MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
REPORT ON INTEGRATING SUSTAINABILITY INTO HIGHER EDUCATION
Completed by Rebecca Fraser
Research Assistant
Mānoa Faculty Senate
BACKGROUND
Sustainability perseveres as a key strategy under the continued stress of environmental
degradation. Starting out as a concern over the state of our physical environment, sustainability has
grown to include social equity, the economy, international and intergenerational justice, and
development among its many concerns (McFarlane and Ogazon, 2011). Ashford (2000) argues that
while awareness of sustainability itself has significantly increased over the years, our continuing
problems suggest that willingness, opportunity, or motivation to change is not enough for the actual
change needed. People and firms need to have the ability and the capacity to change as well. Thus,
focus has been shifted to integrating sustainability into the education curricula. McFarlane and
Ogazon (2011) express the need for more education from the lack of meaning that sustainability has
among “ordinary citizens” (p.83). They also express that we must become more educated on the
interrelatedness of our environment and our activities, as well as on the collective impact of our
actions on our ability to sustain ourselves without compromising the ability of future generations to
do the same. As the movement for sustainability continues, education plays a significant role in
helping to change our current mindset that threatens our survival.
Higher education institutions play a particularly important role in the promotion of sustainability
for a number of reasons. As highlighted by Littledyke et al. (2013), higher education institutions:
 Educate the next generation of individuals and professionals who could have a significant
influence on sustainability in professional and/or community settings.
 Provide research and teaching centers that could have an impact on the development and
improvement of sustainable practices and processes across all disciplines.
 Reach out to local and wider audiences, including stakeholders, through planned curriculum
and associated activities.
 Serve as a model to educate and influence university and community members through its
potential substantial impact on sustainability practice such as by minimizing its ecological
footprint.
LITERATURE REVIEW
There are several initiatives and organizations dedicated to the integration of sustainability
into higher education (see appendix A). One such initiative is the United Nations Decade of
Education for Sustainable Development (UN DESD), 2005-2014, whose goal is:
[…] to integrate the principles, values and practices of sustainable development into all aspects
of education and learning. This educational effort will encourage changes in behaviour that
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
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MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
will create a more sustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability and
a just society for present and future generations (UNESCO, 2010, p. 1).
Following the lead of this and other such initiatives, many higher education institutions have begun
or have fully integrated sustainability into their education curricula, research, operations, and
outreach (Ceulemans and De Prins, 2009). Although several frameworks exist for integrating
sustainability into education, a shared viewpoint among the literature (Ceulemans and De Prins,
2009; Cusick, 2008; Koehn and Uitto, 2014; Littledyke et al., 2013; McFarlane and Ogazon, 2011;
Rusinko, 2010; Savelyeva and McKenna, 2011) is that sustainability is multidisciplinary in nature.
Sustainability has many different facets, which are interconnected and can mean different things to
different people. Therefore, it is imperative to view sustainability as an “all-encompassing concept”
(McFarlane and Ogazon, 2011, p. 84).
In this regard, its multidisciplinary nature also poses as a challenge when integrating
sustainability into higher education. Several other challenges are highlighted below:
 Identifying a clear and appropriate definition of sustainability as it affects the underlying
philosophy that organizations use to achieve missions and goals (McFarlane and Ogazon,
2011).
 Existing national and cultural disposition to sustainability and other related issues (McFarlane
and Ogazon, 2011).
 Limitations of current education system, which rarely challenges prevailing paradigms
(McFarlane and Ogazon, 2011).
 Limited frame of reference or lack of knowledge about sustainability from teachers
(Ceulemans and De Prins, 2009).
 Lack of emphasis on sustainability as an important or core issue (Ceulemans and De Prins,
2009).
 Institutional limitations and limited resources such as teacher workload, implementation,
budget, and/or administration (Cusick, 2008).
Each institution should identify their specific challenges when beginning to integrate sustainability
into the curricula in order to find an approach that would be most appropriate for them. The
approach for integration has been a topic of debate for many scholars. While there are differences
among them, there seems to be several similarities as well. Several authors argue for a transdisciplinary approach that would go beyond the constraints of pre-existing models within disciplines
and allow for the integration and synthesis of concepts from across multiple disciplines (Ashford,
2004; Koehn and Uitto, 2014; Rusinko, 2010). Some authors also describe a trans-disciplinary
approach as extending beyond academic curricula. More hands-on learning would occur through
activities such as campus initiatives, outreach programs, research, and campus operations. The
university and the greater community would be more educated on making sustainability a way of life
(Cusick, 2008). McFarlane and Ogazon (2011) agree with this by stating that, “higher educational
institutions can have the greatest impact on sustainability and sustainability education by building
sustainable culture and philosophy” (p. 100). Another similarity in majority of the literature presents
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
a dichotomy between integrating sustainability as an additional topic, case or module in existing
courses or as a stand-alone course. Each has their advantages and disadvantages. A summary of
some of the major arguments for approaches to integration is provided in Appendix A.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
UH MANOA STANDING
Interested in how sustainability education would manifest at the University of Hawai‘i at
Mānoa (UHM), Cusick (2008) identified some of the ongoing efforts that serve to position UHM as a
leader in sustainability education in the local and regional community:
 Office of Sustainability created in 2002 with the mission is to coordinate campus
sustainability activities and initiatives.
 Charter for Sustainability adopted in 2003, which features 9 essential strategic goals developed
by faculty, staff, students and community members regarding sustainability. The last
strategic goal, “Teach the principles of sustainability,” was included in the UHM Institutional
Proposal prepared for WASC. The charter also speaks of a time when sustainability concepts
will be “at the core of all education, research, and outreach efforts.”
 UHM helped to develop the Hawai‘i 2050 Plan. A comprehensive, community-based
planning effort, which resulted in a long-range plan for the state and included concerns over
the future of our economy, society, and environment.
 Preliminary and ongoing sustainability projects and initiatives (i.e. a campus recycling
program, a campus buildings energy audit, a campus bicycle plan, green building design
elements in new facilities, Manoa Green Days, Kukui Cup, etc.)
Other efforts include:
 UHM signed the Talloires Declaration. Composed in 1990 at an international conference in
Talloires (pronounced Tal-Whar), France, it serves as the first official statement made by
university presidents, chancellors, and rectors of a commitment to environmental
sustainability in higher education.
Signatory List
 In 2013 was the 1st Annual Sustainability in Higher Education Summit. The goal is to establish
a statewide and UH System sustainability agenda that will provide individual campuses with
a framework for commitments and support campus efforts to move from vision to action.
Although several efforts have and continue to be made to integrate sustainability into the campus
culture, philosophy, and practice, work still needs to be done to integrate it into the UHM curricula.
Table 1 from Cusick (2008) lists some of the existing coursework at UHM by college or school that
correspond to education for sustainable development (ESD) themes. Cusick (2008) also mentions a
sustainability course designation and a certificate program as some of the future steps that will be
taken to do so.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
Table 1. ESD themes in existing coursework at UHM by colleges or school (Cusick, 2008).
SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION AT UHM PEER AND BENCHMARK INSTITUTIONS AND
OTHER INSTITUTIONS
This report should act as a supplement to the report on Interdisciplinary Sustainability
Degree/Program at UHM Peer and Benchmark Institutions. A look at UHM peer and benchmark
institutions along with other notable examples will help to determine where other institutions stand
and in some case their approach to integrating sustainability into their academic curricula. The
institutions included were the universities a part of the Ivy League (with the exception of
Dartmouth), 2 UHM peer institutions (Colorado State University – Fort Collins and Oregon State
University – Corvallis), 2 UHM benchmark institutions (University of Washington – Seattle and
University of California – Irvine), and notable institution Arizona State University. Dartmouth
University was excluded from this report, as they did not appear to have made significant progress in
integrating sustainability into their academic curricula as compared to the other institutions in this
report.
The main source of information for all schools was gathered directly from their institution’s
websites and individual sustainability websites. Information was also gathered from each
institution’s most recent Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) report
submission. STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to
measure their sustainability performance. All of the institutions included in this report are registered
STARS participants, although not all institutions had reports available. A lack of report is explainable
by a couple of reasons, the school has not yet submitted a report or has chosen to keep the report
private. It is interesting to note that although not included in this report, a vast majority of UHM
Peer and Benchmark Institutions have participated and submitted STARS reports. Ratings were
commonly Silver or Gold. Local institutions that participated include Hawaii Pacific University.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
There is also evidence that the UH system has looked into this program (see presentation by Leith
Sharp in the resources).
Search criteria for the sustainability curriculum involved the use of sustainability as a
keyword. Due to the multidisciplinary nature of sustainability, it is difficult to assess each
institution’s programs individually to determine if it covers sustainability. Thus, programs, courses,
departments, and degrees were determined based on their identification by the institution
themselves. The information provided from the literature review should act as a foundation for
integrating sustainability into higher education. Upon completion of the research it appears that all
institutions have used both the “horizontal integration” and “vertical integration” approach to one
extent or another. A good example of integrating sustainability education horizontally is seen at the
University of Pennsylvania. All teachers were recruited to review all courses and revise those that
could integrate sustainability. A good example of the vertical integration approach is seen at Arizona
State University. They provide a full degree program at all levels that focus particularly on
sustainability. Other schools offer courses across many disciplines and schools and also provide
degrees that are related to sustainability. Below is the full report:
SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION REPORT
INSTITUTION
SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT
CURRICULUM
IVY LEAGUE INSTITUTIONS
Harvard University
 271
sustainabilityrelated courses
 10 schools
 7 research areas
 5 master’s
degrees
 5 professional
certificates
 Registered for
STARS but no
report available
Yale University
Sustainability at Harvard is the main online resource for sustainability
activities at Harvard. In 2004, Harvard adopted a set of Sustainability
Principles that define the University’s vision for a healthier, more resilient
future and are intended to guide Harvard’s practices toward sustainability.
Their initiatives cover a range of topics such as academics & research,
community engagement, food, operations & maintenance, and others. Also
featured on the site is a Schools & Units section that covers that each of them
is doing in regards to sustainability.
In terms of curriculum, Harvard has a website with an updated list of
courses that relate to sustainability. A guided search provides the courses
listed by school, research area, or session. A keyword search allows
students to type in a subject of interest and all the courses that pertain to that
interest, and are related to sustainability, appears. Harvard does offer
degrees with a sustainability focus; however, they are only offered at the
graduate level.
Yale Sustainability is the online resource for sustainability at Yale.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
 273
sustainabilityfocused courses
 36 departments
 5 bachelor’s
degree programs
 5 master’s
degrees
 8 joint master’s
degrees with
different schools
 5 doctoral
degrees
 Silver STARS
rating
Brown University
University-wide sustainability efforts guided by strategic planning
documents aim to involve all members of the Yale community to create the
infrastructure and behaviors that support institutions goals. The
Sustainability Strategic Plan (2010-2013) focused on campus systems,
administrative systems, earth systems, education and engagement in order
to strengthen the foundation of the University’s sustainability commitment.
Campus Projects + Action page shows what Yale is doing in regards to
sustainability in each topic listed. There are also other tools and resources
available.
In terms of curriculum, Yale and the Office of Sustainability supports
the “Campus as a Living Lab” which encourages the use of Yale University
and the City of New Haven as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary
sustainability research. The intention is to foster applied academic
integration and the development and analysis of innovative approaches to a
variety of problems. Yale offers sustainability related degree programs at
the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. The possibilities include both
social and natural sciences and multidisciplinary tracks. The programs are
summarized here. An example is the Geology & Geophysics program,
which offers bachelor’s and doctoral level degrees. The undergraduate
program consists of five alternative tracks, defined by discipline. Joint
degrees are also available at the master’s level with the School of Forestry &
Environmental Studies and other schools. A list of all the sustainabilityfocused courses is available on a spreadsheet here.
Brown is Green (BiG) is Brown’s online resource to track their progress
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
 6 departments
 7 courses that
would provide a
solid base for
environmental
literacy
 Courses offered
related to
sustainability
 Concentration in
Environmental
Studies or
Environmental
Science that lead
to bachelor’s
degrees
 Registered for
STARS but no
report available
Columbia
University
 525
sustainabilityfocused courses
 95 departments
 11 bachelor’s
degree programs
 5 concentration
programs
 11 master’s
degrees
 8 doctoral
degrees
 5 graduate
certificates
 Gold STARS
rating
toward sustainability through academics, initiatives, research, community
projects, and the work of student groups. Available on their website is their
Annual Sustainability Progress Report. Also available is a timeline of their
environmental initiatives. In 2010, President Ruth Simmons signed the
ISCN-GULF Sustainable Campus Charter in order to “[align] its operations,
research, and teaching with the goal of sustainability”.
In terms of curriculum, Brown also encourages using the “Campus as a
Living Lab” for research and learning. A new Institute for the Study of
Environment and Society (ISES) will formally launch in the 2014-2015
academic year. The primary academic departments that host courses on
energy and the environment are Biology & Medicine, Chemistry,
Engineering, Environmental Studies, Geology, and Physics. The Center for
Environmental Studies (CES) lists seven “crosscutting” courses, which form
a solid base of environmental literacy, found here. They also list courses
that are relevant to sustainability education. Although there are a few
disciplines included in this list, it does not appear to be comprehensive.
There are courses in their course announcement, which are not on the CES
list, that appear to cover sustainability concepts. There is no listing of
degrees that are related to sustainability, but there are degrees offered with
the CES at the bachelor’s level. Undergraduate Brown students must
complete a concentration that will lead to a Sc.B. or A.B. degree and the CES
provides concentrations in Environmental Studies and Environmental
Science.
Environmental Stewardship is Columbia’s resource to achieve
sustainability goals. The office initiates, coordinates and implements
practical programs to reduce the University’s environmental footprint and
promotes a culture that values the environment and acts to protect it. Their
website lists all the different university initiatives in regards to
sustainability. They also have listed ways for the university community to
get involved.
In terms of curriculum, the Earth Institute offers a majority of the
sustainability related degrees. The institute is comprised of more that 30
research centers, 850 scientists, postdoctoral fellows, staff and students.
Some of the degrees are Environmental Biology (B.A.), Sustainable
Development (B.A.; Ph.D), Climate and Society (M.A.), or Earth and
Environmental Engineering (Ph.D.). Other degrees are housed in different
schools at Columbia, such as Environmental Chemistry (B.A.), Human
Rights (B.A.), or Urban Planning (M.S.; Ph.D.). Columbia has created a
guide to their environmental programs in environment and sustainable
development that gives an overview of their programs,
admissions/academic requirements, and faculty. Also available on a
spreadsheet is a course list of all their sustainability related courses.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
University of
Pennsylvania
(Penn)
 50 sustainabilityfocused courses
 143
sustainabilityrelated courses
 38 departments
 8 master’s
degrees
 Silver STARS
rating
Princeton
University
 108
sustainabilityfocused courses
 150
sustainabilityrelated courses
 27 departments
 2 undergraduate
certificates
 Silver STARS
rating
Dedicated to promoting a sustainable culture and implementing
environmentally-conscious policies, Penn’s President Gutmann signed the
American College and University President’s Climate Commitment
(ACUPCC) in 2007. In 2009, Penn’s Climate Action Plan was released,
intended to set concrete goals for the University for long-term sustainability.
The Penn Green Campus Partnership is Penn’s online resource for
sustainability activities on campus. It lists different initiatives, programs,
partners, and resources for sustainability efforts.
In terms of curriculum, Penn began the Integrating Sustainability Across
the Curriculum (ISAC) program in the Spring of 2012. Professors applied to
the program and participated in a one-day workshop aimed at integrating
sustainability into existing and new courses. Student interns were paired
with two faculty members each and worked during the summer to help
implement the workshop concepts and goals into the revision of an existing
class or the creation of an entirely new class. The resulting courses are listed
in their Sustainability Course Inventory. Organized by school, the list
features sustainability-focused and sustainability-related courses as defined
by AASHE. The definition basically describes sustainability-focused courses
as looking through a particular issue through the lens of sustainability, or to
concentrate on the concept of sustainability itself. Sustainability-related
courses only incorporate sustainability as a distinct part of the course, or
cover a single sustainability principle or issue. There is no comprehensive
list available that lists sustainability degrees offered by Penn. However,
there appears to be several programs at the bachelor’s and master’s level
offered that appear to include sustainability, such as Earth Science, Master of
Environmental Studies, Master in Environmental Building Design,
International Environmental Management, or Master of Organizational
Dynamics with a concentration in Sustainable Development.
Sustainability at Princeton is Princeton’s main resource for
sustainability activities. Different campus programs, events, initiatives,
student groups, and goal progress is featured here. Progress in emissions,
research and education, conservation, are among their immediate goals and
focus.
In terms of curriculum, Princeton supports the “Campus as a Living
Lab” initiative. Princeton also has a list of sustainability-focused courses
available here. There does not appear to be any undergraduate or graduate
degrees available related to sustainability. However, there are
undergraduate certificates available with the Princeton Environmental
Institute (PEI)in Environmental Studies and in Sustainable Energy. PEI is the
interdisciplinary center of environmental research, education, and outreach
at Princeton. Representing more than 25 academic disciplines, PEI functions
as a central resource for faculty, post docs, students, alumni, and others with
interests in environmental topics.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
Cornell University
 163
sustainabilityfocused courses
 268
sustainabilityrelated courses
 74 departments
 27+
undergraduate
majors in
sustainabilityrelated programs
 17+ minors in
sustainability
 65+ graduate
programs related
to sustainability
 Gold STARS
rating
Cornell Sustainability is Cornell’s main resource for sustainability
activities. The website provides different information on research,
education, campus, and outreach programs and initiatives. Cornell’s core
mission of education, research, and outreach is aided by their Climate
Action Plan Update & Roadmap 2014-2015. Their goal for emissions is to
cut net carbon emissions to zero.
In terms of curriculum, the Cornell David R. Atkinson Center for a
Sustainable Future (ACSF) provides a comprehensive list of their academic
offerings for sustainability. They have identified several different
undergraduate majors and minors related to sustainability. They also have
several graduate degree programs related to sustainability. A list of all of
their sustainability courses is listed here. They also differentiate between
sustainability-focused and sustainability-related courses. The ACSF was
created in 2008 by the Office of the Provost, following a cross-campus
dialogue on energy and sustainability. Featured programs for the center
include the Environmental Science and Sustainability Major, Minor in
Climate Change, and Earth-Energy Systems Graduate Education. Other
schools and departments at Cornell house their other sustainability majors,
minors, and graduate programs.
PEER INSTITUTIONS
Colorado State
University – Fort
Collins (CSU)
 282
sustainabilityfocused courses
 794
sustainabilityrelated courses
 8 colleges
 73 departments
(out of 75
departments)
 19
undergraduate
majors
Green Initiatives is CSU’s online resource for sustainability activities.
The website provides different news, events, research, collaborations,
resources, and initiatives going on at CSU. One news article reports that
CSU has achieved the highest score ever reported to STARS. CSU boasts a
holistic approach to sustainability that ranges from dining, transportation,
research, and outreach. They also boast a list of “firsts” and other initiatives
seen in a Compilation of Green Initiatives as of January 2011, which is
available here. CSU also has a Climate Action Plan (CAP) in response to the
ACUPCC.
In terms of curriculum, CSU has a School of Global and Environmental
Sustainability (SoGES). The school acts as an “umbrella” organization
encompassing all research and education that deals with the complex
environmental, economic, and societal issues of sustainability. The SoGES
focuses the education and research capabilities of eight colleges within CSU.
SoGES offers a Minor in Global Environmental Sustainability and also has a
list of GES endorsed courses. These courses are considered to have a strong
Global Environmental Sustainability content with an attribute in the online
course catalog. The School’s curriculum committee approves the endorsed
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
 6 undergraduate
minors
 Undergraduate
certificates
 22 graduate
programs
 Gold STARS
rating
Oregon State
University –
Corvallis (OSU)
 112
sustainabilityfocused courses
 164
sustainabilityrelated courses
 35 departments
 10
undergraduate
degree programs
 7graduate level
degree programs
 Gold STARS
rating
courses. CSU also offers a variety of sustainability-focused and
sustainability-related courses. A list of programs for undergraduate
students is available here. Programs for graduate students are listed here.
Sustainability at OSU is OSU’s online resource for sustainability
activities. The OSU Sustainability Office is housed in Facilities Services, part
of the Finance and Administration division. The Sustainability Office aims
to support OSU’s mission in the most sustainable way possible, to promote
economic, social, cultural, and environmental progress for the people of
Oregon, the nation, and the world. Functional areas include, operations,
outreach, planning, policy, and assessment, and student engagement and
academic support. Many projects and initiatives overlap multiple functional
areas. The sustainability website lists several of the initiatives, events, and
research around campus. Some awards and honors achieved by OSU are
listed here.
In terms or curriculum, OSU adopted Learning Goals for Graduates
that included Social Responsibility and Sustainability. Although not
embedded specifically into the language of every major, the Goals apply to
all OSU graduates. The goals include:
1) Competency and Knowledge in Multiple
Fields
2) Critical Thinking
3) Pluralism and Cultural Legacies
4) Collaboration
5) Social Responsibility and Sustainability
6) Communication
7) Self-Awareness and Life-Long Learning
Goal 5, Social Responsibility and Sustainability, states: "As an OSU
graduate, you will develop the capacity to construct an engaged,
contributing life, and to engage in actions that reflect an understanding of
the values of service, citizenship and social responsibility, and demonstrate
global competence by understanding the interdependent nature of local and
global communities.” There are programs with a sustainability focus
offered at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The undergraduate
programs include Ecological Engineering, Environmental Science,
Geography, Philosophy, Forest Management, among others. A
sustainability double degree is also offered by completing an additional 36
credits on top of the required 180 credits in another OSU major. The
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
graduate programs include Biological and ecological engineering, Natural
Resources, Applied Anthropology, and Marine Resource Management,
among others. OSU provides a comprehensive list of all the sustainability
courses offered at Corvallis, specifically, and other OSU campuses, which is
available here.
BENCHMARK INSTITUTIONS
University of
California – Irvine
(UCI)
 78 sustainabilityfocused courses
 68 sustainabilityrelated courses
 20 departments
 9 bachelor’s
degree
 7 undergraduate
minors
 4 master’s
degrees
 Gold STARS
rating
University of
Washington –
Seattle (UW)
 285
sustainabilityfocused courses
 294
sustainabilityrelated courses
 68 departments
 4 bachelor’s
degrees
UCIrvine Sustainability is UCI’s online resource for sustainability
activities. The website features five areas of focus: education, research,
sustainable campus, student involvement, and engagement. UCI is
committed to sustainable practices that minimize the campus’s “ecological
footprint” and conserve finite resources for future generations. The
Sustainability Initiative is also making engaged sustainability scholarship
and practice integral to UC Irvine’s excellence as a research and teaching
university. The mission is executed through services, programs
UCI provides a list of sustainability courses along with information
about sustainability courses that fulfill UCI’s undergraduate general
education requirements, available here. A comprehensive list of
sustainability-related degrees is available here. Some undergraduate majors
include, Environmental Science, Public Health Policy, Social Ecology, Urban
Studies, Civil Engineering, among others. The master’s degrees available
are in Civil Engineering, Urban and Regional Planning, Social Ecology, and
Public Health.
Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability is UW’s online resource
for sustainability activities. The website provides a look at UW
sustainability initiatives, research and academics, outreach, and engagement
activities. UW won the 2014 Excellence in Integration Award. The ISCN
award criteria evaluated schools that are demonstrating integration of
sustainability management in campus operations, research, and teaching
while producing positive impacts to the community. A list of other UW
Sustainability Awards & Recognitions is available here. UW is a founding
signatory to the ACUPCC and they have developed their own Climate
Action Plan (CAP). For progress and updates to the CAP, click here.
In terms of curriculum, UW offers a campus sustainability fund that
grant funds for student sustainability projects. They also have a curriculum
committee that formalized sustainability in the curriculum. A list of the
departments that provide courses related to the environment or
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
 9 master’s
degrees
 Gold STARS
rating
sustainability is available here. A comprehensive list of all sustainabilityrelated and sustainability-focused courses is available here. A distinction
made between the two is also made available. The list of majors with
sustainability was not available at the time of the report. However, there are
programs listed in their STARS report, for undergraduate and graduate.
OTHER
Arizona State
University (ASU)
 224
sustainabilityfocused courses
 491
sustainabilityrelated courses
 54 departments
 13 bachelor’s
degrees
 9 master’s
degrees
 3 doctoral
degrees
 Gold STARS
rating
The Global Institute of Sustainability is ASU’s main online resource for
sustainability activities. The website offers information about sustainability
activities and initiatives regarding education, research, practice, and
community. ASU launched its sustainable operations plan with the signing
of the ACUPCC. Four critical pillars focus the university’s effort: Climate
Neutrality, zero water/solid waste, active engagement, and principled
practice.
In terms of curriculum, has a School of Sustainability and Global
Institute of Sustainability is the first of its kind in the US. It offers both
undergraduate and graduate degrees in Sustainability. The School’s mission
is to bring together multiple disciplines and leaders to create and share
knowledge, train a new generation of scholars and practitioners, and
develop practical solutions to some of the most pressing environmental,
economic, and social challenges of sustainability, especially as they relate to
urban areas. ASU has been regarded as having one of the most complete
degree offerings in sustainability in the entire nation. There are a total of 5
degrees available at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level.
Additionally, ASU offers a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Leadership.
A list of the course offerings across the ASU campus with sustainability
content is available on a spreadsheet here. A list of sustainability-related
programs is available here.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
OTHER RESOURCES
 National and International Efforts of Sustainability in Higher Education, Leith Sharp, Keynote
Presentation at the 1st Annual Hawai‘i Sustainability in Higher Education Summit
 The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
 Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) (A program of AASHE)
o STARS Institutions: Participants & Reports
o Technical Manual for STARS credits
 Talloires Declaration (1990)
o Signatory List
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
REFERENCES
Ashford, N. A. (2000). “An innovation-based strategy for a sustainable environment” in
Hemmelskamp, J., Rennings, K. and Leone, F. (Eds). Innovation-Oriented Environmental
Regulation: Theoretical Approach and Empirical Analysis. ZEW Economic Studies. Springer Verlag.
Heidelberg, New York, NY, pp. 67-107.
Ashford, Nicholas A. (2004). "Major challenges to engineering education for sustainable
development: What has to change to make it creative, effective, and acceptable to the
established disciplines?." International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 5(3), 239-250.
Ceulemans, K., & De Prins, M. (2010). Teacher's manual and method for SD integration
in curricula. Journal of Cleaner Production, 18, 645-651.
Cusick, J. (2008). Operationalizing sustainability education at the University of Hawai'i
at Manoa. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 9(3), 245-256.
Koehn, P. H., & Uitto, J. I. (2014). Evaluating sustainability education: lessons from
international development experience. Higher Education, 67, 621-635.
Littledyke, M., Manolas, E., & Littledyke, R. A. (2013). A systems approach to higher
education for sustainability in higher education. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher
Education, 14(4), 367-383.
McFarlane, D. A., & Ogazon, A. G. (2011). The challenges of sustainability education.
Journal Of Multidisciplinary Research (1947-2900), 3(3), 81-107.
Rusinko, C. A. (2010). Integrating sustainability in higher education: a generic matrix.
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 11(3), 250-259.
Savelyeva, T., & McKenna, J. R. (2011). Campus sustainability: emerging curricula
models in higher education. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 12(1), 5566.
UNESCO (2010), “Education for sustainable development”, available at:
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-internationalagenda/education-for-sustainable-development/mission/ (accessed June 19, 2014).
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution