Administration

Overview

The Administration category primarily addresses action regarding sustainability by colleges and universities at the administrative or trustee level. This includes policies or commitments to sustainability in the institution’s mission statement or master plan, and also commitments to local, national, or international sustainability agreements. Points are awarded to schools that have institutionalized the position of sustainability coordinator; those that have an active advisory council to guide the administration on campus sustainability; and those that have an office or center specifically focused on achieving campus sustainability goals. Green purchasing policies are also examined, along with the level of student involvement in campus sustainability efforts. Additionally, schools receive points for having a website that serves as a resource for community involvement and education on sustainability.

Key Findings

• More than one in three schools have full-time staff dedicated to sustainability. A considerable number of schools have recognized the need for full-time campus sustainability administrators. Currently, 37 percent report having dedicated sustainability staff, while several additional schools have announced imminent hiring plans.

• More than one in five schools have an office of sustainability. An office or center specifically focused on achieving campus sustainability goals exists at 22 percent of schools.

• Almost two in three schools have a website dedicated to campus sustainability. An increasing number (65 percent) of schools use a website to communicate, both to the campus community and to the public, about sustainability initiatives.

• More than two in three schools have a campus advisory committee on sustainability. A large majority of schools (68 percent) have a committee with multiple stakeholders (e.g. faculty, staff, students) that advises the administration on issues of campus sustainability.

• Increased attention to climate change is reflected in aggressive carbon reduction commitments. An impressive 45 percent of schools have made a commitment to carbon reduction.

• A majority of schools are members of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). More than half the schools (51 percent) are among the 300 campus members of AASHE.

• A small group of schools have implemented innovative EcoRep programs. EcoRep programs designate a group of students to serve as sustainability advocates in college residences. These students are often considered "green" residence advisors. A partial list of schools with EcoRep programs includes Brown University, Carnegie Mellon University, Columbia University, Rice University, Tufts University, University of Texas, and University of Vermont.

• The average grade for the Administration category was "C+." For a full account of school performance by grade, please refer to the chart on the next page.

Grade Distribution