STARS is "a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance." STARS was developed by AASHE to include participation from a broad section of the higher education community.

STARS is designed to:

• Provide a guide for understanding sustainability in all areas of higher education.
• Allow for meaningful comparisons over time and across schools using a common framework developed through the participation of members of campus sustainability communities.
• Create incentives for perpetual improvement with regard to sustainability.
• Provide a means for information sharing about higher education sustainability methods and performance.
• Build a better, more diverse sustainability community across campuses.

The STARS program is intended for use by a wide range of colleges and universities - from community colleges to research universities, and from schools just creating programs in sustainability to leaders in the sustainability field. STARS provides sustainability goals for institutions along every step of their sustainability plans, from entry points of recognition for beginning schools to long-term sustainability goals.