New Resources

New Campus Sustainability Hub Resources

The Campus Sustainability Hub is a one-stop shop for AASHE members to access toolkits and resource collections in all aspects of sustainability in higher education. With advanced search filtering, this key member benefit is designed to facilitate information sharing between campuses and organizations. Recently added publications include:
  • Posted Nov 20, 2017

Making College Affordable: Providing Low-Income Students With the Knowledge and Resources Needed to Pay for College

The report examines the numerous barriers preventing low-income students from enrolling and persisting in college, including concerns over high tuition and fees, lack of clarity on award amounts and duration, and a limited understanding of how financial aid works. It also offers institutions 11 best practices to help students pay for college and stay in school.
  • Posted Nov 13, 2017

New Issue: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education

This issue of the International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education includes articles about the extent to which campus efforts address regional sustainability needs, nutrition students’ self-reported learning about and understanding of sustainable food systems and dietary practices, an examination of the diverse definitions of sustainability in higher education, and an assessment of the effectiveness of higher education institutions as a sustainability communication channel.
  • Posted Nov 13, 2017

AASHE 2017 Sustainable Campus Index

The 2017 Sustainable Campus Index recognizes top-performing colleges and universities in 17 sustainability impact areas and overall by institution type, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). The report also highlights innovative and high-impact initiatives from institutions that submitted STARS reports in the 12 months prior to July 1, 2017.
  • Posted Nov 10, 2017

New Campus Sustainability Hub Resources

The Campus Sustainability Hub is a one-stop shop for AASHE members to access toolkits and resource collections in all aspects of sustainability in higher education. With advanced search filtering, this key member benefit is designed to facilitate information sharing between campuses and organizations. Recently added journal articles include:
  • Posted Nov 7, 2017

Guide to Making Claims About Your Solar Power Use

The Guide to Making Claims About Your Solar Power Use, released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, describes best practices for appropriately explaining and characterizing solar power activities and the fundamental importance of renewable energy certificates for solar power use claims. This guidance is primarily focused on claims associated with on-site projects but is also relevant for off-site owned projects.

Engaging Stakeholders in Education for Sustainable Development at University Level

This book discusses the role of stakeholders engaged in education for sustainable development at university level. It describes practical experiences, partnerships, networks and training schemes for increasing the capacity of education for sustainable development.
  • Posted Oct 30, 2017

Guidelines for Universities Engaging in Social Responsibility

The new report aims to help universities successfully incorporate university social responsibility, defined as all aspects of a universities’ impact on society, in their strategies and everyday activities.
  • Posted Oct 30, 2017

Carbon Markets & Offsets Guidance

The document was developed by Second Nature as a resource for higher education institutions implementing one of the Presidents’ Climate Leadership Commitments. It outlines the concept of carbon offsets, how offsetting can be used, and what constitutes a quality carbon offset project. It is meant to provide guidance to help signatories understand the best practices for incorporating carbon offsets into their greenhouse gas mitigation plans while aligning with institution-specific goals.
  • Posted Oct 24, 2017

New Drivers for Campus Microgrids: Resiliency, Community, Research, Jobs & Cost Savings

This white paper explores drivers of campus microgrids installations. Some of the drivers highlighted are climate change and resiliency, and student recruitment and learning.

Higher Education’s Anchor Mission: Measuring Place-Based Engagement

This new report from the Democracy Collaborative examines how an ongoing effort to track the impact of colleges and universities on the financial and social well-being of their surrounding neighborhoods is helping these anchor institutions align their resources to build stronger community partnerships and create more inclusive local economies. The institutions in the report are part of a cohort of six universities working to address the economic realities and needs of their communities by directing more of their resources locally. They are: Buffalo State College; Cleveland State University; Drexel University; Rutgers University at Newark; University of Missouri at St. Louis; and Virginia Commonwealth University.
  • Posted Oct 23, 2017

Beyond the Right Thing to Do: The Value of Sustainability in Higher Education

This document is intended to help higher education sustainability practitioners more powerfully articulate the value of sustainability to higher education leaders and the general public. AASHE invites readers to share additional resources that support this publication’s claims and tag them with "value of sustainability."
  • Posted Oct 23, 2017

Handbook of Sustainability Science and Research

This multidisciplinary handbook includes case studies that illustrate how sustainability science and research can contribute to the realization of the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It provides examples from different countries that highlight sustainable development research.
  • Posted Oct 23, 2017

Handbook of Sustainability and Social Science Research

This handbook presents the work of researchers from across the spectrum of the social sciences. The book offers a basis for the dissemination of information, ideas and experiences acquired in the execution of research projects, including initiatives that have influenced behavior, decision-making or policy.
  • Posted Oct 23, 2017

Handbook of Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Development

This handbook focuses on lifelong learning for sustainable development to foster the exchange of information, ideas and experiences. It also presents methodological approaches and experiences from case studies and projects, which demonstrate how lifelong learning for sustainable development can be implemented in practice.
  • Posted Oct 23, 2017

Renewable Energy 101: Ten Tools for Moving Your Campus to 100% Clean Energy

Environment America Research and Policy Center has released a series of fact sheets highlighting 10 key tools to help colleges and universities build a 100 percent clean, renewable energy system. Each fact sheet includes two case studies of effective action on college campuses, as well as a list of resources.

New Campus Sustainability Hub Resources

The Campus Sustainability Hub is a one-stop shop for AASHE members to access toolkits and resource collections in all aspects of sustainability in higher education. With advanced search filtering, this key member benefit is designed to facilitate information sharing between campuses and organizations. Recently added publications include:
  • Posted Oct 2, 2017

American Council on Education Issue Brief on Trump Administration’s DACA Decision

The issue brief details the key elements of the Trump administration’s “DACA Rescission Memorandum” and how it will impact students and campuses. Along with talking points, this brief attempts to help campuses prepare to assist students and speak to their congressional delegations about the importance of acting now to protect DACA recipients.
  • Posted Sep 25, 2017

New Issue: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education

The latest journal issue features articles about incorporating education for sustainable development into higher education curriculum and professional development, as well as articles about campus sustainability tours and living laboratories.
  • Posted Sep 25, 2017

Exposing the Ties Between Australian Universities and the Fossil Fuel Industry

The report highlights links between universities and the fossil fuel industry through research funding, and the relationship between members on university boards and companies with significant business in fossil fuels. The report was released by Fossil Free Universities, which is run by environmental organization 350.org and university divestment groups.

Campus Energy & Sustainability Podcast

Highlighting sustainability on higher education campuses, the podcast has five episodes available that have covered sustainability in laboratories, sustainable public water systems, and sustainability in curricula.
  • Posted Sep 18, 2017

2017 Higher Education Sustainability Staffing Survey Report

The 2017 Higher Education Sustainability Staffing Survey Report examines the nature of sustainability positions at colleges and universities, providing insights into salaries, funding, supervision, job satisfaction and challenges. Improvements to the report include information from outside of the U.S. and Canada, and graphical data comparisons.
  • Posted Sep 13, 2017

New Issue of Sustainability: The Journal of Record

The most recent issue includes articles about measuring institutional water use and estimating carbon footprints of food menu items, as well as a book review of Let Knowledge Serve the City, a compilation of articles out of Portland State University that highlights how communities and institutions can work together to solve sustainability challenges.
  • Posted Sep 11, 2017

Getting Started With the SDGs in Universities: A Guide for Universities, Higher Education Institutions, and the Academic Sector

A new guide from the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Australia/Pacific aims to accelerate action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It highlights the role universities specifically in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific have in implementing the SDGs and provides practical guidance on how they can accelerate their contributions.
  • Posted Sep 11, 2017

Tips for Detoxing Your Dorm

This research-based set of tips released by the Healthy Green Campus Project aims to help students eliminate exposure to chemicals found in everyday products, such as food, cleaning products, toiletries, clothing, and laundry and bedding.
  • Posted Sep 11, 2017

Higher Education Paving the Way to Sustainable Development: A Global Perspective

This report, based on the 2016 IAU Global Survey on Higher Education and Research for Sustainable Development, released by the International Association of Universities (IAU) provides an overview of higher education approaches to sustainable development undertaken by IAU members. By researching and analyzing IAU members’ approaches to sustainable development, the report aims to contribute to the UNESCO Global Action Program on Education for Sustainable Development and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
  • Posted Sep 11, 2017

Affordability in Higher Education Booklet

The articles in this compilation, produced and released by Inside Higher Ed, look at issues related to affordability and questions beyond money (such as time to graduation) that have a major impact on how much students and families pay.

New Campus Sustainability Hub Resources

The Campus Sustainability Hub is a one-stop shop for AASHE members to access toolkits and resource collections in all aspects of sustainability in higher education. With advanced search filtering, this key member benefit is designed to facilitate information sharing between campuses and organizations. Recently added journal articles include:
  • Posted Aug 28, 2017

Green Building Assessment Curriculum Toolkit

The USGBC toolkit provides higher education faculty with access to curated resources and processes, organized to aid in teaching about and engaging students in the concepts of sustainability, green building and LEED with a focus on the first two phases of a building’s life cycle – design and construction. The materials can be adapted and scaled to fit a variety of class topics, degree programs and student learning levels.
  • Posted Aug 28, 2017

Assessing Sustainability in Higher Education Curricula: A Critical Reflection on Validity Issues

This paper examines how higher education programs assess the various sustainability assessment tools and identifies a gap in the literature studying the issues arising from measurement. It highlights the need to explore validity and mentions the potential of using an instructor-created self-assessment.
  • Posted Aug 22, 2017

New Book: Sustainability, Green IT and Education Strategies in the Twenty-first Century

This book presents and discusses the latest approaches and strategies for implementing sustainability and green information technology into higher education and business environments. The book addresses the cooperation and coordination between academics and practitioners needed in order to achieve the changes required for sustainability.
  • Posted Aug 14, 2017

New Report: Mapping Sustainability Assessment and Reporting in the UK Tertiary Education

The Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges' (EAUC) new report helps sustainability professionals evaluate sustainability reporting and assessment tools in order to best determine the right tool for their institution. Released in tandem with the report is a dashboard that allows an institution to create a baseline map to identify gaps and further drive sustainability performance.
  • Posted Aug 14, 2017

New Report: Assessing the Higher Education Sector’s Use of Renewable Energy

The report explores the extent to which U.S.-based institutions of higher education have engaged in voluntary purchases and production of renewable energy. The study, released by the University of New Hampshire and Edison Energy, utilized self-reported, publicly available data for a 10-year period from the nearly 500 colleges and universities participating in different national programs that collect information about campus energy use from participants.
  • Posted Aug 14, 2017

SPLC Guide: The Alt-Right on Campus: What Students Need to Know

The new guide, released by Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), advises university students on how to respond when speakers associated with the “alt-right”, a white nationalist movement, appear on campus.
  • Posted Aug 14, 2017

New Book: Sustainability Practice and Education on University Campuses and Beyond

The book's case studies cover campus sustainability topics that include student-driven and college-driven environmental sustainability programs in undergraduate and graduate classes, issues in teaching environmental sustainability, the LEED certification of universities, issues of shrinking cities, and a comparison of sustainable military bases with college campuses.
  • Posted Aug 6, 2017

New Book: University Campus Solid Waste Management

Using University of Malaya as a case study, the author assessed waste disposal, management and recycling techniques in order to understand how to reduce the environmental impact while retaining the maximum cost savings for the university. A method for analysis of solid waste composition is also proposed. The book can serve as a guide and blueprint for other universities that are taking steps toward sustainability through improved solid waste management.
  • Posted Aug 6, 2017

Recent Additions to the AASHE Campus Sustainability Hub

The Campus Sustainability Hub is a one-stop shop for AASHE members to access toolkits and resource collections in all aspects of sustainability in higher education. With advanced search filtering, this key member benefit is designed to facilitate information sharing between campuses and organizations. Recently added publications include:
  • Posted Jul 31, 2017

AASHE Campus Sustainability Webinar Archive

AASHE's Campus Sustainability Hub houses the archives of all 2017 AASHE webinars, free for members to view. Archived webinars from this year span a variety of topics, such as transportation demand management, civic engagement on climate change, sustainability curriculum and carbon pricing. Upcoming webinars, free for anyone to join, include reducing campus food waste, harnessing renewable energy, sustainability curriculum and supply chain transparency. AASHE webinars occur almost every week throughout 2017 and are usually held on Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m. Eastern.
  • Posted Jul 17, 2017

New Issue: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education

This most recent issue is a special issue about professional development in higher education for sustainable development, including how to assess competencies, competency development and inter- and transdisciplinary competencies for students.
  • Posted Jul 14, 2017

New Campus Sustainability Hub Resources

The Campus Sustainability Hub is a simple, intuitive and centralized platform that houses best practices, course materials and comprehensive lists including research centers and institutes, publications, outreach materials and more. With advanced search filtering, this key member benefit is designed to facilitate information sharing between campuses and organizations. Recently added publications include:
  • Posted Jul 10, 2017

Act on Climate: Steps to Individual, Community and Political Action

Act on Climate: Steps to Individual, Community, and Political Action is an online course designed to help participants understand, address and respond to climate change as individuals and in partnership with their communities and political leaders. Designed by students, faculty and learning specialists, the course focuses on how to translate learning into action on climate change in the areas of food, energy, transportation and the built environment.

New Campus Sustainability Hub Resources

The Campus Sustainability Hub is a simple, intuitive and centralized platform that houses best practices, course materials and comprehensive lists including research centers and institutes, publications, outreach materials and more. With advanced search filtering, this key member benefit is designed to facilitate information sharing between campuses and organizations. Recently added publications include:
  • Posted Jun 26, 2017

New Issue: The International Journal of Management Education

The latest issue of The International Journal of Management Education is a special issue focused on the Principles for Responsible Management Education. Research articles address a wide variety of topics, including the role of business schools in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Sustainability Literacy Test, service learning, and pedagogy for responsible management education.
  • Posted Jun 26, 2017

New Book: News From the Front of Sustainable University Campuses

New From the Front of Sustainable University Campuses attempts to untangle and test how universities can help the localities and societies in which they operate transition toward carbon neutrality, societal sustainability and resilience to climate change. Strategies highlighted include policies and action plans, management programs, new interdisciplinary and cross-cutting committees, bottom-up governance structures and green teams, and advanced IT systems for energy management.
  • Posted Jun 26, 2017

Investor Blueprint to Incorporate ESG Factors Into Portfolios

In response to the U.S. government’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, the Intentional Endowments Network released a blueprint for investors to align with the Paris Climate Agreement by incorporating environmental, social and governance factors into investment portfolios.

New Issue of Sustainability: The Journal of Record

The most recent issue of Sustainability: The Journal of Record covers barriers to effectiveness of university sustainability offices, a case study about a campus sustainability social network, and an investigation about the importance of beliefs in environmental behaviors as they relate to pro-environmental behaviors.
  • Posted Jun 19, 2017

Behavior Change for Sustainability: Northwest Earth Institute's Approach

The paper explains why behavior change research is important and what it offers, and how the Northwest Earth Institute (NWEI) uses behavior change theory in their programs. The paper includes both survey data and stories from participant’s experiences of behavior changes in NWEI Discussion Courses and the EcoChallenge.
  • Posted Jun 13, 2017

New Book & Free Curriculum Resources: Breaking Through Gridlock - The Power of Conversation in a Polarized World

Breaking Through Gridlock - The Power of Conversation in a Polarized World shares clear and actionable pathways for having hard conversations where change is needed. With exercises and examples, this interactive field guide walks readers through a process of transforming paralysis and effecting positive change. The curriculum resource package is free to educators.
  • Posted Jun 12, 2017

New Book: Climate Change Research at Universities

This new book provides a multidisciplinary review of current, climate-change research projects at universities around the globe, offering perspectives from all of the natural and social sciences.

New Series About Meeting the Needs of Underserved Students

Beyond the Margins: Meeting the Needs of Underserved Students is a new series from The American Council on Education about issues facing underserved student populations. Spotlighting deep-rooted issues that perpetuate division and inequity, the series currently has two pieces, the most recent of which is about food insecurity. The initial publication focused on LGBTQ student issues and opportunities.
  • Posted Jun 5, 2017