UCLA has been honored with the inaugural excellence in sustainability award by the National Association of College and University Business Officers.
The association selected UCLA for the award in part because of its history of prioritizing sustainability. One of UCLA’s most recent successes is with dining. The department is being recognized for its role in using locally sourced food, opening one of the first health and sustainability-themed dining halls in the country and exploring techniques for urban agriculture.
UCLA has also connected campus operations and academics through the campuswide sustainability committee and the sustainability action research program. Both of these programs engage students and faculty, mobilizing university resources for research and utilizing the campus as a laboratory for testing and showcasing the newest technologies in sustainability.
UCLA has not limited its efforts to promote sustainability to just its campus. UCLA has also undertaken a project to promote sustainability in the surrounding community. The Sustainable LA Grand Challenge is a UCLA research initiative that aims to transition Los Angeles County through research, technologies, policies, and strategies to 100 percent renewable energy and 100 percent locally sourced water, while enhancing ecosystem and human health, by 2050.
The National Association of College and University Business Officers is a membership organization representing chief business and financial officers of more than 1,900 colleges and universities across the country. The association’s mission is to advance the economic viability, business practices and support for higher education institutions in fulfillment of their missions. UCLA was recognized for its work toward a sustainable future at the association’s annual meeting in mid-July.
