Item Description Principle 7 Environmentally Preferable Purchasing – Implement a procurement approach to access environmentally-conscious products whenever applicable and available. Goal 7.1 Establish Environmentally-Preferable Products Procurement Program (EPP) and continue to implement annual procurement goals to move toward alignment with the standards of the Environmental Purchasing Advisory…, Define the goal issue and provide background info to understand the goal in lay terms., As part of the Commonwealth's overall goals of conserving natural resources, reducing waste, protecting public health and the environment, and promoting the use of clean technologies, recycled materials, and less toxic products, this policy committed to reducing State Agency impact on the environment and enhancing public health by procuring Environmentally Preferable Products (EPP) and services…, Why is this goal important to highlight?, This goal is important since it complements the other goals surrounding sustainability and will help support those goals through the use of environmentally preferable products wherever possible., Where does the University/campuses currently stand in meeting this goal?, The Director for Enterprise Wide Procurement currently meets regularly with State procurement leaders and will follow-up on the implementation of this program and any changes that the University should be made aware of., Are there other groups/departments who will be critical in meeting this goal?, Working closely with the Procurement Council to ensure that EPP products are available on BuyWays and are competitively priced would be an important step to continue., What has been done in the past to advance towards this goal?, To date, specific products have been researched and launched but not a full scale EPP program. (i.e. Paper, ink cartridges) The Director of Enterprise Wide Procurement has been meeting regularly as the University’s designee with the State’s Procurement Directors., What does the University/campus need to do in order to reach this goal?, The University must continue to work together to develop the best and most cost effective EPP program for the University and ensure that all information is effectively communicated to the necessary stakeholders using the products. The UMass Sustainability Council will provide recommendations to the Procurement office and collaborate on a regular basis. Goals developed should continue to be met…
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Item Description Principle 8 Sustainable Food Services – Supporting sustainable food systems through food and beverage purchases. Goal 8.1 Strive for each campus food service operation to procure sustainable food products while maintaining accessibility and affordability for all students and campus patrons. Metric Annually report on the percentage of dining service food products that are third-…, Define the goal issue and provide background info to understand the goal in lay terms., The STARS standards recognizes institutions that are supporting sustainable food through the purchase of their food and beverages. Institutions can do this by prioritizing the purchase of sustainably produced food and beverage items. These actions reduce the social and environmental impacts of food production and help foster robust local economies and food security; improved conditions for farm…, Why is this goal important to highlight?, This goal is important since food and beverages are a part of everyday life on a college campus and impacting the manner in which food is produced, transported, and consumed can have a systemic impact., Where does the University/campuses currently stand in meeting this goal?, Each of the campus have employed individual strategies or programs to address the theme of this goal. One example has been the commitment to local food options in various ways, including the sponsorship of a weekly farmer’s market at the Medical School., Are there other groups/departments who will be critical in meeting this goal?, To achieve progress in meeting this goal the campuses will have to continue to partner with their food service providers to identify products and other available options to accomplish this goal., What has been done in the past to advance towards this goal?, Each campus has been promoting sustainability-minded programs to encourage locally sourced food products and reduce food waste. The Amherst campus has committed to the Real Food Challenge, which requires that 20% of the University food and beverage purchases be local / community-based, fair, ecologically sound and humane by 2020. The Medical School hosts a weekly Farmers Market from June to…, What does the University/campus need to do in order to reach this goal?, The University’s dining services purchase food and beverages that meet at least one of the following criteria: a local or community-based producer and/or third party verified to be ecologically sound, fair and or humane. The University must also work to ensure that all vending operations, convenience stores, or concessions abide by the same standards as the campus food service if different.
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Item Description Principle 9 Sustainable Water Systems – Reducing campus water withdrawals can reduce pressures on local aquifers, streams, rivers, lakes, and aquatic wildlife. Goal 9.1 Reduce potable water usage and determine goals consistent with capital investments and annual programs implemented in support of reducing potable water. Metric Annually report the potable water use per weighted…, Define the goal issue and provide background info to understand the goal in lay terms., In 2007, the Leading By Example Executive Order 484 which required state agencies to address resource use at state facilities and established the Leading by Example (LBE) Program to oversee the coordinated efforts state agencies, including UMass campuses and state and community colleges, to reduce their environmental impact., Why is this goal important to highlight?, Water efficiency is important as fresh water supplies are limited and the current systems of treating, pumping, and disposing of water is energy intensive, wasteful, and can be disruptive to downstream ecosystems. As Executive Order 484 states, buildings account for 13% of potable water use. Potable water is defined as water that meets drinking water standards and is safe for human consumption.…, Where does the University/campuses currently stand in meeting this goal?, While the LBE program faced challenges in tracking water usage at state facilities, the University of Massachusetts campuses are achieving LEED certification for new building projects, which helps to meet reduction goals for potable water usage. LEED establishes prerequisite and credit options for the adoption of water use reduction strategies. Currently, all LEED certified buildings are required…, Are there other groups/departments who will be critical in meeting this goal?, Grounds, Facilities, Engineering and Construction, Planning, and Power Plant Operations will all be critical department to include in the discussion of potable water usage at the university., What has been done in the past to advance towards this goal?, Water use is to be considered early in the construction process for new buildings and renovations, irrigation requirements for landscaping and the use of non-potable water, and opportunities to improve efficiency and the use of non-potable water for cooling towers., What does the University/campus need to do in order to reach this goal?, A challenge in meeting this goal will be that UMass campuses continue to grow and that the reduction goals for potable water established by Executive Order 484 are not normalized. Sources of water need to be metered so that tracking of water use can be effective. Continuing to achieve LEED requirements and credits for installation of low flow fixtures, efficient irrigation, and cooling processes…
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Item Description Principle 10 Academic and Research Programming and Community Engagement – Ensuring Sustainability is part of Academic and Research programming and part of community engagement efforts. Goal 10.1 Comprehensively integrate sustainability and climate neutrality into the core academic curriculum and research programs to create a means to enable students to enable students to use…, Define the goal issue and provide background info to understand the goal in lay terms., This is in concert with the mission of the University “to provide an affordable and accessible education of high quality and to conduct programs of research and public service that advance knowledge and improve the lives of the people of the Commonwealth, the nation and the world.” Currently, the University offers a range of academic offering and research opportunities that provide students with…, Why is this goal important to highlight?, This directly aligns with a major part of the University’s mission to “advance knowledge and improve the lives of the people of the Commonwealth, the nation and the world.” As an institution of higher education the University is positioned to train and educate future leaders, scholars, workers, and professionals to understand and address climate change and sustainability challenges. Moreover, the…, Where does the University/campuses currently stand in meeting this goal?, This goal has been addressed on a campus-by-campus level and the robustness of the integration of sustainability into academic programs on each campus varies widely across the University., Are there other groups/departments who will be critical in meeting this goal?, There is a wide range of stakeholders involved in achieving this goal such as Chancellors and Vice Chancellors; Provosts; Deans and Associate Deans; Department Chairs; Faculty Senates on each campus; centers or faculty organizations focused on climate change and sustainability challenges, like the Climate Change Initiative at UMass Lowell; and students., What has been done in the past to advance towards this goal?, At this time, each campus has been undertaking the work of evaluating where general education requirements are to the identified goal and exploring the feasibility of integrating sustainability topics on a department-by-department basis., What does the University/campus need to do in order to reach this goal?, Evaluate where general education requirements currently align to sustainability topics and determine the best practices to integrate key topics related to sustainability into student learning outcomes.
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Doc. T18-026, as amended, Passed by the Board of Trustees on September 19, 2018 (as Reserves Policy & Presidential Standards) Latest revision: June 2, 2026, Purpose, The purpose of this Fiscal Health Policy ("Policy") is to manage financial risk to ensure the fiscal health of the University of Massachusetts ("University"), including the establishment and use of reserves, fiscal health metrics, and associated reporting requirements., I. Introduction, The ability of the University to fulfill its mission to provide affordable, accessible, high-quality education and conduct leading-edge research is highly dependent upon fiscal health, including the maintenance of adequate University reserves, manageable debt levels, and strong operating performance. This policy provides the framework for managing financial risk by establishing, maintaining and…, II. Definitions, The University's Fiscal Health Metrics are defined as follows:, Debt Service Coverage Ratio:, Measures the ability of the University to make debt service payments from annual operations. Higher ratios indicate capacity for new capital investments, flexibility during economic downturns, and lower risk to lenders., Operating Margin:, Measures whether and by how much the University’s annual operating revenues cover its annual operating expenses. Operating Margin is the annual surplus or deficit as a percentage of operating revenue. Consistent positive operating margins support fiscal health., Total Cash and Investments to Adjusted Debt Ratio:, Measures the University’s coverage of adjusted debt against assets that generate investment return. The ratio highlights the University’s ability to repay debt and other debt-like obligations, such as P3 debt/equity and pensions, from wealth that can be accessed over time or for a specific purpose. Higher ratios support borrowing capacity., Total Cash and Investments to Operations Ratio:, Measures the size of the University’s financial resources and liquidity relative to its annual operating expenses, indicating how many months or years of operations the University could fund using its available cash and investments without relying on new revenue. Higher ratios mitigate short-term volatility or unexpected revenue and/or expense challenges., III. Policy, The University shall establish targets for Fiscal Health Metrics to ensure responsible, long-term fiscal management and resiliency and mitigate current and future risks to the University’s financial sustainability. The University shall build, maintain, use, and replenish reserves in accordance with this Policy and individual campus strategic plans. The University shall account for, and campuses…, IV. Responsibilities, The President and Chancellors shall implement and manage to the Policy and Administrative Standards., V. Administrative Standards, The President, in consultation with the Senior Vice President for Administration & Finance and Treasurer and Chancellors, shall promulgate Administrative Standards to define: calculations for each Fiscal Health Metric; reserve targets; funding sources; designations; and to otherwise implement this Policy., VI. Related Policies and Reports, This Policy should be implemented in conjunction with, and any proposed changes should be reviewed along with, the following University policies and reports: University Debt Policy – T09-050 Capital Planning, Land and Facility Use Policy – T93-122 Quasi-Endowment Policy – T07-018 Report – 5-year Financial Forecast Report – University’s Annual Operating Budget Report – University’s Annual Audited…
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Doc. T22-066, as amended, Passed by the Board of Trustees on April 12, 2023, Purpose, The Policy provides systemwide uniformity for addressing safety, security, and compliance during University Travel (as defined below). It also establishes additional requirements for travel to high-risk destinations. This Policy applies to all University Travel and all University Travelers as defined in this policy, regardless of funding source., Introduction, The University of Massachusetts (UMass or University) recognizes the import and necessity of travel for educational, research and business purposes in furtherance of the University’s mission. In supporting these opportunities, the University must manage the associated travel risks and liabilities while promoting the health, safety, and security of all members of the UMass community. The…, I. Definitions, Approver: Duly Authorized university representative with authority to approve travel for budgetary and programmatic purposes. Campus: Individual academic institution of the University of Massachusetts system (Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell, Chan Medical School). For purposes of this policy, the President’s Office is also considered to be a campus component. Campus Travel Risk Review Committee…, II. Policy, Prior Approval: All University Travelers must obtain budgetary, programmatic and, as necessary, risk approvals for University Travel prior to departure. Registration of Travel: All University Travelers must register University Travel in the University Travel Registry and obtain associated approvals prior to departure. Travel Expenses: The Business and Travel Expense Policy (T92-031, Appendix C)…, III. Responsibilities, Each campus is responsible for designating responsibility for compliance with this Policy and applicable state and federal law. Each campus is responsible for designating responsibility for compliance oversight of the U.S. export control and economic sanctions requirements for the University. The Travel Risk Management Advisory Committee (TARMAC) is responsible for designating, monitoring, and…, IV. Standards, The President, in consultation with the Chancellors and the Vice President for Administration & Finance and Chancellors, will issue administrative standards to implement this policy., V. Related Policies, Business and Travel Expense Policy Doc. T92-031, Appendix C, as amended.
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These presidential administrative standards (“Standards”) pertain to the University of Massachusetts Travel Policy (Doc. T-22-066) (the “Policy”). In accordance with the Policy, these Standards apply to travel by a duly authorized University of Massachusetts employee, student, Trustee, or associate traveling on university business regardless of the source of funds.
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These Standards provide guidance on the implementation of the University Travel Policy ("Travel Policy”), established pursuant to the authority granted in M.G.L. c. 75, § 32 to: set requirements and expectations for University Travel; provide systemwide uniformity for addressing safety, security, and compliance during University Travel; set forth approval requirements for domestic and…, A. Applicability, The Travel Policy and these Standards apply to all University Travel and all University Travelers as defined in the Policy, regardless of funding source., B. Definitions, Approver: Duly Authorized university representative with authority to approve travel for budgetary and programmatic purposes. Campus: Individual academic institution of the University of Massachusetts system (Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell, Chan Medical School). For purposes of the Policy, the President’s Office is also considered to be a campus component. Campus Travel Risk Review Committee…
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Travelers must obtain budgetary, programmatic and risk (see Sections 1.09, 1.10, 1.11) approval prior to departure and in accordance with the timeframes set by their respective campus. Campuses may grant an exception to compliance with their respective timeframes. Campuses have the discretion to grant blanket approvals to Travelers for domestic University Travel.
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