Sustainability & Sustainable Development
AASCU is committed to raising awareness about sustainability and sustainable development, and to promoting operational practices that enhance the sustainability of the Association and its member campuses. AASCU’s work in this area is directed by the Sustainable Development Committee and is enhanced
through a variety of partnerships with leading sustainability-oriented organizations.
AASCU Sustainable Development Committee
The Sustainable Development Committee was established by the AASCU Board of Directors in July 2014. It is responsible for exploring educational and operational practices that raise awareness about sustainability and sustainable development, and for promoting implementation
choices for the Association and its member campuses.
The Committee is guided by three core commitments:
- Economic activity is understood to serve the common good, is self-renewing, and builds local assets and self-reliance.
- Education communicates that people are part of nature, that nature has limits, and that communities are responsible for protecting and building natural assets.
- Citizenship is seen as an opportunity for equitable distribution of resources and full participation in all activities, benefits, and decision-making of a society.
Chair: Ira K. Blake, president, University of Houston-Clear Lake
Opportunities to Engage
Please consider sharing your sustainability & sustainable development innovations on the
AASCU Innovations Exchange, an online forum that allows our member campuses to share information about successful new programs, policies and practices. Innovations in the area of Sustainability & Sustainable Development are organized into the following four subcategories:
- Facilities and Resource Management (e.g., installation of solar panels or geothermal)
- Sustainability Education (e.g., implementation of sustainability education into orientation; creation of a Sustainability minor)
- Community Partnerships (e.g., partnering with a community garden; partnering with local energy companies)
- Policies and Practices (e.g., composting processes)
AASCU’s Best Practices in Sustainability
Read what AASCU staff are doing for sustainability best practices (pdf)
Partners
ecoAmerica's Solution Generation
www.solutiongeneration.org
AASCU is a founding partner of Solution Generation, a coalition of higher education partners committed to leading by example on a path to a positive future for climate solutions. By joining Solution Generation, we have committed to working together to educate, engage, and inspire our students, campuses, communities,
and other higher education leaders on climate change solutions.
We urge AASCU member institutions to join the Solution Generation program at
www.SolutionGeneration.org. Members of the Solution Generation coalition have access to:
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A fresh approach to launch or elevate your climate leadership, empowering you to demonstrate action on climate, then speak about and inspire others in ways that are relevant to your higher education community and resonate with a broad diversity of Americans,
some of whom may not yet be convinced on climate.
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Tools and resources, offering the latest and most promising practices for climate leadership, including information, resources, webinars, and
research-driven communications tools packaged in a comprehensive, easy-to-use program website.
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A new platform to amplify your voice on climate, providing you opportunities to promote and be recognized for your efforts through social media, press outreach, success stories, and special campaign activities.
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A community of other leaders, allowing you to share ideas, collaborate with, and build collective impact among other higher education leaders through a robust social media community, online forums, and online and on-the-ground events.
Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium (HEASC)
heasc.aashe.org
AASCU is a founding member of HEASC, which is a network of higher education associations with a commitment to advancing sustainability within their constituencies and within the entire system of higher education.
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
www.aashe.org
AASCU is also a member of AASHE, whose mission is to inspire and catalyze higher education to lead the global sustainability transformation. AASHE enables members to translate information into action by offering essential resources and professional development to a diverse, engaged community of sustainability
leaders.
American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC)
www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org
ACUPCC is a high-visibility effort to address global warming by garnering institutional commitments to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions, and to accelerate the research and educational efforts of higher education to equip society to re-stabilize the earth’s climate.
Resources