Curriculum
Introduction
One of the primary functions of colleges and universities is to educate students. By training and educating future leaders, scholars, workers, and professionals; higher education institutions are uniquely positioned to understand and address sustainability challenges. Institutions that offer courses covering sustainability issues help equip their students to lead society to a sustainable future.
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Student team integrating aspects of sustainability in practical design education
- Chiba University
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze the first experiences (activities, attitudes and inclinations) of an undergraduate student team with eco-design activities.
Design/methodology/approach Undergraduate students of …
- Posted Nov. 13, 2018
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Teaching decision-making for sustainable infrastructure: a wind energy case study module
- Virginia Tech (VA)
Purpose This paper aims to introduce a case-based module teaching sustainable engineering, linking the Envision rating system with behavioral decision science. Three complete modules are publicly available in a repository …
- Posted Nov. 13, 2018
- Publications
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Chemistry BS
- Siena Heights University (MI)
Siena Heights University and the Department of Chemistry are adopting green chemistry in their chemistry major and non-major courses, and are looking to bring green chemistry into their unique co-op …
- Posted Nov. 13, 2018
- Academic Programs
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Innovation: Creating a new Minor in Somatic Sustainability at Appalachian State University
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Awakening somatic intelligence and understanding sustainable body practices are important aspects of an enlarged conversation of sustainability. As a part of that dialogue, we have created a new minor in …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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On-Campus Water Reclamation: A Tale of Two Cities
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- Emory University (GA)
- NextEra Distributed Water, Inc. (VA)
Think globally. Act locally. Water is a critical issue in many parts of the world. See how Emory University and Arizona State University have turned to on-campus water reclamation as …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Rebel Rot: An Engineering Capstone Project to Convert a Dumpster into an In-Vessel Composter
- University of Nevada Las Vegas (NV)
Building off a past AASHE presentation (2017) by Dr. Brian Barnes from the University of Louisville, the University of Nevada Las Vegas Sustainability Coordinator partnered with the College of Engineering …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Transdisciplinary Undergraduate Research In Costa Rica: 5 Week Faculty Led Study Abroad Model
- Central College (IA)
This session explains the process and lessons learned as Central College (Pella, Iowa) faculty and staff developed undergraduate research opportunities within the model of a short-term faculty-led study abroad program …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Achieving Intertwined Sustainable Development Goals Through Coastal Resilience Research
- University of Virginia (VA)
Sustainable policy, design, and visualization strategies are essential as climate change and sea level rise threaten coastal cities. Higher education institutions in coastal regions have the opportunity to conduct meaningful …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Campus Action Research Advances Sustainable Development Goals
- George Mason University (VA)
- Universidad de Monterrey
Across North American college campuses, learners seek to enhance our sustainability competency through acting locally to advance the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sustainability Action Research (SAR) provides a …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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A University-Community Research Collaboration to Promote Sustainable Agriculture for Food Security
- University of North Carolina, Asheville (NC)
Many counties of Western North Carolina have high levels of food insecurity that may be addressed by training communities to grow, prepare, and preserve their own food. Through the McCullough …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Blending Sustainability & Community Engagement in STEM: Models from 4 Diverse Universities
- Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)
- Stony Brook University (NY)
- Virginia Tech (VA)
- Villanova University (PA)
From diverse institutional perspectives, this interactive session explores community engagement through course-based sustainability projects done in collaboration with community partners. We will outline important opportunities and challenges of this work …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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What Does a Tree Have to Do with Interior Design?
- University of Kentucky (KY)
On the McConnell Springs site of Lexington, Kentucky, there exists an historically significant tree - one of only a few old Bur Oaks that remain since the early days of …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Using the UN SDGs to frame community resilience assessment and planning for students and partners
- Allegheny College (PA)
After Allegheny signed Second Nature's Resilience Commitment (Climate Commitment signed in 2007), the sustainability coordinator cultivated collaborative partnerships in the community and explored ways to support existing work while developing …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Rising to the Global Biodiversity Challenge: A New Model at the University of British Columbia (UBC)
- University of British Columbia (BC)
With the world's 6th mass extinction underway, we are in the midst of a critical historical juncture. In a time characterized by rampant urbanization, climate change and disconnection between citizens …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Pollinator Protection: Save the Monarch Butterfly!
- Central Community College (NE)
This poster will describe the process Central Community College uses to engage students in the support of pollinators, particularly the Monarch butterfly. Furthermore, basic information regarding Monarch butterfly behavior and …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Virginia Food Systems Leadership Institute
- George Mason University (VA)
This poster will provide an overview of the Virginia Food Systems Leadership Institute (VFSLI), an innovative collaboration involving four public research universities in Virginia and the Smithsonian Institution. Piloted successfully …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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University of Houston-Downtown Embraces Student Engagement in Urban Agriculture and Sustainability
- University of Houston - Downtown (TX)
The University of Houston-Downtown has created a Center for Urban Agriculture and Sustainability (CUAS) to support research, teaching and community outreach. The program not only expands the educational opportunities for …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Infusing Energy Management with Classroom Scheduling
- Western Technical College (WI)
Western Technical College integrated its classroom scheduling software with its building automation system software in the summer of 2017. This project allows us to control the heating and cooling of …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Theory is Cheap. Practice is Hard: Bringing Sustainability to First-Year Composition Curricula
- Texas A&M University-Texarkana (TX)
This session explores the ways that sustainability compels a radical rethinking of first-year composition (FYC) pedagogy. Building on Inoue's (2014) rethinking of labor and assessment in the FYC class, Morton's …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Mathematics for Sustainability: A New General Education Course and Textbook
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
Would you rather learn the quadratic equation or would you rather save the world? For many students in non-technical majors, college algebra or a related course serves as their (frequently …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Digital Tools to Enhance Integrative Learning and Global Perspectives in Sustainability Studies
- Muhlenberg College (PA)
Teaching Sustainability Studies with a focus on problem solving and from a global perspective can be limited by confinement to a classroom at a single location. Here, I show how …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Current Issues in Online Sustainability Education
- Indiana University South Bend (IN)
Explore the challenges and opportunities to developing active online learning (OL) spaces that engage learners in collaborative and impactful ways. For sustainability curriculum, OL can offer multiple ways of learning …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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What if They're Right: Teaching and Responding to Climate Change in the Classroom
- Husson University (ME)
Our course, What If They're Right? Individual Responses to Climate Change, addressed, through both philosophical and scientific lenses, responses to climate change in order to empower students to better respond …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Analysis of the Integration of Sustainability in Professional Hospitality Education Curriculum
- Culinary Institute of Michigan (MI)
The research presented in this proposal analyzes the education system of hospitality and culinary educational institutions in America. The goal of the research was to evaluate the need for sustainability …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Why Calculate When I Can Google? Quantitative Tools for Assessing the SDGs
- Randolph College (VA)
- University of Rochester (NY)
AASHE 2018 poses the question: How can higher education institutions align their teaching and research activities around the SDGs? Assessment of countries' progress toward the SDGs requires data analysis and, …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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China Focus - Middlebury's Global Partnership for Sustainability and University of Minnesota's Environment and Cultural Diversity
- Middlebury College (VT)
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
This session, in a case study format, presents the driving motivations, objectives, current status and challenges of 1) Middelbury's Global Partnerships for Sustainability project in China and 2) the University …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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University Workshops Cultivating a Culture of Sustainability on Campus and Beyond
- University of Kentucky (KY)
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania (PA)
Faculty from West Chester University and University of Kentucky will join forces to share with AASHE members models of university workshops that foster a culture of sustainability. Beyond teaching sustainability, …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Student Voices as the Key to Sustainability Assessment
- Central College (IA)
- University of Georgia (GA)
Sustainability encourages a rich and broad awareness of our selves in the world. Assessment of sustainability learning should reflect the powerful insights and values that we hope sustainability education encourages. …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Crowdcoaching: A Workshop About Workshops
- Tufts University (MA)
- GreenerU (MA)
Undertaking sustainable practices at colleges and universities requires the convergence of people, resources, and knowledge. Sharing experiences with colleagues at other campuses is an efficient conduit for successful implementation. Crowdcoaching …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Sustainability Competencies, SDGs & Metacognition: Implementation and Assessment
- City University of New York, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (NY)
- Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Core learning sustainability competencies have been identified and are guiding course design: system thinking, future/temporal thinking, ethical literacy (values), interpersonal literacy (communication & collaboration), strategic thinking (action), and creativity/imagination. This …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Design Thinking and Sustainability
- Grand Valley State University (MI)
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
This session will review two case studies involving design thinking and sustainability: Grand Valley State University The presentation will reflect on the learning process of students engaged in developing the …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Enhancing Student Learning and Promoting Sustainability Through Experiential Learning
- New York University (NY)
- University of Dayton (OH)
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute (MA)
This session includes experiential learning programs in three academic institutions.The programs illustrate how higher education institutions can foster public-private-community partnerships to achieve the SDGs and inform approaches to SDG 17. …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Creating Learning, Teaching, and Operational Partnerships Through Campus as a Living Labs
- San Jose State University (CA)
- San Mateo County Community College District Office (CA)
- University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (WI)
In this presentation, three campuses, will share their Campus as a Living Lab projects. The Sustainability Office at UW-Whitewater will describe two collaborations between faculty and the campus sustainability coordinator. …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Using S Designation to Build an Embedded Certificate and Create Coherence
- University of Hawaii System Office (HI)
The University of Hawaii 10 campus system uses common criteria and a process of interdiscipinary dialogue to designate sustainability focused courses across all ten campuses. A system-wide minor in sustainability …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Teaching Sustainability in the Landscape Architecture Field
- Virginia Tech (VA)
The purpose of this mixed method study is 1) to describe the current status of sustainability teaching in the landscape architecture programs and 2) to explore landscape architecture faculty perspectives …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Using the U.N. SDGs to Foster Systems Thinking in Incoming First-Year Students
- Valencia College (FL)
The Summer STEM Institute (SSI) is an annual program that engages incoming freshman in STEM research and career pathway exploration in a week long experience. In previous years, SSI students …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Multimodal Texts as a Window to Sustainability
- University of Wisconsin-River Falls (WI)
Within the four walls of the elementary (K-5) and secondary content area (6-12) classroom, the limited experiential realm of education can be expanded through the strategic use of sustainability texts …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Driving Creative Sustainable Solutions Using a Design Thinking Approach in the Engineering Classroom
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
Design for the Environment, an upper-level undergraduate engineering course, is designed for students to develop a working knowledge of sustainable engineering in a way that enables them to apply it …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Infusing Sustainability in Higher Education in Ireland - The Green Curriculum Model (GCM)
- University of Buea
This session presented by Frida Agbor Besong, a 2018 AASHE Campus Sustainability Research Award winner, will highlight research based on sustainability in the curriculum of Dublin City University (Ireland) The …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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ESRAP: Building Partnerships Across the Globe to Elevate Sustainability Focused Curriculum & Research
- Southern New Hampshire University (NH)
Educators for Socially Responsible Apparel Practices (ESRAP) is a non-profit that engages and collaborates across the globe to share news, best practices, review sustainability texts, and offer strong platform for …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Preliminary Assessment of the Impact of Changes in Campus Sustainability Efforts on Student Environmental Knowledge and Behaviors
- Pittsburg State University (KS)
At Pittsburg State University, efforts to promote sustainability and environmental awareness has increased substantially since 2012. A formal Recycling Services Department was created, the number of activities by a campus …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Teaching Sustainability Through Non-Traditional Learning Methods
- Colorado State University (CO)
To address complex global challenges, such as 'climate change, poverty, violent conflicts, and overuse of natural resources' (Brundiers & Wiek, 2011, p. 108) a growing number of institutions of higher …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Linking Teaching Practices to Students' Pro-Sustainability Behaviors
- Michigan State University (MI)
- Teachers College, Columbia University (NY)
Broadly integrating sustainability throughout higher education curriculum is a common goal among instructors, scholars, and the AASHE community. But while sustainability knowledge is good in its own right, research has …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Greening the Chemistry Research and Teaching Labs: Resources to Increase Safety and Reduce Waste
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
- Beyond Benign (MA)
University and college campuses across the United States are pushing the envelope on greening their campus facilities, operations, and processes. However, despite their disproportionate consumption of resources, laboratories are often …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Nation's First Community-Based Culinary Medicine Garden and Sustainability Curriculum
- University of Utah (UT)
We have the nation's first Culinary Medicine (CM) course pairing community members and Health Sciences (HS) students together to research, design, and implement community-based CM curricula, the inclusion in CM …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Backcasting to the Future: SDGs and Graduate Research
- Indiana University South Bend (IN)
Preparing sustainability graduate students for the future requires a balance of real-world work and project applications as well as research and publishing experiences and opportunities. It means guiding the challenging …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Integration of the SDG's as a Targeted Educational Alternative...A Story of Successful Collaboration
- University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (TX)
Join us as we share a Story of Success: UTRGV and Buell Central High School's Transformative integration of SDG's to engage and motivate our most vulnerable and marginalized youth. Buell …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Education as the Engine for the Global Goals
- Portland Community College (OR)
In 2016, 750 experts from around the world came together in Ahmedabad, India, to drill down into each of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), or Global Goals, to identify how …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Sustainable Justice in Wisconsin: Strategies for Program Growth in Harsh Climates
- University of Wisconsin-River Falls (WI)
As evidenced by AASHE's recent Keynote presenters--from Julian Agyeman (2010) on 'Just Sustainabilities' to Marsha Chatelain's creation of the #fergusonsyllabus (2016)--AASHE's present and future directions foreground strengthening connections between environmental …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Social Environmental Case Study on Mining, Wild Rice and Water Protection in Minnesota
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
This session involves participants in a social environmental synthesis case study, using methods taught by the National Social Environmental Synthesis Center (sesync.org) in Maryland, where this case was developed at …
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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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.
AC 1: Academic Courses
- Percentage of courses that are sustainability course offerings
- Percentage of academic departments with sustainability course offerings
- Inventory of sustainability course offerings (upload)
- Website URL - Sustainability course offerings
AC 2: Learning Outcomes
- Description of institution level sustainability learning outcomes
- List of degree programs that require an understanding of the concept of sustainability
- Percentage of students who graduate from programs that require an understanding of sustainability
- Website URL - Sustainability learning outcomes
AC 3: Undergraduate Program
- First sustainability-focused undergraduate degree program
- Second sustainability-focused undergraduate degree program
- Third sustainability-focused undergraduate degree program
- First sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration
- Second sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration
- Third sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration
AC 4: Graduate Program
- First sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program
- Second sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program
- Third sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program
- First sustainability-focused graduate-level minor or concentration
- Second sustainability-focused graduate-level minor or concentration
- Third sustainability-focused graduate-level minor or concentration
AC 5: Immersive Experience
- Description of the sustainability-focused immersive program(s)
- Second sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program
- Third sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program
AC 6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment
- Copy of the sustainability literacy assessment (upload)
- Copy of the sustainability literacy assessment (description)
- Website URL - Assessment of sustainability literacy
AC 7: Incentives for Developing Courses
- Description of the course development incentives
- Website URL - Incentives for developing sustainability courses
AC 8: Campus as a Living Laboratory
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.