Middlebury Receives Gold Rating on 2026 Sustainability Report

Middlebury has earned a STARS Gold Rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements 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.

Middlebury’s STARS report is publicly available on the STARS website.

“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “Middlebury has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Gold Rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”

STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework used by institutions around the globe to assess and advance integrated sustainability work. The STARS framework features 45 credits and hundreds of data points across four categories that include academics, engagement, operations, and planning and administration, and gives Middlebury the opportunity to develop a holistic assessment across campus.

Middlebury was an early adopter of the STARS system, having utilized the framework since 2011. For the latest report, the office of Sustainability and Environmental Affairs (SEA) opted to pursue STARS 3.0, which is the most updated and robust version of the report. The new report gives a significantly more in-depth perspective into the College’s current sustainability work and areas of potential improvement.

STARS data has been employed across the institution in academic classes, internships through the Sustainability Solutions Lab (SSL) and Climate Action Fellowship (CAF), and Environmental Council projects. In conjunction with strategic plan initiative seven, The Planet’s College, the STARS report provides essential data to confidently inform next steps in the creation of a comprehensive climate action plan and environmental work post-Energy2028.

“We are grateful for all of the time, information, and data sharing from partners across campus,” noted Tara Federoff, assistant director of communications and outreach for the Office of Sustainability and Environmental Affairs. “We look forward to working to achieve a platinum score on our next STARS report!”

For more information about the STARS report and sustainability work at Middlebury, visit the Office of Sustainability and Environmental Affairs.