The James Madison University Board of Visitors met Friday, January 11, 2002, in the Board Room of JMU's Chandler Hall. Following is a summary of actions taken by the board and key areas of discussion at the board meeting:

• The board asked the General Assembly to keep any reductions to JMU's budget in the 2002-04 biennium to a minimum. A proposal by Gov. Jim Gilmore calls for a 6 percent reduction in the university's budget in the coming biennium. That cut would amount to $7.9 million. The board pointed out that a General Assembly study showed that JMU is already the most under-funded college in the state, with a $26-$28 million budget deficiency. With that existing deficit, "the university cannot absorb a significant general fund budget decrease without severely impacting the mission of the university," the board action said.

• JMU President Linwood H. Rose and Vice President for Administration and Finance Charles W. King Jr. both discussed a capital outlay proposal of Sen. John H. Chichester and Del. Vincent F. Callahan. The two legislators proposed $1.2 billion in construction projects at Virginia colleges over the next seven years. JMU would receive $126.3 million under the proposal, the largest of any college or university in Virginia. Part of the projects would be funded directly and part would be subject to approval by voters in a bond referendum. Construction projects at JMU that would be funded include the following:
  
  • Center for the Arts, $29.8 million
  • Chemistry-physics building east of Interstate 81, $24.2 million
  • Music Recital Hall, $22 million
  • Library facility east of Interstate 81, $19.8 million
  • Miller Hall renovations, $13.9 million
  • Harrison Hall and Annex renovations, $9.7 million
  • Steam infrastructure improvements, $4 million
  • Handicapped accessibility projects, $1.8 million
  • Sewer repair and upgrade project, $1.1 million

• Phyllis Palmiero, executive director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, gave the board a summary of SCHEV's activities concerning the needs of higher education.

• President Rose introduced four JMU faculty members who have recently written scholarly works: Dr. Roger Allan Hall, professor of theater; Dr. Karen E. Santos, associate professor of special education; Dr. J. Barclay Rosser Jr., professor of economics; and Dr. Ronald G. Kander, professor and department head of integrated science and technology.

• Among other items Rose told the board in his President's Report:
  • A Ph.D. program in communications sciences and disorders at JMU has been approved by SCHEV. That will be JMU's first Ph.D. program. The university current offers a Psy. D. (doctor of psychology) with two areas of concentration.
  • The JMU marching band, the Marching Royal Dukes, appeared in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York and will take part in Gov. Mark Warner's inaugural parade.