Cal Poly Humboldt
PAE-T2-6: Socially Responsible Retirement Plan

The primary retirement plan for employees of Humboldt State University is the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS). CalPERS has generated strong long-term returns by effectively managing investments to achieve the highest possible return at an acceptable level of risk. The CalPERS portfolio is diversified into several asset classes, so any weaknesses in one area are offset by gains in another. The Board follows a strategic asset allocation policy that targets the percentage of funds invested in each asset class.

CalPERS’ goals are to achieve positive financial returns, while fostering energy savings, sustainable growth and sound environmental practices. CalPERS has undertaken investing in environmental technology programs, and has a long standing commitment to sustainable investments. CalPERS’ principal job is to provide retirement benefits to more than 1.6 million
members and their families. Their investment priority is to grow a portfolio in a way that ensures meeting their commitments to their members--not just today but when the graduates of today retire in 40 years’ time.

In the past few years, CalPERS has committed multi-million dollar funds toward a program that targets investments in environmental technology solutions that are more efficient and less polluting than existing technologies. These include recycling; minimizing the use of natural resources; and reducing emissions, refuse, and contamination to air, water, and land. The primary objective of the program is to achieve attractive investment returns over the long-term and help increase the adoption of environmental and clean technologies to the broader marketplace.

The University also offers 403(b), 401(k) and 457 tax-deferred saving plans: The 403(b) plans which are offered to employees and administered by the California State University include VALIC; MetLife; Fidelity, TIAA-CREF, and ING. Employees also have the option of investing in a deferred compensation plan—401(k) and 457, administered by the State of California and underwritten by Nationwide Retirement Company.

Of these plans, TIAA-CREF and Nationwide both offer socially responsible investment funds to employees.

URLs for additional retirement plans offered to employees:
VALIC; http://www.valic.com/_633_130975.html, MetLife; https://www.metlife.com/csu/index.html Fidelity; http://plan.fidelity.com/CalState TIAA-CREF;
http://enroll.tiaa-cref.org/csu/ and ING, https://enrollbyinternet.ingretirementplans.com/static/eenrollbyinternet/ Nationwide RetirementCompany
https://www.nrsservicecenter.com