Institute for Stewardship of the Natural World
JMU's Institute for Stewardship of the Natural World (ISNW) uses a working definition of sustainability that is adapted from the Federal Register (2009): Sustainability creates and maintains "the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations.” The ISNW recognizes the natural world’s intrinsic value and that humans are part of the natural world. Accordingly, we are committed to contributing, as individuals and as an institution, to the flourishing of nature and humans.
The responsibility for sustainability is not housed in one university unit, but is shared across all divisions. JMU’s achievements can be attributed to the past and current efforts of staff, faculty and students in many areas, commonly in collaboration. Information on JMU’s programs and plans related to the social and economic dimensions of sustainability can be found on numerous JMU websites. A few examples are
- Engagement
- The Madison Collaborative: Ethical Reasoning In Action
- Office of Access and Inclusion
- Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services (IIHHS) Community Engagement
- Community Service-Learning