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.

2945 resources

Reducing Waste on Campus Through Reusable Bags

  • University of Denver (CO)

Plastic banners used for advertising purposes often end up in the landfill after being used. To prevent this waste, we partnered with Mile High Workshop to re-purpose these banners into ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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A Solar-Powered Automatic Composter: Students Combine Engineering, Science and Community Engagement

  • University of Houston - Downtown (TX)

The University of Houston-Downtown's Center for Urban Agriculture and Sustainability (CUAS) has a number of student initiatives focused at creating future sustainability leaders. One area of focus is to ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Diverting Waste, Fostering Community, and Making "Used" Useful

  • Earlham College (IN)

In recent years, the Earlham College Student Sustainability Corps has experienced success and growth in their waste diversion programs. These include a permanent Free Store, a yearly Move-Out Program, and ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Bikes and Scooters on an Urban Campus

  • University of Arkansas at Little Rock (AR)

Our campus has gone through two bike share launchings. For the first, we were ill prepared. We just let it happen. After six months, the provider pulled the bikes off ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Employer-Provided Mobility: Energy Efficient Commuting to Empower Early Career Workers

  • National Renewable Energy Laboratory (CO)

Higher education prepares students to succeed in their careers. This should include the knowledge that those entering the job market have substantial power toward co-creation of sustainable economic practices. One ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Don't pack your bags. We can create interactive, fun and transformative e-conferences.

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
  • University of Alberta (AB)

Don't stress! Yes, conferences create connections and inspire new ideas; however, traveling to conferences costs time, money and increases our carbon footprint. But no, it's not the only ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Questions that Need Answers: Resolving Data Gaps as an Opportunity for Communities and Universities

  • United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (NY)

As research deepens around the sustainable economy, theoretical and analytical gaps in knowledge are becoming clearer. Universities can use this information, and their position as interdisciplinary institutions, to direct their ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Native Bee Conservation: Bridging the Gap Between Research, Sustainability, and Educating the Public

  • Central College (IA)

Approximately 85% of flowering plants depend on animals for pollination. Bees, one of the most important pollinator groups, not only enable reproduction of most wild flowering plants, but also play ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Research Findings from the Sustainability and Education Policy Network (SEPN)

  • University of Saskatchewan (SK)

The Sustainability and Education Policy Network (SEPN), an international research network, has spent the last six years examining the uptake of sustainability in higher education policy and practice across Canada ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Leveraging Institutional Buying Power for Sustainable Procurement: A Strategizing Session

  • Boston University (MA)
  • University of California, Office of the President (CA)

Many colleges and universities have separate conversations with the same suppliers. Imagine the impact we could have on the environment if higher ed coordinated sustainability requests of these companies and ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Networking Session for NY Coalition for Sustainability in Higher Education (NYCSHE)

  • Syracuse University (NY)

Current members or anyone interested in joining please attend our meet and greet networking session. Members of the Coalition represent institutions of higher education in New York State. Membership of ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Data-Driven Sustainability: How Universities Can Use Data to Make Ethical Licensing Decisions

  • Sumerra (OR)

Poor working conditions at a factory in China that manufactures t-shirts bearing a university's logo aren't that university's problem, right? Wrong. Universities are increasingly called to account ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Northeast Campus Sustainability Consortium Meeting

  • Smith College (MA)

This is a netoworking meeting of the Northeast Campus Sustainability Consortium. See https://sustain.princeton.edu/necsc

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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NASPA Meet-Up

  • Arizona State University (AZ)

Celebrating a recent partnership between NASPA (Student Affairs Professionals in Higher Education) and AASHE, this networking session will provide a space for student affairs practitioners to connect with colleagues, share ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Arizona Colleges and Universities Networking

  • Arizona State University (AZ)

The world is a small place, but it is easy to stay inside our bubble despite working potentially one department or city away. This networking session will bring sustainability leaders ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Green in a Red State: Working in Conservative Environments

  • University of Central Oklahoma (OK)

This networking session is meant to continue the conversation started at AASHE 2018 wherein attendees can share ideas, collaborate on solutions, and problem solve together about effective ways to pursue ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Ethical Labor in Collegiate Licensee Supply Chains

  • University of California, Los Angeles (CA)

Collegiate licensees' levels of readiness and willingness to implement ethical labor practices throughout their supply chains is a priority consideration for UCLA in selecting its trademark licensees. In 2010, UCLA ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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How Do We Build a Bridge Between Science and Decision Making? Narratives Matter

  • Dallas College (TX)

Every decision is being made at in local, regional, national and global contexts. Researchers at universities are discovering solutions to be more sustainable and community colleges are equipping students to ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Catholic and Faith-Based Higher Education Institutions Networking Session

  • Gonzaga University (WA)
  • Loyola University Chicago (IL)
  • Marquette University (WI)
  • St. Louis University High School (MO)

Join sustainability staff, faculty, and students from other faith-based institutions as we share updates on how this aspect of our institutional identity informs our sustainability strategy. This time will allow ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Simplifying Sustainability - Creating A Powerful, Unified Marketing Campaign For Sustainability

  • Marketing Evolution (NY)
  • Industry PDX (OR)
  • C[IQ] Strategies (OR)

Great marketing campaigns have changed the way people think and act -- 'This Is Your Brain On Drugs', 'Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk', and 'Only You Can Prevent Wildfires ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Leveraging Funding to Provide Student Experience and Community Enrichment

  • Furman University (SC)

Would you like to learn how to provide consistent funding for a resilient student fellowship program? We have some thoughts and experiences to share. Furman University, a liberal arts school ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Building Bridges Through Reuse

  • Indiana University Bloomington (IN)

For this session, the presenters will focus on the Hoosier to Hoosier Sale at Indiana University Bloomington (IU). The Hoosier to Hoosier Community Sale is a reuse program that aims ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Democratizing Capital for a Regenerative Economy

  • Center for Economic Democracy (MA)

The Boston Ujima Project is organizing neighbors, workers, business owners, artists and investors to create a new community controlled economy in Greater Boston. Since launching in 2016, Ujima has built ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Rooted in Community: Collaboration with Local Land Trusts

  • Davidson College (NC)
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham (AL)

As higher education institutions, and specifically sustainability offices, seek to broaden and deepen collaboration with local organizations, the land trust community is a natural partner. In many cases, both the ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Weatherization Programs: Partnerships to Address Community Issues

  • Furman University (SC)
  • University of Florida (FL)

The benefits of weatherization programs are extensive. These programs have the capacity to address social and economic inequality, the historical effects of gentrification, and the growing impacts of climate change ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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The Importance of Community, Culture, History, and Education for Sustainability

  • Colorado State University (CO)

In this presentation I will share the story of Keokuk, Iowa - my hometown - a river town community along the Mississippi River, which is considered the most dangerous town in Iowa ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Getting WILD! Introducing Children to Nature...Why and How

  • Dallas College (TX)

Research has proved individuals interacting with nature are healthier, both mentally and physically. They have higher self-esteem, are more cooperative with others and perform better at work and school. However ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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A Collaborative Approach to Sustainability and Inclusion at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games

  • Playback Sports (WA)
  • Elysium Events LLC

This bright, colorful presentation and discussion will cover the value and importance of a cross-functional team and holistic sustainability strategy for large-scale events. We will share the story of how ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Recipes for Effective Campus-Community Partnerships: Perspectives on Food Security & Justice

  • College of Charleston (SC)
  • University of Utah (UT)

This combined session will present two cases of campus-community partnerships centered on food. The Stone Soup Collective College of Charleston Chapter is comprised of dozens of collectivists and volunteers who ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Breaking the Bubble: Using Video to Demystify Sustainable Living

  • University of Kentucky (KY)

This poster presentation details an online video series entitled 'What Can You Do to Live More Sustainably.' Nine videos featuring students, staff and faculty across the University of Kentucky provide ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Challenges, Successes, and Opportunities of Collegiate Farming

  • Colgate University (NY)

The Colgate Community Garden was started in 2011 by Green Thumbs, a student group that works to manage and promote the activities of the garden. The purpose of the garden ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Sustainable Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network

  • United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (NY)

This networking meeting will be an opportunity for attendees interested in, researching, and/or implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a set of 17 goals to be ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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University + Business = Force for Good

  • University of Georgia (GA)

Business can be a force for good in our communities and our world. Universities are contributing to a sustainable economy by supporting local businesses to document and expand their sustainability ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Sustainable Energy Education Through Demonstration (SEED) in Secondary Education

  • State University of New York at Geneseo (NY)

Sustainable Energy Education through Demonstration (SEED) is a ten-week program that educates students on the mechanics of renewable energy production and the value of these energies in combating climate change ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Green STEAM: Rocket Fuel for a Sustainable Economy

  • Moraine Valley Community College (IL)
  • Oakton Community College (IL)
  • Joey FineRhyme (IL)

For decades, the environmental movement has been trying to infuse sustainability into the mainstream ethos. While the science is irrefutable, most people are not moved by science alone. One example ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Growing Sustainable Communities Together Through Leadership in Higher Education

  • Joliet Junior College (IL)
  • Lewis University (IL)
  • Prairie State College (IL)
  • University of Saint Francis (IN)

The South Metropolitan Higher Education Consortium (SMHEC) is a unique partnership of 10 higher education institutions in the south metropolitan area of Chicago extending west to Joliet, south to Kankakee ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Bringing the Campus Community Together Through Gardening and Gardening Workshops

  • University of Louisville (KY)

The Garden Commons is a community garden space on the campus of the University of Louisville, located next to the Cultural Center and the Student Activities Center. It exists as ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Empowering Students and the Community Through Green Chemistry and Sustainable Science Outreach

  • Beyond Benign (MA)
  • State of Washington (WA)

Sustainable STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) outreach can have a significant impact on youth, empowering students to be problem-solvers and engage in their communities as change makers, and inspiring ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Spreading the Word: Crafting Communications Around Large Campus Sustainability Events

  • University of Washington, Seattle (WA)

UW Sustainability works with student groups and other organizations across campus in hosting two large-scale campus-wide sustainability events each year: the Sustainability Fair in October as part of Campus Sustainability ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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From Zero Energy to Energy+: Community-University-Industry Partnerships for Sustainable Housing

  • Pennsylvania State University (PA)

From community design charrettes to international student design competitions, two housing research organizations at Penn State have collaborated with local affordable housing organizations and home builders to address long-term housing ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Engaging Community Partners in Resilience Planning: Catalyzing Action Beyond the College/University

  • Concordia College (NY)

A relatively new part of the Climate Commitment (run by the organization Second Nature) is the mandate to engage in resilience planning. Signatories to the commitment pledge to engage with ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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The Role of Rural Campuses in Building Community Resilience and Responding to Extreme Weather

  • Black Hills State University (SD)
  • California State University, Chico (CA)
  • Central Community College (NE)
  • Second Nature (MA)

Rural colleges/universities are often one of the driving cultural and economic forces in their region. As a result of this position, they can be a great resource in the ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Moving Toward Climate Justice Through Divestment and Community Reinvestment

  • Better Future Project (MA)

All colleges have an endowment that they use to invest in a broad range of industries. Divestment is a powerful tactic where institutions can use their political and financial power ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Monetizing Campus Sustainability: Converting Operations Into Assets to Increase Revenues

  • University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
  • University of Louisiana at Lafayette (LA)
  • Learfield IMG College (TX)

During the first couple of decades of growth in campus sustainability, 'green' operations were perceived as causing additional costs with limited direct paybacks. However, as sustainability has grown in college ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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The VCU Pocket Park: Creating a sustainability-oriented green space on a dynamic university campus

  • Virginia Commonwealth University (VA)

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a growing, changing university in the heart of the city of Richmond, VA. Green space is limited on this dense urban campus. The VCU Office ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Menus of Change University Research Collaborative: Collaboration to Change the Food System

  • Boston College (MA)

The MCURC is a working group of scholars and campus dining leaders from invited colleges and universities interested in accelerating efforts to move American consumers-and college/university students, scholars, and ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Supporting a Sustainable Economy Through Partnership With Local Food Hubs

  • Gonzaga University (WA)
  • Sodexo USA (MD)
  • Puget Sound Food Hub (WA)
  • LINC Foods (WA)

This session will showcase how to effectively collaborate with local producers to build a more sustainable economy through increased purchases of local products and to raise awareness about food systems ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Campus Farmers Networking Meeting

  • Loyola University Chicago (IL)
  • University of Utah (UT)
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)

Join other campus farmers and food system advocates in creating a robust, interdisciplinary network of campus-based growers and partners. Find someone in your region or across the nation to share ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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The Future of Real Food

  • Real Food Challenge (MA)

The past ten years have seen a dramatic shift in real food purchasing on college and university campuses. Local food and sustainability are now common conversations in campus dining. Values ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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Food Systems Down Under: Lessons from the Australian Context and The Fair Food Challenge

  • University of Melbourne (Victoria)

This presentation will look at action in campus food systems in Australian universities. Australia has been slow to adopt action in campus foodscape transformation and there have been recent advancements ...

  • Posted Dec. 4, 2019
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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

EN 11: Inter-campus Collaboration

EN 12: Continuing Education

EN 13: Community Service

EN 14: Participation in Public Policy

EN 15: Trademark Licensing

Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.

Public Engagement Partners