Contact: Margo Whitmire, Publications Coordinator
Phone: (859) 258.2551 ext. 118
Email: margo@aashe.org

AASHE Releases 2009 Annual Report

June 24, 2010; Denver, CO – The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) has released the AASHE 2009 Annual Report, highlighting the growth of the association amid a harsh economic climate. Despite the recession, AASHE’s membership grew by 17 percent in 2009. This rise illustrates a thriving interest in campus sustainability as campus membership—the largest segment—increased by 23 percent.

“The ability of AASHE to continue to grow during these times is a strong indicator of the importance of sustainability to higher education,” said AASHE Executive Director Paul Rowland. “AASHE clearly plays an important role in helping institutions learn from one another in planning and implementing campus sustainability.”

The 16-page report, available free from the AASHE website, includes highlights from AASHE’s continued efforts to empower higher education to lead the sustainability transformation. Of particular interest are the following accomplishments in 2009:

  *AASHE launched its Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS), which provides institutions with a standardized and comprehensive way to assess their progress toward sustainability. After three years of developing, seeking input, and piloting early versions, more than 100 institutions joined STARS as Charter Participants.

  *AASHE rolled out the Business Alliance Program, offering business members three progressive levels of involvement in AASHE. By year’s end, one company had joined at the highest level and nearly 50 companies joined at the basic level.

  *Through a partnership with Second Nature, with funding from the Kresge Foundation, AASHE was able to reach out to under-resourced institutions (Title III and V) with a 60 percent membership discount. Nearly 50 of these institutions joined AASHE, leading to the campaign’s continuation in 2010.

Also in 2009, AASHE continued its work in climate action and with the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), developing several resources for campuses as well as the ACUPCC Reporting Tool. AASHE was honored (with ACUPCC partners Second Nature and Eco-America) at the Greenbuild Conference with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership Award for Non-Governmental Organizations.

About AASHE
AASHE, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, is an association of colleges and universities that are working to create a sustainable future. Our mission is to empower higher education to lead the sustainability transformation. We do this by providing resources, professional development, and a network of support to enable institutions of higher education to model and advance sustainability in everything they do, from governance and operations to education and research. More information about AASHE membership is available at www.aashe.org/membership.