BIDDEFORD — The University of New England earned a STARS Silver Rating for its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education through its Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, marking the first time UNE has participated in the internationally recognized assessment.
STARS helps colleges and universities measure and publicly report sustainability performance while encouraging sustainability in all aspects of higher education. With more than 1,300 participating institutions in 53 countries, STARS is widely regarded as the leading framework for assessing sustainability in higher education.
“A silver rating for our first time participating is a tremendous accomplishment,” Alethea Cariddi, M.S.Ed., UNE’s director of Sustainability, in the Office of Sustainability, who coordinated the submission, said. “This process helped us better understand our strengths, identify opportunities for improvement, and build stronger systems for tracking and advancing sustainability across the University. The achievement reflects the dedication of students, faculty, professional staff, and administrators who contributed to the assessment.”
UNE’s STARS Silver Rating, awarded on May 20, reflects a year-long effort involving data collection and collaboration across academic, operational, and administrative departments to report achievements in academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration, and innovation and leadership. The report also underwent a rigorous review process, including several internal reviews, as well as external peer reviews from sustainability professionals at two other higher education institutions.
In its assessment, UNE highlighted several distinctive sustainability initiatives, including:
• The Shaw Institute of Public and Planetary Health, launched in 2025, which brings together public health, environmental science, aging, policy, medicine, business and related disciplines to address the interconnected challenges of human and environmental health. The institute’s interdisciplinary approach advances education, research, and community engagement while preparing graduates to address complex sustainability challenges.
• UNE’s Interactive Sustainability Map, a publicly accessible digital resource that showcases campus sustainability features, natural assets and operational initiatives while connecting them to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The map transforms the campus into a living laboratory and provides students, employees, and visitors with a systems-level view of sustainability in action.
• The student-driven S.W.A.P. (Surplus With A Purpose) Shop, which promotes waste reduction and reuse by giving donated clothing, dorm supplies, and household goods a second life. Since opening in 2023, the shop has diverted more than 4 tons from the waste stream while providing affordable resources and hands-on sustainability learning opportunities for students.
AASHE provides higher education institutions resources, professional development, and a support network to advance sustainability in governance, operations, education, research and community engagement.
“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser, M.A., said in a written statement. “UNE has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Silver Rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”
UNE’s STARS report is publicly available, after creating an account, on the AASHE STARS website.
