text: UW-River Falls again earns STARS Silver Rating for sustainability efforts | University of Wisconsin River Falls
  April 8, 2016 — The University of Wisconsin-River Falls has earned its fourth consecutive STARS Silver Rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education.
  "UW-River Falls is fortunate to have many champions of sustainability amongst our students, faculty, and staff," said Mark Klapatch, UW-River Falls sustainability and custodial supervisor. "The achievement of a silver rating requires contributions from people all over campus across many disciplines and truly demonstrates the passion our campus community has for modeling sustainability.
  With more than 750 participants on six continents, 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 four overall areas: academics, engagement, operations, and planning/administration. One additional section allows for innovation credits, allowing an institution to note unique programs and initiatives. UW-River Falls submitted four innovation credits, receiving the maximum amount of additional credit available.
  "Colleges and universities are like small cities, and their impact is substantial. STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts," said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. "UW-River Falls has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS silver rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts."