National Group Lauds Cortland’s Sustainability Achievements

10/20/2015 

SUNY Cortland is prominently featured in a recently published index of the nation’s most sustainable college campuses – just in time for Campus Sustainability Month.

The campus index published by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) notes Cortland’s recent “green” accomplishments, its student and public engagement and the sustainable nature of the campus grounds.

SUNY Cortland is one of only 50 colleges in the United States, Canada and Mexico highlighted by the report, which looked at the top college performers in 17 different areas of sustainability.

The report was based on AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS), a voluntary review of practices ranging from energy use to incorporation of “green” elements in the academic curriculum. Earlier this year, SUNY Cortland was one of only a few dozen colleges across the country to earn a “gold” rating under STARS.

The report was released last week to draw attention to Campus Sustainability Month, a 12-year-old national effort to recognize higher education’s role in addressing climate change.

“It is impressive to think how far we have come in such a short period of time,” SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum said. “When it comes to our sustainability mission, rankings like this illustrate how truly committed the College is to reducing its carbon footprint, using all its resources effectively and raising awareness of environmental issues among our students and in our community.”

A downloadable copy of AASHE’s Campus Sustainability Index is available online.