University of Richmond
AC-7: Incentives for Developing Courses

The River City Project is a faculty development workshop in the model of the Ponderosa/Piedmont Projects. The name reflects a goal to have participants link their courses to the unique geographical and environmental features of Richmond and Virginia. The aim of River City Project is to integrate sustainability across the curriculum. The most recent workshop, which took place in May 2021, focused on learning outcomes for the new Sustainability Minor that is in its final phases of approval. Faculty receive stipends for participation.

Terry Dolson, manager of Community-Based Learning in the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement (CCE), runs the "Eco-Corridor Think Tank," a faculty group that aims to strengthen curricular ties to a restoration project on campus. The group meets regularly with a goal of using the stream restoration and hiking trail as a living lab for sustainability. Faculty explore curricular ideas for individual classes, explore opportunities to collaborate across disciplines, and advocate for improved outdoor teaching infrastructure.

The Office of the Provost supports Faculty Learning Communities across the University of Richmond’s five schools to provide opportunities for faculty to come together to share and develop ideas. Each Faculty Learning Community (FLC) encourages cross-program, cross-department, and cross-school interdisciplinary engagement with projects that are germane to the institution’s mission and the greater good of the University, the City of Richmond, the nation, and the world. Each FLC cohort engages in collaborative year-long projects that reflect the breadth and depth of UR faculty and staff commitment to both producing and expanding the frontiers of knowledge and education for the common good. Recent sustainability-focused FLC's include "Sustainability and Climate Awareness" (21-22), "Environmental Humanities" (19-20), and "UR Sustainable: Fostering an Environmentally Literate Faculty" (18-19).

In addition to Faculty Learning Communities, the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) organizes a Fellows program for faculty members seeking to transform or create a course with an integrated community-based learning (CBL) component. The CCE also provides Course Support Grants for Community Based Learning (CBL) courses to supplement additional costs for students and faculty to engage with local communities.

Participants in the River City Project receive stipends for their workshop participation and commitment to follow-up professional development.

The Office of the Provost sponsors Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs), providing stipends to participants for each semester of presentation.

Community-Based Learning and Think Tank participants receive stipends for course development and remuneration for guests and travel, provided by the Center for Civic Engagement.

Faculty Development Grants, while not exclusive to sustainability, are also available.

Faculty Learning Communities: https://provost.richmond.edu/faculty-development/faculty-learning-communities/index.html

Sustainability & Climate Awareness FLC: https://provost.richmond.edu/faculty-development/faculty-learning-communities/2021-2022-communities/Sustainability-and-Climate-Awareness.html

Environmental Humanities FLC: https://provost.richmond.edu/faculty-development/faculty-learning-communities/2019-2020-communities/environmental-humanities.html

UR Sustainable FLC: https://provost.richmond.edu/faculty-development/faculty-learning-communities/2018-2019-communities/ur-sustainable.html

River City Project: https://sustainability.richmond.edu/involved/faculty-staff/project.html

Eco-Corridor Think Tank: https://engage.richmond.edu/programs/faculty-fellowships/eco-corridor-think-tank.html