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 快活app. Tracking over 2,000 pieces of data, the STARS report covers听all parts of campus 鈥 from Admissions to Alumni Engagement, Facilities Management to Human Resources. Such thorough data collection allows us to听easily see that sustainability is not just the work of a few in specialized offices, but the work of everyone at 快活app, no matter your role or title.听

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

  • 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听section is separated into two sub-sections: curriculum and research.听

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

    Research:听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听for research.听

  • 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听learn in hands-on and experiential ways. STARS looks at how these engagement opportunities educate and involve students听and staff alike听around sustainability听both on campus and with the wider public.听

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

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

  • Operations

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

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

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

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

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

    骋谤辞耻苍诲蝉:听assesses听how the university approaches managing the landscape on campus and tracks the biodiversity represented in plantings and habitats for animals.听

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

    Transportation:听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.听

    Waste:听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.听

    奥补迟别谤:听assesses听how much water is used on campus both indoors and outdoors, as well as the existence of a rainwater management plan for campus.听

  • Planning and Administration

    This section explores some of the aspects of sustainability that go beyond work, offices,听and efforts that have the word 鈥渟ustainability鈥 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听a听just and equitable听place where all can thrive and be treated with dignity.听听

    Coordination and听Planning:听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,听who is invited to the table to make decisions, and to whom these decisions are reported.听

    Diversity and听Affordability:听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听how affordable the campus is for underrepresented and under-resourced students.听

    Investment and听Finance:听assesses听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.听听

    Wellbeing and听Work:听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听guidelines for health and safety at work for staff.听

  • 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听section allows campuses to highlight these unique and creative solutions to receive bonus points on their report.听