UCSC Recognized for Higher Ed Sustainability Achievements

If there were a class in sustainability higher education, UCSC would be getting an A+. In the last few months, UC Santa Cruz received recognition from three institutions that rate universities and colleges for their higher education sustainability efforts.

In June, we earned a gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Sustainability Tracking and Rating System (STARS)--up from a silver rating in 2015--for our commitment to sustainability. STARS is designed by AASHE to be a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. Learn more about our Gold STARS rating here.

Then, just last month, the Sierra Club's Sierra magazine released its 10th annual “Cool Schools” ranking of America’s greenest colleges and universities. More than 200 schools participated in Sierra’s extensive survey about sustainability practices on their campus, and UC Santa Cruz is one of three UCs to be in the top 20! Coming in at #18, the ranking underscored UC Santa Cruz’s strong commitment to protecting the environment, addressing climate change, and encouraging sustainability. Read why Sierra says we're #18 in the nation here.

Finally, we are also on the Princeton Review's Green Colleges Honor Roll again this year, coming in at #32. The listing cites UC Santa Cruz for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, ‘greening’ design and construction projects on campus, and integrating sustainability at every level. Read the full story here.