Higher Education Brief

Higher Education Brief: University endowments: Mission, money and climate risk and higher education

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U.S. university endowments collectively hold more than $800 billion in assets, with approximately 50% in alternative investments and 30-40% in public equities. These portfolios are vital to funding scholarships, research, and campus operations. However, these entities are facing heightened exposure to climate-related risks, including stranded assets in fossil fuels, physical damage to tangible assets, and transition risks stemming from regulatory and market changes. Analysis suggests $1-4 trillion in fossil fuel assets globally could become stranded by 2050 if climate policies tighten, creating potential permanent impairments for equity holders. Some elite institutions still report fossil-fuel exposure of 2–6%.

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Higher Education Brief: The cost of waiting – Why deferred maintenance is now an enterprise risk in higher education

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Deferred maintenance has evolved from operational challenge to enterprise-level risk. Collectively, U.S. colleges and universities face a staggering $112 billion in urgent deferred renewal needs, with Moody’s projecting $750–950 billion in spending required over the next decade just for rated institutions to modernize and stabilize backlogs. In a recent survey, 36% of chief financial officers (CFO) cite maintenance as a top risk. The average age of campus buildings is approximately 50 years, with many facilities already having surpassed their intended life spans. This aging infrastructure is reflected in Facility Condition Index (FCI) scores, where many systems report values greater than 0.10 — the commonly accepted threshold for “poor condition.”

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Higher Education Brief: What’s in a university’s environmental footprint?

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For all the environment and sustainability-focused talk on campuses, granular knowledge of what makes up a university’s footprint is often missing. From energy intensive laboratories to manicured lawns and long commutes, it can be quite complex to make sense of a university’s footprint. Yet, understanding where institutions consume the most energy, water, and waste – and generate emissions – is the first step towards being sustainable and lowering operational costs. For higher education leaders, knowing where to look and what to tackle first is critical to making meaningful progress.

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Higher Education Brief: How could AI make campus more energy-efficient and greener

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From smart HVAC controls to emissions-conscious computing, artificial intelligence is reshaping how college campuses manage energy and emissions. But as colleges and universities embrace these tools, questions remain about scalability, tradeoffs, and who benefits most from the shift.

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Higher Education Brief: What universities need to consider during this time of national pushback

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Months into the new administration, campus sustainability efforts continue to face heightened scrutiny and shifting political headwinds. For university leaders, the question isn’t whether this work still matters—it’s how to continue advancing it amid the risks and pressures. Some institutions have chosen to keep a lower profile. Others are rebranding or reframing their efforts to stay aligned with changing expectations. In this environment, strategy – not silence – is the key to staying on course.

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Telesto CEO & Founder Alex Kruzel releases new book, The Courage to Continue, at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs

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“Has Sustainability failed . . . ?”

A provocative and critical question that was raised in last week’s public launch of Alex Kruzel’s, CEO & Founder of Telesto Strategy, book The Courage to Continue at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Patrick Shewell, Director of Global Packaging Sustainability of Mondelez, provided the expert moderation to an at-capacity audience full of public and private sector leaders. Watch full discussion: Securing a Sustainable Future in a Polarized Era

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From Corporate Strategy to Global Policy: The New Book The Courage to Continue Explores The Rationale For Corporate Sustainability in Support of President Trump’s Whole-of-Government National Security Agenda

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As global trade and security challenges continue to escalate as President Trump begins his second term, an insightful and compelling new book, The Courage to Continue, calls for a non-partisan approach to evaluate how businesses can effectively advance their environmental sustainability agendas and support America’s national security priorities. Authored by Alex Kruzel, founder of Chicago-based management consulting firm Telesto Strategy, the book prompts decision-makers across all industries and sectors with crucial questions and considerations for leaders to advance their corporate sustainability goals.

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