Student Services and Learning Resources
Academic Affairs Mission Statement
Phone: (540) 568-6616
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/acadaffairs
Our mission is to provide an exceptional educational experience, designed to meet the changing needs of our students in society and dedicated to achieving the highest level of excellence within our academic programs. We strive to focus on the student both as an individual and as a member of the global community. Our faculty are dedicated mentors who are scholars, innovative teachers, and models of responsibility and accountability. Our staff are creative and talented colleagues who are committed to providing a supportive environment that facilitates learning and development.
Administration and Finance Mission Statement
Phone: (540) 568-6434
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/adminfinance/
The Division of Administration and Finance is committed to the preparation of students to be educated and enlightened citizens who will lead productive and meaningful lives. The division supports the university's commitment to excellence by empowering our staff to communicate effectively with the university community and provide proactive approaches to satisfy customer expectations.
Student Affairs and University Planning Mission Statement
Phone: (540) 568-3685
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/stuaffairs/
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.
211 Bluestone Drive, MSC 2902
Phone: (540) 568-6121
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/bookstore
The JMU Bookstore stocks all textbooks used by the academic units, as well as a large selection of general and technical books. The store also sells school, office and computer supplies, software, clothing, gifts, magazines and greeting cards. For students' convenience, the bookstore provides services including special orders for books, textbook buy back, gift certificates, film processing, bus tickets and computer services.
Warren Hall, Third Floor, MSC 3532
Phone: (540) 568-6446
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/cardctr/
Card Services issues the JMU access card, the official identification card for all members of the university community. JAC allows access to various campus facilities and services. It is also used for meal plans, dining dollar declining balance accounts and FLEX declining balance accounts, all of which are administered by Card Services. FLEX declining balance accounts are honored for purchases or services in the following areas: bookstore, on-campus copy centers and copy machines, game room, library fines, Mister Chips convenience store, postal services, University Health Center, UREC, printing labs across campus, Masterpiece Theatre, Parking Services, UPB movies, on-campus vending machines, Warren Hall Ticket Office and all dining services locations as well as many off campus locations.
Medical Arts Suite 31, MSC 5722
Phone: (540) 568-3263
HHS, Room 1002, MSC 4311
Phone: (540) 568-8731
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/copycenter
The University Copy Centers are owned and operated by the university as a service to the campus community. Two locations provide a full range of photocopying services. Academic coursepack service, copyright permission service, full color copying, digital copying and digital file storage, network printing, binding, laminating and express photocopying service are available. Hours of operation vary by location. All centers are closed for university holidays.
Gibbons Hall, Entrance 7, MSC 0901
Phone: (540) 568-6751
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/dining/
To meet the varied needs of individual students, Dining Services provides different meal plans. All on-campus residents choose from among three meal plans, which come with the "Student Housing and Food Contract." They are the 19-Meal Plan, the 14-Meal Plan and Any-11-Premier Meal Plan. Commuters, who do not automatically have meal plans, may purchase any of the on-campus plans and have the additional options of a ten, five and three meal plan.
The department offers declining balance accounts that operate like debit cards. Students using this plan, called Dining Dollars, get a 5-percent discount and pay no sales tax on anything they buy. Cash sales are also welcome at all Dining Services locations.
Parking Deck, 381 Bluestone Drive, MSC 1301
Phone: (540) 568-3300
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/parking/
All vehicles parked on property owned, operated or leased by James Madison University are required to display a valid JMU parking permit. For information regarding the university's parking regulations refer to the Parking and Traffic Regulations Handbook. A copy of the handbook may be obtained free of charge upon request at the Parking Services office. Updated information can be obtained throughout the academic year on the Web site.
Wilson Hall, Room 301, MSC 1016
Phone: (540) 568-6555
Employer Relations and Recruiting: Sonner Hall, Lower Level
Phone: (540) 568-7379
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/cap
Career and Academic Planning coordinates academic advising for all first year students and undeclared students; assists students in choosing or changing their major and deciding upon a career direction; and provides a variety of job search programs and graduate school application services.
Career Advising and Decision-Making
Career and Academic Planning helps students understand the process of deciding on an appropriate major and relate that decision to possible career paths.
Students can meet with professionals and attend various programs to enhance their knowledge of majors, explore career fields, learn career decision-making strategies, discover more about their own interests and strengths, and plan to eventually launch an effective job search.
Academic and Career Resource Center
The resource center provides information and assistance related to choosing a major and career planning, internship/summer jobs, job search tools and career trend information. A tool available to all students is FOCUS, a web-based career exploration tool available in the resource center and on-line. Directories with employer contact information and graduate school options are also available. Resources include books, printed materials, handouts, databases, career software and Web-based information. Information is organized on a self-help basis so that students and faculty may browse at their leisure. Staff members are available to answer questions and help students use resource materials.
Employment, Internship and Job Search Services
Employer Relations and Recruiting Services
Business, industry, government and educational employers come to JMU throughout the year to conduct job interviews with graduating seniors and students seeking internships. Information about the interview program, participating employers and interview sign-ups is available on the
Career and Academic Planning Web site. To interview, students must complete a Recruit-a-Duke workshop and create a profile on Recruit-a-Duke, an online system that connects students with employment and interviewing opportunities. To help students prepare for interviews, mock interview sessions with employer participants are held each semester.
Resume Development
Assistance with writing resumes is available to students in many forms. Students may access resume writing support via the Career and Academic Planning Web site. Resume writing workshops and other related services are available throughout the year, and students may make an appointment with an academic and career advisor to receive individual assistance. Additionally, a variety of resume guides are available in the Resource Center in Wilson Hall.
Career Fairs
The office sponsors a number of career fair events each year to provide students with the opportunity to interact with employers and obtain employment-related information.
Job Search
Job search related programs are offered throughout the academic year, including presentations on job search strategies for targeted industries, behavioral interviewing, networking and evaluating job offers. Students may also meet individually with an academic and career advisor to tailor their job search. Job vacancy publications are available through the resource center, which provide information about job opportunities in a variety of career fields. Recruit-a-Duke, JMU's online job search system, also gives students access to vacancy listings.
Internships
Internships are available with the federal government, other governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations and private entities. Students interested in internships should contact Career and Academic Planning or the appropriate academic unit office to obtain additional information. Credit must be arranged in advance with the appropriate academic unit head and the Office of the Registrar.
Wilson Hall, Room 201, MSC 1011
Phone: (540) 568-6366
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/csl
Community Service-Learning programs allow students to learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized community service. Students, faculty, staff and community agencies partner to help prepare students for lifelong community service and civic engagement. Alternative break programs are student led and developed service trips to locations in the United States and abroad. Most trips occur during spring break week, but trips may be offered during any academic break. America Reads and Community Work Study, part of the Federal Work Study financial aid program, place students in elementary schools to tutor in reading and in community service agencies that address a variety of community needs.
Counseling & Student Development Center (CSDC)
Varner House, Room 101, MSC 0801
Phone: (540) 568-6552
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/counselingctr/
The CSDC provides free, confidential personal counseling services to all full-time JMU students. Appointments can be made in person or over the phone (568-6552). After-hours crisis services may be accessed by contacting the Office of Public Safety (568-6911).
Counseling at the CSDC frequently involves issues such as relationship problems, self-esteem, depression, anxiety/stress, eating and body image concerns, and difficulty adjusting to college life. Services include:
- Personal Counseling: Individual counseling provides students with the opportunity to freely explore any personal problems or concerns which have a negative impact on the quality of their lives. The CSDC operates under a short-term treatment model under which the student and counselor collaboratively identify and address the student's primary concerns within a limited number of sessions. Students who request or require longer-term treatment are referred to community resources.
- Group Counseling: Each semester, students may participate in small group experiences on issues related to their needs (e.g., depression, eating disorders, anxiety, grief, etc.).
- Psychiatric Services: The CSDC has a psychiatrist who prescribes medications that may be helpful to students dealing with psychological issues. Only students who are currently engaged in ongoing treatment at the CSDC are eligible to receive these services. The cost of any medication and/or necessary lab work is the financial responsibility of the student. Students who are exclusively interested in psychiatric services are provided an off-campus referral.
- Consultation: In person or over the phone, the CSDC provides consultation to students, faculty, staff and others who are concerned about the unusual, problematic or potentially harmful behavior of others.
- Outreach Programming: Workshops on a wide variety of mental health topics may be requested by visiting the CSDC online.
- Peer Mentor Program: This program is designed to help first year and transfer multicultural and international students make a successful transition from high school to the university.
- Certificate Programs: The Interpersonal Skills Certificate Program helps students to develop the abilities and confidence necessary to effectively deal with a variety of social, emotional and academic situations. The Anger Management Certificate Program gives students the opportunity to examine their personal responses to anger and to learn more productive ways to deal with this emotion.
Center for Multicultural Student Services
Warren Hall, Room 245, MSC 3504
Phone: (540) 568-6636
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/multicultural
The Center for Multicultural Student Services celebrates the diversity of JMU students by fostering student growth and development, heightening awareness, and educating its constituents regarding ethnic and cultural diversity. The purpose of CMSS is:
- To assist the university in its goal of recruitment of multicultural students, faculty and staff.
- To assist with the retention of multicultural students through a host of program services designed to encourage students in achieving their academic and career aspirations.
- To encourage the development of a climate in which the accomplishments of multicultural students are appreciated.
- To create an environment through which multicultural students can continue to be an active part of the mainstream of campus life.
The office works diligently to provide the following services:
- Recruitment and Retention
- Cultural Programming and Awareness
- Student Support
- Leadership Development
Computer Literacy
JMU is committed to providing an educational environment that is consistent with current technology in an information society. The university provides all students with the opportunity to have some experience with computers.
The General Education Program requires all students to pass a basic computer proficiency test in their first semester at JMU. Other academic units also offer courses emphasizing computer applications for individual disciplines.
Computer Ownership
JMU strongly supports and encourages student use of computers. At some point in each student's college career, he or she will need to purchase a computer in order to meet the curricular expectations of a particular program. Recommended computer configurations for use in specific departments and majors can be found online at www.jmu.edu/computing/purchase.
Office of Disability Services and Learning Strategies
Wilson Hall, Room 107
Phone/TDD: (540) 568-6705
Fax: (540) 568-7099
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/ods
The disability services and learning strategies office is comprised of the following areas:
Learning Strategies Instruction
Wilson Hall, Room 107
Phone: (540) 568-6705
Fax: (540) 568-7099
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/lrc/LRC-LSI.shtml
Learning Strategies Instruction (LSI) is the direct-instruction of curriculum-based strategies designed to improve the actual process of learning. Available to any student, LSI promotes learning efficiency in current courses and is available in such areas as:
- Memory
- Note-taking
- Reading
- Studying
- Test-taking
- Time management
Screening and Assessment Service
Wilson Hall, Room 105
Phone: (540) 568-7146
Fax: (540) 568-2926
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/lrc/screeningassessment.shtml
This office provides a one-and one-half hour clinical interview exploring a broad range of historical, academic, study habits/skills, academic frustrations, and emotional components. A screening does not yield a diagnosis; rather, it assists in the decision making process for recommending the next step in the process.
Disability Services
Disability Services assists the university in creating an accessible community where students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to fully participate in their educational experience at JMU. Services include, but are not limited to the following:
- Equal access to university programs and services
- Provision and coordination of reasonable accommodations
- Disability-related support services
- Liaison to faculty, staff and students on disability related issues
- Assistive Technology and alternative text services
Assistive Technology Computer Labs
Carrier Library, Room 102
East Campus Library 1st Floor
Website: http://www.jmu.edu/ods/AssistiveTechnologyLab.shtml
Contact Disability Services for access to the Assistive Technology Computer Labs.
1017 Harrison St., MSC 5802
Voice/TDD: (540) 568-6991
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/oeo/
The Office of Equal Opportunity promotes the practice of and adherence to the equal opportunity policies of James Madison University. Bringing diversity to JMU, the program assists in the identification and recruitment of qualified individuals who normally have been underrepresented in the university. It also sponsors workshops on various subjects such as sexual harassment, disabilities, affirmative action, etc. The Office of Equal Opportunity also provides a place where individuals who feel that they have been subjected to harassment or discrimination due to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, veteran status, political affiliation or disability can file a complaint for an impartial resolution. Inquires may directed to the Office of Equal Opportunity.
Office of the Dean of Students
Taylor Hall, Room 300, MSC 3534
Phone: (540) 568-6468
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/deanofstudents
Staff are committed to providing students with impartial, independent an confidential support regarding university policies, procedures and regulations. Specific types of assistance include:
- notifying professors of extended class absences.
- facilitating the resolution of student issues and concerns.
- providing direction to students on procedures and regulations.
- providing confidential, impartial facilitation of communication.
Carrier Library
Carrier Library Circulation
Phone: (540) 568-6150
Carrier Library Reference Desk Phone: (540) 568-6267
Web site: http://www.lib.jmu.edu
East Campus Library
Phone: (540) 568-2731
Web site: http://www.lib.jmu.edu
Music Library
Phone: (540) 568-6041
Web site: http://www.lib.jmu.edu/music
JMU Libraries, consisting of Carrier Library, East Campus Library and the Music Library and, support research, study and instruction in the use of information resources at JMU. The JMU Libraries house almost 700,000 volumes, including books, periodicals, and audiovisual materials; subscribes to nearly 13,000 journals; and offers access to growing collections of online books, journals, and media. The library Web site is an online gateway to the services and collections of the JMU Libraries. Through the Web site, users can search LEO, the library catalog, connect to approximately 400 electronic databases, and find subject guides highlighting the most important print and electronic sources in many subject areas. Services such as e-mail reference and Interlibrary Loan request forms are also available on the Web site. As an authorized U.S. Government Document Depository, the JMU Libraries provide access to thousands of selected online and print documents. JMU Libraries is a member of VIVA, the Virtual Library of Virginia, a statewide consortium that offers access to numerous online journals and databases.
Carrier Library and the East Campus Library each provide more than 100 personal computers in their public areas. In addition, most of the online resources on the library Web site can be accessed from any computer on campus, and those with current JMU electronic IDs can configure their browsers to access library resources from any remote location.
One of the JMU Libraries' principal goals is to provide students with lifelong learning skills that will enable them to find, use and evaluate information in all formats. Students learn basic information literacy skills through "Go for the Gold," a set of online self-instruction modules available on the library Web site. Information literacy skills in the major are addressed through instruction sessions offered in library classrooms. Reference librarians are available on a walk-up basis or by appointment to answer questions and assist students with research.
The liaison program links a librarian to each academic unit. Liaison librarians provide a variety of services, including library instruction for course-related activities, collection development and consultation with individual faculty members and students.
The Music Library serves the students and faculty members of the School of Music, as well as offering its specialized resources to the greater university community. The East Campus Library houses the science, technology and health sciences collections and provides study space for individuals and small groups, reading rooms, and open study areas with casual seating. It also includes a 24-hour study area with a secure entrance, a computer lab and coffee bar.
Phone: (540) 568-6802
Web site: http://www.lib.jmu.edu/media/
Media Resources in Carrier Library acquires commercial educational media in video, audio and computer software formats for instruction and study by faculty, staff and students. It also provides an online video collection for streaming to the JMU community. Faculty and staff can consult with media center staff to locate program items not available in the collections. The center can assist users with scheduling and recording satellite programming for academic needs. It also distributes selected campus-wide software such as Microsoft Office, SPSS, SAS, Mathematica, and other applications in coordination with IT Computing Support. Media Resources technical staff coordinate the development, installation and maintenance of technology systems in classrooms and many special facilities on campus. Media Resources also offers portable equipment such as laptops, projectors, digital cameras, camcorders and audio recorders for loan, as well as audio/video editing workstations for student projects. Staff provide user support for all installed and portable equipment, as well as repair services for non-computer media technology used on campus.
