James Madison University
AC-10: Support for Sustainability Research

JMU’s Institute for Stewardship of the Natural World provides funding toward students presenting at conferences and participating in student competitions. The application process is competitive. Full time students are eligible to apply. Students must be presenting research work related to environmental stewardship and sustainability.

JMU’s Institute for Stewardship of the Natural World provides funding toward faculty presenting at conferences. The application process is competitive. Faculty must be presenting work related to environmental stewardship and sustainability.

In early 2023, thank you notes and Sustainable Development Goals logo lapel pins were sent to the faculty who do research that is recognized in the campus sustainability research inventory. An exhibit on the Sustainable Development Goals and JMU sustainability research is on display in the EnGeo and King Hall complex from mid-2023 to mid-2025. This provided public recognition to the researchers.

Faculty Development Grants of up to $5,000 were awarded by the College of Integrated Science and Engineering in 2022 and 2023 to advance faculty members' teaching, scholarship or service. The college earmarked some of the funds for applications related to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The following promotion and tenure guidelines recognize cross-disciplinary scholarship:

(1) Department of Psychology: https://www.jmu.edu/academic-affairs/_documents/pt-psychology-2022.pdf (Accessed 1/30/24)

Under "Excellent Performance" (in Scholarly Achievement and Professional Qualifications): "In addition, faculty must show evidence of one or more of the following [1 of 5 listed here]: Engage in high quality research projects (e.g., Involvement in research projects with potential for significant impact on theory, practice, and/or teaching; Development of comprehensive research strategies to address a particular important research question; Well-managed pursuit of multiple research questions; particularly innovative research strategies; or research that fosters multidisciplinary approaches)"

(2) School of Engineering: https://www.jmu.edu/academic-affairs/policies-and-reports/PT-Engineer.pdf (Accessed 1/30/24)

Under Scholarly Achievement and Professional Qualifications, Part B. Evidence: "We value cross-disciplinary scholarship and understand that such scholarly products vary in levels of investment. Thus, the AUH and AUPAC will be mindful that not all scholarly products can be equally weighted…It should also be noted that the Department of Engineering values both single-author and collaborative scholarship, especially collaborative work with students.”

(3) Department of Biology: https://www.jmu.edu/academic-affairs/_documents/pt-biology-2022.pdf (Accessed 1/30/24)

Under II. Scholarly Achievement and Professional Qualifications: "Collaborative research with other scientists in biology or other disciplines is valued and encouraged, but such activities should complement, not replace leadership of their own independent program...."

(4) Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies: https://www.jmu.edu/academic-affairs/policies-and-reports/PT-Interdis.pdf (Accessed 1/30/24)

Under Part 1. General Considerations, G. Standards for Promotion and Tenure: “IdLS faculty members’ scholarship and professional development can be interdisciplinary, degree based, or a combination of the two. Evaluations of IdLS faculty members’ scholarship and professional development shall focus on the quality and quantity the faculty members’ work, not whether it is interdisciplinary or degree based. Further, scholarship that is co-authored, published in scholarly venues in languages other than English, and demonstrated in forms other than traditional publications, but which are appropriate to the disciplinary standards in the candidate’s expertise, is valued and encouraged.”

(5) Department of Management: https://www.jmu.edu/academic-affairs/_documents/PT-MANG.pdf (Accessed 1/30/24)

Under Criteria for Evaluation of Faculty Seeking Promotion, part b) Scholarly Achievement Criteria: “The Management Department supports a broad range of scholarly activities in disciplines such as Organizational Behavior, Strategic Management, Human Resource Management, Industrial Relations, Entrepreneurship, and International Management, as well as interdisciplinary research (e.g., collaboration in areas such as economics, marketing, CIS, etc.)”

(6) Department of Mathematics and Statistics: https://www.jmu.edu/academic-affairs/policies-and-reports/PT-MATHSTAT.pdf (Accessed 1/30/24)

Under 2. Yearly Evaluation, 2.2. Scholarship: “Scholarly activity involves scholarly exploration in an aspect of mathematics, statistics, or mathematics education, including interdisciplinary work...When the PAC evaluates scholarship, it considers a variety of evidence, including: peer-reviewed research publications (which could be interdisciplinary in nature), scholarly presentations, mentoring undergraduate research projects that generate original results, peer-reviewed pedagogical publications, discipline-related books, peer-reviewed presentations or proceedings, scholarly-related grant activity, and innovative consulting projects.”

(7) School of Nursing: https://www.jmu.edu/academic-affairs/policies-and-reports/PT-NURS.pdf (Accessed 1/30/24)

Under Scholarship/Professional Development: “Scholarship refers to systematic and diligent inquiry for the purpose of creating, discovering, developing, integrating, creatively applying, or refining knowledge...Interdisciplinary and community-engaged scholarship is valued by the School of Nursing.”

Under Criteria for Nursing Faculty Tenure Track Promotion; Creative Scholarship: “Shows evidence of independent or collaborative scholarly outcomes.”

Under Criteria for Nursing Faculty RTA Promotion; Creative Scholarship: “Demonstrates record of seeking out/leading collaborative scholarship with practice partners to improve patient and/or organization outcomes (e.g. evidence-based and quality improvement projects, policy analysis, program evaluation, research projects etc.)”

(8) Additionally, the Provost’s Award Winner for Excellence in Research and Scholarship includes, "Selection Criteria. Candidates are evaluated for qualifications in any of the following areas: [1 of 8 included here] "Implementing an interdisciplinary approach to research/creative work." https://www.jmu.edu/research/RSAward.shtml (Accessed 1/30/24)

(9) In JMU's Core Qualities and University Goals of JMU's Strategic Plan for 2020-2026, under Academic Quality: Excellence in Teaching and Scholarly Endeavors: “Goal 4B: The university will prioritize a model of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to learning as pathways to innovation, knowledge creation and problem-solving in our complex global environment." https://www.jmu.edu/pair/strategic-planning/_docs/strategic_plan.pdf”  (Accessed 8/10/24)

Library materials relating to sustainability include the following call number ranges: GE 1-350 Environmental sciences; QC 851-999 Meteorology, Climatology; QH 1-199.5 Natural history, including nature conservation, geographical distribution; QH 540-549.5 Ecology; Environmental technology, Sanitary engineering. Books and eBooks in these call number ranges are purchased with a fund designated for science, technology, and business monographs.

Database subscriptions include BioOne, the ProQuest Environmental Science Collection, Environment Complete, JSTOR, and Scopus.

Online research guides are maintained for the following areas:

Integrated Science and Technology, http://guides.lib.jmu.edu/isat

Geography, http://guides.lib.jmu.edu/geography

Engineering, http://guides.lib.jmu.edu/engineering

Energy and the Environment, https://guides.lib.jmu.edu/environment

Green Building and Design, http://guides.lib.jmu.edu/greenbuilding

Applied Sciences Librarian Kelly Giles and Science & Math Librarians Liana Bayne-Lin and Kathryn Eckler maintain these guides and are available by appointment to meet with faculty and students and assist with sustainability-related research.

Responsible party for information about faculty and student support: CJ Hartman, ISNW.

Responsible party for "Library Support" information: Kelly Giles, Associate Professor, Applied Sciences Librarian. Entered by CJ Hartman, January 5, 2024.

Essa Paterson, ISNW, reviewed all available Promotion and Tenure Guidelines on https://www.jmu.edu/academic-affairs/policies-and-reports/pnt-guidelines.shtml in January 2024 to complete 'Recognition of interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary research' field. These were the most updated guidelines for each area. Links confirmed January 30, 2024.

Strategic Plan information updated August 10, 2024.