DePaul University

College Sustainability Report Card 2010

DePaul University's faculty council has a sustainability subcommittee that works with the student government and the facilities and procurement departments. Some green cleaning products and organic pesticides are used.

The university purchases renewable energy credits equivalent to 3 percent of its total electricity use. More than $5 million in energy efficiency projects have been completed since 2000, including HVAC retrofits and lighting upgrades.

DePaul's food service provider is dedicated to purchasing local and organic foods. DePaul spends up to 8 percent of its annual food budget on local items. The university buys exclusively hormone- and antibiotic-free meat and milk, as well as cage-free eggs and grass-fed beef and pork. Most seafood is purchased according to sustainability guidelines, and all coffee served through dining services is fair trade-certified. The dining halls are trayless, and 90 percent of recyclables are diverted from landfills.

All construction at DePaul must be designed to meet LEED standards, and the new science building qualifies for LEED certification. The university has also installed low-flow showerheads in all residence halls.

Students in the Environmental Concerns Organization advocate for environmental awareness on campus. Members volunteer at a local community garden and with an environmental justice organization. The Environmental Law Society also works on issues of environmental concern.

Through the U-Pass program, all undergraduates at DePaul ride for free on Chicago Transit Authority services. DePaul also partners with a nonprofit car-sharing program. The university fleet includes hybrid cars.

The university has no known policy of disclosure of endowment holdings or its shareholder voting record.

The university 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 has not made any public statements about active ownership or a proxy voting policy.