According to two nation-wide publications, UVM has improved in measures of academic quality and environmentalism over the last decade. In a U.S. News annual review of universities, UVM was eighth among national universities in a list of U.S. News “Top Up-and-Coming Schools,” institutions that have “recently made striking improvements or innovations — schools everyone should be watching,” the magazine said.  U.S. News rankings reported that UVM took the 39th spot among the nation’s top public universities, up from 40th last year and 47th in 2000, according to a UVM press release.Sierra magazine ranked the University of Vermont fourth in the country on its “10 Coolest Schools” list for its commitment to the environment. Sierra graded schools on a 1-10 scale in eight categories and awarded bonus points for programs that were exceptional. UVM received a 9 in efficiency, 8 in academics, administration and purchasing and a 7 in energy, food and waste management. UVM received four of five possible bonus points.  According to the UVM press release, it received the bonus points for a variety of projects, including its new Clean Energy Fund, the Campus Kitchens Project, an educational campaign opposing bottled water, the University’s Sustainable Food Working Group and the Plant a Row for Hunger project supported by students. UVM also received credit for the large number of students — 204, more than any other college — who participated in Power Shift ’09, a youth-led rally in Washington, D.C., on climate change, the press release said.