Virginia Wesleyan University
AC-9: Research and Scholarship

The number of faculty members participating in sustainability research were identified by reviewing 1) items self-reported to the institution's faculty accomplishments publication in the last three years and 2) results of a survey allowing for self-reporting sustainability research that was issued to the faculty listserv in Spring 2022. The activity was included if it explicitly addressed the concept of sustainability, furthered our understanding of the interdependence of ecological and social/economic systems, or had a primary and explicit focus on a major sustainability challenge as defined by the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The total number of employees that conduct research is the number of faculty in tenure-track positions, librarians, the Director of Counseling and Student Health (expected to conduct professional activities and is a non-tenure track member of the Social Work Department), and the Associate Director of the Robert Nusbaum Center (expected to lead community engagement activities as a requirement for the position). The total number of departments is the total number of academic departments in which at least one tenure track member has a primary appointment, plus the library and Robert Nusbaum Center. Departments which are staffed exclusively by faculty whose primary appointment is outside of that department were not counted (ex: Environmental Studies and Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies). "Research and Scholarship" was considered to include activities listed in the faculty handbook under "Professional Development" requirements for tenure. These include publications, presentations at conferences, grant applications, and artistic work.