Sterling College has earned a STARS Gold Rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from theAssociation for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education. This is Sterling College’s first time participating in STARS. The College’s STARS report is publicly available on the STARS website:
https://stars.aashe.org/institutions/sterling-college-vt/report/2015-02-17/
"With a forty years as a pioneer in environmental stewardship education, Sterling has always had at its core a deep commitment to sustainability,” said Sterling College President Matthew Derr. “The community can rightly be proud that in our first year of participation, Sterling was recognized with a STARS Gold Rating, but most importantly, that we recognize and are preparing graduates to address the critical challenges facing the natural world and humanity in the 21st century.”
With more than 650 participants on six continents, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in four overall areas: 1) operations 2) academics, 3) engagement and 4) planning, administration.
“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “Sterling College has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Gold Rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”
Unlike other rating or ranking systems, this program is open to all institutions of higher education, and the criteria that determine a STARS Rating are transparent and accessible to anyone. Because STARS is a program based on credits earned, it allows for both internal comparisons as well as comparisons with similar institutions.
ABOUT STERLING COLLEGE:
Founded in 1958 in Craftsbury Common, Vermont, Sterling College is the leading voice in higher education for environmental stewardship. The College was among the first colleges in the United States to focus on sustainability through academic majors in Ecology, Environmental Humanities, Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems, and Outdoor Education. Sterling College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and is one of only seven federally recognized Work Colleges in the nation.
ABOUT AASHE:
AASHE is an association of colleges and universities that are working to create a sustainable future. AASHE’s mission is to empower higher education to lead the sustainability transformation. It provides 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. For more information about AASHE, visit www.aashe.org.
Source: CRAFTSBURY COMMON, VERMONT– Sterling College 3.12.2015