Office of the President: Board of Visitors Records, 1908-2001 *JMU Records*

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Summary Information

Repository:
Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University
Creator:
Office of the President. Board of Visitors
Title:
Office of the President: Board of Visitors Records
Collection No.:
UA 0010
Date:
1908-2001
Extent:
18 Hollinger boxes, 2 half-Hollinger boxes, 1 oversize Hollinger box, 6.94 Cubic Feet
Language of the Material:
English
Abstract:
The Office of the President: Board of Visitors Records, 1908-2001, document the activities of the James Madison University Board of Visitors and its predecessor, the Board of Trustees. Materials include meeting minutes, correspondence, financial documents, and president's reports.

Preferred Citation

[identification of item], [box #, folder #], Office of the President: Board of Visitors, 1908-2001, UA 0010, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.

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Administrative History

James Madison University's Board of Visitors was created in 1964 with the prime directive of overseeing the effective government of the university, then Madison College. When the institution opened in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the governing body was its own Board of Trustees. The school changed its name to the State Normal School for Women at Harrisonburg in 1914 and governance was shifted to the Virginia Normal School Board, a state agency. The institution was renamed once again in 1924 to the State Teachers College at Harrisonburg. The governance also experienced change as control was transferred to the State Board of Education. In 1964, the final change occurred when the Virginia General Assembly established independent boards of visitors for each of the state's former teacher colleges.

The Governor of Virginia holds the power of appointing each member of the Board of Visitors. The first Board of Visitors was comprised of 11 members; its first rector was Burr P. Harrison. The Virginia General Assembly acted to have the board size increased to 15 members in 1989. Of the selected members, no more than two can be non-Virginians and board members include both JMU alumni and non-alumni. In addition to appointed members, a student representative and the speaker of the JMU Faculty Senate serve on the board. Terms of service do apply as board members are not eligible to serve more than two consecutive four-year terms. Officers of the board (rector, vice rector, and secretary) are elected annually by the board for one-year terms.

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Scope and Content

The Office of the President: Board of Visitors Records, 1908-2001, document the activities of the James Madison University Board of Visitors and its predecessor, the Board of Trustees. The collection is comprised primarily of meeting minutes and correspondence. Minutes from the Board of Visitors' first meeting on July 16, 1964 are included. Researchers should note that meeting minutes from the various iterations of university governing bodies between 1914 and 1963 are not included. The correspondence is chiefly official memoranda, letters concerning business and new board members, and contractual agreements granting faculty members temporary leaves of absence. The collection also includes annual reports and reports to the Board of Visitors, financial materials documenting lease agreements involving James Madison University, athletic program expenditure statements, and audit reports. Miscellaneous items include documents explaining the origins of buildings' names, a Board of Visitors manual, and a document of Board of Visitors Resolutions.

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Arrangement

The collection is arranged into five series:

Series 1: Meeting Minutes, 1908-2001 Series 2: Correspondence, 1964-1995 Series 3: Miscellaneous, 1981-1994 Series 4: President's Reports, 1909-1967 Series 5: Financial Documents, 1922-1989

Subseries 5.1: Leases/Legal Documents, 1922-1981

Subseries 5.2: Budget Reports, 1961-1989 All series are arranged chronologically with the exception of subseries 5.1 which is arranged alphabetically and subseries 5.2 which is arranged topically.

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Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.

Use Restrictions

Copyright for Official University records is held by James Madison University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).

Acquisition Information

This collection was formed from the merger of several groups of materials received from Fred Hilton in JMU Media Relations (accessions 93-0107, 93-0210), Gail May in the President's Office (accessions 99-1122, 00-0215), and Machelle Rader in the President's Office (2005-0519). These accessions were combined under the collection number PR 99-1122.

Other Formats Available

Beginning with the March 26, 1999 meeting, JMU Board of Visitors meeting minutes are available online at: https://www.jmu.edu/visitors/meetings/minutes/index.shtml. Selected material from this collection has also been digitized and made available at: http://www.lib.jmu.edu/special/foundingdocs/.

Processing Information

The collection was reprocessed in 2016 and contains all documents from the original accession (PR 99-1122) except for the Faculty Minutes, 1908-1998, which were removed to form a separate collection (UA 0011). A copy of the original finding aid is located in the collection control file. Old collection folders were reused during reprocessing and folder titles were retained when possible. Inserts found in the Board of Trustees Minute Book were removed and foldered separately. The inserts were subsequently photocopied and those copies are also foldered separately. The Board of Visitors meeting minutes and President's Reports were originally bound, but were disbound in 2016 during reprocessing.

Location

Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University

880 Madison DriveMSC 1704Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807library-special@jmu.eduURL: https://www.lib.jmu.edu/special/

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Index Terms

Genre and Form

  • Minute books
  • Minutes (administrative records)
  • Letters (correspondence)
  • Resolutions (administrative records)
  • Annual reports
  • Audits
  • Official reports
  • Reports
  • Leases
  • Contracts
  • Fire insurance maps
  • Insurance policies
  • Schedules (architectural records)
  • Black-and-white photographs

Subject

  • James Madison University -- History
  • James Madison University -- Administration
  • State Normal and Industrial School for Women (Harrisonburg, Va.) -- History
  • State Normal and Industrial School for Women (Harrisonburg, Va.) -- Administration
  • State Normal School for Women at Harrisonburg (Harrisonburg, Va.) -- History
  • State Normal School for Women at Harrisonburg (Harrisonburg, Va.) -- Administration
  • State Teachers College at Harrisonburg (Harrisonburg, Va.) -- History
  • State Teachers College at Harrisonburg (Harrisonburg, Va.) -- Administration
  • Madison College -- History
  • Madison College -- Administration

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Bibliography

"Board of Visitors" James Madison University Centennial Celebration. Accessed January 26, 2017. http://www.jmu.edu/centennialcelebration/wm_preview/rectors.shtml.

James Madison University - Board of Visitors. Accessed January 26, 2017. https://www.jmu.edu/visitors/about/index.shtml.

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Collection Inventory

Series 1: Meeting Minutes, 1908-2001

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

This series is comprised chiefly of Board of Visitors meeting minutes from 1964 to 2001 beginning with the first meeting on July 16, 1964. During that first meeting the members decided on the official design for "The Visitors of Madison College," agreed upon making the meetings of the Visitors closed to the public, approved of the revised faculty salary, and approved the continuation of degrees being offered to students. Also included is the original Board of Trustees minute book dating from 1908 to 1914. A full transcript is also contained within this series.

Title/Description Instances
Board of Trustees Minute Book, 1908-1914 box 1 folder 1
Board of Trustees Minute Book – Inserts, 1908-1914 box 1 folder 2
Board of Trustees Minute Book – Inserts (Copies), 1908-1914 box 1 folder 3
Board of Trustees Minute Book – Transcript, 1908-1914 box 2 folder 1
Minutes, July 1964-November 1965 box 2 folder 2
Minutes, January 1966-August 1967 box 2 folder 3
Minutes, November 1967-March 1968 box 2 folder 4
Minutes, April 1968-September 1968 box 2 folder 5
Minutes, January 1969-May 1969 box 2 folder 6
Minutes, August 1969-September 1969 box 2 folder 7
Minutes, November 1969-August 1970 box 3 folder 1
Minutes, October 1970-November 1970 box 3 folder 2
Minutes, February 1971-April 1972 box 3 folder 3
Minutes, May 1972-November 1972 box 3 folder 4
Minutes, January 1973-June 1974 box 3 folder 5
Minutes, August 1974-October 1976 box 3 folder 6
Minutes, January 1977-September 1978 box 3 folder 7
Minutes, October 1978-January 1980 box 4 folder 1
Minutes, March 1980-May 1981 box 4 folder 2
Minutes, July 1981-October 1983 box 4 folder 3
Minutes, January 1984-April 1985 box 4 folder 4
Minutes, July 1985-April 1986 box 4 folder 5
Minutes, July 1986-May 1987 box 4 folder 6
Minutes, July 1987-April 1988 box 4 folder 7
Minutes, August 1988-December 1988 box 5 folder 1
Minutes, February 1989-June 1989 box 5 folder 2
Minutes, July 1989-December 1989 box 5 folder 3
Minutes, March 1990-July 1990 box 5 folder 4
Minutes, August 1990-December 1990 box 5 folder 5
Minutes, February 1991-April 1991 box 5 folder 6
Minutes, June 1991-October 1991 box 5 folder 7
Minutes, January 1992-April 1992 box 6 folder 1
Minutes, May 1992-July 1992 box 6 folder 2
Minutes, August 1992 box 6 folder 3
Minutes, October 1992-December 1992 box 6 folder 4
Minutes, May 1993 box 6 folder 5
Minutes, June 1993-August 1993 box 6 folder 6
Minutes, December 1993 box 6 folder 7
Minutes, March 1994 box 7 folder 1
Minutes, May 1994-June 1994 box 7 folder 2
Minutes, August 1994 box 7 folder 3
Minutes, December 1994 box 7 folder 4
Minutes, February 1995-April 1995 box 7 folder 5
Minutes, May 1995-July 1995 box 7 folder 6
Minutes, December 1995 box 7 folder 7
Minutes, February 1996-April 1996 box 7 folder 8
Minutes, June 1996-September 1996 box 8 folder 1
Minutes, October 1996 box 8 folder 2
Minutes, January 1997-March 1997 box 8 folder 3
Minutes, April 1997-June 1997 box 8 folder 4
Minutes, October 1997-February 1998 box 8 folder 5
Minutes, March 1998-September 1998 box 8 folder 6
Minutes, October 1998 box 8 folder 7
Minutes, January 1999 box 9 folder 1
Minutes, March 1999 box 9 folder 2
Minutes, March 1999-May 1999 box 9 folder 3
Minutes, June 1999 box 9 folder 4
Minutes, September 1999 box 9 folder 5
Minutes, October 1999 box 9 folder 6
Minutes, October 1999-January 2000 box 10 folder 1
Minutes, March 2000-June 2000 box 10 folder 2
Minutes, June 2000-September 2000 box 10 folder 3
Minutes, September 2000-January 2001 box 10 folder 4
Minutes, January 2001-March 2001 box 10 folder 5
Minutes, March 2001-June 2001 box 11 folder 1
Minutes, June 2001 box 11 folder 2
Minutes, June 2001-October 2001 box 11 folder 3
Minutes, October 2001 box 11 folder 4

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Series 2: Correspondence, 1964-1995

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

This series contains correspondence between fellow board members, government officials, and members of the university administration. Contract agreements between board members and faculty of the college are included. Topics of interest include but are not limited to campus construction and related funding, appropriation increases, project requests, requests related to enrollment increases, G. Tyler Miller's retirement, and faculty promotions.

Title/Description Instances
Correspondence, 1964-1967 box 12 folder 1
Correspondence, 1968-1969 box 12 folder 2
Correspondence, 1970-1971 box 12 folder 3
Correspondence, 1972 box 12 folder 4
Correspondence, 1973-1974 box 12 folder 5
Correspondence, 1975-1977 box 12 folder 6
Correspondence, 1978-1983 box 13 folder 1
Correspondence, 1984 box 13 folder 2
Correspondence, 1985-1987 (Folder 1 of 2) box 13 folder 3
Correspondence, 1985-1987 (Folder 2 of 2) box 13 folder 4
Correspondence, 1988 box 13 folder 5
Correspondence, 1989-1990 box 13 folder 6
Correspondence, 1991 (Folder 1 of 2) box 13 folder 7
Correspondence, 1991 (Folder 2 of 2) box 13 folder 8
Correspondence, 1992-1993 box 14 folder 1
Correspondence, 1994 box 14 folder 2
Correspondence, January 1995-March 1995 box 14 folder 3
Correspondence, April 1995-June 1995 box 14 folder 4

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Series 3: Miscellaneous, 1981-1994

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

This series contains documents about the naming of buildings on campus as well as information on resolutions, manuals, honorary degrees and the Russell Weaver Society.

Title/Description Instances
Naming of Buildings, 1957-1976 box 14 folder 5
Board of Visitors Manuals, 1981-1991 box 14 folder 6
Honorary Degrees, 1983-1990 box 14 folder 7
Student Board Members, 1984-1985 box 14 folder 8
Russell M. Weaver Society, 1986-1988 box 14 folder 9
Board of Visitors Resolutions, 1993-1994 box 14 folder 10

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Series 4: President's Reports, 1909-1967

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

The reports contain data regarding enrollment, campus services, faculty salaries, and financial records. Also included are recommendations from the president on approvals of resignations and appointments, budget increases, academic changes, campus expansion, etc. These reports provide an overview of the administrative proceedings of the university from one year to the next and are comprised of reports to the State Board of Education, reports to the Board of Visitors, annual reports, and special reports.

Title/Description Instances
Reports, 1909-1926 box 15 folder 1
Reports, April 1927-July 1934 box 15 folder 2
Reports, October 1934-May 1938 box 15 folder 3
Reports, July 1938-May 1941 box 15 folder 4
Reports, July 1941-April 1943 box 15 folder 5
Reports, June 1943-January 1945 box 16 folder 1
Reports, March 1945-August 1949 box 16 folder 2
Reports, September 1949-June 1951 box 16 folder 3
Reports, August 1951-May 1956 (Folder 1 of 2) box 16 folder 4
Reports, August 1951-May 1956 (Folder 2 of 2) box 16 folder 5
Reports, 1956-1957 box 17 folder 1
Reports, 1958-1959 box 17 folder 2
Reports, 1960 box 17 folder 3
Reports, 1961 box 17 folder 4
Reports, 1962 box 17 folder 5
Reports, July 1964-June 1965 box 17 folder 6
Reports, August 1965-May 1966 box 18 folder 1
Reports, August 1966-November 1966 box 18 folder 2
Reports, February 1967-August 1967 box 18 folder 3
Reports, 1970-1971 box 18 folder 4

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Series 5: Financial Documents, 1922-1989

Arrangement

Arranged in two subseries – Subseries 5.1: Leases/Legal Documents, 1922-1981, and Subseries 5.2: Budget Reports, 1961-1989. Subseries 5.1 is arranged alphabetically and Subseries 5.2 is arranged topically.

Subseries 5.1: Leases/Legal Documents, 1922-1981

Subseries 5.1: Leases/Legal Documents, 1922-1981, is comprised primarily of lease agreements between James Madison University, both as the lessor and lessee, and persons or companies. Of particular interest are the fire insurance documents which include a Schedule of Buildings at the State Teachers College at Harrisonburg (June 2, 1924) and a Fire Insurance Report (February 1932) prepared by the Philadelphia Fire & Marine Insurance Company. The Schedule of Buildings lists all campus buildings, their architectural type, date of erection, and total cost. The Fire Insurance Report provides a detailed description of all campus buildings including date of erection, occupancy, recommendations, and estimated insurable value. Photographs are included with each building description.

Title/Description Instances
Andrews, Arthur M., 1975 box 19 folder 1
Baker House, 1966 box 19 folder 2
Blue Ridge Gas Co., 1966 box 19 folder 3
Colonial Drive Apartments, 1973 box 19 folder 4
Dingledine Property, 1940-1943 box 19 folder 5
Lincoln House/951 S. Main Street, 1940-1975 box 19 folder 6
Master's Property, 1980 box 19 folder 7
Nicholas House, 1957, 1980 box 19 folder 8
Old Agrico Building, 1961, 1973 box 19 folder 9
Old Nurse's Home, 1963-1966 box 19 folder 10
Shenandoah Apartments, 1922-1939 box 19 folder 11
SPE House, 1976-1980 box 19 folder 12
Sprinkle House, 1917, 1933-1934, 1942-1944, 1966 box 19 folder 13
Steele Property/131 Warsaw St., 1964-1966 box 19 folder 14
Virginia National Bank, 1981 box 19 folder 15
Walnut Lane, 1973-1974 box 19 folder 16
Wellington Apartments, 1924, 1929, 1957, 1965-1969 box 19 folder 17
Wolff, Mr. & Mrs. Frank A., 1978 box 19 folder 18
Wright Estate, 1963-1966, 1980 box 19 folder 19
Schedule of Buildings, Fire Insurance Report, 1924, 1932, undated box 19 folder 20

Subseries 5.2: Budget Reports, 1961-1989

Subseries 5.2: Budget Reports, 1961-1989, contains annual reports, financial reports detailing the university's business and financial operations, reports on audits prepared by the auditor of public accounts for the Commonwealth of Virginia, and a limited amount of material related to athletic program expenses. Researchers should note that the 1966 expenditure statement for athletics is not included in this collection.

Title/Description Instances
Annual Reports, 1961-1963 box 20 folder 1
Annual Reports, 1964-1966 box 20 folder 2
Annual Reports, 1967-1968 box 20 folder 3
Annual Reports, 1970-1982 box 20 folder 4
Reports on Audits, 1969, 1972, 1978 box 20 folder 5
Reports on Audits, 1979, 1980, 1986 box 21 folder 1
Reports on Audits, 1987, 1989 box 21 folder 2
Athletic Program Expenses, 1963-1969 box 21 folder 3

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