JMU is committed to multiple environmental priorities including renewable energy, energy conservation, waste reduction, water conservation, alternative transportation, environmental literacy, and ecosystem restoration. Initial targets and strategies for these priorities have been drafted and will be analyzed to determine cost and benefits, as well as environmental, social, and financial impacts. Action plans, including targets for expected accomplishments, specific performance measures to evaluate progress towards targets, and implementation strategies, are anticipated to be completed for each of these areas by May 2010.

*Interim Milestones are under review.

JMU is committed to becoming a model steward of the natural world. In 2006/07, a diverse working group charted a path to institutionalize environmental stewardship. Next, three positions, an administrative office, and a council of 100 citizens were created. Environmental policies were adopted in six areas. An emissions inventory, campus energy assessment, and draft plan were developed. JMU adopted environmental stewardship as one of a handful of defining characteristics: “The university will be an environmentally literate community whose members think critically and act, individually and collectively, as model stewards of the natural world.”

A campus energy analysis, combined heat and power feasibility study, and renewable energy use pathway study (separate from this Climate Action Report) are being conducted to identify opportunities for reductions. Initial targets and strategies have been drafted and will be analyzed to determine cost and benefits, as well as environmental, social, and financial impacts. Action plans, including targets for expected accomplishments, specific performance measures to evaluate progress towards targets, and implementation strategies, are anticipated to be completed by May 2010.

The Institute for Stewardship of the Natural World Education and Research Committee is composed of faculty, staff and students charged with defining the current state of education and research activity on campus, and stimulating and promoting future activities that would both advance the University characteristic regarding environmental literacy and action and the mission of the University. To carry out this charge, the Committee is currently engaged in four primary groups of activities:
• Benchmark existing formal learning activities addressing stewardship of the natural world.
• Benchmark existing research activities addressing stewardship of the natural world. Also assess faculty expertise and interest for the purpose of compiling a listing for dissemination to promote collaborative scholarly activity.
• Operationally define environmental literacy by identifying learning outcomes to be mastered by all graduates of the University, faculty and staff. Once the outcomes are defined, then identify learning opportunities to ensure the outcomes are instructed and can be mastered, and define measurements to assess progress in achieving the goal of all community members attaining environmental literacy. Focusing initially on the student population, JMU’s robust program assessment practice is typically based on measuring student learning in a random sample of students using a pre-test/post-test model, and the University expects to use a similar model in evaluating students’ ability to think critically about the multi-disciplinary environmental problems and choices facing society.
• Identify general educational/training and community outreach efforts of faculty, staff and students as they relate to the JMU and broader community.

Please see previous and subsequent questions.

The University has initiated a new research institute that will integrate the existing research and outreach efforts; identify strategic areas of pursuit for external funding; further promote collaborative scholarly activity of faculty, students and staff; and, enhance internal and external recognition of scholarly activities in environmental stewardship of the University. This new research institute will work collaboratively with the ISNW in advancing activity related to the University’s defining characteristic. This will address the Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability Commission recommendation of increased coordination and communication between the curricular units and among faculty in this area. As one example of the institute's work, they are taking the lead in a statewide effort to produce 25 percent of Virginia's energy from renewable resources by 2025. The Virginia 25x'25 State Alliance, modeled after a national organization with similar goals, will develop a new energy vision for the Commonwealth and will promote that vision to decision makers, opinion leaders and other stakeholders.