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The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh was recently listed on BestColleges.com’s Greenest Universities list.

UW Oshkosh was ranked fifth–and the only university in Wisconsin–on the list of 39 higher education institutions, “something to celebrate,” said Brian Kermath, UW Oshkosh’s sustainability director.

“It is very nice to receive the accolade,” Kermath said. “And, as you’ll see, we’re in good company near the top of the list.”

UW Oshkosh earned a ranking of 72.92, while the number one university earned a ranking of 85.29. Rankings are defined by what is reported via the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS), which is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure sustainability performance. Kermath said UW Oshkosh has been tracking via the STARS system for the past four years.

Kermath speaking at the recent “A Conversation on Sustainability” on the UW Oshkosh campus.

“All the different rankings really do affirm what we are doing on our campus,” Kermath said.

According to BestColleges.com, the list of 39 colleges and universities was generated using the STARS database; each institution recognized had previously earned a gold rating from STARS. In order to earn a gold rating, academic institutions must earn points for academics (curriculum and research), engagement (campus and community ), operations (air and climate, buildings, dining services, energy, grounds, purchasing, transportation, waste, water), and planning and administration ( coordination, planning and governance, diversity and affordability, well-being and work, investment).

UW Oshkosh is committed to progressively reducing its ecological footprint and fashioning a durable and better world through its academic mission. Innovations in sustainability are being integrated into all university functions and operations; actions involve reducing consumption and wastes, generating and purchasing renewable energy, curbing pollution, green building and purchasing, sustainable landscapes, and infusing sustainability into the curriculum, outreach and research.

 

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