OU Named a Top Green College by The Princeton Review
The University of Oklahoma has been selected as a Top Green College by The Princeton Review for the sixth consecutive year.
The distinction is based on multiple factors, including a campus’ quality of life for students in both a healthy and sustainable fashion, preparation for career opportunities in the clean-energy economy, as well as school policies that promote environmental responsibility.
OU is among the 455 institutions that were selected for the honor out of the 713 universities and colleges that were surveyed. The company’s editors analyzed more than 25 survey data points to select the schools, and OU finished with a score of 94 on a scale of 60 to 99.
In its profile on OU, The Princeton Review cites a number of the university’s green practices, including a formal sustainability committee, a sustainability-focused degree, bike share program and free campus shuttle as a few examples.
In addition, 77% of more than 10,000 college applicants who participated in the Review’s survey shared that having knowledge of an institution’s commitment to green practices would influence their decision to apply or attend a school.
OU can also be found among other rankings by The Princeton Review, including Best Western Colleges, the Best 388 Colleges and No. 25 for Greek Life. OU’s undergraduate entrepreneurship program also has achieved noteworthy rankings, coming in at No. 33 overall and No. 11 in the West.
In recent years, OU has earned several other distinctions for environmental responsibility. OU currently ranks first in the Big 12 and 12th in the nation among higher education institutions in the EPA’s Green Power Partnership. The university was honored by the EPA as the 2012 Green Power Partner of the Year and has been the largest purchaser of green energy in the Big 12 since joining the EPA’s challenge in academic year 2011-2012.
Other accomplishments include the Environmental Excellence Award from the Earth Month Network and being recognized as a silver status Bicycle Friendly University.
To learn more about OU’s sustainability efforts, visit ou.edu/sustainability.
By Melissa Caperton
