FAU received a “C-” on its 2009 environmental report card issued by the Sustainable Endowment Institute (SEI), which annually grades universities nationwide on levels of greenness. This year, FAU rose from a “C-” to a “B-.”

Alex Van Mecl, president of Mission Green, is glad the grade improved, but said there will be more student activities in environmental involvement in the future.

The College Sustainability Report Card, released on Oct. 7, defines sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” 

There are nine parts to the report card: Administration, Climate Change and Energy, Food and Recycling, Green Building, Student Involvement, Transportation, Endowment Transparency, Investment Priorities and Shareholder Engagement.  Each category gets its own grade, and the SEI formulates these grades into the final accumulation.

The 2010 report card shows that student involvement and activity in environmental matters has improved. Performances in categories involving the administration, however, have fallen.

 In the Student Involvement category, FAU raised its grade from a “C-” to a “B-” in the new report.

Since the release of the 2009 SEI report card, Mission Green has helped sign FAU up for a national college recycling contest, and has scheduled a dance competition between students where the winner will have a tree named after them. 

Van Mecl said Mission Green will be working more to improve student involvement in the environment.
“We know we truly deserve something better,” he said.

While students have become environmentally involved, FAU’s administration‘s involvement grades dropped.

 The Administration and Green Building categories both went down from “Bs” to “Cs,” due to stricter grading and administration’s policies/programs remaining unchanged since the last report card. 

 In regards to the Administration category, Lea Lupkin, communications fellow from SEI, explained that FAU “does not have a formal sustainability policy, sustainability staff, a sustainability office or department, and is lacking a few other administrative policies regarding sustainability.” 

Although FAU does have a sustainability committee, it is not formal, but only advisory.

In order to increase the Administration grade, FAU would needs to buy computers that meet the environmental standards of the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool and use only natural pesticides on its food. 

As far as Green Building, Lupkin said the SEI has toughened its standards since its last report card.  The SEI considers not just how many environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient buildings there are, but how much of the campus they represent.
“In the case of FAU, the two LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] certified buildings represent only two percent of the entire physical campus,” said Lupkin.

Azita Dashtaki, assistant vice president of Facilities, claimed plans are underway for additional LEED buildings.

The University Climate Committee letter, signed in 2008 by former FAU President Frank Brogan states all newly constructed buildings will be environmentally friendly.
“FAU has established a policy that all future buildings will be designed to a minimum of LEED Silver Standard,” said Dashtaki.

Dashtaki adds that “FAU has included numerous buildings on the Capital Improvement Plan for major renovations … to achieve [the government’s] Energy Star rating.”

Energy Star is a program from the U.S. Protection Agency and the U.S Department of Energy to help save money and protect the environment by using energy-saving products.

Regardless of the drop in the Administration and Green Building grades, Van Mecl is not worried. 
“We’re still pressing on,” he said. “You can’t begin to imagine the amount of work put into this.”

To view the full 2010 College Sustainability Report Card for FAU and other schools, go to www.greenreportcard.org.

FAU’s 2010 College Sustainability Report Card

Overall grade: B-

Administration: C

Climate Change & Energy: B

Food & Recycling: B

Green Building: C

Student Involvement: B

Transportation: B

Endowment Transparency: C

Investment Priorities: C

FAU’s 2009 College Sustainability Report Card

Overall grade: C-

Administration: B

Climate Change & Energy: C

Food & Recycling: C

Green Building: B

Student Involvement: C

Transportation: C

Endowment Transparency: F

Investment Priorities: C