Oklahoma State University

College Sustainability Report Card 2010

The President's Task Force for Sustainability developed a university statement on sustainability and created a website detailing the campus's environmental initiatives. Numerous departments have elected to make purchases of environmentally preferable products when available.

The university is in the process of conducting a greenhouse gas emissions inventory. Each building on campus is assigned an energy manager who is responsible for gathering data about energy consumption in the building; the data is then used to develop individual building energy efficiency strategies.

Local dairy, produce, beef, and chicken from five different farms are featured on campus menus. Beginning in fall 2009, a Made-in-Oklahoma Day will be held each month, with all items labeled as to where in Oklahoma they were made or processed. Local vendors will be featured throughout the year to offer samples of their Oklahoma products. Dining services purchases sustainably caught seafood as well as fair trade coffee and sugar. In order to reduce waste, dining halls are trayless, and food waste audits are conducted in an effort to reduce waste.

Campus policy supports and encourages sustainable design and green building construction. Oklahoma State currently has eight Energy Star-labeled buildings. A goal of 50 percent waste diversion for nonhazardous construction and demolition waste is set for all future major construction and renovation projects.

The student government's sustainability committee encourages campus waste reduction through the Real Cowboys Recycle tailgate recycling program and the Real Pokes Pass It On unwanted goods collection program. In the Residential Life Utility Challenge, beginning fall 2009, 26 residence halls will compete to reduce water and electricity consumption. The university offers seven paid sustainability internships for students.

A bus service provides free transportation around campus and to local destinations. Discounted parking permits are available for faculty, staff, and students who carpool. Additionally, premium parking spaces are reserved for carpool participants. The university has purchased nine buses that run on compressed natural gas. OSU is working to implement a bike-sharing program.

The university and the Oklahoma State University Foundation make a list of all holdings available to trustees, senior administrators, and other select members of the school community. The foundation does not make its shareholder voting record public.

The university and the foundation aim to optimize investment return and are currently invested in renewable energy funds.

The university and the foundation ask that investment managers handle the details of proxy voting.