Dear students, faculty and staff:

The University of Illinois System welcomes President Biden’s publicly announced commitment to action on climate change, a serious and essential statement of the country’s resolve to lead in building a better, more sustainable future.

President Biden’s new plan to, among other things, cut U.S. emissions in half by 2030 also represents a call to the country’s centers of research and innovation for the bold ideas needed to make these goals reality.

The University of Illinois System and its three universities stand ready to help.

We bring to this endeavor a lengthy history of game-changing innovation and service as a willing partner with government in the kinds of collaborations that will animate President Biden’s vision.

Among our Guiding Principles that define the bedrock of the U of I System’s core values is a commitment to environmental sustainability. It is part of a greater accountability we have to individuals and communities on not just our campuses, but across Illinois, the nation and the world.

This Guiding Principle states, in part: “We will make the most of the U of I System’s wide-ranging and ever-evolving talents, encouraging collaborations among disciplines to produce not just breakthroughs, but sustainable environmental and economic improvements to the human condition.”

The U of I System and its universities have spearheaded so many breakthroughs that have helped drive the technological revolution, the world-class educational opportunities that have transformed lives and, over the past year, the ingenuity and innovation that have kept our research and educational enterprises thriving under the stress of a pandemic.

President Biden’s climate commitment presents another moment of both opportunity and obligation, one we are well-positioned and eager to meet.

Sincerely,

Tim Killeen, President, University of Illinois System
Barb Wilson, Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs, U of I System
Avijit Ghosh, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, U of I System
Jay Walsh, Interim Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation, U of I System
Robert J. Jones, Chancellor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Michael Amiridis, Chancellor, University of Illinois Chicago
Karen Whitney, Interim Chancellor, University of Illinois Springfield