SUNY ESF Rated Top Performer in 2025 Sustainable Campus Index

10/30/2025

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Oct. 30, 2025 — The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) continues to be recognized as a Top Performer in the 2025 Sustainable Campus Index based on the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). ESF was measured in 13 sustainability impact areas, resulting in Top Performer status in 5 categories, including a No. 6 ranking for doctoral-granting institutions.

“ESF is honored to be not only a leader in sustainability, but also in educating the next generation of environmentalists,” said ESF President Joanie Mahoney. “Our faculty, students, and staff lead by example through research, community service, and stewardship, and these rankings reflect that dedication.”  

Here’s how ESF ranked in this year’s report:

• ESF is one of only nine institutions in the country rated at the highest level of STARS (Platinum). The College is ranked alongside Arizona State, Colorado State, Cornell, George Washington University, University of California-Berkeley, University of California-San Diego, University of Massachusetts-Lowell, and the University of New Hampshire.
• No. 2 (tied)  — Once again, ESF has one of the highest scores for Curriculum
• No.  2 (tied)  — Investment and Finance, which looks at sustainable investment, committees for responsible investing, and investment disclosure.
• No. 3 — Public Engagement, which ranks colleges on community and inter-campus partnerships, continuing education, community service, and public policy participation.
• No. 3 — Research, which covers faculty and department sustainability research, and initiatives for open-access research
• No. 6 — Top performer in the doctoral-granting group, which is ranked based on the highest overall scores among doctoral institutions.

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) empowers higher education administrators, faculty, staff, and students to be effective change agents and drivers of sustainability innovation. STARS was developed by AASHE with broad participation from the higher education community. It is a globally recognized transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. Participants submit data to earn a STARS Reporter, Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum rating. The 2025 Sustainable Campus Index is available here. 

About SUNY ESF

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient future through design, policy, and management of the environment and natural resources. Members of the College community share a passion for protecting the health of the planet and a deep commitment to the rigorous application of science to improve the way humans interact with the world. The College offers academic programs ranging from the associate of applied science to the Doctor of Philosophy. ESF students live, study and do research on the main campus in Syracuse, N.Y., and on 25,000 acres of field stations in a variety of ecosystems across the state.