We're honored to make the list for the 6th year in a row!
This year, a record 312 institutions participated in the annual Sierra Magazine's Cool Schools rankings—a remarkable feat, given the fact it’s been a school year like no other. Beyond having to suddenly pivot to virtual learning and community-building because of the coronavirus pandemic, many schools had to backtrack. UMD, however, is one of the schools on the list that has shown incredible resourcefulness as we have innovated new ways to maintain—and in many cases, further—our sustainability objectives.
Ranked at 133 out of 312, UMD sits comfortably in the middle of the pack -- and competition is fierce! Institutions are scored based on their AASHE STARS score (UMD improved their STARS score from Silver (58 points) to Gold (66 points) in 2019. Sierra also uses their own scoring questions, which adds an additional layer of complexity to the rankings. You can check out the methodology and other ranked schools here. We are very proud of UMN Morris for also making the list with the impressive ranking of 46!
This ranking is a recognition of the hard work that happens across campus everyday in favor of sustainability. Our campus operations are empowered and pursuing initiatives that keep moving the needle forward to a carbon-neutral institution. Way to go UMD!