Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Advancing Campus Sustainability

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1 Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Advancing Campus Sustainability

2 What is AASHE? The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), is a non-profit organization made up of colleges and universities that are working to create a sustainable future. Founded in 2006, AASHE has over 850 institutional members, which include colleges and universities, businesses and non-profits committed to campus sustainability. AASHE is dedicated to engaging a diverse and inspired community, by providing timely and invaluable resources for campuses to meet their sustainability needs. 2 Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education

3 What is AASHE s Mission? AASHE s mission is to empower higher education to lead the sustainability transformation. We do this by providing resources, professional development, and a network of support to enable institutions of higher education to model and advance sustainability in everything they do, from governance and operations to education and research. 3 Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education

4 What is AASHE s Vision? AASHE envisions a prosperous, equitable, and ecologically healthy world. Higher education plays a vital role in ensuring that people have an understanding of the interdependencies between environmental, social and economic forces and the skills and abilities to meet sustainability challenges. 4

5 How does AASHE define sustainability? AASHE defines sustainability in an inclusive way, encompassing human and ecological health, social justice, secure livelihoods, and a better world for all generations. 5

6 AASHE S Structure Non-profit organization - 501(c)(3) Board of Directors members including business leaders, academics, administrators and students Sta! Sta! working in many states across the country, with central o"ce and executive director in Denver. Members - nearly 900 colleges and universities are members (members are non-voting) 6

7 Member Testimonials AASHE is a great sustainability resource. -Don Supalla, President, Rochester Community and Technical College I have found AASHE to be THE most value-added professional organization that I have ever been associated with and appreciate the opportunity to be even more involved. -Andrea George PhD, CHMM, Director, Sustainability and Environmental Management O!ce, Vanderbilt University AASHE has successfully bridged the gap between design and facilities management in higher education and the academic side of the institutions. No other organization puts architects, planners, facility managers, student, professors and university administration at the same table, and does so successfully to stimulate ideas and actions to bring a global sustainability perspective to higher education. Hats o! to AASHE! -Jerry Yudelson, Yudelson Associate Technical College 7

8 AASHE Member Benefits Access to invaluable resources Networking and information sharing Discounts on AASHE-sponsored events, including the conference STARS program discount Sustainable product and service discounts Discounts on sustainable products Eligibility for professional awards and recognition Publicity for your campus's e!orts Professional development opportunities Governance opportunities AASHE hosted conference calls 8

9 Professional Development and Networking AASHE o!ers premier opportunities to network with colleagues at regional, national, and international levels. Other professional development activities throughout the year available include workshops, webinars, and discussion forums for sharing knowledge and resources. 9

10 AASHE Conference and Expo AASHE s Conference and Expo is the largest campus sustainability gathering in North America. With registrants from colleges and universities across the world, the conference features presentations on all aspects of campus sustainability and keynote addresses from experts in sustainability, touching on economic, social, as well as environmental issues. It is a great way to expand your professional development. The Expo, which takes place in conjunction with the AASHE Conference, features exhibits showcasing products, technologies, and services that can help your campus become more sustainable and save money through resource e"ciency. There are also a variety of preconference events for professors, students, and campus sustainability o"cers. AASHE 2012 will be held in Los Angeles, CA. AASHE 2013 will be held in Nashville, TN. 10

11 The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS was developed by AASHE with broad participation from the higher education community. STARS provides a framework for understanding sustainability in all sectors of higher education. It enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community. It helps create incentives for continual improvement toward sustainability by facilitating information sharing about higher education sustainability practices and performance. AASHE is committed to building a stronger, more diverse campus sustainability community and STARS is an important part of that. Any college or university located in the United States or Canada may participate in STARS. 11

12 Invaluable Resources Hundreds of campus sustainability initiatives and case studies Discussion forums on 18 di!erent topics Database of sustainability plans and policies on campus Best practices in operations; planning, administration & public engagement; and education & research Example resources: Campus solar PV installations database Database of academic degree programs related to sustainability Student peer-to-peer sustainability education programs Directory of campus sustainability o"cers and sample# job descriptions Green revolving loan funds Campus-supported agriculture, farms and gardens Campus climate action planning wiki Many more... 12

13 Publications AASHE o!ers a wide range of publications that provide administrators, faculty, sta!, and students with the information and guidance they need to lead the sustainability transformation. AASHE Bulletin weekly e-newsletter with sustainability news, events, jobs and resources. Bulletin archives are located in Resource Center. Higher Education Sustainability Review annual review of campus sustainability based on Bulletin items. AASHE Announcements, STARS Update, and AASHE Events (enewsletters) monthly updates on AASHE and STARS news and professional development opportunities Campus Sustainability Perspectives blog - news and views from AASHE sta! and guest bloggers. Events Calendar - campus sustainability happenings How-to Guides and Reports EXPAND here Climate Action Planning Wiki 13

14 Partnerships American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment#(ACUPCC) Bioneers Education for Action Program Campaign for Environmental Literacy (CEL) Disciplinary Associations Network for Sustainability (DANS) Energy Action#Coalition (EAC) Higher Education Associations' Sustainability Consortium (HEASC) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development (USPESD) 14

15 Get Involved in the AASHE Community Join AASHE, membership extends to everyone on campus Sign up to receive the AASHE bulletin Create a log-in for the AASHE site Become a STARS participant Attend sustainability conferences, webinars, workshops Promote sustainability across campus Use AASHE s invaluable resources to implement sustainability initiatives on campus Celebrate success! Questions? membership@aashe.org or call extension 4 15