James Madison University James Madison University ( also known as JMU , Madison , or James Madison ) is a public coeducation al 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 before settling with James Madison University . The university is situated in the Shenandoah Valley , with the campus quadrangle located on South Main Street in Harrisonburg . History . Founded in 1908 as a women ' s college , James Madison 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 . 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 . 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 . In 1919 , 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 . 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 Duke . During Miller ' s administration , from 1949 to 1970 , the campus was enlarged by and 19 buildings were constructed . Major curriculum changes were made and the university was authorized to grant master ' s degrees in 1954 . 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 . 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 . The hospital has since moved to its new location in Harrisonburg , and JMU now occupies the building . 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 . The sale was approved in June 2005 for $ 17 million . The university named the old HHS building as Memorial Hall . Recently completed projects include a second library located on the east side of campus . Rose Library , opened on August 11 , 2008 , just before students returned for the fall semester . The Forbes Center opened in June 2010 and serves as the home to JMU ' s School of Theatre and Dance . It also provides performance venues and support spaces for the School of Music . 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 22 , 349 applications , and there were only 4 , 029 freshman spots available for the 2011 - 2012 academic year . Currently , James Madison University offers 108 degree programs on the bachelor ' s , master ' s , educational specialist and doctoral levels . The university comprises seven colleges and 78 academic programs . On October 2 , 2009 , James Madison University was granted a chapter by the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society . Only about 10 percent of the country ' s colleges and universities have Phi Beta Kappa chapters . Colleges . On June 24 , 2004 , 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 , Design 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 . The school began 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 . Rankings . The school is nationally recognized for its academics . " U . S . News & World Report " has ranked JMU as the top public masters - level university in the South ( 3rd overall ) for 16 consecutive years , and among public colleges Forbes . com ranks JMU 22nd in the nation . 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 . According to BusinessWeek Magazine in its 2011 ranking of undergraduate colleges of business , JMU ' s undergraduate business school is ranked 12th in the nation , and 3rd in Virginia . JMU ranked third among public schools in the country and fourth among all public undergraduate business schools in the country for return on investment , according to BusinessWeek Magazine . JMU ' s Master of Accounting Program recently ranked as the top passing rate on the CPA exam in the United States . " Money Magazine " , in 1996 ranked JMU 5th in the nation for best value among in - state students . Princeton Review , in its 2007 rankings , called JMU one of " America ' s Best Value Colleges " . For the 17th consecutive year James Madison University was ranked as the top public , master ' s - level university in the South in the highly regarded annual poll on academic quality conducted by U . S . News & World Report for its guidebook , 2011 America ' s Best Colleges . JMU also had the highest graduation rate of 81 percent among both public and privates colleges in the South . Campus . The campus of JMU originally consisted of two buildings , known today as Jackson and Maury Halls . Today , the campus of James Madison University has 111 major buildings on . The campus is divided into five parts : Bluestone , Hillside , Lakeside , Skyline , and the Village . 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 ) . Other unique features on the campus include Newman Lake , a pond located in the Lake Area next to Greek Row and Sonner Hall , the Edith J . Carrier Arboretum , and one set of railroad tracks passing directly through the campus . The original portion of campus is situated on South Main Street and has , since the late 1990s , 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 2008 , 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 . 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 on U . S . 11 , and completes the 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 Forbes Center was built at a total cost exceeding of $ 92 million , and opened in June 2010 to house performances by the Schools of Theatre , Dance and Music , and the administrative offices of the College of Visual and Performing Arts . Wilson Hall is the centerpiece of the University 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 . 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 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 . And in 2010 , the food at JMU was ranked third in the United States . In 2011 the student body was ranked 20th happiest in the entire nation by Newsweek and The Daily Beast . In 2009 , " Playboy " ranked JMU as the 22nd Best Party School in the nation . 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 . 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 . 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 . Clubs and organizations . James Madison University has over 350 clubs and organizations for students to choose from . The goal is to provide students with a unique experience while creating a giving community throughout the university . Speech Team The James Madison Speech Team has been recognized by AFA - NIET as one of the top 20 intercollegiate speech teams in the nation . JMU Forensics is the only program in the nation directed by two recipients of AFA ’ s most respected coaching awards : Distinguished Service and Outstanding New Coach . Administration . Board of Visitors . Like all public universities in Virginia , James Madison is governed by a Board of Visitors appointed by the Governor of Virginia . 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 . President . Mr . Jonathan R . Alger is the sixth and current president of the university . Before being named president , Alger served as the senior vice president and counsel at Rutgers University . Athletics . 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 Students compete in football , basketball , soccer , women ' s swimming , diving , women ' s volleyball , baseball , women ' s lacrosse , field hockey , golf , cross country , 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 , with a 13 - 2 record , and are the only team in history to win the title after playing four straight road playoff games . Since then they have appeared in the playoffs in 2006 , 2007 , 2008 , and 2011 . In 2006 , considerable controversy arose after the decision to cut 10 varsity teams ( including both men ' s and women ' s teams ) was deemed necessary by the Board of Visitors to comply with Title IX restrictions . Most recently , James Madison University has used funds to create a new baseball and softball field complex by Memorial Hall . Additionally , after the last football game of 2009 , the university began an expansion of Bridgeforth Stadium that increased seating to a capacity of over 25 , 000 . Construction on the stadium was completed in time for the Dukes to start their 2011 football season . Community relations . The University ' s rapid expansion has created tension in the city - university relationship with issues such as growth planning . In 2006 , the Board of Visitors approved the invocation of eminent domain against a neighboring business , a funeral parlor , to make way for the school ' s new Performing Arts Center . Before eminent domain was exercised , the property owner accepted a purchase offer from the University . In the May 2006 city election , incumbent mayor Larry Rogers , who also serves on JMU ' s Board of Visitors , lost his bid for reelection to a JMU graduate . JMU has nearly doubled in size in the last 20 years . 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 . Association with civil disturbances . A riot took place in August 2000 , when about 2 , 500 students clashed with police at a block party at the Forest Hills townhouse complex on Village Lane . On April 10 , 2010 , during the annual ( non - university sanctioned ) block party , police equipped with riot gear used force to disperse a group of 8 , 000 college - aged individuals were gathered in the townhouse development on Village Lane , just off campus . Several injuries were severe enough to warrant the need for patients to be airlifted to a Medical Center in Charlottesville . In a statement to students , JMU President Linwood H . Rose aggressively condemned the behavior of the block party attendees while recognizing the influx of non - students and visitors from outside of the area . He also noted the effect of the weekend ' s events on the university ' s reputation .