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.
Featured Resources
Latest News from AASHE Bulletin
New Resources
Environmental Health and Sustainability: Collaborating with Local Environmental Health Professionals for Sustainable Solutions
- The University of Findlay (OH)
- National Environmental Health Association (CO)
Environmental health (EH) professionals have an opportunity to reach out to higher education as the next step to disseminate and implement sustainable solutions in communities. There is not always a …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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STARS Town Hall
- University of California, Los Angeles (CA)
- AASHE (MA)
This interactive session will feature a small panel of STARS Steering Committee members and AASHE staff who will facilitate a high-level discussion about potential improvements to the STARS program. This …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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STARS 101: The Basics of Conducting a Campus Sustainability Assessment
- AASHE (MA)
AASHE's Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. With more than 750 registered institutions on six …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Building Climate Resilience: A Planning Framework and Early Experiences
- Western Technical College (WI)
- Second Nature (MA)
This session will give an overview of the resilience planning framework available through Second Nature Climate Commitments and highlight innovative climate resilience efforts already underway. Institutions across all U.S. states …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Climate Action Planning: Making Plans that are Ambitious AND Implementable
- Amherst College (MA)
- Virginia Commonwealth University (VA)
Sustainability folk know writing a climate action or sustainability plan is only the beginning. After the initial buzz of publishing wanes, our plans begin to gather dust. What makes a …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Engaging Your Campus Through Eco-Reps: Evaluating the Success
- Clark University (MA)
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
- Pomona College (CA)
- University of Denver (CO)
- University of Missouri (MO)
The goal for participants during this panel discussion will be to examine successes and challenges for peer to peer sustainability education programs. With 15 years of program history, how well …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Oh no, my president is leaving! (aka Institutionalizing Sustainability for Long-term Impact)
- Harvard University (MA)
- University of Minnesota, Morris (MN)
- Second Nature (MA)
Senior Leadership transitions can cause significant challenges for maintaining the work of staff responsible for carrying out climate action plans. When a president leaves, this can result in past efforts …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Optimizing Effluent Water Quality in Water Reclamation and Reuse
- Emory University (GA)
- NextEra Distributed Water, Inc. (VA)
Managing water-related challenges through water reclamation and reuse is vital to all bulk water consumers. Decentralized water reclamation and reuse decreases the demand for potable water supplies, provides increased resiliency …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Growing Beyond the Campus Garden
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- Hobart and William Smith Colleges (NY)
- Portland State University (OR)
- Princeton University (NJ)
- Virginia Commonwealth University (VA)
In 2016, many campuses have developed community gardens on our campuses as tools for co-curricular engagement, reducing food insecurity, and iconic sustainability learning tools. But, after the initial excitement of …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Cultivating Regional Partnerships on Campus: Sourcing and Food Service for a Sustainable Mid-Atlantic Food System
- Johns Hopkins University (MD)
- Bon Appétit Management Company
- Common Market Philadelphia (PA)
How do colleges and universities successfully partner with sustainable producers, distributors, and food service management companies for a positive impact that goes beyond campus? Join a conversation among key players …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Creating Global Partnerships for Sustainability through Middlebury's Schools Abroad
- Middlebury College (VT)
This panel is about the development and implementation of a new program at Middlebury College to bring sustainability into the programming and curricula at its 17 schools abroad. The program …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Bridging the gap: The Next-Generation of Sustainability in Higher Education
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
- Swarthmore College (PA)
- University of California, Office of the President (CA)
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- University of British Columbia (BC)
The sustainability movement in higher education has helped to establish our role as sustainability professionals and over the years significant gains have been made. Pioneering efforts have led to the …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Next Level Sustainability Planning: Action Planning, Social Indicators, Community Partnerships, and Long-Range Planning
- Washington University in St. Louis (MO)
- Yale University (CT)
- University of British Columbia (BC)
Washington University in St. Louis, Yale University, and the University of British Columbia have recently undergone extensive sustainability strategic planning processes that have produced significantly more sophisticated and far-reaching plans. …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Aligning Efforts and Increasing Outreach Through the Sustainable Development Goals
- Portland Community College (OR)
- United Nations University
- KEDGE Business School (Bordeaux)
Sustainability efforts continue to grow around the world; however, achieving a sustainable future requires increasing our collective impact by aligning efforts with broader initiatives and increasing our outreach. This panel …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Embolden Facilities and Finance Office Collaborations for Sustainability
- APPA: Leadership in Educational Facilities (VA)
- National Association of College & University Business Officers (NACUBO) (DC)
Two major national association organizations - representing facilities and business offices - will highlight collaborations, programs, and developments regarding sustainability that cross boundaries for success. Collaboration with these units, within …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Collaborative Initiatives that Work
- Arizona State University (AZ)
Inspiring and empowering sustainability engagement and practices on our campuses is one of Arizona State University's primary goals and creating a culture of collaboration has served as a key enabler. …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Laboratory Recycling and Beyond
- Medical University of South Carolina (SC)
An often avoided realm in recycling efforts, research laboratories generate large amounts of recyclable materials that end up as land-filled waste. In this session we will describe MUSC's Lab Recycling …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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CAP Revisited: Lessons Learned and New Strategies Discovered by Revising Climate Action Plans
- Emory University (GA)
- University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
Colleges and universities are updating their climate action plans to reflect the latest GHG reduction strategies and renew stakeholder engagement. The University of Maryland released its first CAP in 2009 …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Contrasting Approaches to Effective Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategies: A Review of Energy-Focused Programs and Lessons Learned
- Colby College (ME)
- University of Virginia (VA)
A small private liberal arts college in the Northeast, Colby College, and a large public research university in the Southeast, the University of Virginia, will compare and contrast approaches within …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Internal Carbon Pricing: Designing and Implementing Campus Climate Policies with Vassar, Swarthmore, and Yale
- Swarthmore College (PA)
- Vassar College (NY)
- Yale University (CT)
In the absence of federal or international carbon markets, higher education has a momentous opportunity to model institutional capacity to put a price on carbon. The goal of this panel …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Speaking the Language of Executive Leadership
- Harvard University (MA)
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
- Purdue University (IN)
With higher education facing ongoing budget cuts, top to bottom reviews of programs and policies, and critical questions regarding the value of a college education, sustainability professionals must be able …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Organizational Design for a Living World: Unleashing Agility, Engagement, Idea Flow and Purpose
- Harvard University (MA)
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
All too often our best efforts to achieve deeper levels of engagement and change in higher education are hampered by underlying organizational barriers. Sources of our undoing can include finance …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Scaling Applied Learning for Sustainability Programs: Crash-Course
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- Portland State University (OR)
The panel presents insights for scaling applied learning programs for sustainability outcomes. The panel starts with providing a quick overview what applied learning programs for sustainability outcomes mean: that is …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Creating a Community Conversation for Sustainability Strategic Planning
- Emory University (GA)
- University of Alberta (AB)
Strategic planning for sustainability requires broad outreach and engagement to mobilize, empower, and inspire community members. This panel presents the outcomes of two successful sustainability strategic planning efforts that focused …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Demystifying Residence Life: Guidance on Partnering from Sustainability Professionals within Housing
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
- University of South Carolina (SC)
- University of Arizona (AZ)
Residence Life is often an isolated unit on campus, with a very unique culture and lots of policies. It can be difficult for sustainability professionals to partner with these units. …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Combining carbon and nitrogen footprints: A new tool for a more comprehensive approach to environmental management on campuses
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
- University of Virginia (VA)
A new iteration of 'CarbonMAP' (the web-based version of the widely-used Campus Carbon Calculator) will soon include the ability to track and manage the campus nitrogen footprint as well. This …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Project Managing STARS 2.1 Submission Process
- Colorado State University (CO)
- Stanford University (CA)
- University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)
- University of Vermont (VT)
- University of Virginia (VA)
A STARS submission requires a coordinated data collection effort across dozens of departments and individuals. This panel will explore the pros and cons of employing various project management strategies for …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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From Bird Houses to Tiny Houses: Courage Changes Everything!
- Portland Community College (OR)
A two-term project of building a tiny house for a homeless community produced a community-building learning process for students and local residents, with practical, long-lasting benefits for the City of …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Bridging the Gap: Creating Partnerships to Support Off-Campus Housing Sustainability
- University of Arizona (AZ)
In 2013, the University of Arizona launched the Undergraduate Off-Campus Housing Sustainability Coordinator (OCHSC) position designed to bring sustainability into the homes of students living off-campus. The OCHSC consults with …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Communicating Sustainability Progress in a Busy World
- University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
The University of Maryland publishes an annual Sustainability Progress Report to keep the campus community informed of overall progress toward the university's sustainability goals. The intended audience, format, structure, look …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Launching & Sustaining an Educational Partnership for Innovation in Communities (EPIC): PALS at UMD
- University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
Universities around the country are implementing a powerful learning framework in which students and faculty address local community sustainability issues through adapting current courses to provide real world learning and …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Lifecycle Management of Electronics from Procurement to Disposal
- Global Electronics Council (OR)
This session will introduce the new, comprehensive manual, The Lifecycle Management of Electronics from Procurement to Disposal, recently released by the Green Electronics Council and the National Association of Educational …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Putting the People First: A look at UT Austin's Sustainability Master Plan
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
Sustainability plans often align with traditional university functions: academics, operations and administration. UT Austin took a different approach to their first ever Sustainability Master Plan, resulting in a people-centric plan. …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Fuelling a Place-Based Sustainability Movement
- University at Buffalo (NY)
Building a better future by definition is a collective effort, but often at times throughout higher education we focus inward within our own institutions. While this is a practical and …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Sustainability Leadership Program at DePauw University
- DePauw University (IN)
DePauw's Sustainability Leadership Program (SLP) is a hands-on, co-curricular initiative that pairs student cohorts with sustainability projects on campus and in the community. Through both paid and volunteer hands-on opportunities, …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Is it 'Socially Sustainable' if no one Hears About It?: Living Wage Policies, Practices, and Adoption in Higher Education
- Saint Joseph's University (PA)
Concern for the rights and dignity of workers have fueled growing calls for laws either increasing the minimum wage or adopting a living wage scheme. In lieu of wage legislation, …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Beyond Campus: Does Student Leadership Translate to Professional Success?
- American University (DC)
Many students join peer-to-peer education programs to promote campus sustainability while building their resume. Serving in these leadership roles alongside faculty and staff enables students to gain valuable project management, …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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How Resource Innovation and Solutions Pioneered on the ASU Campus is Growing a Worldwide Network
- Arizona State University (AZ)
This is the story of how Arizona State University, through a systems approach to public engagement and a unique collaboration with the city of Phoenix, created the Resource Innovation and …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Two Sides of the Same Coin: An Integrative Education Model for Sustainability and Global Citizenship
- Dallas College (TX)
Two Sides of the Same Coin' is a case study of curricular and co-curricular education programs at North Lake College in Irving, Texas, part of the Dallas County Community College …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Urban Eco-Block: From Prototype to Adaptation - University, Community and Non-Profit collaborate to create a Net Zero Block
- Washington University in St. Louis (MO)
- Hellmuth + Bicknese Architects (MO)
Urban Eco-Block goal is to create a prototype Sustainable Form-Based Code and Net Positive Design for a typical urban city block found in many rust-belt cities where urban blight, economic …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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The integration of Sustainability Practices in College Athletics
- University of Florida (FL)
This three-part case study explores large-scale college athletic programs tackling the challenges of becoming zero waste & carbon neutral with a range of internal and campus-wide goals. Focused mainly on …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Global Collaboration, Local Action: Insights and Ideas from two International Networks
- Yale University (CT)
- International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) (MA)
Comprised of 11 members, the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU) established a campus sustainability initiative in 2009.This group's outputs to-date include a student exchange program, conferences, and a co-authored …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Water Audit Process at the University of Illinois at Chicago
- University of Illinois Chicago (IL)
Water is increasingly on the minds of campus facilities and sustainability administrators, specifically how to use less in campus buildings. As an initial step toward developing conservation strategies and priorities, …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Sustainability Reporting Built on Stakeholder Engagement
- University of Calgary (AB)
Sustainability reports span the spectrum from powerful education and engagement tools to promotional 'greenwash'. What differentiates the good, the bad and the ugly? In this case study we will look …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Strategic Sustainability Planning for a Community College District
- San Mateo County Community College District Office (CA)
The San Mateo County Community College District, located just south of San Francisco, consists of three colleges, Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College. Sustainability is the underlying …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Revitalizing Sustainability in a Large, Urban Research Institution
- New York University (NY)
In 2007, New York University made a public commitment to reduce emissions by 30% by 2017. This goal was reached in 2012. In 2015, NYU made another commitment to reduce …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Zero Net Energy Campus Master Planning
- BR+A (MA)
Colleges and Universities are targeting carbon neutrality in the coming decades; some are on track to achieve these goals ahead of schedule. We have gathered data on over 100 campuses …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Making the Case for the Living, Learning Lab & Quantifying Ecosystem Services: IU Bloomington's Tree Inventory
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
Indiana University Bloomington initiated a campus-wide geographic information systems tree inventory effort in the spring of 2015. The tree inventory data is housed through ArcGIS online and led primarily by …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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The Harsh Realities of Generating Successful Living Laboratories
- Dickinson College (PA)
Living laboratories are a growing component of sustainability in higher education, however their creation is frequently meet with stiff opposition. Dickinson College has successfully cultivated two living laboratories, The Handlebar, …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Tracking student shower usage in real-time
- University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (MA)
Self-reported shower durations suffer from memory inconsistency and timing accuracy as humans generally have great difficulty telling time internally. Our pre- and post-program self-report surveys also introduce errors due to …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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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
- Description of the sustainability committee(s)
- Description of the sustainability office(s)
- Description of activities and accomplishments of the institution-wide coordinating body or officer during the previous three years
- First sustainability position (upload)
- First sustainability position (text)
- Second sustainability position (upload)
- Second sustainability position (text)
- Third sustainability position (upload)
- Third sustainability position (text)
- Website URL - Sustainability Coordination
PA 2: Sustainability Coordination
- Published measurable objectives - Academics
- Published measurable objectives - Engagement
- Published measurable objectives - Operations
- Published measurable objectives - Planning & Administration
- Website URL - Highest Guiding Strategic Plan
- Sustainability plan (upload)
- Sustainability plan (website URL)
- Website URL - Sustainability planning
PA 3: Sustainability Coordination
- Description of participatory or shared governance bodies
- Percent of official members of the highest governing body that are women
- Website URL - Institution’s highest level governing body
- Description of campus-community council or equivalent body that gives external stakeholders a regular voice in institutional decisions
- Website URL - Institutional governance body
PA 4: Reporting Assurance
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.