Board of Visitors summary of actions and discussions

Board of Visitors Summary of Actions and Discussions

April 24, 2026

The James Madison University Board of Visitors met Friday, April 24, 2026, 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 Feb. 13, 2026, March 23, 2026, and April 15, 2026.

Accepted committee reports from Academic Excellence; Athletics; Audit/Risk and Compliance; Campus Development Working Group; 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:

• Faculty appeals will move out of the senate; senate steering will appoint the chair of that committee. The new Faculty Appeals Committee will be chaired by Kris Wiley.
• Continuing conversations around faculty workloads and recommending workload policies.
• Winners of the Madison Vision Teaching Award this year are David Brennan, Instructor, WRTC; Keith Grant, associate professor, political science; and Cyril Uy, assistant professor, philosophy and religion.
• Continuing conversations with REDI about information on its website and more details about what REDI is and what it does. The Research & Scholarship Committee will continue to engage with REDI about the future of research at JMU.
• The Shared Governance Committee will continue its work to develop a list of best practices for deans and AUHs and will be shared with the provost. In the fall, the committee will work to develop a clear process for votes of no confidence, including having a process in place that is codified in the Senate bylaws. A second item on that future agenda is integrating voting into the practices and culture of JMU. Departments should have written guidelines on who can vote and how the voting will take place.
• Discussion of moving JMU’s classification from R2 to R1; some faculty have raised concerns about space, faculty workloads, grant funding support not currently at the R2 level, and qualified support people recruited by other institutions.

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

• Support the presidential transition with students: Dukes Spring Forward, inauguration.
• Educate and inform students about the Board: tuition hearing outreach, meeting with students, speaking at ASOH.
• Support students through collaboration, advocacy and engagement in alignment with the Student Affairs strategic plan.
• Leaving a legacy: open communication with senior leaders and Board members, opportunities to present at both student affairs and full Board, engagement with student representatives.

President James Schmidt presented during his report:

• Building a culture of philanthropy: strengthened relationships across key regions; reinforced the depth of support for JMU; highlighted faculty and staff innovation; and advanced early campaign planning.
• Giving Day: Generated 3,455 donors contributing $1.2 million, an all-time high; achieved 93% of 3,609 donor goal; demonstrates broad confidence from alumni, families and friends; philanthropic support advancing scholarship, academic programs and the student experience; directly strengthens our ability to deliver on the Madison Promise.
• Honored to be installed as JMU’s seventh president, a meaningful milestone for JMU; week of events showcased the Madison Promise; strengthened relationships with donors, state leaders and partners while reinforcing our shared vision for the future.
• Partnerships and civic impact: launched the BR2JMU co-admission partnership with BRCC; kick-off of the JMU-Harrisonburg-Rockingham VA250 celebrations in partnership with VPM and James Madison’s Montpelier.
• Athletics: women’s basketball won the Sun Belt Championship; JMU ranks 2^nd in the Sun Belt and 16^th nationally; JMU will host its first Athletics-coordinated concert on May 1.
• Future Dukes: fall 2026 applications; 43,638 total-year applications and 1,833 transfer applications.
• Class of 2030 update: first-year class: 4,203 deposits; class goal is 5,000; 355 transfer deposits.
• Spring 2026 yield events: 4,177 students attended the admitted student open houses; Duke for A Day admitted student programs; JMU 101 webinars.
• The strategic plan journey: listening stage, envision stage and create stage.
• The Madison Promise Guidepost Goals: outcomes will keep us focused on the future as we develop strategies, create new initiatives and allocate resources.
• Pillars: enhance the purpose, value and impact of a JMU education; investing in our people; charting a new path as a research university; become the preferred partner of the commonwealth and beyond; and create an innovative campus community.
• Future looking: does the JMU experience today fully reflect the “Madison Promise” it aspires to deliver?
• Vision and strategy: what is the vision to fulfill the Madison Promise in the future?; qualitative and quantitative outcomes, benefits. 

Towana Moore, vice president of administration and finance, presented on 2026-2027 proposed tuition and fees:

• Education and general funding: total E&G & F/A budget is $487.9 million.
• 2025-26 education and general expenditure budget including financial aid: 73.4% of budget allocated for compensation and benefits.
• Why increases are necessary: competitive compensation for faculty and staff; healthcare obligations; inflation; investment in academic support and enhanced student services; forward-looking strategies.
• General Fund per annualized in-state, full-time equivalent student and in-state undergrad tuition/E&G fees: JMU receives $2,935 less per in-state student than the average of $12,297 for all four-year public institutions; JMU receives $1,310 less per in-state student than the average of $2,699 for all four-year public institutions.
• What is the student value: higher lifetime earnings, access to networks and partnerships; personal development; student engagement; campus resources; research opportunities.
• Auxiliary enterprises: housing, dining, student activities, marching band, parking, etc.; provides essential services to students and JMU community; auxiliary enterprises are required to cover 100% of operational costs; these costs do not receive state funding.
• Comprehensive fee examples: student health center, transportation, recreation and sports clubs.
• Comprehensive fee proposal (FY 2026-27): comprehensive fee increases: salaries and benefits; inflationary cost drivers and contractual obligations, maintenance and operation of facilities; scholarships, mandated and unavoidable costs.
• Student housing and dining: JMU combined room and board fees are competitive; 100% self-supporting auxiliary operations, providing quality services; housing revenues cover all operational costs; dining revenues cover all operational costs.
• Student Housing & Dining Fee Proposal (FY 2026-27): support state-mandated salary increases, medical insurance increases, debt service for capital construction and operational cost expenditures, continues to provide affordable and competitively proved on-campus housing. Dining (board) fee: Proposed $6,876, an increase of $302 annual/$151 semester supports inflationary drivers and operational costs.
• Proposed tuition and fees: on-campus tuition and fees total change for on-campus undergraduate student costs is $1,158; change for non-Virginia undergraduate student is $1,360.
• FY 2026-27 proposed graduate on-campus tuition and fees: change for Virginia graduate student is $17; change for non-Virginia graduate student is $24.
• FY 2026-27 proposed College of Business & Nursing differential tuition: change for COB undergraduate student is $5; change for Nursing undergraduate student is $7.
• Proposed summer 2027 tuition and fees: for tuition and education general fees, change for Virginia undergraduate student is $12, change for non-Virginia undergraduate student is $17, change for Virginia graduate student is $14, change for non-Virginia graduate student is $19; for students services fee, change for Virginia undergraduate student is $1, for non-Virginia undergraduate student is $1, for Virginia graduate student is $1, for non-Virginia graduate student, the change is $1; for room and board, change for room and board is $7.
• In-state tuition dollar value of 1% change: JMU’s in-state undergraduate tuition is lower than all but four schools; JMU’s in-state tuition is $2,209 or 21% less than the average of $10,521 for all 15 public 4-year Virginia institutions; A 1% in-state tuition increase is $84 annually or $42 per semester.
• In-state and out-of-state undergraduate tuition, required fees and room and board for Virginia’s state-supported institutions of higher education, 2025-26.
• FY 2025-26 out-of-state undergraduate tuition, required fees and room and board cost comparison.

Election of Board officers, Terrie Edwards, chair, Nominating Committee, shared the following: Rector is Dave Rexrode; Vice-Rector is Nicole Palya Wood; and Secretary to the Board is David Kirkpatrick.

Recognition of Board members 

Rector Suzanne Obenshain recognized Board members who have completed their term of service – Terrie Edwards, Joely Mauck, Michael Stoltzfus and Jack White. President James Schmidt then acknowledged Rector Obenshain for her service to the Board and thanked her for her work as rector.

The Board of Visitors voted and approved:

• • Motion re: Faculty Handbook Updates
  • Motion re: Curriculum Updates
    • Higher Education Assessment Graduate Certificate
    • Sports Coaching Graduate Certificate
  • Motion re: Strategic Planning Resolution
  • Motion re: Approval of the 2027 Campus Master Plan and Advancing Campus Development Resolution
  • Motion re: 2026-27 Proposed Tuition and Fees
  • Motion re: 2026-27 Proposed Budget
  • Motion re: Slate of Board Officers
  • Motion re. Personnel Action Report