The Office of Sustainability uses a transparent and collaborative process to assess and document university sustainability progress. This dashboard tracks progress using metrics included in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) assessment.
The dashboard is organized around the four main categories of the STARS framework: academics, engagement, operations, and planning and administration. You can click on these categories below to explore data on a wide variety of campus sustainability efforts or you can jump to specific data tracking progress against the Chancellor’s Sustainability Goals here.
Certifications and Awards
Click on the logos below to learn more about how UW–Madison has been recognized for its sustainability efforts.
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Dashboard Categories
Academics
Which courses at UW–Madison explore the concept of sustainability? Which UW–Madison researchers contribute to the study of sustainability?
Engagement
How do our Office of Sustainability Green Certification teams help laboratories, offices, and event planners work toward sustainability?
Operations
Which types of energy do we use to run campus? How do people get around campus? How much waste on campus is diverted from landfills? How much water does campus use?
Planning and Administration
How does UW–Madison advance diversity among students, faculty, and staff? How many students graduate without debt and how much financial need is met?
STARS Results Details
Below, you can view a summary of the results of the most recent STARS Report (full report available here and 2018 report available here). Sustainability efforts across campus are divided into four categories: Planning & Administration, Academics, Operations, and Engagement. Each category includes secondary and tertiary categories for which sustainability efforts are measured and points are accrued.
Sustainability Progress, Table View
Academics
| Credit Title | Points Earned | Points Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Courses | 6.57 | 14 |
| Learning Outcomes | 1.89 | 8 |
| Undergraduate Program | 3 | 3 |
| Graduate Program | 3 | 3 |
| Immersive Experience | 2 | 2 |
| Sustainability Literacy Assessment | 2 | 4 |
| Incentives for Developing Courses | 0 | 2 |
| Campus as a Living Laboratory | 4 | 4 |
| Credit Title | Points Earned | Points Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Research and Scholarship | 9.70 | 12 |
| Support for Research | 2 | 4 |
| Open Access to Research | 1.33 | 2 |
Engagement
| Credit Title | Points Earned | Points Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Student Educators Program | 0.34 | 4 |
| Student Orientation | 2 | 2 |
| Student Life | 2 | 2 |
| Outreach Materials and Publications | 1.60 | 2 |
| Outreach Campaign | 4 | 4 |
| Assessing Sustainability Culture | 0.25 | 1 |
| Employee Educators Program | 1.53 | 3 |
| Employee Orientation | 0.01 | 1 |
| Staff Professional Development | 0 | 2 |
| Credit Title | Points Earned | Points Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Community Partnerships | 3 | 3 |
| Inter-Campus Collaboration | 3 | 3 |
| Continuing Education | 2.81 | 5 |
| Community Service | 2.35 | 5 |
| Participation in Public Policy | 2.00 | 2 |
| Trademark Licensing | 2 | 2 |
Operations
| Credit Title | Points Earned | Points Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Emissions Inventory and Disclosure | 3 | 3 |
| Greenhouse Gas Emissions | 2.41 | 8 |
| Credit Title | Points Earned | Points Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Building Design and Construction | 1.25 | 3 |
| Building Operations and Maintenance | 0.16 | 5 |
| Credit Title | Points Earned | Points Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Building Energy Efficiency | 3.46 | 6 |
| Clean and Renewable Energy | 0 | 4 |
| Credit Title | Points Earned | Points Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Food and Beverage Purchasing | 0.57 | 6 |
| Sustainable Dining | 2.00 | 2 |
| Credit Title | Points Earned | Points Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape Management | 1.03 | 2 |
| Biodiversity | 1 | 2 |
| Credit Title | Points Earned | Points Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Sustainable Procurement | 1.75 | 3 |
| Electronics Purchasing | 0.24 | 1 |
| Cleaning and Janitorial Purchasing | 0.02 | 1 |
| Office Paper Purchasing | 0.48 | 1 |
| Credit Title | Points Earned | Points Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Campus Fleet | 0.05 | 1 |
| Commute Modal Split | 3.54 | 5 |
| Support for Sustainable Transportation | 1 | 1 |
| Credit Title | Points Earned | Points Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Waste Minimization and Diversion | 4.42 | 8 |
| Construction and Demolition Waste Diversion | 0.93 | 1 |
| Hazardous Waste Management | 1 | 1 |
| Credit Title | Points Earned | Points Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Water Use | 4.42 | 5 |
| Rainwater Management | 1 | 2 |
Planning & Administration
| Credit Title | Points Earned | Points Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Sustainability Coordination | 1 | 1 |
| Sustainability Planning | 3.5 | 4 |
| Inclusive and Participatory Governance | 2.12 | 3 |
| Reporting Assurance | 1 | 1 |
| Credit Title | Points Earned | Points Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Diversity & Equity Coordination | 1.44 | 2 |
| Assessing Diversity & Equity | 1 | 1 |
| Support for Underrepresented Groups | 1.92 | 3 |
| Affordability and Access | 3.19 | 4 |
| Credit Title | Points Earned | Points Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Committee on Investor Responsibility | 0 | 2 |
| Sustainable Investment | 0 | 4 |
| Investment Disclosure | 0 | 1 |
| Credit Title | Points Earned | Points Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Compensation | 0.2 | 3 |
| Assessing Employee Satisfaction | 0.22 | 1 |
| Wellness Program | 0.75 | 1 |
| Workplace Health & Safety | 0.98 | 2 |
FAQs
To learn how to use the dashboards, click here. This contains instructions on how to navigate, filter, downloading the data, and other useful tips.
This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.
How was this dashboard created?
Staff from the Office of Sustainability compiled university-wide data to support STARS reporting. This dashboard offers the opportunity for students, staff, faculty, and other stakeholders to better understand the sustainability impact of UW–Madison through the lens of this university-wide data.
How often will this dashboard be updated?
Information will be updated as new data is available. You can find the frequency of updates and the date of last update in each individual section of the dashboard.
I'm an instructor. How can I use this data in my class?
All data is available for download for individual analysis. See the video above for details on how to interact with and download the data. Please direct any questions on the data to Alex Frank (alex.frank@wisc.edu).
I have an idea of something to add to the dashboard. Who can I talk to?
Please reach out to Alex Frank (alex.frank@wisc.edu) with any suggestions for the dashboard.
I have a question about the data or a dashboard element. Who can I talk to?
Please reach out to Alex Frank (alex.frank@wisc.edu) with any questions about the data or dashboard elements.
I have an idea of how to improve our sustainability performance. Who can I talk to?
Send your idea to the Office of Sustainability through the Collaborate With Us form.
What is a "Weighted Campus User"
As defined in the Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System guidance, a weighted campus user “is a measurement of an institution’s population that is adjusted to accommodate how intensively certain community members use the campus.” The weighted campus user is calculated as:
Weighted campus users = (A + B + C) + 0.75 [ (D – A) + (E – B) – F ]
A = Number of students resident on-site
B = Number of employees resident on-site
C = Number of other individuals resident on-site
D = Total full-time equivalent student enrollment
E = Full-time equivalent of employees
F = Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education
What facilities are included in these data?
Unless otherwise noted, the data in this dashboard represents the functions of the main campus including the adjacent Lake Shore Nature Preserve and UW-Madison Arboretum.