Wellbeing & Work
Introduction
An institution’s people define its character and capacity to perform; and so, an institution’s achievements can only be as strong as its community. An institution can bolster the strength of its community by offering benefits, wages, and other assistance that serve to respectfully and ethically compensate workers and by acting to protect and positively affect the health, safety and wellbeing of the campus community.
Featured Resources
New Resources
Preparing for the Real World: Kickstarting Your Sustainability Career Pathway
- Northwestern University (IL)
- University of Vermont (VT)
While students will still have to determine the exact career they would like to pursue, and maybe pick out what they will wear on interview day, at the end of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Food Bikes: Mobile Food That’s Low Capital, Low Footprint
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
The Food Bikery seeks to prove that food bikes are a safe, legal, low-capital, and low-footprint alternative to food trucks. In transitioning mobile food off of trucks and onto bicycles ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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At the Intersection of Wellness and Sustainability is your Worksite
- Lane Community College (OR)
This workshop will define the links between worksite wellness and sustainability. Employees spend a large portion of their daily lives at work. Workplace wellness is a key element in the ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustaining and Growing Yourself as a Professional in a Changing Workplace, Building a Community of Change
- U.S. Green Building Council (DC)
- Clean Air-Cool Planet (NH)
- Trust for Sustainable Development (BC)
The workshop is presented in two parts. Part one will briefly review the current research on workplace dynamics and gender roles. Participants will respond to a series of questions which ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Student Learning-Centered Launch to a Healthy and Sustainable Campus Initiative at Woodbury University
- Woodbury University (CA)
In fall of 2013, Woodbury University launched an initiative to make campus practices and culture measurably sustainable by AASHE STAR standards. Sustainability at Woodbury would be built within the university ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Reclaiming the Urban Forest for Food, Medicine and Ceremony: A Collaborative Process
- Portland State University (OR)
American Indian and Alaska Native communities suffer from the highest rates of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease in the country. This project seeks to address the impact of colonization ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Galvanizing Gaia: A Social Incubator for Women Leaders and Innovators (2014)
- Prescott College (AZ)
Two ecopreneurship professors create a supportive context for women sustainability entrepreneurs and campus program innovators to move from idea to action with their regenerative project ideas. This dynamic half-day workshop ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Changing the Rules: How to Get Your Green Job
- Bard College (NY)
The planet needs saving, and you need a job. What is your first step? Eban Goodstein, Director of the Bard Center for Environmental Policy, will discuss getting started in a ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Practice! Applied Yoga for a Just and Sustainable World
- Evergreen State College, The (WA)
Learning about the dire conditions of the world through sustainability studies can be an overwhelming and painful process for college students. For the past several years, I have been experimenting ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Using Health Care Funds to Support Employee CSAs and Food Education
- Luther College (IA)
The college’s most recent health risk assessment found that 43% of employees do not eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. Recognizing the positive health impacts associated with ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Pathways to Leadership: Sustainability & Career Development
- Princeton University (NJ)
As college students increasingly aspire toward careers that allow them to make a difference in the world, campus sustainability programs are uniquely positioned to provide enduring student leadership and career ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability & Wellness Month: A replicable outreach campaign to encourage healthy, sustainable behaviors on campus.
- University of Virginia (VA)
The University of Virginia’s Hoo’s Well wellness team partnered with the Office for Sustainability to develop an outreach campaign to encourage behavior changes that benefit people and the ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Want to be a Sustainability Professional? Lessons from Recent Graduate Sustainability Program Alumni & Experienced Professionals
- Lipscomb University (TN)
Abstract: Due to the relatively recent phenomenon of sustainability professions and the recent emergence of Master of Science or MBA degrees with an emphasis in sustainability, unique insights will be ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Nature-Based Therapeutic Service: Mutual Healing for Individuals and the Environment
- Prescott College (AZ)
Educators, counselors, and sustainability advocates are all looking for ways to infuse purposeful and memorable experiences into their work All seek ways to create progress and lasting change in learning ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Hospital and Lab Sustainability
- Medical University of South Carolina (SC)
This session will consider unique ideas and give unique information on how to green university hospitals and labs. I will outline how the Medical University of South Carolina has tackled ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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New Kid on the Block: How Our University Launched its New Sustainability Program
- University of North Texas (TX)
Each year more and more universities and campuses realize the importance of sustainability as seen by the growth of sustainability programs, academic degrees and certifications, and professionals employed in higher ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Happiness: A Vital Part of Sustainability
- University of Michigan (MI)
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that, “We need a new economic paradigm that recognizes the parity between the three pillars of sustainable development. Social, economic and environmental well-being are ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Enhancing Social Sustainability on Campus: Starting a Happiness Initiative in Your Community
- University of Michigan (MI)
In 2011, a nonprofit called The Happiness Initiative (Seattle, WA), launched a survey measuring well-being of residents of Seattle. To their surprise, they found that the college-aged responders were the ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Social Life of Smartphones
- Texas A&M University (TX)
Our institution has taken a unique approach to education and outreach initiatives by deliberately highlighting the social aspects of sustainability, fostering the power of storytelling to elicit emotional responses in ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Plenary: Sustainability and Sound
- Brown University (RI)
- Florida State University (FL)
- University of North Carolina, Greensboro (NC)
This plenary will provide a brief introduction to the emerging field of ecomusicology followed by a discussion of some key issues as they relate to higher education. The three expert ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Intersection of Sustainability Education and the Job Market
- Lipscomb University (TN)
- Footprint Talent (GA)
The Intersection of Sustainability Education and the Job Market session will educate university staff and students on what employers are looking for from recent sustainability graduates.
Eryn Emerich of Footprint ...
- 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 ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Meatless Revolution: A Case Study of the Nation's First Vegan Dining Hall
- University of North Texas (TX)
- Humane Society of the United States (MD)
College students are increasingly concerned about their health, the environment, and animal welfare. According to report by foodservice marketing research firm Technomic, 21 percent of college students limit their meat ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Somatics, Wellness, and Sustainability: Embedding the Concept of Sustainability Within the Physical Body
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Much of the work towards sustainability is focused on reducing the actions of consumption on many levels. Natural resources, space, and food resources are several of the main areas of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Pumping Kilowatts: A Look at Energy Efficiency in Fitness Centers
- Chapman University (CA)
Chapman University recently installed SportsArt’s Eco-Green cardio equipment in one of our residential fitness facilities. The SportsArt equipment captures kinetic energy and turns it into electrical energy that is ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Turning Your Passion Into a Paycheck
- National Wildlife Federation (VA)
Have you initiated or been part of a successful sustainability initiative on campus or in your community? Are you unsure about how your passion as a student leader translates into ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Growing the Sustainability Movement On Campus: How To Build Effective Student Groups and Learn Key Leadership Skills That Will Be Useful During and After College
- National Wildlife Federation (VA)
This workshop will provide hands-on tools and models for creating effective student groups on campus. The presenters will take students through essential building blocks of forming a new or redesigning ...
- 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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Student Nanook Grown Garden Supports Sustainability Efforts on Campus
- University of Alaska Fairbanks (AK)
Growing and eating “Alaskan Grown” has become a priority on the University of Alaska, Fairbanks (UAF) campus. Facilities Services and the Office of Sustainability planted a vegetable garden outside the ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability Practicum: Making a Seamless Transition from Classroom to Career
- Indiana University South Bend (IN)
Typically, the transition from classroom to career has been seen as the primary responsibility of the students themselves, perhaps with some support (if available) from student affairs and the ‘Career ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Story of Self: Defining Your Story to Connect to the Sustainability Movement and Advance Your Career
- U.S. Green Building Council (DC)
Every person has taken their own path to develop passion and drive in the sustainability field or chosen career. In “Story of Self,” we will define and leverage each journey ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability & Measuring Happiness
- University of Calgary (AB)
There is global recognition for the need to champion better indicators of social well-being. The United Nations resolution, 'Happiness: towards a holistic approach to development', recognized that, “...the pursuit of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Task Force Transforms Sustainable Strategies and Implementation For a Bicycle Friendly Campus
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (WI)
A severe debt-service, a campus culture of parking pressures and contention, and a parking committee stagnated by budget pressures, all lead to the inaction on alternative transportation measures. Sustainability in ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Aggie Blue Bikes; How AmeriCorps Grants Can Bring Bicycle Lending to Your Campus
- Utah State University (UT)
Aggie Blue Bikes (ABB) is Utah State University’s (USU) premier bicycle lending, education and advocacy program; its mission is to get more people on more bikes, more often. Throughout ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Demystifying Bike Share: Explaining Current Systems, Options and Implementation Strategies
- Western Michigan University (MI)
Universities, colleges, cities, and towns have been looking to bike share systems to encourage ridership and to reduce the barriers to entry for bicycle transportation. Currently the system options in ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Preventing Burnout in an Age of Permanent Crisis
- New York University (NY)
"Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare." -Audre Lorde
As we care for ourselves, we become more effective activists and ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Equity, Well-Being, and the Environment: Building New Programmatic Bridges
- Cornell University (NY)
- Washington State University, Pullman (WA)
Healthy people working together across differences are critical to building a sustainable campus and community. Today there are new approaches on our campuses that simultaneously enhance the well-being and equity ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus as a Training Ground for Careers in Sustainability
- Duke University (NC)
- North Carolina State University (NC)
- Wake Forest University (NC)
In keeping with the theme of the conference, representatives from three universities (two private research universities and one land grant university) will present practiced and proven models for training students ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Breaking into the Sustainability and Higher Education Profession
- Northwestern University (IL)
After speaking with numerous sustainability coordinators and directors, it has become clear that this emerging field brings in creative, hardworking, and versatile professionals from varying backgrounds. This is both exciting ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Combining Sustainability and Environmental Health and Safety Offices
- New Mexico State University, Grants (NM)
Environmental Health and Safety Office is the perfect department for Office of Sustainability to partner with. Cross campus collaboration in Facilities and Services is a natural fit for these two ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Green League: An Innovative Tool for Employee Learning & Engagement
- Michigan State University (MI)
This presentation will discuss the criteria and outcomes of a web-based game designed to engage foster a deeper understanding of sustainability for non-credit faculty and staff who are volunteer "environmental ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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IGEN Career Pathways: Building Partnerships to Prepare Learners for High-Skill and High-Demand Green Jobs
- College of Lake County (IL)
- Heartland Community College (IL)
Discover how the Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN) Career Pathways Initiative, a collaboration of 17 Illinois community colleges, will develop, share and implement more than 30 online-hybrid associate degrees and ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Achieving Sustainability Through Happiness
- University of Michigan (MI)
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that, "We need a new economic paradigm that recognizes the parity between the three pillars of sustainable development. Social, economic and environmental well-being are ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Role of Food Service Workers in Campus Sustainability Programs
- Occidental College (CA)
- UNITE HERE (DC)
Higher education institutions are at the forefront of a movement to reform the food system by promoting sustainable practices at campus cafeterias and dining services.
Yet the central role of ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability Officers 1.0 to 2.0 Toolkit: Strategic and Sane Workload Management of People, Projects, and Programs on Your Campus
- Baylor University (TX)
- Duke University (NC)
- Santa Clara University (CA)
- University of Vermont (VT)
Sustainability staff are involved in many initiatives at a time, and often these are run in collaboration with multiple stakeholders. The Sustainability Office version 1.0 consisted of one staffer--it ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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What if People Really Mattered? Designing a Socially Sustainable Workplace
- Case Western Reserve University (OH)
- Kent State University (OH)
- Maharishi University of Management (IA)
- The Social Design Group (OH)
Workers and workplace systems have been viewed and treated as having instrumental value for organizations to date, rather than given recognition of the full measure of their intrinsic value. Most ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Preparing Students for the 21st century Green Workforce
- American Association of Community Colleges (DC)
- National Wildlife Federation (VA)
- AASHE (MA)
Hosted by American Association of Community Colleges and AASHE, this workshop will highlight best practices, innovative partnerships and collaborative successes preparing community college students to build a green and sustainable ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability Officers Workshop: Leveraging Leadership for Campus Sustainability - Breakout Session 1
- Unity Environmental University (ME)
- Environmental Leadership Program (MD)
This workshop will focus on strengths-based leadership and systems thinking for the sustainability professional. Participants will map your own personal and professional strengths while considering how those strengths can move ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Mentoring Student Workers to Increase the Potential for Advancing Sustainability
- University of Minnesota, Morris (MN)
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
Traditional mentorship models, similar to traditional internship models, often feature a top-down relationship with knowledge flowing in one direction. In this model a power structure is established that can make ...
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Embedding Sustainability Into the Collegiate Recreation Culture: the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association's Journey Forward
- Oregon State University (OR)
- Portland State University (OR)
- Sonoma State University (CA)
- NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation (OR)
Within the past year, embedding sustainability throughout the collegiate recreation culture has emerged as a strategic initiative with the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA). NIRSA is the leading resource ...
- 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.
PA 12: Employee Compensation
- Local living wage for a family of 4
- Percent of employees that receive a living wage
- Living wage policy or commitment
- Website URL - Employee compensation
PA 13: Assessing Employee Satisfaction
- Methodology for evaluating employee satisfaction and engagement
- Website URL - Assessing employee satisfaction
PA 14: Wellness program
- Description of the institution’s wellness program
- Smoke-free policy (upload)
- Smoke-free policy (description)
- Website URL - Wellness programs
PA 14: Workplace Health & Safety
- Annual number of employee work-related injury incidents per 100 FTE employees
- Website URL - Workplace health and safety
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.