IU earns B- in sustainability report

IU studied up, so to speak, and this year they earned a little better environmental sustainability grade.

The Sustainable Endowments Institute published its annual College Sustainability Report Card 2010, giving IU a B-, an improvement from last year’s C+.  

“A vast majority of schools scored between B- and B+. These are very solid and respectable scores,” said Susan Paykin, communications fellow for the Sustainable Endowment Institute. “IU has been doing some really great things in sustainability.”

IU is among the 56 percent of universities nationwide that saw a grade increase this year, Paykin said. The grades are based on university commitments to sustainability in campus operations as well as endowment practices.  

The research process for the reports starts in June with a vast majority of the information coming from administrative surveys assessing university performance in nine categories, from food and recycling to green building.

IU received a mix of grades, but can boast A’s in the Student Involvement and Investment Priorities categories, according to the grade report.  

“There are a number of signs that show IU’s increased commitment to sustainability,” said Michael Hamburger, co-chair of IU’s Sustainability Task Force and associate dean of facilities for Geological Sciences, Geophysics, Seismology, and Tectonics. “We are trying to catalyze homegrown efforts all over campus to try and improve.”

The Sustainable Endowments Institute is a nonprofit organization and has been producing these grade reports since 2007, which include surveys from more than 300 universities across the nation.

The purpose of the reports is ultimately to foster sustainability improvements on a national level, Paykin said.  

“The Institute is a one-stop shop for anyone interested in sustainability issues, but it is also a forum for university administrators and students to share ideas and adopt sustainable practices that work,” Paykin said.

The recent recession, which, Paykin said, might be partly caused by an unsustainable economy, might provide even more impetus for the green revolution, she said.  

“Sustainability really is becoming a priority more and more in all institutions,” Paykin said. “This is especially true at universities where there are a lot of forward-thinking individuals.”

Though IU, among other campuses, is making great strides, there is still room for vast improvement.

“This is one of the grand challenges that our civilization is facing,” Hamburger said. “Our society has an opportunity to address these complex challenges and IU is particularly well positioned to play a leading role in these efforts.”