Report: U. green efforts get B minus

The University received an overall grade of B minus for environmental sustainability from the Sustainable Endowments Institute, an organization that monitors the green practices of the nation's wealthiest universities.

The institute released its College Sustainability Report Card last month on the campus environmental practices and endowment policies of the 100 richest universities in the United States and Canada, and Princeton was listed among 25 "Campus Sustainability Leaders" along with five other Ivy League schools.

"We believe that it's difficult for rating and ranking systems to capture the distinctiveness of any institution's efforts," University spokeswoman Cass Cliatt '96 said in an e-mail.

She explained that the University has long had policies in place regarding sustainability and climate change, but that "these early efforts are often not credited by ranking systems that focus on new initiatives."

The institute rated schools on seven categories, including administration, climate change and energy, food and recycling, green building, endowment transparency, investment priorities and shareholder engagement.

The University received grades of D for both endowment transparency and shareholder engagement.

In the area of shareholder engagement, the Institute criticized the lack of student and faculty involvement in the University's investment decision making.

Currently, Princeton's investment managers handle proxy voting for securities, and University administrators vote on issues of social concern for mutual funds and proxies.

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The University's low marks for endowment transparency derive mainly from the inaccessibility of proxy voting records — they are only available to the University Resources Committee. Proxy voting allows shareholders of a company to vote on company policy issues.

"Princeton seeks through its investments to maximize the resources available to support its programs of teaching and research," Cliatt said. "Except in unusual circumstances, it does not seek through its investment policy to play 'an active role with respect to external issues.' "

Concerns over the ethical practices of companies in which the University holds stock prompted the USG to pass a resolution in February 2005 supporting the creation of the Princeton Coalition Advocating Investor Responsibility. The group's website says it aims to educate the Princeton community "about the social and environmental implications of investment decision" and "to adopt ethical standards in their investment policies."

But the group is largely inactive. Founding member Teel Lidow '07 described the group as "hibernating" after its senior leadership graduated last year.

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In contrast to the low marks on investment, the University received marks of A for administration, food and recycling, and green building.

The institute based its grade of A for administration on Princeton's policies and the presence of the Princeton Sustainability Committee, which was created in 2002.

The Princeton Campus Plan website states that "sustainable design and construction are high priorities," citing the plans for an ecologically-friendly chemistry building, as well as Bloomberg Hall's bamboo floors, recessed windows for shading and a heat-recovery system.

The office also oversees the University's policies for energy and water, transportation, operations, green buildings and storm water.

In the category of food and recycling, the Institute lauded Dining Services for taking advantage of local and organic foods and for recycling nearly 40 percent of waste.

The institute also praised the University for green building for its Campus Plan and its use of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a rating system constructed by the U.S. Green Building Council.