The Ģ����Ƶ has earned a Gold rating from the ​​Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, or STARS.

The STARS ratings, administered by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, are good for three years and are based on self-reported assessments. The Ģ����Ƶ has held a Gold rating from STARS since first participating in 2012.

“The STARS Gold rating is recognition of all the hard work being done across our campus by staff, students and faculty for sustainability,” Ģ����Ƶ Sustainability director Lisa Dulude said. “As we celebrate Earth Day in April, this achievement is a reminder of the Ģ����Ƶ’s commitment to embed sustainability in everything we do, and the benefits of this work for our environment and our community.”

The STARS report covers the Ģ����Ƶ in Seattle and includes questions on sustainability performance in academics, planning and administration, engagement and operations. Ģ����Ƶ 380 schools worldwide have active STARS ratings. Gold is the second-highest tier. There are 17 schools that have achieved the highest Platinum rating. Ģ����Ƶ Bothell also holds a STARS Gold rating.

All STARS reports are public, and the .

STARS is the most wide-reaching sustainability report, and the information collected gives the Ģ����Ƶ a comprehensive view of its sustainability performance and allows for comparison to peer universities. It can also provide insight on areas where additional efforts might be needed.

The information is used to inform the Ģ����Ƶ’s Sustainability Action Plan, which sets out the University’s sustainability goals. The first Sustainability Action Plan was adopted in 2020, and the Ģ����Ƶ is currently in the process of creating an updated Plan, which will be finalized by summer 2026.

“The Ģ����Ƶ has long been a sustainability leader in higher education, as evidenced by our long track record of STARS Gold ratings,” Dulude said. “With the Sustainability Action Plan update, working groups have identified several areas to set measurable targets, which ensure we will continue that leadership.”

The Ģ����Ƶ’s sustainability efforts are also on show in recognition of Earth Day on April 22. Events organized by a variety of groups across the Ģ����Ƶ happen throughout the month, including volunteer opportunities, workshops and more. You can see the on the Ģ����Ƶ Sustainability site.

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The Ģ����Ƶ once again has been recognized as a sustainability leader by the ​​Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS).

The Ģ����Ƶ recently received a Gold rating with a score of 70.78%. The Ģ����Ƶ has held a Gold rating from STARS since first participating in 2012.

The STARS ratings, administered by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, are good for three years and are based on self-reported assessments. The Ģ����Ƶ’s submission included information on sustainability efforts and performance in 72 different credit areas.

“This Gold rating is a testament to the positive contributions being made campuswide by dedicated staff, faculty and students on a wide variety of sustainability efforts,” said Lou Cariello, vice president of Ģ����Ƶ Facilities. “Through the Sustainability Action Plan, we will continue to advance this important work.”

The report covers the Ģ����Ƶ’s Seattle campus, and includes questions on sustainability performance in academics, planning and administration, engagement and operations. Gold is the second-highest tier in the STARS ratings. Ten schools have achieved the highest Platinum rating.

The information collected for the STARS report will also help inform the Ģ����Ƶ’s actions under the . The Ģ����Ƶ Sustainability Action Plan, adopted in 2020, set 10 measurable targets to be achieved by 2025, including areas relating to energy, transportation, food, waste, academic research, purchasing and more.

“Earning another STARS Gold rating shows that the Ģ����Ƶ continues to value and work toward sustainability,” said Ģ����Ƶ Sustainability interim director Marilyn Ostergren. “We also know there is much more to do. We continue to work with staff, students and faculty across the Ģ����Ƶ on reaching the Sustainability Action Plan targets as well as identifying other opportunities to ensure a more sustainable and equitable future.”

The Ģ����Ƶ’s STARS report can be .

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The Sustainability Action Plan was adopted on July 1, 2020, and set out 10 measurable targets to be achieved over a five-year span. The Ģ����Ƶ annually evaluates progress toward these targets and determines the actions required over the upcoming year to respond to tri-campus needs.

This spring marked the first time the Ģ����Ƶ initiated the process of updating the annual actions. Faculty, students and staff from all three campuses joined employees working on the actions to determine the proper efforts for the upcoming year.

“One of the guiding principles of the Sustainability Action Plan is to center equity and inclusion in our work,” said Ģ����Ƶ Sustainability Director Claudia Frere-Anderson. “We strived to connect with a broad range of communities and stakeholders across our campuses while providing meaningful ways for everyone on campus to engage.”

The targets under the Sustainability Action Plan include areas relating to energy, transportation, food, waste, academic research, purchasing and more. For each of the 10 targets, teams identified several actions for this year. A survey, open to all members of the Ģ����Ƶ community, was completed in winter quarter and informed the decision-making process.

Actions include efforts to compile catalogs of course offerings and research projects related to sustainability, working toward creating a student sustainability resource center, exploring offsets for professional travel, electrifying the campus fleet, reducing single-use items and others.

“We are excited to launch a new action this year for reducing waste on our campus to reduce single-use disposable items. The new action was identified as a key waste prevention goal from the Sustainability Action Plan survey. Campus community feedback was a key motivator for adding this target, which furthers our work to avoid landfill waste and reduce carbon emissions,” said Liz Gignilliat, manager of Ģ����Ƶ Recycling.

Many of the teams working on the Plan actions this past year had to adjust due to the unexpected impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Sustainability Action Plan and actions for the first year were largely drafted before the pandemic response. The shift to primarily virtual instruction and work at the Ģ����Ƶ also made it difficult to measure progress in areas where the reduced population on campus affected data, such as reduced energy use and travel.

“I am proud of how our teams working on sustainability efforts responded and adapted to the challenges of this past year,” Ģ����Ƶ Facilities Vice President Lou Cariello said. “We have continued our progress, and our teams have been finding innovative ways to ensure we build on what we have learned over this year to further advance sustainability.”

One target impacted by the pandemic was the goal to reduce professional air travel. This past year, such travel was down more than 60% due to restrictions. This upcoming year, the Ģ����Ƶ will build on the lessons learned from the past year, making information about professional travel more accessible to departments, developing suggested policies for encouraging videoconferencing and creating offset programs.

“Professional air travel is a key sustainability issue in an academic context because it touches so many different individuals in quite varied ways. It is deeply intertwined with core academic values and behaviors, including collegiality, communication and consensus-building,” said Gary Handwerk, director of the Ģ����Ƶ Program on the Environment and professor in the Department of English. “Failing to address its impact, moreover, could easily undo much of the progress we are making in other areas. We can’t afford to leave it off to the side.”

The full Sustainability Action Plan document is available on the plan website . Data and metrics on the Ģ����Ƶ’s sustainability efforts and status updates are posted to the on the Ģ����Ƶ Sustainability site.

Students, faculty and staff interested in learning more about the Plan and how they can be a part of next year’s planning process can email sustainabilityplan@uw.edu.

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The Ģ����Ƶ has finalized its new Sustainability Action Plan, which will guide the university’s efforts during the next five years.

�ճ���� includes five guiding principles and 10 measurable targets along with annual actions to reach those targets. Each year, the Ģ����Ƶ will evaluate the immediate actions needed over the next fiscal year to respond to changing realities and needs across our campuses.

The Sustainability Action Plan represents the work of a cross-university planning team, with Ģ����Ƶ Facilities Vice President Lou Cariello as the plan’s executive sponsor.

“This Sustainability Action Plan establishes a framework to align the many sustainability actions of our staff, faculty and students,” Cariello said. “The targeted actions, along with measurable targets, provide a means for us to track our progress and ensure we are aligning the many ongoing stewardship actions to support the health of our planet, for the quality of our lives and for future generations.”

The Sustainability Action Plan spans all three Ģ����Ƶ campuses. The targets go beyond campus operations to include student experience, academic research and equity to address the many aspects of sustainability. The planning team considered equity and financial feasibility when drafting the targets and actions. Input from across the Ģ����Ƶ community was gathered through online surveys, direct outreach and events throughout the year.

An initial draft of the five-year Sustainability Strategy and proposed actions for the upcoming fiscal year was released on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, April 22. This final Sustainability Action Plan reflects updates based on community input and revisions by the planning team.

The plan’s guiding principles are: ensure students achieve sustainability literacy; choose our research conscientiously; keep equity and inclusion at the center; use resources responsibly; and decarbonize.

�ճ����plan’s 10 measurable targets all work toward these principles, with actions to take toward those targets reviewed annually. Responsible parties across the Ģ����Ƶ will provide the Plan’s Executive Committee ���Ի���the Environmental Stewardship Committee with updates on the status of the actions.

“Focusing on equity and inclusion is the central theme for implementing the Sustainability Action Plan this first year,” Ģ����Ƶ Sustainability Director Claudia Frere-Anderson said. “Student voices ���Ի���diverse viewpoints from our campuses are paramount to advancing the University’s sustainability goals in an equitable manner. We are excited to continue collaborations with many Ģ����Ƶ groups who are leading the work on environmental and social justice.”

The full Sustainability Action Plan document is available on the plan website . Data and metrics on the Ģ����Ƶ’s sustainability efforts and status updates will be publicly available through a new  on the Ģ����Ƶ Sustainability site.

Starting autumn quarter, Ģ����Ƶ Sustainability will begin outreach to the campus community to increase Plan awareness ���Ի���engagement. Increasing participation with the plan will help shape the next set of annual actions. Details will be posted on the ���Ի���.

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The Ģ����Ƶ today released the draft of a new that will guide university actions across a broad spectrum of sustainability policy for the next five years.

The strategy, which builds upon the , includes five guiding principles and 10 measurable targets, along with annual actions to reach those targets. The draft was published on April 22, the 50^th anniversary of the first Earth Day, to support the Ģ����Ƶ’s existing sustainability work while setting goals for specific future efforts. The Sustainability Strategy represents the work of a cross-university planning team. Ģ����Ƶ Facilities Vice President Lou Cariello is the plan’s executive sponsor.

“We know that many Ģ����Ƶ staff, faculty and students are engaged in activities every day to advance sustainability initiatives across all of our campuses,” Cariello said. “This plan continues that work and sets goals and specific, targeted actions to ensure we align our collective efforts to optimize our impact for a bright future.”

The Sustainability Strategy spans all three Ģ����Ƶ campuses. The targets go beyond campus operations to include student experience, academic research and equity in recognition of the many aspects of sustainability. The planning team worked to consider equity and financial feasibility when drafting the targets and actions. Input from across the Ģ����Ƶ community was gathered throughout the fall and winter quarters through online surveys, direct outreach and events.

The plan’s guiding principles are: Ensure students achieve sustainability literacy; choose our research conscientiously; keep equity and inclusion at the center; use resources responsibly; and decarbonize. The 10 measurable targets all work toward at least one of these principles.

This plan is intended to be responsive to evolving campus needs. Every year under this Sustainability Strategy, the Ģ����Ƶ will evaluate the immediate actions needed over the next fiscal year in order to respond to changing realities and needs at our campuses.

“Sustainability is a shared value across the Ģ����Ƶ, and this plan will allow all our campuses to better coordinate our actions to reach these targets,” said Claudia Frere-Anderson, director of Ģ����Ƶ Sustainability. “The Sustainability Strategy continues the progress from our Climate Action Plan with a broad approach to include multiple aspects of campus operations, student learning and experiences, academic research, financial feasibility and inclusion in the planning process each year.”

Over the next few months, the actions for the upcoming fiscal year will be finalized. All students, faculty and staff across the Ģ����Ƶ are invited to provide their input on the best ways to reach the plan’s targets, as well as what might be missing from this Sustainability Strategy. The plan website at has an open survey to provide feedback, or you can email sustainabilityplan@uw.edu. Other opportunities to engage with the plan will be posted on the website as well.

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The Ģ����Ƶ has been recognized as one of the most sustainable higher education institutions in North America, according to the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS).

The Ģ����Ƶ received a gold rating, with a score of 77.18 percent. This is the third time the Ģ����Ƶ has received a gold rating, and the first time covered all three Ģ����Ƶ campuses.

The STARS ratings, administered by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, are good for three years and are based on self-reported assessments. The Ģ����Ƶ’s submission included information on sustainability efforts and performance in 93 different credit areas.

“This gold rating recognizes the hard work, resourcefulness and creativity of our staff, faculty and students across the university in pursuit of impactful sustainability initiatives,” said Lou Cariello, vice president of Ģ����Ƶ Facilities. “We remain grateful for and passionate about the opportunity we have to continue leading in this area and influencing the initiative of others to further accelerate sustainability improvements.”

coordinated the extensive reporting effort, which involved leaders from more than 30 departments across all three Ģ����Ƶ campuses in Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma.

“What is clear from Ģ����Ƶ’s gold STARS ranking by AASHE is that the sustainability community values the things at the core of Ģ����Ƶ Tacoma’s urban-serving mission, like a commitment to equity and justice and the role that a culture of sustainability can play in the lives of our students and their families,” Ģ����Ƶ Tacoma Chancellor Mark A. Pagano said. “We are very proud that what we do every day contributes to Ģ����Ƶ’s position as a leader in sustainability.”

The report covers the variety of sustainability efforts at the different locations, including Seattle’s traditional campus environment, Tacoma’s urban-serving campus and Bothell’s mix of built and natural environments, such as its 58-acre wetland. Information about the Ģ����Ƶ’s sustainability performance in academics, operations, engagement and planning and administration were part of the report.

“We are proud to showcase our sustainability efforts, our spectacular campus and be a part of this tri-campus success,” said Alexa Russo, Ģ����Ƶ Bothell sustainability coordinator. “We enjoy working with our students, faculty and staff to improve our practices and work to further advance sustainability in the coming years.”

The Ģ����Ƶ scored highest in the areas of transportation, purchasing, coordination and planning, diversity and affordability, and campus engagement. Credit also was given for several innovative practices, including the campus Salmon Safe certification, Athletics Sustainability, the Green Laboratory program, and Mailing Services’ Electric Assist Bike Mail Delivery fleet.

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Ģ����Ƶ students have been working with city of Auburn staff and community members throughout the past year on a wide range of projects tackling challenges around livability and sustainability in the city.

These projects were part of the , which connects one Washington community with Ģ����Ƶ faculty each year. The faculty incorporate projects identified by that community into their classes, giving their students opportunities to tackle real-world challenges, produce deliverables to a city client and communicate their findings. The partnership with Auburn during the 2016-2017 school year was the program’s first, with more than 160 students working on throughout the year.

“This was a tremendous opportunity for our students to partner with residents in Auburn and to put what they’re learning in the classroom to the test out in the world,” Ģ����Ƶ President Ana Mari Cauce said. “That sort of experiential learning is central to the Husky student experience, and it’s a key part of the Ģ����Ƶ’s public mission. We greatly appreciate the partnership with the city of Auburn and the entire community, and look forward to seeing the fruits of that partnership continue to blossom.”

Research and work on the projects wrapped up in spring quarter, and the final reports for all of the year’s projects have been delivered to Auburn and are now available online.

“I am inspired by Ģ����Ƶ’s first Livable City Year with Auburn,” said Jennifer Otten, Livable City Year co-director and assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences. “This partnership allowed us to demonstrate the Ģ����Ƶ’s deep commitment to service and the public good and to engage in ways that meet the real needs of the community. At the same time, our students benefited tremendously through experiential learning.”

The Livable City Year program coordinates student teams from a variety of disciplines who work on projects and programs identified by the community partner. Faculty who led projects for this inaugural year include LCY co-directors Otten and Branden Born of urban design and planning, along with Kyle Crowder, sociology; John Scott Meschke, Amy Hagopian and India Ornelas, public health; Ashley Blazina and Sara Brostrom, environmental studies; Kim Perdue, Foster School of Business; and Richard Conlin, urban design and planning.

The latest batch of projects included a study on preventing food waste in Auburn schools; landscape design of an alleyway into a vibrant public space; a study of Auburn residents’ preparedness for emergencies and disasters, including proposals for improvement; and strategies to establish more healthy food alternatives across Auburn.

This initial year was a success thanks to the collaboration, guidance and feedback of Auburn city staff and decision-makers who helped shape the learning experience for Ģ����Ƶ undergraduate and graduate students. The partnership provided Auburn with research, analysis and recommendations, the result of more than 19,000 hours of student work. The relationship will continue as Ģ����Ƶ and Auburn assess the program’s lasting impact and benefits to the community.

“The dedication that Ģ����Ƶ students put toward the partnership with Auburn is beyond compare,” Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus said. “Each project they took on addressed a unique facet of Auburn, and gave us both results and starting points to address needs and improvements in our community. The partnership through the LCY program is one that has built a bridge between Auburn and the Ģ����Ƶ which will continue long beyond this single year.”

The first year of the Livable City Year program received foundational support from the , the Ģ����Ƶ’s  ���Ի��� and collaboration with  ���Ի���.

Livable City Year is in partnership with the city of Tacoma. This upcoming partnership will allow the Ģ����Ƶ to build on Tacoma’s existing relationships and connections with Ģ����Ƶ Tacoma, expanding those links and identifying new opportunities across all Ģ����Ƶ campuses and disciplines.

For more information on all of the completed Livable City Year projects with the city of Auburn visit the .

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The Ģ����Ƶ’s Livable City Year (LCY) program has selected the City of Tacoma as the program’s community partner for the 2017-2018 academic year. This partnership establishes a yearlong relationship connecting students and faculty with city staff working on projects that advance goals outlined in its and strategic visioning framework.

“As Tacoma continues to evolve and attract more residents, we want to ensure that this growth is sustainable and our entire community benefits,” said Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland. “We are pleased to be selected as a Ģ����Ƶ Livable City Year partner ���Ի���we look forward to a partnership that will achieve realistic, specific and measurable goals to address education, employment, equity and accountability. We are particularly excited about the opportunity to strengthen our ties with Ģ����Ƶ’s Tacoma campus.”

The program will connect Ģ����Ƶ courses with projects identified by Tacoma related to the city’s livability and sustainability needs. The program works with faculty across all Ģ����Ƶ schools, colleges and campuses to match the projects to courses and students who can best address the real-world problems, while providing city staff with the resources of Ģ����Ƶ student and faculty research and project work.

“The Ģ����Ƶ is incredibly proud to honor our public promise through partnerships like this one, which creates so many opportunities for our students, faculty and staff to work with the Tacoma community toward a tangible, positive impact,” said Ģ����Ƶ President Ana Mari Cauce. “We’re especially pleased to be doing Livable City Year in the home of our Ģ����Ƶ Tacoma campus, and can’t wait to see how these interdisciplinary and hands-on learning projects extend and build on the thriving partnership we’ve had with Tacoma for more than two decades.”

“In the upcoming year, city staff will work with the Ģ����Ƶ’s Livable City Year program to identify projects and programs that would benefit from Ģ����Ƶ student and faculty assistance,” said Tacoma2025 Program Manager Tanisha Jumper. “It is an exciting partnership.”

The Ģ����Ƶ’s Livable City Year program is led by faculty directors with the Department of Urban Design and Planning, and with the School of Public Health, in collaboration with  ���Ի���, and with foundational support from the , the Ģ����Ƶ’s and .

The Ģ����Ƶ’s Livable City Year program launched in the 2016-2017 academic year, with the City of Auburn serving as its inaugural partner. Ģ����Ƶ students and faculty worked with the City of Auburn on 18 projects during the initial Livable City Year partnership.

“We are excited to partner with Tacoma and build on the success of our inaugural Livable City Year,” Otten said. “Students and faculty have done very exciting work on livability projects in Auburn this year, and working with Tacoma will provide new opportunities for students to work on projects which will benefit residents in Tacoma and our region.”

Anne Taufen Wessells, a professor with Ģ����Ƶ Tacoma Urban Studies, will serve as faculty co-director and the primary Ģ����Ƶ Tacoma contact throughout the Livable City Year partnership with the City of Tacoma, helping identify opportunities for Ģ����Ƶ Tacoma students to connect with Livable City Year projects.

“It’s terrific that we have the opportunity in Tacoma to leverage our university-wide resources and relationships to forge this unique partnership in the South Sound,” said Wessells.  “Ģ����Ƶ Tacoma’s academic programs, including urban studies, have long defined themselves by their commitment to local communities, and we are thrilled to have the yearlong added support and investment of the Livable City Year program to target and amplify the work of the entire campus as an urban-serving institution.”

One of several across the country based on the University of Oregon’s Sustainable City Year Program, the Ģ����Ƶ’s Livable City Year program is part of the Educational Partners for Innovation in Communities Network, which provides resources and connections for schools with similar programs. The Ģ����Ƶ and Western Washington University are the only two schools in Washington state currently offering a program under this model.

“Cities are a great laboratory for today’s students and tomorrow’s leaders to put their ideas and training into action,” said the Association of Washington Cities CEO Peter B. King. “The unique projects and creative solutions that emerge from partnerships like this strengthen our cities and towns.”

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For more information, contact Born at bborn@uw.edu���ǰ���206-543-4975; Otten at jotten@uw.edu; and Maria Lee, communications specialist with the City of Tacoma at maria.lee@cityoftacoma.org or (253) 591-2054.

The Livable City Year program will hold a celebration event marking the successful completion of the initial partnership with the City of Auburn at 4 p.m. May 24 at the Auburn Community & Event Center, 910 Ninth St SE, Auburn.

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In this inaugural year, Ģ����Ƶ faculty will lead classes to work on 15 to 20 projects identified by the City of Auburn. Students will provide tens of thousands of hours of study and production toward specific projects identified by Auburn, while benefiting from the opportunity to apply classroom lessons to real-world problems.

“This partnership represents the very best kind of Ģ����Ƶ student experience by creating opportunities for community engagement, practical problem-solving and interdisciplinary study,” said Ģ����Ƶ President Ana Mari Cauce. “The Ģ����Ƶ could not be prouder to partner with the City of Auburn through the Livable City Year program to combine education with making positive change in a Washington community.”

The Auburn City Council voted unanimously Aug. 29 to enter into an agreement with the Ģ����Ƶ for the program.

The Ģ����Ƶ’s Livable City Year program is a cross-university collaboration led by faculty directors Branden Born, an associate professor in the , and Jennifer Otten, an assistant professor in the , in collaboration with and with foundational support from , the and , as well as from the non-profit organization , which works with cities and their partners around the state. The program connects local governments with Ģ����Ƶ classes to address community-identified areas of need. The coordinated, cross-discipline approach provides the local partners with a new option to enhance sustainability and livability elements within existing and future projects and programs.

“I think the most powerful thing about Livable City Year is that it allows Ģ����Ƶ to connect with communities throughout the state using this field-tested and mutually beneficial model,” said program manager Jennifer Davison, who also manages Urban@Ģ����Ƶ. “This partnership with Auburn will be fully supported every step of the way by the program, from project identification and connection with faculty and courses, to student experience and final delivery of meaningful work to the city. It’s really exciting to see it coming together.”

Auburn’s government and administration were early champions of the program, and the city’s willingness and preparedness to take on this opportunity helped move the program forward from an idea to a reality.

“We are incredibly honored and excited to be partnering with the Ģ����Ƶ on these projects and to be part of this ground breaking year for the program,” Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus said.

“This program is an incredible example of what higher education can do for our community,” said Auburn Deputy Mayor Largo Wales. “Not only does this give students a unique hands-on learning opportunity, it provides the city with the opportunity to complete valuable projects that we would not have been able to otherwise.”

Livable City Year is based on the University of Oregon’s and is a member of the .

“By connecting many courses over one academic year to projects that address the partner city’s specific goals, Livable City Year can have broad impacts that are difficult for faculty to achieve on their own,” Born said. “Livable City Year gives faculty across many disciplines a chance to work together in a fully collaborative Ģ����Ƶ effort.”

As part of the Livable City Year process, Auburn directors and staff identified almost 50 different possible projects for consideration. Ģ����Ƶ faculty will select 15 to 20 of these projects as subjects for classes in a variety of disciplines. Students will work on the projects in conjunction with Auburn staff for a meaningful end result. Projects were identified over a wide range of topics, such as public works, innovation and technology, urban planning and more.

“This program provides students with an opportunity to tackle meaningful and challenging real-world problems,” Otten said. “Projects addressed in these Ģ����Ƶ class and city collaborations directly affect the health and well-being of the city’s population. Students will gain an introduction to the civic process and get an opportunity to become better engaged with local communities.”

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For more information, contact Born at bborn@uw.edu���ǰ���206-543-4975; Davison at jnfrdvsn@uw.edu���ǰ���206-240-6903; and Jenna Leonard, Auburn’s climate and sustainability practice leader, at jleonard@auburnwa.gov���ǰ���253-804-5092.

Marc Schlossberg, co-director of the University of Oregon’s Sustainable Cities Initiative, is available to talk about this similar program: schlossb@uoregon.edu���ǰ���541-346-2046.

The Livable City Year program will hold a kickoff event highlighting the projects Ģ����Ƶ students will be working on during the fall quarter on Oct. 6 at 10 a.m. in the wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House at the Ģ����Ƶ.

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The Ģ����Ƶ submitted its this fall and received a gold rating, with a score of 77.47 percent. The Ģ����Ƶ’s score is the best among Pac-12 universities which have submitted a STARS report, and the third-highest of the 252 currently rated schools.

The , administered by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, are good for three years. The Ģ����Ƶ renewed its gold rating with the most recent submission, increasing its score from the previous 70.23 the university received in 2012.

“Our STARS gold rating is testimony of the commitment and dedication of Ģ����Ƶ’s students, faculty and staff. Ģ����Ƶ continues to lead other higher education institutions with sustainability leadership, and we strive to continue on this tradition through support and encouragement of collaborations taking place across our campus with leading edge discovery, operations and teaching,” said Ruth Johnston, associate vice president of .

Gold is the second-highest possible rating in STARS. Colorado State University is the only institution to reach a platinum rating, which it did earlier this year.

The Ģ����Ƶ submitted documentation to answer questions for 74 separate credits as part of the review. Ģ����Ƶ Sustainability coordinated the reporting effort, which started in late 2014 for the fall 2015 submission and involved sustainability leaders from more than 30 departments across campus. Information about the Ģ����Ƶ’s performance in areas including academics, operations, engagement, and planning and administration were included in the report.

The Ģ����Ƶ also received credit for several innovative practices, including the Green Laboratory Certification program, the Ģ����Ƶ Tower Data Center Energy Reduction Initiative, Ģ����Ƶ Transportation Services initiatives to reduce commuter emissions and the on-campus composting program.

All STARS reports are publicly available. The Ģ����Ƶ’s report can be viewed .

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