Ball State University's grades are slipping.
Sustainable Endowments Institute released today the College Sustainability Report Card 2010. The annual report profiles and grades more than 300 schools on their efforts to promote renewable energy and a green environment.
In the second consecutive year Ball State was chosen by the institution to be included in the study, the overall score dropped from a B- to a C+.
Susan Paykin, communications fellow at the Sustainable Endowments Institute, said the lower grade could be because of a change in the way the organization collected its data. The survey prompted more detailed responses and relied more heavily on numbers this year, she said.
In reviewing the report card, Robert Koester, director of center for energy research, said these changes weren't made as clear as they could have been.
But both Paykin and Koester agreed there are areas that can be improved on Ball State's campus.
Here, the nine categories are broken down and analyzed.
Administration- B
Members of the Sustainable Endowments Institute considered President Gora's involvement in the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment, of which she was a founding member. Gora signed the Presidents Climate Commitment in December 2006. The grade in this category dropped from an A in 2009 to a B in 2010 despite these factors. Koester said this drop was the most surprising part of the report because of the strong administrative leadership and intiatives that support sustainability.
Climate change and energy- B
Ball State representatives committed to a geothermal project that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent within the next five to seven years, according to the report card. Paykin said this is a "great commitment" to make and a major factor in this section's ranking, which stayed the same as last year. She added that once the project is completed and active, it will influence the grade even more. But Koester said he didn't agree with the grade.
"It's peculiar that [the geothermal project] doesn't merit more credit," he said.
Food and recycling- B
30 percent of on campus food is from local sources, according to the report. Paykin said this was "a very notable accomplishment."
On-campus vendors offer discounts to students with reusable drink containers and coffee grounds are composted. Also, two of the ten dining locations at Ball State are trayless, which supports a green campus, she said. But with more specific survey questions, the score dropped from an A in 2009 to a B.
Green building- B
Ball State requires all construction and renovation projects to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified. Two campus buildings, Park Hall and Letterman Communication and Media Building, are LEED certified. According to the report card, the university will also apply for LEED certification of the L.A. Pittenger Student Center when renovations of the building are complete. This score also dropped from an A to a B this year. Koester said this category is difficult to represent accurately when comparing against other colleges because so many factors, such as the size of campus, differ.
Student Involvement- C
Students for a Sustainable Campus, the Natural Resources Club and USGBC Emerging Green Builders are several of the student environmental groups at Ball State. The university also offers sustainability internships. The rating for this category stayed consistent with last year's score. However, this was one area Koester said could be improved. Several years ago, Ball State students competed in RecyleMania, which was a 10-week recyling competition.
"They jumped into a national competition and did a super job," Koester said.
He suggested more day-to-day involvement from students, as well as friendly competitions between campus groups as ways to promote sustainablility among the student body.
Transportation- B
This was the only category that improved from last year's score, from a C to a B. Paykin said she way "actually very impressed" with Ball State's green transportation initiatives. The report listed a fleet of hybrid and electronic vehicles, free rides on shuttle buses, a pedestrian and bike friendly campus and ample bike storage as reasons for the increase. Even with these qualities, Koester said this area could be improved.
University officials are considering a partnership with Zimride, a carpool social networking Web site, as well as a partnership with Zipcar. Zipcar would allow faculty, staff and students to rent cars from campus.
"[Zimride and Zipcar] offer a tremendous opportunity to dial down the carbon load," Koester said.
Endowment transparency- F
Ball State failed this category two years in a row. However, Paykin said, this is one of the lowest scoring categories for almost all universities surveyed. The average grade from more than 300 schools was a C-, she said. And Koester said he understood this score because of Ball State's endowment policy, which only makes holdings available to trustees and senior administrators. Paykin said Sustainable Endowments Institute would like to see universities make this information available to more of the community.
Investment priorities- A
Ball State officials are invested in renewable energy and community development funds in areas such as health care, technology and housing. These factors earned the university its only A on this year's report card.
Shareholder engagement- F
This is the second consecutive year Ball State earned an F in this area. Paykin said this is because the university only allows investment managers to see the details of proxy voting, rather than making it available to more shareholders. Formal guidelines give shareholders with at least $2,000 invested the right to request changes and information. Paykin said Ball State can better engage its audience by giving shareholders more rights and responsibilities.
Koester's thoughts
Koester said like with any survey, it's important to remember to consider the criteria used and how data was collected.
Although Ball State didn't have a strong score on this survey, he said, the university fared much better in other publications.
Kiwi magazine's "Green College Report," listed Ball State as one of the top 75 green campuses in the country in 2007 and 2008.
"I think a C+ is off the mark," Koester said. "I think we're doing a lot better than the C+ suggests."
He said the report card failed to recognize the Board of Trustees' efforts to lower Ball State's dependence on coal. Outstanding leadership within Ball State's administration and collaboration between Academic Affairs and Business Affairs were also discounted, he said.
"Generally, Ball State is well positioned," Koester said. "We've been a leader in this area for a long time."
But with a green trend sweeping the nation, Koester said more colleges are taking notice and making aggressive strides to catch up. This may have given Ball State more competition in the 2010 report card, he said.
Koester said it's in Ball State's best interest to be aware of the growing trend and continue to improve its sustainable intitiative.
A comparison
Ball State was one of 332 schools chosen by Sustainable Endowments Institute to be included in the 2010 report. Other Indiana schools profiled include Purdue University, Indiana University and University of Notre Dame.
- Purdue University
- Indiana University
- University of Notre Dame
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