Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating Systems (STARS) is a voluntary, self-reporting framework for helping colleges and universities track and measure their sustainability progress. STARS encompasses long-term sustainability goals for already high-achieving institutions, as well as, entry points of recognition for institutions that are taking first steps toward sustainability.
The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s (AASHE) Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, & Rating System (STARS) rates universities based on points achieved in the three main categories of: Education & Research, Operations & Planning, and Administration & Engagement. Universities are awarded a STARS rating, Participant, Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum, based on their points. As of October 2013, 765 higher education institutions are current registered participants of STARS. FIU registered as a STARS Participant in September 2012, and submitted its first STARS report in September 2013 achieving a STARS Silver rating. In May 2016 FIU submitted its second, again receiving a STARS Silver raiting.
Our STARS rating is an important milestone in FIU’s sustainability efforts, which were formalized with the signing of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007, and the creation of the Office of University Sustainability in 2010. This benchmark will form the basis for continuous improvement over time and will provide the necessary self-awareness to improve our stewardship efforts. The Office of Sustainability plans to uphold President Rosenberg’s American Campuses Act on Climate commitment to begin submitting the STARS report annually.
The FIU Office of University Sustainability worked with departments across campus from Human Resources, School of Environment Arts & Society, Parking & Transportation, Facilities, and Housing to put together the data for this inaugural submission to AASHE STARS. The report is the product of a collaborative effort drawn from many FIU departments, staff members and students who helped provide data for the benchmarking effort. This collaborative cooperation is very much appreciated and has proved critical to the successful completion of the FIU STARS Report process.