Sterling College has again earned a STARS Gold Rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education.
Sterling College’s STARS report is publicly available on the STARS website: https://stars.aashe.org/institutions/sterling-college-vt/report/2016-01-28/
Sterling’s STARS score jumped from 67.2 in 2015 to 75.2 in 2016, thanks, in part, to a more thorough assessment of the campus’s air and climate and community outreach, as well as the College’s continuing leadership in dining services. For the second consecutive year, Sterling College is the #1 campus for real food in the country. With this new score, Sterling College has one of the highest ratings in Vermont.
“With this rating, Sterling College once again demonstrates that we believe in our environmental stewardship values deeply and authentically,” said Sterling College President Matthew Derr. “Because the core of the Sterling experience is linked to stewardship of our air, water, soil, food systems, and climate, we expect every member of this campus—faculty, student, and staff member alike—to work for the most sustainable and ecologically-focused choices we can make in every area we can.”
With more than 650 participants on six continents, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in four overall areas: 1) operations, 2) academics, 3) engagement, and 4) planning, administration.
“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “Sterling College has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Gold Rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”
Unlike other rating or ranking systems, this program is open to all institutions of higher education, and the criteria that determine a STARS Rating are transparent and accessible to anyone. Because STARS is a program based on credits earned, it allows for both internal comparisons as well as comparisons with similar institutions.
