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Coordination & Planning

Introduction

Staff and other resources help an institution organize, implement, and publicize sustainability initiatives. These resources provide the infrastructure that fosters sustainability within an institution. Sustainability planning affords an institution the opportunity to clarify its vision of a sustainable future, establish priorities and help guide budgeting and decision making.

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University of Victoria’s LEED Gold Administrative Services Building.

Beyond the Right Thing to Do: The Value of Sustainability in Higher Education

  • AASHE (MA)

This document is intended to help higher education sustainability practitioners more powerfully articulate the value of sustainability to higher education leaders as well as the general public. As different points …

  • Posted Nov. 28, 2017
  • Publications
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Guidelines for universities engaging in social responsibility

The Guidelines are designed to help universities to successfully incorporate USR (university social responsibility) in their strategies and everyday activities. The USR guidelines are available online in a PDF version …

  • Posted Nov. 16, 2017
  • Publications
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UNH gets top ‘green campus’ status

  • University of New Hampshire (NH)
  • AASHE (MA)

Fosters.com article captures the University of New Hampshire's STARS Platinum achievement.

  • Posted Oct. 25, 2017
  • Publications
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Integrating and Unifying Competing and Complementary Frameworks

  • University of Georgia (GA)
  • York University

In the field of business and society, several complementary frameworks appear to be in competition for preeminence. Although debatable, the primary contenders appear to include (a) corporate social responsibility, (b) …

  • Posted Oct. 20, 2017
  • Publications
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Preparing Today for a Sustainable Future

  • American Chemical Society (DC)

Business leaders and their academic trainers must embrace the concept of sustainability to prepare future leaders with the understanding and tools necessary to make key decisions based on more than …

  • Posted Oct. 20, 2017
  • Publications
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All Gender Restroom Poster

Portland State University All Gender Restroom Campaign

  • Portland State University (OR)

In 2015 PSU implemented an all gender restroom policy. Working with a student in our College of Art + Design, a marketing campaign was established to advertise the policy.

JMU students take part in a canoeing activity through the University Recreation Department (UREC) Adventure Program, which teaches and follows “Leave No Trace” principles.

JMU’s Student Outdoor Adventures Program Follows "Leave No Trace" Principles

  • James Madison University (VA)

JMU’s University Recreation Department’s (UREC’s) many contributions to environmental stewardship include Adventure Program hiking, kayaking, skiing and canoeing activities that teach and follow "Leave No Trace" principles.

https://www.jmu.edu/recreation/adventure/index.shtml

McGill is integrating sustainability into governance procedures

Sustainability in Governance at McGill University - 2017 Sustainable Campus Index

  • McGill University (QC)

In November 2015, the template used at McGill University for Board and Senate memorandum was expanded to include a question on sustainability issues that are to be considered for motions …

Yale Sustainability Action Planning poster session

Yale Sustainability Action Planning poster session

  • Yale University (CT)

Operational units and academic units celebrate their sustainability action planning efforts in a poster session event.

Niagara College students participating in the World Water Monitoring Challenge, and event run by students to monitor water quality throughout campus

Niagara College Sustainability Engagement

  • Niagara College Canada (ON)

The following images depict various events and initiatives that take place at Niagara College that can be used towards students' Co-Curricular Records, and the LEAD Sustainability stream. These events include …

Bob Newton, director of the Center for the Environment, Ecological Design, and Sustainability, and professor of geosciences, conducting research on Paradise Pond with a student.

Smith College Study Group on Climate Change

  • Smith College (MA)

Here are several photos that we were utilized in the Report of the Smith College Study Group on Climate Change to illustrate campus work and initiatives in sustainability, including the …

Highlights from the 2017 Higher Education Sustainability Staffing Survey

  • AASHE (MA)

The 2017 Higher Education Sustainability Staffing Survey Report examines the nature of sustainability positions at colleges and universities, providing insights into salaries, funding, supervision, job satisfaction, challenges and more. AASHE …

  • Posted Oct. 6, 2017
  • Videos & Webinars
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University Reputations and the Public: A Roadmap for Higher Education Leaders

Edelman, a public relations firm, surveyed academics and the general public to understand how the U.S. public evaluates the reputations of higher education institutions, and how these reputational drivers vary …

  • Posted Sept. 18, 2017
  • Publications
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Publication Cover

Getting Started with the SDGs in Universities: A guide for universities, higher education institutions, and the academic sector

The guide from the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Australia/Pacific aims to accelerate action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It highlights the role universities specifically in Australia, New Zealand and …

  • Posted Sept. 18, 2017
  • Publications
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Sustainability in the Higher Education System: An Opportunity to Improve Quality and Image

In view of the increasing importance attributed to social responsibility and stakeholder relationship management, more universities have expanded their research topics and their educational programs through the years. High attention …

  • Posted Sept. 11, 2017
  • Publications
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Redacted Data: 2017 Higher Education Sustainability Staffing Survey

  • AASHE (MA)

For the first time, AASHE is making a redacted version of the Higher Education Sustainabilty Staffing Survey available to AASHE members for further analysis. Our hope is that this resource …

Staffing Survey Cover

2017 Higher Education Sustainability Staffing Survey

  • AASHE (MA)

The 2017 staffing survey report examines the nature of sustainability positions at colleges and universities, providing insights into salaries, funding, supervision, job satisfaction, challenges and more. This year’s survey and …

  • Posted Sept. 1, 2017
  • Publications
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Walking the Eco-Talk Movement: Higher Education Institutions as Sustainability Incubators

  • Edgewood College (WI)

Management scholars can have a major impact on advancing environmental sustainability by focusing on their own home institutions. A “four-type” sustainability action model is presented to foster thinking about how …

  • Posted Aug. 28, 2017
  • Publications
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From Talloires to Turin: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Declarations for Sustainability in Higher Education

Declarations for sustainability in higher education are often seen as a set of guiding principles that aid institutions of higher learning to incorporate the concept of sustainability into their various …

  • Posted Aug. 28, 2017
  • Publications
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Assessing the Higher Education Sector’s Use of Renewable Energy

  • University of New Hampshire (NH)

This article explores the extent to which U.S.-based institutions of higher education have engaged in voluntary purchases and production of renewable energy. Understanding these efforts is important in order to …

  • Posted Aug. 28, 2017
  • Publications
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Mapping Sustainability Assessment and Reporting in the UK Tertiary Education: A Whole-institution Perspective on Sustainability Assessment and Reporting Tools

  • Environmental Association for Universities & Colleges (EAUC) (Gloucestershire)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A plethora of assessment and reporting ‘tools’1 has become available for the improvement of sustainability performance in Further and Higher Education(FHE). As the profile of sustainability reporting and …

  • Posted Aug. 28, 2017
  • Publications
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Assessing sustainability in higher education curricula: A critical reflection on validity issues

While curricular assessments can give insight as to the extent sustainability is integrated into higher education study programs, issues remain regarding how assessments are conducted. Previous research has identified and …

  • Posted Aug. 28, 2017
  • Publications
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Introduction to Watershed Studies

Parks and Sustainability

  • Kent State University - Stark (OH)

Picture of a student in Kent State University at Stark's Introduction to Watershed Studies. This course was created through a park and campus partnership.

Talloires Declaration

  • Tufts University (MA)
  • Association of University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (DC)

Composed in 1990 at an international conference in Talloires, France, the Talloires Declaration is the first official statement by university presidents, chancellors, and rectors of a commitment to environmental sustainability …

Overcoming Barriers: Organizational Effectiveness of College Sustainability Offices

  • Eckerd College (FL)

This study assesses the organizational effectiveness of six small colleges that have demonstrated a commitment to campus sustainability practices. Given the complex structures and competing demands within a small college, …

  • Posted July 13, 2017
  • Publications
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Using a class to conduct a carbon inventory: A case study with practical results at Macalester College

  • Macalester College (MN)

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the practical realities of using a college seminar to fulfill the carbon audit requirement for signatories to the American College and University …

  • Posted June 22, 2017
  • Publications
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Maximising the local economic, environmental and social benefits of a university: Lancaster University

The paper presents the main conclusions from an in-depth study of the local economic, social and environmental impacts of Lancaster University in 1991/92. The likely impacts of further expansion at …

  • Posted June 20, 2017
  • Publications
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Hot Air: University Climate Action Plans and Disarticulated Federalism

Individual states and academic institutions have taken leadership on climate change policy in the United States. Without unified national policy, a patchwork of state policies fosters geographic variation among climate …

  • Posted June 20, 2017
  • Publications
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Challenges in Higher Education for Sustainability

This book presents the latest advances on the incorporation of sustainability in higher education. Different aspects such as the environmental, economic and social are here discussed. Several examples illustrating how …

Local food cooking class

Earthday at Universidad de Monterrey

  • Universidad de Monterrey

University of California Climate Lab, Video Series Episode Six: Scientists really aren't the best champions of climate science

  • University of California, Office of the President (CA)

This is the sixth episode of Climate Lab, a six-part series produced by the University of California in partnership with Vox. Hosted by Emmy-nominated conservation scientist Dr. M. Sanjayan, the …

  • Posted May 25, 2017
  • Videos & Webinars
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Schematic of the shadow price. In cost-benefit analysis, the "cost" used should include the lifecycle carbon emissions of all options.

Swarthmore Carbon Charge Program

  • Swarthmore College (PA)

Swarthmore’s Carbon Charge seeks to systematically incorporate the unfelt global impacts of our emissions into our decision-making, both individually and as a college.

The scope of the work necessary to …

Penstemon 2.0

  • Santa Clara University (CA)

From the outset, our goal has been to foster a culture of sustainability at the University by focusing on our curriculum as an interdisciplinary community of scholars. SCU has used …

Students Contribute Record-Breaking $6 Million to Student Green Energy Fund

  • University of South Florida (Tampa) (FL)

The purpose of the Student Green Energy Fund is to provide an opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to present formal proposals to a governing Fund Council with the goal …

Report of the Smith College Study Group on Climate Change

  • Smith College (MA)

In this report, the Study Group on Climate Change (SGCC) presents its recommendations for climate action by Smith College. By implementing these recommendations, the college will coherently integrate climate action …

First delivery day with Cycle Farm, Spearfish, SD

Black Hills Food Hub: rural food hubs serving a wider demographic

  • Black Hills State University (SD)

Black Hills State University (BHSU) and Spearfish community partners are seeking to create a culture that supports and values local food in order to expand the reach and depth of …

Cascadia Campus Climate Conversation (C4)

  • Cascadia College (WA)

-On October 25th, 2016, the senior cohort of the Bachelors of Applied Science in Sustainable Practices (BASSP) program at Cascadia College, Bothell, WA, held the first campus dialogue to discuss …

How Middlebury College Achieved Carbon Neutrality

  • Middlebury College (VT)

This past winter, Middlebury College achieved an ambitious goal of carbon neutrality that had been officially set in 2007. When it became clear that the College’s initial of goal recommended …

SFU’s 20-Year Sustainability Vision and Goals Case Study Submission

  • Simon Fraser University (BC)

On the 50th Anniversary of the institution, SFU launched an ambitious engagement process to map out and envision what a “sustainable SFU” would look like in 20 years. The yearlong …

Promoting Sustainability through Coordination of Campus-Wide Conservation Practices

  • University of South Alabama (AL)

While the University of South Alabama (USA) has a long history of independent sustainability ventures, it is only in last 18 months that sustainability as a program has become a …

Sustainability Assessment Report for Philadelphia University by using AASHE STARS Credit System

  • Philadelphia University (PA)

This project is a thesis research on sustainability at Philadelphia University. The University is known regionally for its sustainability initiatives and education. The university has won several awards and recognitions …

Student, Faculty & Staff Eco-Reps work together to map out a local adventure for their communities during a Sustain IT workshop with the Outing Club

The New Eco-Rep Model: Unifying Campus Audiences in Co-Curricular Sustainability Programming

  • Dickinson College (PA)

Dickinson College has innovatively reformed its Eco-Rep model into a combined student and employee peer-to-peer sustainability education program that creates co-curricular learning experiences aimed at unifying campus stakeholders while increasing …

Climate Change and the Canadian Higher Education System: An Institutional Policy Analysis

  • University of Rochester (NY)
  • University of Saskatchewan (SK)

Climate change is a pressing concern. Higher education can address the challenge, but systematic analyses of climate change in education policy are sparse. This paper addresses this gap in the …

Critical attributes of Sustainability in Higher Education: a categorisation from literature review

  • Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (Santa Catarina)

Sustainability in Higher Education has been investigated mainly through examining institutional approaches, curricula content, or students' and teachers' perceptions of sustainability in practice. However, a deep characterisation of the foundations …

SPF Project: McGill Farmers' Market

McGill University's Sustainability Projects Fund

  • McGill University (QC)

The Sustainability Projects Fund (SPF) is a crown jewel of McGill University’s sustainability efforts and a best-practice model for universities. The SPF’s main goal is to build a culture of …

McGill Students Lobby to Create Climate Officer Position

  • McGill University (QC)

In Spring 2016, Management PhD student Amir Nosrat, and other colleagues at the Post-Graduate Students' Society of McGill University, came up with the idea to create a Climate Officer position …

University of Saskatchewan Aerial Shot

The Campus Sustainability Plan: A Community Building Momentum

  • University of Saskatchewan (SK)

Progress on campus wide sustainability is not easy. It takes both planning and implementation to realize results. The University of Saskatchewan is realizing results from its Campus Sustainability Plan, developed …

Portland State University - All Gender Restroom Policy

  • Portland State University (OR)

In late 2015 Portland State University (PSU) administration officially adopted an all gender restroom policy (also sometimes referred to as gender-neutral, unisex, or universal) for the PSU campus. The all …

Fifteen buildings across campus host the 4.5 MW of rooftop PV

Stanford achieves dramatic greenhouse gas emissions reductions to surpass state, national, and international climate targets

  • Stanford University (CA)

Stanford Energy System Innovations (SESI) is a new campus energy system powered by renewables, designed to meet the current and future energy needs of Stanford University in an environmentally, socially, …

Las Pintas Solar Experience group, 2013

Johnson County Community College Student Sustainability Committee

  • Johnson County Community College (KS)

As a broadly effective, innovative, engaging, and replicable project, Johnson County Community College’s Student Sustainability Committee [the SSC, the Committee] is a compelling and powerful tool for developing student leadership …

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

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