The James Madison University Board of Visitors met Friday, October 9, 2015, in the Board Room of the 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 meeting minutes of the June 5, 2015 board meeting;
• Approved committee reports from the Advancement, Athletics, Education & Student Life and Finance & Physical Development committees;
• Approved an ad-hoc committee for campaign planning;
• Approved the creation of an industrial design major from the existing industrial design emphasis;
• Approved an easement to Verizon Wireless to upgrade utilities;
• Approved the Campus Safety Plan;
• Approved the university’s six-year plan;
• Approved the following real estate purchase:
  • 1001 Forest Hill Road for $500,000 

During his report, President Jonathan Alger told the board: 

• 4,380 students reported to campus this fall as first-time freshmen;
• The university welcomed several new leaders: Dr. Adam Murray, dean of Libraries and Educational Technologies; Dr. Jie Chen, dean of The Graduate School; Dr. Bradley Newcomer, director of the Honors College; Dr. Marcia Schmidt Blaine, American Council for Education Fellow;
• The Apartments on Grace, a new 500-bed residence hall, opened this semester;
• The JMU Student Veteran’s Association opened a new veteran’s center in Wilson Hall;
• Valley Scholars welcomed their second cohort of 35 eighth graders from seven Shenandoah Valley middle schools;
• JMU received a $1 million gift from Dick and Shirley Roberts to establish the Shirley Hanson Roberts ’56 and Richard D. Roberts Endowment for Faculty Support;
• Nearly $180,000 has been collected from more than 1,000 donors for the Alison B. Parker Memorial Scholarship;
• JMU was recognized by the National Center for Pathways to Innovation as one of 25 institutions providing a strong orientation for new STEM students;
• The Madison Singers performed in concert with Grammy-nominated artist Josh Groban in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia last month;
• The JMU Police received their first re-accreditation from the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission;
• JMU shared its model of service through the engaged university at the recent Virginia Higher Education President’s Summit in Williamsburg;
• On September 15, 2015, JMU entered into a memorandum of understanding with Kosovo that will result in the exchange of students and teachers among JMU and universities in Kosovo;
• JMU co-hosted the 2015 Engagement Scholarship Consortium at Penn State University.

The Board of Visitors also received a presentation on engaged learning from Judith Dilts, associate dean of the College of Science and Mathematics, and Dietrich Maune, associate dean of the College of Arts and Letters.