Kenyon College

College Sustainability Report Card 2009

Kenyon College has a sustainability mission statement and an advisory council that includes representation from the surrounding communities. Kenyon has sustainability administrators in the maintenance department and the president's office, as well as two full-time staff conducting sustainability education, and a campus liaison between food services and local farms.

The college has installed solar panels on the Center for Environmental Education. Kenyon runs a wide spectrum of conservation programs, including energy efficiency education for dorms and residences, a light switch reminder program, and sustainability awareness campaigns leading up to Earth Day celebrations.

Kenyon sources 35 percent of all its food purchases locally. The "Food for Thought" local foods initiative commits the college to purchasing food locally as part of a county-wide effort to build a sustainable food system. An on-site pulper extractor grinds food and paper waste into compostable material.

Kenyon has committed to green construction in three current, major building projects and to maximizing green technology in all building construction and renovation. Two LEED Silver projects are ready for construction and a new LEED Silver residence hall is in the design phase.

Campus interns document local food purchases, record energy consumption, and work on public education campaigns. New student orientation includes a major energy conservation component and there are several student environmental organizations.

Kenyon has replaced half of its campus safety SUV fleet with electric golf carts, and the campus processes its own biodiesel, also used by the fleet. Students ride free on public transportation, and employees are offered mortgage incentives to live near campus.

The college makes a list of endowment holdings primarily available to the school community, but also to the public through a campus office.

The college aims to optimize investment return and is exploring, but not currently invested in, renewable energy funds or similar investment vehicles.

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