University of Alabama

College Sustainability Report Card 2008

The administration has not formally committed to sustainability; however, the master plan includes several guidelines to ensure energy efficiency and responsible resource use on campus. A student organization, Homegrown Alabama, has worked with dining services to implement local purchasing priority guidelines, though a comprehensive sustainability advisory council or sustainability staff has yet to be instated.

The university’s energy policy encourages energy conservation and states that the energy efficiency guidelines set forth in Standard 90.1 of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) will be followed as closely as possible. Lighting retrofits were completed in 2005, and the installation of motion sensors will take place where economically feasible. The university has completed a master plan for centralized energy plants, and 5 percent of electricity is received from hydroelectric sources through the local utility provider.

s are donated to local charities. Some to-go containers are made of recycled materials and a “Recycle Mug” program, providing discounts on beverages, will begin fall 2007.

While the university does not pursue LEED certification, the current master plan specifically acknowledges and adheres to LEED-compliant sustainable design principles, including the use of local and recycled materials, and life-cycle analysis. The university arboretum is in the process of building a cob building with a living roof.

This year, the campus has implemented a mass transit system utilizing buses that run on low-sulfur diesel fuel. In addition, the master plan encourages a pedestrian core campus and the use of bike paths and racks.

Per state law, all investment committee meetings are open to the public. Interested parties may receive prior notification of items to be considered. However, detailed information regarding endowment holdings or proxy voting records is not made publicly available.

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.

Investment managers are responsible for voting proxies after carefully assessing the issues involved.