The Observer, February 2, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 15
University receives C+ on sustainability report card
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Students aren't the only ones at Case fretting about grades these days. In a recent report released by the Sustainable Endowments Institute (SEI), the university was given a barely-above-average C+ grade for sustainability efforts.
This grade produced an unhappy reaction from Linda Robson, a Ph.D candidate in the Weatherhead School and a Finance and Administration fellow for Energy Studies at Case.
"I've never gotten a C+ on anything in my life!" said Robson.
The grade, which would cause most pre-med students to faint, is actually better than the sustainability team had expected to receive. The survey from SEI came very shortly after the inception of many programs at Case.
"We've only been an organized program for one year," said Robson. "So to do better than other colleges at all is terrific."
The report looked at several different areas of sustainability to determine an overall grade for 100 different schools. The highest overall grade given, an A-, went to four schools: Harvard, Stanford, Dartmouth, and Williams.
Of the 100 schools, the aforementioned four received A-level grades, 22 earned Bs, 54 earned Cs, and 20 earned Ds.
Although Case's overall grade was low, the university received above-average marks for most of the areas examined, including administration, food and recycling, green building, and investment priorities.
Some of the grades came as a surprise for Robson. Case received a C in the climate change and energy category, even though many steps have been taken to curb energy use.
"Climate change and energy is actually our strongest area, I think," said Robson. "We do a lot of innovative things that other universities call us about."
Because of the university's set-up, it is difficult to compare Case's sustainability achievements with those of other schools.
"We're a small campus with lots of research buildings," said Robson. "We have unique energy needs."
The campus sits on about one-third of a square mile, but has many research buildings that use a lot of electricity and water resources.
"We have a small footprint, but we're stocky," said Robson. "I like to think of us as Danny DeVito."
One area in which Robson thinks Case excels is green building. The Village at 115 is the most visible component of this initiative.
"The entire Village complex was built using LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] guidelines," said Robson. "We are seeking LEED certification for all of the buildings."
If certification is received, the Village would be the first university residential complex in the country to receive such certification.
Green building is also present in all renovations on campus, which are performed to match up with LEED guidelines.
"We're changing lightbulbs and attitudes," said Robson.
Food and recycling are also high on Robson's list.
"Recycling is the most visible part of any sustainability program," said Robson. "It's an easy way for the community to get involved in efforts."
The university has many intiatives for students to get involved in sustainability efforts, including an Adopt-a-Building program, student Energy Ambassadors, and the Energy Advisory Committee.
The SEI report comes at a great time for Case, according to Robson. With a one-year-old program, it is nice to have some sort of benchmark to compare Case's efforts with those of other universities.
"This report actually helps us out with our strategic planning process and allows us to assess our strengths," said Robson.
Robson hopes to see Case's efforts become more focused in the next years through the help of students, faculty, and staff at the university.
"It's not about being an environmentalist," said Robson. "It's just about our little corner of Cleveland."
