Public Engagement
Introduction
Engagement in community problem-solving is fundamental to sustainability. By engaging with community members and organizations in the governmental, non-profit and for-profit sectors, institutions can help solve sustainability challenges. Community engagement can help students develop leadership skills while deepening their understandings of practical, real-world problems and the process of creating solutions.
Featured Resources
New Resources
Examining Data from Across Higher Ed: Does a Commitment Drive More Progress?
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
In November 2017, the University of New Hampshire (UNH) launched the Sustainability Indicator Management and Analysis Platform (SIMAP™), a new inventory tool replacing the Campus Carbon Calculator and the CarbonMAP ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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OffsetNetwork.org: Higher Ed's Hub for Self-Generated Offset Projects and Peer Verification
- American University (DC)
- Duke University (NC)
- Second Nature (MA)
The Offset Network is an online platform for colleges and universities to share experience, lessons learned and tell the stories behind developing their own carbon offset projects. The site provides ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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From Incremental to Transformative Climate Action: Lessons Learned From Addressing Barriers
- University of California, Office of the President (CA)
- University of California, Los Angeles (CA)
What are the most fundamental and challenging barriers to achieving carbon neutrality at a large research university? The first University of California campus to publish a climate action plan (CAP ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Assessing Campus and Community Resilience in Rural America
- Central Community College (NE)
- Green Mountain College (VT)
- Second Nature (MA)
Rural colleges and universities face unique considerations when assessing campus and community climate resilience. While there are common elements to resilience at any institution, the political and economic landscape for ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Putting A Price On Carbon: Fighting for Strong Climate Policy on the Campus, State and Federal Level
- Our Climate (OR)
We already face the disastrous impacts of climate change: unprecedented droughts and heatwaves, stronger hurricanes, ocean acidification, sea level rise, the spread of infectious disease. The cost of these changes ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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The Role of Campuses in Driving Climate Resilience Planning
- Dickinson College (PA)
- University of California, Los Angeles (CA)
- University of Illinois Chicago (IL)
- Second Nature (MA)
As impacts from climate change intensify, a growing number of initiatives are emerging to increase resilience locally and globally. Campuses across the US are stepping up to prepare for climate ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Campus & Community Resilience: Experiences from Community College & University Partnerships
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- California State University, Northridge (CA)
- Portland State University (OR)
- Second Nature (MA)
Campuses in Portland, Los Angeles, and Phoenix were involved in the Climate Resilience in Urban Campuses + Communities (CRUX) project to support the implementation of resilience-related elements of the colleges and ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Using Community‐Based Learning to Teach Environmental Sustainability Engineering: Notes from the Classroom
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
In line with University of Wisconsin tradition, community-based learning was integrated into a course on sustainability as an opportunity for students to apply the tools learned in the course to ...
- Posted Nov. 2, 2018
- Publications
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The Role of Business in Education and Training for Sustainable Development
- Arizona State University (AZ)
Education is at the heart of human progress and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It enables people to build better lives and equips business and society to address our ...
- Posted Nov. 2, 2018
- Publications
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2018 AASHE Conference & Expo Closing Keynote Address
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
- AASHE (MA)
Dr. Paul Shrivastava, Chief Sustainability Officer at Penn State University and the Director of the Sustainability Institute and Professor of Organizations at the Smeal School of Business, was the closing ...
- Posted Oct. 24, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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2018 AASHE Conference & Expo Opening Keynote Address
- AASHE (MA)
- United Nations Environment Programme
Ms. Akpezi Ogbuigwe, former Head of Environmental Education and Training at the United Nations Environmental Program, was the opening keynote speaker for the 2018 AASHE Conference & Expo.
NOTE: Ms ...
- Posted Oct. 24, 2018
- Conference Presentations
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Sustainability and engagement: strange bedfellows in the undergraduate textbook
- Michigan State University (MI)
- Pacific University (OR)
This paper aims to examine the textual coverage of the topic of public engagement in leading English language sustainability textbooks.
In this paper, the authors’ findings are based on a ...
- Posted Oct. 23, 2018
- Publications
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UCC becomes first university outside the US to win top Green award
- AASHE (MA)
- University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork (Co. Cork)
The University College Cork is the first institution in Ireland to earn a STARS Gold rating.
- Posted Oct. 10, 2018
- Publications
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The Climate-Friendly Global Academic Conference with a Human Touch
- Swarthmore College (PA)
- Tufts University (MA)
- University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)
- AASHE (MA)
- University of Graz
Aviation is responsible for a large proportion of the climate impact of professional life in university communities. One much-discussed option for reducing this climate impact is to shift some conferencing ...
- Posted Sept. 13, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Professional Skills in Sustainability
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- AASHE (MA)
There is often a mismatch between the learning outcomes of higher education programs and the professional skills required for sustainability jobs. This webinar provides an overview of professional skills in ...
- Posted Sept. 6, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Campus Sustainability Month 2018: Nonpartisan Engagement and the November Elections
- National Association of Independent Colleges & Universities (DC)
- AASHE (MA)
- Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium (HEASC) (PA)
The theme for this year’s Campus Sustainability Month is Nonpartisan Engagement and the November Elections. Please join AASHE and the Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium (HEASC) as we explore ...
- Posted Aug. 30, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Election Imperatives: Ten Recommendations to Increase College Student Voting and Improve Political Learning and Engagement in Democracy
- Tufts University (MA)
Drawing from our research on college student voting and the campus climates of highly politically engaged institutions, this report offers ten recommendations to increase student voting and to improve campus ...
- Posted Aug. 29, 2018
- Publications
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Washington Youth Summit on the Environment
- George Mason University (VA)
Students conduct fish sampling survey in the Potomac River off the shores of Leesylvania State Park.
- Posted Aug. 3, 2018
- Photographs
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Resilient Cities Initiative
- California State University, Chico (CA)
The Resilient Cities Initiative (RCI) is an interdisciplinary applied research think-tank for cities established by the Institute for Sustainable Development at California State University, Chico in 2016. The RCI connects ...
- Posted Aug. 3, 2018
- Photographs
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Fair Trade Fair at Seattle University
- Seattle University (WA)
In 2015, Seattle University was the first University in the Pacific Northwest to be designated as a Fair Trade University, building awareness about Fair Trade and getting Fair Trade products ...
- Posted Aug. 3, 2018
- Photographs
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Emory University supports local community project and skilled job training with commitment to purchase lettuce
- Emory University (GA)
Emory University and the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta partnered on a project to create green jobs in a low-income area of Atlanta and help Emory achieve its 75% local ...
- Posted July 31, 2018
- Photographs
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UConn ECOCoin Program
- University of Connecticut (CT)
In 2017, the University of Connecticut bookstore rolled out its ECOCoin initiative, through which customers are given an ECOCoin each time they forfeit a plastic bag at the register. The ...
- Posted July 31, 2018
- Photographs
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Dickinson's Online Sustainability Dashboard
- Dickinson College (PA)
Dickinson is monitoring our sustainability performance over time and holding ourselves accountable for advancing sustainability practices. Our online sustainability dashboard allows users to explore up to date performance metrics for ...
- Posted July 31, 2018
- Photographs
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Mexican Grey Wolf Research and Annual Count
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(landscape) Cyrenea Piper, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, stands near a Mexican gray wolf during the agency’s annual count. (Photo by Jenna Miller/Cronkite ...
- Posted July 30, 2018
- Photographs
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College of the Atlantic SCI 2018 1
- College of the Atlantic (ME)
The College of the Atlantic Thoreau Environmental Leaders Initiative aims to cultivate effective advocates for renewable energy and climate change issues. Through speakers, workshops and events, the initiative provides a ...
- Posted July 30, 2018
- Photographs
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UC San Diego Sustainability Alumni Network members get a tour of Birch Aquarium on campus during alumni weekend in June 2018.
- University of California, San Diego (CA)
The Sustainability Alumni Network (SAN) at the University of California, San Diego was founded by the Sustainability Programs Office in May 2017 to bring together alumni who are working in ...
- Posted July 30, 2018
- Photographs
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Paradigm Project
- American University (DC)
A woman outside Nairobi, Kenya holds a wood-burning, efficient cookstove from the Paradigm Project.
- Posted July 30, 2018
- Photographs
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Boot Camp Trainees Pitch Ideas to Potential Employer
- Virginia Tech (VA)
Virginia Tech students Tyneshia Griffin and Virginia Pellington pitch their ideas to the Sustainability Boot Camp's Founding Partner, Trane, during an on-site Think Tank Challenge in Ashland, VA. The ...
- Posted July 30, 2018
- Photographs
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VCU Community-University Urban Forestry Program
- Virginia Commonwealth University (VA)
The Urban Forestry Initiative at Virginia Commonwealth University is a community-based research project designed to meet the community identified need of increasing urban tree canopy cover and the university identified ...
- Posted July 27, 2018
- Photographs
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From Farm to Fork at Rice University
- Rice University (TX)
Rice University chef Martin De Santiago shops for locally-sourced ingredients at the Rice University Farmers Market to use in a Farm-to-Fork dinner. The dinner was organized by the student club ...
- Posted July 26, 2018
- Photographs
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Farm to Fork Dinner, Spring 2018
- Rice University (TX)
Rice University student group Real Food Revolution teams with Rice's Housing and Dining department once a semester to host a Farm-to-Fork dinner, featuring a full menu of locally-sourced food ...
- Posted July 26, 2018
- Photographs
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Communicating sustainability: A content analysis of website communications in the United States
- Chatham University (PA)
- University of Nevada Las Vegas (NV)
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate how institutions of higher education (IHEs) in the USA communicate sustainability through their websites. Specifically, the authors compare how and to what ...
- Posted July 25, 2018
- Publications
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Binghamton University's Neighborhood Heritage and Sustainability Project
- Binghamton University (NY)
Local residents decorate pumpkins at Binghamton University's Fall Festival, held at Walnut Street Park. This event is part of the Neighborhood Heritage and Sustainability project supported by Binghamton University ...
- Posted July 24, 2018
- Photographs
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Envirome Institute
- University of Louisville (KY)
The Envirome Institute pioneers a new, interdependent vision of health, supports research on the effects of the environment on health, and promotes holistic scholarship, locally and globally.
Within the University ...
- Posted July 13, 2018
- Research Centers & Institutes
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Propagating Collective Hope in the Midst of Environmental Doom and Gloom
- Royal Roads University (BC)
Environmental educators recognize the importance of empowering children and adults, yet environmental education operates within a grand narrative of environmental gloom and doom. Growing evidence exists that children feel hopeless ...
- Posted June 29, 2018
- Publications
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Planetary Opportunities: A Social Contract for Global Change Science to Contribute to a Sustainable Future
- University of Oxford
The global change research community needs to renew its social contract with society by moving beyond a focus on biophysical limits and toward solution-oriented research to provide realistic, context-specific pathways ...
- Posted June 29, 2018
- Publications
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The UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development: business as usual in the end
- Cornell University (NY)
- London South Bank University
- Wageningen University
- De Montfort University
- University of Gothenburg
An analysis of the literature supporting the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development and a sample of its key products suggests that it failed to acknowledge or challenge neoliberalism ...
- Posted June 28, 2018
- Publications
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Sustainability leadership programs in higher education: alumni outcomes and impacts
- University of Michigan (MI)
- National Wildlife Federation (VA)
- North Cascades Institute (WA)
The diverse set of college and university sustainability leadership programs, which represent a growing trend in higher education, share a common goal: building skills and knowledge for aspiring environmental and ...
- Posted June 28, 2018
- Publications
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University of Vermont Eco-Reps Greenride Bikeshare Campaign Case Study
- University of Vermont (VT)
In early April of 2018, Burlington, Vermont, and the University of Vermont campus welcomed Greenride, a pilot regional bikeshare. Though long in the works, there was little student awareness of ...
- Posted June 28, 2018
- Case Studies
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AASHE Connect – Online Community Webinar
- AASHE (MA)
Join us as we tour AASHE’s new online community. AASHE Connect will serve as a place for members to exchange ideas, engage meaningfully with peers and find solutions to ...
- Posted June 1, 2018
- Videos & Webinars
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Walking the Talk: Applying Fair Trade Learning Principles to Alternative Breaks
- Oregon State University (OR)
Alternative Breaks at Oregon State University: We integrate sustainability education and leadership via fair trade learning into our community-engaged learning/service-learning program.
Break away from apathy. Break away from the ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
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Project Juarez
- University of Texas at El Paso (TX)
- Engineers for a Sustainable World (CO)
When our phones are no longer aesthetically pleasing, we tend to either disregard or throw away our phones. The question is why? Essentially, we are throwing away a small computer ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
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The Catastrophic Meal--Exploring the Food Systems and Cultures of the Future
- Vestjyllands Højskole
Vestjyllands Højskole hosted The Catastrophic Meal to demonstrate both a utopian and dystopian view of future food culture. As part of the EU's Aarhus City of Culture celebrations, the ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
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Princeton Student Climate Initiative
- Princeton University (NJ)
On the Friday night after midterms week, seven Princeton undergraduates gathered in the Pace Center for Civic Engagement to talk climate change legislation. Decked in hoodies, sweats, and mismatched socks ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
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Student Environmental Resource Center (SERC) at UC Berkeley
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
SERC is a collaborative space to strengthen the collective effectiveness of the sustainability community, and provides resources for students to actualize their vision of a more equitable, socially just, and ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
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Sustainability Strategic Planning
- University of California, Merced (CA)
The University of California Merced (UC Merced) within the next five years will undergo significant infrastructure expansion to accommodate student, faculty and staff growth. The acceleration of the university’s ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
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Plastic Entanglements: Ecology, Aesthetics, Materials
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
The exhibition, PLASTIC ENTANGLEMENTS: Ecology, Aesthetics, Materials was on view at Penn State’s Palmer Museum of Art from February 13, 2018 to June 17, 2018 with additional commissioned and ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
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Tackling it Together: A Framework for Assessing Climate Vulnerability in the Pioneer Valley
- Smith College (MA)
In Western Massachusetts, stakeholders are engaging with vulnerability in different ways. While some are planning at the campus and city levels, others have engaged only in areas specific to their ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Publications
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Paperbark Literary Magazine
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
Paperbark Literary Magazine is an interdisciplinary journal of creativity and sustainability publishing art, writing, photography, poetry, science journalism, interviews, and other creative content both in print and online at paperbarkmag ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
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The WaterHub at Emory University – Engaging Campus & Community in Water Reclamation
- Emory University (GA)
The WaterHub at Emory University is an on-site water recycling system, utilizing biomimicry, or engineered processes that emulate natural ecological systems, to reclaim wastewater for heating and cooling buildings and ...
- Posted May 21, 2018
- Case Studies
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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.
EN 10: Community Partnerships
- Description of a formal community partnership to advance sustainability (first partnership)
- Description of a formal community partnership to advance sustainability (second partnership)
- Description of a formal community partnership to advance sustainability (third partnership)
- Website URL - Community partnerships to advance sustainability
EN 11: Inter-campus Collaboration
- The national or international sustainability network(s)
- The regional, state/provincial or local sustainability network(s)
- Description of sustainability conference(s) and presentation(s)
- Description of sustainability resource center or awards program and submission(s)
- Description of sustainability board or committee appointment(s)
- Description of sustainability-related mentoring relationship and activities
- Description of sustainability-related peer review activities
- Website URL - Sustainability-related inter-campus collaborations
EN 12: Continuing Education
- Percentage of continuing education courses that are sustainability course offerings
- Inventory of continuing education sustainability course offerings (upload)
- Inventory of continuing education sustainability course offerings (description)
- Description of sustainability-related continuing education certificate program(s)
- Website URL - Continuing education courses and programs in sustainability
EN 13: Community Service
- Percentage of students engaged in community service
- Number of annual community service hours contributed per student
- Description of program(s) to support employee volunteering
- Website URL- Community service programs
EN 14: Participation in Public Policy
- Description of sustainability public policy advocacy at the municipal/local level
- Description of sustainability public policy advocacy at the state/provincial/regional level
- Description of sustainability public policy advocacy at the national level
- Description of sustainability public policy advocacy at the international level
- Website URL - Sustainability advocacy efforts
EN 15: Trademark Licensing
- Description of the independent trademark monitoring and verification organization
- The labor rights code of conduct for licensees (upload)
- The labor rights code of conduct for licensees (description)
- Website URL - Trademark licensing initiatives
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.