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 four-year terms, while the student representative is limited to two one-year terms. The faculty representative serves while remaining the speaker of the JMU Faculty Senate. Some appointed members of note include former presidential candidate Carly Fiorina and former first lady of Virginia, Susan Allen.
==== Presidents ====
Julian Ashby Burruss (1908–1919)
Samuel Page Duke (1919–1949)
G. Tyler Miller (1949–1971)
Ronald E. Carrier (1971–1998)
Linwood H. Rose (1999–2012)
Jonathan R. Alger (2012–2024)
Charlie King (interim; 2024–2025)
James C. Schmidt (2025–present)
== Academics ==
James Madison University is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High Research …
