UW-River Falls Named a Top Performer in 2015 Sustainable
Campus Index

October 23, 2015--The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) has recognized UW-River Falls as a sustainability leader in the 2015 Sustainable Campus Index. UWRF ranked fourth in the Buildings subcategory.

The 2015 Sustainable Campus Index highlights top-performing colleges and universities in 17 areas, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). The report highlights the best sustainability practices and innovations from more than 50 institutions in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico that have submitted a STARS report in the last 12 months.

UWRF earned 58.6 percent of points available in the Buildings subcategory which recognizes institutions that are improving the sustainability performance of new and existing buildings. Factors contributing to the ranking include building operations, maintenance, design, and construction, as well as indoor air quality.

"UW-River Falls participation in STARS and strong performance in the area of Buildings demonstrates significant leadership and commitment to advancing sustainability," said AASHE's Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. "We are pleased to recognize UWRF for working to secure a brighter future by incorporating sustainability into campus operations, academics, administration and engagement."

"Over 75 UWRF faculty and staff assist with completing the STARS assessment each year by submitting information on the numerous sustainability initiatives on campus," according to Mark Klapatch, UW-River Falls Sustainability Supervisor. "The support from across campus to complete this report demonstrates UWRF's commitment to advancing our sustainability efforts in order to stand out as a leading campus and is why we are able to excel in areas such as buildings within the assessment."

UW-River Falls STARS report is publicly available on the STARS website.
For more information about sustainability efforts at UW-River Falls, email mark.klapatch@uwrf.edu or call 715-425-3820.

About STARS

The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS was developed by AASHE with broad participation from the higher education community. The credits included in STARS span the breadth of higher education sustainability and are organized into four categories: Academics, Engagement, Operations, and Planning & Administration. All reports are publicly accessible on the STARS website. For more information, visit stars.aashe.org.

About the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)

AASHE empowers higher education faculty, staff and students to be effective change agents and drivers of sustainability innovation. AASHE enables members to translate information into action by offering essential resources and professional development to a diverse, engaged community of sustainability leaders. We work with and for higher education to ensure that our world's future leaders are motivated and equipped to solve sustainability challenges. For more information, visit www.aashe.org.