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The Sustainability Council met on December 12 to share updates from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Sustainability (OVCS), discuss upcoming initiatives, and review council operations for the coming year. The Council also toured the East District Energy Plant.

OVCS Updates and Leadership

OVCS announced the hiring of a new Director of Sustainability. The office also shared significant progress on the Carnegie Elective Classification for Sustainability, a new national sustainability designation developed through a partnership between the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation.

Unlike existing sustainability rankings such as STARS, the Carnegie classification is designed to be more inclusive of diverse institutions and less dependent on quantitative scoring. It evaluates sustainability across operations, curriculum, and research.

CU Boulder will serve as the host institution and external representative body for the new classification, playing a central role in refining the framework, managing application reviews, and supporting the award process. This positions CU Boulder to help shape how sustainability is defined and recognized across higher education nationally.

Key milestones include:

• March 2026: Public announcement and opening of applications
• Fall 2026: Application deadline
• 2027: Announcement of selected institutions

Approximately 300 universities are expected to apply, including CU Boulder.

Council Agenda and January 1 Proposals

The council reviewed plans for proposals outreach planned in January and discussed marketing and outreach efforts to increase participation. Volunteer tabling opportunities are planned and additional promotion will take place through campus newsletters.

Council leadership also discussed identifying next semester’s meeting leaders. 

Council Membership and Structure

The council reviewed membership needs for the upcoming year, noting the goal of maintaining balanced representation:

• Students
• Faculty
• Staff

Members serve three-year terms, with a target of three representatives from each group.

Open Forum and Communications Updates

During the open forum, members noted that there is currently one proposal submission under review. Updates to proposal flyers were recommended, including clearer deadlines and a link to an FAQ document.

The meeting concluded with a focus on transparency, engagement, and aligning council efforts with CU Boulder’s broader sustainability vision.