BRANCHBURG TOWNSHIP, NJ (Somerset County) – Raritan Valley Community College is featured in the 2023 Sustainable Campus Index (SCI), a national publication from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
The Sustainable Campus Index recognizes top-performing sustainable colleges and universities overall and in 17 impact areas, evaluated through the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS).
RVCC is ranked as #1 overall for two-year colleges in the US for its sustainability efforts and has a STARS Gold rating by AASHE.
“We are very honored that Raritan Valley Community College is included in the 2023 Sustainable Campus Index and is being recognized by AASHE as the top community college in the nation for its sustainability efforts. RVCC has a proven track record in its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, and the College has cut its campus energy emissions by 58% since 2005,” said Michael J. McDonough, RVCC President.
“All of us at AASHE extend our warmest congratulations to Raritan Valley Community College for their leadership,” said AASHE’s Executive Director, Meghan Fay Zahniser. “By fostering sustainable practices and initiatives, RVCC sets an inspiring example for its peers.”
Raritan Valley Community College ranks extremely high nationally among community colleges in a number of areas, including the #1 school in the country, with a perfect score, for sustainability research (for its Center for Environmental Studies); #1 for academics (for research and learning outcomes); tied for #1 for water use and rainwater management, with perfect scores for both (for River Friendly commitments); #3 two-year institution, with a 97.25% score, for sustainability learning outcomes; #4 for energy; and #4 school for air and climate, due to the College’s energy efficiency initiatives and purchasing of carbon offsets and renewable energy credits.
Sustainability is an important part of the campus fabric at RVCC, which, in 2009 was the first community college in the nation to sign an environmental stewardship agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency. The College is River Friendly, as well as Bee Campus USA and Monarch Watch certified.
RVCC has three solar installations, a new greenhouse, publicly available electric car charging stations, a green roof and a green wall, numerous pollinator gardens, a rain garden, three rainwater harvesting systems, and three buildings built to LEED standards. The College’s Strategic Plan formalizes its commitment to sustainability.
