Sewanee–The University of the South

College Sustainability Report Card 2008

President Cunningham has signed the Presidents Climate Commitment and the Talloires Declaration. The dean sponsors EcoDomain sustainability coordination meetings. A full-time coordinator oversees the Environmental Resident Program, which charges students with promoting sustainable practices in the residence halls.

The university has completed a carbon emissions inventory. Energy audits on all major buildings were performed in the 1990s and are currently being updated. Since August 2005, $15 per student has gone towards the purchase of renewable energy to supply the university with 15 percent of its needs.

Although there are few local producers near Sewanee, dining halls serve local, organic beef and pork, as well as fair-trade coffee. The university recycles paper, aluminum, and plastics, and composts landscaping waste.

The new science building addition will be LEED certified. LEED-equivalent designs have been used in several new and renovated buildings since 2000, including green parking lot features. The university has no known green building policy.

Physical plant services is in the process of converting its fleet to electric vehicles. In the year 2000, the university adopted a campus master plan that promotes pedestrian traffic, and rules have been made to limit student parking in the central campus area. A bike week was held in 2006 to encourage the use of bicycles.

The university has no known policy of disclosure of endowment holdings or its shareholder voting record. Therefore, there is no known ability to access this information.

The university aims to optimize investment return and has not made any public statements about investigating or investing in renewable energy funds or community development loan funds.

The university has not made any public statements about active ownership or a proxy voting policy.