New Jersey Institute of Technology recently earned a silver rating in sustainability after a year-long assessment of the university’s sustainability footprint in greenhouse gas emissions and its research, courses and community engagement related to sustainability.
The assessment, from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), is based on a Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) that awards points in five categories: academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration and innovation and leadership.
In particular, NJIT was recognized for its research that addresses global challenges, partnership with Newark to enrich the city environment and strategic plan, which identifies sustainability as one of the four pillars of the university. With this report card, NJIT joins the ranks of other AASHE-rated universities, including Princeton and MIT.
“This rating affirms our commitment to sustainability on many levels, including the research we conduct, the curriculum we deliver and how we engage with the community,” NJIT President Teik Lim said.
Prabhakar Shrestha, the university’s assistant director of sustainability, added that NJIT “seeks to integrate sustainability into different aspects of our daily lives through conservation and the use of renewable energy, informed recycling and other practices.”
In addition, last year NJIT signed the carbon commitment as it works toward the goal of carbon neutrality. As Andrew Christ, senior vice president for real estate development and capital operations, put it, “We are living our core values and integrating sustainable principles in academics, research, engagement and operations.
