Join Us in Building New Partnerships for Sustainability between the Higher Education Institutions of Kansas!

About the 2010 Conference

This year's sustainability conference at K-State will focus on sharing ideas and building new networks across Kansas in the higher education community. Sustainability has become a very important word in the life of universities, but we need effective partnerships to bring meaning to that word. In the overlap between environmental stewardship, smart planning, and saving money on resource costs, universities have a responsibility to serve their own needs and those of society. They can bring action on their own campuses that radiates outward through our partnerships and outreach.

Sustainability in higher education encompasses many overlapping spheres of concern and effort, and we hope to feature useful case studies in each of these areas:

Sustainability Definition:
Balancing environmental, social, and economic/financial priorities in equal regard in decision-making and development; valuing longevity/durability, resilience to change, adaptability, renewability, and/or self-sufficiency in simultaneously environmental, social, and economic terms.

• campus operations and management
• teaching and learning
• innovative research
• outreach and informational exchange
• student services and student life
• leadership and public relations
• partnerships and networks among schools
• and more

We would like this year's conference to cover as many of these areas as is feasible, and we would also like to include discussion about how the higher education community in Kansas can cooperate more effectively toward serving statewide needs.

Much of the feedback from last year's conference indicated a need for more applied talks – information that your higher education colleagues (faculty, staff, and/or students) can use in their own work. We strongly encourage prospective presenters to organize their content with this in mind. Topics areas may include environmental quality, energy, health/well-being, theory/ethics, environment, policy, collaborations/networking or other.

Who Should Attend

• University students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and interested stakeholders
• Extension agents
• Leaders in education, commerce, government, and non-profit entities