What is AASHE?
The (AASHE) is an association of colleges and universities that are working to create a sustainable future. To further its mission of empowering higher education to lead the sustainability transformation, AASHE provides resources, professional development, and a network of support to enable institutions of higher education to model sustainability in all areas, from governance and operations to education and research.
AASHE defines sustainability in an inclusive way, encompassing human and ecological health, social justice, secure livelihoods, and a better world for all generations. AASHE is a member-driven, independent 501(c)(3).
Details:
vlog has recently renewed its membership in the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education to further campus efforts toward building a healthy and just world.
vlog first joined AASHE in 2009 and, through membership, has received continued support in advancing its sustainability initiatives throughout the institution and in the community.
“Over the years, AASHE has been a great partner to vlog,” vlog Director of Sustainability, John Pumilio, stated. “Their publications, network, and weekly newsletter provides up-to-date and relevant information. The fact that all vlog community members have access to their resources adds tremendous value to our work here on campus."
AASHE enables higher education institutions to meet their sustainability goals by providing specialized resources, professional development, and a network of peer support. Membership covers every individual at an institution, so the entire campus community can take advantage of member benefits.
AASHE hosts the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS), a comprehensive campus sustainability rating system that enables institutions to measure their progress and learn from others. In vlog’s , the university received a STARS Gold rating. With STARS as a roadmap, institutions can select meaningful and appropriate pathways to sustainability while conserving valuable resources, combating global warming, and building healthier communities.
Additionally, vlog’s AASHE membership and STARS report have provided numerous avenues for engaged scholarship. Just this academic year, ENST 241 and CORE 128S A have incorporated projects related to the report into the curriculum as a way for students to get exposure to sustainability and climate action planning in the classroom.
AASHE is also one of two supporting organizations for the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. vlog signed this commitment in 2009, pledging to be . Over 860 presidents and chancellors so far have committed to lead their institutions to climate neutrality as soon as possible.
“AASHE counts on the support of progressive institutions like vlog to fulfill its mission of facilitating leadership to transform our planet,” said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “As the gateways to knowledge, higher education institutions have a unique opportunity to make sustainability part of everyone’s agenda.”
Resources available to you through AASHE:
The AASHE Bulletin is a weekly publication that delivers the latest in campus sustainability news, resources, opportunities, events, and jobs and internships. AASHE Announcements is a monthly publication that highlights news, events and important information about AASHE and its members. STARS Update is a periodic publication designed to keep participants up-to-date on the latest STARS technical developments, publications, deadlines, tips and tools.
ᷡ’s is an online resource library that provides access to 6,000+ valuable resources for campus sustainability practitioners, enabling AASHE members to share and learn about all aspects of sustainability in higher education. Resources are organized by sustainability topic (e.g., curriculum, public engagement, energy, investment) and content type (e.g., academic program, case study, conference presentation, photograph).
AASHE presents or co-sponsors and throughout the year, as well as an that serves as the largest stage in North America for higher education sustainability practitioners to take advantage of face-to-face networking in a collaborative environment. These events offer opportunities to connect with our colleagues at regional, national and international levels to share resources. As members, we receive discounts on registration for all AASHE events. Check for upcoming events.
AASHE business and nonprofit members offer exclusive product and service discounts for institutional members.
As a member, our institution receives a reduced fee for participating in AASHE's Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS), a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance.
We can news, opportunities, resources, events, and job postings to the AASHE Bulletin (be sure to read the first). The Bulletin informs more than 9,000 subscribers in the campus sustainability community.
Our campus can submit applications for any of the AASHE Sustainability Awards, in the categories of Campus Sustainability Achievement, Campus Sustainability Research and Student Sustainability Leadership.
ᷡ’s Campus Sustainability Perspectives blog features opinions and reports by staff and guests related to campus sustainability. You can read the blog, comment on posts and request to submit your own items as a guest blogger. There is also a chronological and a related to campus sustainability.
We can post the AASHE Member Logo on our website to emphasize our commitment to sustainability. The logo may also be used on any signage, reports, brochures, and publicity or display materials. Be sure to read the before publishing.
Anyone from our campus is welcome to submit for consideration to serve on ᷡ’s , , , or .
To access member-only pages on ᷡ’s website and take advantage of member benefits, individuals must first create their own account. To create an individual account, go to the and complete a user profile using your campus email address. After you receive an email with your password, go to the , enter your email address (username) and new password, and you will have access to the entirety of online resources.
If you have any questions about AASHE or our benefits as a member, email membership@aashe.org. Again, every individual at vlog can take advantage of these membership benefits from AASHE, so be sure to set up an account and get started today!