Clarkson University

College Sustainability Report Card 2010

The Environmental Policy Group is a committee composed of administrators, faculty, staff, and students, that reports to the president. The school will begin a Green Office Certification program in fall 2009 to encourage sustainable practices among employees. Clarkson purchases Energy Star products and environmentally friendly cleaning products, and does not use pesticides on the lawns. There is a website that describes the school's sustainability initiatives and student opportunities.

The university has a solar hot water system and generates renewable energy on campus. Natural gas is the sole source of fuel. Clarkson has conducted a campus-wide energy audit, and light switches have stickers reminding people to turn off lights.

The dining halls feature a selection of local foods, as well as organic produce. Nearly all meat, ice cream, and cheese is hormone- and antibiotic-free. The campus coffee shop serves mostly fair trade coffee. All dining halls are trayless. All to-go containers are biodegradable, and customers receive discounts for bringing reusable mugs.

All new buildings must meet LEED Silver standards. There is currently one building that meets LEED Silver standards and is awaiting final certification. One building under construction is intended to meet LEED standards as well. The university diverted 59 percent of nonhazardous waste in its most recent construction project.

The student Environmental Concerns Organization (ECO) worked to improve the number and placement of recycling bins, implemented a reusable mug incentive program, and eliminated water bottles at a campus event. The group has also run a number of awareness programs, including freshmen orientation programs, and screening environmentally themed movies. All ECO members spent a week carrying their trash with them to track consumption and make a statement about the amount of waste humans generate. The Environmental Policy Group works to improve sustainability within the student government and offers seminars on making dorm rooms greener.

Clarkson’s master plan includes plans for a walking campus, eliminating vehicles from the center of campus. The vehicle fleet includes two hybrid cars.

The university makes a list of all holdings available to all members of the school community, including faculty, staff, students, and alumni, and sends the information upon request. The university does not make its shareholder voting record public.

The university aims to optimize investment return and does not invest in renewable energy funds or community development loan funds.

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