When it comes to sustainability, Niagara College reaches for the STARS – and earns them.
NC has been recognized as a top performer by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). AASHE’s recently released 2018 Sustainable Campus Index highlights top-performing sustainable colleges and universities overall and in 17 impact areas, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS).
The College was named among AASHE’s top 10 overall performers among associate colleges and earned a STARS silver rating. STARS measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education. NC also tied for fifth on a list of 10 top performers for Wellbeing and Work with a score of 86.6 in that category. Wellbeing and Work highlights how colleges and universities can bolster the strength of their communities through student and employee wellness and health and safety programs and other benefits.
“We are pleased to recognize Niagara College for its sustainability leadership. NC is helping forge a path to a more sustainable future,” said AASHE’s executive director Meghan Fay Zahniser.
“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” said Zahniser. “Niagara College has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS silver rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”
Niagara College first participated in the STARS program in 2013 when it achieved a bronze rating. Last year, the College was ranked tenth overall and received a silver rating.
“We are proud of our College’s top performer status by earning a high score in the Top 10 overall among associate colleges and achieving a STARS silver rating,” said Niagara College president Dan Patterson. “This achievement, for the second consecutive year, is a testament to our College’s commitment to the environment and sustainability, both in our programs and our operations.”
NC sustainability advisor Taryn Wilkinson added that the College last submitted to STARS in 2016, and she was pleased to hear the numbers were still holding strong.
“Niagara College will maintain its commitment to driving a horizontally- and vertically-integrated culture of sustainability that goes beyond operations, to create living laboratories that facilitate experiential learning for students, employees and community members,” said Wilkinson. “Recognition as a top performer and a STARS silver rating helps demonstrate that.”
With more than 800 participants in 30 countries, 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 five overall areas: academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration, and innovation and leadership.
Niagara College’s STARS report is publicly available on the STARS website here.
About the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
AASHE empowers higher education administrators, faculty, staff and students to be effective change agents and drivers of sustainability innovation. AASHE enables members to translate information into action by offering essential resources and professional development to a diverse, engaged community of sustainability leaders. We work with and for higher education to ensure that our world’s future leaders are motivated and equipped to solve sustainability challenges. For more information, visit www.aashe.org.
About STARS
The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS was developed by AASHE with broad participation from the higher education community. The credits included in STARS span the breadth of higher education sustainability and are organized into four categories: Academics, Engagement, Operations, and Planning & Administration. All reports are publicly accessible on the STARS website. For more information, visit stars.aashe.org.
