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James Madison University

Coordinates: 38°26′14″N 78°52′12″W / 38.43725°N 78.86991°W / 38.43725; -78.86991
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"JMU" redirects here. For the university in Liverpool, England, see Liverpool John Moores University.
For the public-policy college at Michigan State University, see James Madison College.
James Madison University
File:JamesMadisonUniversityseal.jpg
MottoBe the Change
TypePublic university
Established1908
Endowment$50.7[1] million
PresidentDr. Linwood H. Rose
Academic staff
2,659
Students18,313
Undergraduates16,730
Postgraduates1,583
Location
Harrisonburg
,
Virginia
,
U.S.
CampusSmall city, 655 acres (2.65 km2)
ColorsPurple and Gold    
NicknameJames Madison Dukes
MascotDuke Dog
Websitewww.jmu.edu
James Madison University Logo

James Madison University (also known as JMU, Madison, or James Madison) is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes until settling with James Madison University.[2] The university is situated in the Shenandoah Valley, with the campus quadrangle located on South Main Street in Harrisonburg.

The university is also home to the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, the only active publicly-oriented arboretum on a Virginia state-supported university campus, and the student run radio station WXJM, as well as National Public Radio station WMRA. JMU made national sports headlines in 2004 with its first NCAA Division I-AA national football championship.[3]

History

Founded in 1908 as a women's college, university was established by the Virginia General Assembly. It was originally called The State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg. In 1914, the name of the university was changed to the State Normal School for Women at Harrisonburg. At first, academic offerings included only today's equivalent of technical training or junior college courses, however authorization to award bachelor's degrees was granted in 1916. During this initial period of development, the campus plan was established and six buildings were constructed.[4]

The university became the State Teachers College at Harrisonburg in 1924 and continued under that name until 1938, when it was named Madison College in honor of the fourth president of the United States. In 1976 the university's name was changed to James Madison University.[4]

The first president of the university was Julian Ashby Burruss. The university opened its doors to its first student body in 1909 with an enrollment of 209 students and a faculty of 15. Its first 20 graduates received diplomas in 1911.[4]

In 1919, Dr. Burruss resigned the presidency to become president of Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Dr. Samuel Page Duke was then chosen as the second president of the university. During Duke's administration, nine major buildings were constructed.[4]

File:JMU Aerial view.jpg
Aerial view of campus from 1937, showing the original campus plan, prior to major expansions of the campus.

In 1946 men were first enrolled as regular day students. Dr. G. Tyler Miller became the third president of the university in 1949, following the retirement of Duke. During Miller's administration, from 1949 to 1970, the campus was enlarged by 240 acres (0.97 km2) and 19 buildings were constructed. Major curriculum changes were made and the university was authorized to grant master's degrees in 1954.[4]

In 1966, by action of the Virginia General Assembly, the university became a coeducational institution. Dr. Ronald E. Carrier, JMU's fourth president, headed the institution from 1971 to 1998. During Carrier's administration, student enrollment and the number of faculty and staff tripled, doctoral programs were authorized, more than twenty major campus buildings were constructed and the university was recognized repeatedly by national publications as one of the finest institutions of its type in America. Carrier Library is named for him.[4]

In the 2000s, the university continued to expand, not only through new construction east of Interstate 81, but also on the west side of campus. In early 2005, JMU purchased the Rockingham Memorial Hospital building north of the main campus. JMU is expected to occupy the building following the hospital's move to its new location.[5] Additionally in June 2005, the university expanded across South High Street by leasing the former Harrisonburg High School building from Harrisonburg City. In May 2006 the university offered to purchase the property.[6] The sale was approved in June 2005 for $17 million.[7][8] The university named the old HHS building as Memorial Hall.[9] The university also received state and private funding to begin construction of a state of the art Performing Arts Complex near the quad in 2007. A second, $30 million library located on the east side of campus, has completed construction. East Campus Library (ECL), opened on August 11, 2008, just before students returned for the fall semester.

Wilson Hall, centerpiece of the JMU quad.

Academics

James Madison University is considered "More Selective" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For the Class of 2012, the university received more than 19,350 applications, with there currently being 3,960 freshman spots available for the 2008-2009 academic year.[10]

Currently, James Madison University offers more than 100 degree programs on the bachelor's, master's, educational specialist and doctoral levels. The university comprises seven colleges and 78 academic programs.

Colleges

On June 24, 2005, the Board of Visitors approved the Madison College Proposal, which created the College of Visual and Performing Arts out of the College of Arts and Letters. The new College of Visual and Performing Arts includes the School of Art and Art History, the School of Music, the School of Theatre and Dance, and the Madison Art Collection.

On January 9, 2007, a new School of Engineering was approved by the Virginia higher education governing body.[11] The school will begin accepting undergraduates in Fall 2008. The theme of the program is sustainability with a large focus on the environmental sciences, and will only offer general engineering degrees with no specializations.

School of Music

Keezell Hall, home of the university's English and Foreign Language departments
Main article: College of Visual and Performing Arts (James Madison University)

The School of Music is nationally renowned and features degrees in music composition, performance, education, theater, and music industry. Currently, the University is home to over ten ensembles. Among them is The Wind Ensemble, The JMU Brass Band, a Pep Band, several choirs, and The Marching Royal Dukes, the marching band with almost 500 members who were the recipients of the Sudler Trophy, the highest honor available for a college marching band. In 2005, the School of Music received an anonymous gift of 65 Steinway Pianos worth $1 million.[12]

Rankings

The school is nationally recognized for its academics. U.S. News & World Report has ranked JMU as the top public (4th overall), masters-level university in the South for 14 consecutive years,[13] and among public colleges Forbes.com ranks JMU 22nd in the nation.[citation needed]

The University is also ranked 22nd overall in value for money in the nation amongst public colleges and universities, according to Kiplinger Magazine's 100 Best Values in Public Colleges.[14] According to BusinessWeek magazine in its 2009 ranking of undergraduate colleges of business, JMU's undergraduate business school is ranked 44th in the nation, and 3rd in Virginia.[15]

Money Magazine, in 1996 ranked JMU 5th in the nation for best value among in-state students.[16] Princeton Review, in its 2007 rankings, called JMU one of "America's Best Value Colleges".[17]

Campus

Newman Lake

The campus of JMU originally consisted of two buildings, known today as Jackson and Maury Halls. The early campus design was modeled after that of Union College, thus resembling the ideal city of Renaissance. Today, the campus of James Madison University has 102 major buildings on 655 acres (2.65 km2).[18] The campus is divided into five parts: Bluestone, Hillside, Lakeside, Skyline, and the Village.[19] The Skyline area is located on the east side of Interstate 81, while the Bluestone, Hillside, Lakeside, and Village areas of the campus are located on the west side. The two sides of campus are connected both by a bridge and a tunnel underneath the highway (Duke Dog Alley).[20] Other unique features on the campus include Newman Lake, a 9.7-acre (39,000 m2) pond located in the Lake Area next to Greek Row and Sonner Hall,[21] the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, and one set of railroad tracks passing directly through the campus.

The original portion of campus was situated on South Main Street and has, since the late-1990's, expanded east across the Interstate 81. The expansion included, the addition of The College of Integrated Science and Technology (CISAT), the University Recreation Center (UREC), the Festival Conference and Student Center, the Leeolou Alumni Center, several residence halls, the Chemistry and Physics Building, which houses the chemistry department as well as the department of Physics and Astronomy, and athletic fields. The East Campus Library, completed in the August of 2008,[22] is one of the most recently added building to the east side of JMU's campus.

Several new construction projects on the campus of James Madison University have been included in Governor Tim Kaine's $1.65 billion higher education bond package. Governor Kaine's proposal designates more than $96 million for JMU projects. Among the projects included in the proposal are the construction of a new biotechnology building, Centennial Hall, ($44.8 million) and the renovation and expansion of Duke Hall ($43.4 million). The proposal also includes $8.6 million as the final installment payment for Rockingham Memorial Hospital.[23]

Student life

Students on the James Madison University quad

The Princeton Review also recognized James Madison as one of 81 schools in America "with a conscience", and in the latest year ranked behind only the University of Virginia in the number of Peace Corps volunteers it sent from its student body among "medium-sized" universities.[24] Alcohol use on and around campus is prevalent, and The Princeton Review ranked JMU eighteenth for the most beer usage on campus.[17]

The school has 35 residence halls, nine of which serve as sorority houses.[25] While most residence halls are only for housing, several halls are used for multiple purposes. For example, Chandler Hall, located in the Lake area, has a basement dining facility and a computer lab, in addition to upperclass housing.[26] As freshmen must live on campus, a large portion of JMU's housing availability is set aside for incoming students. Consequently, most upperclassmen and graduate students live off campus; those who wish to live on campus must apply for housing each year. While occasional exceptions are granted, generally freshmen are not granted parking permits.[27] JMU's Greek life makes up roughly 12%[citation needed] of the student body.

Administration

CISAT side of campus with Potomac Hall (left) and Chesapeake Hall (right).

Board of Visitors

Like all public universities in Virginia, James Madison is governed by a Board of Visitors, mostly appointed by the Governor of Virginia.[28] In addition to the 15 members appointed by the governor, the speaker of the Faculty Senate and an elected student representative serve as representatives for the faculty and the student body respectively. The appointed members serve for a maximum of two consecutive 4 year terms, while the student representative is limited to two one-year terms. The faculty representative serves for as long as he or she remains the speaker of the JMU Faculty Senate.[28]

President

Main article: Linwood H. Rose

Dr. Linwood H. Rose has served as the university's fifth president since September 1998. Before being named president, Rose served as a member of the institution's administration for 23 years, including service as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

Past presidents

Community relations

The University’s rapid expansion has created tension in the city-university relationship with issues such as growth planning.[29] The Board of Visitors recently approved the invocation of eminent domain against a neighboring business, a funeral parlor, to make way for the school's new Performing Arts Center, which is already under construction. Before eminent domain was exercised, the property owner chose to accept a purchase offer from the University.[30] In the May 2006 city election, incumbent mayor Larry Rogers, who also serves on JMU’s Board of Visitors, lost his bid for reelection.[31] JMU has nearly doubled in size in the last 20 years.[32] JMU purchased the former Harrisonburg High School building, now known as Memorial Hall, and promised to keep some of the important features intact for the benefit of the community.[33]

Athletics

Main article: James Madison Dukes
File:JamesMadisonDukes.png
Duke Dog Athletics Identity.

James Madison University's athletic teams use the name "Dukes" in competition, with the Duke Dog, a gray bulldog dressed in a purple cape and crown, as the school's mascot. "Dukes" is in honor of Samuel Page Duke, the university's second president. Madison competes in the NCAA's Division I (Football Championship Subdivision for football), the Colonial Athletic Association, and the Eastern College Athletic Conference. The Dukes played football in the Atlantic 10 Football Conference until it disbanded after the 2006 season and currently play in the Colonial Athletic Association, which picked up the Atlantic 10's football operations beginning fall 2007[34] Students compete in football, basketball, soccer, women's swimming, diving, women's volleyball, baseball, women's lacrosse, field hockey, golf, track and field, and softball. James Madison's two national championships ranks them tied for third most national titles in Virginia. James Madison's baseball team advanced to the 1983 College World Series, the only Division I institution in Virginia to do so besides the University of Virginia in 2009. The JMU women's field hockey gave the university their first national title in 1994. JMU football also won the NCAA Division I-AA national title in 2004 and appeared in the playoffs in 2006, 2007 and 2008.[35] In 2006, considerable controversy arose after the decision to cut 10 varsity teams (including both mens' and women's teams) was deemed necessary to comply with Title IX restrictions.[citation needed]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ "All Institutions Listed by FY 2006 Market Value of Endowment Assets With Percent Change Between 2006 and 2007 Endowment Assets" (PDF). NACUBO. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
  2. ^ "JMU - JMU Historical Timeline" (HTML). JMU Centennial Office. Retrieved 2006-12-05.
  3. ^ "JMU Sports - Football - Quick Facts" (HTML). JMU Athletics. Retrieved 2006-12-05.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "History of James Madison University". Office of the President. March 31, 2005. Retrieved 2007-07-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ Shahmoradian, Sarah (March 31, 2005). "Legislature approves hospital purchase". The Breeze. Retrieved 2006-10-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Mellott, Jeff (Posted 2006-05-24). "Old School's Price Tag: $17 Million Proposals From JMU Go Before Council". Daily News-Record. Retrieved 2009-07-05. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ Mellott, Jeff (June 14, 2006). "High School Sale Approved". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, VA). Retrieved 2009-07-05.
  8. ^ Creswell, Kelly (Posted: 1:30 AM Jun 14, 2006; Last Updated: 7:27 AM Jun 15, 2006). "Harrisonburg High School Sale". WHSV TV 3. Gray Television, Inc. Retrieved 2009-07-05. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ Burgene, Jason (October 10, 2005). "Education to transfer in spring". The Breeze. Retrieved 2006-10-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ "Board of Visitors Meeting, May 2, 2008, Summary of Actions/Discussions". James Madison University. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
  11. ^ "SCHEV Gives Green Light To Engineering Program At JMU" (Press release). James Madison University. January 11, 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-10. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ "ALL-STEINWAY, ALL THE TIME — THANKS TO MUSIC LOVER'S $1 MILLION GIFT" (HTML). JMU Office of Media Relations. Retrieved 2007-05-10.
  13. ^ "National Recognitions" (HTML). JMU Office of Media Relations. Retrieved 2006-12-05.
  14. ^ "100 Best Values in Public Colleges" (HTML). Kiplinger. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  15. ^ "Undergraduate B-School Rankings" (HTML). Business Week. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  16. ^ "James Madison University's Best 361 College Rankings" (HTML). Money Magazine. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
  17. ^ a b "James Madison University's Best 361 College Rankings" (HTML). The Princeton Review. Retrieved 2006-12-05.
  18. ^ "JMU - JMU Today" (HTML). JMU Centennial Office. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
  19. ^ "James Madison University - Campus Map - Buildings" (HTML). University Communications & Marketing. Retrieved 2006-12-04.
  20. ^ "Visit Guide - Walking Tour - Ridge Area" (HTML). Office of Admissions. Retrieved 2006-12-04.
  21. ^ "Newman Lake" (HTML). Centennial Office. Retrieved 2006-12-04.
  22. ^ "Book Club." Bowser, Heather. The Daily News-Record. May, 2008.
  23. ^ "New East Campus Library Project" (HTML). Public Affairs. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
  24. ^ "Peace Corps - Top Producing Colleges and Universities" (HTML). Peace Corps. Retrieved 2006-12-08.
  25. ^ "Office of Residence Life - Hall Descriptions". Office of Residence Life. Retrieved 2006-12-04.
  26. ^ "Off-Campus Housing Guide - Page 5" (HTML). Off-Campus Life. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
  27. ^ "Freshman Parking - Index of Parking Regulations" (HTML). JMU Office of Parking Services. Retrieved 2006-12-22.
  28. ^ a b "JMU - Institutional Governance" (HTML). JMU Centennial Office. Retrieved 2006-11-12.
  29. ^ Mellott, Jeff (April 26, 2006). "Harrisonburg City Council Candidates Hear Concerns About Growth". The Daily News Record. Retrieved 2006-10-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  30. ^ Mellott, Jeff (April 25, 2006). "Kyger Contributes To Candidates Challenging Rogers, Who Aided University Effort to Gain Property". The Daily News Record. Retrieved 2006-10-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ Mellott, Jeff (May 3, 2006). "Frank, Byrd Oust Rogers". The Daily News Record. Retrieved 2006-10-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ Symolon, Shane. "James Madison Expansion". WHSV-TV. Retrieved 2006-10-19.
  33. ^ Trice, Calvin (June 16, 2006). "Harrisonburg to sell school site to JMU". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2006-10-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  34. ^ "Quick Facts about JMU's Division of Athletics" (HTML). JMU Athletics. Retrieved 2006-12-08.
  35. ^ Hite, Michelle (Winter 2005). "National Champions!". Montpelier. James Madison University. Retrieved 2006-10-19.
  36. ^ Taylor, Liz (December 1, 2004). "CBS News' [[Jim Acosta]] ('93) joins Dan Rather on the set for blackout story". Montpelier. Retrieved 2007-06-24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  37. ^ Dr. Marcia Angell at the National Library of Medicine. Accessed July 17, 2007.
  38. ^ "Gary Clark". Thehogs.net. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
  39. ^ "Meet the News Team". WRC-TV. Retrieved 2007-07-16.
  40. ^ "Charles Haley". Databasefootball.com. Retrieved 2007-07-21.
  41. ^ "ESPN Player Card". Retrieved 2007-07-21.
  42. ^ "John Roberts Bio". Speed TV. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
  43. ^ Berman, Mark (June 27, 2006). "Homecoming all in a day's work for Salem native Sample". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved 2006-10-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  44. ^ "Phil Vassar Biography". Musician Guide. Retrieved 2009-07-14.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to James Madison University.

38°26′14″N 78°52′12″W / 38.43725°N 78.86991°W / 38.43725; -78.86991

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