University of Dayton earns gold for sustainability in higher education

ajc.com

The University of Dayton has earned gold rating for the first time for sustainability achievements in STARS - The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System.

UD's score has ranked in the top 2 percent of all rated schools, which is the first in Ohio, and second among U.S. Catholic college and universities.

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There has been improvement from previous years in dining operations, purchasing and grounds, curriculum and programs to address today's sustainability challenges, and student engagement in sustainability research and peer-to-peer education, but earned perfect marks in academic research, diversity and affordability, sustainability coordination and planning, and innovation and leadership.

The University has been investing more into the students, faculty, and campus. Its latest investments include being a more sustainable campus, and engaging students in more sustainability work, which includes installing 4,026 solar panels around campus and the rooftop garden that is already installed.

UD had seeded a Green Revolving Fund, which launched in 2016, that supports improvements on campus that are energy-saving, sustainability-related research, and hands-on learning opportunities. The rebates from these improvements are reinvested into the fund, which invests into sustainability initiatives on campus. Along with that, the George and Amanda Hanley Foundation has also helped the sustainability education initiatives as well.

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