RIVER FALLS – The University of Wisconsin-River Falls has received international recognition for its continued, ongoing dedication to invest in efforts related to sustainability that have benefited not only the university but the surrounding community. 

UWRF has been recognized for its commitment to sustainability in the 2024 Sustainable Campus Index, a publication from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). The Sustainable Campus Index recognizes top-performing sustainable colleges and universities overall and in 17 impact areas, evaluated through the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS).

UWRF is being recognized for its efforts in the Investment and Finance category of the Sustainable Campus Index. The index notes “sustainable investment processes improve the long-term health of institutional endowments, encourage better corporate behavior, support innovative product development, and build a more just and sustainable financial system.”

Mark Klapatch-Mathias, sustainability coordinator at UWRF, said the Sustainable Campus Index ranking is an acknowledgement of the university’s dedication to making sustainability a tangible part of campus life. 

“This recognition is the result of the diligent efforts of our Foundation Board and committees who spent significant time discussing our investment policies and our sustainable investment data over the past few years,” he said. “Inclusion in the Sustainable Campus Index is testimony to our ongoing commitment to the UWRF core value of sustainability.”

UWRF garnered its Sustainable Campus Index recognition through its high ratings in the Investor Responsibility and Sustainable Investment portions of the Investment and Finance category. Those ratings show the university’s dedication to ensuring that sustainability remains a vital goal, Klapatch-Mathias said. 

Meghan Fay Zahniser, AASHE executive director, praised UWRF for its ongoing dedication toward multiple sustainability efforts.  

"All of us at AASHE extend our warmest congratulations to UW-River Falls for their leadership,” Fay Zahniser said. “By fostering sustainable practices and initiatives, UW-River Falls sets an inspiring example for its peers."

The Sustainable Campus Index is the most recent of multiple awards and recognitions UWRF has received in recent years. In April, the university received a STARS Gold rating recognizing its sustainability efforts in all aspects of higher education. UWRF was the only Universities of Wisconsin school to achieve a gold rating this year. 

Last year UWRF won the Higher Education Kit Challenge, a competition sponsored by Focus on Energy. Other sustainability efforts, such as its Don’t Throw It, Donate It! move out collection program, the annual Earth Fest in conjunction with community partners, and its designations as a Fair Trade Campus and Bee Campus also have earned distinction. 

The UWRF Foundation has established a fund to support the university’s sustainability programs at https://www.uwrf.edu/give/sustainable.cfm. For more information, email mark.klapatch@uwrf.edu or call 715-425-4333.

Submitted by UW-River Falls