James Madison University
AC-7: Incentives for Developing Courses

One program is ENVT 400: Capstone Seminar in Environmental Problem Solving. The purpose of the capstone seminar is to provide an interdisciplinary, environmental problem-solving experience for students completing various environment minors. The course is usually taught by two full-time faculty members who represent different disciplinary perspectives on environmental issues and ideally are housed in two different academic departments. However, proposals for solo teaching are accepted. Different instructors design the course around a particular environmental topic or case study about which they have expertise. That provides students the opportunity to experience hands-on interdisciplinary work, culminating in an end-of-semester summary experience open to interested faculty members and interested members of the public. Departments supporting faculty in this endeavor receive part-time funding to replace the faculty member for a semester, and the faculty members will receive a development stipend if the course is a new course design.

ENVT 400 courses often use a case-study approach to environmental issues, to increase students' environmental literacy and teamwork skills and facilitate student initiative. ENVT 400 in Fall 2023 examined the hidden costs of critical minerals for the transition to a clean energy future.  Students conducted a presentation on December 6, 2023 that was attended by faculty, students, and staff from the JMU sustainability office.  The course was co-taught by Prof. Bruce Wiggins of Biology and Prof. Pete Bsumek of the School of Communication Studies. In Spring 2023, ENVT 400 students pitched solutions to plastic waste problems. Students, faculty, and staff attended. The course was co-taught by Prof. Rob Alexander of Public Administration and Environmental Studies and Prof. Tobias Gerken of the School of Integrated Sciences.

The Center for Faculty Innovation (CFI) provides comprehensive professional development opportunities for JMU faculty at all levels and stages of their careers. CFI initiatives support innovations in teaching, scholarship, career planning, and organizational development. Multiple Center for Faculty Innovation (CFI) programs offer professional development related to sustainability. For example, in the Inclusive Teaching Institute, formerly the Preparing Faculty to be Inclusive Teachers Institute, participants have the opportunity to develop skills for intentionally designing and implementing instructional strategies to support inclusive learning environments for a diverse student body. The program runs from February through March (Spring semester) annually.

Departments supporting faculty teaching ENVT 400 receive funding to replace the faculty member for a semester, and the faculty member teaching receives a development stipend if the course is a new course design.

The benefit from the CFI programs is the professional development experience at no cost to the faculty member.

CFI information from CFI website January 5, 2024.

ENVT 400 information posted to Environment listserv by Rob Alexander in 2023.

Both programs were confirmed to be ongoing at time of submission.