Ohio Wesleyan University Students for Environmental Responsibility

At Ohio Wesleyan University environmental consciousness has not been the first priority of the past administrations. This lack of attention to environmental causes is reflected in the campus community and the implemented policies and actions taken by the administration. 

Ohio Wesleyan University has no known policy relating to campus-wide sustainability initiatives.

The University has not made public any steps taken to address carbon emissions, energy efficiency, conservation, or the utilization of renewable energy.

Dining services sources approximately 25 percent of its food purchases from local farms. Dining halls offer fair trade coffee, cage-free eggs, free-range chicken, and limited organic produce in menu items. The University donates excess food to local shelters; however, the university does not compost and has a very modest recycling program.

The recycling program at the University is student run and organized. There is little to no help from the maintenance staff, the administration, or the buildings and grounds keepers, and the current number of recycling bins is inadequate and insufficient to amount of waste generated by the campus community.

The University has no known green buildings or a green building policy.

The University participates in a recycling competition between schools, recyclemania, however, this competition is not well advertised to the campus community, and the University does not have any other known active programs to involve students in campus sustainability activities.

The University has not made public any program or practice that encourages or facilitates the use of alternative forms of transportation or public transportation.

In regards to endowment transparency the University makes a list of endowment holdings available to trustees, senior administrators, and other select members of the school community. This information is available at the investment office. The University does not make its shareholder voting record publicly accessible, so there is no way of knowing if environmental topics have been brought to the attention of the shareholders.

As for investment priorities, the University aims to optimize investment return and does not invest in renewable energy funds or community development loan funds.

The University asks that its investment managers handle the details of proxy voting. Therefore, if there are any environmentally conscious individual shareholders, when voting on campus funds and activities, they have no representation.

At Ohio Wesleyan University environmental consciousness has not been the first priority of the past administrations. This lack of attention to environmental causes is reflected in the campus community and the implemented policies and actions taken by the administration. 

Ohio Wesleyan University has no known policy relating to campus-wide sustainability initiatives.

The University has not made public any steps taken to address carbon emissions, energy efficiency, conservation, or the utilization of renewable energy.

Dining services sources approximately 25 percent of its food purchases from local farms. Dining halls offer fair trade coffee, cage-free eggs, free-range chicken, and limited organic produce in menu items. The University donates excess food to local shelters; however, the university does not compost and has a very modest recycling program.

The recycling program at the University is student run and organized. There is little to no help from the maintenance staff, the administration, or the buildings and grounds keepers, and the current number of recycling bins is inadequate and insufficient to amount of waste generated by the campus community.

The University has no known green buildings or a green building policy.

The University participates in a recycling competition between schools, recyclemania, however, this competition is not well advertised to the campus community, and the University does not have any other known active programs to involve students in campus sustainability activities.

The University has not made public any program or practice that encourages or facilitates the use of alternative forms of transportation or public transportation.

In regards to endowment transparency the University makes a list of endowment holdings available to trustees, senior administrators, and other select members of the school community. This information is available at the investment office. The University does not make its shareholder voting record publicly accessible, so there is no way of knowing if environmental topics have been brought to the attention of the shareholders.

As for investment priorities, the University aims to optimize investment return and does not invest in renewable energy funds or community development loan funds.

The University asks that its investment managers handle the details of proxy voting. Therefore, if there are any environmentally conscious individual shareholders, when voting on campus funds and activities, they have no representation.

We, undersigned, call on the Ohio Wesleyan University board of trustees and current administration to take responsibility and actions to create an environmentally conscious and sustainable campus by taking the following actions:

1.      The President of Ohio Wesleyan University signs and implements the American College and University President%u2019s Climate Commitment.

2.      Create a new full-time position for a campus environmental coordinator

3.      Expand upon the current recycling program

a.       Designate office space for the program

b.      Create a more up-to-date website

c.       Fund outdoor recycling bins

d.      Funds indoor recycling bins

e.       Include the emptying of recycling bins in the job description of housekeeping and maintenance staff

f.       Expand educational programming to facilitate new programs

4.      More access to public transportation

a.       Campus community bikes

b.      Regular (accessible) bus service to Columbus

c.       Install new car-pool posting board by mailroom

5.      Dining Services needs to use

a.       Less non-recyclable packaging

b.      Biodegradable or reusable plates and eating utensils

c.       Composting

d.      Local foods

6.      Green building standards set in place for future renovations of campus buildings

a.       Use  LED and compact fluorescent bulbs for lighting

b.      Restrictions on building temperature settings

7.      Looking into renewable resources and energy

a.       Buy energy from companies who support renewable energy

b.      Install solar panels on campus

8.      Campus-wide sustainability activities and policy