The university has earned a STARS Silver Rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
For a fifth time, Elon University has achieved a STARS Silver Rating for its continued commitment to sustainability. STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education.
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: 1) academics, 2) engagement, 3) operations, 4) planning and administration and 5) innovation and leadership.
“The STARS Report is a comprehensive assessment of university-wide sustainability efforts and requires data and input from many individuals across campus,” said Director of Sustainability Elaine Durr, who compiles the report. “I am so grateful for their participation and collective effort.”
The STARS report helps demonstrate that working toward sustainability goals is an institution-wide effort. Because each category is divided into subcategories and credits, with each credit being scored, the report is also a useful tool in identifying areas of improvement to guide future sustainability initiatives.
“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “Elon has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Silver Rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”
To learn about the programs and practices that contributed to Elon’s STARS Silver Rating, view Elon’s report on the STARS website.
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. Criteria for scoring the most recent report can be found in the STARS 2.2 Technical Manual.