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Portland and Biddeford, Maine

Princeton Review names UNE a top “Green College” for seventh straight year

An aerial view of the Biddeford Campus
The “Guide to Green Colleges: 2024 Edition" was published in late October.

The University of New England has once again been named one of the nation's most environmentally responsible colleges, according to The Princeton Review.

The education services company known for its college rankings, books, and test preparation services features UNE in its annual “Guide to Green Colleges” list, which was published in late October. The 2024 edition profiles 522 four-year colleges and universities chosen for their deep commitments to the environment and sustainability.

This is the seventh consecutive year UNE has been named a top green college by The Princeton Review. UNE was ranked in the top 50 of the country’s most eco-friendly colleges and universities this year.

The rankings were decided based on survey data of 683 institutions concerning sustainability-related institutional policies, practices, and programs; healthy and sustainable campus qualities of life; and student feedback on topics ranging from academic offerings and campus initiatives to career preparation for sustainability-focused jobs.

Based on more than 25 data points from the survey, schools were assigned a “Green Rating” of 60 to 99, and the 522 schools with a Green Rating higher than 80 made the list. UNE was assigned a Green Rating of 95.

Scott Steinberg, MBA, vice president of University Admissions, said a college or university’s track record on sustainability issues is an increasingly important factor among prospective students.

“How ‘green’ colleges are matters to prospective students and their parents,” Steinberg said. “UNE demonstrates its commitment to environmental issues through our strategic planning, facilities, and the work of our faculty, professional staff, and students. It is very gratifying to have UNE’s work in sustainability continue to be nationally recognized, including as a top 50 ‘Green College’ by The Princeton Review.”

According to The Princeton Review, 69% of college-bound teens and their parents said having information about a college or university’s commitment to the environment would affect their decision to apply to or attend a school.

In its profile on UNE, The Princeton Review cites the University’s sustainability focused degrees and committees, ride and bike sharing programs, and local food purchasing, among other attributes, as desirable green qualities. UNE also boasts a Green Office Program, the Edible Campus Initiative, sustainability focused landscaping and building design plans, hands-on learning opportunities for students, and student groups focused on sustainable initiatives.

“The UNE community is proud of our reputation as a sustainable institution,” remarked Alethea Cariddi, M.Ed., associate director of sustainability at UNE. “Our students, faculty, and professional staff have come to expect that sustainability is a criterion for decision-making and the ‘way we do business.’”  

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.