LMU is committed to responsibly managing the endowment to meet the simultaneous goals of generating long-term returns and upholding ethical obligations. Engaging in Responsible Investing (RI) initiatives reflects the University's commitment as a Jesuit Catholic institution to ethical decision-making, the furtherance of justice, and stewardship initiatives, as well as the University's Mission Statement.
To support this, LMU became a signatory of the United Nations supported Principles for Responsible Investing (PRI) in July 2017, becoming the first US Catholic University to do so. In Spring 2019, the University formalized a RI Policy, which exists to guide intentional investing in accordance with international guidelines that account for financial and societal concerns.
Responsible Investing Advisory Committee
Formed in November 2017, the RIAC serves as the primary listening and discerning body at LMU for topics related to RI within the endowment pool portfolio. The RIAC exists to recommend relevant Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investment topics to the Endowment Committee of the Board of Trustees. The RIAC is charged with researching, analyzing, and understanding ESG issues, including their financial implications and connections to Jesuit and Catholic values. The RIAC is comprised of representatives from LMU's stakeholder groups.
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The current RIAC members are:
- Fidel Aguayo, Vice President of Treasury and Investment
- Aimee Uen, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
- Eric Strauss, President’s Professor
- Mark Bandsuch, Faculty, College of Business Administration
- Drew Hartz, Vice President of Sustainability & Operations, Student
- Kaamilah Furqan, GSLMU Student
- Elbridge Stuart, Endowment Technical Advisor
Contact the RIAC at responsibleinvesting@lmu.edu.
Recommendations Process
The RIAC welcomes responsible investing (RI) proposals from LMU stakeholders, while recognizing that RI is often a controversial topic and that differing opinions may exist within the University community. Stakeholders are strongly encouraged to meet with their stakeholder group's RIAC representative prior to submitting a proposal to the RIAC.
Proposals should be typed and no longer than three pages in length. They must be submitted to responsibleinvesting@lmu.edu. The RIAC will notify the presenters should they be invited to speak at a Committee meeting. Submitting a written proposal does not ensure that action will be taken.
Green Bond Issuance
LMU became the first university to issue a Green Bond via the California Educational Facilities Authority in October 2018. The funds will be used to construct new, sustainable student housing on the university's Westchester campus that is expected to qualify for a LEED Silver Standard. Therefore, efforts will be made to improve energy efficiency, water use, recycling, and sustainability measures throughout the buildings.
Learn more about the issuance.
Additional Resources
The following resources may be helpful to stakeholders looking to learn more about RI and ESG topics.