Welcome to our Inclusion Hub website. This site is designed to be a resource and wealth of information for your success and access to departments, resources and individuals who are here to support you at JMU. Dr. Malika Carter-Hoyt is our inaugural Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and is here to lead strategically and support our existing and emerging initiatives across the institution.
Diversity and excellence go hand and hand. As JMU continues to grow and evolve as a nationally recognized university, we have embarked on a number of initiatives designed to enhance JMU’s culture and climate so as to position all members of our community for success. Here are some recent updates on this work:
Over 180 people committed to a two-year journey to explore and create recommendations that would enhance all aspects of our work and environment for students, faculty, staff, and other members of the JMU community. The Task Force represented the most inclusive group ever assembled at the university, with members including students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, parents, community members, and many others. This inclusive initiative reflected the spirit that we all have a lot to contribute, and we all have a lot to learn in a diverse educational community.
Through civil, constructive discourse and hard dialogue on issues of racial equity, the TFRE prioritized education and knowledge sharing. JMU recognizes that the work of racial equity is everyone’s job, and Task Force leaders recognized the need to include accountability processes throughout the recommendation implementation phase. The Task Force built on the groundwork of previous efforts, such as the Diversity Task Force and Task Force on Inclusion, that have looked broadly at all aspects of diversity and inclusion at JMU. This work is an important example of the ongoing American democratic experiment in action, as we seek to form a “more perfect Union” together.
James Madison University seeks to be an environment characterized by openness, fairness and equal access for all students, staff and faculty. We strive to facilitate a welcoming and inclusive campus climate that is grounded in mutual respect, nurtured by dialogue, and evidenced by a pattern of civil interaction.
To reach these goals, JMU undertook a comprehensive, university-wide campus climate study in 2021. The study involves multiple initiatives and deliverables that began immediately with the formation of a Climate Study Working Group, encompassed a Campus Climate Study Survey, and resulted in a report administered by an outside consulting company. We used the results to take immediate action and improve our campus while forming a long-term implementation team that will continue the work.
Reddix First Generation Center:
JMU recently launched our brand new First Generation Center, named in honor of JMU alumni Carl and Angela Reddix.
First-Generation Students at JMU:
Over the past two years, we have seen a large increase in applications from individuals who would be first-generation college students. The new Reddix Center for First Generation Students augments our support system for these students to ensure that they can succeed and thrive at JMU and beyond. Programs such as Centennial Scholars and Valley Scholars have opened doors for hundreds of students, and their retention and graduation rates are very strong.
The ongoing work of diversity, inclusion, access and opportunity is built into all aspects of the institution’s strategic plan. It reflects our educational mission to provide a high-quality education to as many students as possible, from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We welcome your thoughts and input as we continue with this work, and are glad you are part of the JMU community.
Go Dukes!
President Jonathan Alger
