Report Card: University of Arkansas Improves in Sustainable Practices

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas has increased its sustainability score in just two short years from a D to a B minus, according to the 2009 College Sustainability Report Card, an organization that evaluates campus and endowment sustainability activities at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. In the Southeastern Conference, Arkansas was tied for second along with Auburn University in scoring. Only the University of Florida scored higher at a B plus.

“Being a sustainable campus is very important to the mission of the University of Arkansas, particularly in areas where we can reduce our carbon footprint,” said Chancellor G. David Gearhart. “The results speak for themselves. Going from a D to a B minus in less than three years indicates that we do take sustainability seriously and we will continue to do so.”

Among the 300 schools surveyed this year, more than one-third earned an overall grade of B minus or better (38 percent or 114 schools). Five percent of schools earned cumulative A level grades, 33 percent earned B level grades, 44 percent earned C level grades, 17 percent earned D level grades and 1 percent earned F level grades.

The survey focused on policies and practices in nine categories: administration, climate change and energy, endowment transparency, food and recycling, green building, investment priorities, shareholder engagement, student involvement and transportation.

The survey scored Arkansas an A for its administration noting that former Chancellor John A. White was one of the first 100 to sign the Presidents Climate Commitment. It also cited the newly created University of Arkansas Sustainability Council that has formed seven working groups to begin addressing its goals.

The university received Bs for its climate change and energy, food and recycling, green building, student involvement, transportation and endowment transparency. It received a C in investment priorities with the survey noting that the university aims to optimize investment return and does not invest in renewable energy funds or community development loan funds. Its lowest grade was a D in shareholder engagement. The survey found that the university provides its investment managers with guidelines that determine its proxy votes.

Some University of Arkansas sustainable highlights from the 2009 survey:

• The university recently completed a baseline greenhouse gas inventory that will be publicly available on its Web site. The school completed efficiency upgrades to the John W. Tyson Poultry Science Building plans to invest in energy efficiency projects.

• The university offers fair trade coffee, sustainable seafood, organic yogurt, cage-free eggs and hormone-free pork and chicken, and contracts with a local dairy. Razorback Recycling has a 33 percent diversion rate (the percentage of waste materials diverted from traditional disposal) and assists the athletic department in running a recycling initiative at all sporting events that boasts a 50 percent diversion rate.

• All new construction must be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver standards or the Green Globes Two Globes specifications. The university’s Innovation Center has achieved LEED certification and seven other buildings, including four residence facilities, have been built in accordance with the university’s green building policy.

• The student government president serves as a co-chair on the University of Arkansas Sustainability Council. The group Students for Environmental Sustainability hosted the university’s Earth Day in 2008, which included a stream cleanup. The sustainability program offers work-study opportunities to students.

• Various departments use a total of 18 alternative-fuel vehicles, including a delivery truck that runs on used oil from campus kitchens. The free Razorback Transit service offered 1.2 million rides during the 2007-08 academic year, many to non-students. The Razorbikes bike-sharing program currently has 11 bikes and plans to add another 35 bikes by next year.

• The university makes information on endowment holdings and its proxy voting record available to the public, by request, as per open records laws. This information is available at the investment office.