Board of Visitors summary of actions and discussions

Board of Visitors Summary of Actions and Discussions

Nov. 14, 2025

The James Madison University Board of Visitors met Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, 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:

The consent agenda was approved, which included the minutes of Sept. 19, 2025.

Accepted committee reports from Academic Excellence; Athletics; Audit/Risk and Compliance; Governance; Finance and Physical Development; Philanthropy and Engagement; Strategic Planning and Student Affairs. 

Presentations to the Board of Visitors

Faculty Senate Speaker Kathy Ott Walter provided an update from the Faculty Senate:

• Final stages of faculty handbook revisions.
• Oct. 2025 meeting: Dr. Bethany Blackstone reported on the efforts of the strategic planning committee; the teaching and student relations committee is focusing on AI this year, soliciting information around AI in classes and disciplines; the Research and Scholarship Committee is finalizing their minigrant award recipients; the Shared Governance Committee is reviewing models for shared governance at other state universities; the Shared Governance Implementation Team will focus on developing best practices of shared governance at the unit level; the senate is working with The Graduate School and parking services to implement a passed resolution that grants parking passes to graduate students who teach courses.
• The Faculty Senate will hold its first full in-person senate meeting of the academic year with President Schmidt in January and look forward to his presentation.
• Priorities for the senate’s work this year are faculty retention, shared governance, the appeals and grievances process, and the provost search.
• Faculty highlights were shared with the Board.

Sydney Stafford, Student Representative to the Board, provided the following updates:

• Support the presidential transition with students.
• Educate/inform students on Board functions and how they can get involved.
• Support students through collaboration, advocacy and engagement in alignment with the Student Affairs Strategic Plan.
• Get to Know President Jim event
• Virginia Student Representative to the Nov. 15 Board of Visitors Conference
• Strategic Plan – Student Priorities
• Looking forward: Meeting with more students, more presidential engagement events, feedback meetings and surveys, and winter senior celebrations. 

President James Schmidt presented during his report:

• National recognition: JMU ranks high as a top public school, best undergraduate teaching, and best value; $2.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education reinforces JMU’s national leadership; $1 million grant from NSF to expand access to AI education and career opportunities; E3 Training Academy - $1.25 million grant from DOE to create the center.
• Strategic Planning Update: Met with faculty and staff and held five Idea Forums; will continue Presidential Listening Tour, collaborate with strategic plan co-chairs, define strategic pillars, and prepare to launch the next phase of Envision and engage Vision Teams in shaping strategies for success.
• State and Federal Relations: Collaborating with First Lady Suzanne Youngkin and Kim Schmidt on student well-being and civic leadership initiatives; represented JMU at SCHEV; hosted Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Virginia Attorney General Miyares, Lt. Gov. Earle-Sears, Senator Warner, and others.
• Presidential Listening Tour: Visited communities across Virginia and beyond to connect with stakeholders and receive feedback.
• Philanthropy and Partnerships: Engaged with over 650 donors; hosted events in VA, NC, KY, D.C., as well as across JMU councils; strengthened philanthropic relationships with stakeholders, building strong momentum for future fundraising initiatives.
• Athletics: Football gaining national attention as a top Group of Five program, breaking the AP Top 25; Volleyball closing in on Sun Belt Championship; Field Hockey hosted MAC Championship at JMU; Women’s Soccer player Ginny Lackey named Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year; Basketball men’s and women’s teams picked to win Sun Belt, Peyton McDaniel named Sun Belt Female Student-Athlete of the Year; Cross Country player Taylor Myers honored as Newcomer of the Year.
• Cadet Physical Development Center: Celebrated ribbon cutting for new facility for Army and Air Force ROTC cadets; facility will serve 160 Army cadets and more than 80 Air Force cadets and includes training, physical therapy and research collaboration with JMU’s health sciences department; underscores JMU’s commitment to serving military-connected students and positions JMU as a model for military-university partnerships.
• Looking ahead: Launching the next phase of the strategic plan Envision; continuing Presidential Listening Tour across Virginia and beyond; welcoming the start of basketball season, a new season of philanthropy, accentuated by the Family Business Symposium, and new student engagement events that build community and school spirit; JMU is a university on the move.

David Kirkpatrick, Vice President and Chief of Staff, Office of the President, Kara Dillard, Executive Director, Madison Center for Civic Engagement, and Student Panel joined by Russ Reeder (‘94), Chief Executive Officer, XTIUM, provided the following updates:

• JMU’s commitment to free speech and freedom of expression: Better Conversations Together.
• Gov. Youngkin’s call to action for all VA universities to train students in free speech and freedom of expression.
• Three phases of Better Conversations Together program, process and outcomes; builds 21^st century free speech skills.
• Scaling a culture of free speech at JMU.
• The student at the center: Democracy Fellows as leaders

Anthony Tongen, Vice President, REDI, and Keith Holland, Associate Vice President for Research and Economic Development, provided the following updates.

• JMU received APLU designation as an Innovative & Economic Prosperity (IEP) University at November 2025 APLU Conference: IEP designation helps universities better know, measure, tell, and enhance their economic and community development impact.
• Rigorous process: multi-year, self-study led by University Economic Development Council, Office of Economic & Community Development and the Division of Research, Economic Development and Innovation; engaged over 400 stakeholders.
• JMU’s recognized excellence: Talent, Innovation and Place
• From recognition to impact: Creates a framework that strengthens cross-university collaboration, aligns activities toward shared economic and community impact goals, and establishes JMU as a Commonwealth leader.
• Looking ahead: designation extends through 2030; implementation of Growth & Improvement Plan; annual reporting to APLU; regular participation in IEP Community of Practice. 

The Board of Visitors voted and approved:

• Motion re: Curriculum Updates
  • MS/MSEd in Health Sciences
  • Athletic Training BS