SUNY Morrisville has earned a STARS Silver rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education.
“This is a great accomplishment for SUNY Morrisville,” said Andrew Riley, director of facilities. “This puts us on the map as a leading sustainable green institution and is critical to us as it’s in line with our New York State climate legislation goals.”
The self-reporting framework is affirmation of SUNY Morrisville’s commitment to being a sustainable campus.
“This ranking is a great baseline to see where SUNY Morrisville stands in sustainability efforts and how we can best move forward in leading sustainability efforts in our community and beyond,” said Tara Shimer, the college’s workforce and partnership specialist.
College efforts include a Sustainability Council, which provides educational advocacy, promoting facilities management practices to improve institutional efficiencies, reducing college-wide resource consumption and minimizing its carbon footprint.
Commitment is further demonstrated through the college’s annual Earth Day celebration, as well as efforts through its Conservation Tri-Society, Strategic Plan and Applied Learning Student Showcase, which touts student research.
The campus empowers a cutting-edge environment, with programs such as renewable energy and environmental conservation, which also prepare students to play a vital role in sustainability efforts.
The 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: academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration, and innovation and leadership.
