University of Southern California

College Sustainability Report Card 2010

The Sustainability Steering Committee at USC established a sustainability office and hired a sustainability manager. The committee also created a greenhouse gas emissions inventory task force and is continuing its work on irrigation and environmental management systems. Green purchasing initiatives include procurement of FSC-certified paper, Energy Star-qualified products, and Green Seal cleaning products.

USC plans to complete a greenhouse gas emissions inventory by early 2010 and encourages energy conservation through signage, energy reduction competitions, and a Green Office Certification Program. The university is also pursuing energy efficiency and conservation through temperature setbacks, lighting retrofits, and an expanded chilled water system.

The university's purchasing policy focuses on supporting small businesses in the community, and over $1 million is spent annually on local items, including produce, dairy, bread, and honey. As of fall 2009, students may receive produce through a Community Supported Agriculture program. Pre- and postconsumer composting is present in five of thirteen dining areas, diverting over 283 tons of food waste from landfills. The campus’s overall documented waste diversion rate is 54 percent.

The university plans to achieve LEED Silver certification for two buildings currently under construction, with a goal of LEED Gold. Many of the buildings meet stringent energy efficiency standards and are cleaned using environmentally preferred products. Low-flush urinals and toilets are standard in all buildings.

The Sustainability Leadership Committee brings together leaders from 14 student organizations with environmental focuses to collaborate on initiatives, including Earth Week planning and outreach to the surrounding community. These organizations individually address issues such as sustainable agriculture, global warming, and energy conservation. Orientation includes sustainability information sessions, and paid sustainability internships are available to students. All members of the school community participate in a campus-wide energy conservation competition.

USC offers preferred parking spaces and discounts to carpoolers and subsidizes half the cost of public transportation for students, faculty, and staff. The university shuttles are all propane or biodiesel powered and provide access to central public transportation stops in downtown Los Angeles. A car-sharing program on campus currently has three hybrids and is expanding to add twelve more vehicles in fall 2009. The campus itself is closed to traffic, promoting a bike- and pedestrian-friendly atmosphere.

The university makes neither a list of endowment holdings nor its shareholder voting record public.

The university aims to optimize investment return and is currently invested in renewable energy funds.

The university provides its investment managers with general guidelines that determine its proxy votes.