Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 69.32
Liaison Ian Johnson
Submission Date June 3, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Colorado College
AC-10: Support for Research

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 4.00 Ian Johnson
Sustainability Director
Office of Sustainability
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Student Sustainability Research Incentives 

Does the institution have an ongoing program to encourage students in multiple disciplines or academic programs to conduct research in sustainability? :
Yes

A brief description of the student research program, including the incentives provided and any positive outcomes during the previous three years:
The State of the Rockies Project, now in its fifteenth year, offers students a valuable opportunity to work alongside faculty and staff to conduct state-of-the-art research throughout the American Southwest. Each summer, State of the Rockies hires a group of Colorado College students to gather data for, compose, and publish the project's annual State of the Rockies Report. The State of the Rockies Project seeks to increase public understanding of vital issues affecting the Rocky Mountain West through research, reporting, and public engagement via educational and outreach initiatives. The 2018 State of the Rockies Report continues the organization's commitment to conservation issues with the research focus of, "Western Forests in the Anthropocene.” This focus is part of a larger, two year investigation into western water issues. This report examines the impacts of climate change on the health of forests and their surrounding communities. Students took on individual projects to study and understand the private, local, regional, state, and interstate challenges that a changing climate will pose to forested ecosystems. The backdrop of this research was the complex array of diverse communities, economies, and environments in the Rocky Mountain West, and in particular the Pikes Peak region.

Faculty Sustainability Research Incentives 

Does the institution have a program to encourage faculty from multiple disciplines or academic programs to conduct research in sustainability topics?:
Yes

A brief description of the faculty research program, including the incentives provided and any positive outcomes during the previous three years:
Tess Powers, the Director of Faculty Research Support, has developed a resource guide to help faculty fund interdisciplinary sustainability research. While it does not constitute a college-wide program designed specifically to encourage faculty sustainability research, Ms. Powers is equipped to assist faculty in obtaining funding.

Recognition of Inter-, Trans- and Multi-Disciplinary Research 

Has the institution published written policies and procedures that give positive recognition to interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and multidisciplinary research during faculty promotion and/or tenure decisions?:
No

A brief description of the institution’s support for interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and multidisciplinary research, including any positive outcomes during the previous three years:
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Library Support

Does the institution have ongoing library support for sustainability research and learning?:
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s library support for sustainability research, including any positive outcomes during the previous three years:
Tutt Library provides online research guides, known as LibGuides, for a variety of academic subjects. The Sustainability LibGuide offers recommendations for books, databases, and other resources related to sustainability. It also directs students to the Natural Sciences Liaison Librarian. In addition, the library has purchased several partial Ejournal packages useful for sustainability research and subscribes to and has available a number of journals, databases, ebook collections and print books relevant to sustainability and the environmental sciences.

Optional Fields 

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/dean/faculty/grants/external/index-page-documents/working-with-the-director-of-faculty-research-support.html

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