Sierra Magazine has published its annual “Cool Schools Rankings” of the eco-friendliest colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada, and for the third consecutive year SUNY New Paltz has been named inside the top 200.
The list draws on data compiled through the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s STARS program, a sustainability assessment metric that evaluates colleges on criteria ranging from campus energy use, transportation and fossil fuel divestment, to community engagement with environmental issues through coursework, scholarship and advocacy.
SUNY New Paltz first earned a STARS rating for sustainable practices in 2015. The College’s Silver STARS status was affirmed in April 2018, thanks in large part to the work of Facilities Management staff and the Office of Campus Sustainability, the growing number of faculty who integrate sustainability content into their courses, and students who promote environmentally responsible practices on campus as Sustainability Ambassadors.
Only 269 colleges and universities qualified for inclusion on the Sierra Magazine’s 2018 “Cool Schools” list. SUNY New Paltz came in at number 137.
More information about Sierra’s “Cool Schools,” including their methodology and scoring key, is available online.
