Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 70.33
Liaison Neha Sood
Submission Date March 3, 2022

STARS v2.2

Rochester Institute of Technology
PRE-2: Points of Distinction

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete N/A Enid Cardinal
Senior Sustainability Advisor to the President
Office of the President
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Name of the institution’s featured sustainability program, initiative, or accomplishment:
Golisano Institute for Sustainability

A brief description of the institution’s featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS) is a global leader in sustainability education and research. We partner with business and government sponsors to solve complex, systemic problems. Much of our work aims to make the industry more sustainable. To do this, we use innovative approaches and technologies to minimize the use of materials and energy while maximizing outcomes. Our expertise, combined with our state-of-the-art research facilities, allows our partners to gain new insights, fuel innovation, and move forward.

Our graduate and doctoral programs are challenging, inspirational, and world-changing. GIS graduates go on to become transformative agents of change within industry, government, academia, and the nonprofit sector. They are problem-solvers, visionaries, and decision-makers who want to create a better, sustainable world. We are part of Rochester Institute of Technology, a university that is world-renowned as an advocate and practitioner of sustainability.

Which of the following impact areas does the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Curriculum
Research
Buildings

Optional Fields

Website URL where more information about the accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
AC2, AC4, AC

A photograph or document associated with the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
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Second Point of Distinction

Name of a second highlighted sustainability program/initiative/accomplishment:
Goodbye, Goodbuy!

A brief description of the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
Goodbye, Goodbuy is one of the largest Move Out Programs in the country. We collect items students would normally throw out when they move out, and sell them at thrift store prices when students move back onto campus.

Since its creation in 2015, the eco-friendly program has provided jobs for students looking for leadership experience, promoted sustainability on campus, and has even gotten recognition on news stations, including an interview with the Washington Post! All funding generated from the program gets put back into the program to cover the cost of student wages and equipment, with leftover funding used to fund student-run sustainability initiatives on campus.

Which impact areas does the second program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Campus Engagement
Waste

Website URL where more information about the second program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the second program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
EN2, EN3,

A photograph or document associated with the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
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Third Point of Distinction

Name of a third highlighted program/initiative/accomplishment:
RIT FoodShare

A brief description of the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
The RIT FoodShare Center exists to address food insecurity and food waste among the RIT community. The FoodShare Center is available as a resource to any students, staff, faculty, or alumni with an RIT ID. Food Insecurity is a growing problem on college campuses, however, due to social stigma, it is often not something that people feel comfortable admitting is an issue. Therefore, the RIT FoodShare program aims to combat food insecurity in a way that places the emphasis on community and helping others as opposed to a program based on hunger and the inability to pay for food. The program is need-blind; any member of the RIT community is able to take, swap, or donate items without any formal demonstration of need.

Which impact areas does the third program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Campus Engagement
Food & Dining
Water

Website URL where more information about the third program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the third program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
EN3, IN14

A photograph or document associated with the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.