October 2015 Board of Visitors Summary of Actions and Discussions

The James Madison University Board of Visitors met Friday, October 9, 2015, in the Board Room of the Festival Conference and Student Center. 

Following is a summary of actions taken by the board and key areas of discussion at the board meeting:

• Approved meeting minutes of the June 5, 2015 board meeting;
• Approved committee reports from the Advancement, Athletics, Education & Student Life and Finance & Physical Development committees;
• Approved an ad-hoc committee for campaign planning;
• Approved the creation of an industrial design major from the existing industrial design emphasis;
• Approved an easement to Verizon Wireless to upgrade utilities;
• Approved the Campus Safety Plan;
• Approved the university’s six-year plan;
• Approved the following real estate purchase:
  • 1001 Forest Hill Road for $500,000

During his report, President Jonathan Alger told the board:

• 4,380 students reported to campus this fall as first-time freshmen;
• The university welcomed several new leaders: Dr. Adam Murray, dean of Libraries and Educational Technologies; Dr. Jie Chen, dean of The Graduate School; Dr. Bradley Newcomer, director of the Honors College; Dr. Marcia Schmidt Blaine, American Council for Education Fellow;
• The Apartments on Grace, a new 500-bed residence hall, opened this semester;
• The JMU Student Veteran’s Association opened a new veteran’s center in Wilson Hall;
• Valley Scholars welcomed their second cohort of 35 eighth graders from seven Shenandoah Valley middle schools;
• JMU received a $1 million gift from Dick and Shirley Roberts to establish the Shirley Hanson Roberts ’56 and Richard D. Roberts Endowment for Faculty Support;
• Nearly $180,000 has been collected from more than 1,000 donors for the Alison B. Parker Memorial Scholarship;
• JMU was recognized by the National Center for Pathways to Innovation as one of 25 institutions providing a strong orientation for new STEM students;
• The Madison Singers performed in concert with Grammy-nominated artist Josh Groban in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia last month;
• The JMU Police received their first re-accreditation from the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission;
• JMU shared its model of service through the engaged university at the recent Virginia Higher Education President’s Summit in Williamsburg;
• On September 15, 2015, JMU entered into a memorandum of understanding with Kosovo that will result in the exchange of students and teachers among JMU and universities in Kosovo;
• JMU co-hosted the 2015 Engagement Scholarship Consortium at Penn State University.

The Board of Visitors also received a presentation on engaged learning from Judith Dilts, associate dean of the College of Science and Mathematics, and Dietrich Maune, associate dean of the College of Arts and Letters.

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