Campus Sustainability Plans: A Descriptive Analysis of Sustainability Plans from Institutions of Higher Education in the United States
Abstract
As the sustainability movement gains traction around the globe, institutions of
higher education are increasingly being looked to for leadership. One established method
of improving a campus’s environmental, economic, and social impact is through the
creation of a campus sustainability plan. Very little research has been conducted on the
quality and content of these plans. The purpose of this study is to describe the different
themes and elements included in campus sustainability plans from colleges and
universities across the United States. This was done through a systematic document
analysis of 155 U.S. campus sustainability plans. Results of the study indicate that most
plans are strong in the environmental sphere of sustainability but lacking in the social and
economic spheres. It was also found that the topics of engagement, academics, and
operations are more frequently discussed than administration, research, or equity.
Finally, suggestions for improving the quality of campus sustainability plans are provided
for institutions of higher education wishing to create or update their own plan. These
suggestions include the engagement of stakeholders in both the plan creation process and
the plan implementation process, buy-in from executive leadership, the inclusion of a
publication date and revision history, a description of the plan author(s) and the writing
process including stakeholder engagement, a definition of terms, ties to the institutional
mission, and the use of SMART goals.
