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
Latest News from AASHE Bulletin
New Resources
Evaluating a collaborative governance regime in renewable energy: Wind power and the Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo)
- Baldwin Wallace University (OH)
Abstract The Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo) illustrates the leverage that the collaborative governance regime (CGR) brings to start-up renewable energy ventures. Called Icebreaker, the effort to build the …
- Posted Nov. 13, 2019
- Publications
- View more
Webinar: Getting the Most Out of the 2019 AASHE Conference & Expo
- AASHE (MA)
With thousands of attendees, hundreds of sessions on a diversity of topics, dozens of exhibitors and more, AASHE’s annual conference can sometimes feel a little overwhelming. Designed to help you …
- Posted Oct. 16, 2019
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
Managing Behavior Change: Moving Past Barriers
- AASHE (MA)
- GreenerU (MA)
Many of us set goals for ourselves. Some goals—such as losing weight, getting more exercise, or being more sustainable—are set with the best of intentions, but the reality is that …
- Posted Oct. 10, 2019
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
Webinar: Off-Campus Move Outs… Moving in the Right Direction
- University of Cincinnati (OH)
- AASHE (MA)
Many colleges and universities have mastered on-campus move-out diversion, but off-campus student move-out is a much less tackled problem. Apartments, condos and single-family homes located off-campus generate different (and often …
- Posted Oct. 3, 2019
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
Exciting and Effective Community – Higher Education Collaborations
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
- AASHE (MA)
- Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium (HEASC) (PA)
Universities are looking for new ways to benefit their local communities. Communities are looking for smart solutions to constantly changing problems. Both strive to become more resilient, sustainable, and attractive …
- Posted Aug. 15, 2019
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
Sustainability Capstone PISA
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito - USFQ (Pichincha)
Through the Innovation and Sustainability Office, Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) in Ecuador has developed a capstone course called Social and Environmental Project (PISA is the acronym in Spanish). …
- Posted Aug. 5, 2019
- Photographs
- View more
Luther College CSA Reimbursement Program
- Luther College (IA)
Participants in Luther College's CSA Reimbursement Program enjoy a summer workshop about seasonal vegetables.
- Posted Aug. 1, 2019
- Photographs
- View more
Cornell Climate Change Demonstration Garden
- Cornell University (NY)
Climate Change Garden - The Cornell University Climate Change Garden is a permanent campus installation that demonstrates the impact of climate change on plant growth in New York state. Planning …
- Posted Aug. 1, 2019
- Photographs
- View more
UCC Green Campus
- University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork (Co. Cork)
University of Sanctuary Status - In 2018, University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork was awarded the title of University of Sanctuary by Places of Sanctuary Ireland in …
- Posted Aug. 1, 2019
- Photographs
- View more
UMass Lowell Urban Agriculture Program
- University of Massachusetts Lowell (MA)
Urban Agriculture Program - The University of Massachusetts Lowell Office of Sustainability developed an urban agriculture program in partnership with Mill City Grows, a local food justice organization. The partnership …
- Posted July 31, 2019
- Photographs
- View more
Indigenous Strategy
- University of Calgary (AB)
Indigenous Strategy - The University of Calgary shared its Indigenous Strategy in 2017 after collecting input from over 2,200 individuals and engaging with Indigenous communities and community stakeholders. Entitled ii’taa’poh’to’p, …
- Posted July 31, 2019
- Photographs
- View more
EPA Game Day Challenge
- Bowdoin College (ME)
Bowdoin's Green Athletics club provided education about waste reduction and composting during Bowdoin's EPA Game Day Challenge event.
- Posted July 30, 2019
- Photographs
- View more
Roux Center Tour Guides
- Bowdoin College (ME)
During the busy opening weekend of Bowdoin's first LEED Platinum Building, The Roux Center for the Environment, sustainability tours were provided by Bowdoin EcoReps, identifiable by their green sash.
- Posted July 30, 2019
- Photographs
- View more
The University of Winnipeg's Star Blanket Mural
- University of Winnipeg (MB)
This mural covering the University of Winnipeg’s Helen Betty Osborne Building depicts a Star Blanket, and symbolizes the institution’s commitment to indigenization and reconciliation. The mural was completed in August, …
- Posted July 29, 2019
- Photographs
- View more
2019 Kentucky Campus Sustainability Summit
- Berea College (KY)
- Centre College (KY)
- Eastern Kentucky University (KY)
- Northern Kentucky University (KY)
- Paducah Technical College (KY)
- University of Kentucky (KY)
- University of Louisville (KY)
- Western Kentucky University (KY)
Representatives from across the Commonwealth began the 2019 Kentucky Campus Sustainability Summit with a practice of presence mindfulness exercise. In the spirit of promoting Inter-Campus Collaboration, the summit is organized …
- Posted July 29, 2019
- Photographs
- View more
Students composting at dining hall
- Butler University (IN)
Collaboration to Scale Food Waste Collection - Butler University partnered with Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis on a food waste compost collection route, making it affordable to use a large waste …
- Posted July 29, 2019
- Photographs
- View more
Wilfrid Laurier University's social sustainability initiative: International Students Overcoming War
- Wilfrid Laurier University (ON)
International Students Overcoming War - International Students Overcoming War (ISOW) is a student-led and student-funded humanitarian initiative at Wilfrid Laurier University that partners with NGO organizations to provide full scholarships …
- Posted July 29, 2019
- Photographs
- View more
Sustainable CT Voluntary Certification Program -
- Eastern Connecticut State University (CT)
In 2018, Eastern Connecticut State University's Institute for Sustainable Energy launched Sustainable CT, a voluntary municipal sustainability certification program to recognize thriving and resilient Connecticut communities. The program offers a …
- Posted July 25, 2019
- Photographs
- View more
Learning Economics and Attitudes to Market Solutions to Environmental Problems
- Stockholm University
- University of Gothenburg
- University of Birmingham
Climate change challenges governments to reduce emissions, and to gain support for such actions from their citizens. This can be in the form of taxation or legislation, or other forms …
- Posted July 19, 2019
- Publications
- View more
Teacher Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship
- Liverpool Hope University
This book examines how educators internationally can better understand the role of education as a public good designed to nurture peace, tolerance, sustainable livelihoods and human fulfillment.
Bringing together empirical …
- Posted July 19, 2019
- Publications
- View more
A Solar PPA Designed for Positive Externalities
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
- AASHE (MA)
- The Nature Conservancy (VA)
Drs. Meghan Hoskins and Peter Buckland from Penn State’s Sustainability Institute in collaboration with Elizabeth Johnson, The Nature Conservancy, PA and Emilie Wangerman, Lightsource BP will describe the rationale for …
- Posted July 18, 2019
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
The role of higher education institutions in sustainability initiatives at the local level
- Allegheny College (PA)
- Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
- University of Passo Fundo
- Manchester Metropolitan University
- University of Belgrade
- University of Latvia
- Università di Verona
- Università di Bologna
Universities are central players and important economic actors in many regions, and many of them are, in general, nationally and internationally active in respect of matters related to sustainable development. …
- Posted June 25, 2019
- Publications
- View more
Community Tree Planting
- University of California, Irvine (CA)
Annual tree planting is part of UCI's commitment to sustainable landscaping and healthy urban forests. Since 2010, UC Irvine has been recognized as a Tree Campus USA university by the …
- Posted June 25, 2019
- Photographs
- View more
Examining environmental fan engagement initiatives through values and norms with intercollegiate sport fans
- North Carolina State University (NC)
- Seattle University (WA)
The United Nations has asserted that sport organizations and/or allied sponsors can influence fans to engage in more sustainable behaviors intentions at sporting events and at home; however, more investigation …
- Posted June 13, 2019
- Publications
- View more
Anchor Collaboratives: Building Bridges With Place-Based Partnerships and Anchor Institutions
- Democracy Collaborative (DC)
The Democracy Collaborative’s new report Anchor Collaboratives: Building Bridges with Place-Based Partnerships and Anchor Institutions discusses the role of anchor institutions and collaboratives in leveraging the power of their economic …
- Posted June 4, 2019
- Publications
- View more
Measuring universities’ contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals
- Times Higher Education
An undertaking of the Times Group, the Times Higher Education initiative is the first global attempt to document evidence of higher education sustainability impact and launch the world’s first university …
- Posted May 22, 2019
- Videos & Webinars
- View more
The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale
- Yale University (CT)
The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale is an international multireligious project. With its conferences, publications, and website, it is engaged in exploring religious worldviews, texts, and ethics in …
- Posted May 22, 2019
- Research Centers & Institutes
- View more
Institute for Sustainable Communities
- Texas A&M University (TX)
The Texas A&M Institute for Sustainable Communities serves as a focal point of interdisciplinary sustainable community research, engagement, and high-impact service learning. The Institute is the go-to place for Texas …
- Posted May 22, 2019
- Research Centers & Institutes
- View more
Healthy Cities Certificate
- University of Michigan (MI)
Creating cities to promote public health is an interdisciplinary endeavor. The Graduate Certificate in Healthy Cities provides University of Michigan graduate students with the language, skills, and competencies needed to …
- Posted May 22, 2019
- Academic Programs
- View more
Diversifying the U.S. Climate Movement: Four Interviews
- Antioch University, New England (NH)
Climate change is having devastating impacts in the United States, and people of color are disproportionately harmed. In this study, I interviewed four experts on diversity, equity, and inclusion in …
- Posted May 20, 2019
- Publications
- View more
From the Classroom to the COP: Equipping Emory Students to Become Climate Policy Leaders
- Emory University (GA)
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) took effect in 1994, and its main objective is to lessen the impact of human interference that threatens the Earth’s climate …
- Posted May 20, 2019
- Case Studies
- View more
Campus Sustainability Achievement
- California State University Maritime Academy (CA)
California State University Maritime Academy (Cal Maritime) participated in the Arbor Day Foundation program, managed by a non-profit conservation and education organization founded in 1972, and applied for the Tree …
- Posted May 20, 2019
- Case Studies
- View more
Hope and Empowerment: Navigating Grief, Climate Change, and Environmental Justice Through Train-the-Trainer Workshops
- Portland Community College (OR)
- Portland State University (OR)
- Greater Portland Sustainability Education Network (GPSEN) (OR)
In these times of accelerating change, environmental crises, and social injustices, we are bombarded with negative news that can numb and overwhelm the spirit. How can we build hope and …
- Posted May 20, 2019
- Case Studies
- View more
Connecting Artists and Sustainability with the Arts of the Earth Festival at Bemidji State University
- Bemidji State University (MN)
The Arts of the Earth Festival is a fun event to "Celebrate Art, Honor Mother Earth, and Inspire Community". This year's festival was held on Saturday, April 27th and Sunday, …
- Posted May 20, 2019
- Case Studies
- View more
Leveraging student leadership to build campus capacity for Sustainable Development Goals implementation: a case study on the University of Calgary’s Sustainable Development Goals Alliance.
- University of Calgary (AB)
The Sustainable Development Goals Alliance (SDGA) is a student-led organization at the University of Calgary which seeks to improve campus and community collaboration towards the implementation of the seventeen Sustainable …
- Posted May 20, 2019
- Case Studies
- View more
Coalition building to create university-wide change
- Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Camden Campus (NJ)
- Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick Campus (NJ)
- Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Newark Campus (NJ)
Two years ago, we formed the Rutgers Sustainability Coalition, a student-led group of representatives from about 20 student organizations working together to address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. We …
- Posted May 20, 2019
- Case Studies
- View more
University of California’s Cool Campus Challenge
- University of California, Office of the President (CA)
In 2019 the University of California launched the Cool Campus Challenge, an online competition between all ten campuses to engage students, faculty, and staff in the UC Carbon Neutrality initiative. …
- Posted May 20, 2019
- Case Studies
- View more
A Six Mile-Long Living Laboratory: Publishable Student Research to Foster Sustainability and Resilience in Austin’s Waller Creek
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
Over the past decade, a comprehensive approach to research in Waller Creek—the urban stream that bisects The University of Texas at Austin—was developed by faculty in the College of Natural …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Publications
- View more
Resilience Planning
- Boston University (MA)
- Cornell University (NY)
- Smith College (MA)
This work initiates an inventory of good practices and introduces a theoretical framework for the assessment of resilience planning in order to guide and support institutions of higher education in …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Publications
- View more
Campus sustainability in the US: Environmental management and social change since 1970
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
- Smith College (MA)
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
This work establishes the first comprehensive analysis of campus sustainability's development in the U.S. since the early 1970s.
In the US, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have occupied a distinct role …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Publications
- View more
Cross-Campus and Community Collaborative Bikeshare
- Champlain College (VT)
- University of Vermont (VT)
Champlain College and UVM played an integral role in advancing the timeline of bringing bikeshare to Chittenden County. With almost 75% of active Greenride members being affiliates of UVM and …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Case Studies
- View more
A New Zero Waste Goal for Division 1 Football Games
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
Lauren Lichterman, the Operations and Sustainability Coordinator for Intercollegiate Athletics at The University of Texas at Austin, is not one to stop and rest on her laurels. She used a …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Case Studies
- View more
University Student Sustainability Conference
- Universidad de Chile (Region Metropolitana)
The CEUS Congress (for its acronym in Spanish) is a space for convergence of young leaders from all over the country, where discussions are held on the different topics of …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Case Studies
- View more
The Ripple Effect: Community Cultivated, Regionally Replicated
- University of Louisiana at Lafayette (LA)
Last fall, the U.S. Global Change Research Program released “Volume II: Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States” from the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4). It emphasizes that the …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Case Studies
- View more
Diversifying the U.S. Climate Movement
- Antioch University, New England (NH)
People of color are poised to reach 50% of the United States population by 2046, yet they continue to be underrepresented in environmental organizations. This report summarizes the barriers for …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Publications
- View more
STARS Aligned: Higher Education and the SDGs
- Bard College (NY)
- AASHE (MA)
Given the unique position of higher education institutions (HEIs) in society, not only can these institutions model sustainable practices but they can be agents of change themselves in the societal …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Publications
- View more
Resilient Cities Initiative: South Campus Neighborhood Project - Neighborhood Improvement Study
- California State University, Chico (CA)
The South Campus Neighborhood Project is a neighborhood improvement planning effort coordinated by the Resilient Cities Initiative at California State University, Chico and the Public Works-Engineering Division at the City …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Publications
- View more
Mainstreaming Biodiversity on Campus - Niagara College's BioBlitz Program
- Niagara College Canada (ON)
The Niagara College BioBlitz program is part of a continuous focus at Niagara College on experiential learning and providing the opportunity to students and the community to use the campus …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Case Studies
- View more
Students of Color Environmental Conference
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
The first ever Students of Color Environmental Conference (SCECon) was intended to bring together students of color from across California to connect and build with local environmental justice activists. This …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Case Studies
- View more
This Way to Climate Action at Chico State
- California State University, Chico (CA)
Students at CSU, Chico used the Cal-Adapt climate tools to forecast the future climate for the City of Chico, Butte County, and CSU, Chico, and project the climate impacts to …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Case Studies
- View more
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.