MCSI Strategic Planning

MCSI has recently completed a 5-month effort to explore and recommend ways to accelerate and expand our positive impact in sustainability in our curriculum, research, and community engagement and service.

Through this effort, we engaged 8 Deans, dozens of sustainability leaders, nearly 50 faculty, 15 staff leaders, and over 100 students. Our internal and external conversations have been complemented by research on similar efforts nationwide and extensive conversations with peer (and aspirational peer) institutes. The corresponding framework offers a draft strategic view of how we recommend constellating a University-wide institute for sustainability over the next three years.

We have embarked on this Plan to: • Define how the core value of Sustainability can be even further woven and advanced into academics at Pitt. • Accelerate the positive impact of our research on key sustainability topics (including but not limited to climate and health, water, circular economy, energy, and environmental justice). • More closely connect various sustainability centers, initiatives, programs, and activities on campus. • Strengthen the critical link between academics and research to our operations, student activities, and communities.

Priority Recommendation Establish Pitt's University-wide Institute for Sustainability.

Our vision for this Institute as a single, empowered (yet connected) entity organized to constellate sustainability efforts across Pitt, break silos, and uncover latent connections for greater positive impact. We have outlined the proposed characteristics of a University of Pittsburgh (Mascaro) Sustainability Institute [P(M)SI] below.

PURPOSE: The Difference We Make.

STRATEGIC PRIORITY 1: Demonstrate Pitt’s commitment to sustainability by constellating a new, resourced and connected university-wide institute.

PEOPLE: Who We Are.

STRATEGIC PRIORITY 2: Expand investment in our greatest asset: our people.

PROGRAMS: What We Do.

STRATEGIC PRIORITY 3: Enhance programs, initiatives, and activities

What Changes if We Are Successful

• Sustainability is a part of Pitt’s ethos. • Exponential number of Pitt faculty leading transdisciplinary research to solve complex sustainability problems. • Increase in sponsored research supporting interdisciplinary sustainability research, implementation, and partnership. • Current undergraduate and graduate students are empowered, engaged, and celebrated for their positive contributions to campus, region, and world. • Prospective students are increasingly attracted to Pitt for its first-hand on-campus sustainability opportunities. • Strong, mutually benefitting partnerships across all sectors including industry, nonprofits, and government. • Enhanced connections between academics, research, operations, and community connections internally and a clear entry point for new partners interested in sustainability collaborations. • A strong and connected sustainability alumni network proud of their alma mater (and increasingly giving back via internships, partnerships, and gifts as a result). • Pitt graduates gaining academic and professional opportunities where they continue to lead and impact a more sustainable world. • Pitt celebrated locally, regionally, nationally, and globally for authentically aligning values and investment.