As of Sept. 22, The University of Idaho has earned the Carnegie Elective Classification for Sustainability, after participating in a pilot program put on by the University of Colorado Boulder, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education. UI is one of 14 universities that has received this classification, aligning with other UI initiatives, including the University’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating system (STARS) ranking of gold.
According to a press release from CU Boulder, institutions that took part in the pilot program in 2025 provided feedback on the classification’s framework, process, and review criteria. The classification looks at sustainability throughout a university, including teaching, research, and community involvement.
“We want students to encounter those questions in their education, and see the university working through them too. Having both efforts recognized is exciting, but the work doesn’t stop at an award,” said Madison Dougherty, the UI interim sustainability director in a UI press release.
UI will retain this classification through 2033, and will maintain its STARS accreditation until March 3, 2029.
Josie Adjanohoun can be reached at [email protected].