Madison Family Newsletter: December 2023

Hello JMU families, 

The end of the semester is upon us, and I’m sure many of you are counting the days until your Duke is home! I hope you get a chance to spend some quality time together over break. Remember that many of them will come home and sleep for a long time, and then they will leave to catch up with friends, and then ask you where the food, etc. is in the house. They may not always say it, but they are happy to be home and back with you and the rest of the family. 

Reflecting on the past three months, I realize how fortunate I am to get to interact with so many amazing students and their families. Thank you all for your partnership and support during your Duke’s journey at JMU. 

Reminders 

While we love the excitement of our everyday lives, we also enjoy Winter Break! Campus will be closed Dec. 19 – Jan. 1, so our employees can have a well-deserved break. I wanted to share this with you in case you’re trying to reach someone during that time. 

For students living on campus, residence halls close Saturday, Dec. 16 at 10 a.m. They will receive instructions about what to do, but I’ll add an extra reminder to empty out their refrigerators and take out the trash. They’ll appreciate it in January when they return. It’s incredibly important that they take these steps before they leave so they don’t inadvertently create a science experiment in the fridge over break.  

Please remind your student to lock their doors and windows and to take anything valuable home with them. Empty apartment complexes can sometimes be easy targets over break. They also don’t want to end up with burst pipes or other issues because they left a window open. Also, they should follow any specific instructions provided such as what settings to leave the heat on, getting rid of trash, etc. 

Updates 

For students who may be looking for a quiet space for a phone call, Zoom call, interview or to study, there are many options around campus. This private spaces page lists many of the options available. 

Last year, in addition to the Counseling Center’s services, we began providing our students with free access to virtual mental health services through TimelyCare. These services are available even over break so please share this information with your student and any other JMU students you know. It’s not always obvious when someone needs help, so we want to be sure everyone knows about this important resource for them. 

Questions to ask your student 

After they wake up and are back home from visiting friends, here are a couple questions to get you started: 

What do you need for winter weather when you go back to school? 

Tip: Even though we’re further south than some of you, we do get cold weather and snow, so gloves and boots are highly recommended. For students with a car, a snow shovel and ice scraper will very likely be needed here next semester. 

How do you feel about last semester and what do you want to do differently in the spring? 

Tip: This is a chance to discuss their final grades, celebrate their successes and address any challenges they faced (personally and academically). Referring them to the Student Gateway is always a great place to start. You can also make your plan to have regular check-ins next semester.  

Some upcoming events 

If your student needs to take a break from studying, here are some suggestions: 

Dec. 7 | 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. (1 p.m. on 12/8) | De-Stress Fest 

Dec. 7 | 8 – 10 p.m. | Operation Seasons Cheer

Dec. 8 | 7 – 9 p.m. | Funny Freakin’ Friday 

Dec. 13 | 1 – 4 p.m. | Warm a Winter Wish 

Find other events on the JMU events calendar  

Academic Challenges 

I hope this doesn’t happen, but some students will receive an email over break that they are on academic probation or suspension. This can be really challenging as it is usually a surprise for families. They should be checking email regularly over break anyway, and you can get ahead of this situation by looking at Canvas and MyMadison with them once grades come out on Dec. 18 after 3 p.m.  

You should be able to get a good understanding of their situation by visiting the academic standing page, which explains everything you need to know about academic probation and suspension as well as the steps to take if your student receives one or the other. I know you will have lots of questions but please read the entire email they received and this website before reaching out, most questions are answered in those two resources. Please also remember that we are closed until Jan. 2, when people will be able to return calls and emails.  

We will be hosting a Rebound class in the spring semester for students on academic probation to help them recover from this and get back on track. Students can sign up for Rebound this spring.  

I hope your Duke has had a great JMU experience this year. For those of you with seniors, you’re probably wondering where the time went. Encourage them to enjoy every moment because it’s the little things that we often remember. 

Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season! 

Dr. Tim Miller 

Vice President for Student Affairs

Submitted by: Brad Barnett, Associate Vice President of Access & Enrollment Management/Financial Aid Director, Financial Aid & Scholarships, 

Spring Financial Aid Disbursements:
Financial aid disbursements generally occur during the first week of each semester if all paperwork has been submitted in a timely fashion and the student is registered for the amount of hours used to determine financial aid eligibility. If you want to learn more about the disbursement process, timeframe, and financial aid refunds, you can read Section 13: Financial Aid, Disbursements, Your Bill, and Refunds of the Financial Aid: Terms and Conditions – Consumer Information document on our website.

Beginning Enrollment:
It’s important to note that students must begin attendance in the classes for which they receive financial aid. Reading the “Beginning Enrollment” portion of Section 12: Class Attendance and Retaining Aid Eligibility (Attendance Verification): Terms and Conditions – Consumer Information document will explain what constitutes “attendance” for the purposes of meeting this eligibility criterion. Students who do not begin attendance in classes for which financial aid is awarded may be subject to a reduction or cancellation to their financial aid package.

Learn More

Submitted by: Melissa Wyant, Assistant AD for Creative Services & Fan Engagement, Athletics

The men's and women's basketball Dukes have been heating up the Atlantic Union Bank Center this fall! Don't miss out on any of the action as winter approaches. Single game tickets for all games are on-sale now!

Planning to be in town a few times? Take advantage of a conference pack ticket deal for Sun Belt Conference games. You can purchase tickets through JMUTickets.com or by calling 540-568-3853.

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Submitted by: Klaudia Whipple, Student Employment Assistant, Student Employment/Financial Aid & Scholarships

JMU JobLink is the best place for your student to find the most-up to-date information about job openings at JMU. Each posting identifies the hiring department and provides a detailed description of job responsibilities, qualifications, hourly rate or pay range and a list of additional documents (i.e., cover letter, resume, etc.) students will need to attach to their application. The Student Employment office recommends that students searching for an on-campus positons apply for as many jobs as they are interested in and feel qualified to fill. All on-campus positions are competitive so make sure your student has a quality resume, cover letter and references before beginning the application process.

It’s easy to apply! Once your student has identified the position(s) of interest, they must create a profile and complete the Student Application. These are saved for future use and can be edited at any time. Students must submit this application each time they apply for a student employment position at JMU. Selected applicants will complete an interview process with the department. Make sure your student knows how to “dress to impress” with appropriate interview attire and is prepared to make a good impression. The most-qualified candidate will be offered the position by the department.

If your student accepts a job offer, the hiring department will need to complete paperwork to meet institutional, state and federal guidelines and ensure prompt payment of wages. Students must provide their hiring department with a copy of their Social Security card and, for direct deposit purposes, a voided check, deposit slip or a bank statement showing the full account and routing numbers.

In addition, federal regulations require JMU to confirm all new employees are eligible to work in the United States through completion of Form I-9. Your student will complete Section 1 of this form with the hiring department or on their own electronically. Section 2 will be completed either with the hiring department or with the Student Employment office. To complete Section 2 of the Form I9, your student must provide documentation that both verifies identity and work authorization. You can see a full list of acceptable documents on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website. All documents used to complete Section 2 must be original and unexpired. The hiring department or Student Employment must examine the documents your student presents and record the information electronically on Form I-9.

Your student is now on their way to gaining priceless experience and a good, old-fashioned pay check!

For Student Employment questions or concerns send an email to studentjobs@jmu.edu or call (540) 568-3269.

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Submitted by: Kate Burke, Director of Internal Development, Athletics, Duke Club

If you're looking for a special way to celebrate a JMU student, grad, alum, or fan — look no further!

JMU Athletics and the Duke Club are proud to continue the Duke Dog Paver tradition — a legacy brick campaign that offers the JMU community the opportunity to personalize and memorialize the people, places, and experiences most important to them with a custom engraved brick on campus.

A limited number of available bricks remain at the exclusive Duke Dog statue location in front of Bridgeforth Stadium. Purchase today to take advantage of this special opportunity while supplies last! Orders must be placed by February 15 for spring install.

Learn more about the Duke Dog Paver Program and get your personalized brick ordered today at JMUDukeClub.com/legacy.

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Join 10,000+ fellow JMU parents and guardians in the official Facebook group! This group was created by the Office of Family Engagement in an effort to provide a safe online environment for parents & family members to engage with one another. Request to join the group here »

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