Polluters are increasingly gaining influence over many areas of life in the U.S., including consumer choice and political decision making. Unfortunately, college campuses are no exception. In the last ten years, corporations have exerted more and more influence on college campuses. To meet their budgets, colleges are increasingly forging partnerships with corporations, and companies are benefiting by getting a trained workforce, having their research done by academic leaders, and advertising their name throughout campus.

Through grants and endowments to university, companies are able to influence policies and curriculum. Corporations have gained exclusive rights and sponsorships of campuses, everything from a soda contract to the sponsorship of the sports teams. Through their investment portfolios, colleges are supporting the environmentally harmful practices of corporations. Corporations are paying to have research done that benefits their business. For example, biotech companies are paying for research to show that genetically engineered crops are good for people and that they don't harm the environment.

Additionally, the Presidents of many colleges and universities sit on the boards of major corporations. The Presidents of more than half of the 50 top institutions on the U.S. News and World Report's rankings of leading universities serve on corporate boards, according to an investigation done by the Multinational Monitor.

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