Vassar College

Vassar College's sustainability committee is comprised of faculty, staff, students, and administrators who work on several fronts to address campus sustainability issues. Vassar adopted an energy conservation policy in spring 2007. A comprehensive draft sustainability plan for the campus was presented to the president in May 2008.

The college has performed several energy audits to find ways to reduce energy use. In 2008, the buildings and grounds department began implementing measures to make the college’s heating system more efficient, including improvements to steam traps, leak monitoring systems, and installation of carbon filters. No formal commitments to carbon emissions reduction have been made.

The college's Farm-to-Vassar program works to purchase food from approximately 20 local producers and supports 3 local dairies, allowing for 30 percent of food purchases to be sourced locally. Hormone-free milk, strictly cage-free eggs, and fair trade coffee are served. All food waste from the dining halls is composted at the Vassar Farm, and used fryer oil is donated to be made into biodiesel.

New construction and renovation projects are subject to a review for green building standards, which are included in the campus master plan. Some construction and renovation projects guided by these standards are underway, including installation of geothermal heating, and energy-saving improvements on a water-chilling system.

The sustainability committee employs six student interns who focus on sustainability issues, and the energy intern hosted the first dorm energy challenge in spring 2008. The committee has worked with the Vassar Greens on a number of issues, including encouraging energy conservation and waste reduction.

The college recently began offering a free shuttle bus service, with stops throughout the local community, to reduce reliance on cars. There is a bike-share program on campus that is undergoing improvements.

The college has no formal policy on releasing endowment or proxy voting record information, but the information is available to members of the college community upon request at the investment office.

Vassar aims to optimize investment return and has exposure to renewable energy investments through certain private equity investments as well as some public equity investments.

The Campus Investor Responsibility Committee, which includes students, faculty, administrators, and alumni, researches proxy issues and makes voting recommendations, which are then approved by the Trustee Investor Responsibility Committee.