BRANCHBURG TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Somerset County) — Raritan Valley Community College has earned a STARS Silver Rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education in recognition of its campus-wide sustainability efforts.
The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, known as STARS, measures and encourages sustainability in higher education across areas including academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration, and innovation and leadership.
The recognition marks another milestone in the college’s ongoing sustainability initiatives. RVCC completed its first STARS report in 2011 and this year reported under the organization’s expanded STARS 3.0 framework. In 2025, the college was recognized as the nation’s top community college for sustainability efforts under the previous version of the rating system.
RVCC’s report highlights sustainability programs and practices led by the Center for Environmental Studies, the Department of Institutional Engagement, Student Life clubs and the Forum Environmental Sustainability Committee.
“Raritan Valley Community College continues to look for new and innovative ways to increase campus sustainability and to demonstrate environmental leadership in the classroom, across campus, and throughout the community. The College’s greenhouse gas reductions, academic curriculum, sustainability research, and ecologically managed grounds practices demonstrate its commitment to sustainability in all areas,” said RVCC President Michael J. McDonough.
According to the college, its STARS report is publicly available through the STARS website.
The STARS program includes more than 1,200 participating colleges and universities in 52 countries and is considered one of the world’s leading frameworks for measuring and publicly reporting sustainability performance in higher education.
“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “Raritan Valley Community College has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Silver Rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”
Unlike traditional rankings, STARS is open to all higher education institutions and uses transparent criteria based on credits earned, allowing schools to compare their sustainability performance internally and with peer institutions.
