Resources

SIU Carbondale is proud to be a member of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).  AASHE is an organization bringing together colleges, universities, and business affiliates from across the nation who are active in implementing sustainable projects, curriculum and policies in institutions of higher education.  AASHE also administers the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS), which is a self-reporting tool for universities to track campus sustainability performance; view our STARS report

AASHE’s website contains resources for students, faculty, administrators, and supporters of sustainability across the country, including the initiatives that other colleges have done to improve sustainability on their campuses.  We are proud to be a part of this network, and have a lot to offer other universities due to the implementation of our Green Fee!   We suggest looking at the AASHE website if you are looking for ideas for Green Fund projects.

Additionally, AASHE hosts a conference each year where students, faculty and administrators gather to share ideas, present their research, and attend seminars to bring sustainable practices back to their campuses.

Check out the ideas below to help incorporate sustainability into your curriculum! If you are an instructor and have an exercise or lesson related to sustainability, please share it with us! In addition, if you have any questions about sustainable curriculum let us know, we would be happy to assist you.

Campus resources for Instructors:

First Friday Green Tour: On our Friday Green Tours, students enjoy a campus-wide walk to experience sustainability projects first hand. Instructors are encouraged to engage their students with these educational and fun tours, as an extra credit. (If you request it, we will send you a list of students who attended our tour.)

Saluki Green Action Team (SGAT): Some faculty have leveraged this program, including it on their syllabus, D2L page, or other course materials. Students have used the program for project and paper ideas. 

Outreach: We collaborate with units around campus and organizations in and around the southern Illinois region. We are available to advise you on programming, classes, or other sustainability related concepts!

More resources:

• Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Academic Commons
  
• Center for Sustainable Systems Teaching Resources
  
• Journal of Sustainability Education
  
• Center for Ecoliteracy
  
• Sustainability Curriculum in Higher Education

Books on Sustainability curriculum and higher education:

• Aber, John, Tom Kelly and Bruce Mallory, Eds. The Sustainable Learning Community: One University’s Journey to the Future. New Hampshire, 2009.
• Kahn, Richard. Critical Pedagogy, Ecoliteracy, and Planetary Crisis: the Ecopedagogy Movement. Peter Lang Publishing, 2010.
• M’Gonigle, Michael and Justine Starke. Planet U: Sustaining the World, Reinventing the University. New Society Publishers, 2006.
• Murray, Paul. The Sustainable Self: A Personal Approach to Sustainability Education. Earthscan, 2011.
• Rappaport, Ann and Sarah Hammond Creighton. Degrees that Matter: Climate Change and the University. MIT Press, 2007.
• Stibbe, Arran. The Handbook of Sustainability Literacy: Skills for a Changing World. Green Books Press, 2010.

At SIU, we strive to cultivate a lifelong appreciation for sustainability, and hope that the work that students and faculty do here on campus translates to their everyday lives for years to come. For those interested in the sustainability field, we have provided some beneficial resources below, including relevant comments from current Salukis and alumni!

Employers are seeking to retain persons who have knowledge of sustainability:

 "Sustainability has helped me hone in on my love for people and the environment. Working at the SIU sustainability Office allowed me to acquire skills that helped me gain a position after graduate school. I was fortunate to have a supervisor that not only guided me, but also gave me the freedom to pursue new ideas about program and events I had for the office."

- Cami Sockow, Sustainability Program Coordinator at Georgia Southern University, Former SIU Sustainability GA 

 "During the interview, the hiring manager thought my involvement with sustainability was a plus because sustainability impacts are defining the future of the aviation industry."

- Derick Chick, Aviation Intern, Former SIU Sustainability GA

 "When applying to jobs, if I got a call back for an interview, it was almost always thanks to my sustainability internship! In today's market, employers are really expecting new graduates to have a good understanding of sustainability, because they know it will help their business thrive."

- Julia Sanabria, Environmental Management Apprentice with Compass Minerals, Former Sustainability Fellow

 “Sustainability opens doors for students in all disciplines. I know students from majors across campus who have expanded their skills by gaining knowledge about sustainability.  From automotive technology to zoology, with business, journalism, recreation, and everything in between - sustainability helps students have that "edge" in the job market. It's that extra expertise that others within their major might not have.”

- Dr. Leslie A. Duram, Director of the Environmental Studies Program

SIU Carbondale offers many funding opportunities to students for research, travel, and development of sustainable ideas.  Below are a few resources that students should keep in mind when brainstorming for ways to make our campus and community greener and more sustainable.

• REACH Awards

Each year, the Sustainability Council partners with the Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities to fund two sustainability-specific research, creativity, and scholarly project awards for undergraduate students.

• Saluki Idea Competition

In the past, students and student-led teams have competed for monetary awards for commercially-viable and technology-based ideas that provide a social and/or environmental impact. The Sustainability Council was a co-sponsor for the Saluki Idea Competition for two years.