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
New Resources
Framing your Focus: Networking to Increase Impact
- Focus the Nation (OR)
This networking session will guide participants in assessing what resources are available on their campus and in their community to help establish a project or to increase impact of an ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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AASHE Member Meeting, hosted by AASHE Board of Directors
- Green Mountain College (VT)
The Board of Directors will give an update on AASHE activities during the past year and will provide members with an open forum for the discussion of topics relevant to ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Building More Sustainable Communities Through Agriculture Integration
- Green Mountain College (VT)
As citizens learn more about where their food comes from, and college students look to integrate themselves into their community there is a great potential for various campus groups to ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Building Green Bridges: Sustainability Career Solutions
- Green Training Associates LLC
The poster represents the approach taken by the Sustainability Career Paths Initiative of New Jersey Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability (NJHEPS) headed by Pam Sammarco, Green Training Associates, LLC and ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Building Trust with Agricultural and Rural Decision-Makers through Climate Change Education in the Rural U.S. Central Great Plains
- Kansas State University (KS)
The Central Great Plains Climate Education Partnership is developing climate education programming for agricultural producers, rural communities, and rural schools throughout Kansas and Nebraska. It is a National Science Foundation ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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RecycleMania Update & Planning Roundtable
- Keep America Beautiful (CT)
This session will combine a brief presentation with facilitated roundtable discussions. RecycleMania staff will give a 10 minute presentation previewing the 2013 program including new categories and promotional resources. The ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Introducing Sustainable Practices Into a Reluctant Environment: A Case Study of a University Library
- Lehigh University (PA)
The challenge on any University campus is too change the often headstrong mindsets of both students as well as staff when it comes to issues of sustainability. Some institutions have ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Communicating Successes
- Media Institute for Social Change (OR)
This session provides ideas and strategies for communicating successful sustainability programs, and features winning short films produced by college students about what their communities or campuses are doing for sustainability ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Lost in Translation: The transfer of Climate Change knowledge into sustainable behaviour among the students at the University of Auckland
- Monash University (VIC)
Behaviour change has been identified broadly as a function of how people perceive particular issues based on their interests, values and norms. As such, the notion of framing issues has ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Shattered Sky Screening and Panel with Filmmakers and NWF
- National Wildlife Federation (VA)
The new groundbreaking documentary, "Shattered Sky" digs deep into the ozone crisis to explore how bipartisan perseverance enabled America to lead the world to a solution in the 1980s. Tapping ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Transforming Connectivity: Fusing Gaming and Social Networks to Forge Deeper Connections
- New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJ)
Our society's obsession with screens, games, and online social networks is a powerful tool for change that is currently misdirected and underutilized. Without a radically transformative approach in improving ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus to Community Engagement through Action Research Teams
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
How do university students engage with local communities to actually create meaningful action that brings everyone together toward common sustainability goals? The Weatherization & Community Building Action Team, which is ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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3rd Annual Community College Meet-Up: The Green Genome Project
- Oakland Community College (MI)
Join us for a lively discussion of the challenges and success of the 2-year college within the higher education sustainability movement. AACC's SEED Center will highlight its Green Genome ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium (HEASC): Lunch Discussion & Meeting
- Oakland Community College (MI)
Join us to discuss how higher education associations are collaborating to advance sustainability on campuses and in each professional sector. Learn about the current HEASC associationsand their resources for administrative ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Case Study on a Residential Energy Efficiency Service Learning Education Program
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
The mission of the National Energy Leadership Corps (NELC) education program is to train (STEM discipline) students in partner universities to complete energy assessments and to perform home energy assessments ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Teach the Tap
- Portland State University (OR)
Safe drinking water is the core resource for all civilizations -- without it cities cannot thrive. We take this for granted when talking about sustainability and it is rarely discussed. Sustainable ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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ACUPCC Implementation Liaison Networking Meeting
- Second Nature (MA)
The ACUPCC Implementation Liaison Networking Meeting provides an opportunity to get to know your colleagues, share stories, and learn from your peers. Engage in lively small group discussions to identify ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Partnerships with Campus Administration: Initiating Collaborative Change
- Second Nature (MA)
Discussion of successful partnerships students have made with administration to achieve sustainability and climate neutrality goals, ensuring long-term carry through of student projects and initiatives, and challenges to creating mutually ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Partnering to Increase Community Access to Solar Energy
- Strategic Energy Innovations (CA)
The Southwest is blessed with the highest abundance of solar resource in the country, yet institutional barriers persist that keep solar costly and prevent local governments, homeowners and businesses from ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Changing the Game: Moving Your Institution to a Zero-Waste Paradigm
- University of Calgary (AB)
How do you go from one-off projects to a transformational shift in the way your campus manages waste? Introduce a Zero Waste paradigm-shift on your campus by bringing cross-departmental teams ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Body-Based Experiential Change for Cultural Sustainability
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
This workshop is based on the understanding that earth, human bodies, & societies are living, breathing systems that influence each other. The sustainability movement so far has focused primarily on ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Case Study of Multi-Campus, Interdisciplinary Energy Education Through Public-Private Partnership
- University of Hawaii Community Colleges (HI)
Energy Service Companies (ESCO's) that partner with campuses to reduce their energy bills by millions provide an unprecedented opportunity for multi-stakeholder educational programs that engage students in cutting edge ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Case Study of Multi-Campus, Interdisciplinary Energy Education to Empower Student Engagement
- University of Hawaii Community Colleges (HI)
Today's students are tech and media savvy and ready to work at a professional level with mentors and stakeholders who can help them make a measurable impact in the ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Institute on the Environment Shorts: Answers to "Big Questions"
- University of Minnesota, Morris (MN)
Four short, animated videos illustrate critical research done by researchers at the Institute on the Environment (IonE) at the University of Minnesota. These videos address "Big Questions"" related to global ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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SPIRIT OF PLACE A short film by Monty Hempel
- University of Redlands (CA)
SPIRIT OF PLACE presents a moving story about human relationships with Nature, as seen through the eyes of Dr. Marilee Scaff, a 95-year-old educator and explorer. Filmed in the American ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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SUSTAINABILITY: CHANGING THE OPERATING SYSTEM A new film by Monty Hempel (coming fall 2012)
- University of Redlands (CA)
Almost everyone knows something about sustainability, yet relatively few people know anything about the operating system that is needed to achieve it. This film examines the basic features of that ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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More Than Just a "Green Building": How the Green Quad Has Become a Leader in Faculty, Staff, Student, and Community Collaboration
- Clemson University (SC)
The University of South Carolina's Green Quad was one of the early pioneers that raised everyone's awareness regarding sustainability and green issues in the Southeast. Today, the Green ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Green Leadership: Engaging and Supporting Civic Leaders Through Campus Sustainability Programming
- University of South Carolina (SC)
Campus sustainability organizations can be an important avenue for student leadership development. Sustainable Carolina, the umbrella sustainability organization at the University of South Carolina, is a non-hierarchical organization focused on ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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PAC12 Sustainability Athletic Meeting
- University of Southern California (CA)
PAC12 Sustainability Athletic Meeting
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Environmental Leadership Program
- University of Vermont (VT)
The ELP Fellowship Program targets emerging environmental and social change practitioners eager to connect their specialized work to larger environmental and social concerns. The Fellowship Program offers intensive leadership, diversity ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Collaborating around Art + Architecture: Designing the Paradise Creek Nature Park
- University of Virginia (VA)
The recently designed Paradise Creek Nature Park proves the value of the arts in sustainability education. University students and faculty collaborated with the City of Portsmouth, Portsmouth Public Schools, and ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Launching Green Office and Green Event Certification
- University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (WI)
Certification programs that encourage best practices for sustainable actions were developed for campus organizations as a means of educating and recognizing staff and students. It was also viewed as an ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Eco Adventures: Combining Recreation with Civic Engagement to Enhance Learning
- Washington State University, Pullman (WA)
Eco Adventures is a collaborative program offered by university recreation and service learning departments, providing outdoor recreational trips that include a service learning project. These adventures have been successful as ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Using Experiential Activities to Introduce and Enhance Sustainability Education
- Washington State University, Pullman (WA)
Through experiential games and activities, student leaders and faculty/staff can provide a framework and enhance understanding of sustainability concepts in a variety of settings including boardrooms, classrooms and workshops ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Why Would We Work Together?: Sustainability Projects and Interdisciplinary Student Learning
- West Virginia University at Parkersburg (WV)
Sustainability, as a concept, is a familiar part of curriculum and a high priority for colleges and universities throughout the world. In an effort to meet the interdisciplinary research goals ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Green Experience to Green Career
- Western Kentucky University (KY)
We have all had that amazing student who has worked so hard for their university on sustainable programming. Now, that student is a senior about to graduate into an economy ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Communicating Sustainability to Create Change
- Natural Capitalism Solutions (CO)
The early trickle of sustainability adoption has now turned into a movement, with colleges and universities leading the charge. Though, the way in which we communicate sustainability has not changed ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Getting The Entire Campus Involved In A Campus Garden Project
- Bemidji State University (MN)
Examines the design and planning features encountered when building the Gitigaan Campus Garden at Bemidji State University (BSU), Bemidji, MN. This presentation addresses specific goals and outcomes such as local ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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GUPES: The Global Universities Partnership on Environment for Sustainability
- United Nations Environment Programme
On June 5, 2012 UNEP launched the Global Universities Partnership on Environment for Sustainability at Tongji University in Shanghai, China. Hosted at the UNEP-Tongji Institute for Environment and Sustainability, GUPES ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Partnership for a Green City - public partners promoting sustainability
- University of Louisville (KY)
The Partnership for a Green City is an innovative sustainabiity collaboration of a metropolitan research university, a large metropolitan school district and the merged municipal government, three of the largest ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Universities Adopting Cities to Address the Climate Challenge
- Strategic Energy Innovations (CA)
Local governments are increasingly compelled to take action on climate and energy issues, but are challenged to respond as a result of limited capacity. At the same time, universities are ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Appalachian State University Sustainability and the Arts
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Psychotherapist James Hillman questioned, "Could the causes of major social, political, and economic issues of our time also be found in the repression of beauty?"* Appalachian State University believes sustainability ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Engaging Communities in Planning for Sustainability: Lessons from Community-University Partnerships in the Twin Cities
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
The Community Growth Planning Assistance Center (CGPAC), housed at a university in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan region, provides land-use planning assistance to local communities on the developing edge of the ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Moving to the Next Level: Are we are preaching to the choir?
- Wright State University (OH)
As professionals committed to sustainability, we read the books and reports, we study the literature on how to implement programs to get our campus educated about sustainability in their daily ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Community Garden Connections: strengthening resilience through university-community partnerships
- Antioch University, New England (NH)
Our city identified food security as a priority issue given likely disruptions in the commercial food supply due to climate change and peak oil, in addition to food insecurity (hunger ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Fostering a Local Food Procurement System: UVa Dining's Relationship with the Local Food Hub
- University of Virginia (VA)
Interest in local and sustainably produced food is at an all-time high on college campuses, as illustrated by the rising number of campus gardens and courses on local foodsheds. The ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Accelerating Participation in Sustainability through Strategic Communications and Engagement Programs
- University of Calgary (AB)
Effectively communicating sustainability to a diverse campus community exceeding 35,000 individuals is challenging. This challenge is amplified when the goal of those communications is to instigate positive behavioral changes ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Connecting Campus and Community on Earth Day
- Indiana University South Bend (IN)
The Center for a Sustainable Future celebrates Earth Day as an international day of awareness of environmental policy, education, and public engagement. It is also celebrated as an anniversary for ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Developing partnerships to reach campus sustainability goals: ASU's Collaboration with UPS
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- UPS (GA)
Leading universities are looking closely at their campuses environmental impact, and finding novel ways to reduce carbon emissions and waste. ASU has four specific sustainability goals including Carbon Neutrality, Zero ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Developing an effective sustainability communications program without breaking your budget.
- University of Minnesota, Duluth (MN)
Communication is a critical tool for a campus sustainability program, especially when newly established. This session will cover lessons learned and tips that we've found valuable in making the ...
- 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.