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
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Unity College Students at the People's Climate March
- Unity Environmental University (ME)
Unity College students participate in the People's Climate March. Unity College was the first to divest its endowment from fossil fuels.
- Posted Sept. 23, 2016
- Photographs
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Athletics Department Awareness and Action Regarding the Environment: A Study of NCAA Athletics Department Sustainability Practices
- North Carolina State University (NC)
- Ohio University (OH)
The relationship of sport to sustainability management is relatively unknown. Despite the increasing recognition of the growing role of athletics in regard to environmental sustainability, it remains unclear what role ...
- Posted Sept. 21, 2016
- Publications
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Intercollegiate Sport and the Environment: Examining Fan Engagement Based on Athletics Department Sustainability Efforts
- Bowling Green State University (OH)
- North Carolina State University (NC)
- Ohio University (OH)
The purpose of this study was to examine how environmental education efforts at a sporting event related to environmental behavioral intentions, in the context of a promotional green game, based ...
- Posted Sept. 21, 2016
- Publications
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Climate & Energy Strategy
- University of California, Santa Cruz (CA)
UC Santa Cruz convenes staff, students and faculty to discuss how to meet the UC systemwide goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2025 and next steps for implementation of the ...
- Posted Sept. 14, 2016
- Photographs
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Boreas Leadership Program - University of Minnesota
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
Boreas offers University of Minnesota graduate and professional students and post-doctoral fellows free co-curricular leadership development opportunities that build on the strengths of graduate education to create effective change agents ...
- Posted Sept. 13, 2016
- Photographs
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University of Minnesota Living Lab
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
Campus grounds are more than a a backdrop at the University of Minnesota. Our Living Laboratories have transformed otherwise un-programmed areas into outdoor spaces for innovation, testing, demonstration, and learning ...
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
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Western Michigan University Office for Sustainability Engagement Initiatives
- Western Michigan University (MI)
Western Michigan University's Office for Sustainability
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
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Dr. Dorceta Taylor
- Western Michigan University (MI)
Dr. Dorceta Taylor engages students and community members in discussions on sustainable agriculture, food justice, inclusion and diversity.
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
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University at Albany Harvest Festival
- University at Albany (NY)
This photo depicts students from the Office of Sustainability tabling at the Office of Residential Life's annual Harvest Festival, which celebrates local food and healthy eating.
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
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DoubleMap Bus Tracking Systems
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
Students at Indiana University Bloomington formed the DoubleMap startup company and developed the DoubleMap bus tracking system in collaboration with campus stakeholders and with financial assistance from the IU Student ...
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
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EMC 2016 summer ANR team created several short focused videos about recycling and composting intiatives
- Champlain College (VT)
The Emergent Media Center (EMC) is a Center of Excellence at Champlain College. We hire students to work on projects, the students work with the clients, work under deadlines utilizing ...
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
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Bowdoin Green Athletics
- Bowdoin College (ME)
The Bowdoin College sustainability office and Green Athletics student group work closely on the Green Athletics Team Challenge, which encourages sports teams to commit to sustainability goals and compete against ...
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
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Third-Party, Supporter-Financed Campus Solar: An Approach and a Partnership that Works
- Luther College (IA)
- Second Nature (MA)
- Midwest Renewable Energy Association (WI)
The “Solar University Network: Innovation in Solar Energy Finance & Development” case study series highlights higher education investment in solar energy projects. The purpose of these case studies is to ...
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Publications
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Root Program at Williams College
- Williams College (MA)
Williams College Root leaders emulate the Mighty Food Farm flexing tomato logo after an afternoon of volunteering on the Southern Vermont farm.
The non profit organization Manos Unidas led Williams ...
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
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RDI Event Oct 2015
- Selkirk College (BC)
Dr. Terri MacDonald presenting at the Applied Research & Innovation Centre-Rural Development Institute and Association of Kooteny Boundary Local Governments-AgingAging Kootenays Event - Oct2015
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
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UNCG Collaborative Planning for Key Thoroughfare
- University of North Carolina, Greensboro (NC)
Model community engagement that resulted in a mixed use village-style development on a major municipal thoroughfare in Greensboro, North Carolina.
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
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Sustainable Business Roundtable at UBuffalo
- University at Buffalo (NY)
The University at Buffalo initiated a partnership in recent years with Erie County and a small group of key business leaders throughout the region to assess the feasibility of creating ...
- Posted Sept. 12, 2016
- Photographs
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Elon Students at Environmental Center at Loy Farm
- Elon University (NC)
- Posted Sept. 9, 2016
- Photographs
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Event organized by Institut EDDEC
- Polytechnique Montréal (QC)
This photo was taken during the "Transition towards a circular economy: opportunities and challenges for Quebec and Canada" event organized by the EDDEC Institute in May 2016 in Montreal.
- Posted Sept. 9, 2016
- Photographs
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Indiana State: Green Infrastructure for Water
- Indiana State University (IN)
Combined Sewer Overflows are a big problem for post-industrial towns like Terre Haute, Indiana, and as Indiana State University provides one of the largest concentrations of users of impervious surfaces ...
- Posted Sept. 8, 2016
- Photographs
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Big Red Buyer's Club
- Denison University (OH)
- Bon Appétit Management Company
The Big Red Buyers Club was created at Denison University In an effort to support local producers and to connect faculty, students, and staff with high quality, local and responsibly ...
- Posted Sept. 6, 2016
- Photographs
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A Practical Guide to the United Nations Global Compact for Higher Education Institutions
This publication offers guidelines for higher education institutions in implementing the ten principles of the UN Global Compact within the organization and then leading their global adoption.
- Posted Sept. 6, 2016
- Publications
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Universities and Sustainable Food Practices: An International Comparison Along the Pacific Coast of North America
- University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)
- University of Alaska Anchorage (AK)
- Western Kentucky University (KY)
- University of British Columbia (BC)
My research project examined sustainable practices in relation to food sources at three universities located along the Pacific Coast of North America. The academic institutions were the University of Alaska ...
- Posted Sept. 6, 2016
- Publications
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Furman's CCC weatherizes it's 100th home
- Furman University (SC)
The Community Conservation Corps (CCC), coordinated by Furman's David E. Shi Center for Sustainability, partners with a local utility company and Habitat for Humanity to provide needed home weatherization ...
- Posted Sept. 1, 2016
- Photographs
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Education for Sustainable Development in Further Education: Embedding Sustainability into Teaching, Learning and the Curriculum
- University of Plymouth (Devon)
This book will enable teachers and managers in the post-compulsory sector to consider a range of approaches to embed Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in their practice in the post-compulsory ...
- Posted Aug. 29, 2016
- Publications
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Bringing the research home: partnership for watershed restoration
- Oregon State University (OR)
The Corvallis Sustainability Coalition is a network of more than 250 businesses, non-profits, faith communities, educational institutions, local governments and individuals in Corvallis, Oregon, brought together to accelerate progress toward ...
- Posted Aug. 25, 2016
- Conference Presentations
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Bitten by the Green Design Bug
According to U.S. News & World Report, "sustainability sensibility is sweeping through and transforming the curricula in America's colleges of engineering, as more educators emphasize the importance of ...
- Posted Aug. 24, 2016
- Publications
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College hopefuls look for green universities
- USA TODAY (VA)
USA Today reports that "the nation's college-bound students are increasingly looking for green - and no, that doesn't mean just money."
- Posted Aug. 23, 2016
- Publications
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Do students really choose colleges based on how green they are?
A Princeton Review survey finds that incoming freshmen would weigh information about environmental issues into their college decisions, but average students say it’s not on their radar
- Posted Aug. 23, 2016
- Publications
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Integrating geoscience into undergraduate education about environment, society, and sustainability using place-based learning: three examples
- Metropolitan State University (MN)
- University of Nebraska - Lincoln (NE)
- Utah State University (UT)
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania (PA)
From water to energy, and from climate change to natural hazards, the geosciences (marine, Earth, and atmospheric science) have an important role to play in addressing a wide range of ...
- Posted Aug. 22, 2016
- Publications
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Green cities and ivory towers: how do higher education sustainability initiatives shape millennials’ consumption practices?
- University of Michigan (MI)
College-educated millennials, motivated by a preference for vibrant, walkable neighborhoods with access to good public transportation, are helping to drive an economic resurgence in many American cities. At the same ...
- Posted Aug. 22, 2016
- Publications
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College Hopes & Worries Survey Reports
- The Princeton Review (MA)
Every year, The Princeton Review surveys thousands of college applicants and their parents about their perspective on the admissions process. For many years, this survey has included a question related ...
- Posted Aug. 19, 2016
- Publications
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Sustainable Solutions: University–Community Partnerships
- Portland State University (OR)
What is the role of the university? Current systems may stress research output, but Wortham-Galvin, Allen and Sherman seek to reestablish the importance of teaching and service in the work ...
- Posted Aug. 18, 2016
- Publications
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Sustainable Solutions: Let Knowledge Serve the City
- Portland State University (OR)
Portland, Oregon is making a name for itself as one of the most sustainable cities in the world. Whether you’ve heard about the farmers’ markets, the cycle-friendly streets or ...
- Posted Aug. 18, 2016
- Publications
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Smart Partnerships: How Higher Education Institutions Can Enhance the Capacity of the UN to Govern the Global Commons
- Antioch University, New England (NH)
This dissertation explores how partnerships between UN agencies and higher education institutions (HEIs) can enhance governance of the global commons. Unique attributes that HEIs have to offer in this regard ...
- Posted Aug. 8, 2016
- Publications
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Open Letter to Sustainability Evaluating Organizations
- AASHE (MA)
Below is the Open Letter to Sustainability Evaluating Organizations, posted to the AASHE Discussion Forums on July 19, 2010 (FAQs included). Original signatories are indicated in the PDF, and the ...
- Posted Aug. 4, 2016
- Publications
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Beyond problem solving: Engineering and the public good in the 21st century
- University of Sydney (NSW)
Problem solving is upheld as a defining feature of engineering identity, and the ability to solve problems is built into engineering curricula as a learning outcome and a graduate attribute ...
- Posted Aug. 1, 2016
- Publications
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Building Community Investment at New York University
- New York University (NY)
Anchor institutions – large non-profit organizations like colleges, universities, or hospitals that are tied to a place by infrastructure and mission – should be harnessed to positively affect the growth of the ...
- Posted Aug. 1, 2016
- Publications
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The Power of Purchasing: Using University of Michigan Procurement to Promote Social Change
- University of Michigan (MI)
The University of Michigan, as a public university, has an inherent responsibility to serve the interests of the community it represents. The institution purchases more than $1 billion of goods ...
- Posted Aug. 1, 2016
- Publications
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Raising Student Voices: Student Action for University Community Investment
- University of San Francisco (CA)
- Wesleyan University (CT)
- Case Western Reserve University (OH)
- Loyola University New Orleans (LA)
- Fordham University (NY)
- Duke University (NC)
- American University (DC)
- University of Chicago (IL)
- University of Pennsylvania (PA)
- Responsible Endowments Coalition (PA)
- University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (TX)
This report from The Democracy Collaborative and the Responsible Endowments Coalition seeks to connect struggling communities to local institutional wealth through engaging student activism. The report profiles three administration-led initiatives ...
- Posted Aug. 1, 2016
- Publications
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Icebox Detox Challenge
- Arizona State University (AZ)
The Icebox Detox Challenge addresses environmental stewardship activities by promoting an environment where laboratories have an accurate inventory of all biological samples at ASU. This innovative approach allows researchers to ...
- Posted July 27, 2016
- Case Studies
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Green Genome Institutional Self-Assessment Tool
- American Association of Community Colleges (DC)
The Green Genome Institutional Self-Assessment Tool is a free tool designed to enable community colleges to quickly gauge how well they are leading and integrating sustainability and green workforce development ...
- Posted July 25, 2016
- Tools
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AASHE Launches Version 2.1 for the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System
- International Facility Management Association (TX)
AASHE recently launched the latest version of the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) that features data auto-population, exemplary practice options and more.
- Posted July 22, 2016
- Publications
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Co-designing research on transgressive learning in times of climate change
- Wageningen University
This paper reflects on the epistemological context for the co-design of a research programme on transformative, transgressive learning emerging at the nexus of climate change, water and food security, energy ...
- Posted July 21, 2016
- Publications
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Education for sustainability-challenges and opportunities: The case of RCEs
- London South Bank University
This article will focus on the challenges of leadership and management of a key initiative of the 2005-2014 UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD), namely the Regional Centres ...
- Posted July 21, 2016
- Publications
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Quantitatively Assessing the Role of Higher Education in Global Sustainability
- University of Toronto (ON)
Three analytical methods are used to examine three primary questions to address an observed scarcity of literature that quantitatively and empirically assesses the role of higher education in global sustainability ...
- Posted July 19, 2016
- Publications
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The State College Role in Advancing Environmental Sustainability: Policies, Programs and Practices
- American Association of State Colleges and Universities (DC)
The American higher education enterprise has the capacity and fortitude to confront many of the country’s most pressing energy and environmental challenges. Many institutions and state college systems are ...
- Posted July 18, 2016
- Publications
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Regenerative Sustainable Development of Universities and Cities The Role of Living Laboratories
Now that the Earth has reached the limits of its biophysical carrying capacity, we have to change technologies, social practices and social norms relating to material production and consumption to ...
- Posted July 5, 2016
- Publications
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A Higher Calling for Higher Education
Education and knowledge resources are more available today than ever before. However, humanity’s two main conflicts - coexistence with nature and coexistence with each other - remain unresolved. We need a ...
- Posted July 1, 2016
- Publications
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A Big Hairy Audacious Goal: Marketing University Sustainability Credentials
- University of Leeds (West Yorkshire)
- St. Lawrence University (NY)
- Ithaca College (NY)
- University of Plymouth (Devon)
- Bradford University (West Yorkshire)
- Northland College (WI)
- College of the Atlantic (ME)
- University of Gloucestershire (Gloucestershire)
This paper explores the potential recruitment and retention benefits arising from the marketing of University of Plymouth’s sustainability credentials. It attempts this by:
- reviewing academic and professional literature on ...
- Posted June 27, 2016
- Publications
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This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.
All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.
EN 10: Community Partnerships
- 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.