John Jay College Receives STARS Silver Rating for Achievements in Sustainability

John Jay College recently earned a “Silver” rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS, AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education. Most institutions achieve an unscored “reporter” designation or “Bronze” certificate in their first report. John Jay College’s silver rating in its first submission reflects its focus and commitment to promoting justice in all realms.

STARS is a comprehensive sustainability rating system for colleges and universities that addresses the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability. The rating system is continually evolving and has been developed by the higher education community through a transparent and inclusive process.

Read the Full John Jay College AASHE STARS Report Here

With more than 800 participants in 30 countries, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in five overall areas: academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration and innovation and leadership. Participation in STARS is open to all institutions of higher education, and the criteria that determine a STARS rating are transparent and accessible to anyone. Because STARS is a program based on credits earned, it allows for both internal comparisons as well as comparisons with similar institutions.

John Jay College is currently the only college at City University of NY (CUNY) to be rated by AASHE STARS. The Silver rating is the product of a tremendous amount of work on campus over the last 10 years and we’re very proud of our recognition as one of the leaders in college sustainability. The year-long journey to completing the STARS assessment was a collaborative effort, led by John Jay’s Sustainability Council Chair, Lindsey Kayman, with assistance from students and more than 20 departments around campus.

John Jay received the full points available for having a large percentage of academic courses, and a large percentage of research being conducted which are related to major sustainability challenges included in the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Earth Charter. The college also received an Innovation and Leadership credit for its annual EcoCinema Cafe Film Festival, a 3-day morning till night environmental film festival that takes place in the college’s Student Dining Hall.