Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.98
Liaison Audrey McSain
Submission Date Feb. 26, 2021

STARS v2.2

Lehigh University
EN-11: Inter-Campus Collaboration

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.50 / 3.00 Katharine Targett Gross
Sustainability Officer
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Is the institution currently a member of a national or international higher education sustainability network?:
Yes

The name of the national or international sustainability network(s):
Lehigh is an active member of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).

Does the institution actively participate in a regional, state/provincial, or local higher education sustainability network?:
Yes

The name of the regional, state/provincial or local sustainability network(s):
Lehigh is an active member of the Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges (LVAIC).

Has the institution presented at a higher education sustainability conference during the previous year?:
Yes

A list or brief description of the conference(s) and presentation(s):
We presented at the AASHE Conference 2019.

Building a Consistent Sustainability Brand

In order to reap the full benefits of consistently communicating the values and messages that are core to your sustainability brand, it is important to design brand guidelines the define the look of your communications and materials. Brand guidelines are a powerful tool that create a consistent look and feel so communications and design projects are easily recognized by faculty, staff, students, alumni, and visitors, and communicate the key sustainability values of the university. Through brand guidelines, your campus community will come to know and recognize the sustainability brand through the consistent presentation and expression of the brand in all communications and marketing.

But how do you get started? What is the path to developing brand guidelines? Who needs to be involved? In this session, we will discuss Lehigh University’s path to developing a branding guide, how you can choose branding elements that harmonize with your school’s visual identity elements, and how you can apply the concepts in physical materials. Discussion will include topics such as: core brand objectives, logo (simple and full versions), color palette (primary and extended), typeface standards, image usage guidelines, and identity elements - do’s and don’ts. The utilization of a cohesive sustainability image and brand is very important.

Expanding the Sustainable Office Program: Encouraging More Faculty and Staff to Walk the Talk

Is your Sustainable Office Program working, but not reaching its full potential? Over the last year, Lehigh University has successfully revamped its Sustainable Office Program to expand the program and further increase activity on campus. This is a voluntary, self-guided program where faculty and staff can take the lead in a variety of topic areas to promote sustainable practices in the workplace. Through redesigning and improving outreach tactics, we have seen an increase in interest, participation, and engagement from offices throughout campus. In fact, the program has expanded by over 232 percent!

But how did we do it? What was the path to designing a successful revamp and expansion of the program? In this session, we will discuss Lehigh University’s two-phase plan and the progress that has been made so far. We will also discuss key lessons learned, best practices, and challenges. Through efforts like this, institutions can continue to increase overall campus engagement, build community, and enhance the culture of sustainability on their campus.

Has the institution submitted a case study during the previous year to an external higher education sustainability resource center or awards program?:
Yes

A list or brief description of the sustainability resource center or awards program and submission(s):
The Office of Sustainability and Lehigh Dining submitted a case study to the Post Action Landfill Network (PLAN) about the use of reusables in residential dining halls.

Has the institution had employees or students serving on a board or committee of a sustainability network or conference during the previous three years?:
Yes

A list or brief description of the board or committee appointment(s):
Members of the Office of Sustainability at Lehigh serve on the conference planning committee for the Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges biennial Campus Sustainability Conference. Lehigh has also hosted this conference twice over the last several years.

Does the institution have an ongoing mentoring relationship with another institution through which it assists the institution with its sustainability reporting and/or the development of its sustainability program?:
No

A brief description of the mentoring relationship and activities:
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Has the institution had employees or students serving as peer reviewers of another institution’s sustainability data and/or STARS submission during the previous three years?:
No

A brief description of the peer review activities:
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Optional Fields 

A brief description of other inter-campus collaborative efforts around sustainability during the previous year :
Lehigh University is a member of the Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges (LVAIC). Our activities, focused on our strategic priorities of professional excellence, programmatic sharing and synergy, and operating efficiencies, provide expanded and enhanced opportunities for faculty, staff, and students and free resources to support campus-specific programs.

Among the many LVAIC activities, Lehigh University has also hosted the "LVAIC Campus Sustainability Conference 2018". The purpose of the conference was to explore sustainability projects, cultivate dialogue and shared learning and encourage concrete action promoting responsible stewardship of the natural environment and equitable community in the areas where we live and work.

Website URL where information about the institution’s inter-campus collaborations is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Inter-campus collaboration was not impacted by COVID-19 and therefore is representative of a normal year.

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.