Our Mission

We can’t do it without you.

Commitment to Sustainability at Washington State University

Washington State University, as a state-wide land-grant institution, commits to pursuit of a sustainable and just future for our System, our partners, and our global neighbors. The WSU System Strategic Plan commits the university to these missions:

  • Educational: help students become more aware, engaged, and creative.   
  • Scholarly: drive the betterment of human existence through discovery and the creative expression of the human experience.
  • Outreach: serve the needs of Washingtonians by sharing expertise and helping residents integrate that knowledge into their daily lives.

“At WSU, it is not just a plan on paper.” Washington State University has been quietly taking the lead in many areas of sustainable scholarship for decades.  Our four commitments capture these existing, growing strengths and position WSU to serve as a beacon for our sister institutions across the nation.

These missions drive the following commitments to sustainability:

  1. Decarbonize the WSU System across all dimensions of operations by both direct reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and indirect actions to reduce goods, services, and activities that contribute to carbon pollution
  2. Discover, promote, and invest in regenerative practices that conserve and rebuild natural resources to sustain ecosystem services and communities, via research, academic programs, and extension/outreach
  3. Build a working culture of sustainability across Washington by actively promoting sustainability endeavors within the WSU system and through meaningful engagement with our diverse partners in tribal, extension, and other statewide efforts.
  4. Engage with other land-grant institutions to rapidly share and disseminate ideas and explore collective actions that promote decarbonization and regenerative practices.