Furman rises in sustainable campus ranking

Furman University’s commitment to the environment earned it a top spot by the 2024 Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Sustainable Campus Index.

The organization ranked Furman third out of 355 universities, technical colleges and other institutions in the category of campus engagement. Campus engagement includes the work of student sustainability organizations, surveys and assessments of student experiences with sustainability practices and co-curricular activities that get students involved in sustainability efforts. Furman is the only baccalaureate university in the country and the only school from South Carolina to earn a spot in the top 10, rising from fourth last year.

“Furman aims to be a leader in sustainability,” said Laura Bain, associate director of sustainability assessment in the Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities. “Through efforts like the 2024 Princeton Review’s Hopes and Worries survey, we know that students are looking for colleges and universities that have commitments that align with their values.”

Each year, AASHE pulls from the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System data-tracking platform to rank institutions in the

Laura Bain, The Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities.

Sustainable Campus Index. These reports and data are publicly available, Bain said. The date is used for other key higher-education rankings, including the Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges.

Aside from Furman’s third place ranking in campus engagement, the university also ranked fifth overall among baccalaureate institutions, and was the only college in the South, to make the top 10 baccalaureate schools. Bain said Furman’s Bachelor of Science in Sustainability Science helps set it apart.

“It is a unique and robust program that focuses on the critical linkages between global environmental, human and social systems and emphasizes complex systems analysis,” she said.

The Shi Institute offers a fellowship program, providing insight into the campus and community through applied research into such topics as transportation, gentrification and affordable housing, she said. The Institute impacts the state by developing student leaders who address real-world sustainability challenges.

Furman will soon submit its 2024 STARS report and Bain said she’ll begin identifying opportunities for progress. Furman has been rated as a “gold” school by AASHE since 2015, but Bain said the Shi Institute is aiming to be the first baccalaureate university to reach the “platinum” rank.

“We are proud of our successes but are not blind to our shortcomings,” she said. “Part of our path to platinum will include completing an update to our climate action plan and working toward implementation with our campus stakeholders.”