The James Madison University Board of Visitors met Friday, October 8, 2004, in the Board Room of JMU's College Center. Following is a summary of actions taken by the board and key areas of discussion at the board meeting: 

• Elected Charles H. Foster Jr. of Richmond as rector. He has been on the board since 2002 and is chairman and chief executive officer of LandAmerica Financial Group Inc. Dr. Meredith Strohm Gunter of Charlottesville was elected vice rector. She is a former coordinator of residence education at Virginia Commonwealth University, director of student services at Longwood University and provost of the New College of Global Studies at Radford University. Donna Harper, executive assistant to JMU President Linwood H. Rose, was re-elected secretary of the board. 
• Passed a resolution praising the board service of former Rector Joseph C. Farrell of Richmond and former members Helen R. Blackwell of Arlington and Robert L. Testwuide III of Vienna. All three left the board June 30. 
• Heard reports on the School of Media Arts and Design from school director Dr. George Johnson and on the university's strategic plan from Dr. Mark Warner, senior vice president for student affairs and university planning. 
• Agreed to purchase a house on a .41-acre plot of land at 990 Port Republic Road. The property fronts on Port Republic Road and squares off a 47-acre plot the university bought a year and a half ago. The land will be developed in the future for recreational fields for students. 
• Approved a request to go to the 2005 session of the Virginia Assembly for $1.4 million in additional operating funds and $700,000 for capital outlay projects, along with a request for permission to use $5.5 million in JMU funds for future property purchase. Additional funding for salaries and maintenance reserve will be sought for JMU as part of a statewide budget request from the Secretary of Education. 
• Was told by President Linwood H. Rose:
  • That fall headcount enrollment was a record 15,809. 
  • That JMU has been ranked again nationally by U.S. News & World Report for overall quality and by The Princeton Review for outstanding food on campus and computer technology for students. 
  • That three major construction projects - the Plecker Athletic Performance Center, the Chemistry-Physics Building and the Harrison Hall renovation - will all be completed by the middle of 2005. 
  • That JMU again met all of the state's financial management standards. JMU is one of only two state universities to meet the standards each year since they were implemented. 
  • That the student-faculty ratio has been reduced to 15.6-1. 
  • That Fred Hilton, university communications director, will move into a new position to oversee planning for JMU's upcoming centennial celebration in 2007-2008.