For media inquiries, contact:

Paul Rowland, Executive Director
AASHE
paul.rowland@aashe.org
303.605.3534

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New STARS Quarterly Review Showcases Growth of STARS Participants

DENVER, Colo. (April 4, 2012) –The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) has launched its first Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) Quarterly Review, capturing the insights and knowledge gained by the 177 institutions that have earned a STARS rating through March 1, 2012. This is an almost 250 percent increase from the 37 rated institutions in April 2011.

The STARS Reports submitted by institutions represent hundreds of data points and thousands of best practices and lessons learned. With the tremendous growth in the number of institutions participating (282 institutions participating as of March 1), AASHE will now be releasing quarterly analyses of STARS data that capture and share the latest findings on campus sustainability trends.

The complete Review, in addition to each individual institution’s STARS Report, may be accessed from the STARS website: stars.aashe.org.

“The STARS Quarterly Review provides a wealth of information about the state of campus sustainability,” said AASHE Executive Director Paul Rowland. “Case studies, best practices, exemplary programs, and interesting facts can all be found in the document. We hope that it will inspire continued growth of sustainability efforts in higher education.”

Of particular note are the following findings:

• Of the 282 STARS Institutions, 158 have signed the American College and Universities Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC)
• 23 STARS Institutions were Canadian, and nine additional institutions from eight different countries had registered for the STARS International Pilot
• 50 percent of Rated Institutions earned a STARS Silver rating
• Institutions claimed the most points with an average score of 57.8 percent in the Planning, Administration & Engagement (PAE) category
• The Grounds subcategory was the highest scoring area within the Operations category with institutions claiming 71 percent of the available points

Launched by AASHE in early 2010, STARS is the only system of its kind that involves public reporting of comprehensive information related to a college’s or university’s sustainability performance. STARS provides institutions with a standardized assessment tool to measure their sustainability performance. The system includes 139 environmental, economic, and social indicators, which are divided into four categories related to campus activities: Education & Research, Operations, Planning, Administration & Engagement, and Innovation. All of the requirements for evaluating and scoring an institution are transparent and made publicly available.

STARS is a self-reporting system, which is open to all institutions of higher education. Participants collect data that fulfill the criteria for STARS credits and submit their data through an online Reporting Tool. Once the institution’s report is submitted, it receives a Reporter, Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum Rating and the STARS Report becomes publicly available for viewing on the STARS website. Prior to becoming public, the STARS Report requires sign off by the institution’s highest ranking executive.

The STARS Program provides ongoing opportunities for institutions to participate. Registration information and additional details on the program are available on the STARS website, stars.aashe.org.

About AASHE
AASHE is helping to create a brighter future of opportunity for all by advancing sustainability in higher education. By creating a diverse community engaged in sharing ideas and promising practices, AASHE provides administrators, faculty, staff and students, as well as the business that serve them, with: thought leadership and essential knowledge resources; outstanding opportunities for professional development; and a unique framework for demonstrating the value and competitive edge created by sustainability initiatives. For more information about AASHE, visit www.aashe.org.