Princeton Review Names SU Among the 30 Most Sustainable Universities in the Country – Thursday, October 17, 2024

By SU Public Relations

SALISBURY, MD—Salisbury University is among the 30 most sustainable colleges and universities in the United States, according to The Princeton Review.

For the 15th consecutive year, The Princeton Review, in collaboration with the US Green Building Council (USGBC), has included SU in its Guide to Green Colleges, which highlights impressive environmental and sustainability programs at campuses in the United States and select institutions in Canada.

This year, SU is ranked No. 29 in the publication, marking the university's highest ranking since the rankings began in 2010.

“Since the early 1990s, Salisbury University has been a leader in sustainability on the East Coast,” said President Carolyn Ringer Lepre. “From launching one of the region’s first corporate recycling programs more than 30 years ago to our numerous LEED (USGBC Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified buildings, SU has taken many steps to help protect our environment while providing the best education and education to provide resources that we can provide for our students. We are thrilled that The Princeton Review has recognized our efforts and named SU one of the most sustainable campuses in the country.”

The Princeton Review guide is based on a survey of hundreds of colleges across the country. The questions highlight institutional commitment to areas such as LEED building certifications, environmental studies programs, alternative transportation, recycling and conservation programs, and more.

The 511 colleges in the guide were selected based on “green rating” results from online summer profiles and annual guides.

In 2008, SU's Conway Hall (formerly the Teacher Education and Technology Center) became the first LEED-certified new construction project on the East Coast, achieving Silver status. Since then, ten additional new or renovated campus buildings have achieved LEED Gold or Silver certification, including Perdue Hall, Sea Gull Square, Sea Gull Stadium, the Patricia R. Guerrieri Academic Commons, as well as Pocomoke, Wicomico, Manokin, Nanticoke, Chester and Choptank Dorms.

When it reopens in 2026, Blackwell Hall, currently undergoing renovations, is expected to join SU's LEED certification list as one of the first net-zero buildings in the University System of Maryland (USM), with a net carbon footprint of Zero operated.

SU is also home to the first public electric vehicle charging stations on the East Coast. Other alternative transportation initiatives include a bike-friendly campus with “Fixit” stations and bike storage for residents, as well as a bike path leading from the university to downtown Salisbury.

The Department of Environmental Studies offers a major and a minor and features award-winning faculty and staff, including renowned environmentalist and author Tom Horton. SU also has several environmentally-related academic programs in the earth, biological and physical sciences.

Other initiatives include a tray-free dining hall, a solar farm roof that produces enough electricity annually to power three student residence halls on campus, and building innovations such as the “green roof” on the Patricia R. Guerrieri Academic Commons, which is a ceiling from plant life allows B. as a rainwater filtration system and helps keep the facility cooler by reducing the heat island effect of the roof.

Additionally, SU was the University System of Maryland's first Bee Campus USA honoree, recognized for creating sustainable habitats and promoting ongoing dialogue to raise awareness of the role of pollinators in the larger community. In 2022, the university was also named a “High Flyer” Maryland Bird Campus for providing healthy habitat for birds.

SU is also a nationally recognized tree campus, accredited as a Level III Arboretum by the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and the Morton Register of Arboreta.

To download the Guide to Green Colleges, visit the Princeton Review website.

Learn more about SU and ways to make “Tomorrow Yours” on the SU website.