The University of Florida has received a STARS Silver Rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) in recognition of sustainability achievements. STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, is a new program that measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education.The Office of Sustainability would like to thank all of the campus partners who participated in data gathering and reporting, allowing us to achieve this milestone. For more than a decade the University of Florida (UF) has been expanding its commitment to sustainability. From a grassroots effort to develop departmental green teams to implementing an Office of Sustainability, UF has realized the benefits of integrating the values of sustainability into institutional culture and practice.
AASHE’s STARS program is the only one of its kind that involves publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in three overall areas: 1) education & research, 2) operations, and 3) planning, administration & engagement. Unlike other rating or ranking systems, this program is open to all institutions of higher education in the U.S. and Canada, 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.
For more information, check out the full UF STARS submission online.
