In This Issue:
The Madison Family Newsletter is created each month by the Office of Parent Relations in partnership with many members of the JMU community. For more family resources, visit our website.
A Letter from Dr. Tim Miller
Hello JMU Parents,
Thank you all for your support over this past year. I’m so proud of the resilience of our students and I am really looking forward to what is in front of all of us. I know that all of you are incredibly close with your kids so I hope that you will share this advice and perspective with them as well.
To the Class of 2021—as you move into the next phase of your life, hold tight to the spirit of JMU. Hold doors for others, live life passionately, and stay in touch with those who have made a difference in your life. When you see someone wearing a JMU shirt or hat, give them a “Go Dukes!” You can meet some great people that way. Be sure to come back to visit and know that you always have a home here in Harrisonburg!
To the Class of 2022—get ready for the final lap in your JMU journey! The year will go by incredibly fast so be sure to savor each moment. I want to encourage you to get to know your faculty members and the staff that are around you every day. These connections and relationships will help you in finding your career, growing personally and professionally, and staying connected to JMU. Your senior year should be a time of incredible memories, warm days on the quad, beautiful sunsets on East campus, and friendships that will last a lifetime.
To the Class of 2023—since your first year ended abruptly and this year was far from typical, next year can be like a new start. Most of you are well into your majors now so you can work on building relationships with your faculty and getting deeper into your academic passion! You will also begin to see many of your fellow Dukes in multiple classes so take the time to get to know them so you can work together and start building your future JMU network. Refocus if needed, set your sights on your goals, and make this the best year yet. You still have plenty of time to make memories, but be sure to start now!
To the Class of 2024—last year was nothing like any of us planned and you have the opportunity to relive some of the excitement of your first year again this Fall. You’ll be getting more information later on this summer but we are working on plans to provide you with some of the experiences you missed this past year. I hope you participate in the many events offered through the school year and find your place if you haven’t already done so. So stay tuned (and check your email) for more information to come.
To the Class of 2025—welcome! You are joining an amazing community full of excitement, school spirit, support and dedication. JMU is a special place and we offer so much to help you find your place. It will be on you to show up to what is being offered and make the most of your Madison experience. I encourage you to participate in Summer Springboard, 1787, Weeks of Welcome and other activities that appeal to you. There are many people here who are committed to helping you thrive. These next four years will go by fast, so make the most of them!
To all parents—regardless of what year your student is, your role will continue to evolve. As always, I am a resource for all students and parents and you are all encouraged to reach out to me and the many others on campus dedicated to their success. Thank you for entrusting us with your student and have a great summer.
Go Dukes!
Dr. Tim Miller
Vice President of Student Affairs
Submitted by: Lindsay Aldrich, Assistant Director of International Cooperation, Center for Global Engagement
JMU undergraduate students may participate in the PC Prep Certificate Program to prepare for future Peace Corps service or other international development careers.
University Health Center (UHC) Summer Hours
Submitted by: Angela Ritchie, Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing, University Health Center
The University Health Center will be open over the summer Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. (closed 1 - 2 p.m.) on Thursday it opens at 9 a.m. For students who are taking classes this summer, regular charges apply. For students not enrolled in summer classes, there is a $25 charge for an office visit and the other regular charges apply. Students who graduated in May can still receive services through May, there is a $25 charge for an office visit and the other regular charges apply.
For parents of incoming students, please be sure your student follows the One Book steps for information about submitting their immunization form and completing the online TB screening and health history. All are due on July 8 and are required by Virginia law. Check our Incoming Students page on our website for more information.
UREC Summer Hours and Programs
Submitted by: Kaitlin Pomerleau, Assistant Director for Marketing and Social Media, UREC
University Recreation and University Park are now operating under summer hours! UREC is here to Motivate your Dukes into Motion and is offering Group Exercise classes, Intramural Sports, adventure trips, and cooking classes this Maymester as well! For questions about UREC, please visit www.jmu.edu/recreation or email us at urec@jmu.edu!
Financial Aid Updates
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Submitted by: Jessica Hopkins, Assistant Director of Compliance, 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. Academic progress is measured once per year (after spring grades have posted) and 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.
- Maximum Time – Students may not receive financial aid for more than 180 attempted hours. 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.
2021-22 SAP Appeal Deadlines
- Summer 2021 – June 28, 2021
- Fall 2021 – September 6, 2021
- Spring 2022 – January 31, 2022
For a description of JMU’s requirements, as well as more information regarding the appeal process and to use the online estimator, visit our website.
2021-2022 Financial Aid Official Award Notices
Submitted by: Brice Hostetler, Assistant Director for Grants, Financial Aid and Scholarships
Your JMU official financial aid award notice will be available towards the end of June. In order to receive federal aid, make sure you or your student has filled out a 2021-2022 FAFSA. When award notices are created, an email will be sent to your student's JMU Dukes email account letting them know their financial aid is available to view. They will be able to review their financial aid award notice on My Madison and accept their aid at that time. If they don’t receive an award notice, they need to check their To Do list on My Madison for any missing documents we require. Our office is open all summer and our team is available to help you and your student navigate financial aid at JMU.
For more information about JMU’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, including helpful links and videos, visit our website by clicking the button below.
Submitted by: Jessica Savoie, Associate Director, Marketing and Operations, Alumni Relations
Register for the Dukes Hike and then hike anywhere, anytime between June 4-13. 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. Proceeds from the hike support The Madison Vision Fund.
New Families: What's a One Book?
Submitted by: Mollie Zenz, Marketing and Web Coordinator, Orientation
Congratulations to all our new JMU family members! Orientation is excited to see that your students have started receiving their One Books in their mail. If your student has not received their physical copy yet, they can use the identical virtual copy on our website until it arrives. Your student's One Book will be their guide to a checklist of steps they should start working through to become a full-fledged Duke. We hope you'll encourage them to do all their steps by the stated deadlines. Some of the steps due soon will affect their reserved Springboard date and enrollment for fall. Please feel free to reach out via email (orientation@jmu.edu) if you have questions about our processes along the way!
New Families: Madison Orientation Adventure Trip (MOAT)
Submitted by: Kaitlin Pomerleau, Assistant Director of Marketing and Social Media, University Recreation
Join other first-year and transfer students on the Madison Orientation Adventure Trip (MOAT), led by the UREC Adventure staff. MOAT is a three-night, four-day camping trip in Stokesville, VA where you’ll have the opportunity to:
- Canoe, climb, hike, or standup paddleboard,
- Make long-lasting connections with other incoming JMU students, and
- Experience what the beautiful outdoors has to offer!
For full details, please visit MOAT's informational page and register by Friday, July 16, 2021!
11 Things We Do in JMU Libraries That Might Surprise You
Submitted by: Emily Blake, Communications and Marketing Coordinator, Libraries
If you think libraries are only about books, join us on a mini tour of some of the other things we do!
- We do 3D scanning and printing.
- We teach people how to tell fact from fiction.
- We build websites.
- We host live music performances.
- We make our items searchable across the globe.
- We answer questions – lots of them!
- We teach people how to make podcasts.
- We handle classroom equipment like projectors and cameras.
- We loan out laptops and cameras.
- We loan books to people around the world.
- We stabilize historic books, papers, and photographs.
Of course we do a lot of other things too – helping faculty with online teaching, offering consultations on copyright, fair use and other intellectual property issues, guest lecturing in classes on research strategies and managing citations, protecting your privacy, and so much more!
Our role is constantly evolving with the needs of the campus community. If you want to support our ongoing work, make a gift to JMU Libraries.
Submitted by: Nora Sutton, Coordinator, Campus & Parent Philanthropy, Office of Annual Giving
They've given their best -- will you do the same? Honor your student's Madison Experience with a small gesture to benefit all students at JMU. A gift to the Parents Fund helps keep the Madison Experience flexible and responsive to today's opportunities and challenges. Learn more and give below.
Join 4,000+ fellow JMU parents and guardians in the official Facebook group! This group was created by the Office of Parent Relations in an effort to provide a safe online environment for parents to engage with one another. Request to join the group here »
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