JMU 2040 plan draft

[Anonymous]

Gold

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.jmu.edu/pair/strategic-planning/_docs/strategicplandraft_jan2026.pdf

Does this seem problematic to anyone else? Acceptance rate dropping to 40%. "Increase the on-campus housing capacity to at least 60% of the student body". They want to raise research spending from $20mil => $50mil+. Does VA really need a 7th R1 institution besides UVA, VT, WM, ODU, VCU, GMU?

Sounds like they don't want to serve the students they currently do and chase prestige instead. But to what end?

How is it "problematic" for any university to set long-term plans that will improve its reputation, research impact and revenue? It seems like students at any school would be well-served by having more practical and research opportunities. Besides a 40% acceptance rate is still a safety for the typical DCUM kid.

Why make digs at the current population of students? My JMU student had a weighted 4.0, good grades, a 34 ACT and was in the top quarter of his class at one of the better FCPS high schools. It wouldnt be unreasonable for him to go to a school with a 40% acceptance rate.

I don't think it's a dig to say "this will make the school less accessible to the students it currently serves". It sounds like there are a number of people in this thread who are ok with "sacrificing" the bottom 50% at JMU to boost the top 50%.

You are correct. I would not have a problem with that.

So then you're the snob here lol. You look down on half the school and would prefer they would go somewhere else to make your child look better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.jmu.edu/pair/strategic-planning/_docs/strategicplandraft_jan2026.pdf

Does this seem problematic to anyone else? Acceptance rate dropping to 40%. "Increase the on-campus housing capacity to at least 60% of the student body". They want to raise research spending from $20mil => $50mil+. Does VA really need a 7th R1 institution besides UVA, VT, WM, ODU, VCU, GMU?

Sounds like they don't want to serve the students they currently do and chase prestige instead. But to what end?

How is it "problematic" for any university to set long-term plans that will improve its reputation, research impact and revenue? It seems like students at any school would be well-served by having more practical and research opportunities. Besides a 40% acceptance rate is still a safety for the typical DCUM kid.

Why make digs at the current population of students? My JMU student had a weighted 4.0, good grades, a 34 ACT and was in the top quarter of his class at one of the better FCPS high schools. It wouldnt be unreasonable for him to go to a school with a 40% acceptance rate.

I don't think it's a dig to say "this will make the school less accessible to the students it currently serves". It sounds like there are a number of people in this thread who are ok with "sacrificing" the bottom 50% at JMU to boost the top 50%.

You are correct. I would not have a problem with that.

Yikes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.jmu.edu/pair/strategic-planning/_docs/strategicplandraft_jan2026.pdf

Does this seem problematic to anyone else? Acceptance rate dropping to 40%. "Increase the on-campus housing capacity to at least 60% of the student body". They want to raise research spending from $20mil => $50mil+. Does VA really need a 7th R1 institution besides UVA, VT, WM, ODU, VCU, GMU?

Sounds like they don't want to serve the students they currently do and chase prestige instead. But to what end?

How is it "problematic" for any university to set long-term plans that will improve its reputation, research impact and revenue? It seems like students at any school would be well-served by having more practical and research opportunities. Besides a 40% acceptance rate is still a safety for the typical DCUM kid.

Why make digs at the current population of students? My JMU student had a weighted 4.0, good grades, a 34 ACT and was in the top quarter of his class at one of the better FCPS high schools. It wouldnt be unreasonable for him to go to a school with a 40% acceptance rate.

Totally agree.
DP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.jmu.edu/pair/strategic-planning/_docs/strategicplandraft_jan2026.pdf

Does this seem problematic to anyone else? Acceptance rate dropping to 40%. "Increase the on-campus housing capacity to at least 60% of the student body". They want to raise research spending from $20mil => $50mil+. Does VA really need a 7th R1 institution besides UVA, VT, WM, ODU, VCU, GMU?

Sounds like they don't want to serve the students they currently do and chase prestige instead. But to what end?

How is it "problematic" for any university to set long-term plans that will improve its reputation, research impact and revenue? It seems like students at any school would be well-served by having more practical and research opportunities. Besides a 40% acceptance rate is still a safety for the typical DCUM kid.

Why make digs at the current population of students? My JMU student had a weighted 4.0, good grades, a 34 ACT and was in the top quarter of his class at one of the better FCPS high schools. It wouldnt be unreasonable for him to go to a school with a 40% acceptance rate.

I don't think it's a dig to say "this will make the school less accessible to the students it currently serves". It sounds like there are a number of people in this thread who are ok with "sacrificing" the bottom 50% at JMU to boost the top 50%.

You are correct. I would not have a problem with that.

So then you're the snob here lol. You look down on half the school and would prefer they would go somewhere else to make your child look better.

Partially correct. There are a lot of really smart kids at JMU so I don’t need my kid to look better but I am tired of him being looked down on by the snobs who constantly act like JMU academically is a lesser school because of their higher acceptance rate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.jmu.edu/pair/strategic-planning/_docs/strategicplandraft_jan2026.pdf

Does this seem problematic to anyone else? Acceptance rate dropping to 40%. "Increase the on-campus housing capacity to at least 60% of the student body". They want to raise research spending from $20mil => $50mil+. Does VA really need a 7th R1 institution besides UVA, VT, WM, ODU, VCU, GMU?

Sounds like they don't want to serve the students they currently do and chase prestige instead. But to what end?

How is it "problematic" for any university to set long-term plans that will improve its reputation, research impact and revenue? It seems like students at any school would be well-served by having more practical and research opportunities. Besides a 40% acceptance rate is still a safety for the typical DCUM kid.

Why make digs at the current population of students? My JMU student had a weighted 4.0, good grades, a 34 ACT and was in the top quarter of his class at one of the better FCPS high schools. It wouldnt be unreasonable for him to go to a school with a 40% acceptance rate.

I don't think it's a dig to say "this will make the school less accessible to the students it currently serves". It sounds like there are a number of people in this thread who are ok with "sacrificing" the bottom 50% at JMU to boost the top 50%.

You are correct. I would not have a problem with that.

So then you're the snob here lol. You look down on half the school and would prefer they would go somewhere else to make your child look better.

Partially correct. There are a lot of really smart kids at JMU so I don’t need my kid to look better but I am tired of him being looked down on by the snobs who constantly act like JMU academically is a lesser school because of their higher acceptance rate.

Calm down. JMU is fine the way it is and you need to be secure with that. Love it for what it is. Seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.jmu.edu/pair/strategic-planning/_docs/strategicplandraft_jan2026.pdf

Does this seem problematic to anyone else? Acceptance rate dropping to 40%. "Increase the on-campus housing capacity to at least 60% of the student body". They want to raise research spending from $20mil => $50mil+. Does VA really need a 7th R1 institution besides UVA, VT, WM, ODU, VCU, GMU?

Sounds like they don't want to serve the students they currently do and chase prestige instead. But to what end?

How is it "problematic" for any university to set long-term plans that will improve its reputation, research impact and revenue? It seems like students at any school would be well-served by having more practical and research opportunities. Besides a 40% acceptance rate is still a safety for the typical DCUM kid.

Why make digs at the current population of students? My JMU student had a weighted 4.0, good grades, a 34 ACT and was in the top quarter of his class at one of the better FCPS high schools. It wouldnt be unreasonable for him to go to a school with a 40% acceptance rate.

I don't think it's a dig to say "this will make the school less accessible to the students it currently serves". It sounds like there are a number of people in this thread who are ok with "sacrificing" the bottom 50% at JMU to boost the top 50%.

You are correct. I would not have a problem with that.

So then you're the snob here lol. You look down on half the school and would prefer they would go somewhere else to make your child look better.

Partially correct. There are a lot of really smart kids at JMU so I don’t need my kid to look better but I am tired of him being looked down on by the snobs who constantly act like JMU academically is a lesser school because of their higher acceptance rate.

Calm down. JMU is fine the way it is and you need to be secure with that. Love it for what it is. Seriously.

+1

[Anonymous]

They need to add a true engineering program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They need to add a true engineering program

No, they don’t. Not every state college needs to offer the exact same majors. If a kid wants to be an engineer and doesn’t like JMU’s program, they have UVA, VT, ODU, VT, all very good programs. JMU actually specifically designed their program to be unique, so they agree with me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They need to add a true engineering program

No, they don’t. Not every state college needs to offer the exact same majors. If a kid wants to be an engineer and doesn’t like JMU’s program, they have UVA, VT, ODU, VT, all very good programs. JMU actually specifically designed their program to be unique, so they agree with me.

The state would be wasting money if they let every school start an engineering program and a medical school etc. and then had to put up the money to support it.

[Anonymous]

JMU is growing their health science programs, particularly nursing. I think that is the direction they are heading in research and graduate programs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.jmu.edu/pair/strategic-planning/_docs/strategicplandraft_jan2026.pdf

Does this seem problematic to anyone else? Acceptance rate dropping to 40%. "Increase the on-campus housing capacity to at least 60% of the student body". They want to raise research spending from $20mil => $50mil+. Does VA really need a 7th R1 institution besides UVA, VT, WM, ODU, VCU, GMU?

Sounds like they don't want to serve the students they currently do and chase prestige instead. But to what end?

How is it "problematic" for any university to set long-term plans that will improve its reputation, research impact and revenue? It seems like students at any school would be well-served by having more practical and research opportunities. Besides a 40% acceptance rate is still a safety for the typical DCUM kid.

Why make digs at the current population of students? My JMU student had a weighted 4.0, good grades, a 34 ACT and was in the top quarter of his class at one of the better FCPS high schools. It wouldnt be unreasonable for him to go to a school with a 40% acceptance rate.

I don't think it's a dig to say "this will make the school less accessible to the students it currently serves". It sounds like there are a number of people in this thread who are ok with "sacrificing" the bottom 50% at JMU to boost the top 50%.

You are correct. I would not have a problem with that.

It’ll never happen. Colleges don’t just magically enroll more students of a stronger academic ability without finding a pot of good for scholarships. VA just has too many amazing colleges upstream from JMU that will always eat first. Always.

Northeastern games the system and raised their USNWR ranking to the point that applications flooded in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.jmu.edu/pair/strategic-planning/_docs/strategicplandraft_jan2026.pdf

Does this seem problematic to anyone else? Acceptance rate dropping to 40%. "Increase the on-campus housing capacity to at least 60% of the student body". They want to raise research spending from $20mil => $50mil+. Does VA really need a 7th R1 institution besides UVA, VT, WM, ODU, VCU, GMU?

Sounds like they don't want to serve the students they currently do and chase prestige instead. But to what end?

How is it "problematic" for any university to set long-term plans that will improve its reputation, research impact and revenue? It seems like students at any school would be well-served by having more practical and research opportunities. Besides a 40% acceptance rate is still a safety for the typical DCUM kid.

Why make digs at the current population of students? My JMU student had a weighted 4.0, good grades, a 34 ACT and was in the top quarter of his class at one of the better FCPS high schools. It wouldnt be unreasonable for him to go to a school with a 40% acceptance rate.

I don't think it's a dig to say "this will make the school less accessible to the students it currently serves". It sounds like there are a number of people in this thread who are ok with "sacrificing" the bottom 50% at JMU to boost the top 50%.

You are correct. I would not have a problem with that.

It’ll never happen. Colleges don’t just magically enroll more students of a stronger academic ability without finding a pot of good for scholarships. VA just has too many amazing colleges upstream from JMU that will always eat first. Always.

Northeastern games the system and raised their USNWR ranking to the point that applications flooded in.

Increasing apps is easy. Yield is a different beast without significant scholarships if say, JMU wanted to enroll kids also admitted to UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.jmu.edu/pair/strategic-planning/_docs/strategicplandraft_jan2026.pdf

Does this seem problematic to anyone else? Acceptance rate dropping to 40%. "Increase the on-campus housing capacity to at least 60% of the student body". They want to raise research spending from $20mil => $50mil+. Does VA really need a 7th R1 institution besides UVA, VT, WM, ODU, VCU, GMU?

Sounds like they don't want to serve the students they currently do and chase prestige instead. But to what end?

How is it "problematic" for any university to set long-term plans that will improve its reputation, research impact and revenue? It seems like students at any school would be well-served by having more practical and research opportunities. Besides a 40% acceptance rate is still a safety for the typical DCUM kid.

Why make digs at the current population of students? My JMU student had a weighted 4.0, good grades, a 34 ACT and was in the top quarter of his class at one of the better FCPS high schools. It wouldnt be unreasonable for him to go to a school with a 40% acceptance rate.

I don't think it's a dig to say "this will make the school less accessible to the students it currently serves". It sounds like there are a number of people in this thread who are ok with "sacrificing" the bottom 50% at JMU to boost the top 50%.

You are correct. I would not have a problem with that.

It’ll never happen. Colleges don’t just magically enroll more students of a stronger academic ability without finding a pot of good for scholarships. VA just has too many amazing colleges upstream from JMU that will always eat first. Always.

Northeastern games the system and raised their USNWR ranking to the point that applications flooded in.

Increasing apps is easy. Yield is a different beast without significant scholarships if say, JMU wanted to enroll kids also admitted to UVA.

Yeah and as is JMU can't even afford to fully fund needs based fin aid so I would hate to see them put scholarship money towards that instead of students who truly need it