Based on the results of Miami University's 2010 Green Report Card, it appears not much has changed. Miami received a C+ - the same grade as in 2009 - from GreenReportCard.org, sponsored by the Sustainable Endowments Institute, which released the results Oct. 7 for 322 colleges in the United States and Canada.
David Prytherch, associate professor of geography and sustainability coordinator, said the grade is deserved, calling the 2008-09 academic year a "lost year" due to the heavy focus on the university's budget and financial issues.
"A C+ is a fair grade - we haven't done all that much between 2008 and 2009," Prytherch said. "Everyone was just preoccupied. Environmental focuses were put on the back burner understandably. 2009-10, however, seems like a different situation."
Although Miami's grade of a C+ remained the same from 2009 to 2010, various categories within the makeup of the final grade did change.
Miami received As in the categories of Climate Change and Energy and Food and Recycling, improving from a C and a B, respectively.
The university received lower grades in the areas of Administration, Green Building, Transportation and Endowment Transparency.
The categories of Student Involvement, Investment Priorities and Shareholder Engagement remained unchanged from 2009.
Student Body Vice President Adam Harris, who is also a member of the sustainability committee, said he agreed the grade was fair, yet said he disagreed with some of the individual category grades.
"I am a little concerned about the D the administration received," Harris said. "The administration has been very supportive of student initiatives, and it has certainly provided the resources necessary for those initiatives to be successful."
Harris also said he was surprised with the A assigned to Climate Change and Energy.
"Our campus is more than 90 percent fossil fuel based," Harris said, "so there is still a lot of room to improve."
Prytherch agreed that minimizing the university's dependence on fossil fuels is of high importance.
"With the exception of one solar panel, the campus is almost exclusively dependent of fossil fuels," Prytherch said. "It's a pretty pressing issue. Our carbon footprint is large. We're up there with factories."
Provost Jeffrey Herbst referenced his dissatisfaction with Miami's 2009 grade at the Sept. 3 town hall on sustainability, saying "Miami being associated with a C+ is just not acceptable, and we need to be better."
Also at the Sept. 3 town hall, David Creamer, vice president of finance and business services, said he believes improvement is possible despite budget pressure.
"Our thinking is changing, and the way we think and plan for our facilities is moving in a direction in which I think it needs to move," Creamer said.
Prytherch said he is encouraged by the number of ideas circulating campus and the administration's willingness to support energy efficient efforts.
With the help of the newly formed sustainability committee, Prytherch is working with a team, which includes Harris, to develop and increase communication about sustainability efforts.
"Students are increasingly looking for sustainability as a keyword," Prytherch said. "I want to make sure Miami can compete for those students and train them."
Prytherch said he is committed to joining the individual forces on Miami's campus into a more cohesive green initiative.
"A lot of people individually want to do the right thing, but it's still hard," Prytherch said. "Good will is all around but wanting to do it is not enough. I don't think Miami has ever cared more."
To view Miami's green report card, visit http://www.greenreportcard.org/report-card-2010/schools/miami-university.
