Lafayette College
AC-10: Support for Research

Each department at Lafayette has scholarship guidelines that outline procedure for tenure review. The following are departments which state in their scholarship guidelines that they give positive recognition to multidisciplinary research during faculty tenure decisions. The relevant guidelines are also listed. Africana Studies- In considering candidates for tenure and promotion, the Africana Studies Program recognizes the interdisciplinary nature of the field of Africana Studies. We affirm that interdisciplinarity has been a foundational aspect of Africana Studies and that such scholarship contributes to the strength and vigor of Africana Studies research, scholarship and teaching. Anthropology and Sociology- the department values publications in refereed journals in each discipline (e.g., Cultural Anthropology, Social Problems, Symbolic Interaction) as well as in refereed multidisciplinary journals (e.g. African Identities, Journal of Mediterranean Studies, Journal of Poverty, Society and Natural Resources). Electrical and Computer Engineering- It is expected that the primary focus of a faculty member's research will fall within a recognized sub-discipline of ECE. However, interdisciplinary research and engineering and education research that complement this primary focus can be a valuable component of a faculty member's scholarly portfolio. Environmental Studies: The Program values publications related to environmental topics broadly construed (urban/rural planning, environmental law, environmental ethics, environmental health, etc.) in refereed journals reaching disciplinary and multidisciplinary audiences (e.g., Society and Natural Resources, Global Environmental Change, Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Journal of Environmental Management, Journal of Political Ecology). Film and Media Studies: As an interdisciplinary field, it is common for scholarly work in FAMS to move beyond and between established disciplinary boundaries-this fact is desirable and must be taken into account when identifying peer reviewers. Foreign Languages and Literatures: We also recognize that interdisciplinary research contributes to the vitality of scholarship, curricular development and teaching in the discipline. Music: Specific examples of significant scholarship in music might include interdisciplinary and/or collaborative research. Women and Gender Studies: We recognize that interdisciplinary scholarship contributes substantially to the vitality of women's and gender studies scholarship and teaching.

The Lafayette College Library has a strong collection of environmental and sustainability books, journals, databases and streaming movies. Librarians at Lafayette work closely with faculty in geology, environmental studies, biology and engineering on providing information literacy support for courses that focus on sustainability. This can be as basic as teaching a session on how to find environmental and sustainability resources or go much further with the librarian embedded in the course. Embedded librarians work with faculty in course design, including selecting many of the readings. The librarian also attends class meetings, interacts with the students, runs the library sessions and meets with all the students individually to go over their research paper proposals and bibliographies to help them refine their topic for their paper. Surveys have demonstrated that a librarian’s involvement in the course improved students’ ability to locate, use and evaluate relevant information.