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Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS)

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STARS Pilot Project Results and Feedback (pdf)

STARS is a voluntary, self-reporting framework for gauging relative progress toward sustainability for colleges and universities. The development of STARS is guided by a Steering Committee, Strategic Advisors, and Technical Advisors. 

STARS is designed to:

  1. Provide a guide for advancing sustainability in all sectors of higher education.
  2. Enable meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions by establishing a common standard of measurement for sustainability in higher education.
  3. Create incentives for continual improvement toward sustainability.
  4. Facilitate information sharing about higher education sustainability practices and performance.
  5. Build a stronger, more diverse campus sustainability community.


Current Version

STARS 0.5 (pdf) was released on April 10, 2008. 

STARS 0.5 was open for public comment from April 10 to May 30, 2008.  Feedback received is compiled in this feedback document (pdf). 

Institutions participating in the Pilot Project used the STARS Guide to Pilot Phase One (pdf) and STARS Guide to Pilot Phase Two (pdf).  Detailed results from the Pilot Project are included in this document (pdf). 


Get Involved

STARS is a highly collaborative project. Volunteer representatives from colleges and universities, higher education associations, related nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government agencies are helping shape STARS. Participation from all stakeholders is welcome. Learn more about how to get involved.


Pilot Project

Nearly 70 colleges and universities tested STARS during the pilot period. Over the course of 2008 they provided feedback to AASHE to help inform future versions of STARS. Learn more about the pilot project.


Media Coverage

National, regional, local, and campus newspapers and blogs have covered STARS.  View STARS media coverage. 


Learn More