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.
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Strengthening the role of universities in addressing sustainability challenges: the Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions as an institutional experiment
- University of Maine (ME)
As the magnitude, complexity, and urgency of many sustainability problems increase, there is a growing need for universities to contribute more effectively to problem solving. Drawing upon prior research on …
- Posted May 2, 2016
- Publications
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You say you want a revolution? Transforming education and capacity building in response to global change
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- University of Edinburgh
- Stellenbosch University (Western Cape)
- University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (CO)
- University of Oslo
- University of Dundee
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology
This paper considers the changes in education and capacity building that are needed in response to environmental and social challenges of the 21st Century. We argue that such changes will …
- Posted May 2, 2016
- Publications
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Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions
- University of Maine (ME)
Producing knowledge and linking it to actions that meet human needs while preserving the planet’s life-support systems is emerging as one of the most fundamental and difficult challenges for science …
- Posted May 2, 2016
- Research Centers & Institutes
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Academic Engagement in Public and Political Discourse
- University of Michigan (MI)
The May 2015 Michigan Meeting, hosted by the University of Michigan, explored the changing role of the university and what it means to be an academic in a society facing …
- Posted May 1, 2016
- Publications
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Mobilizing the power of higher education to tackle the grand challenge of sustainability: Lessons from novel initiatives
- Dartmouth College (NH)
- University of Arizona (AZ)
- University of Maine (ME)
- University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
- University of Washington, Seattle (WA)
Leaders from a half-dozen U.S. academic institutions with dedicated sustainability programs share five recommendations, distilled from their own experiences, for universities seeking to improve their ability to both create tools …
- Posted May 1, 2016
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Portland State University hosts Earth Day festival
- Portland State University (OR)
Students hosted the ninth annual Earth Day festival in the PSU park blocks. The event included a free tea station, clothing swap, free seeds, and informational tables. Educational events were …
- Posted April 29, 2016
- Photographs
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Sustainable Stanford Earth Day Photos
- Stanford University (CA)
On April 19, 2016, Stanford’s academic, student, local community and leadership came together to celebrate our university’s history of sustainability discovery, innovations and application.
Knowledge to Action was the result …
- Posted April 29, 2016
- Photographs
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Princeton University's Earth Day Celebration
- Princeton University (NJ)
The Princeton University community came together to celebrate the earth with food, informational booths, performances and more! The event was organized by the student group, Green Princeton.
- Posted April 29, 2016
- Photographs
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John T. Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies
- California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (CA)
The Lyle Center is committed to a future in which all people live with dignity in safe, healthy, and sustainable environments. We believe this future is best achieved through the …
- Posted April 29, 2016
- Research Centers & Institutes
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Frostburg State University Earth Day Events
- Frostburg State University (MD)
Frostburg State University celebrates Earth Day each year with a variety of free events presented as "Focus Frostburg." In 2016, events included film presentations, tree plantings, sustainability presentations by students …
- Posted April 29, 2016
- Photographs
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University of Washington Earth Day
- University of Washington, Seattle (WA)
The UW Earth Day celebrations brought students, faculty, staff and community members together to celebrate the environmental stewardship and sustainability efforts across our UW campuses. Groups shared information about their …
- Posted April 28, 2016
- Photographs
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Seattle University - Sustainability Video
- Seattle University (WA)
Published on Jun 9, 2014
As a Jesuit institution, Seattle University is called to ground its teaching, research and service in social and environmental justice. Sustainability is a way of …
- Posted April 28, 2016
- Videos & Webinars
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Developing an Interdisciplinary Organic and Sustainable Agriculture Curriculum at the University of Florida
- University of Florida (FL)
With funding to increase support for organic farming research at land grant universities, organic growers have collaborated with faculty and administrators to develop an undergraduate, interdisciplinary minor at the University …
- Posted April 28, 2016
- Publications
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Evaluation of the Food Store Environment on and Near the Campus of 15 Postsecondary Institutions
- Kansas State University (KS)
- Michigan State University (MI)
- Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Central Office (NJ)
- South Dakota State University (SD)
- Syracuse University (NY)
- Tuskegee University (AL)
- University of Florida (FL)
- University of Maine (ME)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
- West Virginia University (WV)
- Purdue University (IN)
Purpose. This study evaluated the food stores on and near postsecondary campuses varying in institutional size.
Design. The design of the study is an environmental audit survey.
Setting. Fifteen U.S. …
- Posted April 28, 2016
- Publications
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Sustainable food systems at urban public universities: A survey of 21 universities
- University of Michigan (MI)
- Wayne State College (NE)
Urban communities are challenged by the conventional food system in diverse ways. To mitigate these challenges, a growing sustainable food system (SFS) movement mobilizes existing resources—including public institutions—to resolve disparities …
- Posted April 28, 2016
- Publications
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Applying Anthropology to the Campus Dining System: Reflections on Working with Community Food Assessments and the Real Food Challenge
- Oregon State University (OR)
When the Oregon Food Bank began conducting Community Food Assessments in 2009, they enlisted graduate students in Oregon State University's (OSU) applied anthropology program to examine the impact of the …
- Posted April 28, 2016
- Publications
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Smooth(ie) Pedal-Power at Southern Oregon University's Earth Week Transportation Options Grill-Out
- Southern Oregon University (OR)
Southern Oregon University Bike Program and ECOS volunteers cheer on a student who's "crushing it" on the bike blender! ECOS- the Ecology and Sustainability Resource Center of SOU hosted a …
- Posted April 27, 2016
- Photographs
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Earth Day at the University of Minnesota
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
At the Earth Day fair, we hosted a free succulent planting for students that posted "5 sustainable selfies" with the hashtag #MySustainableU. The planters were donated from the ReUse program …
- Posted April 27, 2016
- Photographs
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Indiana University Celebrates Earth Day
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
Indiana University celebrated Earth Day 2016 by engaging students in creating a rain garden. The installation of a rain garden outside the IU Student Recreational Sports Center began April 15 …
- Posted April 27, 2016
- Photographs
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Managers’ Views on Ethics Education in Business Schools: An Empirical Study
- California Lutheran University (CA)
- Reykjavik University (Reykjavik)
More and more scholars are expressing their apprehensions regarding the current state of management education. The increased number of corporate scandals has fueled their concerns that training students to have …
- Posted April 26, 2016
- Publications
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Embracing Social Sustainability in Design Education: A Reflection on a Case Study in Haiti
Sustainable design issues are complex and multi-faceted and need integration in the education of young designers. Current research recommends a holistic view based on problem-solving and inter-disciplinary work, yet few …
- Posted April 26, 2016
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Higher Education in a Sustainable Society: A Case for Mutual Competence Building
This book addresses the following question: What is a sustainable society, and how can higher education help us to develop toward it? The core argument put forward is that the …
- Posted April 26, 2016
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National Sustainable Structures Center
- Pennsylvania College of Technology (PA)
NSSC (formerly the Weatherization Training Center) was established in 1985 as a result of a partnership between Penn College and the PA Department of Community & Economic Development. NSSC’s mission …
- Posted April 26, 2016
- Research Centers & Institutes
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Celebrating Earth Day One Bite at a Time
- Indiana State University (IN)
On Earth Day at ISU, Sodexo closes one of our dining halls and has an outdoor picnic instead, where students can use their meal plans for a lunch featuring ingredients …
- Posted April 26, 2016
- Photographs
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Spires, plateaus and the infertile landscape of Education for Sustainable Development: re-invigorating the university through integrating community, campus and curriculum
- Queen's University Belfast
Education for and research on sustainable development are currently not well served by the modern university, particularly in the UK. While there is rhetoric about supporting more interdisciplinary research and …
- Posted April 25, 2016
- Publications
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University food gardens: a unifying place for higher education sustainability
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale (IL)
This research describes the key characteristics of campus food gardens and investigates their contribution to overall campus sustainability. An email-survey of 52 campus garden managers in North America provided quantitative …
- Posted April 25, 2016
- Publications
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Environmental Analysis and Communications Group
- Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick Campus (NJ)
EAC is a University-based center of research, outreach, training and service focused on the analysis and communication of environmental issues facing communities, governments, businesses and organizations.
- Posted April 25, 2016
- Research Centers & Institutes
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Center for Energy, Economic & Environmental Policy (CEEEP)
- Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick Campus (NJ)
The Center for Energy, Economic & Environmental Policy (CEEEP) conducts applied research to evaluate and help develop energy policy at the state, regional, national, and international levels. The Center explores …
- Posted April 25, 2016
- Research Centers & Institutes
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Rutgers Climate Institute
- Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick Campus (NJ)
The Rutgers Climate Institute is a University-wide effort to address one of the most important issues of our time through research, education and outreach. The Institute draws upon strengths in …
- Posted April 25, 2016
- Research Centers & Institutes
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UCF Sustainability Initiatives
- University of Central Florida (FL)
At Sustainability Initiatives, we seek to create an environment where ideas are freely shared, partnerships are formed and solutions are uncovered in the pursuit of environmental, economic and social sustainability. …
- Posted April 25, 2016
- Videos & Webinars
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Eco Hawks: Sustainability @ UIowa
- University of Iowa (IA)
Climate change is the greatest issue of our time and sustainability is the solution. Here at the University of Iowa, a place that provides services to not only Iowans but …
- Posted April 22, 2016
- Videos & Webinars
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Center for Sustainable Materials Science
- Mayville State University (ND)
- Minot State University (ND)
- Sitting Bull College (ND)
- Turtle Mountain Community College (ND)
- University of North Dakota (ND)
- North Dakota State University (ND)
The Center for Sustainable Materials Science seeks to advance new discoveries of bio-based, sustainable materials that give more consideration to the environment and contribute to its economy through their sourcing …
- Posted April 21, 2016
- Research Centers & Institutes
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Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence
- University of York
The Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence (GCCE) pioneers pure and applied green and sustainable chemical research through its technology platforms on microwave chemistry, alternative solvents, clean synthesis and renewable materials. …
- Posted April 21, 2016
- Research Centers & Institutes
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Institute for Green Science
- Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
The Institute for Green Science is a center for basic green science research in oxidation catalysis aimed at the invention of new green technologies designed to aid in the pursuit …
- Posted April 20, 2016
- Research Centers & Institutes
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Reilly Center for Science, Technology, and Values
- University of Notre Dame (IN)
The Reilly Center explores conceptual, ethical, and policy issues where science and technology intersect with society from different disciplinary perspectives. Its purpose is to promote the advancement of science and …
- Posted April 20, 2016
- Research Centers & Institutes
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Center for the Environment
- Harvard University (MA)
The Harvard University Center for the Environment (HUCE) encourages research and education about the environment and its many interactions with human society.
The Center draws its strength from faculty members …
- Posted April 20, 2016
- Research Centers & Institutes
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Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry (BCGC)
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
The Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry (BCGC) is advancing green chemistry through interdisciplinary scholarship. It consists of faculty, researchers, and students in the College of Chemistry, School of Public Health, …
- Posted April 20, 2016
- Research Centers & Institutes
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Do We Teach What We Preach? An International Comparison of Problem- and Project-Based Learning Courses in Sustainability
- Arizona State University (AZ)
Problem- and project-based learning (PPBL) courses in sustainability address real-world sustainability problems. They are considered powerful educational settings for building students’ sustainability expertise. In practice, however, these courses often fail …
- Posted April 20, 2016
- Publications
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Co-creating sustainability: cross-sector university collaborations for driving sustainable urban transformations
- University of Tokyo
This paper attempts to ‘connect the dots’ between several cases and provide a comprehensive global analysis of the trend of universities reaching across campus boundaries to form partnerships with government, …
- Posted April 20, 2016
- Publications
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Students as change agents in a town-wide sustainability transformation: the Oberlin Project at Oberlin College
- Clark University (MA)
- Oberlin College (OH)
An increasing number of colleges and universities are playing a crucial role in driving societal transformations and creating the physical and social conditions for accelerating progress towards sustainability. The potential …
- Posted April 20, 2016
- Publications
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Establishing sustainability science in higher education institutions: towards an integration of academic development, institutionalization, and stakeholder collaborations
- University of Tokyo
- University of Zurich
- Lund University
- Erasmus University Rotterdam
The field of sustainability science aims to understand the complex and dynamic interactions between natural and human systems in order to transform and develop these in a sustainable manner. As …
- Posted April 20, 2016
- Publications
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Rising-seas.org Project
- Johns Hopkins University (MD)
RISING-SEAS.ORG is an online alliance of passionate individuals dedicated to bridging climate awareness and action from all angles. It features visual advocacy campaigns to visualize the communities most endangered by …
- Posted April 20, 2016
- Case Studies
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NRDC Greening Advisor for Collegiate Sports
- Natural Resources Defense Council (DC)
Welcome to the NRDC Greening Advisor for Collegiate Sports, a free guide to greening athletics and recreation. Below is some advice for how to navigate this guide and how to …
- Posted April 15, 2016
- Tools
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Are Employers Seeking Sustainability Literate Graduates?
- Higher Education Academy (York)
Using structured questionnaires and follow-up semi‐structured telephone interviews, this study seeks to establish to what extent adoption of the sustainability agenda within higher education and built environment organisations is being …
- Posted April 15, 2016
- Publications
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Yale Center for Business and the Environment
- Yale University (CT)
The Yale Center for Business and the Environment provides a platform for generating, incubating and launching innovative action at the intersection of business and the environment.
- Posted April 14, 2016
- Research Centers & Institutes
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The Meatrix
- GRACE Communications Foundation (NY)
The Meatrix films share the realities of factory farming. These short, animated videos are accompanied by a website that that includes supplementary interactive tools and resources, as well as tips …
- Posted April 14, 2016
- Videos & Webinars
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"Seeing Systems" Discussion Activity on Peace, Justice and Sustainability Issues
- EcoChallenge.org (OR)
Active, personally relevant learning is at the heart of an effective education. This discussion
activity takes students and other campus participants through a process of exploring sustainability through small group …
- Posted April 11, 2016
- Course Materials
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Business Skills for a Changing World: An Assessment of What Global Companies Need from Business Schools
- Net Impact (CA)
The World Environment Center and Net Impact partnered to identify the core skills needed by business school students to prepare them better for future employment in companies with strong sustainability …
- Posted April 11, 2016
- Publications
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Institutional Pathways to Fossil-Free Investing: Endowment Management in a Warming World
- Responsible Endowments Coalition (PA)
- Sustainable Endowments Institute (MA)
This report provides an analysis of climate-related portfolio risk faced by educational and philanthropic endowments and presents three pathways toward reallocating an endowment portfolio into fossil-free investment opportunities, across asset …
- Posted April 8, 2016
- Publications
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Systematic Change Through Reciprocal Partnerships
- Connecticut College (CT)
The Office of Sustainability at Connecticut College has demonstrated its commitment to community change in its collaborative support for the New London County Food Policy Council (NLCFPC). The NLCFPC is …
- Posted April 6, 2016
- Conference Presentations
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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.