James Madison University has adopted a policy on restricted programs to clarify and standardize approval criteria and procedures (Academic Affairs Policy #6). James Madison University values students’ freedom to select their majors and would ideally allow any student into any academic program. Resource constraints and accreditation standards, however, sometimes require the university to restrict enrollment in academic majors, minors and pre-professional programs.

Programs wishing to adopt or modify restrictions must submit a proposal to the Restricted Programs Advisory Group (RPAG). These restrictions can be front-end admissions standards, mid-stream admissions standards or progression standards:

• Front-end admissions standards are for the small number of programs that do not allow a major to be declared without approval.
• Mid-stream admissions standards allow students to declare the major initially, but only permit them to become fully admitted majors after a clearly defined decision point.
• Progression standards require students to meet given standards at multiple times during their progress through the major.

All restricted programs are expected to adhere to certain overall standards and to provide sufficient data to support the proposal. Overall standards are intended to ensure that the restrictions are narrowly tailored to the academic expectations of a particular program and that they do not create undue hardship for any particular population of students.

Proposal Packet Instructions

The RPAG proposal packet is used for the following actions:

1. Requesting to implementing new admission or progression standards for an academic program (i.e. for programs that do not currently have admission or progression standards).
2. Requesting a change in current admission or progression standards for an academic program.
3. Requesting renewal of current admission or progression standards for an academic program.

Submit completed forms to Hannah Evans, Executive Assistant to the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Curriculum, MSC 7503, evanshg@jmu.edu by December 1st.

Instructions 

Renewal Schedule:
RPAG Renewal Schedule (updated 9/7/2023) 

2022-2023 RPAG Committee Members
Paula Maxwell, Chair and Associate Vice Provost for Curriculum
Elizabeth Oldmixon, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Curriculum
Kevin Apple, College of Health and Behavioral Studies
Audrey Burnett, University Studies
Scott Gallagher, College of Business
Dara Hall, College of Education
Marquis McGee, University Advising
Meg Mulrooney, General Education Program
Wren Stevens, College of Visual and Performing Arts
Jeff Tang, College of Integrated Science and Engineering
Michele White, Registrar
Siân White, College of Arts and Letters
Mindy Capaldi, College of Science and Math
Katherine Ott Walter, Faculty Senate