A Letter from Dr. Tim Miller
Hello Student Affairs Family,
I hope all of you are doing well. I have continued to enjoy this semester and the opportunity to meet with many of you as well as our students. The year has already been full of so many great moments with the promise of more to come. November will bring us time to pause and give thanks along with a well-deserved and needed break. Jamie and I will be trying something new and heading to the Outer Banks for a fun and relaxing week away. Whatever that week looks like for you, I hope you all will enjoy yourselves and take time to be with those closest to you.
We continue to consider new and different ways to serve our community and make JMU an even better place for all of us. I am excited about the work so many of you have put into the proposal to add a Fall Break next Fall. We continue to hear about the stress and anxiety among our students and we hope that a break like this will serve the entire community in the future. While there are still a number of issues to resolve, I am confident that Student Affairs will lead the way in making this a reality for 2020.
I have been incredibly proud to see what all of you are doing across campus and I know that Student Affairs is having an impact. The combination of traditional programs and events alongside new ideas have continued to enrich the lives of our students. Homecoming was a huge success—it was amazing to see such a busy week and I enjoyed re-connecting with so many returning alumni. As I spoke to hundreds of alumni over the course of the weekend they consistently talked about how your work made their experience special and memorable.
Thank you all again for the difference you make and the lives you change. Have a great November and take care,
Dr. Tim Miller, Vice President of Student Affairs
Paul Jennings Hall Dedication
On Friday, October 11, the Office of Residence Life celebrated the opening of Paul Jennings Hall with a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception. Named after a former slave of James Madison, the residence hall represents not only JMU’s efforts to acknowledge all aspects of Madison’s legacy, including being a slave holder, but also honors a remarkable man and his legacy.
Paul Jennings was born into slavery at Montpelier around 1799. According to his memoir, A Colored Man's Reminiscences of James Madison, his father was Benjamin Jennings, an English trader. We do not know his mother’s name. From ages 10 to 18, he served at the White House during Madison’s presidency.
James Madison died in 1836 having never freed any of his slaves, including Paul. In 1844, Jennings moved with Dolley Madison to Washington. In Washington, he supported an 1848 mass slave escape attempt on the schooner Pearl. He eventually negotiated his own freedom—not via Dolley Madison directly, but with Senator Daniel Webster. Dolley had sold Jennings to an intermediary. Webster then bought Jennings for $120, allowing him to purchase his own freedom at a rate of $8 per month.
Paul later purchased his children’s freedom and firmly established his family in Washington’s free black community. He began working at the Pension Office and bought property in D.C. He occasionally visited the impoverished Dolley Madison and provided small sums of money if he found her wanting. In 1874, at age 75, Paul Jennings passed away, leaving behind him property in Washington, an increasing number of descendants, and a singular and remarkable story of overcoming enslavement.
In Paul’s honor a historical exhibit has been permanently installed in the lobby of the residence hall. The exhibit details not only his life, but also the lives of the enslaved at Montpelier and many of Paul’s descendants. We were fortunate to have over a dozen of his descendants and family at our ribbon cutting ceremony. Raleigh Marshall, one of Paul’s descendants and a 2005 graduate of JMU, provided remarks on behalf of the family and Paul’s great-great-great-granddaughter, Margaret Jordan, helped cut the ribbon alongside President Alger.
Both the name of the building and the historical exhibit within make Paul Jennings Hall unique amongst residence halls at JMU and nationally. In an effort to make the space accessible to the entire JMU community, the Office of Residence Life is working to create open hours for the lobby area while also keeping secure the residential areas inside. It is our hope to have the appropriate infrastructure in place by the start of the spring 2020 semester.
-The Office of Residence Life is extremely grateful to James Madison’s Montpelier for providing all of the historical content contained in the building exhibit and this article.
Updates
Career and Academic Planning (CAP)
Courtney Pelfrey is excited to announce that she'll be moving her growing family to Winter Park, FL to start the next season of her career in Career Services at the University of Central Florida (UCF). She'll miss the amazing people and opportunities at JMU and in Harrisonburg, but has loved the chance to begin her career in CAP!
Center for Multicultural Student Services (CMSS)
We are pleased to announce Mrs. Rebeca Barge as our newest team member in the Center for Multicultural Student Services (CMSS). Rebeca is the Associate Director for Multicultural Programs and Leadership and will work directly with our 34 multicultural student organizations as well as providing oversight and supervision for DEEP Impact programming and staff. She received her undergraduate degrees in Social Work and Spanish from Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, VA and a Masters in Social Work from Catholic University of America, Washington, DC. Rebeca has several years of professional experience within the fields of social work and education providing diversity training, engagement, support and leadership to students. She has served as an Adjunct Professor in the JMU Social Work Department, and in her most recent role as Director of Programs for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, she has worked with several JMU students who are mentoring youth in our community as well as partnering and collaborating with several JMU community programming initiatives. She is passionate about motivating and empowering students to gain meaningful life skills, build resiliency and cultural competency strategies. Please join us in welcoming Rebeca to JMU!
New SAPs
We will be saying goodbye and good luck to Courtney Pelfrey. Courtney served the New SAPs for three years and we will her energy, insight, and brilliant mind.
Arianna Sessoms will be transitioning into the Co-Coordinator role in New SAPs. Arianna has spent two years serving on the leadership team for New SAPs and we know that she will be a huge support and driver for the future of New SAPs. We are working with Dr. Miller to navigate the transition. We will be searching for Committee Heads in the spring as well as searching for a Co-Coordinators for future New SAPs Projects.
SA Diversity Council
A cross-divisional team is working with students to design a university-wide Student Diversity Summit! This will be a unique opportunity for students to present, enhance their understanding, and learn critical skills related to diversity and inclusion.
No Longer Invisible: Conversations with the Student Next Door
- Saturday, February 22, 2020 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- East Campus (ISAT and EnGeo buildings)
How can we use your help?
- If you know a student or group of students who would be excellent to present their own research, expertise, or experience related to diversity and inclusion, encourage them to submit a proposal. Student proposals are due by Friday, November 22 through this link.
- As you prepare your courses for the Spring 2020 semester, consider incorporating this experiential learning opportunity into your course.
- Encourage students to attend!
If you have questions about the summit itself, please contact Art Dean, Executive Director of Campus and Community Access and Inclusion.
University Health Center (UHC)
We welcome Doris Moore and Dominique Fields to the Front Office Medical Administrative Team. Doris will be working in Urgent Care and Dominique will be working at 2nd floor check-out.
University Unions (UU)
We are happy to welcome Alex Johnston to the University Unions staff as a Coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Life. She comes to us from Ball State University.
We are sad to see Adam Lindberg leave us but we wish him well as he assumes his new position as an Assistant Dean of Students at Florida State University. We have posted his position and hope to have a new Assistant Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life in place well before the end of the current semester.
Since the start of the year, the Dux Leadership Center has engaged with 1,000+ students, staff and faculty. Through workshops, consultations and the use of our resources they have been able to develop new skills, strengthen relationships in groups and enhance leadership performance.
Dux supported 15 different departments, or service areas, across all of Student Affairs as they started up this semester. Areas such as the Student Learning Initiatives Center in the Office of Residence Life, Fraternity & Sorority Life House Managers, the MAD4U Staff, UPB executive members, Office of Disability Services and SOGIE programming staff were all recipients of support and training through the DLC, to name a few. They also provided training for the JMU Women’s Field Hockey team, visiting students from Hiroshima University and The Breeze staff. Several professional staff groups have also been a part of their training and support so far this year. Dux launched one-to-one peer Strengths Coaching and often work with students in a similar setting review their DISC assessment results. The goal is not just to help students understand their reports, but learn and explore how to apply what they have learned in their lives. More than two dozen people have already participated in these types of coaching and consulting sessions.
MAD4U has had a successful and busy fall. In October, they facilitated contemplative practices for the Scholarship Residency Retreat, formerly known as Writing Renewal Retreat on Oct. 11 – 13 at Mountain View Retreat Center. In addition, they hosted Yogi Jason Nichols for a retreat program on October 19 called “Yoga, Music, Breath.”
Shari Scoffield was invited to serve as the guest speaker in Professor Catherine Brown’s Integrative Medicine class, speaking on the topic of Mindfulness, Self-Care & Stress Reduction.
As we close out the semester, Student Affairs is invited to the last GetDown at SunDown with 1000 Faces Mask Theatre! They are wild and wonderful performers and are guaranteed to get you thinking and then dancing! Street Theatre at its most authentic.
Conferences and Presentations
Community Service-Learning (CSL)
In September Steve Grande represented the Sustainable Shenandoah Valley consortium at the annual meeting of the Regional Centers of Expertise in Burlington, VT. Steve connected with higher education colleagues from across North, Central and South America to discuss strategies for addressing the Sustainable Development Goals in our work. Steve Grande, Jenna Piersol and Jamie Williams participated with colleagues across the Commonwealth in the VA Engage Annual Meeting at Radford University.
University Unions (UU)
As we close out the semester, many University Unions staff members are attending the Virginia Student Services Conference. Graduate Student Julie Ainsley will present two sessions during the Conference. Lexi, Emilee and 4 UPB Exec Members attended the National Association for Campus Activities Conference in Chattanooga, TN from Sept 26 - Sept 29. Lindsey Kelly is attending the 49th Annual University & College Designers Association (UCDA) Conference in Portland, Oregon. At this conference, she will be taking in-depth look at the issues and trends in design and communication within higher education.
Upcoming Events
Highlighting the incredible things we'll do.
Community Service-Learning (CSL)
10/29 Tues. 7 p.m. Alternative May Break Leader Info Session - in the CS-L Office (SSC 2100)
11/1 Fri. 5 p.m. Alternative Weekend Break (Nov 15-17) - sign-ups in the CS-L Office (SSC 2100) close
11/3 Sun. 11:59 p.m. Alternative Flying Spring Break - online registration closes
11/4 Mon. 7 p.m. Spring Alternative Weekend Break Leader Info Session - in the CS-L Office (SSC 2100)
11/8 Fri. 5 p.m. Alternative Winter Break (Jan 7-10) - sign-ups in the CS-L Office (SSC 2100) close
11/10 Sun. Alternative May Break - leader applications due
11/17 Sun. Spring Alternative Weekend Break - leader applications due
Office of Disability Services (ODS)
The Office of Disability Services is hosting a series of webinars during fall semester on a variety of accessibility issues.
11/7 Thurs. 3 - 4:30 p.m. Title IX and Disability Services - at ODS (SSC 1202)
11/12 Tues. 3 - 4:30 p.m. The Rumble in the Publishing Jungle: PDF and EPUB duke it out! - at ODS (SSC 1202)
12/3 Tues. 3 - 4:30 p.m. Student Engagement and Use of Assistive Technology - at ODS (SSC 1202)
For complete descriptions of the topics and speakers, please visit the AHEAD Fall 2019 webinar website.
Please RSVP to Sandra Gulliver so we can make sure to have enough seats.
University Union (UU)
Nov 2 Fri. 8 p.m. Bingo - at TDU
Nov 8 Fri. 8 p.m. Spotlight Sounds Student Showcase - at TDU
Nov 15 Fri. 8 p.m. Funny Freakin Friday feat. Derek Knopsyder - at TDU
Nov 20 Wed. 6 p.m. Fall Festival - on the Warner Commons.
About Community with Ideas
The masterminds behind the scenes.
Community with Ideas is your monthly newsletter.
We welcome all comments and suggestions. Please contact a Community with Ideas committee member to submit content, photographs or announcements. We look forward to hearing from you!
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
- Marsha Mays-Bernard | AVP Liaison | maysbeme@jmu.edu
- Dawn Miller | Chair | mille2da@jmu.edu
- Ann Simmons | UHC | simmonae@jmu.edu
- Angela Ritchie | UHC | ritchiac@jmu.edu
- Dylan Crigger | UHC GA | criggejd@jmu.edu
- Jenna Clough | SA GA | cloughjd@dukes.jmu.edu
REPRESENTATIVES
- Melissa Allen
- Leslie Beam
- Emily Blake
- Brittany Dioszeghy
- Moriah Fallon
- Emily Higham
- Carson Lonett
- Dawn Miller
- Misty Newman
- Dianne Nibblins
- Heather Reid
- Ann Simmons
- Jill Staley
- Mollie Zenz
Photo contributions from JMU Creative Media, UREC Marketing and Adobe Spark
Credits:
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JMU CREATIVE MEDIA