2006 Address to Classified Staff

Address to the Classified Staff
August 18, 2006

Good morning. Thank you, Susan and Jason for your leadership!

Welcome to the start of our 98th academic year. Thank you all for coming. I see both familiar and new faces. If you are new to JMU, welcome.

We are excited to have you as part of the Madison team. We look forward to your contributions. We are also excited to have our old (I mean seasoned) employees.

A special thanks to our part-time employees. You are critical to the success of the range of services we provide to other staff and to students, and your efforts are also deeply appreciated. All of you are the backbone of this university, and working together as a team we ensure that our academic community runs efficiently and effectively.

Unfortunately in a university our size, it is impossible for me to talk with you as often as I would like. I look forward to these annual meetings and see them as an important way for me to communicate some of the major accomplishments of the last year, and to let you know where we are going as an institution.

In anticipation of this day I usually try to get away and really think clearly about our future.

In our contemporary society we have many flaws, and chief among them are the speed with which we move on to the next event, the next news item, the next relationship without reflecting on our own life experiences.

Reflection is an essential component of the learning process and we too often cut it short. In preparation for these remarks, I did some reflecting. I reviewed remarks I made on this occasion previously. In 1999 I spoke about four types of individuals in our organization: creators, refiners, maintainers, and integrators. I talked about the fear of the unknown in 2000. Remember “Here be Dragons?” After considering what I had to say in 2001, I concluded that it had not been a good year! I won’t go through the list, just trust me. In 2002, Dr Carrier came back and spoke to us and that was a delight. 2004 was all about having fun at work.

Do these look familiar?

Are We Having Fun yYet? The Critics of Fun









Last year was, of course, the apple pie.Apple Pie

But, the common thread woven through every annual address is you, and how much you do each year to make this university better than it was the year before. I’m going to leave that pie up there for a minute just to make you salivate! So this morning I am going to devote the bulk of my remarks to reflection–reviewing our 97th year, and all that you have done. Much like 1982 was a great year for French cabernet, 2005-06 was a great year for Madison. Let’s not put it on the shelf like last year’s Bluestone yearbook too quickly. Let’s think about, reflect on it, savor it a bit. A few years ago, when we examined our original 29 defining characteristics, we determined that six needed strategic emphasis if we were to be the institution we aspired to be by 2008. I spoke to you about them at this time last year.

The six are:
• Diversity
• Financial Resources
• Private Support
• Graduate Programs of Distinction
• Professional Development
• Institutional Planning

Let me bring you up to date on the progress we have made in those areas during the past year. We have said that we want to further diversify our campus to offer a richer educational experience to our students. While this is one of those “miles to go before we sleep” goals, we have made great progress in a short period of time. There are many to thank, but certainly Daniel Wubah, Michael Walsh and our admissions staff, the faculty in residence: Oris Griffin, Bill O’Meara, Ashir Nasim, Jonathan Miles, and Steve Rollman. Diane Strawbridge, Art Dean and the CMSS staff, Lisa Tumer and the staff in Financial Aid and Scholarships, and the members of our college and administrative unit diversity councils should also be recognized for their leadership.

This year, African-American applications increased 40 percent from 754 to 1,056. Hispanic student applications increased 11 percent from 578 to 641 and Asian student applications were up slightly. And the quality of the applicant pool also improved. Our efforts are paying off.

We enter the third year of the Centennial Scholars program this year. We are enjoying a 94% retention of our participating students from the past two years – a remarkable statistic given that many of these students are first generation college students.

Conversations about Diversity and a number of diversity training programs sponsored by Human Resources have been effective in helping us all to appreciate those different perspectives and ideas that might have at one time seemed foreign or unfamiliar. Other programs like Faces of America and the Multicultural Attache Program make our new students think about the community they are about to join.

We increased our minority hiring of full-time employees from 133 to 153 in one year. Since 2003 our total employment has increased 11 percent, while minority employment has increased 26 percent. That is progress. How about a hand for a job well done for the people I mentioned and countless others who are helping with this strategic initiative of the university.

Another strategic initiative of the University has been the improvement of our financial resources.

I am pleased to report that the financial health of the university has certainly improved over the course of the past year. While the news of our state funding was delayed because of the budget impasse in Richmond, we did end up with improved funding for university operations and capital improvements. Thanks to Charles King, Diane Stamp, who was recently promoted, and the budget office staff, as well as all those throughout the campus who work hard to develop strong and defendable budget proposals. Diane is already doing a great job and she will appreciate your help as she fully assumes her new duties.

The University’s total budget approved for 2006-07 increased by $37 million or 12.5% in one year from $296.2 million to $333.2 million. Perhaps more significantly, we realized a real improvement in per student funding from the state general fund even after factoring enrollment growth from $5,513 to $6,196. Of course, tuition dollars are added to those figures to obtain total revenue per student. After years of enrollment growth outstripping funding, we have finally reversed that relationship.

For the first time in the modern history of the University we are funding in this year the positions needed to support our projected enrollment for next year so that when next year’s class arrives, the faculty required to teach them at our current 16.6 to 1 student to faculty ratio will already be employed. The funds for the positions will be used for one-time expenses this year so that they are set aside to meet the employment commitment for 2007-08. In addition to improved instruction for our students, planning and recruitment in the academic division will finally have some coherence. We will also create a buffer for ourselves in that
year when another recession appears.

Enhancing private support of the University was the third of six strategic initiatives we identified for ourselves.

We announced our first ever capital campaign of $50 million dollars in March on James Madison Day. On that front, I am pleased to report that in July we completed our best fund raising year ever.

We also introduced the President’s Council this year. The President’s Council is comprised of those individuals who contribute at least $1,000 annually. I am pleased to share with you that we enrolled 1,050 charter members in that organization last year.
In 2004-05, we raised $6.6 million dollars and the comparable amount for 2005-06 was $13.3 million. We improved markedly in all categories: annual fund gifts, major gifts, corporate/foundation gifts and planned gifts to support our academic and athletic university programs. I have personally thanked Dr. Carr and her staff for a great year, but let me ask those of you are here from the Advancement division as well as those of you involved in athletic fund raising to stand and be recognized by us all.

They will be the first to tell you that they may be the ones speaking to a donor, but that donors contribute to programs and people, potential and promise – not to campaigns. In that regard all of you have contributed to this great success. We are making wonderful strides in creating a fund raising culture at Madison.

I am particularly proud of the fact that 783 employees or 35% of our full time employees have contributed to the University. You will notice the check on stage representing the $323,000 contributed by our faculty and staff. This sends a very positive signal to other constituent groups who see that employees support the organization in which they work. Whether you are full-time, part-time or an affiliate employee, my thanks to all of you who personally support the university through your contributions. My thanks also to Diane Yerian, and Diane and Reg Foucar-Szocki for their leadership of the employee giving program.

While our undergraduate programs represent approximately 90 percent of the university’s enrollment, our Strategic Plan recognized the need for six to eight nationally prominent graduate programs. Under the leadership of now retired Dean Bill Walker, we reorganized the College of Graduate and Outreach Programs and developed standards of excellence criteria to determine “graduate programs of distinction.” Seven programs have achieved “distinguished” status, and others are under development.

We have long recognized that the University needed to provide enhanced opportunities for professional development and training. Our capacity to carry out our desires has not been limited by our will, but by resource constraints until just a few years ago.

A funding commitment has been made to create the Center for Faculty Innovation led by Karen Santos and it will be permanently housed in the new Library. An improved orientation for new faculty, the faculty enhancement series, the teaching analysis polls program, the faculty book discussion program as well as other new efforts complemented the existing Madison Teaching fellow program and the workshops provided by the Center for Instructional Technology led by Sandy Maxfield.

Our new Department of Training and Development led by Diane Yerian didn’t do much at all last year! Only 33,617 recorded hours of professional development activity including 136 workshops or programs and 7 certificate programs. Participation in training activities such as these hopefully makes you feel more accomplished and prepared for new challenges. I know that it benefits the university through the added competence you now bring to your work.

And, I want to thank Dr. Warner for the role he has played in raising awareness about the concept of leadership and leadership development on our campus.

Quite a few of you received degrees and certificates this past year. I won’t embarrass you by asking you to stand but I know who you are and please know that we are all proud of your accomplishment!

Finally, in our Strategic Plan we committed ourselves not to a future that simply unfolds in front of us, but to a planned future based on shared values and beliefs guided by the involvement of the University community. To that end, I appointed the Madison Commission last year.

The Madison Commission’s charge was to review our university values, mission, and vision statements to determine if they were still appropriate for the planning period through 2012—and to validate or suggest changes to the 29 Defining Characteristics to ensure they were relevant for the next 6 years. As you well know, the defining characteristics drive our goal-setting and actions in the future.

I would like to take a moment to thank all those individuals who served on the Madison Commission. There were 67 individuals, representing all areas of the university, who served on sub-committees. They worked very hard and we appreciate their diligence and consideration.

I would like to give special thanks to the members of the steering committee:
Reid Linn, Chair, Phil DuBose, Ron Kander, Jeanne Martino-McAllister, Julie Wallace Carr, Wesli Spenser, Kent Zimmerman, Al Menard

Would any members of the Madison Commission who are with us today please stand up and be recognized?

This past April, the Madison Commission submitted its final report to me. I then met with the university’s senior leadership team at a retreat earlier this summer, and we reflected on the Commission’s recommendations. After days of discussions and critical thinking, we had a solid understanding of the direction that JMU needs to go in its second century, which was largely an affirmation of the path we are already on.

I will not go into detail in this meeting, but I do want to share a few points that emerged from the Madison Commission’s fine work.

Our values statement was refined to represent the core beliefs we hold as we carry out our planning: Our student-centered community values excellence, integrity and mutual respect.

Our mission statement received some tweaking, but the message remains the same: We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Our academic community exists because of our students. Everything we do, we do with them and their education in mind.

Our vision statement was changed a bit. Our new vision statement is: To be the leading comprehensive university.

We needed something more succinct and to the point. There are no other qualifiers – just the leading comprehensive university! To achieve this vision, we must still strive to blend the very best attributes of a research university with the best qualities of a smaller, liberal arts college.

However, this revised statement challenges us to be a leader in all areas of the university, expanding our vision to encompass each and every individual who is a part of the Madison community. We also acknowledge that to be a leader, we must be diligent and unceasing in our quest for excellence. Other institutions are moving forward as well. So, even in those areas where we have traditionally led our peers, we must stay focused and remain innovative and forward-looking.

Instead of 29, there are now 17. You will remember that the 29 defining characteristics were descriptors that we wanted to represent Madison by the time of our Centennial Celebration in 2008. No one could remember 29, but I think it is fair to expect that you can all recite 17!

We have not eliminated much, but we have done some consolidation where there was overlap, and categorized the characteristics under three broad areas: academic programs; community; and infrastructure.

We believe this method of organization will help us bring focus and direction to our planning.

I encourage you to visit the University’s planning website where you can find more detail about the changes to the defining characteristics. Let me say again, we approach the university’s second century.

To enhance understanding of and involvement in the planning process, and to complement what occurs at the divisional, college and unit levels I began meeting with individual programs or units last winter. I will continue that same activity this year and look forward to meeting with you to solicit your ideas and to share a few of mine.

Well, that provided a quick update on where we are with our six strategic initiatives, but obviously there is much more going on. Before I comment on some of those accomplishments and recognitions, I thought you might be interested in a piece of work done by Chuck DeHart in our office of Institutional Research. Chuck worked with the Virginia Employment Commission to investigate the economic impact of the University on the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

Not counting expenditures by students, parents, alumni and etc. for big weekends such as family weekend, graduation, homecoming, and move-in, for fiscal year 2004-05, more than $292 million dollars were spent locally by the university, its students and employees. This slide also illustrates estimated expenditures in the community for the earlier years in which we conducted impact studies. Earlier studies did not include capital expenditures and the numbers have not been inflated to 2005 dollars.

Over 3,000 non JMU jobs in the local area were a result of university related spending. Over $21 million was spent locally on capital outlay projects. Almost $12 million in health insurance premiums was paid by the university for employees, which was returned in payments to local health providers. University related spending generated a tax effect of $7.6 million in revenue to the local governments. Clearly, the University is a significant player in the local economy.

Before I go any further, there is a group of people that I want to recognize. It is a collection of individuals to whom we are all indebted, and that observation is true wherever you may look in the organizational hierarchy. They are the glue that holds the University together and they are indispensable. I feel so strongly about this that I wanted the group to come forward in front of the stage so that we might express our appreciation to them.

However, I was advised that they wouldn’t cooperate so I will only ask them to stand. Would all of the executive and administrative assistants stand now?

Let me say a few words about our facilities. Having adequate space for academic, administrative and other support functions is critical to our continued success. We made progress with square footage again last year. We occupied the new physics/chemistry building, the renovated Harrison Hall, the new Financial Services/IT facility on South Main Street and the Whitesel\Building. We opened a new dining option – Top Dog in the Phillips Center. We also leased and then acquired Memorial Hall and purchased the Kyger Funeral Home. Two more additions to the pedestrian mall were also completed last year.

The renovation of Miller Hall, and the construction of the new parking deck and the new library will proceed this year, and you have no doubt noted the change to the western skyline of the University. Final architectural planning for the Performing Arts Center will draw to a close this year, leading to construction in the following year. We will also be busy working with architects and engineers to plan for the occupancy of the hospital property, as well as the University Park playing fields on Port Republic Road, the east campus athletic facility, and the Main Street Viaduct.

While I am on the subject of buildings, I also want to mention the grounds.

How about a round of applause for those ladies and gentlemen who create and care for such a beautiful place for us to work everyday? I saw Roy Cardin yesterday in front of Burruss Hall as he was putting the finishing touches on the landscaping work in front of the building. Instant grass is great isn’t it? I don’t know if he realizes it or not, but his work is in thousands of homes. Campus visitors are always taking photographs of our beautiful grounds. There are world famous artists who paint beautiful landscapes: Roy, Frank and others on our landscaping staff are artists too, because they create those gorgeous landscapes!

Sue Booth, Matilda Honeycutt and their student helpers improved everybody’s mental state with the planters and flower beds around the campus.

And I would stack the interior condition of our buildings up against any institution in the country. We are so fortunate to have so many dedicated folks in Housekeeping looking after us! Let me share an email I received from Dean Phil Wishon last week. He was writing to Charles King.

Good Afternoon Charlie,

I just wanted to take a moment to tell you what a great job your staff and colleagues have done with all of the renovations and upkeep of Memorial Hall and surrounding grounds. COE faculty and staff could not be happier with how attractive and professionally presentable everything is--from the shine on the floors, to the glow of new paint, polished windows, and impressive grounds-work. It's easy for us to feel proud of our new digs because we experience first-hand the pride that has gone into making things so inviting for us and our students. We will be hosting the former occupants of the facility (HHS teachers and staff) next week, and I know that they too will be impressed with how grand things look.

I truly appreciate your support of our move to Memorial Hall, and ask that you convey our college's gratitude to your staff when you have the opportunity. You do a great job. Thank you

Others also recognized our commitment to mission and hard work.

Last year, U.S. News and World Reports ranked us as the number one public masters I university in the South for the 12th year in a row. Today, the magazine will publicly announce that we remain in the top spot for the 13th year in a row! Kiplinger’s had us as the 17th best value in higher education in the country. Our graduation rate of 80 percent was ranked 17th in the country by the New York Times, and our college of Business led by Dean Bob Reid was ranked by BusinessWeek as 35th in the nation. The Princeton Review rated our dining services 7th in the country.

Our first year experience programs were ranked in the top 50. Made possible by the generosity of a private supporter and with the leadership of Jeffrey Showell, our music program became an All-Steinway school, and our faculty performed in the Kennedy Center in Washington. The General Education Program represented by Donna Sundre, Linda Halpern and Violet Allain received the Council for Higher Education Accreditation’s national award for institutional progress in Student Learning Outcomes.

John Knight and his team in finance led us to the achievement of the Commonwealth’s financial management standards once again, including a perfectly clean financial audit with no management points.

IT again recorded customer satisfaction ratings of over 90 percent.

The recognition that matters most is that of our current and prospective students. Last year 93 percent of our current students said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their overall JMU experience, and over 20,000 students applied to attend this year.

Hurricane relief efforts of our faculty, staff and students represented us all to the world in a very positive manner and once again demonstrated the kind of learning community we are.

Our coaches and student athletes also represented us well, with outstanding seasons in archery, baseball, women’s basketball, men’s soccer and lacrosse.

In academic programs, Dr. Brown and his administrative and faculty associates led an effort yielding Board approval for new bachelor’s degrees in engineering and in information analysis, a master’s degree in the European Union Policy Studies to be provided in Florence, Italy, and a doctorate of Musical Arts.

A new organizational unit, Outreach Programs, led by Dr. Jim Schaefer will extend our reach into the local community and region and I think we can expect great things from this effort. Dr. Brown also announced another new organizational entity, University Studies, led by Dr. Linda Halpern to coordinate our general education, honors and advising in the majors programs.

When I sit down to write my annual report to the Board and to prepare my remarks to you, I am amazed at the sheer numbers of accomplishments that we, as a university, amass in one academic year.

Starting this month, I will be posting a monthly news bulletin on the faculty/staff gateway, in an effort to keep all faculty and staff informed about major university accomplishments. Many have expressed that they don’t hear news or accomplishments from other divisions. My hope is that I can help facilitate that process and keep you in the loop on information that is university-wide and that may be outside your division. So, be on the lookout for that in the coming weeks.

What a year it was! I only shared the highlights. The Madison Commission recommended adding the word community to the mission statement.

How insightful they were. Individuals could not accomplish all that was achieved last year. But a community of individuals linked together by common values, a common purpose and a will to be the best, can do anything.

And now I want to close my remarks with a short video that some of you may have seen. It was prepared by Nate Marsh and others in our own University Advancement division. It describes what we do here and why we do it, and I think it provides wonderful inspiration for the year ahead.

Be The Change Video: http://media.jmu.edu/special/8_872.asx

Thank you all. I look forward to another great year. Remember why we do this – it’s the students. Another class will move in on Wednesday. It may seem like just another class to us, but remember it is their first time here. Let’s help make it a great experience for them.

Some of you might have noticed that when I was reviewing my remarks from past years, I did not reference 2003. Among other things, in 2003 I encouraged you to think big and I quoted Longfellow who said, “If you would hit the mark, you must aim a little above it; every arrow that flies feels the attraction of earth.”

Aim high this year. Be the change in someone’s life! See you at the picnic on Monday!