Belleville, Ontario, September 10, 2015 — Loyalist College is proud to announce that it has earned a STARS Bronze Rating for its sustainability efforts 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. Having recently submitted its first sustainability report, Loyalist used STARS to provide a 360-degree view of its sustainability performance, allowing the College to pinpoint what it is doing well and where it can improve.
“This report is an important milestone for the College and will be used to guide and inspire our efforts going forward,” says Maureen Piercy, President and CEO of Loyalist College and Co-Chair of the Sustainability Steering Committee. “We see sustainability as a strategic priority that will help preserve the resiliency of this institution long into the future.”
Used by more than 700 institutions worldwide, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college’s or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in four overall areas: 1) operations 2) academics, 3) engagement and 4) planning, administration.
“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “Loyalist College has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Bronze Rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”
Creating opportunities for students to learn about sustainability, both inside and outside the classroom, was a major contributor to the College’s Bronze Rating. Loyalist’s faculty members are committed to ensuring that Loyalist students graduate with a solid understanding of how their education can contribute to a more sustainable world. Over 150 courses currently integrate sustainability themes and 37 percent of Loyalist students graduate from a program with formal sustainability learning outcomes.
The College also earned points for its efforts to create and leverage community partnerships. A prime example is student contributions to local organizations. With over 30,000 volunteer hours logged in just one year, Loyalist students are making a real difference in the lives of community residents and gaining valuable skills in the process.
Operations are trending in the right direction as well. Loyalist’s per-student energy footprint is decreasing as a result of extensive lighting retrofits and other energy-saving projects conducted by Facilities staff across campus. Retrofits completed in 2014 will reduce electricity consumption by 100,000 kilowatts annually, saving the College over $11,000 in electricity costs and preventing the release of over 21 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (eCO2) every year.
Loyalist College’s STARS report is publicly available on the STARS website: https://stars.aashe.org/institutions/loyalist-college-on/report/2015-07-23/
About AASHE
AASHE is an association of colleges and universities working to create a sustainable future. AASHE’s mission is to empower higher education to lead the sustainability transformation. It provides resources, professional development and a network of support to enable institutions of higher education to model and advance sustainability in everything they do, from governance and operations to education and research. For more information about AASHE, visit www.aashe.org. For more information about the STARS program, visit stars.aashe.org.
About Loyalist College
When it comes to grads getting jobs, Loyalist College is the #1 College in Ontario. According to Provincial Key Performance Indicator (KPI) results released April 2015, 89.3 percent of the College’s most recent graduates found employment within six months of graduation compared to the provincial average of 84 per cent. Located on more than 200 acres in the beautiful Bay of Quinte region, Loyalist College is a close-knit community where students and their success come first. Loyalist provides personalized attention in small classes, rewarding field placements and superior student services. To prepare students for in-demand careers, Loyalist offers more than 60 full-time programs; apprenticeships; and 500+ online, distance and in-class courses, as well as opportunities for continuing education through more than 70 university transfer agreements. The College’s wide selection of advanced diplomas, diplomas and certificates aligns with market-driven disciplines including applied sciences, biosciences, building sciences, business and management studies, health sciences, human studies, justice studies, media, arts and design, and skills and technology. In Ontario, the College’s new Digital Media Centre and the LEED® Silver certified Sustainable Skills, Technology and Life Sciences Centre are training centres of choice for students, as well as College business and industry partners. For more information on the College’s Belleville and Bancroft campuses, visit loyalistcollege.com.
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Contact: Kerry Lorimer, Director, Marketing and Communications
Loyalist College, klorimer@loyalistc.on.ca, 613-969-1913 ext. 2536