Notre Dame’s commitment to sustainably-minded initiatives is steadily receiving recognition among higher education institutions and ranking systems. For the 15th year in a row, Notre Dame has been recognized by The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges, ranking 94 out of 511 schools for the 2025 edition. Earlier this academic year, the University was also recognized in AASHE’s Sustainable Campus Index (SCI) for a third year in a row. This year, Notre Dame was recognized in SCI’s Engagement section for its partnership with Crossroads Solar: a local solar panel company whose workforce consists of returning citizens.

What do these recognitions mean?

Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges

Schools are selected for their exceptional programs, policies, and practices related to sustainability and the environment. Among more than twenty-five data points, the Princeton Review’s Green rating methodology includes the following criteria:

• Whether students have a quality of life on campus that is both healthy and sustainable.

• How well a school is preparing students for employment in the clean-energy economy of the 21st century, as well as for citizenship in a world now defined by environmental concerns and opportunities.

• How environmentally responsible a school's policies are.

AASHE’s Sustainable Campus Index

SCI recognizes top-performing colleges and universities in 17 impact areas within sustainability, in accordance with the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). Used by hundreds of colleges and universities, STARS helps institutions measure, report and strengthen their contributions to global sustainability. An Institutional Highlights section recognizes high-impact projects and initiatives. Notre Dame is currently ranked as a STARS Gold University and is up for reevaluation later this academic year in the recently revised STARS version 3.0.

Why these recognitions matter

Visibility of our sustainable endeavors is ever-important in a rapidly changing world. As the threats of climate change become more imminent across the globe, prospective students strongly consider how universities are positioned to address the climate crisis. Such institutional decisions and actions can determine their choice when selecting a school. According to the QS Student Sustainability Survey 2023 (n = 110,000), 79% of students think that it’s important for universities to reduce their impact on the environment, and 51% report that they would consider paying higher tuition fees for a school that has sustainability initiatives. Through recognition, we stand out as a university that is in step with modern prospective students and their desires to attend sustainability-minded universities.

Thank you to our partners

These recognitions and rankings would not be possible without the members of the Notre Dame community actively involved in caring for our common home. Together, we’re making campus a more sustainable and healthy place to work and live today, and for future generations.

Originally published by Olivia Farrington at green.nd.edu on November 11, 2024.