Socially Responsible Investing by Universities and Colleges
分析了大学的社会责任投资实践，发现品牌效应和代理问题共同影响其投资决策，不同选择性和隶属关系的学校策略各异。
We analyze the socially responsible investing (SRI) practices of universities and colleges. Although SRI may align with an institution's mission and enhance its “brand,” these activities may also arise from agency problems. We find evidence of both effects. Consistent with branding effects, we find significant differences between independent and church‐affiliated schools, we find that highly selective and elite schools do not seek differentiation through SRI and are unlikely to sacrifice returns for SRI, and we find that Less Selective schools appear to regard costs of SRI as branding investments. Consistent with agency problems, attributes of investment committees bear on policy choices. For independent schools, larger committees and those where professional representation is low are likely to screen, allow sustainability considerations to influence investment choices, and vote proxies along SRI lines. “Social boards,” those with more alumni and less investments expertise, appear more oriented toward generating donations and less focused on investment policy.