Business professor Laura Matheson has been selected as an advisor for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) to provide advice and guidance on high-level strategy as well as programs and services.
Conestoga College business professor Laura Matheson has been selected as an advisor for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) to provide advice and guidance on high-level strategy as well as programs and services.
This past fall, Conestoga became a member of AASHE, the leading professional association for support of campus-wide sustainability.
Matheson applied to become part of the association’s advisory council and was pleased to take on this additional role as sustainability is both a professional and personal value.
“There are countless ways that Conestoga champions campus sustainability and many opportunities to build on this incredible work to increase our positive impact. Participating on the advisory council provides a means for sharing experiences, forging new partnerships, and learning from sustainability leaders as we work to accelerate action at our institution,” Matheson said.
AASHE membership gives college staff and students free access to sustainability resources by signing up on the association’s website. “My goal for the institution would be that all college members are aware of the incredible resources that AASHE provides and that anyone who is interested in infusing sustainability through their work or within their studies will consider joining this network.”
Matheson is currently leading the development of Conestoga’s sustainability action plan, which aims to position the college as a leader in campus sustainability. Work started in 2022 on the comprehensive sustainability plan that will outline strategies to infuse sustainability principles into academic programs, research endeavours, operational procedures and governance. The plan, being developed with the support of a sustainability consulting firm Intelligent Futures, is on schedule to be completed this year.
“We are currently wrapping up the first phase of the work, which included consulting with hundreds of college members through a survey, workshops, and interviews. The response was incredible,” Matheson said. “We appreciate the interest, support, and commitment from individuals across the college and look forward to developing a plan that reflects our communities’ collective aspirations.”
Phase two of the project, plan development, is slated to begin later this month. “As an institution, I think we have an opportunity and responsibility to lead by example. We can help to shape better futures for individuals, the communities we serve and beyond, and our sustainability plan will support this effort,” Matheson said.
While the college’s commitment to sustainability is great for the environment, it’s also essential to attract talent and students. Students look at an institution’s approach to sustainability when deciding what college or university to attend and, increasingly, graduates are required to demonstrate competency around sustainability.
The good thing about sustainability is there are things everyone can do and it doesn’t require radical changes, but rather a more thoughtful and intentional approach. “That is the big piece: changing mindsets. And that’s really what all this comes down to is just getting people to think different,” Matheson said.