AASHE STARS Reporting

The STARS report is one of the key indicators we use to track success and progress in our sustainability programming, resources, and operations at 91心頭. Tracking over 2,000 pieces of data, the STARS report covers油all parts of campus from Admissions to Alumni Engagement, Facilities Management to Human Resources. Such thorough data collection allows us to油easily see that sustainability is not just the work of a few in specialized offices, but the work of everyone at 91心頭, no matter your role or title.油

The STARS report is broken into five key categories, each covering an油essential油part of the油university油and油looking at their contribution to a sustainable campus.油油

  • Academics

    At its core, a university revolves around the academic experience it can deliver to students, and so this is the first place STARS looks to rate its sustainability offerings. This油section is separated into two sub-sections: curriculum and research.油

    Curriculum:油assesses topics like the number of sustainability-focused and油sustainability-related courses油on campus, the number of majors, minors, and graduate programs related to sustainability, core learning objectives related to sustainability,油and other experiences offered to students.油

    Research:油assesses how many research projects on campus are focused on or related to sustainability, as well as support and access related to funding and other resources油for research.油

  • Engagement

    When students are not in the classroom, the university still provides rich and exciting opportunities for students to build community, find and pursue their passions, and油learn in hands-on and experiential ways. STARS looks at how these engagement opportunities educate and involve students油and staff alike油around sustainability油both on campus and with the wider public.油

    Campus Engagement:油assesses resources and education opportunities during such activities as student orientation and new staff orientation,油as well as the existence of staff development opportunities,油peer education programs for students and staff, and studies that investigate the campus culture around sustainability.油油

    Public Engagement:油assesses the degree to which the university engages with other universities, community partners, and public policy conversations.油This section also looks at continuing education opportunities for community members as well as campus participation in community service.油

  • Operations

    The energy and resources used to run a university campus every day油are not always油visible but油are key indicators of whether the university is油pursuing a sustainable infrastructure to support its programming.油STARS assesses many aspects of campus operations, looking at nine different sub-categories油from food service and waste practices to energy use, the built environment, and water consumption.油

    Air and油Climate:油assesses whether the university conducts a carbon emissions inventory and gives credit to decreases in carbon emissions over time.油

    Buildings:油assesses油adherence油to LEED standards to buildings on campus油and how buildings are operated and managed from a facilities point of view.油

    Energy:油assesses how much clean and renewable energy the campus uses,油as well as the energy efficiency with which buildings on campus operate day-to-day.油

    Food and油Dining:油assesses where, how, and what kinds of food are油purchased油for the university and to what degree those foods are sustainable.油

    赫姻看顎稼糸壊:油assesses油how the university approaches managing the landscape on campus and tracks the biodiversity represented in plantings and habitats for animals.油

    Purchasing:油assesses guidelines in place by the university to guide purchasing of electronics, cleaning supplies, paper, and more general purchasing practices.油

    Transportation:油assesses how many members of the campus community get to campus without use of a single occupancy vehicle, the makeup of the campus fleet, and what support exists to make sustainable commuting choices more accessible.油

    Waste:油assesses how much of the campus waste generated is diverted away from landfills to be either composted or recycled, and general practices around disposal of construction waste and hazardous waste materials.油

    安温岳艶姻:油assesses油how much water is used on campus both indoors and outdoors, as well as the existence of a rainwater management plan for campus.油

  • Planning and Administration

    This section explores some of the aspects of sustainability that go beyond work, offices,油and efforts that have the word sustainability in their names, rather looking at equity, access, and well-being within the campus community. A community, campus, or society cannot be sustainable if it is not also油a油just and equitable油place where all can thrive and be treated with dignity.油油

    Coordination and油Planning:油assesses the degree to which members of the campus community come together to collaborate and make space for sustainability to thrive in all parts of campus,油who is invited to the table to make decisions, and to whom these decisions are reported.油

    Diversity and油Affordability:油assesses the degree to which members of the campus community come together to collaborate and make space for diversity and equity to thrive in all parts of campus, whether and how diversity is assessed, what resources and supports exist for underrepresented members of the community, and油how affordable the campus is for underrepresented and under-resourced students.油

    Investment and油Finance:油assesses油where and how the university invests its endowment, how public that information is, and whether the university has made a commitment to invest in sustainable, responsible, and ethical portfolios.油油

    Wellbeing and油Work:油assesses whether university staff and faculty receive fair compensation, employee satisfaction with the university, the existence and use of staff and student wellness programs, and油guidelines for health and safety at work for staff.油

  • Innovation

    As campus sustainability programs grow and mature, they face problems and create solutions that are unique to their circumstances, create programs that are deeply place-based, and go above and beyond the listed criteria for other STARS credits. This油section allows campuses to highlight these unique and creative solutions to receive bonus points on their report.油