Message from the Dean...

April 2008

WOW - spring is finally here and for many, spring is the best time of the year on the campus of JMU. As spring semester winds down, it is a joy to reflect on the many outstanding events, which have occurred this academic year. Needless to say, the biggest event was JMU's 100th Birthday Party in March. In the planning for over a year, celebratory events began to unfold as fall semester began and culminated with a week-long series of festivities March 10-15 ending with the Centennial Convocation on March 14 (attended by thousands) and the New Century Gala on March 15. Please note the array of stories pertaining to graduate education and graduate student life in this issue of the Gazette.

Last November, reorganization occurred within the division of Academic Affairs, which resulted in our Office of Outreach Programs moving to a more independent status at the University. The relationship between graduate and continuing education began in 2001-02 with the establishment of the College of Graduate and Professional Programs under the direction of former Dean, Bill Walker. As a result of the Madison Commission Report, the university determined to complement its residentially-based academic offerings with non-degree, competence-based certification and distributed education programs in 2006. The development of these programs, offered via continuing education, added to the expanding role of the college and the college name changed to the College of Graduate and Outreach Programs to more appropriately reflect the expanding outreach mission of JMU. An increase in administrative and staff positions allowed us to aggressively undertake the new emphasis in university outreach and by fall semester 2007, the array of outreach programs, led by Dr. Jim Shaeffer, had grown to include both credit and non-credit course options, online certificate programs, new university partnerships and alliances, double the number of credit courses offered and a 124% increase in revenue.

Consequently, in November, due to remarkable success, Outreach Programs was organizationally moved under the purview of the Vice Provost for Research and Public Service to position it as a quick response unit to meet the rapidly changing professional development needs of society. Though we will miss the daily interaction with Outreach Programs, we all celebrate the success of the unit we ALL had a hand in building.

The Graduate School has now returned to its former status as a stand-alone administrative unit overseeing graduate education at JMU - but with increased visibility and a well-defined sense of purpose. There are two strategic initiatives, which have been mandated by President Rose and the Provost for The Graduate School and a third, set forth by me as dean.

1. Support the development of graduate programs of distinction, some of which will be national/international in scope and deserving of national recognition from professional societies.

2. Increase graduate student enrollment until graduate student enrollment represents between 10-15% of the total student population.

3. Advocate and lead in the development of a more inclusive campus-wide perspective of, and appreciation for, graduate student life at JMU.

At the May 3 commencement, 446 students will earn their graduate degrees with 53 more earning their degrees during summer session. There are currently 45 graduate degree programs offered at JMU and since 1954, there have been 11,283 graduate degrees awarded by the university. Given that the university defined its mission almost exclusively as an undergraduate institution until five years ago, it is not a bad record for the first 53 years as the graduation rate has gone from 10 in 1956 to averaging over well 500 a year since 2005.

Enjoy your spring and for all of those who are graduating, please feel free to stop in anytime you return to campus. I wish you all the very best in your future endeavors!

Reid

Dr. Reid J. Linn
Dean, The Graduate School