UVM Eco-Reps at a campus Weigh the Waste event designed to raise awareness of food waste. (Photo: Brian Jenkins/UVM).
Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont has again been named a Top 50 Green School by the Princeton Review, climbing to the #3 spot this year, up from #4 last year.
“UVM’s commitment to the environment, both in academics and in our sustainable practices, is at the heart of the University’s identity.It is a strong source of our appeal for students and families,” said UVM president Tom Sullivan in a statement. “We couldn’t be more pleased that the Princeton Review again has recognized that commitment by ranking us near the top of its list of the greenest schools in the nation.”
“UVM is a community that cares about sustainability,” said UVM sophomore Mackenzie Bolas, a member UVM’sEco-Rep program. “From grassroots engagement of on-campus organizations to signed commitments from administrators, sustainability is a building block for daily life here. No institution is 100% with their efforts yet, but UVM is on its way.”
The Princeton Review developed the ranking using data from surveys of collegesstudentsand from information supplied by the schools through STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System. UVM has had aSTARS Gold ratingsince 2014.
Data from the student surveys included student ratings of how sustainability issues influenced their education and life at their college; administration and student support for environmental awareness and conservation efforts; and the visibility and impact of student environmental groups.
UVM data points from STARS that propelled the university to its top-three green school ranking include the following
- 100 percent of undergraduates arerequired to take courses in sustainability.
- 28 percent of researchers are engaged in sustainability research.
- 1,099 students live in UVM’sSustainability Learning Community.
- 20Eco-Repsteach their fellow students about sustainability in daily life.
- 100 percent certified renewable electricity is purchased for campus.
- 49 percent of waste is recycled or composted.
- 25 percent of food is Real Food(local, organic, fair trade, or humanely raised).
- 13 campus buildingshave attained LEED certification.
- 100 percent of residence halls collect organics for composting.
- 100 percent of used cooking oil is converted into biodiesel.
College applicants and their parents are increasingly concerned about the environment and sustainability issues, according to research conducted by the Princeton Review. Among nearly 11,000 teens and parents it surveyed earlier this year, 63 percent said having information about a college's commitment to the environment would influence their decision to apply to or attend the school.
See the Top 50 Green Schools ranking on thePrinceton Review website.
Source: UVM 10.19.2018