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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What to Know When Building Bridges With Evangelical Christians on Sustainability and Climate Change
- Carroll University (WI)
- Houghton College (NY)
- Center for Environmental Leadership (CA)
Both what American evangelicals believe about the nexus of faith, science and culture, and the fabric of the social institutions they inhabit, influence their responses to environmental sustainability and climate …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Transforming Enemies Into Allies: How to Have Difficult—But Necessary—Conversations in Our Roles as Sustainability Change Agents
- University of California, Office of the President (CA)
- University of Hawaii - West Oahu (HI)
- GreenerU (MA)
This workshop will give us the space to learn and practice some tactics for having those difficult conversations that are unavoidably part of the work of making change happen within …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Beyond Sustainability: Challenges and Opportunities at the Growing Edge of Campus Sustainability
- Appalachian State University (NC)
- Warren Wilson College (NC)
- Western Michigan University (MI)
Over the past 15 years, sustainability has grown from obscurity to a mainstream higher education phenomenon. The field’s maturity was evident in three questions raised during informal conversations at AASHE …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Farm to Institution New England: Successes & Lessons Learned in Institutional Local Food Procurement
- Skidmore College (NY)
- Farm to Institution New England (VT)
After several years of farm to institution projects and initiatives in the northeast, there have been many successes and many important lessons learned. This panel will highlight the ways that …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Renewable Energy Market Transformation Efforts by Illinois Community Colleges
- Heartland Community College (IL)
- Southwestern Illinois College (IL)
The Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN) is building the capacity of Illinois community colleges to identify and fill gaps in the renewable energy market transformation efforts across Illinois. Attend this …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Practicing Behavior Interventions: Understanding and Implementing Sustainable Behavior Change on Your Campus
- Stanford University (CA)
- GreenerU (MA)
Behavior change is a buzzword in sustainability work – mostly because our job on campuses, among many other responsibilities, is to change people’s behaviors to ones that are more sustainable. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Collaborative Advocacy in the Southeast: Creating a Southeast College and University Coalition
- University of Arkansas (AR)
- Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (GA)
National organizations, such as AASHE, convene institutions of higher education on the premise that the exchange of ideas, resources and best practices better enable the design and adoption of sustainable …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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All Projects are Personal: Making Change by Building Relationships
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
- CoFED (NM)
Those of us inspired by campus sustainability have ideas for how to make change but often lack the knack for moving an initiative forward with others. People respond to ideas …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Minnesota's Next Generation Environmental Congress: A Sustainability Leadership Model
- Hamline University (MN)
- University of Minnesota, Morris (MN)
The Next Generation Environmental Congress: A Sustainability Leadership Model workshop will provide key insights into and results of a university and state government hosted forum that offered students and youth …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Case Study in Building Sustainable Partnerships: Fair Trade Learning in Vieques, Puerto Rico
- University of Mount Union (OH)
- Susquehanna University (PA)
Prescott College’s limited-residency Ph.D. program in Sustainability Education allows students to design and lead their second year fall residency. In order to enhance the experiential and transformative nature of the …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Beyond the Classroom: Experiential Learning and Students as Agents of Change within Local Communities
- Hillsborough Community College (FL)
- University of South Florida (Tampa) (FL)
Through innovative partnerships, students at Hillsborough Community College (HCC) are extending their education beyond the classroom by providing community-wide leadership in the field of sustainability. In 2012-2013, examples of student-led …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Leveraging Community Partnerships to Enhance Climate Resiliency
- Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (MA)
- Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (DC)
Recent extreme storm events and new studies in climate science have brought to light the need to both prepare for a changing climate and to maintain strong relationships with host …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Nature of Sharing: Collaborating across Universities to Develop Education for Sustainability Certificate Programs
- Manhattanville College (NY)
- Webster University (MO)
AASHE Proposal for 2013, Nashville, TN
Short Title: Developing EfS certificate programs
Title: The nature of sharing: Collaborating across universities to develop Education for Sustainability certificate programs
--With universities struggling …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Sustainability Research Collaborative: A Multi-Institutional Model for Applied Investigation
- Princeton University (NJ)
- Yale University (CT)
The higher education sustainability field recognizes the need to apply rigorous research to applied campus-based challenges, both operational and cultural. The active networks of sustainability offices across the country make …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Motivating People Toward Sustainability: Applying Psychological Science to Green Behavior
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
Achieving sustainability on university campuses requires engaging and changing the behavior of students, faculty, administrators, staff, and other members of the university community. New programs can suffer unexpected roadblocks if …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Film as a Medium to Engage a Broader Audience
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
This session will showcase a collection of short films highlighting a variety of initiatives at Northern Arizona University using various cinematic styles. The films are aimed at a wide audience …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Building a Strategy for Changing Behavior at Your Institution
- Oberlin College (OH)
Academic institutions cannot achieve climate neutrality through technology alone; members of the institution must also be engaged in creating a culture of sustainability. Our research project employed a community-based social …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Re-growing the Penn State Student Farm: Designing a Living Lab Experience by Bringing All Partners to the Table
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
In response to the need for greater integration of sustainability in higher education, many institutions have created student farms on their campuses. Founded originally as an agricultural college, The Pennsylvania …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Environmental Justice: Inspiring Action Through Words
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
As the University of Colorado Assembly for Sustainability and Equity, we aim to spread awareness about environmental justice issues, as well as empower individuals with solutions to these issues. Ultimately …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Water Conservation and Pollution Mitigation at the Source: A Cooperative Town-Gown & Private Sector Mission for a Sustainable Future
- Appalachian State University (NC)
With less than one percent of accessible freshwater on Earth available for drinking water, there is a critical need to conserve and recycle water. In addition, municipal water and wastewater …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Rooted University: Growing Resiliency, Community, and Engaged Food Citizens
- University of Michigan (MI)
With the impending energy descent and accelerating impacts of climate change, the need to foster resiliency and adaptation in the realm of higher education is increasingly pertinent. Universities provide a …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Teaching Sustainability & Fostering Change at Vanderbilt University
- Vanderbilt University (TN)
Sustainability is the most pressing educational issue of the twenty-first century. In a crisis prone world of limited resources and rapid change, colleges and universities play a vital role in …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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How to Build a Career Saving the Planet? Just Ask
- Bard College (NY)
What skills and experiences do you need to become people of power, people with the ability to affect the future, within five to ten years? What does it take to …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Drinking Sunlight: Maple Syrup from Your Dorm’s Backyard
- Calvin University (MI)
As students at a small liberal arts school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, opportunities to get involved in the world of sustainable living are endless. Western Michigan is known for producing …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustain U: Centralizing the University Community Around Sustainability
- Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
Sustainability has always had a presence on the Carnegie Mellon campus, but not one widely acknowledged. Students and staff often pass by the Solar Decathlon house or the recycling room, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Bridging the Town Gown Gap: A Case Study of Civic Engagement and Sustainability
- Indiana University South Bend (IN)
For most of us in higher education, service is typically seen as a second class activity worth little note; a burdensome but necessary duty to participate in a campus committee …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Kwantlen MultiPass Program - More Than Just A U-Pass
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University (BC)
In 2011, Kwantlen Polytechnic University was faced with a unique problem to solve when the province of British Columbia announced the rollout of a new Universal Bus Pass program for …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Historic Green Building, 21st Century Energy Monitoring & City, College & Business Partnership at Maryville College
- Maryville College (TN)
In spring 2013, the first building on the Maryville College (MC) campus received LEED certification. Built in 1876, Crawford House is one of the oldest and among the first historic …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability at Michigan State is Bolder, by Design
- Michigan State University (MI)
This session will outline a progressive strategic initiative at Michigan State University and its impact on its sustainability program. This initiative is called Bolder by Design. Launched by President Lou …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus to Community: Fostering Community-Wide Resilience And 21st Century Competencies Through Vision, Leadership, Projects and Partnerships
- National Wildlife Federation (VA)
This interactive session explores how students are participating in projects that bridge beyond campus borders to advance sustainability in partnership with the wider community. The session is a combination of …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Optimizing and Designing Waste Diversion Programs
- New York University (NY)
Typical universities waste streams – often including residential, classroom and office spaces – are varied and require multifaceted protocols to optimize the handling and diversion of materials from landfills. This …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Local Sourcing for Agriculturally Disadvantaged Universities
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
Sourcing local is an important and growing standard for dining services across the nation’s campuses. The benefits of local sourcing do not stop at the loading dock with quality produce, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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From Fringe to Familiar - Mainstreaming the Sustainability Message
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
Gone are the days when the notion of living a sustainable lifestyle implied hugging trees and growing your own organic kale. Stereotypes like this can be powerful obstacles to engaging …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Teaching Student Resiliency Requires Faculty Adaptability: Two Case Study Comparisons
- Portland State University (OR)
This paper discusses the process and outcomes of two different approaches to incorporating community-based learning into undergraduate courses. Both courses are part of a year-long, interdisciplinary Freshman seminar, one course …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Experiential Learning for MBAs in Sustainable Management
- Presidio Graduate School (CA)
Experiential learning is the process of learning from direct experience. Aristotle once said, "For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them”. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Butterfly Effect: Rethinking How We Build Partnerships for Sustainable Programs
- Seneca Polytechnic (ON)
What can the monarch butterfly teach us about the evolution of partnerships? How does being adaptive and resilient in a changing economic climate protect post-secondary programs and their delivery of …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Gardening with Neighbors: Community Gardening and Food Security in West Louisville
- University of Louisville (KY)
The “West End” of Louisville is characterized by many low-income neighborhoods that are disproportionately affected by high levels of food insecurity and poor health conditions. Still, community groups and neighborhoods …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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PARK(ing) Day!
- University of Louisville (KY)
PARK(ing) Day is a annual open-source global event where citizens, artists, and activists collaborate to transform metered parking spaces into “PARK(ing)” spaces: temporary public places for a day. The project …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sparking Resilience in Your Region
- University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (MA)
What does it take to affect sustainable adaptations beyond the walls of your university to extend into your regional communities? UMass Dartmouth is inspiring waves of resilience and solution-seeking that …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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University/Farmers Market partnership Leads to Local Food Movement Through a USDA Funded Local Food For Everyone Initiative.
- Western Kentucky University (KY)
Presenters will introduce the south-central Kentucky Local Food For Everyone initiative, which was formed through a partnership between Western Kentucky University and the Community Farmers Market. Through a USDA Farmers …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Partnership: Nurturing Community in a Garden Setting
- Western Kentucky University (KY)
In the last few years, school gardening projects have sprouted across the country. School gardens influence improved eating behaviors in children, specifically, increased fruit and vegetable consumption. In addition, school …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Terms of Empowerment: How to inspire enthusiasm and decentralize accountability
- Yale University (CT)
When a campus sustainability program first starts, the imperative is to effectively to develop brand recognition. Once sustainability is a firmly established concept on a campus, programming can generally shift …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Cultivating Grassroots: Emerging Platforms for a Sustainable Food System and Economy in Blue Ridge Appalachia
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Appalachian scholar and activist Helen Matthews Lewis writes that “It is important to talk and plan together for the future, to have dreams and hopes and visions.” Lewis believes in …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Personal Narrative as Research Pedagogy: Using Poetic Language and Personal Testament in the Research Writing Process
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Research scientists are often dismissed when their reports include personal ethical statements or persuasions—these individuals risk their objectivity in doing so and the result can be invalidation in the scientific …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Arbor Day Tree Campus USA Workshop and Tree Planting Service Event
- Arbor Day Foundation (NE)
In this workshop, presented by the Arbor Day Foundation, attendees will learn to take their campus trees to the next level and participate in our tree-planting community service event. First, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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How to Start a Renewable Energy Project at the Community College – Trustees Are Your Best Friends
- Austin Community College (TX)
It is no secret, renewable energy project is expensive. Return on
investment may be too long to attract any budget minded decision makers at your college, especially in our tough …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Is China Striving for Sustainability in Higher Education?: Case Studies at two aspiring "World-Class" Research Universities in Hong Kong and Shanghai
- Boston College (MA)
China’s system of higher education has experienced significant expansion over the past two decades. Notably, the Chinese government ‘Guideline for Medium and Long Term Education Reform and Development (2010-2020)’ emphasizes …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Identifying Environmental Literature that Provides the Philosophical Basis of Recycling
- Brigham Young University (UT)
A keen observer of how ordinary events illuminate sustainable behavior Aldo Leopold wrote “I have read many definitions of what is a conservationist and written not a few myself, but …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Collaborative Approach to Applied Sustainability in Undergraduate Education
- Chandler-Gilbert Community College (AZ)
This paper will note best practices in sustainability education by examining a collaborative learning endeavor involving an undergraduate special projects course. The course is designed to engage students in experiential …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Igniting Innovation through Sustainable Collaboration
- Denison University (OH)
Denison University, like many liberal arts institutions, seeks to educate students holistically so that they may become discerning moral agents and active citizens in a democratic society. To that end, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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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.