| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 72.96 |
| Liaison | Audrey McSain |
| Submission Date | Feb. 16, 2022 |
Lehigh University
EN-11: Inter-Campus Collaboration
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.50 / 3.00 |
Katharine
Targett Gross Sustainability Officer Office of Sustainability |
Is the institution currently a member of a national or international higher education sustainability network?:
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?:
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?:
A list or brief description of the conference(s) and presentation(s):
Presented at the AASHE Conference 2020.
1. On-Demand Educational Session: Engaging Alumni in Sustainability: Working with Development & Alumni Relations
Alumni are one of a college or university’s greatest assets and their contributions back to an institution do not go unnoticed. Many sustainability professionals want to engage alumni in various ways - fundraising, guest speakers, mentorship, jobs/internships, etc., but are unsure of how to get there or how to enhance their efforts. Over the last year, the Office of Sustainability at Lehigh University has developed a stronger and more formal relationship with Development & Alumni Relations. Through this partnership, the Office of Sustainability has recently developed its sustainability story, a formal case for giving with key areas of support, as well as collateral (brochures, one pagers, etc) so front line teams can communicate the sustainability story to alumni.
But how do you get started? Or how do you ramp up your efforts? What is the path to designing a successful sustainability story, case for giving, and collateral? In this session, we will discuss Lehigh University’s path as well as key lessons learned and best practices. Through efforts like this, institutions can advance a strategy for alumni engagement to help contribute to a stronger sustainability community.
2. On-Demand Lightening Talk: Leftover Food App: A Way to Address Food Waste and Food Insecurity on Campus
Every day departments, offices, and clubs hold events and meetings across campus with food. There is often leftover food at these events and meetings that gets thrown away. Lehigh University conducted a pilot program to communicate the leftover food from these events and meetings through GroupMe. This pilot program was helpful and informative in the development of a more permanent application.
Recently, Lehigh took this pilot initiative a step further and developed a Leftover Food app that was created by computer science students with the support of a faculty member. The development of this app was a great experiential learning opportunity that allows faculty, staff, and students who notice leftover food at an event or meeting to post about it and gives students who are looking for food the opportunity to come take it. It has reduced the amount of leftover food that is thrown away on campus and reduces food insecurity on campus.
What buy-in was needed? How did Lehigh get started? How did Lehigh transition the pilot program to a full-blown app? What are some of the lessons learned? Come learn more about how to communicate leftover food to your campus to reduce food waste and enhance social equity.
3. Panel Presentation: Lots of Watts - Four Campuses Join Forces to Build a Giant Solar Farm
Four independent colleges and universities in Pennsylvania collaborated to explore renewable energy solutions, develop a strategy, and implement a combination of onsite and large-scale offsite projects that will result in each institution sourcing 100% of their electricity from renewable sources.
4. The Expansion of the Lehigh University Eco-Rep Leadership Program
This session introduces the Eco-Rep Leadership Program and overviews the background of the program prior to our overhaul and expansion in 2019. We will then explore the expansion of the program to include Hall and Library Eco-Reps as well as address the program's reactions to COVID-19 as well as the rising racial tensions in the United States.
We will then explore the expansion of the program to include Hall and Library Eco-Reps and address the program's reactions to COVID-19 as well as the rising racial tensions in the United States.
Has the institution submitted a case study during the previous year to an external higher education sustainability resource center or awards program?:
A list or brief description of the sustainability resource center or awards program and submission(s):
The Office of Sustainability, Lehigh Dining, and Lehigh Facilities submitted two case studies to the Campus Race to Zero Waste. One was on composting and the other was about Lehigh's reusable Eco Container program.
Has the institution had employees or students serving on a board or committee of a sustainability network or conference during the previous three years?:
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.
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?:
A brief description of the mentoring relationship and activities:
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?:
A brief description of the peer review activities:
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.
Website URL where information about the institution’s inter-campus collaborations is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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.
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.