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.

2946 resources

Yale University Town-Gown Collaboration on Sustainability

  • Yale University (CT)

Yale University has embarked on its third sustainability strategic planning process with a fresh emphasis on connecting with the City of New Haven community, among additional priorities. Three distinct programs ...

  • Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Student Leadership & Sustainability Results

  • Agnes Scott College (GA)

At Agnes Scott College, students are at the heart of all sustainability initiatives, whether it is waste diversion or the installation of solar arrays. The Center for Sustainability has a ...

  • Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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What's a Bioneer and how can it Help my College Connect with Community on a Local, Regional and National Level?

  • McHenry County College (IL)

McHenry County College has found success in bringing people from the community to the college for an annual speaker series through our partnership with the Bioneers (now called the Bioneers ...

  • Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Achieving the Impossible: How the Millennial Generation is Winning a Just & Sustainable Future in the Age of Climate Change

  • Elected Officials to Protect America (SC)

Outspoken advocate and internationally-recognized former elected official Dominic Frongillo will share his perspective as the youngest-ever councilmember in Caroline, NY, and delegate to UN climate talks on how young people ...

  • Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Buying and Hiring Local to Foster Sustainable Community Development

  • Johns Hopkins University (MD)
  • Democracy Collaborative (DC)

This plenary will show how campuses are embracing their role as anchor institutions and using their economic power to make significant contributions to building sustainable and equitable local economies. Sarah ...

  • Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Centers for Sustainability Across the Curriculum Meeting

  • AASHE (PA)

An opportunity to network and plan with other institutions helping to pilot AASHE's Centers for Sustainability Across the Curriculum Program.

  • Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Enhancing sustainability awareness among university students: Effects of facilitated discussion groups and peer-to-peer learning

  • University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)

This presentation will describe and analyze the Climate Knowledge Project, an effort at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to link together climate research, sustainability education, and student engagement programs. Beginning in ...

  • Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water Systems: National Science Foundation (NSF) Initiative to Examine Critical Issues in Today's World

  • National Science Foundation

At the end of 2015, the NSF put out its first request for proposals for the INFEWS program. Over the next five years the program plans to fund interdisciplinary projects ...

  • Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Advocacy and Civic Engagement Networking Meeting

  • U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development
  • Citizens' Climate Lobby (CA)

Scientists are in consensus that the world needs to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, and this cannot be accomplished by ...

  • Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Can carbon offsets be community-based, educational, and affordable? The results of a 4 college collaborative research project.

  • Amherst College (MA)
  • Hampshire College (MA)
  • Smith College (MA)
  • Williams College (MA)

What would be the best carbon offset? Can carbon offsets achieve measurable carbon reductions, as well as support the health and sustainability of our local communities and provide educational and ...

  • Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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From Student Farm to Rural Semester: The Evolution of An Idea

  • University of Connecticut (CT)

This proposal will explore the evolution of an idea from its initial inception to create an off-campus student farm, to its initial form, to its current practice (UCONN Spring Valley ...

  • Posted Nov. 18, 2016
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Developing Short Animations to Foster Awareness and Environmental Connection to Place

  • Oberlin College (OH)

Systems thinking' skills--the understanding of how relationships, interdependencies, and individual group behavior impact community and ecosystem--are important for environmental sustainability. 'Citywide Dashboard,' a conceptual model of a community animated by ...

  • Posted Nov. 18, 2016
  • Conference Presentations
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Sustainable Communities Program

  • Audubon International (NY)

Audubon International’s Sustainable Communities Program is an international, science-based, third-party certification program that guides communities through a customized journey to become healthy and vibrant places in which to live ...


White Paper: Investing in Clean Energy: Campuses and Endowments

  • Intentional Endowments Network (MA)

The Intentional Endowments Network's new report titled “Investing in Clean Energy: Campuses and Endowments” was designed to encourage conversation about the financial and societal benefits of clean energy investments ...

  • Posted Nov. 15, 2016
  • Publications
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Communities of Opportunity: Smart Growth Strategies For Colleges and Universities

  • National Association of College & University Business Officers (NACUBO) (DC)
  • Ayers Saint Gross (MD)

This publication provides an overview of smart growth strategies and the better outcomes that these strategies have yielded when adopted by colleges and universities and communities across the country. It ...


Validating the Need to Include the Economic Returns of Graduates as a Metric of a Higher Education Institutions Level of Sustainability

  • Eastern Michigan University (MI)
  • Technische Universiteit Delft

Higher education institutions play an important role in sustainability, in their own management and operation, in research and education, and in the undergraduate and graduate degrees they deliver. Often ignored ...


UCSB and Campus Sustainability Group Come to Agreement

  • University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)

This article describes an agreement regarding University of California, Santa Barbara's Long Range Development Plan between the University and Sustainable University Now (SUN), a coalition of community organizations). The ...


Harvard to limit greenhouse gas emissions in new Allston construction

  • Harvard University (MA)

This article describes Harvard University's agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions from new buildings constructed on its Allston campus. The agreement between the University and the Executive Office of ...


Combining forces: Fostering sustainability collaboration between the city of Vancouver and the University of British Columbia

  • University of British Columbia (BC)

Purpose - This paper describes the sustainability partnership between the City of Vancouver and the University of British Columbia (UBC) and, in particular, the co-curricular Greenest City Scholars graduate student internship ...


Can Urban University Expansion and Sustainable Development Co-Exist?: A Case Study in Progress on Columbia University

  • Albany Law School (NY)
  • Columbia University (NY)

This article uses the expansion of Columbia University as a case study to demonstrate the difficulty in labeling projects as "sustainable" or "unsustainable" when key stakeholders view the process and ...

  • Posted Oct. 31, 2016
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Columbia Announces Deal on Its 17-Acre Expansion Plan

  • Columbia University (NY)

This article describes an agreement relating to the Columbia University's plans to expand its campus in Harlem. Among other things, the university committed to contribute $20 million to start ...

  • Posted Oct. 31, 2016
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A Nearly Carbon-Neutral Conference Model: White Paper & Practical Guide

  • University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)

This document was created to help stage nearly carbon-neutral (NCN) conferences based on a model first implemented at UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) in May of 2016. Compared to fly-in conferences ...

  • Posted Oct. 28, 2016
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From Ecocity To Ecocampus: Sustainability Policies In University Campuses

  • Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Madrid)

Cities generate environmental impacts that have focused the global interest of scientists and authorities on the search for environment-friendly alternatives. The ‘Ecocity’ concept provides an innovative and sustainable vision of ...

  • Posted Oct. 26, 2016
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The Anchor Dashboard: Aligning Institutional Practice to Meet Low-Income Community Needs

  • University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
  • Democracy Collaborative (DC)

Anchor institutions are place-based entities such as universities and hospitals that are tied to their surroundings by mission, invested capital or relationships to customers, employees and vendors. This study seeks ...

  • Posted Oct. 20, 2016
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A Guide for Applied Sustainability Learning Projects: Advancing sustainability outcomes on campus and in the community

  • Arizona State University (AZ)
  • Portland State University (OR)
  • AASHE (PA)

This guide provides a step-by-step framework for how a new or existing applied learning for sustainability program can be systematically designed, built and scaled around two interconnected goals:

  1. Providing students ...

Employer attitudes towards, and skills for, sustainable development

  • National Union of Students
  • Higher Education Academy (York)

This report describes the results of an online survey of employers in the U.K. about sustainable development. Overall, employers believed the range of skills for sustainability to be important ...


Leadership Skills for a Sustainable Economy

Based on a survey of sustainability staff at member companies of The Prince of Wales’s Mayday Network on Climate Change and also member companies of Business in the Community ...


Cultivating an Academy We Can Live With: The Humanities and Education for Sustainability

  • Wake Forest University (NC)

Many facets of the university system in North America are fundamentally unsustainable, developing and perpetuating knowledge practices that not only do not sustain the biospheric conditions in which our species ...


Unity College Students at the People's Climate March

  • Unity Environmental University (ME)

Unity College students participate in the People's Climate March. Unity College was the first to divest its endowment from fossil fuels.

  • Posted Sept. 23, 2016
  • Photographs
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Athletics Department Awareness and Action Regarding the Environment: A Study of NCAA Athletics Department Sustainability Practices

  • North Carolina State University (NC)
  • Ohio University (OH)

The relationship of sport to sustainability management is relatively unknown. Despite the increasing recognition of the growing role of athletics in regard to environmental sustainability, it remains unclear what role ...

  • Posted Sept. 21, 2016
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Intercollegiate Sport and the Environment: Examining Fan Engagement Based on Athletics Department Sustainability Efforts

  • Bowling Green State University (OH)
  • North Carolina State University (NC)
  • Ohio University (OH)

The purpose of this study was to examine how environmental education efforts at a sporting event related to environmental behavioral intentions, in the context of a promotional green game, based ...

  • Posted Sept. 21, 2016
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Climate & Energy Strategy

  • University of California, Santa Cruz (CA)

UC Santa Cruz convenes staff, students and faculty to discuss how to meet the UC systemwide goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2025 and next steps for implementation of the ...

  • Posted Sept. 14, 2016
  • Photographs
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Boreas Leadership Program - University of Minnesota

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)

Boreas offers University of Minnesota graduate and professional students and post-doctoral fellows free co-curricular leadership development opportunities that build on the strengths of graduate education to create effective change agents ...

  • Posted Sept. 13, 2016
  • Photographs
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University of Minnesota Living Lab

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)

Campus grounds are more than a a backdrop at the University of Minnesota. Our Living Laboratories have transformed otherwise un-programmed areas into outdoor spaces for innovation, testing, demonstration, and learning ...

  • Posted Sept. 12, 2016
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Western Michigan University Office for Sustainability Engagement Initiatives

  • Western Michigan University (MI)

Western Michigan University's Office for Sustainability

  • Posted Sept. 12, 2016
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Dr. Dorceta Taylor

  • Western Michigan University (MI)

Dr. Dorceta Taylor engages students and community members in discussions on sustainable agriculture, food justice, inclusion and diversity.

  • Posted Sept. 12, 2016
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University at Albany Harvest Festival

  • University at Albany (NY)

This photo depicts students from the Office of Sustainability tabling at the Office of Residential Life's annual Harvest Festival, which celebrates local food and healthy eating.

  • Posted Sept. 12, 2016
  • Photographs
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DoubleMap Bus Tracking Systems

  • Indiana University Bloomington (IN)

Students at Indiana University Bloomington formed the DoubleMap startup company and developed the DoubleMap bus tracking system in collaboration with campus stakeholders and with financial assistance from the IU Student ...

  • Posted Sept. 12, 2016
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EMC 2016 summer ANR team created several short focused videos about recycling and composting intiatives

  • Champlain College (VT)

The Emergent Media Center (EMC) is a Center of Excellence at Champlain College. We hire students to work on projects, the students work with the clients, work under deadlines utilizing ...

  • Posted Sept. 12, 2016
  • Photographs
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Bowdoin Green Athletics

  • Bowdoin College (ME)

The Bowdoin College sustainability office and Green Athletics student group work closely on the Green Athletics Team Challenge, which encourages sports teams to commit to sustainability goals and compete against ...

  • Posted Sept. 12, 2016
  • Photographs
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Third-Party, Supporter-Financed Campus Solar: An Approach and a Partnership that Works

  • Luther College (IA)
  • Second Nature (MA)
  • Midwest Renewable Energy Association (WI)

The “Solar University Network: Innovation in Solar Energy Finance & Development” case study series highlights higher education investment in solar energy projects. The purpose of these case studies is to ...

  • Posted Sept. 12, 2016
  • Publications
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Root Program at Williams College

  • Williams College (MA)

Williams College Root leaders emulate the Mighty Food Farm flexing tomato logo after an afternoon of volunteering on the Southern Vermont farm.

The non profit organization Manos Unidas led Williams ...

  • Posted Sept. 12, 2016
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RDI Event Oct 2015

  • Selkirk College (BC)

Dr. Terri MacDonald presenting at the Applied Research & Innovation Centre-Rural Development Institute and Association of Kooteny Boundary Local Governments-AgingAging Kootenays Event - Oct2015

  • Posted Sept. 12, 2016
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UNCG Collaborative Planning for Key Thoroughfare

  • University of North Carolina, Greensboro (NC)

Model community engagement that resulted in a mixed use village-style development on a major municipal thoroughfare in Greensboro, North Carolina.

  • Posted Sept. 12, 2016
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Sustainable Business Roundtable at UBuffalo

  • University at Buffalo (NY)

The University at Buffalo initiated a partnership in recent years with Erie County and a small group of key business leaders throughout the region to assess the feasibility of creating ...

  • Posted Sept. 12, 2016
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Elon Students at Environmental Center at Loy Farm

  • Elon University (NC)

Event organized by Institut EDDEC

  • Polytechnique Montréal (QC)

This photo was taken during the "Transition towards a circular economy: opportunities and challenges for Quebec and Canada" event organized by the EDDEC Institute in May 2016 in Montreal.


Indiana State: Green Infrastructure for Water

  • Indiana State University (IN)

Combined Sewer Overflows are a big problem for post-industrial towns like Terre Haute, Indiana, and as Indiana State University provides one of the largest concentrations of users of impervious surfaces ...


Big Red Buyer's Club

  • Denison University (OH)
  • Bon Appétit Management Company

The Big Red Buyers Club was created at Denison University In an effort to support local producers and to connect faculty, students, and staff with high quality, local and responsibly ...


A Practical Guide to the United Nations Global Compact for Higher Education Institutions

This publication offers guidelines for higher education institutions in implementing the ten principles of the UN Global Compact within the organization and then leading their global adoption.

  • Posted Sept. 6, 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.

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