Washington University in St. Louis

College Sustainability Report Card 2008

The Committee on Environmental Quality, formed in 2000 in response to student pressure, consists of faculty, students, and staff. The university has hired its first assistant vice chancellor for campus sustainability to lead a campus-wide effort to establish a sustainability policy, strategic plan, and goals.

Six solar modules were installed on the roof of Olin Library in 2006. The university will be establishing its carbon baseline in order to determine its greenhouse gas emission reduction goal. As part of this effort, the university will begin researching which additional renewable energy technologies will be most appropriate for its campus.

The food service department attempts to incorporate locally produced food as often as possible, based on demand and the growing season. All pork and cage-free eggs are purchased from local growers, and meat and chicken is antibiotic-free. Recyclable plastics and paper boxes are used instead of Styrofoam to-go containers, and the university has a comprehensive recycling program. The new University Center will include an energy- and water-efficient dishwasher to enable the use of reusable dishware.

The university’s first LEED-certified building opened in 2004. The new University Center, currently under construction, is targeting LEED Gold certification. Additionally, design for the new engineering campus is underway and the university plans to seek LEED Platinum certification. The university is also undertaking an initiative to enhance campus facilities standards to align with LEED standards.

Washington University provides free access to both university transportation and municipal buses, and light rail transport. The university will be offering low-emission, alternative flex-fuel cars to faculty, staff, and students to reduce the number of cars on campus. The campus is reviewing its transportation policy to identify further opportunities to encourage more pedestrian and bicycle traffic, including connecting with the Great Rivers Greenway bike trail project.

Information on endowment holdings is made available to trustees, senior administrators, and other select members of the school community. The university does not make proxy voting records available.

Washington University aims to optimize investment return and is exploring renewable energy funds. The university is invested with managers whose mandates include renewable energy, and has also invested in and loaned funds to others to invest in real estate for neighborhood revitalization in several local areas.

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