Travel Writer Shares Appalachian Adventures
By Aaron Koepper,February 18, 2010
HARRISONBURG, Va. — Leonard M. Adkins has hiked the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail at least five times in the past 20 years; a single trip for the average hiker takes eight months. On Tuesday evening, he told the story of those five trips to students in Shenandoah Hall. “Amidst the blues and the greens of the forest is where I belong,” Adkins told the audience as he walked them through a slideshow of his trips. “The outdoors, being in nature, is my church, and that’s the way I can best express... Read more »
Proposals Still Not Decided
By Aaron Koepper,February 4, 2010
Senators Do Not Vote on Open Classes for Seniors Or Excused Absences HARRISONBURG, Va.— Two proposals will go under discussion again after last week’s Faculty Senate meeting: one allowing seniors to enroll in classes regardless of prerequisites and another regarding an attendance policy excusing missed absences for students representing JMU at off-campus events. First introduced by professor Val Larsen in the Senate’s Dec. 3 meeting, the first policy would have let seniors to enroll in undergraduate... Read more »
Colleges Receiving More Applications
By Aaron Koepper,February 1, 2010
HARRISONBURG, Va. — With the economy in a poor state, the number of college applications is higher than ever nationwide. More than 21,000 high school seniors applied for JMU’s class of 2014. The Office of Admissions is not done with all the applications yet, but it has accepted approximately 12,000 students. Not all of these students will actually enroll; JMU has a cap on enrollment at 3,960 for the year. “I don’t think the increase in applications this year is necessarily amazing,”... Read more »
Short-Term International Programs Rank Third
By Aaron Koepper,January 25, 2010
HARRISONBURG, Va. — Costa Rica is green in more ways than one. Well-known for its natural beauty and lush landscape, it also receives 85 percent of its power from renewable sources, which is what fascinated ISAT professor Karim Altaii. In 2007, Altaii partnered with the University of Costa Rica to offer “Energy Issues and Experience in Costa Rica.” In this program, American and Costa Rican students took classes taught by professors from both universities and traveled the country together. Programs... Read more »
More Than $400,000 in Donations
By Aaron Koepper,January 14, 2010
HARRISONBURG, Va. — While the Office of Financial Aid stopped its official soliciting efforts for Madison for Keeps at the end of last 2009 that doesn’t mean the end of donations to the program. This semester, College of Business Professor Mert Tokman’s Principles of Marketing class will break into four teams and create four fundraising events over the course of the semester to raise money for Madison for Keeps. “We did a similar project in the 2008 fall semester where we worked with outside... Read more »
Alcohol Violations, Violent Crime Up
By Aaron Koepper,December 3, 2009
Increased Numbers on Holidays, First Weeks HARRISONBURG, Va. — Police arrested significantly more JMU students for alcohol violations this semester compared to last year, and violent crime referrals have doubled. Judicial Affairs has received 714 referrals for alcohol violations just this semester, compared to 543 last fall. On-campus arrests and subsequent violations have risen from 318 in fall 2008 to 380 this fall. Off campus, the rise has increased from 225 to 334. A violation is given whenever... Read more »
International Research Facility Opens
By Aaron Koepper,November 12, 2009
HARRISONBURG, Va. — After almost four years of planning and construction, the Stanford Research Institute International’s new research facility opened Monday in Harrisonburg. Gov. Tim Kaine said the presence of James Madison University and the help it has provided is a key factor in entering the partnership with SRI. SRI is expected to create more than 100 new jobs in the next year and pave the way for more high-tech investment in the Shenandoah Valley. “We wanted to do something great,... Read more »
Remnants of War
By Aaron Koepper,November 2, 2009
Mine Action Information Center hopes to create a series of tours throughout the Holy Land to promote healing and reflection for victims HARRISONBURG, Va. — Three JMU faculty members traveled to Jordan last week to oversee a course they developed at JMU’s Mine Action Information Center. Dennis Barlow, Suzanne Fiederlein and John Noftsinger taught the senior mine action managers training course. Developed by the Mine Action Information Center, it was given five times to visiting U.N. officials... Read more »
Summit Encourages Area’s Diversity
By Aaron Koepper,October 26, 2009
HARRISONBURG, Va,. — Isabel Castillo didn’t even know what it meant to be an illegal immigrant until high school. Her parents brought her to the United States from Mexico when she was 6 years old. Castillo, 24, graduated from Harrisonburg’s public school system and then realized most colleges wouldn’t accept her. Castillo was one of the presenters at the 26 sessions at Thursday’s Interfaith/Interculture Summit held in Memorial Hall. Organized by Harrisonburg Mayor Kai Degner, the summit’s... Read more »
Generous Alumni Elevate Donations
By Aaron Koepper,October 22, 2009
HARRISONBURG, Va. — In tough economic times, most people are forced to cut back: They eat in instead of going out, businesses and companies tighten their budgets, downsize and buckle down. However, at JMU, tough times have inspired giving in the form of Madison For Keeps, an emergency fund providing money to students who can’t afford to return next semester even with financial aid. SGA has passed around a can for donations at their meetings and the Girls of Madison Calendar plans on donating... Read more »
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