Neumann University has joined the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) to further campus efforts toward building a thriving, equitable and ecologically just world.
AASHE is an association of more than 900 colleges, businesses, nonprofits and other organizations that are working to create a sustainable future. Through membership in AASHE, Neumann will receive support through workshops, webinars, toolkits, an online community of sustainability officers, and an online resource library to advance its sustainability initiatives throughout the institution and in the community.
“Neumann University has been working for many years on its commitment to sustainability as part of our Franciscan commitment to care for creation. In the past few years, NU’s Sustainability Advisory Council (formerly the Care for Creation Advisory Council) has been educating the Neumann community regarding various sustainability issues, including recycling, reducing non-biodegradable containers, eliminating plastic straws, and composting,” said Gene McWilliams, vice president for finance and administration.
“We work closely with the local Aston community and the organizations servicing our campus, such as Aramark and Sodexo. As a member of AASHE, we will further expand our sustainability efforts,” he added.
The co-chairs of the Sustainability Advisory Council are Jessica Webster, staff representative, Sr. Mary Ann McCarthy, NIFS liaison, and Dr. Etsuko Hoshino-Browne, faculty representative.
AASHE enables higher education institutions to meet their sustainability goals by providing specialized resources, professional development, and a network of peer support and knowledge sharing. Membership covers every individual at an institution, so the entire campus community can take advantage of member benefits.
“AASHE counts on the support of progressive institutions like Neumann University to fulfill its mission to inspire and catalyze higher education to lead the global sustainability transformation,” said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “As laboratories for experimentation and innovation, higher education institutions have a unique opportunity to make sustainability part of everyone’s agenda.”
Zahniser invites Neumann students, faculty and staff to visit the AASHE website and create an account. “This will allow everyone to take advantage of the member only resources, free webinars and discounts to our annual conference,” she explained.
Among AASHE’s major programs is the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS®), a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. Through such programs, AASHE empowers higher education faculty, administrators, staff and students to be effective change agents and drivers of sustainability innovation.
A Philadelphia-based association with members in 20 countries, AASHE defines sustainability in an inclusive way, encompassing human and ecological health, social justice, secure livelihoods and a better world for all generations.