Colorado State University

President Penley signed the Presidents Climate Commitment and the university is a signatory to the Talloires Declaration. Vendor contracts state a buying preference for local, recycled, and sustainable materials. The university employs an administrator who also serves as a special adviser to the president on energy and the environment, and multiple full- and part-time staff devote themselves to sustainability efforts.

The university has a goal of carbon neutrality by 2020 and has recently announced plans to build a wind farm that will supply more energy than the campus consumes. An energy conservation program has been running for several years and students have the option of purchasing green power. Last year, Colorado State purchased 3,023,787 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy.

Housing and dining services give preference to local produce and 12 percent of purchases are local. The Aspen Grille, an on-campus restaurant, purchases 90 percent of its food locally. There is a rental program for reusable to-go containers; all disposable containers are 100 percent compostable; and students are provided a reusable water bottle. The dining centers are trayless.

The university mandates that all new projects achieve LEED Gold certification, and there are currently two LEED-certified projects on the campus including a LEED Silver-certified renovation. A recent building project, The Academic Village, also incorporated green principles in design.

The president’s office supports a graduate-level paid sustainability internship, and the Engines and Energy Conservation Laboratory regularly hosts 40 to 50 student interns. The university's Live Green Team sponsors an Earth Day event each year that engages the campus community with educational booths, displays, and live music. There is a sustainability-focused residential learning community.

The university fleet includes biodiesel, hybrid, and electric vehicles. Free bus passes are offered to all members of the university community and rental vehicles are available on campus. Parking for students is located on the periphery of campus to discourage driving. There is a free bike-rental program.

The university and the Colorado State University Foundation have no known policies of disclosure of endowment holdings or shareholder voting records.

The university and the Colorado State University Foundation aim to optimize investment return and have not made any public statements about investigating or investing in renewable energy funds or community development loan funds.

The university and the Colorado State University Foundation have not made any public statements about active ownership or a proxy voting policy.