Smith College
AC-7: Incentives for Developing Courses

Smith has an incredible faculty who are deeply committed to student learning. To increase the environmental literacy of all Smith students, CEEDS (Center for Environment, Ecological Design and Sustainability) supports the faculty in bringing environmental concepts and context to a wide variety of courses. Every spring CEEDS invites proposals from faculty (and teams of faculty) for modification and enhancement of existing courses. Each academic year CEEDS brings together faculty from across the disciplines to discuss and explore a current environmental topic. Structured as informal lunchtime gatherings, these conversations foster a collaborative atmosphere where faculty can critically examine a topic from a variety of perspectives.

The CEEDS curricular enhancement grant program is intended to support faculty who wish to modify, revise, and enhance their existing courses. Activities might include development of new lectures or discussion topics, design of new assignments and projects, and incorporation of field trips and experiences. CEEDS can provide expertise, infrastructure, supplemental course funds, and summer stipends (up to $1,000) in support of these efforts. The staff and Environmental Fellows at CEEDS have expertise in astronomy, conservation, ecology, geochemistry, water resources, landscape studies, and campus sustainability. CEEDS manages the 200‐acre Ada and Archibald MacLeish Field Station in West Whately, MA and can also coordinate access to equipment, instrumentation, and transportation. Course funds can be used for the purchase of books, materials, and supplies.