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
New Resources
How to (Not) Build a Wind Turbine
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)
On-campus wind energy is a strategy often considered by institutions in plans to reduce carbon emissions, hedge against volatile energy costs and meet renewable energy goals. However, such projects can ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Taking stock of iCAP: promises, promises, promises
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)
Most member institutions of AASHE are also signatories of the American Colleges and Universities President's Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). ACUPCC requires signatory institutions to conduct a climate assessment, prepare a ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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EMpowered: Using Web-Based Energy Dashboards as a Delivery Platform for Culture Change Programming
- University of Kentucky (KY)
Energy dashboards have become a common tool for providing feedback regarding resource consumption and conducting energy reduction competitions. Our approach in developing the EMpowered project was to significantly broaden this ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Let's Get Serious about Integrating Sustainability into General Education: Strategies for Staff and Faculty
- University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
This session addresses the need to integrate sustainability into the compulsory curriculum of colleges and universities. Speakers - including sustainability officers and professors - will present proven strategies for changing the academic ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Applying Integrated Assessment to Establish Campus Sustainability Priorities at the University of Michigan
- University of Michigan (MI)
Some research is conducted solely to gain knowledge or understanding, while other research is conducted with a specific use in mind. Integrated Assessment begins with a structured dialog among scientists ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Does Your Campus Recycling Program Need Recharging?
- University of Missouri (MO)
According to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, universities throughout the country have expanded their recycling efforts contributing to an 11.5 percent decrease in overall ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Integrated Climate Action Planning on a Budget
- University of Missouri (MO)
Of the close to 700 signatories of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), less than half have completed their Climate Action Plans. Those that have submitted plans ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Establishing a Fund for Implementing a Climate Action Plan at the University of New Hampshire
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
This presentation discusses the establishment of a revolving fund using an initial investment to implement a portfolio of projects yielding energy savings that will then fund future projects directly tied ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Capping campus energy consumption despite massive growth: The Oregon Model for Sustainable Development
- University of Oregon (OR)
The Oregon Model for Sustainable Development is a new policy that places a firm ceiling on campus energy consumption. To achieve it, new construction projects must meet aggressive energy efficiency ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Green Funds: Expanding the Students' Role in Shaping More Sustainable Universities
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
Universities must consider all facets of the institution in their quest to promote and incorporate sustainability. Co-curricular programs, such as Green Funds, can complement sustainability education in the academic curriculum ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus Master Planning and Sustainability: Building Consensus From (Under) the Ground Up
- University of South Florida (Tampa) (FL)
As colleges and universities strive to plan for a more sustainable future, many, like the large public university presented in this case study, face accelerated growth combined with increasingly acute ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Challenges when NOT Preaching to the Choir: Gaps in Faculty Salience towards Environmental Sustainability.
- University of Southern Indiana (IN)
The foundation of catalyzing an awareness of environmental issues can be established in understanding the currently held beliefs and behaviors toward environmental sustainability within the campus population. Many university wide ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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On the CUSP: Washington, DC's College and University Sustainability Pledge
- University of the District of Columbia (DC)
"On the CUSP: Washington, DC's College and University Sustainability Pledge" will feature a panel of representatives that have worked to develop a higher education sector-wide compact to promote environmental ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Allocating a Student Green Fund - First year experience
- University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (WI)
This informational presentation will provide an overview and go into detail about our first year of experience with our University's student green fund. The presentation will cover the structure ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Education through Restoration: The Campus Landscape as a Living Laboratory
- Wellesley College (MA)
"Campus," from Latin, translates as field or open plain. In support of sustainability initiatives, some colleges and universities have undertaken the restoration of campus open spaces as a "living laboratory ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Building Campus Cultures of Sustainability - Part I: Systems Structures and Administration
- Western Michigan University (MI)
As a gathering, we believe the AASHE Conference has tremendous potential to help build campus cultures of sustainability. The goal of our session is to help realize this vision by ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Beyond Sustainability: Fostering Resilience
- Western Colorado University (CO)
Organizations that are not actively crafting and implementing a Sustainability Strategic Plan (SSP) will not be equipped to effectively serve their clients and employees in the future. Emerging challenges such ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Bridging the divide: empowering student leaders to promote sustainability through academics and student life
- Western Colorado University (CO)
In Spring 2011, Western created student Sustainability Coordinator positions on campus. The Western student sustainability coordinator program is designed to increase sustainability awareness and inspire behavior change through peer-to-peer leadership ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Pyramid Scheme for Student Sustainability Leadership
- Westminster University - Utah (UT)
Which students are the champions of sustainability your campus? When they graduate, will there be a new crop of eager leaders in line? Quality student leadership isn't just luck ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Students Leading STARS
- Westminster University - Utah (UT)
Westminster College has taken a unique approach to completing the STARS program. Instead taking the usual method to STARS through professional or administrative initiatives, Westminster has utilized students as the ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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To LEED or not to LEED: University Makes the Case for Third Party Verification
- WRNS Studio (CA)
Today, when everyone is claiming green from cereal brands to coal companies, can we really say that we are building sustainably outside a framework of industry-accepted standards and objective third ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Achieving Sustainable Goals in an Urban Center Environment
- WTW Architects (PA)
A growing campus in a downtown district faces unique opportunities and challenges in achieving sustainable goals. An urban campus can define itself as a village within the larger city. The ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus Sustainability Officers Workshop, Part I
- Yale University (CT)
A morning presentation and discussion addressing issues around managing institutional change, including utilization the newly developed APT (Awakening, Pioneering, Transforming)change management framework for better understanding the key stages of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Framing a research agenda for Campus Sustainability
- Yale University (CT)
What kind of research is needed to advance sustainability on our campuses? What are the research opportunities that can bridge faculty expertise and campus sustainability efforts? How can we use ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Addressing Land, Water & Biodiversity on an Urban Campus
- Yale University (CT)
Many urban campuses are intertwined with the layout of the surrounding city. Sharing streets, neighborhoods, and green spaces requires that we manage the physical campus in a locally, integrated way ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Identifying Change Management Strategies for Sustainability: Building on lessons from Public Health, Ecology, and Business Management
- Yale University (CT)
Efforts to improve sustainability at higher education institutions often require challenging shifts in organizational priorities, patterns of behavior, management strategies, and community expectations. In guiding these shifts, sustainability leaders must ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Comprehensive Approach to Sustainability on Campus: Stories from the Field
- American University (DC)
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- Grand Valley State University (MI)
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- U.S. Green Building Council (DC)
With students and college presidents alike making commitments to go green, higher education is institutionalizing a culture of sustainability like never before. Developing a comprehensive plan for sustainability on campus ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Comparing Methods of Estimating GHG Emissions from Air Travel
- University of Arizona (AZ)
This talk presents the results of different methods used to estimate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from official air travel by the University of Arizona, and discusses improving estimates through improved ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainable Transportation at Stanford University: The Role of TDM
- Stanford University (CA)
Stanford has achieved various transportation related sustainability milestones in 2010 through its Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program. This year, the university estimates an employee drive alone rate of 48%, dropped ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Commitment and Action through Staff Engagement
- Macquarie University (NSW)
Abstract: To achieve cultural change towards sustainability requires more than implementing resource efficiency initiatives. It requires the engagement of those who interact with the campus on a regular basis. This ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Strategic Community Based Approach to Implementing Campus Sustainability
- University of Ottawa (ON)
One of the greatest weaknesses to sustainability is the fact that it is not only multi-dimensional but also conceptually convoluted; demanding that practitioners juggle a myriad of concepts while balancing ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Institutionalizing sustianability within Student Government
- University of Florida (FL)
Institutionalizing Sustainability and infiltrating into your universities Student Government can open up many doors and opportunities for campus, local, and national sustainability campaigns. In 2009, the University of Florida founded ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainable Graduates Achieving Global Learning Outcomes Through Innovative Curricular Design
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
- Haley & Aldrich, Inc. (MA)
In spite of challenges that many are facing with integrating sustainability into curricula, Northern Arizona University (NAU) has tackled this on an even larger scale by purposefully infusing environmental sustainability ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainable Transportation Planning at an Urban University
- Portland State University (OR)
As an urban campus, Portland State University is ideally situated to take advantage of Portland's mass transit infrastructure. Additionally, the popularity of biking and the high cost of parking ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Turning Indicators Into Reality: Methodology and Results on Assessing the Sustainability of Large Campuses
- University of British Columbia (BC)
Large university campuses are often comprised of thousands of students and hundreds of employees spread out over dozens of different departments and administrative units. Much of the administration is decentralized ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Planning and Integrating Sustainability at Universities
- DePaul University (IL)
- Duquesne University (PA)
- Illinois Institute of Technology (IL)
- University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (WI)
Sustainability faculty from DePaul University (lead), U of Wisconsin, and the Illinois Institute of Technology business school will discuss how sustainability is being integrated into community outreach, curriculum, and governance ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Environmental Caucus: Breaking Down Silos to Create a Culture of Sustainability
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
In 2008, the Environmental Caucus formed to facilitate creative and strategic communication across campus. The caucus is a voluntary association of faculty, staff, students and administrators, not an appointed body ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Are We Really Becoming More Sustainable? UMaryland Sustainability Metrics
- University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
How does a university measure its progress at becoming a more sustainable campus? How can the exercise of creating sustainability metrics engage stakeholders in developing a vision of a sustainable ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Mobilizing the Mission: Sustainability on Faith-Based Campuses
- Santa Clara University (CA)
- University of Notre Dame (IN)
For faith-based colleges and universities of all denominations, the institutional mission is a powerful but often untapped resource for building a widespread sustainability movement on campus. Most religious denominations place ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Tales from Year One: Launching a Sustainability Office in Lean Times
- Appalachian State University (NC)
In July of 2009, Appalachian State University created the Office of Sustainability on recommendation from the University's Sustainability Council and with broad support from the campus community. In establishing ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Building Global Bridges to Sustainability Research/Collaborations in Higher Education
- University of Nevada Las Vegas (NV)
The institutional repository (IR) concept was designed and created by faculty and librarians to showcase scholarly activity at the academy. The Open Access (OA) model upon which IR's are ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Engaging Staff and Faculty through Green Office Certification Programs
- Pomona College (CA)
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
Pomona College, University of Southern California, and University of California - Berkeley have launched Green Office Programs, which certify campus departments/offices/groups as "green" for various behaviors and programs. These ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability Leadership In Action at the University of Washington
- University of Washington, Seattle (WA)
Sustainability leadership at the University of Washington is demonstrated through institutional collaboration, leadership excellence and a long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship.
The University of Washington is a charter signatory of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Green Humility: How Awareness of Past Missteps Improves Sustainability Planning
- Maryville College (TN)
Campus sustainability plans do not emerge overnight, and rarely are they crafted easily from whole cloth. Instead, schools hailed for efforts leading to a successful record of environmentalism can find ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Getting Specific with Sustainability Policies
- Broward College (FL)
Broward College has recently completed a collaborative process to formulate sustainability policies specific to different divisions of the college. As a recommendation from the Collegewide Sustainability Committee and with strong ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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How Institutional Factors are Related to Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- University of Illinois Chicago (IL)
Increasingly, institutions are reporting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as a measure of sustainability. Higher education institutions are taking a leadership role as demonstrated by the American College and University Presidents ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Leading the Way: How CUNY is shaping sustainability in NYC
- The City University of New York (NY)
As this nation's largest urban university, the City University of New York (CUNY) plays a transformational role in New York City's sustainable future with an educational footprint that ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Quantitative Measure of the Culture of Sustainability at Santa Clara University
- Santa Clara University (CA)
As Santa Clara University (SCU) works to become a leader in sustainability, it is vital to understand the culture of sustainability in the community. A previous study found undergraduate students ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Student Sustainability Education Programs - Where do we go from here?
- Barnard College (NY)
- Brandeis University (MA)
- Elon University (NC)
- Ithaca College (NY)
- University of Vermont (VT)
With now over 50 student sustainability education "Eco-Rep" Programs across the US and Canada, several of which are 5-10 years old, it is time to step back, reflect on where ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Making Sustainability Sustainable: The Dollars and Cents of It
- Grand Valley State University (MI)
Sustainability at GVSU has become the 7th value for the University and embraces the triple bottom line of environmental, economic and social impacts on campus and in the community.
Sustainability ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 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.