The Princeton Review rates institutions for sustainability practices and policies
The University of Massachusetts Amherst continues to be among the nation’s most environmentally responsible higher educational institutions, according to The Princeton Review’s 2021 Guide to Green Colleges.
For the sixth consecutive year, UMass Amherst has been recognized on the list, which this year profiles 416 green colleges. The Princeton Review chose the colleges and universities based on its 2019-20 sustainability survey of administrators and students at 695 institutions.
Survey topics ranged from academic offerings and campus initiatives to career preparation for green jobs.
“Each and every one of the outstanding colleges in this edition of our guide offers both excellent academics and exemplary evidence of environmental commitment,” says Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief.
More than 25 survey data points were analyzed by The Princeton Review editors to tally Green Rating scores for the schools on a scale of 60 to 99; UMass Amherst received a score of 96. Colleges that earned a Green Rating of 80 or higher made it into the guide.
In its green profile of UMass Amherst, The Princeton Review cited the abundance of undergraduate majors – 25 – that are sustainability-related. The university’s transportation options, including a free campus shuttle and bike-share programs, also were noted, as was its gold STARSrating by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education(AASHE).