President Jonathan R. Alger
James Madison University
Inaugural Address
March 15, 2013
Convocation Center
Introduction
and Thanks
Governor
McDonnell, Lt. Governor Bolling, public servants from state and local
government, Rector Funkhouser, members of the Board of Visitors, special
greeters, presidents and delegates from other institutions, faculty, faculty
emeriti, staff, students, alumni, parents, community members, and special
friends and family – good afternoon!
What a wonderful moment for the entire, extended JMU family to come
together to celebrate our past, present, and future. Some friends are joining us via the Internet
today and wearing purple to show their solidarity—you all look good in
purple! Let me offer a special word of thanks
to the Inaugural Committee, to our speakers and musicians, and to everyone who
has helped organize or participated in the many activities of this special Madison
Week.
As only the sixth person to be installed as President in the 105-year
history of James Madison University, I am especially grateful to those who have
come before me and opened the doors of opportunity for future generations. Indeed, opening doors has been a theme at
this institution ever since our founding.
Julian Burruss, our first president, and his fellow educational pioneers
literally opened the doors of this new institution to future teachers. Samuel Duke and his compatriates opened the doors
of many new buildings and facilities. G.
Tyler Miller and his collaborators opened the doors to male students. And two of my predecessors are here today,
both of whom worked with the JMU community to open the doors of the University
wider than ever as a small teacher’s college became a nationally renowned
university. Guided by a vision focused
on students and learning, Ron Carrier and his colleagues built a campus that
spanned the great continental divide—otherwise known as Interstate 81—and Lin
Rose expanded the vision further by growing the institution with new programs
and technology to meet the needs of a new century. Please join me in saluting these two
extraordinary leaders, Dr. Carrier and Dr. Rose, along with all of the people
with whom they worked over the course of many decades of leadership. Our great thanks to all of you!
While James Madison University has changed significantly over time, its
strong foundation of educational excellence and engaged learning has remained
remarkably constant. In reflecting on
the University’s centennial just a few years ago in a book called The
Madison Century, Dr. Sidney Bland, Professor of History at Madison who will
deliver our benediction today, observed that the State Normal and Industrial
School (as we were first known) came into being in 1908 with the ideal that in
education, “the individual could still take charge of his or her destiny and
effect personal and societal change.”
Does that ideal sound familiar?
All these years later, at JMU we review essays from applicants who want
to come here because they desire to Be the Change. As Dr. Rose observed in his 1999 inaugural
address, “[t]he character of this university has remained a constant, an
anchor, in our institutional evolution.”
Listening Tour
Out of respect for these founding principles and traditions of
leadership at Madison, I decided to make it a priority to listen and learn when
I first joined this remarkable community.
Thus, I embarked on a Listening Tour to hear first-hand from students,
faculty, staff, alumni, parents, donors, legislators, and community members
about their hopes, dreams, and aspirations for this university. Framed around the simple question, “Why
Madison?”, our goal has been to focus on what makes JMU a special place to
learn, work, and live, and on the difference this institution has made in
people’s lives. We’ve held dozens of
these events on campus, in the community, throughout Virginia, and across the United
States. In person, in writing, and over
the Internet, people have shared profound joys, suggestions for improvement,
and sometimes deep concerns about the future.
As of this week, the tour has shifted into a new phase. Through this rich and thoughtful series of
conversations, key themes have emerged that allow us to answer the question,
“Why Madison?”—and to chart the course and priorities for the next phase of our
history by building upon our identity, strengths, and mission. So let me turn to these themes that
illustrate, “That’s Why Madison” —through a few examples of the many
voices that have captured the essence of this institution and its impact.
That’s Why Madison
First, at
every stop along the way people have described the welcoming culture and family feel of
Madison. It is a big, diverse, and constantly evolving
family to be sure—but this culture has remained remarkably constant even as the
university has grown from a teacher’s college into a major university. When I started in this position last summer,
I had the privilege of welcoming incoming freshmen and their families at the
Summer Springboard orientation sessions.
As a JMU freshman myself, I decided to bring my own parents (along with
my wife and daughter) to one of the sessions.
By the time we were finished that morning, I think all of us were ready
to enroll at JMU—and my parents were getting nervous that they might have to
start writing tuition checks again.
As we
heard that morning, the magic of Madison can be found in the close interactions of faculty members
and students — moments that
can be inspiring and life-changing. At a
“Why Madison?” event with Parents Council members, alumna Robin Goodman (who was there with her husband Clem,
also an alum), spoke of their strong family connection to JMU. Not only are they alumni and parents, they
also are donors who give to support and retain top faculty because, as Robin
said, “They sustain JMU’s vibrant academic culture and support student
success.” That’s Why Madison.
At a listening tour event in
Portola Valley, California, I met alumnus Michael Szymanski. He has described with passion how important
his experience was with Lee Congdon, now Emeritus Professor of History. Michael
believes that were it not for Dr. Congdon’s world history class his freshman
year, he might not have made it through Madison. A widely published and internationally
respected scholar, Dr. Congdon took personal interest in Michael as a student,
and became a mentor to him. That’s Why Madison.
When alumnus Jeff Gammage won the 2012 Pulitzer
Prize for a series appearing in the Philadelphia
Inquirer, the newsroom broke into chaos with hugs and champagne.
Jeff described this moment as he thought
of Flip De Luca and Dave Wendelken, his faculty
advisors at The Breeze. He wrote,
“It wasn't just that they were smart journalists and good teachers. It was that they gave enormously of their time
and insight. That's a rare and important
thing, but it's also a fragile thing, and needs to be nurtured.” That’s
Why Madison.
Throughout the Listening Tour, people have
talked not just about these close relationships between faculty and students,
but also about the high caliber
of these special professors who love to teach.
English Professor Joanne Gabbin puts JMU in the national spotlight as
founder and executive director of the Furious Flower Poetry Center. Last fall I witnessed firsthand the national
respect Dr. Gabbin commands when I traveled with her to the “Sheer Good Fortune”
event she organized with renowned poet Nikki Giovanni to honor novelist Toni
Morrison, with Maya Angelou as honored guest. That’s
Why Madison.
It’s not just our own students and alumni who
recognize the quality of our faculty.
When the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia presented its
Outstanding Faculty Awards this year, not just one but two JMU faculty members
were honored: Associate Professor of Engineering
Olga Pierrakos and Professor of Mathematics Laura Taalman. Upon receiving the award, Dr. Taalman said, “I’m really proud of JMU, especially
the growing excellence in undergraduate research as a vehicle for student
learning.” And Dr. Pierrakos noted that the
award "… is recognition of JMU as an innovative institution that fosters
true scholars, not just in teaching, but across many domains." That’s
Why Madison.
As we have heard often on the Listening Tour,
the JMU learning experience is special in part because much of the JMU
curriculum and co-curriculum is based on problem
solving and applied learning. Current
graduate student Eric Imbrescia exemplifies this approach. As a third-grade mathematics teacher at Peak
View Elementary in Rockingham County, last week Eric was presented the 2013
Mathematics Educator of the Year Award in Virginia. Eric says, “I teach math through a
problem-solving-based approach, meaning that simply writing 27 + 5 on a piece
of paper and doing traditional addition is out the window.” JMU educators go on to motivate and inspire
future generations of students. That’s Why Madison.
Last semester I witnessed a faculty team critiquing
a student team in COB 300, the full semester 12-credit course required of all business
students. The students go through the
experience in teams and are taught by a team of faculty from several disciplines
in the College of Business. This is a rare experience for undergraduates. We collaborate
within and across disciplines—and we understand the values of innovation
and teamwork. That’s Why Madison.
Another critical element of JMU’s identity that
has come through loud and clear on the Listening Tour is our passion for public service and civic
engagement. Junior psychology
major Krysten Yee calls the University’s Office of Community Service Learning her
home base. Krysten writes, “The people I
work with have inspired and pushed me into leadership positions I never would
have thought I was capable of pursuing when I first entered JMU. These hands-on experiences and invaluable
connections made are why Madison matters to me.” That’s
Why Madison.
At the “Why Madison?” event held last fall with
the College of Business Executive Advisory Council, I heard many perspectives
on how well JMU prepares students for the new economy. Alumni in senior leadership positions in successful
organizations praise our graduates for their collaborative spirit,
interpersonal skills, creativity, and resilience. But we also heard a constructive comment from
Steve Boehm, who spoke of a need for greater
diversity on our campus—echoing comments we have often heard from our
own students. Steve is now Senior Vice President for Global
Customer Services at eBay. He is sending
his team to manage operations all over the world where they have to do more
than just understand other cultures—they
have to lead and collaborate with people in those cultures to advance complex
operations. That requires not just cultural sensitivity, but cultural knowledge
and skill.
We are making strides in this area. The story of Tania Rodriguez is one example. Tania was born in Cuba, came to the United
States, graduated from JMU, and is now an attorney at a local law firm. Hers is a great American story. Access to JMU for students of great potential
such as Tania is an essential component of our mission.
Increasing the diversity of our campus is only
one way to broaden the experiences of our students. International
experiences provide another. Senior honors student Mary Ta heads to South
Africa in 2014 to embark on a lifelong dream of studying abroad. As a recipient of a $27,000 Rotary Foundation
scholarship, Mary (a double major in history and justice studies) will study
conflict resolution. Mary said, “I became
passionate in humanitarian issues in Africa as I learned more and more about
global issues and gained knowledge through classes, books and, of course, the
amazing professors at JMU.” That’s Why Madison.
During the Listening Tour, I heard from
alumni as well as current students about the value of staying
connected to Madison throughout one’s life.
We have heard about the power of intergenerational connections in
sharing and enhancing the Madison experience.
Alpha Kiflu graduated in 2004 and is a vice president at Goldman Sachs
in New York. Alpha remained connected
and mentored Justin Quaglia, class of 2010, who is now an analyst at Goldman
Sachs and who sits just seven trading desks away from Alpha. Justin continues
the tradition and is now mentoring J.P. Kril, class of 2013. J.P. spent much of this summer working at
Goldman and sleeping on Justin’s couch for the duration of an internship. Connecting all of this activity is finance professor Elias Semaan. One of our top priorities will be to keep alumni
engaged with Madison who can share their experiences with each other and with
subsequent generations of students. That’s Why Madison.
Speaking of alumni who remain connected, one
of the first JMU people I had the pleasure to meet was Warren Coleman, who
served on the presidential search committee.
As a former football player and dedicated student-scholar, Warren
exemplifies the student-athlete ideal.
He’s an ambassador for the University, a longtime supporter of JMU
Athletics, and now a member of the JMU Foundation Board of Directors.
Athletics plays an important role as a front
porch for the University—and as another aspect of the educational experience in
which students learn how to work in teams, provide leadership, and persevere to
achieve high goals. During the Listening
Tour I learned that eight of our student-athletes are in the Honors program. Participating in such a rigorous academic
experience—while managing the schedule of an intercollegiate athlete —is
nothing short of heroic. These academic
achievements are an important part of the character of our JMU athletics
program. That’s Why Madison.
As in everything we do at JMU, our athletes
push themselves to reach the highest levels of achievement. One such athlete is alumnus DJ Bryant, who was
a linebacker for the Dukes and had some fun recently in New Orleans as a member
of the Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens.
Unless JMU alumni Charles Haley and Gary Clark have sneaked in today, I
am fairly confident that DJ is the only person in this room to have earned a
Super Bowl ring!
A National Model in Higher
Education
If there were a Super Bowl for colleges and universities that exemplify
the best elements in American higher education, however, we might all be in the
running to wear those big rings. As we
put our values into practice, James Madison University can be the model of what
I have often called “the engaged university”—one that is engaged with ideas and
the world. In other words, we are a
community committed to learning, with a conviction that all people are
interconnected. Our mission statement
captures this combination of learning and engagement: “We are a community committed to preparing
students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and
meaningful lives.” So how do we go
forward to build this national model of the engaged university?
We begin by understanding our core strengths and identity. Throughout the Listening Tour, we have discussed
how James Madison University combines the intense faculty-student interaction
and sense of community fostered by smaller liberal arts colleges with the breadth
and opportunities of larger research-intensive universities—including strong
professional and graduate programs. We
seek to provide students with the skills needed to get that first job and to
earn a living—but we also believe in preparing them to develop habits of mind
and character so that they will be active citizens. Our General Education program develops lifelong
learning skills in critical thinking and communications, while also helping
people view issues and challenges from different perspectives.
We take seriously our obligation to keep improving and to be
accountable to our students and the public for the quality of education we
provide. Our Center for Assessment and
Research Studies is a nationally recognized model in evaluation of academic
programs, and this strong culture of institutional effectiveness allows us to be
innovative in how we teach and in how students learn.
JMU has also embraced a holistic, well-rounded approach to education,
recognizing that students learn outside as well as inside the classroom. Student organizations create outlets for
students to explore their interests and passions. Vibrant visual and performing arts programs
help us to see the world in new ways and contemplate timeless questions of
truth and beauty. Athletics, and club
and recreational sports promote wellness and a strong work ethic. Public service opportunities extend the
learning environment beyond the boundaries of the campus, and allow students to
apply their knowledge to address real-world problems.
This is who we are. So where do
we go from here? Let me highlight six
focal points in which we can invest our energy as we seek to exemplify what it
means to be the engaged university.
The Madison Future Commission
First, we can model our values in the process we use to develop and
implement our strategic plan and goals for the future. That inclusive process is well underway. The Madison Future Commission is already at
work—a group of more than 150 faculty, staff, students, former faculty, alumni,
former Board of Visitors members, and community members who have studied the
higher education landscape and will help us to shape the University’s new
strategic plan. This process will
include a hard look at the serious realities we face—including new educational
technologies, changing demographics, our funding model, and issues of access
and affordability. The Commission is
also receiving feedback from our entire community, including reviewing ideas
and recommendations shared with us during the Listening Tour. The
Madison Future Commission will complete its work this fall, which will result
in a new strategic plan that will guide us through the year 2020. We can use our own planning processes to model and reinforce our
values. That’s Why Madison.
The Madison Collaborative: Ethical Reasoning in Action
Second, as we seek to
live out our mission, another major initiative we are launching is The Madison
Collaborative: Ethical Reasoning in
Action. This initiative has been born
out of our ten-year review as we reaffirm our university-wide accreditation. As part of this process, the University is
required to prepare a Quality Enhancement Plan to enhance
student learning. For this purpose, we selected a topic that goes right to
the heart of our mission and of what it means to be a citizen. Beginning this summer at freshman
orientation, every incoming student will be taught a set of ethical reasoning
skills designed to help them become more deliberative about situations and
issues that include ethical dimensions. And
then, the rest of the student body will encounter this same set of reasoning
skills in General Education courses and in their majors, in programs in the
residence halls and in other co-curricular experiences. Students will learn how to apply these skills
in their personal, professional, and civic lives. And we will carefully assess how students are
learning and engaging with these issues.
Just imagine the effect over time of 4,000+ James Madison students
graduating annually and taking with them the power to understand how to
confront issues and situations where right and wrong are not clear-cut, or where
moral principles provide only a general guide when specific action must be
taken. That’s what it means to be a
model of the engaged university. That’s Why Madison.
Reflecting our Heritage as James
Madison’s Namesake
Third, given our
special heritage as the university named for James Madison, a Founding Father
who had a profound impact in shaping our Constitution and our civil society, we
have a unique opportunity to reflect the meaning and relevance today of the
core principles to which Madison dedicated his life. As a model for how to produce educated and
enlightened citizens, we can make a significant impact on our nation at a time
when our public dialogue has deteriorated.
As a society, too often we seem unable to have thoughtful discussions on
the major challenges we face. This must
change. If we create an atmosphere of
mutual respect in which everyone can feel valued and share their ideas and
perspectives, JMU can model the kind of civil discourse desperately needed for
a well-functioning democratic republic.
How fitting that our Debate Team is one of the strongest teams
representing Madison—they epitomize how to discuss and debate important issues while
recognizing that we are all interconnected.
One of the tangible
ways in which we are already highlighting these principles is to reinvigorate
our relationship with Montpelier, the nearby home of James Madison. Tomorrow, I will have the honor of delivering
the annual address at James Madison’s gravesite, commemorating his birthday. With
us today is Kat Imhoff, the new president of Montpelier, as well as her senior
leadership. Our two institutions are
elevating our relationship to bring more attention to James Madison and his
wife, Dolley. The Montpelier Foundation has
created the Center for the Constitution—where in-person and online courses on
the Constitution and our founding principles are being offered to the public. Faculty from our two institutions are designing
a course on Madison that every student of James Madison University can eventually
take.
In his State of the Union address on December 5, 1810, Madison pitched Congress
on the idea of creating a national university in Washington, D.C. He proclaimed,
“Such an institution, though local in its
legal character, would be universal in its beneficial effects. By enlightening the opinions, by expanding
the patriotism, and by assimilating the principles, the sentiments, and the
manners of those who might resort to this temple of science, to be
redistributed in due time through every part of the community, sources of
jealousy and prejudice would be diminished, the features of national character
would be multiplied, and greater extent given to social harmony."
Imagine the societal effect
of graduating over 4,000 enlightened citizens annually who possess ethical
reasoning skills and understand the founding principles of Madison. We can be that institution. That’s
Why Madison.
Diversity Task Force
Fourth, as we seek to
nurture diversity of thought and perspectives, we must also meet the needs of
our students and society in preparing graduates who can function effectively in
a diverse democracy and global economy.
Our greatest strategic asset in this changing world is our diverse human
capital. If we are to harness the power
of this great asset, we must ensure that we provide opportunities for students
from all backgrounds to fully develop their potential—and to learn from and
with each other. Accordingly, I recently
charged a task force to take a comprehensive look at how we can strengthen our campus
diversity. That diversity includes a
rich tapestry of many facets—not just race, ethnicity and gender but also many
other factors such as socioeconomic and family backgrounds, age, religion,
disabilities, and veteran status among others.
We understand that diversity and excellence go hand in hand in education. That’s
Why Madison.
Community
Relationships
Fifth, as a university engaged
with ideas and the world, we should model our collaborative approach in our own
backyard. In celebrating the history and
character of the University this week, we highlighted our relationships with our
local communities. Yesterday, for
example, many of us walked from campus to Court Square downtown for a ceremony
in which we presented the keys to the University to Mayor Ted Byrd of
Harrisonburg and Supervisor Fred Eberly of Rockingham County. With this symbolic gesture we hope to usher
in an era of even greater partnership with our neighbors. As we move forward, we will try to ensure
that we participate actively in the community on many levels—and that our doors
are open wide to welcome the community to our campus and programs. That’s
Why Madison.
Resources
Finally, in order to meet our
hopes and dreams for the years ahead, we know that we will need to strengthen our
own culture of philanthropy. We must
develop new revenue sources if we are to succeed on the national and
international level to which we aspire.
Thus, as we set our strategic plans and priorities for the years to
come, we will need to gear up for a next comprehensive fundraising campaign. You heard earlier that we have established a
new Vision Fund to support initiatives to meet the needs of the 21st
Century. Special thanks to the Alumni
Association for their very generous $100,000 challenge gift! JMU has made an indelible impact on the lives
of many people, and we embrace the challenge to cultivate resources so we can continue
to make a difference in the lives of future students and in the world. That’s
Why Madison.
Conclusion
We have amazing opportunities before us, even as we face daunting
challenges. We are in the midst of an
era in higher education marked by major fiscal limitations, along with
heightened domestic and international competition. So-called “disruptive” technologies are
raising questions about traditional models of higher education. Increased regulation and pushes for strict
accountability measures are testing our ability to demonstrate the value of what
we provide. These issues might seem
unique to our time, but JMU has faced the winds of change throughout its
history. In his 1971 inaugural address,
Dr. Carrier observed that “[h]igher education, like all institutions today, is
caught up in the whirlwind of re-examination, change, and re-valuation.”
The James Madison University of the future will not be identical to what
we see today. We must be prepared to
understand and adapt to a rapidly changing world. But we should also recognize that we are
positioned well for this moment. We
provide high-quality education at lower cost than peer institutions. Our graduation rates are strong. Our faculty are top-notch. We offer many courses online and use
technology to enhance the learning experience.
We take assessment seriously. We
have a mission that is relevant, clear, and much-needed in society. And most of all, we have a phenomenal team of
people who care deeply about this institution —just look around you in this
room today. Last week, I was reminded of
this fact when I witnessed the work of facilities staff all around the
campus—clearing the streets, parking lots and sidewalks after a major snowstorm
that reminded me of my childhood in Rochester, New York. Our talented and committed people are our
most important resource and have a can-do spirit. And more than any other single thing, That’s Why Madison.
So
let’s go forward from here confident with the knowledge that we can accomplish
great things together. We have an
awesome privilege and responsibility as part of the JMU family. As I say to the entering freshmen, now is a
time to “DREAM BIG.” Let’s take this moment
to reflect on what is most important in our lives, and let’s DREAM BIG
TOGETHER. Thank you very much!
