There is a clear mandate for academics to advance climate change education, research, and outreach in universities given the overwhelming scientific consensus on the urgency and severity of the climate crisis. Academics play a key role in determining how and to what extent universities fundamentally reshape conversations, expectations, and actions around climate change on their campuses and in their communities. Recognizing the unique place that universities have in society, we present a rationale on the purpose and mandate of universities, along with an account of the challenges facing academics in addressing the crisis including delayed responses and a tendency for reticence to act. We next explore how universities are creating opportunities for learning, scholarship, and community engagement and note academics have a unique position and thus responsibility to address climate change within their own institutions. We also introduce the “Bicycle Model” as one framework of many to establish and improve university initiatives on climate change and conclude with a series of recommendations calling on academics to create and expand their work to address the climate crisis.