University of Kentucky receives STARS silver rating for sustainability achievements
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 12, 2026) — The University of Kentucky has earned a STARS Silver rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education.
The University of Kentucky’s STARS report is publicly available on the STARS website.
This is the fourth consecutive silver rating for the university, signaling both a legacy of work and a steadfast commitment to foster a balanced approach to sustainability that considers environmental, social and economic impacts in every facet of the university’s activities and operations.
“STARS is the gold standard for assessing sustainability efforts in higher education,” said Shane Tedder, director of sustainability and facilities services and assistant director of the Tracy Farmer Institute for Sustainability and the Environment. “UK’s silver rating highlights the breadth and depth of our enterprise-wide commitment to advance the Commonwealth of Kentucky and prepare our students for lives of meaning and purpose by integrating the principles of sustainability in all aspects of our activities and operations.”
Many initiatives and campus practices contribute to the STARS certification. Some points of distinction for UK’s certification included the Sustainability Office Certification Program, a new campus composting system, student-funded sustainability projects and UK’s Sustainability Challenge Grant Program.
Last April, UK Recycling and UK Grounds, and in close partnership with UK Dining launched a campus composting system to expand food waste diversion and support UK’s commitment to closed-loop systems and becoming a zero-waste campus. The new system dramatically improves the university’s ability to process organic waste. From April to December 2025, more than 178 tons of food waste was collected from campus dining locations and transformed into compost. By turning today’s food scraps into tomorrow’s soil nutrients, the university is reducing waste, improving soil health and demonstrating leadership for a more sustainable future.
The university’s Student Sustainability Council (SSC), which supervises the distribution of UK’s environmental stewardship fee, focuses on responsibly advancing the theory, practice and reality of sustainability at UK. In this year alone, the SSC will deliver $200,000 for campus sustainability projects. Any campus member is free to submit project proposals, encouraging participation of the entire university in sustainability efforts.
“The SSC provides critical funding needed to turn ideas from students, faculty and staff across campus into real, meaningful sustainability initiatives,” said Carlie Laughlin, sustainability program coordinator.
In addition, UK’s Sustainability Challenge Grant program provides funding for sustainability projects. The grant encourages teams to submit experimental, future-forward projects that juggle environmental responsibility, economic value and community impact. Funded teams in the previous 10 years have received $1.95 million to pursue 66 unique projects. From the student-run Ugly Produce Market leaving no imperfect food behind to converting underutilized and historic buildings across rural Kentucky into health care clinics, several innovative projects have used campus and the Kentucky community as a living laboratory for innovation.
“Our role as Kentucky’s flagship and land-grant institution allows us to be a leader in Kentucky in advancing efficiency and innovation as we ensure a healthier, wealthier and wiser future,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “This STARS certification highlights a well-deserved validation for the university's groundbreaking efforts to both improve our community and prepare for the challenges and opportunities ahead.”
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. Participants report achievements in five overall areas: academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration, and innovation and leadership.
“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 Kentucky has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Silver Rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”
For more information about the STARS program, visit stars.aashe.org.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.