January 2013 Board of Visitors Summary of Actions and Discussions

The James Madison University Board of Visitors met Friday, January 18, 2013, in the Board Room of Madison’s Festival Conference and Student Center.

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

• Approved the September 28, 2012 BOV meeting minutes;
• Approved committee reports from Athletics, Audit, Development, Education & Student Life, and Finance & Physical Development;
• Received the President’s Report presented by Mr. Jonathan Alger;
• Received a Strategic Planning Update presented by:
  • Dr. Mark Warner, Senior Vice President for Student Affairs & University Planning
  • Dr. Brian Charette, Associate Vice President for University Planning;
• Received a presentation on Disruptive Technologies:  Curriculum Delivery presented by:
  • Dr. Jerry Benson, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
  • Dr. Teresa Gonzalez, Vice Provost
  • Ms. Sarah Cheverton, Director, Center for Instructional Technology
  • Dr. Carol Hurney, Director of the Center for Faculty Innovation;
• Received a presentation on Proposed Summer 2013 Tuition and Fees presented by:
  • Mr. Charles King, Senior Vice President for Administration & Finance;
• Received the Governor’s 2013-14 Budget Update presented by:
  • Mr. Charles King, Senior Vice President for Administration & Finance;
• Received a Presidential Inauguration Update, presented by:
  • Mr. Joseph Funkhouser, JMU BOV Rector
• Actions taken following Closed Session:
  • Mr. Nick Langridge has been named vice president of University Advancement
  • Approved the purchase of real property at 45 East Fairview Avenue for $345,000.

Was told by President Jonathan Alger:

• Listening Tour Update:
  • Dozens of meetings on and off campus, including all the colleges and other academic and administrative units, student leaders and organizations, Parents Council, academic advisory groups, faculty emeriti, etc.
  • Visits all around VA, CA (Bay area), Charlotte, Dallas, Philadelphia
  • Special thanks to hosts at home events (Hollands, Roberts, Leeolous, Smiths)
  • Hundreds of comments, shared with Madison Future Commission (strategic planning process)
  • More meetings are planned for this spring (DC, Baltimore, Hampton Roads, Charlottesville, Tampa, NYC)
  • Feedback from each event is shared on the website (see https://www.jmu.edu/whymadison/ )
  • The university is reviewing and organizing the feedback, and some key themes are consistent (e.g., importance of faculty-student interaction; public service/civic engagement; continued growth of national reputation; need for more private funding; need for competitive faculty compensation and support)
  • The Listening Tour events are helping us set strategic planning and fundraising priorities;

• Task Forces at Work
  • Madison Future Commission (strategic planning)
  • Faculty and staff compensation
  • Diversity (faculty, staff, and student issues)
  • Support of junior faculty;
• Ongoing Academic Leadership Searches
  • College of Business Dean
  • Next year:  Deans for newly configured colleges (Health and Behavioral Studies; Integrated Science and Engineering)
  • Vice Provost for Research;
• Institutional Accreditation
  • SACSCOC 10-year review site visit is coming in April 2013
  • Preliminary report has been received and reviewed internally
  • At December meeting in Dallas, JMU was featured prominently (and recognized for its strength in assessment)
  • Site visit will focus on the Quality Enhancement Plan – Madison Collaborative:  Ethical Reasoning in Action
  • BOV members may be called upon for interviews;
• December 2012 Commencement
  • Degrees conferred on 648 undergraduates, 127 master’s, 3 educational specialist and 4 doctoral students
  • Featured speaker was Justin Constantine (Class of ’92, Iraq War veteran);
• General Assembly
  • 2013 General Assembly Session began on January 9 (a full report was presented by Mr. Charles King, Senior Vice President for Administration & Finance);
• Admissions/Enrollment Outlook
  • Early Action applications continue to go up – up by 23 percent over last year
  • There is a trend for out-of-state applicants to apply early rather than regular decision (other universities have seen this as well, probably due to the non-binding nature)
  • Steady increase in the academic quality in early applications;
• Momentum in Fundraising
  • Increases in Annual Giving, Individual Major Gifts, and Organizational Gifts with additional various gift conversations underway
  • Templeton Foundation gift – Project Title:  Test of Rational Thinking (Dr. Robin Anderson and Dr. Richard West, graduate psychology)
  • Other significant gifts to academics and athletics;
• JMU Recognitions
  • Top Fulbright ‘Producer’:  Two Fulbright professors in 2012-13 (Dr. Anthony Tongen, mathematics and statistics; Dr. Sang Yoon, art, design and art history)
  • National leader in Study Abroad (second nationally among similar institutions)
  • Debate Team (ranked #3 and #5 out of 127 schools in the category)
  • Best Values in Public Colleges for 2013 (#20)
  • One of 5 regional universities in the South that operate most efficiently (US News & World Report);
• JMU’s Relay for Life
  • Won national and regional awards:
  • South Atlantic Division Awards
    • #1 Top Fundraising Relay Team:  Duke Royale (Relay Exec) -- $46,452
    • Marketing Award (best use of social media and our website to promote our events, meetings, and fundraisers):  Relay for Life of JMU
    • #3 Top Individual Fundraiser Award:  Tina Magee -- $10,800
  • National Relay for Life Awards
    • #1 Nationwide Collegiate Per Capita Award (15,000-24,999 students) -- $13.04
    • Nationwide Youth Team of Excellence Award:  Duke Royale (Relay Exec) -- $46,452 (average of $1,601 per team member).