JMU endeavored to have a strategic plan completed and endorsed by the Board of Visitors in eight months, an ambitious timeline for a university strategic plan process. Key benchmarks guided the process from August 2025 through spring 2026 and beyond.
- August 12, 2025: President Jim announces the start of the strategic planning process at the University Welcome.
- August 21, 2025: President Jim begins meeting with each college and division.
- Early September: New strategic plan website is launched and the campus is invited to participate in a series of Idea Forums.
- Late September, 2025: Presidential Tour kicks off for alumni, families, and community members.
- Mid-October, 2025: President Jim and Division Heads refine key pillars and guidepost goals.
- Late October, 2025: President Jim provides the Board of Visitors (BOV) Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) with recommendations for key pillars and guidepost goals and receives input.
- Late October, 2025: JMU leadership, in partnership with the BOV SPC, crafts vision themes that align with recommended pillars and guidepost goals.
- Early November, 2025: Co-chairs for Vision Teams are identified.
- November 14, 2025: The full BOV is presented with the key pillars and guidepost goals for consideration and approval.
- Mid-November, 2025: Following approval, a campus-wide call is made for volunteers to serve on Vision Teams.
- Early December, 2025: Vision Team Co-Chairs hold kick-off meeting.
- Early December, 2025: Invitations to serve on Vision Teams are sent.
- Mid-December, 2025: Vision Teams hold Kick-off meeting.
- Early to mid-January, 2026: Vision Teams begin meeting.
- Mid-February: President and Co-Chairs receive reactions to a draft plan from the JMU community through a series of meetings, town halls and campus-wide survey.
- February 10, 2026: Vision Team Campus Engagement Event.
- February 11, 2026: BOV SPC receives update on plan progress.
- Beginning of March, 2026: Vision Teams provide update with JMU leadership.
- Beginning of March, 2026: Implementation teams are formed based on preliminary reports from Vision Teams.
- Mid-March, 2026: Final reports from Vision Teams are due.
- Mid-March, 2026: BOV SPC receives and provides input on a strategic plan draft.
- Mid to late March, 2026: Strategic plan draft made available for public comment.
- Early April, 2026: Public comments are reviewed and incorporated into the plan where possible.
- April 24, 2026: Final plan is considered and endorsed.
- Mid-May, 2026: Implementation teams provide detailed timelines, proposed resources, and success benchmarks, specifically for year one, to BOV SPC and JMU leadership.
- Late May, 2026: BOV SPC provides input on implementation reports.
- Early June, 2026: Implementation teams provide final recommendations on year one plans to JMU leadership.
- Mid-June, 2026: BOV reviews and approves implementation timelines and goals for year one of the plan.
Office of the President
