Middlebury College

College Sustainability Report Card 2009

President Liebowitz signed the Presidents Climate Commitment and the college is a signatory to the Talloires Declaration. A broad-based task force completed a plan for achieving carbon neutrality by 2016. Implementation of the plan will begin in fall 2008.

In addition to a carbon emissions inventory, the college has established an annual greenhouse gas monitoring and reporting system, and has committed to being climate neutral by 2016. The college has invested in solar arrays, a demonstration wind turbine, and is currently constructing a biomass facility that will use woodchips to generate power.

Dining halls provide local meats, dairy, and organic produce. Middlebury has an overall waste diversion rate of 61 percent, including both compost and standard recycling. Dining services is collaborating with the athletics department to fuel one of the ski team vehicles with waste vegetable oil.

Middlebury has a sustainable design and construction policy that has been applied in eight major construction and renovation projects on campus to date. The college has applied for LEED certification for a recent building project and expects to obtain a Gold rating.

Middlebury has launched a program to encourage study-abroad students to practice sustainability. The campus environmental council provided support for 80 Middlebury students to attend the PowerShift 2007 conference. The college has a student-run organic garden that hires student workers.

Middlebury provides free transit bus passes to students and supports a student-run bike shop. The 2008 approved master plan offers detailed recommendations to improve alternative transportation and promote sustainable development on campus.

The college makes a list of endowment holdings available to trustees, senior administrators, and other select members of the school community. This information is available at the investment office. The college does not disclose its shareholder voting record. This information is available only to trustees and senior administrators.

The college has established a green fund as part of its current capital campaign to which the Class of 2007 and other donors have directed gifts. In addition, Middlebury is discussing participation in the Investor Network on Climate Risk. INCR members participate in working groups that advocate for investments, corporate disclosure, and public policy related to climate change solutions.

As chartered, the Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing consists of three students, one faculty member, one alumni representative, and one staff person. This group makes recommendations to the proxy subcommittee of the board of trustees on votes involving social issues.