University of Oregon–Eugene

College Sustainability Report Card 2009

President Frohnmayer signed the Presidents Climate Commitment. The long-standing environmental issues committee, which has a broad-based, campus-wide membership, meets monthly. In 2007, the University of Oregon hired a full-time sustainability director.

The University of Oregon has conducted a carbon emissions inventory. Energy conservation is an ongoing and evolving educational component of university life, targeting students, faculty, and staff. Major lighting upgrades have been completed and several solar arrays have been purchased and installed on campus.

Dining services purchases food from more than 20 local producers, including a dairy. Preconsumer vegetable waste is composted for use on the university farm. The university has established a zero-waste mission and currently diverts approximately 45 percent of its waste from landfills.

The campus sustainable development guidelines, as well as a campus environmental policy, guide the university in energy-efficient design, construction, renovation, and operations of campus buildings. All new construction must meet LEED Silver specifications. Three campus buildings are currently registered for LEED Silver certification.

A sustainability fund provides $40,000 in annual grants for student-led alternative energy and conservation projects on campus. Numerous student organizations work on campus sustainability projects and the student government spends more than $1 million annually in support of sustainability-related programs.

The university provides free access to local public transit for students, faculty, and staff. The university's motor pool includes several biodiesel-fueled vehicles and electric carts for campus operations. Bike racks provide campus parking for more than 4,000 bicycles.

The University of Oregon Foundation makes neither a list of endowment holdings nor its shareholder voting record public. This information is available only to trustees and senior administrators at the investment office or upon request.

The University of Oregon Foundation aims to optimize investment return and is currently invested in renewable energy funds and community development loan funds. Investment managers understand the need for, and desirability of, considering environmental factors in investment priorities.

Most of the endowment is in mutual funds or other commingled investment vehicles. For separately managed accounts, the University of Oregon Foundation asks its investment managers to handle the details of proxy voting.