FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Andrea Huggins
Programs Marketing Manager
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
(888) 347-9997
andrea.huggins@aashe.org
The latest publication recognizes the most sustainable institutions overall and in 17 sustainability impact areas.
August 26, 2019 (Philadelphia, PA) – The Sustainable Campus Index, an annual publication by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), recognizes top-performing colleges and universities overall and in 17 sustainability impact areas, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). The report also highlights innovative and high-impact initiatives from institutions that submitted STARS reports in the most recent calendar year.
Institutions that achieved the top spot overall according to institution type include:
- Associate Colleges – Nova Scotia Community College
- Baccalaureate Institutions – Colby College
- Master’s Institutions – Thompson Rivers University
- Doctoral Institutions – Stanford University
Institutions that achieved the top spot in each sustainability topic area are listed below. The full list of top performers is provided in the report.
- Air & Climate – Colby College and Université Laval (tie)
- Buildings – University of California, Merced
- Campus Engagement – Berea College
- Coordination & Planning – Thompson Rivers University and University of Alberta (tie)
- Curriculum – Northland College
- Diversity & Affordability – Stanford University
- Energy – Thompson Rivers University
- Food & Dining – University of Winnipeg
- Grounds – Cascadia College and Chatham University (tie)
- Investment & Finance – University College Cork – National University of Ireland
- Public Engagement – Colorado State University
- Purchasing – Dalhousie University
- Research – Binghamton University; Florida State University; University of California, Irvine; University of California, Merced; University of California, San Diego (tie)
- Transportation – Columbia University
- Waste – New Mexico State University
- Water – Colorado College, San Francisco State University, University of Connecticut (tie)
- Wellbeing & Work – The American College of Greece
“The institutions being recognized as top performers in this year’s Sustainable Campus Index exemplify the leadership higher education institutions are showing in addressing sustainability challenges,” said AASHE’s Executive Director, Meghan Fay Zahniser.
STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework developed by AASHE for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. With over 900 participating institutions, STARS is the leading tool for measuring higher education sustainability performance. 164 reports were submitted in the most recent calendar year, resulting in a 27 percent increase over the previous year and a fifth consecutive year of growth. All reports are publicly accessible on the STARS website.
About AASHE
AASHE empowers higher education administrators, faculty, staff and students to be effective change agents and drivers of sustainability innovation. AASHE enables members to translate information into action by offering essential resources and professional development to a diverse, engaged community of sustainability leaders. We work with and for higher education to ensure that our world’s future leaders are motivated and equipped to solve sustainability challenges. For more information, visit www.aashe.org. Follow AASHE on Facebook and Twitter.
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