Student Senate is considering responses to a report issued in January by the non-profit Sustainable Endowments Institute, which criticized the College’s sustainability efforts. The report, the first of its kind issued by the SEI, rated the sustainability policies of 100 college and universities, and gave Oberlin a C+ rating overall.

Senate’s complaints, which may be outlined in a letter to the SEI, center on the methodologies of the Institute. Senator and College junior Colin Koffel explained the alleged problems:

“The Sustainable Endowment Institute based their grade for Oberlin on some incorrect or outdated information,” he said. “While using their evaluation to help realize where Oberlin can improve, Senate believes that Oberlin students, faculty, and administrators deserve full credit for the tremendous work they have already accomplished.”

Oberlin received F’s from SEI in the “endowment transparency” and “shareholder engagement.” The report claimed, “The College has no known policy of disclosure of endowment holdings or its shareholder voting record.”

The report also gave the College a C rating in the category “investment priorities.”

“The College prioritizes investing to maximize profit and has not made any public statements about investigating or investing in renewable energy funds or community development loan funds,” the report reads.

These low grades offset the A’s that the College received in “climate change & energy,” “food & recycling” and “green building.”

A major criticism outlined in the report was the College’s lack of transparency, as Oberlin does not disclose the organizations in which it invests.

Commenting specifically about the low ratings related to the College’s investment of money, Koffel said, “Progress has been made: a year ago the Board of Trustees agreed to the creation of a Socially Responsible Investment Committee, but not enough people expressed interest in serving on that committee so it hasn’t met yet.”

Koffel went on to pose a dilemma facing the College:

“Our policy to maximize profits helps provide financial aid, but at what cost?” Koffel asked. “How do we balance maximizing the investments of the college to fund the good happening on campus with the social justice values of Oberlin and its students and our desire to create good in the world? The Sustainable Endowment Institute’s Report Card helps us ask these questions.”