A blooming tree framing Stewart Hall begins to make its Spring transformation as seen Thursday, April 8, 2021. (WVU Photo/Jennifer Shephard)
West Virginia University has earned a STARS Silver rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education STARS — the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System — measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education.
WVU announced the results of its STARS assessment during a Campus Conversation Tuesday (April 20) as part of the University’s Earth Week activities. WVU’s STARS report is publicly available.
With more than 900 participants in 40 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, including academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration, and innovation and leadership.
“We are honored to be recognized by AASHE’s STARS program for our sustainability efforts,” Traci Knabenshue, director of the Office of Sustainability, said. “We hope our designation will raise awareness among students, faculty and staff of the University’s sustainability programs and practices and help us benchmark sustainability activities to find opportunities for improvement.”
“In addition to legitimizing WVU’s sustainability efforts among peer institutions, our STARS rating is critical in helping us establish clear sustainability goals,” Ted Svehlik, associate vice president of Auxiliary and Business Services, said. “Our participation in the STARS program helps provide colleges, departments and units across the University targets we can aspire to reach.”
Visit the Office of Sustainability website for more information on sustainability at WVU and details on the upcoming Blue and Gold Mine Sale.
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CONTACT: April Kaull, Executive Director of Communications
University Relations
304-293-3990; akaull@mail.wvu.edu
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