The Madison Family Newsletter is created each month by the Office of Family Engagement in partnership with many members of the JMU community. For more family resources, visit our website.
In This Issue:
- A Letter from Dr. Miller
- Dining Dollars: Use It Or Lose It
- End of Year Residence Hall Closing Information
- Download the JMUGrad App
- Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
- Summer Session Deadlines and Tuition Charges
- Season Football Tickets Priority Deadline
- 10 Tips for Finding Great Study Spaces at JMU
- Top 3 FAQs about the Carrier Renovation & Expansion
- Dukes Hike
A Letter from Dr. Tim Miller
Hello everyone,
As we enter the month of May, I find myself looking back over the school year and feeling nostalgic. This has been another great year at JMU and for some of your students, the end of this chapter of their JMU journey. Many of you are looking forward to having your Dukes home for the summer and some of you are probably adjusting to the fact that they may not be coming home this summer. They may be going abroad, working away from home and for some of you, they are about to walk across the stage and head out into the adventure that is life after JMU.
This is such a special time for all of us here at JMU, we’ve had the honor to get to know so many of your students and to watch them grow and become their best selves. It wasn’t always easy, but I have loved watching each of them find their way, struggle through challenging times, imagine new dreams for themselves, and begin to make them a reality. Beginning with orientation and continuing throughout every year, we are so lucky to be a part of you and your students’ lives. Thank you for allowing us to be part of this incredible journey.
Updates
If your student is looking to add a class to their fall schedule and is interested in health and well-being, a new X-labs class is being introduced in the fall where students will work as a cohort to create the future of health and well-being at JMU, while exploring the six dimensions of well-being. We want the most passionate students so please recommend that they apply online now to be considered. I personally know the instructors and highly recommend them!
Reminders
As we prepare for final exams, many students find it helpful to get out of their rooms for a while to study. This study spaces map can be helpful to share with your student, along with this list of places that have added expanded study spaces.
If your student lives on campus, they are asked to check out of their residence hall 24 hours after their last exam and no later than noon on May 15. Requests for permission to remain in the hall after that should be submitted through the online housing portal Late Stay Housing form by May 6.
Sometimes the transition back home isn’t as easy as expected. I recommend you all talk about expectations and set some guidelines about life either before they return or early in the summer. Your Duke has been living a different life here at JMU and coming home can always be a bit of an adjustment. In addition, if your Duke needs any mental health support this summer, TimelyCare’s virtual mental health resources remain available to students 24/7 over the summer also, wherever they are.
Questions to ask your student
What were some of your favorite parts of this past school year?
Tip: This can give you some insight into what is important to them. Encourage them to think not just about big events, but also the little things. They’re the ones we tend to remember the most.
What do you think was your biggest accomplishment this year?
Tip: Celebrate their accomplishments, even if they’re not what you were expecting. That positive energy can lead to more successes in the future and possibly strengthen your relationship.
Have a great summer!
Thank you for your partnership this school year and for trusting us with such an important part of your lives. I know from my many interactions with our students that you are raising some amazing human beings. And the ones who work on campus hold a special place in our hearts so thank you for sharing them with us in that way also. Congratulations once again to those of you celebrating graduations and we will see you on campus in about two weeks!
Enjoy your summer and Go Dukes!
Dr. Tim Miller
Vice President for Student Affairs
Submitted by: JMU Dining
For those that have Dukes on a meal plan, just a friendly reminder that any unused Dining Dollars at the end of the spring semester will not roll over. Encourage your students to use JMU Mobile ID or MyMadison to check their balance today. JMU Dining has several opportunities to use it, not lose it! We have a bulk sale going on at Jemmy’s, located on east campus, and at Mr. Chips on main campus. If they’re short on time or you want to send a surprise, food bundles are available at Mr. Chips on the Starship App. Look for details in the event calendar section of our website. Dining Dollars expire May 16.
For questions, contact JMU Dining at 540.568.6751 or email dining@jmu.edu.
End of Year Residence Hall Closing Information
Submitted by: Sydney Wood, Social Media and Marketing Manager, Residence Life
Please plan your move out 24 hours after your student's last exam. The last day to move out for those with Wednesday exams will be Thursday, May 15, 2025, at noon — all residence halls and on-campus apartments close at noon on Thursday, May 15, 2025.
Submitted by: Jeff Campbell, Associate Director, University Events
For commencement details and questions, download the JMUGrad App! This is the official App for all JMU Commencement Ceremonies. Find everything from FAQs, parking information, and interactive maps, and more! Available on App Store and Google Play.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Submitted by: Jessica Hopkins, Assistant Director of Compliance, Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships
All students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements to receive financial aid. Federal regulations require each institution to have a SAP policy, which establishes the minimum academic standards for financial aid eligibility. There are three components of the evaluation process that must be met:
- GPA – GPA standards mirror the university’s academic suspension policy
- Pace – Students must earn credit for at least 67% of the hours they have attempted. This calculation is performed by dividing the number of credit hours earned by the number of credit hours attempted. Withdraws, “F” grades and incompletes are all scenarios that will lower a student’s pace percentage.
- Maximum Time – Students may not receive financial aid for more than 180 attempted hours. However, once 150 hours have been attempted, we conduct a degree audit to determine if it is mathematically possible for the student to meet graduation requirements before reaching 180 hours. If it is not, the student will be identified as not meeting SAP at that time. If a program(s) requires more than 180 hours, an appeal may be submitted for review.
If a student is unable to meet SAP requirements, their eligibility for federal financial aid, including loans (both student and parent) will be lost. An email regarding the area(s) of noncompliance will be sent to the student and a reminder will appear on the “To-Do” list in MyMadison. Students may appeal the SAP denial if they experienced extenuating circumstances.
2025-26 SAP Appeal Deadlines
- Summer 2025 – July 7, 2025
- Fall 2025 – September 1, 2025
- Spring 2026 – February 2, 2026
Note: If a student is identified with a GPA issue for SAP and has been placed on Academic Suspension with the university, two separate appeals will need to be submitted.
For a description of JMU’s requirements, as well as more information regarding the appeal process and to use the online estimator, visit the SAP portion of our website.
Summer Session Deadlines and Tuition Charges
Submitted by: Brandon Cline-Taskey, Director, University Business Office
Summer semester is different from fall and spring in a lot of ways.
The first way that summer is different is that students can choose among thirteen different academic sessions. Some sessions start as early as May 19 and others end as late as August 19. The first four-week session is the most common and runs from May 27 through June 18. Your student may be taking classes during zero, one or multiple sessions during the summer. Summer classes cover the same amount of material as a fifteen-week fall or spring class, so students should be prepared for an intensive learning experience.
All those sessions mean there are a lot of add/drop dates to keep up with. Make sure that your student checks their enrollment status. If they think that they might need to add or drop a summer class, have them review the summer Dates and Deadlines published by the Registrar’s Office to ensure that they adjust their enrollment in time. If a student withdraws from a class after the Add/Drop Deadline for the respective session, they will be assigned a “W” for that class and the tuition will not be refunded. Not knowing the deadline is not grounds to have the grade or tuition adjusted. Summer sessions are shorter than fall and spring sessions, so some of the deadlines are just one or two days.
Another important difference is that all summer tuition is charged per credit hour. Be sure to take that into account when thinking about payment arrangements for the summer. Tuition and other summer charges can be reviewed in Madison Money Manager (M3).
The Office of the Registrar contributed to this article.
Season Football Tickets Priority Deadline
Submitted by: Alex Marinelli, Director of Major Gifts, Duke Club
Have you renewed your 2025 JMU Football Season Tickets yet? Don’t forget – renew your tickets and parking benefits before the May 15th Priority Deadline!
Didn’t have season tickets in 2024? Join the Entry Process! Members of the Entry Process are not guaranteed tickets, but will be provided a seat selection timeslot based on their Duke Club Priority Point Ranking.
Single game tickets will go on-sale to Duke Club Members during a pre-sale beginning on June 30th. Public sales for single game tickets will begin on July 7th.
For more information, click the link below, or contact the JMU Ticket Office at (540) 568-3853. Go Dukes!
Submitted by: Emily Blake, Assistant Director of Communications & Marketing, Libraries
Even during midterms and finals week, there are plenty of empty seats available all over campus if your Duke knows where to look! In fact, JMU offers study spaces in over 30 buildings!
Here are 10 top tips to share with your Duke to help them find great study spaces at JMU:
- Find out which JMU buildings are offering expanded study space during finals week.
- Study in one of JMU’s computer labs any time they’re not reserved.
- Check the schedule outside meeting rooms in The Union and Festival. When they’re not reserved, you can use them to study. Just be sure to leave the furniture how you found it.
- Reserve a room for yourself or your group in the University Career Center. While you’re there, you can check out their Career Closet for a new professional outfit!
- Try one of the designated quiet study spaces at JMU.
- Study with a buddy so you can use one of the Group Study Rooms at JMU.
- Use one of the 24-Hour Study Spaces at JMU.
- Wake up early to snag your favorite study spot while others are still asleep.
- Use the JMU Study Spaces Map to find a spot that’s off the beaten path.
- And if you prefer to study in the Libraries, don’t forget we have four locations!
JMU Libraries created the JMU Study Spaces Map with help from partners all over campus to help your Duke find convenient places to study while Carrier Library is closed for renovation and expansion. Using this map and the tips above, they're guaranteed to find a great spot!
Submitted by: Emily Blake, Assistant Director of Communications & Marketing, Libraries
Do you have questions about the Carrier Library renovation and expansion?
Here are answers to the 3 questions we hear the most often:
- What is the schedule or timeline for the Carrier Library renovation and expansion project?
- Where can students study while Carrier is under construction?
- What is happening to the books before, during, and after renovation?
Check out our award-winning Carrier Renovation & Expansion website for news and updates, previews of the new Carrier, new videos, and answers to more FAQs!
Submitted by: Jessica Savoie, Associate Director, Alumni Relations
Register for the Dukes Hike and then hike anywhere, anytime between May 23-June 6. We'll celebrate the great outdoors and how far Dukes can go together. Get outside, explore and enVISION the adventure! The registration fee includes exclusive Duke gear to commemorate the event.
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