Chico State the Only CSU on The Princeton Review’s Green College Honor Roll

Chico State has recently been honored for its regional and national excellence in categories from affordability and social mobility to recognition for programs in engineering, nursing and healthcare administration.

Now, the University can add sustainability and environmental practices to that prominent list.

After considering 835 higher education institutions from the United States and Canada, The Princeton Review recognized Chico State on its annual Green College Honor Roll, a list of 27 colleges and universities that received the highest score possible in the publication’s annual Green Rating’s tallies. With this recognition, Chico State is the only CSU institution to be listed in the 2022 Green Honor Roll and one of only six California universities—the others being Loyola Marymount University, Stanford University, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UC Merced, and University of San Diego.

Cheri Chastain, the University’s director of energy and sustainability, said it was an honor to be the only CSU listed on The Princeton Review’s Green College Honor Roll.

“Our students, faculty and staff are so passionate and dedicated to making a difference,” she added. “It’s a privilege to be recognized.”

The Princeton Review based its rankings on such criteria as healthy and sustainable campus quality of life for students; environmentally responsible school policies; and how well the school is preparing its students for employment in the clean-energy economy and for citizenship in a future defined by environmental concerns.

Chastain said Chico State’s high marks are largely a result of sustainability being embedded into the campus culture at all levels. For example, its Campus Sustainability Committee includes 20 members from all divisions and levels of responsibility and actively works to keep the University’s position as a leader in sustainability.

“Our students continue to mobilize for effective, positive change while our leadership continue to invest in action—and everyone else is stepping up to the plate to make things happen,” Chastain said. “We bring diverse voices and perspectives to the table to accomplish our shared University goals.”

One of the goals set and met was installing a permanent bike path on the north end of campus this semester. Given that students, faculty, and staff commuting to and from campus is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, Chastain said the University realized the need to expand access to safe paths of travel for bikes, scooters and skateboards. So in 2019, a pilot bike path was installed, which was studied closely by Chico State transportation planning students.

“They provided recommendations for improvement that we used to make the path a permanent fixture on the Chico State campus,” she said. “It’s been a huge success and I am hopeful we can open more approved paths of travel through campus for our alternative transportation users.”

In a world that feels the impacts of climate change every day, Chico State and its surrounding communities feel those effects intimately—and, understanding the importance of action, the University continues to prepare its students for a future interwoven with climate change and sustainability, no matter the focus of their studies and degrees.

“We know we must continue to invest in reducing our direct impacts but we also recognize that our students are craving sustainability and climate change education as part of their time at Chico State,” Chastain said. “We are committed to doing our part to be responsible stewards of our resources and ensuring that Chico State graduates from all majors are prepared to be productive professionals in their field.” The University will celebrate Campus Sustainability Day on Wednesday, October 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Trinity Commons. With representation from student groups across campus, it is an opportunity to highlight all the imaginative and consistent utilitarian efforts and projects happening at Chico State to improve the health of the planet for all. The campus and greater community are welcome to attend the free event.