CANTON — St. Lawrence University earned national recognition for its achievements in sustainability.

The University received a rating of “silver” from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education based on its score in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS).

“Achieving a silver rating is a significant accomplishment for the entire campus and something we can build on as a part of our collective commitment to sustainability,” said St. Lawrence Sustainability Coordinator Louise E. Gava. “The report gives us a clear picture of the areas where we’re strong and the areas where we need to focus more attention.”

STARS is a self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure and compare their sustainability performance across a number of areas using a common set of measurements and data. Various publications and other groups use the information to list and rank the sustainability efforts of participating institutions.

In addition to academic achievements, administrative efforts in information technology and the grounds department’s work surrounding sustainable landscaping and water management also had a significant positive impact. The University scored strongly for its practices in computer purchasing, limited printing, water consumption, and its bicycle-sharing program.

Gava said the campus rallied to gather the information needed to complete the STARS report under tight deadlines.

To learn more about sustainability efforts at St. Lawrence University, visit http://www.stlawu.edu/green.