Sustainability and Environmental Initiatives at Furman University

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 21, 2005

 

 

 

Report Prepared by:

 

Ida Phillips Lynch

Niche Publishing LLC

www.nichepress.com

 

1586 Luther Road

Apex, NC 27523

919-367-8380

idalynch@mindspring.com

 

 

 

1. Institutional Mission, Structure, and Planning

 

2.  Curriculum

 

3.  Research and Scholarship

 

4. Student Body:  Viewpoints and Opportunities

 

5. Operations/Physical Environment

 

6. Community Outreach and Service

 

7. Marketing and Public Relations

 

 

Executive Summary

 

Furman University is committed to becoming a leader among liberal arts colleges dedicated to sustainability and environmental concern.  This commitment grows out of the leadership of President David Shi and the Board of Trustees, and it has been nurtured by dedicated faculty, staff, students, and partners.  Furman’s environmental initiatives touch upon many areas of campus life, including the construction of Hipp Hall, South Carolina’s first LEED-certified building; increased visibility for student activities such as the Eco-Cottage and biodiesel production; and the development of a curricular concentration in Environmental Studies.  In addition to these tangible efforts, faculty and staff are demonstrating a growing philosophical commitment to sustainability. 

 

In the spring of 2005 President Shi commissioned this white paper to develop a comprehensive inventory of the various sustainability initiatives and programs taking place within the Furman University community.  President Shi also expressed an interest in making sustainability a more integral part of the fabric of the Furman community by strengthening its presence in the curriculum and campus operations, and in the minds of faculty, staff, and students.   This report covers most areas of campus life and is designed to present an overview of current environmental programs, identify challenges to these initiatives, and suggest recommendations for improving Furman’s environmental and sustainability programs.  The white paper is intended to stimulate greater collaboration among members of the Furman community and provide momentum for future initiatives.

 

Highlights from the various sections of the report are described below:

 

Institutional Mission, Structure, and Planning

 

 

 

 

Curriculum

 

 

 

Research and Scholarship

 

 

Student Body:  Viewpoints and Opportunities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operations/Physical Environment

 

 

 

 

 

 

Community Outreach and Service

 

 

 

 

 

Marketing and Public Relations

 

Sustainability and Environmental Initiatives at Furman University

 

Outline of Report

 

Introduction

 

1. Institutional  Mission, Structure, and Planning

1.1 Engaging the Future: Sustainability Goals within the Furman Strategic Plan

1.2 Organizational Structure

1.2.1 Center for Habitat Earth

1.2.2 Sustainability Coordinator

1.3 Institutional Affiliations

1.4 Admissions and Enrollment

1.5 Internal Communications about Furman’s Environmental/Sustainability Efforts

 

2.  Curriculum

            2.1 Majors

            2.2 Current Course Offerings in the Sciences/Environment

            2.3 Curriculum Review Process

 

3.  Research and Scholarship

            3.1 Faculty/Student Research with Environmental/Sustainability Focus

                        3.1.1 River Basins Research Initiative

                        3.1.2 Environmental History of Saluda and Reedy Rivers

 

4. Student Body:  Viewpoints and Opportunities

            4.1 Attitudes about the Environment and Sustainability

            4.2 Student Groups

                        4.2.1 Environmental Action Group

                        4.2.2 Other Student Groups

            4.3 Eco-Cottage

            4.4 Environmental Residence Program

            4.5 Student Service Projects

            4.6 Student Internships

                        4.6.1 Furman Advantage Program

                        4.6.2 ACS Environmental Interns

            4.7 Special Events/Activities

                        4.7.1 ACS Environmental Summits

                        4.7.2 Riley Institute National Summit

                        4.7.3 Riley Institute Urban Politics and Policy Series

                        4.7.4 Earth Month Events

                        4.7.5 Other Environmental Events

                        4.7.6 Cultural Life Programs

            4.8 Media and Communications Outlets on Campus

            4.9 Career Services

 

5. Operations/Physical Environment

            5.1 Campus Landscape

            5.2 Outdoor Recreation Opportunities on Campus

            5.3 Interpretive materials for Campus

                        5.3.1 Campus Maps

                        5.3.2 A Field Guide for the Furman Habitat

            5.4 LEED Certification for Campus Buildings

                        5.4.1 Future LEED Certification Projects

            5.5 Plyler Hall Renovation

            5.6 Student Housing

            5.7 Resource Conservation

                        5.7.1 Campus Energy Audit

                        5.7.2 Campus Energy Usage

                        5.7.3 Furman University Ecological Footprint, 2004

                        5.7.4 Biodiesel Project

            5.8 Recycling

                        5.8.1 Construction Waste Recycling

                        5.8.2 Campus Recycling Program

                        5.8.3 Student Involvement in Recycling

                        5.8.4 Moving Day Recycling

                        5.8.5 Operation Reboot

            5.9 Vehicles and Transportation

                        5.9.1 Student Transportation

                        5.9.2 University Vehicles

                        5.9.3 Development of Pedestrian Areas

            5.10 Dining Services

            5.11 Purchasing

 

6. Community Outreach and Service

            6.1 Partnerships with Environmental Organizations

                        6.1.1 Rails to Trails Project

                        6.1.2 Upstate Forever

                        6.1.3 Saluda-Reedy Watershed Consortium

            6.2 Faculty and Staff Affiliations

            6.3 Continuing Education for Greenville Community

            6.4 Partnerships with Local Schools

 

7. Marketing and Public Relations

 

Appendices:

 

Bibliography – Page 44

 

Interviewees – Page 46

 

Acknowledgements – Page 48

 

           

Introduction:  The Vision of a Greener Furman

 

Furman University has bold ambitions.  One of its primary goals is to be in the forefront of liberal arts colleges dedicated to sustainability and environmental concern.  This commitment grows out of the leadership of President David Shi and the Board of Trustees, and it has been nurtured by dedicated faculty, staff, students, and partners.  Furman’s environmental initiatives touch upon many areas of campus life, including the construction of Hipp Hall, South Carolina’s first LEED-certified building; a campus wide recycling program; increased visibility for student activities such as the Eco-Cottage and biodiesel production; and the development of a curricular concentration in Environmental Studies.  In addition to these tangible efforts, there is a growing philosophical commitment to sustainability within the faculty and staff. 

 

In the spring of 2005 President Shi commissioned this white paper to compile a comprehensive inventory of the various sustainability initiatives and programs taking place within the Furman University community.  His interest in compiling this inventory mirrored the December 2003 report of the Strategic Planning Working Group on Environmental Initiatives, which stated: “There are already many sustainability initiatives in place across campus but they have not been catalogued, coordinated or systematized.” 

 

In discussing the objectives for this report, President Shi also expressed an interest in making sustainability a more integral part of the fabric of the Furman community by strengthening its presence in the curriculum, facilities operations, faculty, and students.  He expressed a concern that was voiced by other interviewees throughout the white paper process:  Although the University’s sustainability efforts have been effective from the top-down, they have yet to permeate student culture.  This white paper is intended to stimulate greater creativity and collaboration among members of the Furman community and provide momentum for future initiatives.

 

Background on Sustainability

A 1987 report issued by the UN World Commission on Environment and Development, “Our Common Future,” introduced a popular definition of sustainable development as “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

 

Several of the white paper interviewees suggested that the term “sustainability” may not adequately capture all of Furman’s environmental projects, and may be a point of confusion for the general public.  For these reasons, this paper inventories both sustainability and environmental efforts at Furman.  

 

Initiatives Covered in Report

In an article in the Spring 2000 issue of “Priorities,” a publication of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, Charles Clark wrote:  “Visions of the ‘sustainable university’ found on American campuses vary as widely as the range of institutions themselves.  What the visions share, for the most part, are efforts to 1) serve as a model campus for students and community, 2) create curricula that emphasize ecological literacy in courses beyond environmental sciences, and 3) generate opportunities for research and service toward sustainability-related ends.”  This white paper is designed to catalog the initiatives Furman is pursuing in each of these areas. 

 

Methodology
Ida Phillips Lynch, a writer and consultant with Niche Publishing LLC, was hired to prepare the white paper in May 2005.  With guidance from President Shi and Bill Berg, Director of Planning and Institutional Research, Lynch took the following steps to research and write this paper:

Ø      Lynch visited campus in May and July of 2005 and interviewed a number of faculty, staff, and students.   Each hour-long interview was designed to provide a rapid assessment of the interviewee’s perceptions and experiences regarding sustainability efforts at Furman.  A list of all interviewees is included in the appendix.  Bill Berg and Stephanie Ferguson kindly organized these interviews.

Ø      Many interviewees provided Lynch with print, web-based, and multimedia materials for documentation.

Ø      In August 2005, Lynch interviewed five student interns in the Admissions Office.

Ø      Lynch wrote the white paper utilizing interview information, print materials, and online materials, primarily from the Furman University website.

 

1) Institutional Mission, Structure, and Planning

 

1.1 ”Engaging the Future”:  Sustainability Goals within the Furman Strategic Plan

 

In February 2001, the Board of Trustees of Furman University unanimously approved the goal to “Enhance Awareness of Environmental Sustainability” as part of the university’s Strategic Plan titled, “Engaging the Future.”  One of four major institutional goals outlined in the plan, this objective calls for the University “To strengthen our commitment to the environment by promoting sustainability through educational programs, campus operations/construction practices and public awareness initiatives.”  (The initiatives supporting this goal are addressed individually within the body of this report.)

 

A team of trustees, faculty, staff, and students worked cooperatively to craft this goal and supporting initiatives during an eighteen-month process.  Their initial report, “Strategic Planning Working Group on Environmental Initiatives” was released in December 2003 and provides an in-depth analysis of the university’s environmental achievements and includes many recommendations for integrating sustainability more broadly within the Furman community.   This document is referenced throughout this report.

 

Trustee approval of the strategic goal of sustainability indicates the board’s philosophical support of the university’s environmental emphases.  Such support for enhancing Furman’s environmental commitment helped establish the University as a leader among the 16 institutions that comprise the Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) consortium.  An article in the May 2005 edition of “The Green Times,” a newsletter produced by Dr. Elizabeth L. MacNabb, Director of Environmental Programs for ACS, noted that Furman was the “first ACS institution to write sustainability into its strategic plan.”  The article continues:  “Furman’s overt commitment to sustainability is a giant leap forward for environmentalism in the ACS.”  As of September 2005, Furman was the only ACS institution to have a sustainability goal in its strategic plan.

 

In their December 2003 report, the Strategic Planning Working Group on Environmental Initiatives wrote, “As a self-contained community, Furman University is a perfect setting to bring these ideals of sustainability into practice, as well as to educate the next generation of leaders about the importance of this perspective.” 

 

1.2. Organizational Structure

 

1.2.1 – Center for Habitat Earth

Center for Habitat Earth is an informal consortium of Furman faculty, students, and community representatives who have a keen interest in environmental/sustainability issues.  The consortium focuses on incorporating environmental themes into the curriculum, supporting research about environmental issues facing Upstate South Carolina, and promoting greater environmental awareness on campus and in the surrounding community.  The center’s primary advocates are four faculty members:  Dr. Brannon Andersen (Earth and Environmental Sciences or EES), Dr. Bill Ranson (EES), Dr. Wade Worthen (Biology), and Dr. Frank Powell (Health and Exercise Sciences). 

 

These faculty members have been long-time supporters of Furman’s environmental initiatives and have devoted their time, energy, and passion to many campus efforts.  Their vision for the Center includes the development of a physical center and a fulltime staff position to coordinate all environmental activities on campus.  The Strategic Planning Working Group on Environmental Initiatives reinforced this proposal by suggesting that the University secure the funding to establish a formal center and hire a director.  The group proposed that the Center would “provide the organizational structure for all environmental activities at Furman University and hence will impact educational programs, public awareness initiatives, student life, and campus operations.”

 

Although the recommendation for the Center for Habitat Earth was not incorporated into the final strategic plan, many of Furman’s environmental efforts and future plans have originated from this coalition of involved faculty members.

 

1.2.2. Sustainability Coordinator

 

An initiative outlined in the strategic plan stated that the University will appoint a sustainability coordinator.  In November 2004, Scott Derrick, Director of Student Activities and the University Center, assumed a ¼ time position as Sustainability Coordinator for Furman. 

 

Primary responsibilities for this position, according to the job description, include:

Ø      Develop goals and plans for a campus-wide environmental sustainability program, including coordination and oversight of a variety of programs, such as recycling, energy conservation, green construction, and campus-wide awareness programs. 

Ø      Develop, administer, and monitor operational and strategic reserve budgets designated for the sustainability program.

Ø      Work in conjunction with Office of Grants Administration to research potential grants and/or grant initiatives.

 

Derrick has formed an Environmental Sustainability Committee (ESC) that is charged with the mission to “Continue Furman’s creative efforts as a leader among liberal arts colleges dedicated to environmental awareness and sustainability.” 

 

As of August 2005, the following people comprised the ESC team: 


J. Scott Derrick, Chair              University Center
Scott Salzman, Faculty  Library
Tom Triplitt, Staff                     Alumni Association
David Ledbetter, Staff              ARAMARK
Janna Pennington, Staff             Housing
Kimberly Spencer, Staff            Riley Institute
Bill Ranson, Faculty                  Earth & Environmental Sciences
Emily Farris, Student                 Senior
Laura Trostle, Student              Freshman
Cindy Yousseff, Student           Junior
AFS Student Rep         TBA

 

According to Derrick, the ESC will oversee approximately 4-6 projects a year designed to make an educational impact with students.  ESC will begin to chart its future plans at the first meeting in the fall of 2005.  

 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Scott Derrick’s initial suggestions for ESC include:

ü      Develop more CLP (Cultural Life Programs) with an environmental focus and promote greater awareness and attendance of environmentally related CLPs. Approximately 90 environmentally related CLPs have been offered in the last 10 years.  According to Derrick, CLP events are very popular and are advertised to students through a variety of methods, including banners and announcements on message boards.  Furman students must have 36 CLP credits to graduate. 

 

ü      Post-It Education:  Organize an awareness campaign on campus by using giant post-it notes that promote a topic and/or programs.   Derrick suggested that this could be used as a kickoff event.

 

1.3. Institutional Affiliations

Ø      The ACS Environmental Initiative (ACSEI) has coordinated an Environmental Fellows program on member campuses since 1998. According to the ACSEI website, “The cornerstone of our work is the appointment of a faculty member at each campus to act as liaison for environmental issues.  These faculty are catalysts who stimulate environmental and sustainable development activity.”  Scott Salzman, Systems Librarian at James B. Duke Library, served as Furman’s Environmental Faculty Fellow for 2004-’05 and is continuing that role in ’05-’06.  His yearend report was a key source of information for this document. 

 

Ø      Scott Salzman has begun the process of enrolling Furman in the National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) Campus Ecology Program.  The program is a clearinghouse and resource for colleges and universities that are involved in environmental and conservation projects.  According to the NWF website, the program offers case studies, networking, training, and recognition for its member campuses.  Every year NWF publishes an online “Campus Ecology Yearbook” that documents case studies and achievements from member campuses.  NWF reports that more than 100 campuses enroll in the program every year. 

 

Ø      Faculty and staff from Furman University, Berea College, and Warren Wilson College have met on two occasions to discuss their institution’s environmentally oriented programs and brainstorm about future plans.   Furman will host the third meeting of this partnership on November 10-11, 2005.  At the meeting, Dr. Ken Sargent, chair of the department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, will discuss the Plyler Science building project, Dr. Ken Peterson (Economics), will discuss “green economics” connections in the Furman curriculum, Jeff Redderson will lead a tour of the campus and discuss various environmental and sustainability projects, and Larry Hudson, Associate Director of Career Services, will present a program.

 

1.4. Admissions and Enrollment

 

The Office of Admissions and Enrollment oversees the marketing and recruitment of prospective students, as well as enrollment activities.  The 15-member department utilizes a variety of strategies and communications tools to attract students that will flourish at Furman, including traveling throughout the country and abroad to meet prospective students, participating in college fairs, hosting events, and producing outreach tools such as the DVD “virtual tour” of Furman, the Admissions website (www.engagefurman.edu), and print pieces such as the viewbook.  The staff reports that word of mouth is their most important form of marketing. 

 

The Admissions staff notes that all of their recruitment activities are designed to “sell an experience, not a product,” saying that “Our biggest sell is engaged learning.  What Furman offers is unique -- engaged learning is the lifeblood of Furman.”   Engaged Learning is an experience-based approach to education that encourages students to supplement their traditional classroom experience by participating in off-campus “real life” opportunities, such as faculty-led research projects, internships, community service projects, and study abroad.  These experiences are designed to help students become lifelong engaged, thoughtful, and active citizens of the world. 

 

The Admissions office’s marketing tools incorporate several of Furman’s environmental/sustainability efforts:

Ø      The Furman DVD provides a “virtual tour” of the campus and the Furman student experience and includes the Eco-Cottage and LEED Gold-Certified Hipp Hall. 

 

Ø      The Furman viewbook includes a photo and caption regarding the Eco-Cottage and lists several environmentally focused internships with USDA Forest Service and EPA.

 

Ø      On student-led campus tours, prospective students and parents visit the most attractive areas and facilities on campus.  Participants tour Hipp Hall, where they have the opportunity to learn about the building’s environmentally-friendly design, construction, and operations, and view interpretive panels that explain the facility’s environmental features.  In an interview with five student interns working in the Admissions Office, the students agreed that these initial campus visits made a positive impression that influenced their attraction to Furman to some degree.  Some of the campus features that the students considered particularly compelling included the malls, trees, manicured grounds, fountains, lake, belltower, the view of the mountains, and the rose garden (for parents)!  

 

CHALLENGES:

In discussing how to attract environmentally aware students, Benny Walker noted that many parents of prospective students are most focused on the career opportunities that a Furman education will provide their child, and that Furman’s environmental initiatives are typically not a primary consideration for these parents.  Attracting students (and parents) that are committed to environmental issues is a challenge that was voiced by almost every interviewee, including the Admissions Office.  The Admissions Office staff noted that they are committed to helping design materials and activities that will attract environmentally conscious prospective students.  Both the staff and the Admissions Office interns suggested several strategies:

 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

ü      The University needs to determine the appropriate terminology and materials that will “brand” or position Furman’s environmental/sustainability efforts from a marketing perspective.  Walker suggested that it is important to utilize environmental terms that will not alienate anyone, noting that terms such as “treehugger” and even “environmentalist” can have negative connotations with some.

 

ü      The Admissions interns were divided about whether the term “environmentalist” had negative or positive connotations.  One student suggested that although the term was not negative, environmentalists are perceived as being “countercultural” and out of the mainstream.  They agreed that most people would be unable to define the term “sustainability.” Some of the terms they suggested to replace the term “sustainability” included:

o       “Green initiatives” or any phrase with the word “Green”

o       Environmentally Friendly

 

ü      The Admissions staff recommended incorporating environmental themes into popular student activities to help brand the message.  The staff suggested incorporating consistent environmental themes into CLP programs, weaving an environmental thread throughout the curriculum, and using environmental messages at well-attended events such as football and basketball games. 

 

ü      The staff supports a suggestion from President Shi to establish a scholarship for prospective students who are involved in environmental activities.

 

ü      President Shi remarked that the Admissions Office plans to produce a series of Viewbooks focusing on different aspects of the University, and suggested that one of these issues could highlight environmental initiatives.

 

1.5. Internal Communications about Furman’s Environmental/Sustainability Efforts

Many of the interviewees expressed concern about a lack of communication about the environmental/sustainability projects taking place throughout the Furman community.   Some interviewees noted that a dearth of networking venues for faculty and staff, and even members of different departments, compound this problem.  Hopefully this report will serve as an initial clearinghouse of information.  Recommendations for strengthening internal communications are described below.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

ü      Develop a listserv for faculty, staff, and students to exchange ideas and network about environmental/sustainability issues.

 

ü      Organize events/venues that create networking opportunities for faculty and staff, such as an environmental sustainability fair.

 

ü      (From the Strategic Plan Working Group):  “Encourage Academic Affairs and Personnel to incorporate into new employee orientation the sustainability initiative’s philosophy and its relationship to current university activities.”

 

2) Curriculum

 

2.1. Majors

 

Furman offers the following environmentally-related majors:

B.A., Biology

B.S., Biology

B.A., Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES)

B.S., Earth and Environmental Sciences

B.S., Geology

 

The goals of the EES program are described as:  “Helping students understand how our planet functions, the limits of earth’s resources, and the capacity of humans to alter global processes for the common good . . . “  Dr. Wade Worthen reported that 40 students declare a major in Biology every year, while Dr. Bill Ranson reported that on average, 6 students opt to major in EES every year. 

 

The EES department encourages students to collaborate with professors on field research as a hands-on approach to studying science.  Research programs include GIS and remote sensing in the Upstate of South Carolina, the River Basins Research Initiative (described in Section 3.1.1 of this report), Watershed Research in Puerto Rico, and the Southern Appalachian Mountains Project, which focuses on the origin and geologic history of the mountain range.  Off-campus experiences include a semester at Biosphere 2 in Arizona and an oceanography semester based out of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts.

 

The University approved a concentration in Environmental Studies in the fall of 1999.  This concentration was designed by a faculty team led by Professors Wade Worthen, Brannon Andersen, and Frank Powell.  The concentration is a group of interrelated courses that consists of four to six courses from at least three academic departments. According to the Strategic Planning Working Group, nine departments in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities currently contribute to this concentration.  As of the conclusion of Drop-Add for 2005, eight students had declared a concentration in Environmental Studies. 

 

2.2. Course Offerings in the Sciences/Environment

In the 2004-2005 academic year, the following courses were offered as part of the Environmental Studies Concentration.  (The number of students that enrolled in each class is listed in parentheses.)

 

Fall 2004:

General Ecology (12 students)

Chemistry: Environmental Perspectives (24 students)

Public Finance (20 students)

Environmental Science (12 students)

 

Winter 2005:

Introduction to Oceanography (25 students)

Surficial Processes (6 students)

 

Spring 2005:

Environmental Chemistry (1 student)

Introduction to Oceanography (24 students)

Environmental Science (12 students)

Watershed Hydrology (9 students)

Environment and Society (10 students)

In addition, a number of environmentally-flavored classes were offered in other departments in the 2004-2005 academic year, including:

 

Nutrition (34 students)

Frank M. Powell

Part of course emphasized nutrition and the environment.

 

Women and Religion (25 students)

Helen Lee Turner

The relationship between feminist theology and environmental theology.

 

Chemistry for non-science majors (36 students)

Elizabeth R. Gordon

Ozone depletion (Montreal Protocol); the EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide and smog, acid rain and its effects; nuclear waste storage and contamination; oil spills/cleanups.

 

Philosophers, Problems, Movements: The Ethics of Globalization (26 Students)

David I. Gandolfo

Discussion of environmental problems that will require international cooperation.

 

Field Botany (13 students)

Joe Pollard

Field trips, ecological communities of the region, rare or endangered species, human disturbance and succession, exotic introductions, and the effects of introduced plant pathogens.

 

The Western Tradition 1800 to 1990:  Progress and Anxiety (95 students)

David Rutledge

Lectured on Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring as an example of the new environmentalism.

 

Senior Seminar in History (12 students)

Stephen O'Neill

Course topic was “Environmental History in the South and Nation.”

 

Progress and Anxiety (95 students)

Stephen O'Neill

Compared human-induced environmental changes in the last hundred years with changes in previous recorded history.

 

Introduction to Philosophy

David Shaner

44 students (22 students in each of 2 sections)

Included environmental ethics and animal rights.

 

Mathematical Models and Applications (15 students)

Bob Fray

Developed and analyzed mathematical models related to natural resources.

 

Principles of Sociology (60 students: 2 sections of 30 students each)

David Redburn

Sustainability issues including how population growth is related to resource consumption.

 

Ancient History (20 students)

David Spear

Discusses the impact of the natural environment on human communities.

 

The following environmentally-flavored classes are being offered in the 2005-2006 academic year:

 

Economics

Urban Economics – Analyzes the “impact of environmental, social and political issues on economic solutions to urban problems.”

 

Economics of the Environment – Studies economical basis of environmental problems.

 

Modern Languages and Literature

Latin American Women’s Literature - Touches on women’s thought in the environmental movement.

 

Philosophy

Environmental Ethics

 

Health and Exercise Science (2006)

Community and Environmental Health:  Foreign Study in Valparaiso, Chile

“A comparative study of community and environmental health concepts in the US and in Chile that includes an exploration of supportive and non-supportive cultural practices that affect community and environmental health.”

 

2.3. Curriculum Review Process

As outlined in the Strategic Plan, Furman faculty are currently conducting a comprehensive assessment of the curriculum.  Within the Environmental Sustainability section of the plan, a strategy was outlined to “Ensure the curriculum reflects Furman’s commitment to sustainability.”  A report to the Strategic Plan Committee on Sustainability Initiatives from May 19, 2005 noted: “The curriculum review process has included discussion of new environmental courses for the Environmental Studies Concentration, environmental themes and sustainability components in courses, and freshmen seminars as a logical place for environmental content.”  The report also states that “There is no widespread acceptance of the idea of some sort of sustainability requirement, and there has been limited progress in soliciting new environmental courses in the humanities, fine arts, and social sciences for the Environmental Studies Concentration.”

 

In an interview, Dean Thomas Kazee discussed ways in which Furman might integrate sustainability more fully into the curriculum.  The Curriculum Review Committee (CRC), of which he is Vice-Chair, has proposed to the faculty a substantial revision of the General Education Requirements; several of these changes are especially relevant for sustainability.  For
example, he noted that in addition to the courses that deal with questions of sustainability already available to Furman students, the proposed curriculum would include as a new requirement that all students take at least one course focusing on "Humans and the Natural Environment."  Among other goals, courses in this category would examine "how humans might create stable, productive, and ethical social systems that can be sustained within the constraints of finite natural subsystems of planet Earth."  The CRC proposal includes as well a stipulation that all students take, during their first year, two topical seminars that have a limited number of students and are discussion-centered.  He anticipates that at least some of these seminars will deal with environmental and sustainability issues. 

 

3) Research and Scholarship

 

3.1. Faculty/Student Research with Environmental/Sustainability Focus

 

3.1.1 – River Basins Research Initiative

In 1995, the departments of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Biology, and Chemistry launched the River Basins Research Initiative (RBRI), a research project designed to study how the rapid rate of development in the Upstate is affecting water quality in the Lower Broad River Basin.  (The basin is subdivided into the Saluda, Enoree, Pacolet, and Tyger River Basins.)  The RBRI has evolved into largest single research initiative in Furman’s history.  This multidisciplinary project now involves 11 faculty from 7 departments (Biology, Chemistry, EES, Sociology, Political Science, Economics, and Philosophy). 

 

According to the RBRI website, “This research has focused on water quality surveys of the Enoree River and nine of its tributary watersheds in the Enoree River Basin, and the Reedy River watershed and seven tributary watersheds of the Saluda River in the Saluda River Basin.”  Student and faculty researchers work collaboratively to examine all aspects of the relationship between land use and water quality, including hydrology, land use change, and impact of wastewater.  Their research includes analyzing chemical data, dissolved oxygen, fish and aquatic insect diversity, and bacteria samples.  Most of the work is conducted during the summer by 18 to 22 students and 8 faculty members. 

 

Findings from the research will be shared with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and will eventually be shared with public agencies that develop land use laws.  To date, the project has received $700,000 in grants from the National Science Foundation, EPA, Rockefeller Brothers Foundation, and South Carolina DHEC.

 

3.1.2 – Environmental History of Saluda and Reedy Rivers

Professor Stephen O’Neill (History) is writing a book about the environmental history of the Saluda and Reedy Rivers as part of the larger Saluda-Reedy Watershed Consortium (see 6.1.3).  According to O’Neill, “The book will describe the dynamic relationship between nature and culture and how values about nature have shaped other decisions.”  The book will explore how human settlement patterns, agriculture, and commercial enterprise altered the region’s landscape and created “one of the most badly eroded areas in the eastern United States.” 

 

In the summer of 2005, several student interns assisted O’Neill with his research through the Furman Advantage Program (see 4.6.1) and were each paid a stipend of $3,000. 

 

4) Student Body:  Viewpoints and Opportunities

 

4.1. Attitudes about the Environment and Sustainability

 

Note:  This report does not contain a comprehensive survey of opinions of the Furman student body, but presents a compilation of viewpoints expressed by faculty, staff, and student interviewees.    

 

Many of the faculty and staff interviewees noted that while Furman students are talented and goal-oriented, they often lack a commitment to understanding environmental issues, which presents a fundamental challenge to Furman’s environmental aspirations. 

 

The Strategic Planning Working Group presented compelling findings on this issue in their document dated December 2003, noting:  “In the latest national Cooperative Institutional Research Program report conducted by UCLA, the percentage of Furman’s freshmen who believe it is essential or very important to become involved in programs to clean up the environment dropped from 41% to 19% during the decade of the 1990s.  Clearly, our students do not come to Furman with environmental concerns as a top priority.  Consequently, teaching students to embrace the values of sustainability requires that the philosophy permeate what they learn and how they live.”

 

In August 2005, Ida Phillips Lynch interviewed five student interns (juniors and seniors) in the Admissions office about environmental programs and issues at Furman.  Although the group represents a small percentage of the student body, the students’ reputations as high-achievers lend credibility to their observations. 

 

When asked if they thought Furman students are familiar with environmental issues, the interns agreed that students seem to be aware of Furman’s initiatives to some degree because of publicity for projects such as the LEED certification of Hipp Hall, but their level of awareness varies greatly.  The group suggested that students’ experiences prior to their matriculation at Furman greatly influence their environmental attitudes.   Several students described personal experiences in which an environmental project (such as recycling) and influential people (faculty, students, or staff) had modified their own perceptions of environmental issues during their time at Furman.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

The student “focus group,” several faculty and staff interviewees, and the strategic plan working group suggested strategies for strengthening students’ environmental awareness: 

 

ü      Utilize the Furman University Summer Experience to educate incoming students on environmental issues.

ü      Incorporate environmental and sustainability themes into Orientation Week, including on-site programs, and/or an online environmental orientation program. 

ü      Initiate a class project to design and implement a survey to assess students’ environmental attitudes and behaviors.

ü      Informed by the above-mentioned survey, EAG could form a student task force (either through their members or the overall student body) designed to develop and implement strategies for raising students’ environmental awareness.

 

4.2. Student Groups

Furman has more than 130 student groups that are involved in a variety of social, civic, academic, and recreational pursuits.  The student “focus group” ranked the Furman University Student Activity Board, Collegiate Educational Service Corps, and AFS as the most popular student groups.

 

4.2.1 Environmental Action Group

Furman’s Environmental Action Group (EAG) was founded 20 years ago and is the university’s only student group focused exclusively on environmental activities.  Faculty advisor Dr. Travis Perry (2004-05) provided an overview of the group’s history and recent accomplishments. 

 

The group’s popularity has waxed and waned over the years, but was revitalized when Perry and Dr. Wade Worthen (Biology) devoted energy to revamping the group by attending every weekly meeting and encouraging members to recruit friends to join EAG.  Perry reported that during the 2004-2005 school year, the group’s membership grew to 35, with an active core group of 10-12 members. 

 

Perry and Worthen introduced a parliamentary, goal-oriented structure to EAG and introduced weekly and monthly actions.  Perry noted that it has been difficult for EAG to maintain momentum.  Members pay $25/year in dues and EAG also receives financial support from the Student Activity Fund.  Worthen assumed the role of faculty advisor for the 2005-2006 academic year.

 

Highlights:

According to Elizabeth MacNabb, approximately half of the schools in ACS have some sort of environmental club or group.  She says that “Furman’s group is much more formal and has participation from the faculty, which is generally not the case with the other schools.” 

 

Recent Activities:

Biodiesel Project: 

The recent spike in gas prices is elevating the urgency of another student project:  researching alternative fuel sources.  EAG members operate a small biodiesel facility on campus where they convert waste vegetable oil from the dining hall into biodiesel, a clean-burning alternative fuel source.  The plant is capable of producing fuel at the cost of approximately 60 cents per gallon, according to an article in the Spring 2005 issue of Furman.  EAG’s short-term goal is to produce 50% of the diesel fuel needs of the University’s physical plant (2,500 gallons/year) and sell the fuel to Facilities Services for use in heavy machinery such as tractors, backhoes, and mowers. 

 

Highlights:

The project has been publicized in the Greenville News and in several Furman publications.  In May 2005, students in the multidisciplinary “Environment and Society” class created a website devoted to alternative energy use at Furman that features the biodiesel project.  See http://biodisel.environmentalactiongroup.org/.

 

Resources:

Piedmont Biofuels in Pittsboro, NC – Their website offers listing of upcoming educational events and resources.  See http://www.biofuels.coop/.

 

Organic Heirloom Seed Sale:  EAG organized a successful seed sale where they sold organic garden vegetables and herbs that were purchased from Seeds of Change.

 

Sponsored CLP Events:  During the 2004-2005 academic year, EAG sponsored several Cultural Life Program (CLP) events that are described in section 4.7.6.

 

Bunched Arrowhead Observation Deck:  Bunched arrowhead is one of the most endangered plant species in North America and one of its few remaining populations is located on the Furman campus. To protect this federally listed endangered species, EAG constructed an observation deck at the plant’s site at the northwestern end of the lake. 

 

CHALLENGES:

When queried about their perception of EAG, the student focus group expressed some instructive opinions.  All of the interviewees were familiar with EAG and agreed that the group’s visibility has grown recently because of publicity surrounding the biodiesel project.  But the group members agreed that EAG has a small membership base and does not have a high profile among the many student groups.

 

One student suggested that EAG may be suffering from a historical image problem, saying, “A group’s reputation can make or break them.  Word of mouth is one of the primary ways that information circulates among students.  It’s a small campus and if people haven’t done reputable activities then people will remember that.  The big three groups continually put on good projects that students know about and respect, which helps build their reputation.  If EAG organizes good activities and gets more students involved, their reputation could be built back.” 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Students, the Strategic Plan Working Group, and President Shi offered suggestions about how EAG could raise its profile:

 

ü      Encourage student involvement by organizing smaller-scale projects.  A student noted that because of the great demands on students’ time, it is not realistic to request students to participate in time-consuming events such as organizing an Earth Day event.  Students are more likely to get involved in a smaller-scale project such as overseeing recycling bins in a certain location. 

 

ü      EAG should recruit highly motivated members who could be tasked with elevating the group’s profile by seeking advice (not in a public forum but internally) from one of the successful student groups and organizing PR blitzes about their projects.

 

ü      The Marketing and Public Relations Department offered to meet with EAG members and brainstorm with them about promoting the group. 

 

ü      President Shi suggested integrating EAG into the admissions process, perhaps by having EAG members lead some campus tours.

 

ü      President Shi suggested elevating the profile and profits of the Organic Plant Sale by having EAG partner with a larger conservation organization, such as a garden club or the SC Native Plant Society. 

 

4.2.2 – Other Student Groups

Several other student groups, particularly the Outdoors Club, could conceivably become involved in environmental activities. 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

ü      Encourage other student groups to explore involvement in environmental projects.  For example, the CESC could undertake environmental service projects, many of which are related to social justice issues.

 

4.3 - Eco-Cottage

 

The Eco-Cottage project has become one of the most visible ways for Furman students to implement sustainable living practices into their daily lives.  Professors Frank Powell, Bill Ranson, and Wade Worthen designed the Eco-Cottage concept in 1999 with the goal of helping students “gain applied knowledge about alternative energy sources, recycling, sustainable practices such as efficient appliances, and monitoring resource usage.”   The project was originally proposed as an entire dormitory for 96 students but the difficulty of finding 96 willing participants caused the experiment to be scaled down to a group of 8 students.

 

The project involves comparing the energy usage between a specially-outfitted house and a neighboring cabin that acts as a “control” residence.  Both houses were built in 1974 and are approximately 1,480 square feet.   Seventeen donors, including ACS, supported renovating the Eco-Cottage and outfitting the dwelling with energy-saving devices such as solar panels, a water monitoring system, energy efficient appliances, and lowflow showers.  

 

After an application process, eight rising sophomores are selected to live in the cottage, where they sacrifice 20% of their dorm space, but are engaged in a living experiment.  The residents are encouraged to conserve energy and resources and track their resource usage and disposal. They monitor the use of gas, water, and electricity and compare their energy usage with the neighboring control cabin that has no special modifications.  The students are encouraged to recycle, turn off lights, compost, and practice other sustainable habits.

 

An analysis of data between 2000 and 2005 shows that on average, Eco-Cottage residents use 70% less energy than the control cottage.  In addition to the energy savings, the Eco-Cottage provides an immersion experience for students.  Students living in the cottage pointed out that the living arrangement is truly a group effort, where “everyone has to do their part.”  Not only did their energy-saving habits rub off on each other, they also influenced control cabin residents, who reported that they started watching their energy usage as well.  Dr. Frank Powell, a faculty advisor to the project, developed an appropriate theme:  “The more you learn, the less you need.”

 

For a description of the Eco-Cottage on the Furman website, see http://www.furman.edu/housing/belltower.htm#ecocottage.

 

Highlights:

Ø      The Eco-Cottage has been well-received across the campus community.  At an end-of-year gathering for Eco-Cottage residents in May 2005, Jason Cassidy, Assistant Director of University Housing, described the Eco-Cottage as “a good example of Engaged Learning, just like other immersion houses, such as the foreign language house.” 

 

Ø      The Admissions interns who were familiar with the Eco-Cottage suggested that while it might be difficult to incorporate more complex parts of the experiment throughout the entire campus, such as solar panels, smaller elements such as a lights-out campaign could work on a larger scale. 

 

Ø      According to Dr. Elizabeth MacNabb, Furman’s Eco-Cottage was the first such residence hall in the ACS and it has become a model for other ACS institutions. MacNabb says that “No other ACS institution has a place that’s designated environmentally correct, but Hendrix, Sewanee, and Centre have set aside rooms, etc. for students who care about the environment to live in.  Centre is trying to get funding to make a LEED duplex for that purpose.”

 

Ø      The Eco-Cottage has received excellent media coverage, and has been featured in such publications as The Chronicle of Higher Education, the Greenville News, and The State.

 

Ø      Dr. Frank Powell moderated a forum titled “Educational, Economic, and Behavioral Impacts of a Solar Powered Dormitory on an Undergraduate, Liberal Arts University Campus” at the 11th International Symposium on Renewable Energy Education, in conjunction with the 50th International Solar Energy Society meeting held in Orlando, FL on August 6-7, 2005.   Dr. Bill Ranson, EES; Phil Lewis, Facilities Services; students Chris Jones and Kartikeya Singh; and Bruce Wood, a solar specialist from Greenville, also participated in the forum.

   

4.4. Environmental Residence Program

Several interviewees, including Dr. MacNabb, spoke positively about Sewanee’s Environmental Resident Program, through which a student in each resident hall is designated as the environmental “spokesperson” and works to educate other students about environmental awareness and sustainable practices, and oversees the residence hall’s recycling program.    Furman plans to implement a similar program.  See http://www.sewanee.edu/ers/.


Highlights:

Furman will host a leadership workshop for new ACS environmental interns in October 2005 that will focus on Sewanee’s environmental resident program as a way of motivating students to design similar programs on their campuses. 

 

RECOMMENDATION:

ü      (From the Strategic Plan Working Group):  “Institute a comprehensive program similar to that of Sewanee, which includes environmental officers in each residence building, financial and residential incentives for students, and student involvement in the campus recycling program.”

 

4.5 Student Service Projects

Although no figures about student service projects were available for this report, many interviewees reported that most Furman students are actively involved in service projects, in part because they are required of members of every athletic team, sorority, fraternity, and many student groups.  These projects include working with nonprofits and community groups in the Greenville area, as well as working with national groups such as Habitat for Humanity. 

 

RECOMMENDATION:

ü      The ESC could help connect student groups and environmental/sustainability groups that need volunteer assistance, perhaps by providing student groups with a tip sheet that lists details and contact information for service projects with an environmental/sustainability focus, i.e. assisting with trail building on a Rails to Trails Project or the Furman trail system, or the annual springtime community cleanup of the Reedy River.

 

4.6 Student Internships

 

The internship opportunities available to Furman students are a vital part of Engaged Learning.  As part of the Christian A. Johnson Center for Engaged Learning, the Internship Office acts as a conduit and networking agency to connect students with Furman faculty and staff and external public and private agencies and businesses.  (Note:  The office was expanded in spring 2005 and a fulltime director, Susan Zeiger, was appointed.  The Internship office is currently developing a database with historical internship records that will facilitate future inquiries into data about internship trends and numbers.)  Internships are typically filled by upper class students, and can occur during the school year or the summer.  In general, students participate in three types of internships:

 

Ø      Internships tied to classes for which students receive credit.

Ø      Furman Advantage Program:  Faculty is heavily involved in this program, which enables students to participate in undergraduate research with professors or in off-campus internships that have been approved by their faculty advisor. 

Ø      Student-initiated internships, in which students use their own networks to develop summer internships. 

 

Based on surveys of graduating seniors, 40% of Furman graduates typically participate in an internship.  According to Susan Zeiger, Internship Program Director, students benefit from internships in two distinct ways, either by earning academic credit or by having a learning experience that helps them assess their interest in a future career path. 

 

Exact numbers will be available once the internship program database is complete, but Zeiger estimates that every year approximately 1 to 5 students participate in an internship with an environmental organization or theme.  She noted that in the summer of 2005, out of 60 student internships, 4 were involved with environmental/conservation organizations.  These internships were based at Mote Marine Lab, a marine animal rehabilitation center in Florida; at Coweeta Hydrologic Research Center in North Carolina; at Earth University in Costa Rica; and at the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center in Colorado.  (Note:  These numbers do not include students that participate in environmentally-oriented undergraduate research projects through EES and other departments.) 

 

Furman’s only ongoing intern partnership with a conservation group is an informal partnership with Upstate Forever, a regional nonprofit environmental group based in Greenville that focuses on land conservation, advocacy, and education in a 7-county region in upstate South Carolina.  Brad Wyche, Executive Director of Upstate Forever, noted that his organization has worked with approximately 10 Furman interns over the years and found them to be “consistently