STARS Report: Benchmarking Our Progress on Sustainability

UMass Amherst is ranked in the top 10 research universities nationwide for its commitment to innovation and leadership in sustainability. The campus received a gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)’s Sustainability Tracking Assessment Rating System (STARS). Only 16 U.S. universities have received this distinction as of January 2012. The STARS rating recognizes the multifaceted accomplishments and initiatives on campus, ranging from curriculum and education to energy use, food services, and campus planning. This executive summary of UMass Amherst’s standing using the national standards set by AASHE demonstrates the breadth and scope of UMass strengths and indicates potential areas of growth