University of Richmond
AC-7: Incentives for Developing Courses

In 2018, the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement and an Environmental Studies faculty member convened an "Eco-Corridor Think Tank" to create curricular ties to a stream restoration project on campus. This 15-person group met regularly with a goal of using this project as a living lab for sustainability. The group met with campus planners, attended stakeholder meetings, and provided direction aimed at incorporating education into the site. Faculty discussed curricular ideas, sought opportunities to collaborate, and created courses, assignments, or additions to an existing syllabus. Each faculty member received a stipend for their participation. Since 2016-2017, the Office of the Provost has supported Faculty Learning Communities from 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. There have been FLC’s on Climate Change REMAP at UR, Critical Diversity in Higher Education, World Politics and Diplomacy, Environmental Stewardship, Fostering an Environmentally Literate Faculty, and Mindfulness and Higher Education. 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.

The Office of the Provost sponsors Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs), providing stipends to participants for each semester of presentation. CBL and Think Tank participants receive stipends for course development, which are provided by the Center for Civic Engagement. Faculty Development Grants, while not exclusive to sustainability, are also available.