Tracking progress: Development and use of sustainability indicators in campus planning and management.

Institutions of higher education (IHE) are under significant pressure by current trends to demonstrate and validate their sustainability efforts in meaningful ways both internally and to their community constituents. This dissertation investigates the challenges in measuring the current set of actions at universities and seeks information that can be used to correct and improve processes involved with sustainability efforts, especially in measuring progress and supporting decision making process in university operations. There are three lines of research in this dissertation. The first is a literature review which examines sustainability trends and actions at institutions of higher education across the United States, including institutional experience in developing indicator programs. The second is the development and administration of a web-based survey to capture the opinions and information on current sustainability practices at institutions of higher education. The third line was to conduct case study research at three universities: California State University-Chico, the University of Florida, and Arizona State University. The case studies examined the issues in the development and use of sustainability ability indicators for campus planning and management among other salient issues. The web-based survey showed that while many institutions are currently engaged in sustainable activities, it is still a rapidly increasing field and the activities are not consistent among places. The more recent enactment of the American College and Universities Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) seems to have created a catalyst for action. The research suggests that evidence of certain sustainability elements offers the best chance for full integration of sustainability principles in campus planning. These include: leadership commitment; strategic planning; culture; communication; a sustainability office or professional; dispersed supporters; grassroots activities; a feedback mechanism; and directionally correct action. A foundation of these elements can lead institutions into action, assessments, and indicators. The case studies reveal that assessments of sustainability initiatives help institutions progress in their integration of sustainability principles on campus by providing an opportunity for discussion and reflection on their findings. These cases show that assessments can provide a catalytic momentum, or simply support the argument that sustainability must be integrated within the institution.