Furman University
EN-9: Inter-Campus Collaboration
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.40 / 3.00 |
Laura
Bain Associate Director of Sustainability Assessment David E. Shi Center for Sustainability |
9.1 Inter-campus collaboration for sustainability
Description of the institution’s participation in sustainability-focused networks for educational institutions:
Furman is an active member of Southeastern Sustainability Network (SESN), meeting monthly via zoom calls with 20-30 other southern institutions to share best practices and learn together. We also hold a yearly summer workshop to dive into topics of interest to the group.
Furman is part of a four university consortium supported by the Duke Endowment (Duke University, Davidson University, Johnson C Smith University, and Furman University). Through this consortium the sustainability directors of the four schools have collaborated and supported each other's sustainability efforts.
Furman is a member of AASHE.
Has the institution formally shared its sustainability experiences and lessons learned with other institutions during the previous three years?:
Narrative outlining how the institution formally shares its sustainability experiences and lessons learned with other institutions:
Furman's Earth, Environmental, and Sustainability Sciences department regularly publishes papers and presents at academic conferences.
Shi Institute Staff regularly present at AASHE. Joy Baker, Associate Director of Sustainability Programs, presented at AASHE in 2022 on the Community Conservation Corps program.
Does the institution have a sustainability-focused articulation/transfer agreement that provides students who are studying sustainability at one institution with a formal pathway to another institution?:
Description of institution’s sustainability-focused articulation/transfer agreements:
Has at least one individual with formal sustainability responsibilities at the institution served as a mentor or been mentored by a colleague with sustainability responsibilities at another institution during the previous three years?:
Description of the institution’s sustainability mentoring activities:
Joy Baker, Associate Director of Sustainability Programs, mentored students and sustainability staff at University of South Carolina on how to develop a home weatherization program. USC applied for a grant from the City of Columbia for youth-driven projects and was approved for funding!
Furman is part of a four university consortium supported by the Duke Endowment (Duke University, Davidson University, Johnson C Smith University, and Furman University). Through this consortium the sustainability directors of the four schools have collaborated and supported each other's sustainability efforts.
The Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities staff often support students and staff at other institutions through direct contact or mentorship. Some recent examples include:
- Supporting student research questions from Virginia Tech Honors College Campus-as-lab initiative
- Sharing Program Review processes and tools with the Director of Campus Sustainability at Florida State University
- Making connections about home weatherization programs with UNC-CH
- Sharing processes for curriculum SDG mapping with a political science professor at Ramapo College.
- Sharing information about our fellowship program with anthropology professor at Wofford College
- Participating in student capstone research on sustainability policies and plans in higher ed from Florida State University.
- Sharing our green purchasing guidelines with the Sustainability Coordinator at College of Charleston
Has at least one individual affiliated with the institution has served in a leadership role for an inter-campus sustainability network, conference, or community of practice during the previous three years?:
Description of the institution’s leadership roles in inter-campus collaboration:
Laura Bain, Associate Director of Sustainability Assessment served on a judging committee for the NACUBO Excellence in Sustainability Award in 2023 and 2024.
Brandon Inabinet, faculty member in Communication Studies, led an inter-campus Associated Colleges of the South reading/discussion group on the book, Universities on Fire.
Andrew Predmore, Director of the Shi Institute, is a member of Sustain SC’s STEM workforce accelerator which is a statewide effort in South Carolina, led by non-profit, Sustain SC, to “ensure all learners have the knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development, enhance scientific research, upgrade technology capabilities, and encourage sustainable innovation throughout every workforce sector in SC.” Predmore has served on the committee since fall of 2023 and is active on the higher education subcommittee, along with members from USC, Clemson, and Coastal Carolina.
Has at least one individual affiliated with the institution served as a peer reviewer for another institution’s sustainability report or data during the previous three years?:
Description of the institution’s peer review activities:
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Additional documentation for this credit:
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.