OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
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The FY22 Annual Sustainability Report highlights accomplishments and provides a summary of sustainability indicators for the period between July 2021 and June 2022. The reports are largely built on OSU's Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) data. STARS is a self-reporting framework with peer-reviewed, standardized indicators used by colleges and universities to track progress toward sustainability, developed by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Oregon State was the first institution to submit ten STARS reports and continues to show national and international leadership in sustainability assessment by submitting more STARS reports than any other institution, including multiple reports with zero data errors. With each report, OSU has achieved a Gold rating from STARS.
March 6-8, OSU hosted in Corvallis the Washington & Oregon Higher Education Sustainability Conference (WOHESC). WOHESC is organized by Pacific Northwest higher education institutions and travels to a different host school each year to inspire change, facilitate action, and promote collaboration around sustainability within the region. Sessions, workshops, and networking at WOHESC empower participants to advance environmental and social justice.
The OSU Sustainability Office thanks all of this year's WOHESC speakers and sponsors! Many students, staff, and other members of the higher education community attended the conference and helped make the event a huge success. We look forward to attending next year's WOHESC at Western Washington University!
The university has adopted a Path to Carbon Neutrality to guide our carbon reduction strategies going forward. This plan has been informed by significant engagement throughout the university community, including with faculty, staff, and students, and by benchmarking with peer universities nationally. The plan includes a set of nine actions, including prioritizing energy efficiency; emphasizing on-site renewable energy production and the use of off-site renewable energy; reducing and eliminating the use of natural gas; promoting sustainable transportation options; and evaluating carbon offset potential from university lands.
Join the Sustainability Office and ASOSU on Tuesdays for Sustainability Networking Hour! Meetings are from 5-8 pm in SEC 258. Learn more about sustainability resources at OSU, receive support and funding for sustainability-focused activities and clubs, and hear from community leaders and experts. This is a space to ask questions, brainstorm ideas, connect with clubs and resource centers, and meet others!
OSU's new Sustainability Engagement Program is a two-part leadership course designed to offer a structured, practical, and meaningful experience for students who wish to explore sustainability without committing to the time or expense of a for-credit class. This non-credit, transcript-visible course is free of charge. The Winter session begins January 9.
Oregon State University has been recognized as a top performer in the 2022 Sustainable Campus Index, ranking 9th in the area of Waste. Specifically, OSU has demonstrated excellence in waste reduction, waste diversion, and hazardous waste management. A publication from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), the Sustainable Campus Index recognizes top-performing sustainable colleges and universities overall and in 17 impact areas, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS).
Green Certifications help the OSU community further sustainability efforts and receive recognition for excellent work. Green Office, Lab, and Greek certifications utilize online Qualtrics surveys to assess existing practices, such as energy and water use, waste management, purchasing, transportation, and outreach. Each survey can be saved and continued at any time, allowing you to complete it at your own pace. Once data entry and analysis are complete, we will send your score and certification level, as well as customized recommendations for improvement to reach the next level!