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STARS Benchmark Report

STARS Silver Logo - a silver ring with white lettering on the top that says "Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System." The bottom says Bronze. Inside the ring is a lighter silver and has the STARS star symbol and underneath it says, "stars" and below that it says "a program of aashe."

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education's (AASHE) Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) is a commonly used sustainability benchmarking tool for colleges and universities. It assesses campus sustainability efforts in all areas including academics, outreach, operations and administration. Universities earn a rating based on the percentage of points they earn.

South Dakota State University completed its first benchmark report in 2016 earning a Bronze rating. In 2019, SDSU earned a Silver rating. The latest report, submitted in 2023, also earned a Silver rating. This benchmarking tool helps campus plan and prioritize future sustainability efforts on campus.

The 2023 STARS report categories that SDSU excelled in included: outreach and engagement, wellness programs for employees and students, sustainable electronic purchasing, water use reduction and resources for faculty on how to integrate sustainability into curriculum.