Presidential Update - Campus Fall 2015

Dear Madison Community,

It has been quite a semester so far, and I’d like to share a few important updates about the happenings at James Madison University. 

• Board of Visitors Update
• Homecoming and ESPN College GameDay
• Hart School Unveiling and Other Philanthropic Highlights
• Bringing the Vision of Engagement to Life
• International Relationships with Kosovo and Rwanda
• New Academic Leaders
• STEM Efforts Recognized
• Student Veterans
• Public Safety
• Madison Vision Series
• Grand Celebration of Innovation, Art and Scholarship
• Madison Singers Perform with Josh Groban
• Title IX Training
• Athletics News

Board of Visitors Update

The Board of Visitors met on Friday, Oct. 9 and considered a number of different topics important to the university.  We welcomed six new board members at this meeting.  We are excited by the experience and thoughtfulness that these new members bring to the board’s discussions and deliberations.

The board approved the transition of the industrial design emphasis within the studio art major to a major in industrial design.  The new Bachelor of Science in industrial design will be available immediately, as those students currently enrolled in the emphasis will have the option to graduate with the major in May 2016.  The Education & Student Life Committee also had a first reading of the proposal to transition the existing Honors Program into the JMU Honors College, with a second reading and vote expected at the January BOV meeting. 

Members of the Board of Visitors also discussed and approved the university’s six-year plan.  Each public college or university in the Commonwealth is required to submit a six-year plan for the state to use as a planning tool.  The plan outlines the university’s enrollment, academic and financial priorities over the next six years.  JMU’s priorities within the plan fall into three categories:  access, inclusion and student success; achieving our vision of being the national model of the engaged university; and creating an innovative entrepreneurial ecosystem.  For the complete plan, visit University Planning and Analysis.

Homecoming and ESPN College GameDay

JMU Homecoming took GameDay by storm as JMU showed our spirit and commitment to our school as students camped out, cheered on our football team and made their mark on Homecoming history. Despite the loss against Richmond, we were excited to welcome our alumni home. 

Along with the thrill of GameDay, JMU hosted networking events, speakers and opportunities for alumni to return to the classroom with our Back to School Classes. D-hall classics were enjoyed and sneak peaks of the new facility were given.  We also celebrated many Homecoming milestones for three essential building blocks of James Madison.  The Center for Multicultural Student Services celebrated its 30^th birthday along with the College of Business Advisory Board. The Student Government Association tops off a century with its 100^th anniversary. We thank these organizations for their continuing contributions to the Madison Experience. 

I would like to give a special thanks to all those who helped to prepare and clean up, especially our Facilities Management team who returned the quad back to pristine condition after six hours, as well as Dining Services who catered over 50 events this Saturday. Thank you all for your hard work and long hours to create a successful Homecoming, as well as helping us all to transition back to another school week. 



Hart School Unveiling and Other Philanthropic Highlights

October 9 marked a watershed occasion for James Madison University.  We were honored, with G.J. and Heather Hart, to dedicate the newly renamed Hart School of Hospitality, Sport and Recreation Management and to reveal its new logo.  The Hart School is the first named school in the university’s 108-year history.  The Harts’ investment of time and treasure is already evident within the school.  We look forward to great things from our Hart School students, faculty, staff, and alumni thanks to G.J. and Heather’s generous gift of time and treasure.  Read more… 

The University also opened the new academic year with an announcement of a $1 million gift from Dick and Shirley Hanson Roberts (’56) for faculty support.  Dick Roberts personally attended the opening faculty meeting to express his support and appreciation for the ways in which JMU faculty transform the lives of our students.

Many people have asked about progress on the Alison B. Parker Memorial Scholarship.  As most of you know, Alison (a 2012 JMU graduate and former Breeze reporter) was one of two journalists killed near Roanoke in late August.  In conjunction with the Parker family, the university created the Alison B. Parker Memorial Scholarship.  More than 1,000 donors from around the nation have contributed nearly $190,000 to this new fund.  We hope that this scholarship will serve as a lasting legacy to Alison’s passion for life and journalism. 

Bringing the Vision of Engagement to Life

JMU has been well represented at national and regional conferences this fall that have provided opportunities to bring JMU’s new vision (to be “the national model of the engaged university:  engaged with ideas and the world”) to life.  For example, I was pleased to represent JMU as a co-host with Penn State and Virginia Tech at the 2015 Engagement Scholarship Consortium in University Park, Pennsylvania.  The goal of the consortium is for universities to work collaboratively to build strong university-community partnerships that are anchored in the rigor of scholarship, and designed to help build community capacity.  More than 400 individuals representing 33 institutions throughout the United States and Canada were on hand.  Members of the JMU community presented on several topics including assessment, engaging campus and community, engagement in strategic planning, and outreach efforts through our nursing program and the Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services.

I was also pleased to join several JMU colleagues at the Virginia Governor’s Higher Education Presidents’ Summit on the Service Year in Williamsburg.  Presidents, faculty and staff from 16 Virginia colleges and universities gathered to discuss the concept of public service as a component in higher education.  JMU had the opportunity to share its model of service through the Engaged University framework.  More information about the summit is available here.  Additionally, the College of William & Mary’s Associate Vice President for Student Engagement and Leadership, Drew Stelljes (a JMU alum), wrote a nice blog post about the event.

Finally, I was honored to speak at the Virginia Workforce Conference in Richmond recently before hundreds of corporate and education leaders, in which we discussed the crucial role of higher education in economic development and the ways in which engaged learning (including experiential learning such as internships) can prepare students for the demands of the 21^st Century. 

The Engaged University Council continues its important work in providing leadership on ways in which the university can articulate and implement the three aspects of engagement featured in our strategic plan (engaged learning, community engagement, and civic engagement) both in and outside the classroom.

International Relationships with Kosovo and Rwanda 

On September 15, Kosovo’s Minister of Education, Science and Technology and I signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will result in an exchange of students and teachers among universities in the United States and Kosovo.  This global collaboration comes from the relationship we have built with former Kosovo Ambassador to Japan and current JMU visiting scholar, Ahmet Shala. 

The MOU is already gaining momentum with over ten projects underway and more in development.  Faculty members are leading projects ranging from class initiatives on Kosovar environmental issues to forming an assessment and accreditation team to consult with Kosovar universities.  In addition, students from Kosovo have the opportunity to enroll in high-impact programs at JMU, and JMU students can participate in study abroad opportunities in Kosovo.  These and other innovative projects are engaging faculty and students in cross-cultural collaborations that have both short- and long-term impact potential for JMU and Kosovo.  Faculty members interested in proposing project ideas or getting involved are invited to contact Michael Stoloff at stolofml@jmu.edu.

This week, the university is once again hosting the iDebate Rwanda team, which consists of students who are using debate to foster civil discourse in a young democracy and to share the story of their post-genocide generation.  The team visited JMU last year on a national tour, and has made JMU one of its primary stops this year (including numerous class visits) as they rise to 4^th in the nation for debate.  The university is continuing to explore how it can work with iDebate Rwanda to support debate as a way to bring together a diverse society.  

New Academic Leaders

JMU is pleased to welcome several new academic leaders to campus this fall. 

Dr. Adam Murray is the new dean of Libraries and Educational Technologies.  Dr. Murray previously served as dean of University Libraries at Murray State University in Kentucky.

Dr. Jie Chen is the new dean of The Graduate School.  Dr. Chen came to us from the University of Idaho, where he served as the dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

Dr. Bradley Newcomer is the new director of the Honors Program as we seek to take the next step to develop a full Honors College within JMU.  He most recently served at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he was the assistant dean for Undergraduate Honors and Research and professor and director of the B.S. in Biomedical Science Program.

Dr. Marcia Schmidt Blaine is serving JMU this year as an ACE (American Council on Education) Fellow.  She is the chair of the Department of History and Philosophy, and professor of History at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire.

STEM Efforts Recognized

The National Center for Pathways to Innovation recognized JMU as one of 25 institutions providing a strong orientation for new STEM students.  JMU’s engineering program was recognized for its innovative Madison Engineering Launch and the Engineering Opportunities course that is the required first class of all engineering majors.

Student Veterans

The 225 student veterans at JMU now have a place to call their own.  On September 11, the JMU Student Veterans Association opened a new center in Wilson Hall that will be reserved for military veterans.  The new center will serve as a campus home for both current and prospective student veterans.  It helps build community and provides resources for veterans. Our JMU SVA chapter received a $10,000 grant that came from a partnership between the Student Veterans of America and the Home Depot Foundation.

Public Safety

In August the James Madison University Police received their first re-accreditation from the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission (VLEPSC).  I am proud to report that our department was in compliance with all 190 standards.  

Less than 25% of all police agencies (and only three colleges or universities) within the commonwealth are accredited through this prestigious agency. 

Madison Vision Series

We kicked off our Madison Vision Series with Mr. Stewart Harris, professor of law at Appalachian School of Law. He hosts a radio show that is produced in partnership with James Madison’s Montpelier, “Your Weekly Constitutional”, which focuses on interesting and controversial issues in constitutional law, from gay rights to gun rights. YWC is produced at NPR affiliate WETS-FM and is syndicated nationally.  Recently, I had the honor of being a guest on his show. Listen to our conversation here. 

Earlier this month we were pleased to welcome Dr. George Kuh, director of the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment and one of the foremost national experts on student engagement, as part of our Madison Vision Series.  During his talk, Dr. Kuh shed light on the idea of lifelong integrative learning that stretches beyond the classroom.  He emphasized how undergraduates can harvest rich learning experiences outside of the classroom to understand the competitiveness of today’s economy.  To listen to Dr. Kuh’s talk, click here.

JMU alumnus Russ Reeder, CEO of iCitizen, addressed the JMU community on October 22.  iCitizen is an online platform for civic-minded individuals who want a source of transparent, aggregated information and a tool to communicate with their representatives at the local, state and federal levels. 

Please join us on November 19 for our final speaker for 2015, Dr. Danielle Allen.  Dr. Allen is the author of “Our Declaration” and is the director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard.  She is a political philosopher widely known for her work on justice and citizenship.

Grand Celebration of Innovation, Art and Scholarship

The grand Celebration of Innovation, Art and Scholarship placed a spotlight on the faculty of the School of Art, Design and Art History in the fifth installment of the Noftsinger Celebration.  The guests enjoyed keynote speakers Dr. Laurie Baefsky, Dr. Eric Ruple and Dr. Steve Whisnant on the topic of the interdisciplinary nature of art. A showcase of scholarship and a celebration of talented faculty were also part of this special event in the newly renovated Duke Hall.

Madison Singers Perform with Josh Groban

The Madison Singers received an invitation to perform in concert with Grammy-nominated artist Josh Groban in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia last month.

Thirty-two voices in the advanced choral chamber ensemble got the chance to share the stage with the world-renowned singer after Groban’s tour manager reached out to director Jo-Anne van der Vat Chromy.

After performing a two-hour concert to a sellout house, Groban took time to join the Madison Singers for a picture and chat outside the theater in Philadelphia.  Groban spent time with the Madison Singers—laughing, joking and talking about the pressures and challenges of touring.

JMU’s School of Music holds a high level of talent and capacity, and professional opportunities like these allow students to raise their game and prepare themselves for what lies ahead.

Click here for future performances at the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts.

Title IX Training

All JMU employees are now required to participate in Title IX training.  Heightened awareness regarding sexual assault has led to changing federal and Commonwealth mandates.  The purpose of this training is to assist our campus community in understanding our legal, moral and ethical obligations to provide a safe environment for our students, faculty, staff and visitors.  The Title IX training provides individuals with information on how to identify, respond to and provide support related to incidents of sexual misconduct.

If you are employed by the university in any way (instructional faculty, administrative and professional faculty, adjunct faculty, classified staff, wage employees, graduate students with assistantships and student employees) and have not already done so, please visit Canvas to complete the training.

Athletics News

Not only are our teams enjoying great success in the arenas of competition, we are making solid progress toward goals and objectives set out in the JMU Athletics strategic plan, “Engaged in Excellence.” An update to the Board of Visitors takes place annually and focuses on accountability measures and progress toward the plan. Key performance measures and status updates outlined in more detail here contain notable accomplishments including the implementation of the model for integrated sports performance, progress from 81 to 83 percent in the NCAA Graduation Success Rate, and having eight teams represent the university in NCAA postseason competition, resulting in a second-place finish in the Learfield Director’s Cup among Colonial Athletic Association programs. Such accountability and measurable progress will continue to be hallmarks of JMU Athletics.

Related to our athletics strategic plan but in a broader context, the administration is considering the impact on our athletic programs of new developments in a changing national intercollegiate landscape, and of new legislation approved in the Virginia General Assembly during the past session. Specifically, a new law, referred to as the Cox Bill while under consideration, sets forth new requirements related to the funding of athletics programs at public universities. Consequently, our Board of Visitors concurred with the administration’s recommendation that the university retain a consultant to advise us on how these evolving issues will affect our athletic programs in the future. This work will be ongoing over the next several months.   

As always, I wish all of you a productive and enlightening second half of this semester. Best of luck, and please enjoy a safe, restful and joyous Thanksgiving Holiday with your families and friends.

Jonathan R. Alger

President