The University of Oregon has again earned a STARS Gold rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education. The UO’s report is publicly available on the STARS website.

With more than 900 participants in 40 countries, the association’s STARS program is recognized for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability practices. Participants report achievements in five overall areas: academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration, and innovation and leadership. 

The Office of Sustainability coordinates STARS efforts for the university, but data gathering and sharing efforts come from stakeholders across campus.

“The STARS rating paints a comprehensive picture of sustainability efforts at the University of Oregon,” said Jamie Moffitt, vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer. “It is heartening to see how widespread those efforts are across our institution. We are proud of earning a gold rating and are also looking forward to challenging ourselves to continuously improve in the future.”

The UO scored highly in several STARS subareas, including research, air and climate, and diversity and affordability. The report also highlights particular strengths and innovations, including the university’s Feed the Flock initiative, strategic climate change mitigation efforts and the Grow Pod Project.

Unlike other rating or ranking systems, the STARS program is open to all institutions of higher education, and the criteria that determine a 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.