Board of Visitors Summary of Actions and Discussions

Board of Visitors Summary of Actions and Discussions

February 10, 2023 

The James Madison University Board of Visitors met Friday, February 10, 2023 in the Festival Conference and Student Center. 

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

Approved the November 18, 2022 Board of Visitors meeting minutes; 

Accepted committee reports from the Academic Excellence, Advancement and Engagement, Athletics, Audit/Risk and Compliance, Governance, Finance and Physical Development, and Student Affairs; 

Brad Barnett, Associate Vice President for Financial Aid and Scholarship, presented on the student aid index; 

Caitlyn Read, Director of State Government Relations, provided a General Assembly update; and 

Jack Knight, University Legal Counsel, led a professional development exercise for the Board of Visitors on free speech. 

President Alger shared during his President’s Report:

• An admissions update was provided with the following information: there are 36,912 first-year applicants, which is a 16% increase over 2022 and 68% increase over 2021; first-year applicant demographics are 59% female, 46% out of state, 21% first generation, 34% underrepresented minorities (102% increase in two years), 524 international applicants, applicants represent 53 states and U.S. territories and 111 countries;
• Winter Commencement was held on December 17 in the Atlantic Union Bank Center with 1,080 total graduates (857 undergraduates and 223 graduate students) and Charles May (’83) served as the commencement speaker;
• The Reddix Center for First Generation Students will be officially dedicated at a ceremony on February 25 at 11 a.m.;
• David Kirkpatrick, Madison Center for Civic Engagement, joined several university presidents at Stanford University to discuss “citizens and scholars” and will return in May to continue the conversation. In addition, JMU will host the Institute of Civic Studies and Learning Day for Democracy;
• Rebecca Brannon, Associate Professor in History, was awarded a National Endowment for Humanities Fellowship for her project “Old Age in the Wake of the American Revolution” and this is one of only 70 grants each year;
• Gina MacDonald, Professor in Chemistry and Biochemistry was named as the 2022 American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow;
• JMU has been named a Fulbright Top Producer for the 4^th year with eight recipients and four alternates;
• S. News released their online rankings and JMU was named one of the best online programs in a variety of areas: MBA #19 (#1 in the Commonwealth), Veterans-MBA #35, and Graduate Computer Information Technology #34;
• JMU is in discussion about a partnership with the Bringing Theory to Practice’s Paradigm Project, which is a national effort focused on catalyzing systemic transformation in undergraduate education;
• The Office of Research and Scholarship is expanding faculty and student scholarship support;
• The College of Education is moving ahead with the planning of a lab school with Rockingham County Public Schools and is slated to open in the fall 2023. This will serve 100-150 public school students and provide opportunities for JMU students, faculty and staff;
• An Innovation Center for Youth Justice will be launched as the nation’s first center that is a partnership with Justice Studies and Social work at JMU and JMU alum John Tuell (Social Work, ’79), with a goal to increase positive youth opportunities;
• The upcoming Madison Vision Series events will be: Awadagin Pratt on Feb. 21 at the Forbes Center for Performing Arts and Dr. Anthony Fauci on April 3 with a fireside chat with Jim Acosta and a student; and
• An update was provided on JMU Athletics as basketball is coming down the homestretch, Swimming and Diving was recognized by the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America as a Scholar All-American Team; JMU Lacrosse ranked 12^th in the pre-season coaches poll; an NCAA waiver is being discussed; and the educational benefits of athletics is being discussed by the Knight Commission.