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
Building Student Leadership Through Networks: Connecting Higher Education Institutions Through Behavior Change Projects
- Augsburg University (MN)
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
This poster focuses on the value of connecting students, faculty and staff across boundaries. In this case, we connected across institutions, learning from each other and developing a network for …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
How Higher Education can Foster Innovations for Sustainability
- Oklahoma State University (OK)
Using a historical methodology to review places of innovation and intentional communities, three commonalities were identified as fundamental to the process of creating sustainable and innovative environments. For those interested …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Establishing a Student Green Fund at Your University
- University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)
At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a student-led effort recently succeeded with the establishment of a student green fund. The green fund currently provides approximately $46,000 per year to be awarded …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Management Strategies for Carbon and Nitrogen: Using a Combined Footprint Tool to Reduce Environmental Impact
- University of Virginia (VA)
How can institutions assess and manage their impact on the environment? A newly combined tool for carbon and nitrogen footprints offers a platform for institutions to manage their emissions both …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Showcasing Community Sustainability Champions on Campus: Why? How?
- Indiana University South Bend (IN)
For several years, the IU South Bend Center for a Sustainable Future has held a Sustainability Lecture Series on campus. The format has evolved over time to best meet the …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Key Facilities Metrics; Gateway Survey for Collegiate Improvements
- National Association of College & University Business Officers (NACUBO) (DC)
For the third year, the joint APPA/NACUBO 'Key Facilities Benchmark' survey is being offered and results will be highlighted. The five simple measures instigated by the NACUBO Sustainability Advisory Panel …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Importance of Student-led Efforts in Initiating Sustainability Programs in a Location With Predominantly Conservative Values
- Tarleton State University (TX)
Tarleton State University provides an interesting dichotomy It is located in a small town in rural Texas where sustainability has neither been promoted nor required. For years, faculty were stymied …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Meeting a Nitrogen Footprint Reduction Goal: A Case Study at the University of Virginia
- University of Virginia (VA)
The University of Virginia has three 'firsts' with respect to controlling nitrogen pollution. In 2009 it was the first to calculate its nitrogen footprint (492 tonnes N); in 2013 it …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Expedited STARS Reporting: Moving from Measurement to Management
- Fort Lewis College (CO)
- Gordian (SC)
In a climate of overtaxed staff and competing priorities, institutions struggle to devote adequate resources to STARS reporting. Yet the old adage holds true: 'You can't manage what you don't …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Entrepreneurial Thought and Action in Sustainability
- Babson College (MA)
In this presentation we will explore how the concept of Entrepreneurial Thought and Action can be applied to sustainability initiatives at your college or university. We will focus on: utilizing …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Beyond the Ivory Tower: Participating in City and State Sustainability Initiatives and Challenges
- New York University (NY)
As sustainability professionals in institutes of higher education, many of us have seen first-hand the impacts of our work. We have seen how large-scale energy, waste management, and engagement projects …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
MIT's Sustainability DataHub
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
Datasets are ubiquitous at MIT. The Institute collects large volumes of data on a variety of subjects related to the sustainability effort. However, these datasets are housed in diverse and …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Branding a Sustainability Program: The University of Rochester Go Green Initiative
- University of Rochester (NY)
Like many universities striving to make sustainability a priority without a central office for sustainability, the University of Rochester's efforts and achievements occur among multiple departments and programs. Communicating and …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Transitioning Dining Hall Pulped Waste to Post-Consumer Compost: Challenges and Lessons Learned at Appalachian State University
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Following a waste audit in 2011, Appalachian Food Services, the Office of Sustainability and Landscape Services at Appalachian State University began discussing the possibility of transitioning dining hall pulped waste …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Learning to Reboot a Campus or Commercial Recycling Program
- George Washington University (DC)
The only thing certain in the recycling field is that nothing is certain. In colleges and universities across the United States, sustainability and zero waste managers are constantly having to …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
UMass Lowell Office of Sustainability: A Strategic Partnership for Campus Sustainability
- University of Massachusetts Lowell (MA)
UMass Lowell's leadership is deeply committed to campus sustainability. As part of the overall campus transformation strategy, university leadership decided to form an Office of Sustainability to integrate sustainability efforts …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Working with Zero: Maximizing Partnerships to Meet Big Sustainability Goals
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
Campus sustainability practitioners are often tasked to achieve goals using little funding and staffing. By maximizing networks both within and outside the traditional sustainability lens and connecting campus resources, Zero …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
The Africa Center for Sustainable Ecosystems and Societies Under Global Change
- Colorado State University (CO)
The Africa Center for Sustainable Ecosystems and Societies Under Global Change invests in innovative and interdisciplinary research that cross-cut conventional disciplines in an attempt to tackle global environmental and sustainability …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Breaking Through: Creative Engagement Strategies for Increasing Student Sustainable Involvement in the Dorms and Beyond
- New York University (NY)
NYC came to a standstill when Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast and the public electrical grid shutdown, but the lights were on in 22 NYU buildings, and for once …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Engaging at Home and Abroad Through COPs: Higher Education Leadership on Climate Change
- University of Connecticut (CT)
Higher education has the unique opportunity to act as a leader and generator of positive climate action both domestically and abroad. Through research, interdisciplinary educational programs, experiential learning opportunities, at …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Greening the Supply and Purchasing Chain
- Chlorine Free Products Association (IL)
In today's world there are those who make claims about their sustainability based on an outdated data, inefficient process, or outright lies. Recently we all found out to what lengths …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Connecting In Your Region
- Second Nature (MA)
As schools mature in their work with sustainability, there is inevitably a point where they look outside of campus boundaries to connect with peers, community organizations, and businesses in order …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Sustainability Plan - Embedding Sustainability into the DNA of the Campus
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC)
- Buro Happold (NY)
UNC is a recognized leader in sustainability (AASHE STARS - Gold campus), leading in the tangible aspects of water and energy conservation with a mature recycling and composting program, sustainable …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Sustainability Management from Zero to Sixty: Green Competitions for Offices, Buildings, Campuses, and Cities
- Dallas College (TX)
Colleges and universities like to compete by nature. Recycle Mania and Campus Conservation Nationals are competitions on a national scale, with hundreds and thousands of students competing to win. At …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Student Internships Mobilizing From Coal to Carbon Neutrality Efforts
- Oberlin College (OH)
Carbon neutrality efforts require high level planning and coordination; meanwhile, sustainability offices often have few staff and full plates. This case study highlights efforts of two Oberlin College students who, …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Hitting the Reset Button: UT Austin's Process to Implement New Goals Within Existing Diversion Operations
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
As a state entity many of UT Austin's waste diversion programs and successes stemmed from state mandates. Due to changing priorities at the university level including the adoption of a …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
A Public Engagement Process to Create a Community-Based Vision and Open Space Plan
- Furman University (SC)
During a three-week public engagement process, a team of faculty and students facilitated community-based public participation to create a vision and open space plan for a 27-acre vacant lot in …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Student Environmental Resource Center at UC Berkeley
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
The Student Environmental Resource Center (SERC) at UC Berkeley advises 50 environmental registered student organizations and student campaigns and 45 The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) projects, directs the Zero Waste …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
It's Everyone's Job! Sustainability Leadership at SUNY Cortland
- State University of New York at Cortland (NY)
This poster session will share the model of diffused sustainability used at SUNY Cortland. It will share how multiple areas of the campus community including the President and grounds crew …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
An Exploration of Sustainable Business Measurement and Performance Criteria
- Duke University (NC)
A great deal of current effort is focused on developing and aligning sustainability performance criteria. We will explore together what is happening with GRI, SASB, etc. in institutionalizing clear metrics …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Colloquium on Sustainability in Business Higher Education
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Business plays a critical role in confronting the environmental and societal challenges currently facing our world. Business higher education must assist in transforming organizations and creating the needed human capital …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Campus Resilience: Prioritizing Goals and Strategies Through Collaborative Gaming
- Bemidji State University (MN)
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
- Sustainable Endowments Institute (MA)
- LHB, Inc. (MN)
This workshop engages participants in Campus Resilience, an educational and collaborative campus-building game whose goal is to achieve institutional carbon neutrality while maintaining resilience: campus academic, cultural, environmental, and financial …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
CURC Campus Recycling Workshop
- Keep America Beautiful (CT)
The College and University Recycling Coalition (CURC) workshop brings together experts in the field of waste reduction and diversion at institutions of higher education. This year's workshop will focus on …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Team Up With Your Campus Library for Sustainability Education and Outreach
- Colorado Mountain College (CO)
- University of Arizona (AZ)
For a winning 'season', add your library to the team to enhance the implementation of sustainability solutions on campus and beyond! In this poster, we will highlight some of the …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Greek Sustainability Leadership Network
- GreeniPhi (VA)
This networking meeting invites Greek alumni and conference attendees from institutions sustaining Greek life to convene for structured and unstructured conversations about our capacity to accelerate the advancement of sustainability …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Launching your Student Outreach Team
- Johns Hopkins University (MD)
- University of Denver (CO)
- University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
Students have been involved with sustainability offices since the beginning, working as interns, lobbying for operational and administrative change and supporting our events and outreach. Increasingly, students are providing the …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Quadrupling Student Employment Without Increased Supervision--Too Good to be True?
- Beloit College (WI)
As the Sustainability Coordinator at Beloit College, a liberal arts college of 1300 undergraduates, I have historically hired 2-3 students each year due to limited supervision bandwidth, despite greater student …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Transportation: How to Get 25% of Points Required for STARS Bronze
- WELLS + Associates (VA)
Six out of twenty-five points required for STARS Bronze can be achieved through Transportation (OP19-OP21). All you need to do is survey your students and employee to measure their Commute …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Transitioning from 'Greeks Going Green' to 'Greek is Green'
- GreeniPhi (VA)
Greek life has a legacy of producing the change makers, leaders, and power brokers of the future. Consequently, educating Greeks about sustainability, and leading them to adopt sustainability measures as …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Yale University Town-Gown Collaboration on Sustainability
- Yale University (CT)
Yale University has embarked on its third sustainability strategic planning process with a fresh emphasis on connecting with the City of New Haven community, among additional priorities. Three distinct programs …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Unlikely Partnerships Drive on the Ground Change; An Example From the Forest Products Industry for Managing a Key Supply Chain
- Domtar Corporation (SC)
- Rainforest Alliance
- Staples Business Advantage (MA)
Sustainable forestry has been prioritized in the Sustainable Development Goals as a critical component of climate change mitigation. Following COP21, it's clear that AASHE institutions and businesses have an incredible …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Funding Campus Sustainability with Student Green Fee Grants: Campus Collaborations are Greater than the Sum of their Parts
- Georgia Southern University (GA)
Georgia Southern University's Center for Sustainability is partly funded by a $10 student fee, proposed by students. The fees finance a grant program that has funded >$650,000 (37 grants) over …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Organizational Effectiveness of Sustainability Offices
- Eckerd College (FL)
Campus sustainability has risen in prominence at colleges and universities of all sizes. Several indicators of the increasing commitment to environmental stewardship by higher education institutions include the Talloires Declaration …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Clemson University Case Study
- Resource Recycling Systems (RRS) (MI)
Colleges and universities may be classified as institutions, but they often operate like small cities when it comes to waste and recycling. In order to manage resources wisely from both …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
University of Michigan Building Consumption and Waste Assessment
- Resource Recycling Systems (RRS) (MI)
This poster will explore how new and existing sustainability projects at the University of Michigan are being integrated into a pathway for student sustainability engagement and leadership as we aim …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Year 1: Building a Sustainability Program and Culture
- Saint Mary's College (IN)
Is your school starting or contemplating a sustainability program? Have challenges such as budget, staffing, capacity, or leadership stifled your initial progress? Managing change often involves navigating inertia and building …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Models of engagement, integration and transparency at the University of Washington
- University of Washington, Seattle (WA)
Change and transformation at an institutional level cannot happen overnight and requires active management. Universities are increasingly responding to pressures for efficiency, increasing enrollment, recruiting the best faculty and students, …
- Posted Nov. 18, 2016
- Conference Presentations
- View more
Sustainable Communities Program
- Audubon International (NY)
Audubon International’s Sustainable Communities Program is an international, science-based, third-party certification program that guides communities through a customized journey to become healthy and vibrant places in which to live, work, …
- Posted Nov. 17, 2016
- Tools
- View more
Effective change management, governance and policy for sustainability transformation in higher education
- Western Sydney University (NSW)
- Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Purpose
Numerous policy announcements and articles have been produced over the past 20 years calling for higher education institutions to give greater focus to social, cultural, economic and environmental sustainability …
- Posted Nov. 14, 2016
- Publications
- View more
Organisational learning towards sustainability in higher education
- University of Southampton
Purpose
Research on sustainability in higher education has focused on environmental management of the university campus, case studies and examples of good practice. Although the value and contribution of these …
- Posted Nov. 14, 2016
- Publications
- View more
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.