University of Texas–Austin

College Sustainability Report Card 2009

In April 2008, the University of Texas at Austin adopted a campus sustainability policy to integrate sustainability in academic programs, operations, campus planning, administration, and outreach. The policy was developed by a task force that includes faculty, staff, and students, and represents all areas of the university.

The university is implementing a demand-side energy management and conservation project that will focus on lighting retrofits and the reduction of domestic water consumption and steam use. The project is currently estimated to reduce campus energy use by 5 megawatts and is part of a larger effort to introduce a culture of energy efficiency on campus.

The university partners with the Farm Direct program of the Sustainable Food Center of Austin, which connects UT with many farmers in the central Texas area. Students receive a free reusable shopping bag with a purchase of $15 worth of merchandise. They may also purchase these bags and use them during designated hours to receive a 10 percent discount. The school is also phasing in biodegradable to-go wares.

The university administration has a proactive stance toward green development. All new capital construction projects are designed and built to meet LEED standards. There are currently eight LEED projects under design or construction. Project management and construction services is working to educate staff in support of sustainability goals.

The university supports active student participation in all levels of sustainability decision making, including the President's Task Force on Sustainability, the campus-wide Recycling Task Force, and by incorporating the largest student organization devoted to sustainability (the Campus Environmental Center) into student government.

Working with the city of Austin’s Capital Metro, the university established an agreement for free transportation on all Capital Metro buses for faculty, staff, and students. The university also operates a free shuttle system to locations not accessible by Capital Metro.

The University of Texas Investment Management Company makes a list of investment holdings available online, and proxy voting records are sent to individuals upon request, as per open records laws.

The University of Texas Investment Management Company 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 of Texas Investment Management Company has not made any public statements about active ownership or a proxy voting policy.