The University of New Mexico recently achieved a Silver rating in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) Version 3.0, administered by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). This accolade highlights UNM’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and community engagement. UNM’s report is publicly available on the STARS website.

“UNM 2040 highlights Sustainability as a key institutional priority, and this STARS Silver rating reflects UNM’s collective effort to integrate sustainability into all facets of university life,” said UNM President Garnett Stokes. “From classrooms to operations, we are creating a culture of sustainability that aligns with our mission and values.”
STARS is a globally recognized framework for measuring sustainability performance across higher education institutions. With more than 1,200 participants in 52 countries, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance.
“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “The University of New Mexico has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Silver Rating and is to be congratulated for its efforts.”
UNM earned its Silver rating and a score of 51.71 through a UNM Office of Sustainability–led assessment, which included a robust evaluation of academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration, and innovation and leadership.
Key areas contributing to this recognition include:
- Academics: UNM offers many undergraduate and graduate degrees and classes that focus on sustainability topics, which are available in nearly all of its schools and colleges. The Sustainability Studies Program, established in 2010, is an undergraduate minor degree available to students in any department or college.
- Research: UNM demonstrated strength in sustainability-related research initiatives, particularly through its sustainability research hubs, including the ARID (Accelerating Resilience in Dryland Ecosystems) Institute and leadership in the Intermountain West Transformation Network. Of the total academic departments engaged in research at UNM, 94% are engaged in sustainability-related research.
- Community Engagement: UNM is engaged in numerous sustainability-focused community partnerships and partnerships that support underrepresented groups and vulnerable populations, both locally and globally.
- Operations: Sustainable practices in energy and water conservation, green building design and construction, and greenhouse gas accounting helped the university earn points toward rigorous operations sustainability standards.
- Social Equity & Wellbeing: UNM excelled in supporting programs that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion and promote student, staff, and faculty wellbeing.
“There is much to celebrate about sustainability achievements at UNM, which span The University’s academic and service mission and permeate everything from the built environment to course content,” said UNM Director of Sustainability Anne Jakle. “We can use this baseline sustainability data generated through the STARS assessment to set campus priority areas to focus future sustainability initiatives.”
The Office of Sustainability recently launched a UNM Sustainability Strategic Planning process to gather campus input on sustainability strategic priorities. In the Spring 2025 semester, this effort will include public meetings and a campus-wide survey. Ultimately, the plan will develop 5–7 campus priority areas for UNM Office of Sustainability implementation.
The STARS Silver designation is valid through December 2027 and reinforces UNM's leadership in New Mexico for advancing sustainability. The university is committed to building on this foundation to achieve greater sustainability milestones in the future.
AASHE is an association of colleges and universities that are working to create a sustainable future. AASHE’s mission is to empower higher education to lead the sustainability transformation. It provides resources, professional development, and a network of support to enable institutions of higher education to model and advance sustainability in everything they do, from governance and operations to education and research. For more information about AASHE, visit www.aashe.org.
For more information about the STARS program, visit stars.aashe.org. For more details about UNM’s sustainability initiatives, visit the UNM Office of Sustainability website.