U Manchester Divests From Fossil Fuels

(U.K.) The university's recently published Responsible Investment Report indicates that it is now divested from fossil fuel companies and has exceeded its target for reducing the carbon intensity of its other holdings.

U California Los Angeles Publishes Sustainability Plan

UCLA’s new sustainability plan, which includes input and feedback from more than 1,000 community members, includes specific initiatives related to sustainable transportation, climate, food systems, water and zero waste, among others. It highlights the intersections of planetary and human health, and begins the work to ensure that equity, diversity, inclusion and justice are integrated into campus sustainability policies and programs.

Stanford U Receives $1B for School of Sustainability

Stanford’s first new school in 70 years will launch this fall as the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, recognizing a $1.1 billion gift from John and Ann Doerr. The school will have academic departments that advance subject understanding, interdisciplinary institutes that innovate across fields, and an accelerator focused on developing near-term policy and technology solutions. (Image credit: Edward Caldwell)

Smith College Begins Ground-Source Heating & Cooling Project

Smith College will break ground in May on a ground-source energy project that will lower the college’s carbon emissions by an estimated 90 percent, allowing the college to become carbon neutral by 2030.

NWF & Recyclemania Announce Campus Race to Zero Waste Results

Three winners were selected in each major category, representing small, medium and large campus sizes, with individual winners announced for special categories.

U North Carolina Chapel Hill Publishes Strategic Water Plan

UNC's Water Plan details the university’s accomplishments, current goals and visions for water conservation and efficiency.

Times Higher Education Releases 2022 Impact Rankings

The Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings include metrics based on the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals across four broad areas: research, stewardship, outreach and teaching. This year, 1,406 universities from 106 different countries/regions are ranked in the overall table.

Harvard U Dedicates $100M to Legacy of Slavery Report Recommendations

The report of the Presidential Committee on Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery released in late April describes the university's historical ties to slavery and how they contributed to the institution's rise. The report also offers a series of recommendations, including the inauguration of a $100 million fund to implement the recommendations and a sustained endowment.

Health Students Release 'Planetary Health Report Card'

The Planetary Health Report Card is a metric-based tool for evaluating and improving planetary health content in health professional schools. Featuring responses from students and faculty from 74 medical schools across the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Canada, Germany, Malaysia and Japan, the report grades medical schools on their sustainability performance.

Gallaudet U to Install Photovoltaic & Energy Storage Microgrid

Expected to go online by fall of 2023, the microgrid will consist of 2.5 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic panels spread across numerous campus rooftops and parking garages, a 1.2 MW/2.5-megawatt-hour (MWh) lithium-ion battery energy storage system, and a 4.5 MW combined cooling, heat, and power system.