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Leading institutions of higher education are increasingly utilizing the campus as a laboratory not only for implementing "green projects" but also for developing the skill set of students to lead the deep organizational change necessary for sustainability. This case study of "Sustainability and the Campus" at the University of Michigan, one of the most established and largest interdisciplinary campus sustainability courses, assesses this skill building through surveys, participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups. The sample includes 64 current and former students and 11 staff who served as project sponsors. The results reveal that while student learning and project "success" are not directly correlated, students gain a deep understanding of change management complexity and build leadership skills as well as confidence while bolstering their resumes. From a staff perspective, benefits flow as much from the interaction with students, in terms of building mutual respect and shared understanding, as from the direct outcomes. While student labor is not "free" in terms of time and energy, there is no substitute for the enthusiasm, creativity, and perspective that students bring to campus sustainability projects when coupled with the appropriate scope, expectations, and communication. Key factors for project and course success include: active instructor engagement in group dynamics and project management, carefully managing student and staff expectations, and designing projects while simultaneously planning follow-up. Using systems thinking for organizational change as the linking concept between class sessions and group projects provides intellectual continuity and an opportunity for expansive thinking about leadership and change management.

This paper analyzes recent efforts to measure sustainability in higher education across institutions. The benefits of cross-institutional assessments include: identifying and benchmarking leaders and best practices; communicating common goals, experiences, and methods; and providing a directional tool to measure progress toward the concept of a "sustainable campus". Ideal assessment tools identify the most important attributes of a sustainable campus, are calculable and comparable, measure more than eco-efficiency, assess processes and motivations and are comprehensible to multiple stakeholders. The cross-institutional assessment tools reviewed in this paper vary in terms of stage of development and closeness to the "ideal tool". These tools reveal (through their structure and content) the following critical parameters to achieving sustainability in higher education: decreasing throughput; pursuing incremental and systemic change simultaneously; including sustainability education as a central part of curricula; and engaging in cross-functional and cross-institutional efforts. (Contains 1 table and 2 footnotes.)

Summarizes a study which provides a framework upon which to base management for sustainability in the University of Michigan's Housing Division. Discusses three reasons why organizations should be interested in pursuing sustainability management: morality and intergenerational equity; survival; and organizational benefits and risks. Proposes a sustainability mission statement for Housing and assesses five operational areas and six decision-making areas in terms of environmental impact (specific audit data are presented) and prospects for sustainability management. Presents summaries of all findings, as well as more detailed descriptions of dining and staffing assessments. Concludes that management for sustainability must be holistic, systemic and integrative. Major recommendations include appointing a sustainability coordinator and/or task group; conducting sustainability audits; training staff on sustainability; using full-cost accounting and life-cycle assessment as decision-making tools; creating an environmental procurement program; forming a sustainable dining team; involving outside entities in sustainability efforts; and developing partnerships for material reuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]