STARS Gold Score Reflects Commitment to Collaboration, Community Engagement
03/30/2022
By Ed Brennen
UMass Lowell has strengthened its standing as the highest-rated campus in Massachusetts for sustainability, according to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
In its latest Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) submission, UMass Lowell received a Gold score of 83.37, which is the third-highest in New England and nearly a six-point jump from its previous submission in 2019.
UML is now less than two points shy of the 85 needed for STARS Platinum — a rating that has been achieved by just 10 institutions in the United States and Canada.
“We are proud to once again be recognized as a national leader in sustainability,” says Chancellor Jacquie Moloney. “This submission is particularly meaningful to us in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the most challenging operational period for higher education in living memory, UMass Lowell’s commitment to sustainability remained steadfast.”
With more than 1,000 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 or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in five overall areas: academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration, and innovation and leadership.
“We are working collaboratively across traditionally siloed areas to get more done,” says Ruairi O’Mahony, executive director of the Rist Institute. “Our students are engaged, hard-working and passionate about finding solutions, and that is driving how the university approaches and invests in sustainability.”
The university earned the bulk of its points in the categories of curriculum, research, campus engagement and public engagement.
“Our community engagement work continues to be a huge standout for us in comparison to peer institutions,” O’Mahony says.
And thanks to Facilities Management’s continued focus on energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction — work that was recently recognized by the commonwealth — UML made strides in the “operations” area.
Asst. Director of Sustainability Craig Thomas managed the submission process, which was the university’s fourth since 2014 — when it started with a STARS Silver score of 53.97.
To ensure that its STARS submission was unbiased and comprehensive, the university hired sustainability consultants GreenerU to help with its reporting.
“UMass Lowell is accomplishing where sustainability matters: academics, research, engagement, planning, community partnerships and more,” says GreenerU Director Lisa Bjerke. “I am impressed with the Rist Institute for Sustainability and Energy creating hands-on sustainability, climate change and energy research opportunities for students, faculty and staff.”
The STARS score is valid for three years, although schools can resubmit earlier than that.