| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.20 |
| Liaison | Jessica Thompson |
| Submission Date | June 20, 2024 |
Northern Michigan University
AC-7: Incentives for Developing Courses
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Jessica
Thompson AVP Sustainability People Culture & Wellbeing |
Does the institution have an ongoing program that offers incentives for academic staff in multiple disciplines or departments to develop new sustainability courses and/or incorporate sustainability into existing courses? :
A brief description of the incentive program(s):
The Sustainability Scholars Program provides an opportunity for a faculty member to advance an initiative or research project related to sustainability on our campus or in our curriculum. The award will be a one-year special appointment (beginning in the Fall semester). During that time the Sustainability Scholar will assist with the administration of campuswide sustainability initiatives (including strategic planning and budgeting) and implementing activities that exemplify the principles of the Okanagan Charter. The SHINE team and AVP for Sustainability will assist the Scholar in advancing their proposed project, applying for external funding, and reporting progress to the campus community. Sustainability Scholars will be expected to serve on the Sustainability Council and attend SHINE team meetings.
Scholars will have up to 12 credits of reassigned time per academic year, with replacement costs covered by SHINE. The award is for 1-2 years (specify in application), and could continue during the summer (with summer salary) if desired/necessary. Scholars should also provide a proposed budget for any training, conference travel or other activities related to the implementation of the proposed project.
Currently faculty have used the incentive to innovate projects and curricular activities in courses. For example a general education course will now include a faculty-led study abroad featuring sustainable business in France. The general business course will now include an in-depth look at the sustainability efforts for the 2024 Olympic Games and the rural economy (food service, farm and agriculture aspects) in Clermont-Ferrand, and sustainable tourism in Lyon. SHINE funded two professors to develop and scout the trip. The proposal was approved by the International Programs Office and General Education Review committee.
A brief description of the incentives that academic staff who participate in the program(s) receive:
Incentives include:
- 12 credits (equal to 3 classes) of release time
- Summer stipend
- Professional development opportunities including conference / retreat travel and expenses
Website URL where information about the incentives for developing sustainability course content is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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