SMU, despite recent efforts, came up short in a campus environmental grading and ranking study.
The Princeton Review recently conducted its second year of reports on institutions’ “greenness.” The scale was from 60 – 99 and included 15 colleges on an honor roll with a high score of 99. SMU was absent from this list, with a less-than-mediocre score of 69.
By now, it’s safe to assume that nearly every college student knows that in order to have a better future, we should “go green.” SMU attempts to encourage this lifestyle to its students; so why will prospective students view SMU as nearly apathetic towards the environment?
The Princeton Review, a resource for students to find information about college admissions, based schools’ ratings on three general areas: environmentally-related policies, practices and academic offerings.
Findings were based on questions asking schools about everything from recycling efforts to construction projects.
However, SMU was left out of this survey, according to Michael Paul, Executive Director of Facilities Management and Sustainability.
“The only real survey that we are invited to complete each year is the College Sustainability Report Card Survey,” he said.
This is a lengthier process, with similar, but more thorough, questions. SMU’s most recent rating for this report card was tied with the University of Texas for second place with a C+, falling short of Rice University, which had a B-.
Most of the general green surveys are based on information found on a university’s Web site, according to Kimberly Cobb of the Campus Sustainability Committee. Cobb thinks this is where SMU could have improved.
“SMU’s Campus Sustainability Committee made a pledge at the end of the last school year to improve our web presence to reflect more accurately the important programs SMU embraces to preserve and protect our natural resources,” she said.
The university will be creating a website to provide an easy approach to the campus’s long list of sustainability activities, practices and curriculum.
Cobb believes SMU has plenty to offer its students as far as keeping students’ mentalities and campus green. For example, SMU offers degrees in environmental engineering, environmental science and environmental studies.
The Sustainability Committee is made up of faculty, staff and students who come together to find ways to improve our campus in sustainability and resource conservation. The Embrey Engineering Building is one of the first education buildings in the country to meet the “Gold” standard for sustainable building construction in accordance with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design qualifications.
“So when you look at SMU’s overall approach to sustainability, I think we were rated much too low,” said Cobb.
With the effort that Facilities Management and Sustainability puts forth toward being green, the low green score by the Princeton Review may have come as a disappointment. However, SMU is continuing to motivate its students to be environmentally conscious.
“We intend to spread the word about our sincere commitment to a greener campus and a greener Dallas,” Cobb said.
