KEENE STATE COLLEGE SUSTAINABILITY- THE ROADMAP TO PLATINUM

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(JANUARY 1, 2021 TO DECEMBER 31, 2025)

 

Keene State College (KSC) uses the AASHE STARS program as its overarching benchmarking tool for sustainability goal-setting and progress. The College committed to this approach in its 2015 Strategic Plan, where Goal 4, Community and Culture, stated, “Through a consistent practice of shared stewardship, Keene State College will strengthen its community, enrich its campus culture, and advance environmental sustainability.” Objective 4.5 declared a clear AASHE STARS sustainability goal:

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• 4.5 Promote a culture and instill and communicate policies and practices that value and support environmental sustainability and improve the quality of life locally and globally.

  • 4.5.1 Review Sustainability Tracking and Rating System (STARS) data.

  • 4.5.2 Develop and implement a plan to move Keene State to the STARS Gold rating no later than 2020.
     

Through an extensive campus engagement process and dynamic planning approaches, KSC achieved that goal as reflected in its 2021 submission to AASHE. KSC received a gold STAR rating with a total score of 78.07 points. 

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With each AASHE STARS Submission, the KSC Office of Sustainability, in consultation with the President’s Council for a Sustainable Future, reviews progress, establishes the next suite of goals, and develops an overarching roadmap to achieve those goals. In her Executive Letter submitted with KSC’s 2021 AASHE STARS report, the College’s President affirmed a new goal of attaining AASHE STARS PLATINUM no later than 2025.

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This plan, The Keene State College Roadmap to Platinum, identifies the critical areas of growth for the College to attain AASHE STARS Platinum and names areas where the College performs well, but could still improve its leadership role. Attachment A to this document provides a detailed spreadsheet of RoadMap to Platinum actions.

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ROOM TO GROW

 

AASHE STARS Credits from KSC’s 2021 submission that indicate an opportunity for more than 0.5-point of gain to meet the maximum point threshold are identified in Table 1. These represent the greatest opportunities for growth in achieving the STARS Platinum by 2025 goal. They also support attainment of KSCs more specific sustainability goals such as 100% electricity by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050.

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Table 1. AASHE STARS CATEGORIES REPRESENTING “ROOM TO GROW”