Diversity & Affordability
Introduction
Higher education opens doors to opportunities that can help create a more equitable world, and those doors must be open through affordable programs accessible to all regardless of race, gender, religion, socio-economic status and other differences. In addition, a diverse student body, faculty, and staff provide rich resources for learning and collaboration.
Featured Resources
New Resources
Equity, Well-Being, and the Environment: Building New Programmatic Bridges
- Cornell University (NY)
- Washington State University, Pullman (WA)
Healthy people working together across differences are critical to building a sustainable campus and community. Today there are new approaches on our campuses that simultaneously enhance the well-being and equity ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Yale Community Carbon Fund; Reducing Emissions and Increasing Economic Security in Local Communities
- Yale University (CT)
The Yale Community Carbon Fund seeks both to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to increase economic security for low-income people living in New Haven. Funds are raised through a combination ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Roadmap Toward a Future Where Social Equity, Diversity, Multiculturalism, and Inclusion Promotes Student Success
- Kentucky Community and Technical College System Office (KY)
Based on the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) initiative to facilitate cultural change and diversity across the system of 16 colleges, the presentation will use open space technologies ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Social Sustainability Month: Creating Campus-wide Networks to Build a More Holistic Sustainability Movement
- Portland State University (OR)
By institutionalizing an annual designated time for dialogue between students, staff, faculty, and community, projects like Social Sustainability Month (SSM) can increase capacity for university collaboration and partnerships. This session ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Visualizing and Modeling the Drivers in a Holistic Built Environment: Social Justice through Spatial Tools
- Los Angeles Community College District (CA)
- Los Angeles Trade Technical College (CA)
Through years of teaching real projects in architecture and environmental design to a diverse mix of urban Los Angeles students, a new innovative model was born. The model drives change ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Creating Hubs of Indigenous Innovation through Public/Private Partnerships: the Collaboration between MA`O Organic Farms and University of Hawai`i West O`ahu
- University of Hawaii Kapiolani Community College (HI)
- University of Hawaii - West Oahu (HI)
This panel will present an innovative partnership between Ma'o Organic Farms, Leeward Community College (LCC), and the University of Hawaii West O'ahu (UHWO). MAO is a non-profit youth ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A World Café on the professional challenges of working at the intersections of equity, environment, and economy
- Cornell University (NY)
- Yale University (CT)
- McGill University (QC)
At the AASHE 2010 Conference, Julian Agyeman urged the audience to begin an important conversation about "Just Sustainability" on our campuses. He made a compelling case for the need to ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability & Social Justice; How College Students Engage with Subjugated Populations in the Community
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
What is social sustainability and why is it important? Master's students and undergrads join together to work with subjugated groups in the community to combat the powerful forces of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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How Sustainability Shapes Pedagogical Approaches to Building Equity and Diversity Competencies at McGill University
- McGill University (QC)
This presentation will examine lessons about the relationship between social justice and sustainability that the staff at McGill University's SEDE (Social Equity and Diversity Education) Office have learned through ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Free Sustainability! From Theory to Action in the Poverty Class
- Portland Community College (OR)
Sustainability has become one of our cultures most popular virtues. Often sustainability is seen as something to be purchased whether it's higher priced organic vegetables or a carbon offset ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Partnering Social Justice with Sustainability: A Challenge to Expand Our Understanding of Inclusivity
- Prescott College (AZ)
As humans are the one animal responsible for (and capable of mitigating) the conditions, which make the work of sustainability a pressing necessity, we have a tremendous responsibility to embrace ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Getting a Handle on Your Campus Carbon Footprint: A Workshop for Minority-Serving Institutions
- Clean Air-Cool Planet (NH)
Attendees (up to 12) will be asked to come with data from on their campuses and will be walked through the process of putting that data into the new, online ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Incorporating Sustainability into the Phonetics Classroom
- San Diego State University (CA)
This presentation illustrates how concepts of sustainability were introduced into a course on phonetics for students pursuing degrees in speech-language pathology and audiology. This course, which is required by our ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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WKU-Habitat for Humanity Integrated Green Infrastructure Statewide Demonstration Project
- Western Kentucky University (KY)
This session will demonstrate a grant-funded University partnership statewide demonstration project that will use low impact development (LID) and Light Imprint techniques as part of a planned medium density green ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Can We Be Sustainable Without Being Utopian?
- Philadelphia University (PA)
When introducing students or colleagues to the concept of sustainability, we frequently use a three-dimensional model that includes not only environmental concerns, but also economic and equity considerations. This is ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Creating Sustainable Social Change: Student Engagement on Environmental Justice at Campuses
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
A series of panelists sharing the ways in which Environmental Justice is addressed on campuses as an opportunity for education, engagement and sustainable change in both the campus community and ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Educating for Sustainability: Liberal Arts, Social Justice, and Environment
- Northland College (WI)
Within sustainability education it is important to create the conditions for a transformative experience for students. In order to offer a holistic education for sustainability in the truest sense, we ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Equity and Ecology: Incorporating Environmental Justice into Campus Sustainability
- Pomona College (CA)
Equity is as important an aspect of sustainability as ecology - so why have campuses had such difficulty including these concepts in sustainability programming and planning? This session provides an overview ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Are Green Campuses Walking the Talk? Providing Underrepresented Students with Access to Sustainability
- State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (NY)
Have you had a difficult time articulating why sustainability assessments such as STARS include diversity as an indicator? This presentation will offer a few explanations through a brief review of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Community gardens and access to green space for near-poverty populations
- Western Illinois University (IL)
Backyard gardening has become more popular in recent years both as an outdoor recreation activity and a means of food safety and security. Access to open space for gardening is ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus Sustainability as a Driver of Social Justice
- Harvard University (MA)
- Rio Salado College (AZ)
- University of Wyoming (WY)
- Better World Books (GA)
Oftentimes, we think of our sustainability efforts independent of social justice.
This panel will discuss innovative ideas for combining recycling while funding social justice initiatives. The panelists, representing both private ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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UNCF Building Green with Black, Tribal and Hispanic Serving Institutions
- Clark Atlanta University (GA)
- College of Menominee Nation (WI)
- Spelman College (GA)
- Lancaster Craig & Associates (NC)
United Negro College Fund Panel
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Addressing Sustainability, Diversity, Peace and Justice
- Colorado State University (CO)
Case study research and development can be effective for addressing aspects of sustainability but learning does not just happen (Timpson & Doe, 2008). To serve as effective guides, instructors must ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Poverty and Homelessness: Improving Disadvantaged Communities through Sustainable, Urban Gardening
- University of North Florida (FL)
This is a multidisciplinary, community based TLO (Transformational Learning Opportunity) that will offer students the opportunity to learn about poverty and homelessness through a partnership with the Clara White Mission ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Integrating Social Sustainability into Capital Improvement Plans
- Emersion Design (OH)
Social sustainability is at the core of many campus sustainability plans in theory, but to what degree is it in execution? This presentation will review a proposed method of measuring ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Rethinking Diversity: Defining, implementing, and measuring social sustainability in universities
- University of Denver (CO)
The overarching objective driving this session is the incorporation of social sustainability into U.S. higher education. As a movement gaining in momentum and popularity, sustainability has the ability to ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Community Energy Connection
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
CU Community Energy Connections (CEC) is a collaboration between the CU Environmental Center's Energy Program and the CU Environmental Justice Steering Committee. The CEC focuses on social justice and ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability Education in the Developing World
- Oakland Community College (MI)
- University of Vermont (VT)
- SolarQuest (VT)
Of the more than 3 billion people currently living in the world's urban areas, over 2 billion are in less-developed regions. By 2015, these regions will include an estimated ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Walking our Talk: Strategies, Challenges & Successes in the Pursuit of Sustainability and Social Justice on Campus
- Antioch University, New England (NH)
This presentation will focus on identifying the tensions, obstacles and openings for moving higher ed institutions towards greater sustainability and social justice. The presentation will draw on the experience of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Tribal College Sustainability Indicators
- College of Menominee Nation (WI)
The Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) within the College of Menominee Nation (Menominee Indian Reservation, WI) is spearheading the Tribal College Sustainability Indicators Research Project. Prompted by the success of the ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Dialogs in Green: Creating a Climate of Sustainability, Community, and Diversity at Colorado State University.
- Colorado State University (CO)
What is a climate of sustainability for a land grant institution's campus? Colorado State University is a land grant institution of 24,000 students located in the foothills of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Partnership Model: Emergent Properties of Learning and Leadership for Sustainability
- Prescott College (AZ)
The most fertile field of sustainability and sustainability education is caught in a tension between those who seek nature-based designs and solutions to human predicament and those who seek human-based ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Rethinking Diversity: Social Sustainability in U.S. Higher Education
- University of Denver (CO)
The overarching objective driving this session is the incorporation of social sustainability into U.S. higher education. As a movement gaining in momentum and popularity, sustainability has the ability to ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Bridging the Gap Between Sustainability and Justice
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- University of Vermont (VT)
- Hackman Consulting Group
CU Boulder's Environmental Center has been working to make the connections between sustainability and justice evermore clear while changing the campus conversation. With students, we spread awareness about eco-social ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Deepening the Conversation: Making the Connections Between Social Justice Education and Sustainability
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs (CO)
- Hackman Consulting Group
This case study seeks to help those who are not familiar with social justice educational frameworks gain an initial understanding of what they are and then how they connect to ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Using a Social Justice Lens to Address the Doubt, Denial and Dismissal of Climate Change and the Need for a Sustainable Future
- Hackman Consulting Group
This half-day workshop is designed to help participants respond to campus doubt, denial and dismissal regarding climate change through the utilization of a social justice perspective on climate change and ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Why a Social Justice Framework Is the Only Way to Climate Justice and Deep Sustainability
- Hackman Consulting Group
This poster session lays out the rationale for the absolute need for a social justice framework when doing climate justice and sustainability work by making three essential points: 1. How ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Keynote Address: Marcelo Bonta
- Center for Diversity & the Environment (OR)
Marcelo speaks and writes passionately about his broad vision of diversifying the environmental movement to audiences around the U.S. He is the founder of the Environmental Professionals of Color ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Center for Sustainable Urban Neighborhoods
- University of Louisville (KY)
The University of Louisville's Housing & Neighborhood Development Strategies (HANDS) is a multifaceted program bringing the University's resources to bear on the problems of an impoverished African-American neighborhood ...
- Posted Feb. 25, 2016
- Research Centers & Institutes
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MA in Social Justice & Human Rights
- Arizona State University (AZ)
The MA in Social Justice and Human Rights (SJHR) in ASU's New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences provides a theoretically and methodologically rigorous program offering opportunities for skill ...
- Posted Feb. 25, 2016
- Academic Programs
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Master in Social Responsibility & Sustainable Communities
- Western Kentucky University (KY)
The Master of Arts in Social Responsibility & Sustainable Communities is learning in action. As a student in this program you'll have the opportunity to conduct an action research ...
- Posted Feb. 25, 2016
- Academic Programs
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Teaching Social Justice Master
- Cambridge College (MA)
The purpose of this program is based on the recognition that education is critical to creating a more just and sustainable world. In creating the Teaching Social Justice Program, Cambridge ...
- Posted Feb. 25, 2016
- Academic Programs
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New Affordability Measures at Private, Nonprofit Colleges and Universities: Academic Year 2013-14
- National Association of Independent Colleges & Universities (DC)
The following examples of new affordability initiatives demonstrate the creative ways in which private, nonprofit colleges are working to keep students' and families' out-of-pocket costs as low as possible. They ...
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
- Publications
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Who are we educating about sustainability?
- State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (NY)
This research quantitatively examines student of color and low-income student enrollment at postsecondary institutions in New York state (NYS) that have committed to becoming more sustainable. A three-part study, prepared ...
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
- Publications
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Private College Tuition Increases Slow to Lowest Rate in at Least Four Decades
- National Association of Independent Colleges & Universities (DC)
Published tuition and fees at the nation’s private, nonprofit colleges and universities rose 3.9 percent for the 2012-13 academic year, the lowest rate in at least four decades ...
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
- Publications
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Occupy Movement Focused on Student Debt Gathers Steam
- AASHE (MA)
The Occupy Student Debt Campaign, an offshoot of the Occupy movement focusing on student debt and urging students to pledge not to repay their loans if other borrowers join them ...
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
- Publications
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AASHE Interview Series: Bo Newsome, Director of Outreach and State Relations, NAICU
- National Association of Independent Colleges & Universities (DC)
Robert “Bo” Newsome, the Director of Outreach and State Relations at the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), talks to AASHE about sustainability initiatives at NAICU and its ...
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
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STARS Facts and Best Practices: Affordability and Access
- AASHE (MA)
With costs for higher education rising continuously, institutions’ affordability and access programs are rapidly becoming a major factor for student success during the college years and beyond. In order for ...
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
- Publications
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AASHE's 'Higher Education Occupation' Project
- AASHE (MA)
The connection between the Occupy Movement and the establishment of a just and sustainable society is sometimes clear and sometimes foggy. To better help us all understand the relationship, AASHE ...
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
- Publications
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AASHE Student Diary Series: Gender and Sustainability, Part 2
- University of British Columbia (BC)
In my last post, I looked at how studying gender and environment can work together. In this post, I want to touch upon how gender matters and operates within my ...
- Posted Feb. 24, 2016
- Publications
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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 5: Diversity & Equity Coordination
- Description of the institution’s cultural competence, anti-oppression, anti-racism, and/or social inclusion trainings and activities
- Description of the diversity and equity committee, office and/or officer
- Website URL - Diversity & equity coordination
PA 6: Assessing Diversity & Equity
- Description of the diversity and equity assessment process
- Description of recent diversity and equity assessment findings
- Diversity and equity assessment report or summary (upload)
- Website URL - diversity and equity assessment report or summary
- Website URL - Diversity & equity assessment
PA 7: Support for Underrepresented Groups
- Non-discrimination statement
- Discrimination response policy or protocol
- Programs to recruit students, academic staff, and/or non-academic staff from underrepresented groups
- Programs to support students, academic staff, and/or non-academic staff from underrepresented groups
- Programs to prepare students from underrepresented groups for careers as faculty members
- Website URL - Support for underrepresented groups
PA 8: Affordability & Access
- Percent of need met, on average, for students who were awarded need-based aid
- Percent of students graduating without student loan debt
- Percent of entering students that are low-income
- Graduation/success-rate for low-income students
- Website URL - Affordability and access programs
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.