UMass HR Insider—November 2025 | Volume 3, Issue 11

Content

Powering Ahead: Our Carbon-Zero Future

Our campus is committed to reducing our carbon footprint and becoming a carbon-zero institution. Sustainability has long been part of our DNA—as a university founded in 1863, we’ve grown into a leader in sustainability research and operations. 

On the energy front, UMass Amherst has already achieved a 37 percent reduction in carbon emissions from 2004–2022. We’ve installed 10 megawatts of solar capacity across rooftops and parking lots, while deploying battery-storage systems to enhance resilience and efficiency. As faculty and staff, you have a direct stake in this transition—whether it’s making thoughtful choices about energy use in your labs and offices or encouraging sustainable practices within your department.
Here’s how you can help:

• Check for devices that draw power when not in use. Try unplugging items, setting monitors and printers to power-saver mode, and identify equipment running 24-7.
• Make better use of daylight and adjust lighting in offices. Turn off lights when a room is empty, install occupancy sensors if possible, and reduce artificial lighting in spaces with plenty of natural light.
• Optimize heating and cooling in your spaces. Close doors and windows when the HVAC is running, and coordinate with your facilities manager to adjust setpoints during off-hours.

Every action—small or large—brings us closer to the vision of powering the campus entirely with clean energy. By aligning our everyday practices with the infrastructure strategy, we support both our operational goals and our academic mission.

Rethinking Recycling
From Waste to Resource: Rethinking Recycling and Reuse

At UMass Amherst, we’re treating waste as an opportunity! Since 2014, our New2U reuse program has kept more than 100,000 pounds of items out of landfills. Each year, about 1,200 tons of food scraps are composted or sent to anaerobic digestion, and since 2021, over 40,000 pounds of textiles have been recycled through Bay State Textiles. Every item we reuse or recycle is a step toward a greener campus.

As faculty and staff, you can make a meaningful difference. By choosing reuse and recycling as default practices, we reduce cost, emissions, and waste. Let’s work together to close the loop on campus resources.

UMass Keeps it Natural
How UMass Grounds Keep It Natural

UMass Amherst has earned a gold-level certification from the Re:wild Your Campus Green Grounds program for maintaining more than 90 percent of its managed grounds without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. That means our campus landscaping is not only beautiful but thriving with native plants, pollinators, and water-smart practices.

Getting Around Green
Getting Around Green: Sustainable Transportation for Everyone

Transportation matters—not just for students, but for every faculty and staff member commuting to campus. UMass Amherst makes it easier with free, frequent buses through the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA), the regional bikeshare system ValleyBike, bike-friendly routes, and electric-vehicle (EV) charging stations.

Here’s how you can help: If you drive to campus, try carpooling, taking the bus, or switching to an EV. If you live close by, consider walking or biking when the weather allows. By following these tips, every trip you take can help make our campus and region greener.

Rethinking Campus Meals
Plant-Based, Planet-Friendly: Rethinking Campus Meals

Food choices have a bigger impact than we often realize. UMass Amherst offers plant-based dining options and prioritizes sourcing local ingredients for campus dining. Staff can make a difference by choosing plant-forward meals, reducing food waste, and making use of composting programs when leftovers remain. Even small steps—like adding more plant-based options at a lunch meeting—help reduce the campus’s carbon footprint, support local farmers, and make our dining culture more sustainable.

The UMass Amherst “Eating Sustainably on Campus” webpage outlines how UMass Dining emphasizes local procurement and plantforward menus.

Supporting Students Affected by the Olympia Place Fire

Our community is coming together to support the 230 students affected by the Olympia Place fire, providing immediate assistance, essential supplies, and financial support to help them recover and get back on their feet.

How You Can Help

Material donations (clothing, kitchen items, school supplies) can be brought to New2U, located on the second floor of Hampden Commons across from the art gallery. Volunteers are welcome to help sort and distribute donations.
Our Student Care Supply Closet is also accepting donations.
Financial contributions to the Student Care & Emergency Response Fund (SCERF) go directly to students in need. The normal grant process has been temporarily paused to expedite support for Olympia Place residents.
All contributions make a real difference in helping students recover quickly. You can follow the latest news and updates on the Olympia fire response website.

FYI

Dental and Post-Doctoral Health Insurance Premiums Will Not Be Deducted on December 5, 2025

 

Perks and Discounts
Call for Nominations: The 2026 Chancellor's Citation Award

We are pleased to announce the opening of nominations for the annual Chancellor's Citation Award, which celebrates individual staff members and staff teams whose work has significantly enhanced the university's mission. This award honors those who demonstrate excellence, innovation, and a meaningful impact within our community.

At UMass Amherst, our staff members make a difference every day, often going above and beyond in ways that inspire and uplift our community. You probably know colleagues whose dedication and exceptional contributions stand out. This year, we will celebrate up to ten individual staff members and two teams in GIC-eligible positions with awards that recognize their outstanding efforts. Nominate a staff member or team today!

Survey
Share Your Ideas for Potential K–12 Summer Programs at UMass Amherst

The University of Massachusetts Amherst is exploring an exciting opportunity to bring more in-person summer programming for children to our campus, and your voice is essential to making this vision a reality.

The Flexible Education Division has partnered with Hanover Research to survey our UMass Amherst community because we believe the best programs are built on community input. Your ideas and preferences will directly shape what we offer, making sure that these programs truly serve local families and reflect what matters most to you.

Why Your Feedback Matters:
We're not just gathering opinions, we're building a roadmap. Your responses will help us determine which youth program themes, age groups, activities, pricing structures, and formats will best meet community needs while making meaningful use of our world-class facilities. This is your opportunity to influence the creation of engaging, educational summer experiences that strengthen the connection between UMass Amherst and our broader community.

What We're Asking:
Please share your ideas via this brief 5-minute survey about potential youth programming, from activity themes to practical considerations like scheduling and cost.

Your input isn't just valuable—it's vital. Help us design K–12 summer programs that work for your family and our community.

Thank you for taking the time to share your perspective!

Learn and Grow
Are You Ready to Lead?

Applications for Workplace Learning and Development’s Management Series are now open. Essentials of Management is accepting applicants for winter 2026, and Foundations of Supervision is open for spring 2026. Visit the program page for details and to apply.  

PageUp
Exciting Changes Are Coming! Recruitment Optimization Project Update

On January 12, UMass Amherst will launch a refreshed careers site with a new look and a smoother, more intuitive experience for candidates. This upgrade is part of our transition to a dedicated PageUp recruitment system that offers stronger tools, clearer workflows, and better data to support faster and more informed hiring decisions.

The new system gives UMass Amherst more control, flexibility, and insight, which will help us attract outstanding talent and improve the experience for hiring teams and applicants. Stay tuned for updates as we approach launch day!

Career Opportunities
Career Opportunities—Tell a Friend

Software Engineer II (Remote Opportunity)

This position is responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining integrations across enterprise systems, including the creation of custom APIs to support campus applications. Learn More!