Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
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Overall Score | 71.65 |
Liaison | Laura Bain |
Submission Date | Jan. 19, 2018 |
Executive Letter | Download |
Furman University
AC-10: Support for Research
Status | Score | Responsible Party |
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4.00 / 4.00 |
Laura
Bain Associate Director of Sustainability Assessment David E. Shi Center for Sustainability |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Student Sustainability Research Incentives
Yes
A brief description of the student research program, including the incentives provided and any positive outcomes during the previous three years:
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.
Faculty Sustainability Research Incentives
Yes
A brief description of the faculty research program, including the incentives provided and any positive outcomes during the previous three years:
The Shi Center for Sustainability supports interdisciplinary research through competitive grant funding, networking opportunities, and program support. The grant criteria ensure cross-disciplinary faculty involvement as well as student participation. During the most recent grant cycle, four projects were funded, totaling approximately $16,000.
Recognition of Inter-, Trans- and Multi-Disciplinary Research
Yes
A brief description of the institution’s support for interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and multidisciplinary research, including any positive outcomes during the previous three years:
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. All of these interdisciplinary minor 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.
Library Support
Yes
A brief description of the institution’s library support for sustainability research, including any positive outcomes during the previous three years:
The Library provides a sustainability research guide filled with useful databases for sustainability research. The research 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.
Optional Fields
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
http://www.furman.edu/academics/shicenter/programs/Pages/Faculty-Development.aspx
http://www.furman.edu/academics/shicenter/programs/Pages/Student-Fellows.aspx
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.