James Madison University
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James Madison University (also known as JMU, Madison, or James Madison) is a public research university in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at
Harrisonburg, the institution was renamed Madison College in 1938 in
honor of President James Madison and then James Madison University in 1977.[4] The university is situated in the Shenandoah Valley, with the campus quadrangle located on South Main Street.
 | |
| Motto | Knowledge is Liberty |
|---|---|
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1908 |
Academic affiliations
| SURA, SCHEV |
| Endowment | $101 million (2018)[1] |
| Budget | $549 million (2017)[2] |
| President | Jonathan R. Alger |
Academic staff
| 1,375 |
| Students | 22,667[2] |
| Undergraduates | 20,779[2] |
| Postgraduates | 1,888[2] |
| Location | Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. |
| Campus | Small city, 721 acres (2.92 km2) |
| Colors |
Purple and Gold[3] |
| Nickname | Dukes |
Sporting affiliations
| NCAA Division I – CAA |
| Mascot | Duke Dog |
| Website |
www |
 | |
Contents
History
Aerial view of campus from 1937, showing the original campus plan, prior to major expansions of the campus
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 James Madison, the fourth President of the United States whose Montpelier estate is located in nearby Orange, Virginia. In 1976, the university's name was changed to James Madison University.[5]
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.[5]
In 1919, Julian Burruss resigned the presidency to become president of Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Samuel Page Duke was then chosen as the second president of the university. During Duke's administration, nine major buildings were constructed.[5] Duke served as president from 1919 to 1949.
In 1946, men were first enrolled as regular day students. G. Tyler Miller became the third president of the university in 1949, following the retirement of Samuel 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.[5]
In 1966, by action of the Virginia General Assembly, the university became a coeducational institution. 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 after him.[5]
21st Century
The ISAT/CS Building, on the east side of campus
The rapid expansion of JMU's campus has at times created tension in the city-university relationship.[11] In 2006, the local ABC affiliate reported that the university had nearly doubled in size in the last 20 years,[12] including purchases of several local properties.[13][14]
The university has also experienced tension with local residents with occasional clashes between local police and students at a popular off-campus block party. In 2000, the party with about 2,500 students grew out of hand and required a police presence at the Forest Hills townhouse complex on Village Lane.[15] Ten years later, police equipped with riot gear used force to disperse a group of 8,000 college-aged individuals at the party.[16][17][18] Several participants were airlifted to a medical center in Charlottesville to treat their injuries.[19] The university has condemned the behavior of the block party attendees.[20]
Academics
Wilson Hall, centerpiece of the JMU quadrangle
Currently, James Madison University offers 115 degree programs on the bachelor's, master's, educational specialist, and doctoral levels. The university comprises seven colleges and 78 academic programs. The university includes the College of Arts and Letters; the College of Business; the College of Education; the College of Health and Behavioral Studies; the College of Integrated Science and Engineering; the College of Science and Mathematics; the College of Visual and Performing Arts; and The Graduate School. Total enrollment beginning the Fall 2012 academic year was 19,927; 18,392 undergraduates and 1,820 graduate students. JMU granted 4,908 degrees in 2012; 4,096 undergraduate degrees, and 812 graduate degrees.
On October 2, 2009, James Madison University was granted a chapter by the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society.[23] Only about 10 percent of the country's colleges and universities have Phi Beta Kappa chapters. James Madison University's Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi was the first academic honor society chartered at JMU. The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (or simply Phi Kappa Phi or ΦΚΦ) is an honor society established in 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to area of study and to promote the "unity and democracy of education".
Keezell Hall, home of the university's English and Foreign Language departments
Colleges
- College of Arts and Letters
- College of Business
- College of Education
- College of Integrated Science and Engineering
- College of Science and Mathematics
- College of Health and Behavioral Studies
- College of Visual and Performing Arts
- The Graduate School
- Honors College
- Outreach and Engagement
On January 9, 2007, the School of Engineering was approved by the Virginia higher education governing body.[24] The school began accepting undergraduates in Fall 2008. The program focuses on sustainability with a major emphasis on the environmental sciences. The School of Engineering offers general engineering degrees with no specializations.
Rankings
| University rankings | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Forbes[25] | 125 |
| Regional | |
| U.S. News & World Report[26] | 7 |
| Master's University class | |
| Washington Monthly[27] | 68 |
JMU's College of Business was ranked 40th among the undergraduate business programs in the U.S. by BloombergBusiness in 2014.[30] The university is also ranked 21st in value in the nation among public colleges and universities, according to Kiplinger magazine's 2015 "100 Best Values in Public Colleges".[31] JMU ranked 15th among all undergraduate business schools in the country for return on investment, according to BloombergBusiness in 2013.[32]
Newman Lake
Campus
The campus of JMU originally consisted of two buildings, known today as Jackson and Maury Halls.[33] Today, the campus of James Madison University has 148 major buildings on 721 acres (2.92 km2) in Harrisonburg, VA.[34] And it has since become the second most photographed location on social media sites like Instagram and Twitter in the state of Virginia, second to King Dominion. The campus is divided into five parts: Bluestone, Hillside, Lakeside, Skyline, and the Village.[35] 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 over, and a tunnel (Duke Dog Alley) underneath, Interstate 81.[36] Other unique features on the campus include Newman Lake, a 9.7-acre (39,000 m2) body of water located in the Lake Area next to Greek Row and Sonner Hall,[37] and the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, a 125-acre urban botanical preserve located within the city of Harrisonburg and the campus of James Madison University (JMU). The Edith J. Carrier Arboretum combines naturalized botanical gardens (33 acres) and forest (92 acres), and is the only arboretum on a public university campus in Virginia.The original, historic "Bluestone" side of campus is situated on South Main Street (also known as U.S. Route 11, and historically as "The Valley Pike"). Since the late 1990s the campus has expanded both east and west of the Bluestone area. Towards the east, across Interstate 81, the expansion has included 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, and University Park, which opened in 2012 off of Port Republic Road, combining recreational and varsity athletic fields. The Rose Library, completed in August 2008, serves as a repository of science and technical material.[38]
Several new construction projects on the campus of James Madison University were included in Governor Tim Kaine's $1.65 billion higher education bond package. Governor Kaine's proposal designated more than $96 million for JMU projects. Among the projects included were 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 included $8.6 million as the final installment payment for the purchase of Rockingham Memorial Hospital.[39] Beginning in 2002 JMU began receiving state and private funding to construct a state-of-the-art performing arts complex. The facility is located opposite Wilson Hall across South Main Street, and serves to visually complete the Main Quad. It was named "The Forbes Center for the Performing Arts" in honor of Bruce and Lois Forbes who provided a gift of $5 million towards the project. The wing of The Forbes Center dedicated to theater and dance is named the "Dorothy Thomasson Estes Center for Theatre and Dance" in honor of a $2.5 million gift by the husband of Dorothy Estes. The wing dedicated to music is named the "Shirley Hanson Roberts Center for Music Performance" in honor of a multimillion-dollar gift from the husband of Shirley Roberts. The entire PAC was built at a total cost exceeding $92 million, and opened in June 2010 to house academic offices and performances by the Schools of Theatre, Dance and Music, and the administrative offices of the College of Visual and Performing Arts.[40]
Wilson Hall is the centerpiece of the university's main quadrangle. It contains an auditorium, administrative offices, and the Community Service Learning Office. The building's cupola has been featured on the university logo, letterhead, and other university stationery and postcards. Completed in 1931, the building was named after President Woodrow Wilson, who was born in nearby Staunton, Virginia.
Bus service around campus and the city is provided by the Harrisonburg Department of Public Transportation.
Students on the James Madison University quad
Student Life
The Princeton Review also recognized James Madison as one of 81 schools in America "with a conscience", and in the latest year ranked JMU second in the nation behind only the University of Virginia in the number of Peace Corps volunteers it sent from its student body among "medium-sized" universities.[41] And in 2010, the food at JMU was ranked third in the United States.[42] In 2011 the student body was ranked 20th "happiest in the entire nation" by Newsweek and The Daily Beast.[43] These rankings take into consideration the surrounding area's activities, academics, as well as the social scene on campus.The school has 35 residence halls, ten of which serve as sorority houses.[44] While most residence halls are only for housing, several halls also provide auxiliary services like computer labs and study lounges.[45] All freshmen must live on campus, and a large portion of JMU's on-campus housing is set aside for incoming students. Consequently, most upperclassmen and graduate students live off campus. Continuing students who wish to live on campus must re-apply for housing each year. While occasional exceptions are granted, generally freshmen are not granted on-campus parking permits.[46] Some JMU halls are set-aside as specialized living and learning residential communities. Shenandoah Hall is devoted as an Honors residential experience, Chesapeake Hall is for pre-professional health disciplines, Gifford Hall includes the Roop Learning Community for future teachers, and Wayland Hall is reserved for majors in the art disciplines.
Student Activities & Involvement
James Madison University has over 350 clubs and organizations for students to choose from. The goal is to provide students with a unique experience that will help them to grow in community and in engagement outside of the classroom.[47]Organizations
Student Government Association
The JMU Student Government Association (SGA) was founded in 1915 and stood as the first organization on campus. Their goal was to become an organization whose role was to be the voice for the JMU student population and advocate on behalf of the students to the administration and the rest of the community.SGA consists of two governing bodies, the Executive Council and the Student Senate. The Executive Council consists of the Student Body President, Student Body Vice President, and SGA Treasurer, positions that are elected by the JMU Student Body each academic year. The fourth member of the Executive Council is the Speaker of the Senate who is voted on by the Student Senate. Meanwhile, the Senate consists of Academic Senators and Class Council members who form the various committees within the Senate.
SGA can be attributed to many of the traditions known to JMU, such as Homecoming's Purple Out, Mr. and Ms. Madison, Ring Premiere, the Annual Tree Lighting, the Big Event, and SafeRides. They also vote on Front End Budgeted (FEB) organizational budgets each year as well as allocate contingency funds to other organizations throughout the school year. In 2015, the organization celebrated its 100th year since being founded.
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