| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.25 |
| Liaison | Laura Bain |
| Submission Date | Jan. 26, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Furman University
AC-10: Support for Research
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Does the institution have a program to encourage student sustainability research that meets the criteria for this credit?:
A brief description of the institution’s program(s) to encourage student research in sustainability:
Furman's broad student fellows program supports students doing sustainability research and service, as well as other campus and community-based projects. These opportunities encourage students to engage sustainability in diverse ways and develop their academic credentials along with their personal character, sense of place and responsibility.
The website URL where information about the student research program is available:
Does the institution have a program to encourage faculty sustainability research that meets the criteria for this credit?:
A brief description of the institution’s program(s) to encourage faculty research in sustainability:
The Shi Center supports all sustainability research on campus, thorugh funding, networking, and program support but is most intimately involved in three sustainability research programs: the Faculty Sustainability Research Program, the Food Systems and Farming Research Initiative, and Full Cost Analysis case study development.
The website URL where information about the faculty research program is available:
Has the institution formally adopted policies and procedures that give positive recognition to interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and multidisciplinary research during faculty promotion and/or tenure decisions?:
A brief description or the text of the institution’s policy regarding interdisciplinary research:
As stated by Furman’s Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty, “Furman believes that interdisciplinary research enhances the message of the liberal arts and those teachers serving as role models for students. Both interdisciplinary research and interdisciplinary course development are encouraged by the university at large as well as individual departments, and are also valued during the tenure and promotion process.”
As outlined in IM policy 109.3 (https://policies.furman.edu//view.php?policy=97), only interdisciplinary minors are allowed and Furman requires at least three departments to participate in the minor. Furman does not allow single discipline minors in recognition of our belief that students should engage in interdisciplinary thinking. The university offers two interdisciplinary majors (Urban Studies, Neuroscience). All of these interdisciplinary minor and major programs incorporate courses whose content span traditional disciplinary boundaries. The university supports numerous faculty who hold joint appointments in two departments. Furman’s curricular features of faculty-led travel study courses, required freshman writing and critical thinking seminars, and experiential, two-credit May Experience courses particularly lend themselves to content beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries.
Memos to faculty candidates for tenure and promotion as well as to department chairs submitting faculty evaluations explain that “evaluations of faculty performance are based on teaching effectiveness, professional activity, and institutional service.” In the context of Furman’s academic culture of liberal learning and interdisciplinary thinking and collaboration demonstrated above, faculty reviews are undoubtedly enhanced by demonstration of cross-disciplinary work, and particularly cross-disciplinary course development and teaching.
Date Revised: March 6, 2015
The website URL where information about the treatment of interdisciplinary research is available:
Does the institution provide ongoing library support for sustainability research and learning that meets the criteria for this credit?:
A brief description of the institution's library support for sustainability research and learning:
The Library also provides a sustainability research guide filled with useful databases for sustatinability research. The reserach guides facilitate student research in the field of sustainability.
The Library also has a Science Librarian whose area of expertise and campus support includes sustainability.
The website URL where information about the institution's library support for sustainability is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.