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National program evaluates campus |
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Tuesday, 04 December 2007 |
by LAUREN LAWSON
News Reporter
Unbeknownst to one another, two Appalachian State University staff members both sent in applications for Appalachian to pilot test a new national effort.
Both applied to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s (AASHE) new Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System on campus (STARS).
The STARS assessment looks at aspects of sustainability across college campuses using a rating system.
The assessment allows the college to be aware of places they succeed at sustainability and ways in which they could improve.
“I didn’t know that [Ball] had actually also applied…I am all for any
ways and means to get [Appalachian] involved in the sustainability
movement and raise awareness,” said Bradley N. Smith, facility
maintenance supervisor for housing operations.
Smith, a member of AASHE, decided to send in an application for
Appalachian’s participation after seeing it in AASHE’s announcements.
Technology instructor Lee F. Ball, Jr. was the other person who sent in an application.
AASHE’s test pilot program will apply and test a new system of rating
to campuses accepted into the program nationally from January through
December 2008.
“[The AASHE rating system] is intended to be voluntary…campuses rate
themselves essentially and can post their rating on their Web site,”
said Judy Walton, AASHE director of strategic initiatives.
Walton said during the year, participating campuses will complete a
“checklist” of sustainability indictors and submit the information to
AASHE, as well as feedback on their experience using the new STARS.
“I wanted to raise awareness and notoriety and take steps to improve
Appalachian…we have had a lot of greening in the student union and want
to follow that trend across campus,” Bradley said.
Walton said the program is designed to give a road map for campuses and
essentially ask, “What would a perfectly sustainable campus look like?”
She said in the past some campuses did not get graded well.
“No one is going to get a full score…it is about positive recognition,” Walton said.
Junior public relations major Mykal A. Smith said she likes Appalachian
because it is not a “concrete campus,” like some universities.
“As for changes, in dorms I’ve noticed a lot more available recycling. It is easier to do now,” Mykal said.
Bradley said the biggest change he has seen in improving sustainability across campus is participation from residents.
“There was minimal resident participation three years ago and now there is a lot of interest,” he said.
Mykal said she thinks Appalachian does a good job of having a clean campus.
“I’m not sure if it is students being more conscientious or workers cleaning up,” she said.
Walton said AASHE received over 200 applications from across the country and they will select about 100.
The selected campuses will be notified in late January.
“I like the fact that our college wants to know if they are doing
something wrong…at least they don’t mind finding their faults in order
to improve things,” Mykal said.
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