Cal State San Bernardino has earned the STARS silver rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS, which stands for the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education. 

“This work highlights the university’s core values of innovation, integrity, transparency and sustainability,” said CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales in the university’s submission letter. “The STARS assessment has been incorporated into the strategic plan to provide a framework for our continued efforts to improve the resiliency of the campus and to serve as an example to the larger community that we serve.”

CSUSB’s report was prepared and submitted by the university’s Office of Sustainability with information obtained by faculty, students and staff.

“This report represents the work of the entire campus community as part of our commitment to provide a more sustainable and resilient campus,” said Miguel Martin, CSUSB’s interim energy and sustainability manager who helped put the university’s report together. “Submitting the report was our primary goal; achieving a silver rating for our first-ever STARS report was truly exciting.”

With more than 900 participants in 40 countries, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college’s or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in five overall areas: 1) academics 2) engagement, 3) operations, 4) planning and administration, and 5) innovation and leadership.

“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “CSUSB has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Silver Rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”

Unlike other rating or ranking systems, this program is open to all institutions of higher education, and the criteria that determine a STARS rating are transparent and accessible to anyone. Because STARS is a program based on credits earned, it allows for both internal comparisons as well as comparisons with similar institutions.

To view CSUSB’s public report, visit the AASHE website.

To learn more about CSUSB’s Office of Sustainability, visit the Office of Sustainability website.

About AASHE:

AASHE is an association of colleges and universities that are working to create a sustainable future. AASHE’s mission is to empower higher education to lead the sustainability transformation. It provides resources, professional development and a network of support to enable institutions of higher education to model and advance sustainability in everything they do, from governance and operations to education and research. For more information about AASHE, visit www.aashe.org.

For more information about the STARS program, visit stars.aashe.org.