Office of Sustainability
Building a Sustainable Campus and a Greener Future.


UConn Office of Sustainability
The UConn Office of Sustainability leads the way for campus sustainability efforts. We provide guidelines, direction and support for sustainability in all sectors, from infrastructure to student outreach, and create programs that enhance engagement and awareness around sustainable practices and behaviors at UConn and in the community.
Sustainability Guiding Documents
- 2020 Vision Plan for Campus Sustainability and Climate Leadership
- Sustainability Framework Plan
- 2019-2021 Sustainability Progress Report
- President's Working Group on Sustainability and the Environment Report: Transforming UConn to a Zero Carbon Campus: A Path Forward
- Active Transportation Plan
- UConn Aims to Achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2030
Sustainability News
News from the Office of Sustainability
Are you a UConn student with an idea that can push environmental and social sustainability forward at UConn and in Connecticut? Then apply for our Environmental and Social Sustainability Small Grants!
Projects must advance strategic sustainability goal areas AND related social challenges.
Deadline is April 7, 2025 at 11:59pm.
Winners will be selected by May 1, 2025.
Grant amounts may be up to $10k.
All projects must have a faculty or staff member acting as a mentor, and must have the ability to accept funds on behalf of your project.
Projects must be completed by the end of December 2025.
For all the details, deadlines and materials visit the grant info page.
The Town of Mansfield and UConn are pleased to team up against litter in our town. Join in to meet others in the Mansfield community and do good for our people and planet.
UConn & Vicinity | Town Wide | |
Date & Time: | Sunday, April 27
Cleanup Check In Stations will be open Noon to 4pm |
Saturday, April 26
Check In Time TBD |
Where: | Volunteer to clean up in the core of campus, Hunting Lodge Rd, Separatist Rd, Hillyndale Rd, North Eagleville Rd, or Eastwood/Westwood Rds.
Check In station location map will be shared soon. Litter pickup supplies will be provided at check in stations. |
Anywhere you feel safe collecting roadside litter in your neighborhood. Roads that are especially littered include Pleasant Valley, Mansfield City, White Oak and Gurleyville. Consider making a commitment to pick up litter on a section of road throughout the year by joining Adopt A Road. |
What To Do With Full Trash/Recycling Bags: | Bring your litter bag to your Check In station once you are finished. UConn Facilities trucks will be making rounds to pick up bags from the stations. | Bags of litter may be placed out with household trash for those with collection service or taken to the Mansfield Transfer Station for no charge. The Transfer Station is located on Rte 89, one mile from the intersection of Routes 195 and 89 in Mansfield Center at 221 Warrenville Rd. The Transfer Station is open Tuesdays, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, Thursdays, 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm and Saturdays, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. |
Litter is an unsightly blight on our roadways, and hurts the environment. It can be especially dangerous for wildlife. Small animals may crawl into bottles and get stuck, and litter can blow into storm drains and streams and may eventually make its way to the ocean. When litter gets eaten by animals and sea life, they can starve to death or suffocate. Litter also attracts pests. Be part of the solution, not the pollution!
Undergraduate students work as interns at the Office of Sustainability to provide leadership, collaboration and advocacy for sustainability at UConn. The 10 hour per week positions help enact the Office’s critical university programs. Interns host campus sustainability engagement events, carry out UConn’s strategic sustainability plans, and research best environmental practices to improve sustainability at UConn.
If you have an interest in sustainability, want great career experience and excellent mentoring, apply to join our team of ~12 interns this fall.
Submit a letter expressing your interest in the position, your resume and an application via JobX.
Applications are due by 11:59pm on April 23. No late applications will be accepted.
For more details visit: https://sustainability.uconn.edu/experiential-learning/os-internship-opportunities/sustainability-interns/
Applications for the UConn@COP Fellowship Program are now OPEN! Attend the United Nations’ global climate negotiations – the Conference of the Parties (COP) in Belém, Brazil from November 15-22, 2025.
COP brings together diplomats, business executives, heads of government, university leaders, environmental activists, NGO’s and other delegates to discuss progress in dealing with climate change. Through this program, UConn students have participated on panels at international press conferences, networked with global NGO’s, environmentally-minded businesses & renewable energy companies, engaged in immersive art exhibitions, attended film screenings put on by the directors themselves, interacted with international delegates & core members of environmental justice movements, and connected with like-minded, passionate students at other colleges & universities in the U.S. and around the world.
The UConn@COP program funds nearly all travel and registration costs thanks to generous donors. Fellows are responsible for $250, but can request a waiver in the event of hardship.
Apply by April 23, 2025 at 11:59pm. No late applications are accepted.
You Complete: COP Application Form
The application asks for student leadership experience, academic information and a short answer to:
In what way(s) do you see yourself contributing to UConn@COP’s efforts to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the program and more generally addressing Environmental Justice. (250 words or less)
You’ll also attach:
- A one-page PDF of your current resume
- A photocopy of your passport (or copy of your passport application confirmation receipt)
- One approximately 700-word essay responding to the following prompts:
-
- Describe what relevant academic, leadership, and personal experiences make you an ideal candidate for the UConn@COP30 Fellowship Program.
- If selected, how will you share your experiences from UConn@COP30 with the UConn community? (your plans for outreach should be both aspirational and achievable)
- How will the components of the conference and Fellowship program overall benefit your future career?
Your References Complete: In order to be considered for the UConn@COP program, you need two references (one must be from a UConn Faculty Member) to fill out the recommendation form linked below. Please share this link with your references and have them complete it by the application deadline, Wednesday April 23 at 11:59 PM. UConn@COP Reference Form
Selected Fellows are notified by August 1st.
If you have an interest in climate action, apply! Details on the program and application information can be found HERE.
Donate to the UConn Office of Sustainability
Give support to programs and initiatives that contributing to UConn’s international reputation as a leader in university sustainability.