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Twice No. 1 for Sustainability

In late June, the U of M ranked first among U.S. institutions in two categories in the Times Higher Ed (THE) Impact Rankings: clean water and health and well-being. The University of Minnesota was fifth in the U.S. overall and in the top 10 percent worldwide.

The U of M Sustainable Development Goals Initiative seeks to support and promote transdisciplinary research, teaching, and partnerships to advance a more socially and environmentally sustainable future in Minnesota, the U.S., and the globe. These efforts employ grants, information, and opportunities linked to SDG targets and indicators.

The 2025 rankings evaluated 2,526 universities from 130 countries/regions, comparing their efforts to conduct teaching, research, outreach and stewardship that support a more sustainable, equitable, and healthy future.

The University ranked among the top five in the U.S. for its work related to:

• Clean water (No. 1 in the U.S., tied for No. 16 in the world)
• Health and well-being (No. 1 in the U.S., tied for No. 54 in the world)
• Climate action (No. 3 in the U.S., tied for No. 70 in the world)
• Zero hunger (No. 4 in the U.S., No. 34 in the world)
• Partnerships for the Goals (No. 3 in the U.S.)

“As one of the nation’s premier research universities, the University of Minnesota is leading the way to building a sustainable future—for Minnesota, our nation, and the world,” said President Rebecca Cunningham. “Sustainability, including climate action and clean water, is whowe are. The results of this year’s Times Higher Ed Impact Rankings affirm our bold dedication to this critical work, our values rooted in responsible stewardship, and our determination to leave a healthier planet for future generations.”

THE Impact Rankings apply 17 SDGs aimed at achieving a better world by 2030, goals adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015. These goals provide a shared blueprint for measuring progress and impact in advancing peace and prosperity for people and the planet.

The University is one of the few institutions worldwide to submit multiple campuses for review to the THE Impact Rankings, a point that distinguishes its results from its peers. The final submission included examples gathered from every University of Minnesota campus, statewide Extension and research station offices, and other University-wide initiatives.

“We are proud that this year’s rankings illustrate—in a concrete way—the result of our hard work to tackle issues that are critically important to Minnesota and the world,” said Shane Stennes, the University’s chief sustainability officer. “We are making and following plans to address climate change on our campuses, advancing the ways we teach and learn about sustainability, developing solutions, and supporting communities to meet their challenges."

Infectious disease info gets a boost(er)

The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the U of M recently announced the upcoming launch of the CIDRAP Information Hub (CIH), made possible by a sizable gift from the Bentson Foundation. CIH will address recent public health information gaps created by restricted, reduced, or redefined U.S. government programs. The Bentson gift will accelerate and expand CIDRAP as a platform where families, health professionals, organizations, and the public can stay informed of the latest infectious disease threats.

Part of the Research and Innovation Office, CIDRAP is a global leader in addressing public health preparedness and emerging infectious disease response. Founded in 2001, CIDRAP works to prevent illness and death from infectious disease threats through research and the translation of scientific information into practical applications, policies, and solutions.

The Bentson Foundation is a 501(c)3 private family foundation founded in 1956. Areas of giving include higher education, public health and arts and humanities.

“The Information Hub will serve as an online, completely free-of-charge clearinghouse of reliable news, podcasts, commentaries, and authoritative updates on infectious diseases, outbreaks, vaccines, and other key public health information for the public, scientists and policymakers,” said Michael Osterholm, CIDRAP director, Regents Professor and McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health. “It will be like no other resource out there.”

“The Bentson Foundation has long supported the work of CIDRAP, believing that nonpartisan, research-based information regarding public health is a valuable asset to practitioners and the general public alike,” said Judi Dutcher, CEO of the Bentson Foundation. “We increased our financial support so people around the globe are guaranteed a reliable source of information that empowers them to make informed health care choices.”

CIH will provide reliable, scientifically based strategies for infectious diseases response, with a focus on public health. Specifically, CIH will enhance and add substantial new content to CIDRAP’s deep well of information currently available on the CIDRAP website by including peer-reviewed updates, timely public health reports, and analyses of relevant and reliable sources. CIH will also expand CIDRAP’s outreach and social media presence across different platforms to increase visibility of public health topics for the public and the scientific community.

Helping Minnesota's small cities and towns

The Empowering Small Minnesota Communities (ESMC) program has helped the U of M collaborate on over 50 projects with more than 75 community partners. In the second program round, over a dozen more communities have been added.

The program was established by the legislature in 2023. Small communities are defined as fewer than 15,000 people; and these partnerships help communities use their assets to create infrastructure and projects that support community vitality, identity, and resilience.

“The Empowering Small Minnesota Communities program has been a huge success—we’ve already completed dozens of projects with local partners in small cities and towns,” says Kyle Shelton, director of the Center for Transportation Studies. “Our partnerships have helped communities pursue additional state and federal funding opportunities using well-developed project ideas. We’re honored as the state’s land grant university to continue these partnerships to address the challenges and unique opportunities in smaller Minnesota communities.”

The second round of partnerships includes:

Tactical Action: Communities including Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Koochiching, Itasca, Lake, St. Louis, and Pine counties; the cities of Lake Crystal, Madelia, Marshall, Redwood Falls, Rushford, Peterson, and Rushford Village; and the White Earth Reservation. Many of the projects address infrastructure needs. The Lake Crystal project focuses on developing a new energy plan after the 2024 failure of the Rapidan Dam, an important energy source for the community.

Community Futures: Six cities—Centerville, Henderson, Hinckley, Kenyon, Preston, and Sandstone—will partner with the Minnesota Design Center through the Community Futures pathway to identify existing community assets, review the community’s vision for change, and reimagine the future of their infrastructure. For example, the U of M will work with the city of Kenyon to develop a comprehensive trail system.

The future of ESMC
The Minnesota Legislature recently renewed program funding through 2027. This additional $4 million will support more rounds of partnerships.

“We are grateful for the Legislature’s continued investment in our work with small communities,” says Tom Fisher, director of the Minnesota Design Center. “In this next phase of work, we want to bring community leaders together to share ideas, best practices and possible solutions to common challenges as a way to broaden the impact of our work.”

Applications for future program opportunities will be released in the coming months.

ESMC is led by U of M partners from the Design Center in the College of Design, the Center for Transportation Studies, Extension’s Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, and the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs.

Board of Regents approves budgets

In late June, the U of M Board of Regents approved an operating budget that includes tuition increases and University-wide scope reductions, while balancing forward-thinking strategic investments.

The balanced operating budget anticipates about $5.1 billion in revenue for the coming year to cover about $5.1 billion in expenses. It addresses priorities shared by the board and resident with a focus on achieving standards of national and international excellence, while maintaining efficient and effective services and processes.

“In my six years on the Board of Regents, this is the most difficult budget I’ve ever had to confront, but the demands and pressure points we are facing are unprecedented,” said then-Board Chair Janie Mayeron at the time. “This budget looks at all the levers and comes up with a balanced approach that takes into account not only the breadth of our offerings, but also compensation of faculty and others to make sure we are serving our students and the institution at large. We also have to look at how we invest into the future, and how we support and advance the University of Minnesota in this very difficult environment of higher education.”

If you liked these stories, Minnesota Alumni magazine publishes four times a year highlighting U of M alumni and University activities. Early access to stories and a print subscription are benefits of being an Alumni Association member. Join here to receive a printed copy at home.