OSU earns two rankings for sustainability

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Media Contact: Page Mindedahl | Communications Specialist | 405-744-9782 | page.mindedahl@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University has earned a STARS Silver Rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education in recognition of the university’s progress and commitment to sustainability as well as a place on the Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges for 2026. 

STARS — the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System — measures and encourages sustainability success across all areas of higher education. 

“We’ve been part of the STARS reporting process since the Sustainability Office began in 2012, and watching our progress over the years has been inspiring,” Sustainability Coordinator Katie Beitz said. “Our progress over the past decade highlights not only the expansion of our responsibilities as a department, but also the collective effort of our students, faculty, staff and administration in advancing sustainability across campus and within our community.” 

OSU has participated in the STARS program as part of its ongoing effort to strengthen environmental stewardship, advance operational efficiency, and expand sustainability-related learning and engagement opportunities across campus. The university continues to align its sustainability goals with its mission as Oklahoma’s modern land-grant institution, focusing on research, education and community leadership that support long-term environmental and economic resilience. 

“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser said. “Oklahoma State University has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Silver Rating and is to be congratulated for its efforts.” 

STARS is a self-assessment system that allows institutions to track and share progress transparently. The program’s credit-based structure enables universities to benchmark growth and compare their performance internally and with peer institutions. 

“So much of what our office does isn’t always visible,” Beitz said. “Events like Earth Day and America Recycles Day, and major reports such as STARS and the Princeton Review, give us a moment to shine a light on the ongoing work happening behind the scenes. I’m especially grateful to the students who helped make this STARS submission possible: Mercedez Aldana, Erin MacDonald, Evan Elk and Karter Caves.” 

OSU’s STARS report is publicly available on the STARS website. 

OSU was also recently included in the Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges for 2026. The Princeton Review selected schools based on a survey conducted in 2024-25 of administrators at 401 colleges about their sustainability-related policies, practices and programs. The company also surveyed students about their green campus experiences. School selections were based on more than 25 data points from the surveys.