University of Tulsa

College Sustainability Report Card 2008

The University of Tulsa established a sustainability committee in April 2007 on which there currently sits 12 members, including students, faculty, and staff. The committee is working on a Green Campaign to encourage residents, students, and staff to use central locations for recycling. The coordinator of physical plant safety and recycling services spends approximately 10 to 15 percent of his time on sustainability measures, and another staff member assists this position.

The university utilizes a centralized energy management system to ensure optimum operation of cooling towers, chillers, and boilers. Energy-efficient equipment is used to furnish residence halls and all new computer purchases are Energy Star-rated. Employees receive three paid “energy conservation” holidays in order to reduce campus energy use.

Fair-trade coffee is sold on campus; however, the university is not currently purchasing local or organic food. Approximately 15 to 20 percent of recyclable waste is diverted from traditional waste disposal, and the university recycles a variety of items, including batteries and fluorescent lights. Dining services recycles used cooking oil and the dining services director is a registered member of Partners for a Clean Environment.

Recent construction projects implement energy-efficient designs with regard to daylight and energy usage. New construction projects follow American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers principles as pertaining to building envelope and air conditioning design.

Changes in parking regulations were implemented to restrict residents from parking in lots other than at their dorm or apartment. Shuttles utilizing compressed natural gas provide students and employees with an alternative mode of transportation. A bike program implemented in 2006 now has 268 free bicycles.

The university makes neither its proxy voting record nor its list of endowment holdings public. This information is only available to trustees and senior administrators.

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 asks that its investment managers handle the details of proxy voting.