Overview

The STARS Benchmarking Tool allows AASHE members to compare colleges and universities based on the scores and metrics reported through the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). You can use the Benchmarking Tool to:

  • Select institutions or create groups of institutions for comparison.

  • Select data points and generate charts to compare your selected institutions or groups.

  • Save your Benchmarks for later use or to share with others.

  • Download data for further analysis.

Please review the Data Use Guidelines before publishing STARS data.

Notes

  • Selecting an institution selects its most recent report, by default.

  • All scores display as percentages, i.e. the percentage of available points earned.

  • When data points based on different units are selected (e.g., a percentage score and a weight or volume), separate charts will be generated. In other words, only like units are charted together.

Contact

Have questions? Email stars@aashe.org.

Basic Benchmarking

Select Institutions

  1. In the upper left corner of your screen, click on the blue icon.
  2. Search for institutions by entering text or selecting a filter. This will generate a list of results.
  3. Use the checkboxes to select the institutions you would like to compare and click “OK”.

Select Data Points

  1. In the lower right corner of your screen, click on the green icon.
  2. Search for data points by entering text or drilling down through the lists of categories, subcategories, and credits.
  3. Use the checkboxes to select the category scores, subcategory scores, credit scores, or data points you would like to base your comparison on and click “OK”.

Advanced Benchmarking


Open the "Selection" tab in the Institution/Report menu.

Removing Selections

  1. Select the "X" of the corresponding institution
  2. To remove all selections, select "X" at the top of the table.

Selecting Reports

  1. Click pencil icon of corresponding institution.
  2. If multiple reports are available, select the desired report.

Adding to Groups

  1. To add individual selection, click the 'Add to list' icon of corresponding institution/report.
  2. To add all current selections, click the 'Add to list' icon at the top of the table.
  3. Select an existing group to add selection(s) to, or select 'a new group'.

Selecting Groups

  1. Navigate to 'Saved Groups' tab.
  2. To add group selections as individuals, select 'ADD AS INDIVIDUALS'.
  3. To add group selection as an aggregate, select 'ADD AS AGGREGATE'.
  4. To remove selections from a group, expand the entities pane, and click the ‘X’ next to the selection that is to be removed.

Managing Benchmarks


On the tool page with a valid Benchmark generated:

Downloading Data

  1. Create the desired Benchmark.
  2. At the top of the Benchmark, select the Download (cloud) icon.

Save

  1. At the top of the Benchmark, select the Save (floppy disk) icon.
  2. Enter title and description, and select if a public view should be available.
  3. Select 'SAVE'.
  4. You may navigate to the dashboard to see the saved Benchmark.

On the dashboard:

Edit

  1. Select the Benchmark's edit (pencil) icon.
  2. Change the title, description, and shareability of the Benchmark as desired.
  3. Select 'SAVE'.

Share

  1. Make sure the Benchmark has been marked as publicly shareable, which may be changed in the edit menu.
  2. Select the Benchmark's share icon.
  3. Copy share url, and visit the public view.

Delete

  1. Select the Benchmark's delete (trash) icon.
  2. Confirm deletion.