U of A Receives Gold Rating for Campus Sustainability Achievements

Photo Submitted

By Russell Cothren

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas has achieved a Gold rating from the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System – STARS -- in recognition of campus-wide sustainability achievements.  The STARS program is administered by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education to promote sustainability in all aspects of higher education. The association is made up of over 900 members in the U.S. and 20 countries.

The U of A’s STARS ranking advanced from silver to gold in 2017, in recognition of major steps towards sustainability in on-campus engagement, research, and operations. The university initiated a campus-wide sustainability plan after Chancellor John White signed the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment in 2007 -- now known as the Presidents' Climate Leadership Commitments. The U of A Climate Action Plan  calls for the campus to be climate neutral by 2040, with interim goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to their 1990 level by 2021. This will coincide with the university’s 150th birthday. The U of A is on track to meet that goal early, despite its remarkable enrollment growth and addition of several new buildings.

The U of A received a high STARS ranking in academics, as well,  with over a third its departments offering at least one sustainability course and approximately half of all sponsored research projects addressing a pillar of sustainability. This achievement reflects the global reach of U of A research and other collaborative work, touching every corner of Arkansas and the world.

For more information about sustainability at the University of Arkansas, visit sustainability.uark.edu.