

  • Posted April 20, 2016
  • Publications
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Job Market Sees Growing Demand For Sustainability Managers

Way back before the turn of the century (when we partied like it was 1999), I could count the number of real "sustainability managers" on my fingers and toes and ...

  • Posted April 15, 2016
  • Publications
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Conversations in Sustainability: The University of British Columbia

  • University of British Columbia (BC)

"We have the chance, which doesn't come very often in human history, to make this fundamental change." The University of British Columbia is exploring and exemplifying new ways of ...

  • Posted April 14, 2016
  • Videos & Webinars
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The State of Campus Resilience in the Face of a Changing Climate

  • Haley & Aldrich, Inc. (MA)
  • Society for College and University Planning (MI)

Climate-related events pose a major threat to college and university campuses across the country, and this is only expected to worsen as the climate continues to change. Along with an ...

  • Posted April 8, 2016
  • Publications
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STARS Silver for NAIT

  • Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (AB)

NAIT’s environmentally friendly programs and initiatives have earned the institute a STARS Silver sustainability ranking, the highest of any Canadian polytechnic. NAIT was the first Canadian polytechnic to achieve ...

  • Posted April 3, 2016
  • Outreach Materials
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Pulling Up the Higher-Ed Ladder: Myth and Reality in the Crisis of College Affordability

This brief attempts to pinpoint the cause(s) of spiraling tuition by taking a deep dive into public university revenue and spending data from the National Center for Education Statistics ...

  • Posted March 31, 2016
  • Publications
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Sustainable Development Primer for Higher Education Presidents, Chancellors, Trustees and Senior Leaders

  • Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium (HEASC) (PA)

This primer describes the sustainability related, crucial roles and tasks for presidents, trustees and senior leadership and explains how sustainability is a robust national trend in higher education. The primer ...

  • Posted March 30, 2016
  • Publications
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Higher Education’s Role in Adapting to a Changing Climate

  • Second Nature (MA)

This report describes the role of colleges and universities in preparing society for a changing climate through their education, research, operations, and community engagement activities.

  • Posted March 28, 2016
  • Publications
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AASHE Award Winner Webinar - Student Leadership for Campus and Community Sustainability

  • University of Hawaii Maui College (HI)
  • University of British Columbia (BC)

This webinar looks at two differing and successful approaches to deepening student engagement in campus and community projects that integrate sustainability into the fabric of the student experience. Both top ...

  • Posted March 17, 2016
  • Videos & Webinars
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Dr. Stephen Mulkey Presents AASHE 2015 Opening Keynote Address

  • Unity Environmental University (ME)
  • AASHE (PA)

Dr. Mulkey has been the president at Unity College for more than four years ago. As president, he is a champion of sustainability science, which he sees as the defining ...

  • Posted March 3, 2016
  • Videos & Webinars
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State of Sustainability: 10 Things to Know About Colorado State University

  • Colorado State University (CO)

Colorado State has a long history as one of the nation’s most sustainable universities, but now CSU is the first university in the world to ever have its sustainability ...

  • Posted March 3, 2016
  • Outreach Materials
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AASHE Award Winner Webinar - Biodiversity-friendly Campuses

  • Lewis & Clark College (OR)
  • Southern Oregon University (OR)
  • AASHE (PA)
  • Audubon International (NY)
  • Salmon Safe (OR)

Colleges and universities are playing a crucial role in protecting wildlife and restoring habitats on and off campus, and students, faculty, administrators, and staff are champions for sustainable environmental practices ...

  • Posted March 3, 2016
  • Videos & Webinars
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Simple Key Facilities Benchmarks That Make a Difference

  • National Association of College & University Business Officers (NACUBO) (DC)

Some campus personnel have the ability (time and expertise) to gather great detail on benchmarking. However, many campuses are not able to expend the time or expertise to be a ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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Bottleneck and breakthrough toward a sustainable campus – 4 years of challenges by Hokkaido University, Japan

  • Hokkaido University (Hokkaido)

Hokkaido University (HU) is a pioneer institute, which have developed a campus master plan (CMP) in 2006. Then, there was a big movement in higher education for a sustainable campus ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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Sustainability Course Designation: Values and Best Practices

  • Dickinson College (PA)

Dickinson is leading the way in integrating sustainability across the curriculum. As an innovative liberal arts college, over 96% of our Class of '15 students have taken sustainability-focused and related ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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A New Model for Collaborative and Effective Campus Sustainability Decisions

  • University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)

An AASHE member and ACUPCC signatory, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050. In 2014, we developed a new model to engage both ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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Building Political Effectiveness and Accountability at a Student-Led Sustainability Office

  • University of North Carolina, Asheville (NC)

The University of North Carolina Asheville is among a small group of colleges that chose to establish an entirely student-run, student fee-funded department to house sustainability efforts on campus. In ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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Transformational Leadership Summit for College & University Executives & Senior Leaders

  • Harvard University (MA)

Driving sustainability into an institution's core mission, positioning the institution to 'do well by doing good' is the complex leadership challenge of the 21st century. It requires the transformation ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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Five-Year Evolution of Campus Sustainability Programs

  • Bentley University (MA)
  • Boston University (MA)

Many campus sustainability programs around the country are coming of age. Those programs which started between the years of 2008-2011 are reaching a critical turning point where their ability to ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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Retention, Graduate Rates, and Sustainability Literacy

  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (IL)

In the current climate of increased governmental oversight of higher education and fiscal downturns, retention and graduation rates are being emphasized as key markers of an institution's success. Meanwhile ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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Professor Sustainability Coordinator': Maximizing the Potential of the Multiple Roles of the Sustainability Professional

  • Bowling Green State University (OH)

Question: Where does the line between full-time Sustainability Professional and Faculty Member teaching about sustainability begin? Answer: There is no line! This case study presents a successful model for strengthening ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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STARS Express: How WPI Completed STARS in under 2.5 Months

  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute (MA)
  • AASHE (PA)
  • GreenerU (MA)

This session will describe how Worcester Polytechnic Institute was able to complete a high quality STARS 2.0 submission in just two and a half months. With support from GreenerU ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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Sustainability Internship Programs at the University of Illinois at Chicago: Diversity Strengthens Leadership On and Off Campus

  • University of Illinois Chicago (IL)

This case study will describe two internship programs that operate at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). The goal of the Heritage Garden and Office of Sustainability (OS) internship ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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Building a Statewide Sustainability Strategy in Higher Education (2015)

  • University of Hawaii System Office (HI)

This case study will describe the first two years of developing the system-wide University of Hawaii (UH) Sustainability Strategy. In January 2014 the Board of Regents of the University of ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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Moving towards Water Sustainability on Campus: A Collaborative Approach

  • Weber State University (UT)

Rising water stress in the American West demands that campuses in this region plan proactively for wiser water use. At WSU, a partnership between faculty researchers and operations staff has ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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Setting Building Energy Use Goals: Tracking Climate Action Plan targets and successes

  • Ball State University (IN)
  • Loyola University Chicago (IL)
  • Stanford University (CA)
  • University of Tennessee at Knoxville (TN)

This panel discussion will share the experience of three campuses in setting energy use goals for campus facilities. As energy and sustainability managers, the presenters will share their approaches to ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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Facing of Failure and How to Use it to Work Towards Your Sustainability Goals

  • American University (DC)
  • College of Charleston (SC)
  • University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)

AASHE Conferences are great for discussing successes: they help guide burgeoning institutions, provide expansion support to veteran institutions, and help build the case for sustainability. But what about failures? This ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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Sustainability Science in Curriculum and the Campus Decision-making Plan

  • University of Hawaii Maui College (HI)

Sustainability science requires the use of systems thinking skills and problem driven analysis to address the need for broad, holistic responses to persistent societal problems. This presentation will 1) describe ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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Beyond Offsets: Innovative approaches to achieving and exceeding our climate commitments

  • Amherst College (MA)
  • Hampshire College (MA)
  • Smith College (MA)
  • Williams College (MA)
  • Living Routes, Inc. (MA)

Climate change is a defining issue of our time, and colleges and university are leading the way by setting ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets. Many of us are even striving ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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Collaborating Campus Efficiencies with Finance Folks

  • Carleton College (MN)
  • University of Washington, Seattle (WA)
  • National Association of College & University Business Officers (NACUBO) (DC)

Campus finance officers have the unique opportunity to develop, support, and implement campus sustainability goals. All campuses have major leaders in these finance officers that may, or may not, be ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.

All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.

PA 1: Sustainability Coordination

PA 2: Sustainability Coordination

PA 3: Sustainability Coordination

PA 4: Reporting Assurance

Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.

Coordination & Planning Partners