Grand Valley receives gold status from national sustainability group

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) has awarded Grand Valley a STARS gold rating in recognition of the university's sustainability efforts.

STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System, gauges the progress of colleges and universities toward sustainability in all sectors, including education and research, innovation, administration and operations.  

Grand Valley's STARS rating this year was 74.9, up from 70.8 in 2019.

Yumiko Jakobcic, director of the Office of Sustainability Practices, said the rating acts as a benchmark for the university, and helps to shed light on where advancements can be made. 

"We are always trying to take steps to improve our campuses as a living-learning lab for sustainability, giving students an opportunity to become fully immersed in sustainable practices throughout their time at Grand Valley," said Jakobcic.

Grand Valley became the first Michigan university to receive gold status in 2013, and has consistently maintained its gold status since. 

With more than 900 participants in 40 countries, AASHE’s STARS program is one of the most widely recognized frameworks in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information. 

"This rating means so much to us because it represents the work of countless individuals and departments working together toward the same goal of a more sustainable future," said Jakobcic.

The self-reporting assessment includes bronze, silver, gold and platinum statuses. You can view Grand Valley’s STARS report here.