Dear UNLV Community,

As Nevada’s largest research institution, UNLV is committed to addressing the environmental challenges facing our region and preparing our students to build a more sustainable future. 

That’s why I’m proud to share that UNLV has earned the Carnegie Elective Classification for Sustainability, becoming one of the first 14 institutions to receive this new designation.

UNLV already holds Carnegie’s highest classifications for both research and community engagement, a combination reserved for less than 2% of postsecondary institutions nationwide. 

The new sustainability classification extends our commitment to excellence by recognizing how institutions integrate sustainability across curriculum, research, operations, career preparation, and community engagement. Earning the classification reflects an institutional commitment to advancing sustainability not as a single initiative, but as an essential part of our education and engagement mission.

UNLV was invited to participate in Carnegie's pilot sustainability program in 2025, working alongside a diverse group of colleges and universities to help shape the classification's framework and application process. As a result of that work, we were invited, along with the other pilot group participants, to be among the first to apply. 

UNLV will hold the Carnegie Elective Classification for Sustainability through 2033. The classification is hosted by the University of Colorado Boulder in collaboration with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education.

Thank you to the students, faculty, staff, and community partners whose work and collaboration made this achievement possible. And a special thank you to Sustainability Coordinator/Recycling Manager Tara Pike, Trinity Reynoso, and the Sustainability Task Force for leading the application process on behalf of UNLV. 

This classification recognizes the collective work of our university community and reaffirms our responsibility as a public and community-engaged research institution to use our knowledge, innovation, and partnerships to make a lasting difference in our region. 

Warm wishes, 

Chris Heavey
UNLV Interim President