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STARS Report_Final
- 1. STARS REPORT 2011-2012SUMMARY The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) is an online self-reporting tool for colleges to monitor rela- tive progress towards sustainabil- ity. Following a thorough vetting process and extensive testing by the higher education community, the Association for the Advance- ment of Sustainability in High- erEducation (AASHE) developed it in 2010. Since then, over 500 university institutions have utilized the STARS reporting tool to receive a sustainability rating. This score (ranging from 0 – 100 percent) is based on the percentage of points a university earns pursuing cred- its across three categories: Edu- cation & Research, Operations, and Planning, Administration & Engagement. Ratings of bronze, silver, gold and platinum can be awarded depending on the cumu- lative score. The University of Southern California sustainability score of 37 percent qualified us for a Bronze rating. Although the three categories’ scores reflect similar levels of achievement, there were both remarkably strong components and areas targeted for improvement within each category. Based on these results, it is evident that USC still needs to take major strides in all three categories of the STARS report to move beyond its Bronze rating. We recommend that USC construct a comprehensive sustainability plan that addresses the current inconsistencies in our green ethos and finds actionable strategies to improve them. Then, the senior administration can review this document and take the appropriate action. INTRODUCTION RESULTS EDUCATION & RESEARCH PLANNING, ADMIN, & ENGAGEMENTOPERATIONS CONCLUSION UNDERGRADUATE & GRADUATE programs in envi- ronmental studies ONLY 4% of USC’s courses in the curriculum are sustainability -related NO THEMED HOUSING for students interested in the environment. URBAN GARDEN workshops on skills like composting and seed- starting for students to get involved 100+ PEER EDUCATORS to reach out to the student body as part of the Tailgate Waste Diversion program USC Sustainability informational WEBSITE NO NATIVE PLANT or PEST MANAGEMENT integration plan DRIP-IRRIGATED landscaping on majority of campus SUSTAINABILITY STEER- ING COMMITTEE formed in 2007 $0 invested by university in sustainable industries or businesses 62,600 HOURS of community service by students NO CLIMATE ACTION PLAN devised by the university GREEN OFFICE CERTIFICA- TION PROGRAM created to implement sustainable practices into everyday office operations OFFICE OF SUSTAIN- ABILITY in 2010 with 2 employees 7% OF TOTAL electricity sourced from clean or renewable sources, and rising CO2 equivalent from building energy consumption RISEN BY 10% by 2005 79% STUDENTS 51% FACULTY using SUSTAINABLE COMMUTING options New buildings me- tered and updated with LOW-FLOW APPLIANCES 8 STOPS across campuson Office of Sustainability tour EARTH WEEK speaker events hosted annually $ Gre en Offices Prog ram SU STAINABILI TY Trojan Certified EDUCATION 33% 33% 44% OPERATIONS PLANNING