Accreditation

Eastern Mennonite University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate, baccalaureate and masters degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Eastern Mennonite University. The university is certified to operate by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

The teacher education department at Eastern Mennonite University is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), 2010 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036; phone (202) 466-7496. This accreditation covers initial teacher preparation programs and advanced educator preparation programs. NCATE is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit programs for the preparation of teachers and other professional school personnel. The program is approved by the Virginia Department of Education.

The MA in Counseling Program is acccredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. The Graduate Counseling Program also is approved as a training program by the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC).

Nondiscriminatory Policy

EMU does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, age, handicap, national or ethnic origin in administration of its employment and educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic or other school-administered programs. EMU's designated coordinator for matters related to nondiscrimination policies is the provost, telephone 540-432-4105.

FERPA Provisions for Student Rights

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:

1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the university receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The registrar will make arrangements for access and notify the students of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the registrar’s office, the registrar shall advise the students of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
   
   
2. The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the university to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the university official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the university decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the university will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for the amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
   
   
3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the university in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position; a person or company with whom the university has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official had legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
   
   
4. The right to file a student complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Eastern Mennonite University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and the address of the office that administers FERPA is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington DC 20202-4605.

FERPA-based Definition of Directory Information

Eastern Mennonite University's current definition of directory information is listed below in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as Amended. Should you wish not to have this information released, please make a formal request in writing to the university registrar prior to September 5, 2008. You must sign and date request. Any request will be honored for the 2008-09 academic year only. Directory Information may be unconditionally released to the public without the consent of the student, unless he/she has specifically asked that prior consent be obtained before releasing such information. Directory Information includes:

• a student's name and enrollment status (full-time or part-time)
• address and telephone listing (permanent, local, or residence hall)
• date of birth
• major and minor field(s) of study
• participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• weight and height of members of the athletic teams
• dates of attendance
• degrees, awards, and honors (including Dean's List and graduation honors) received
• the most recent previous education institution attended by the student
• student level
• degree sought and anticipated graduation date
• photograph
• email address

Students will be notified each year by the university registrar's office as to what is considered Directory Information.

Statement of Legal Control

According to Article IV of the Articles of Incorporation "The affairs of the corporation shall be managed by a Board of . . . Trustees . . . . The Board of Directors of Mennonite Education Agency, Inc., a religious corporation organized under the laws of the State of Indiana shall appoint three-fourths of the Trustees and the Board of Trustees shall appoint one-fourth of the Trustees..."

Historical Sketch

After EMU's original administration building (top) was destroyed by fire the EMU community worked together to build the Campus Center.

The year 1917 was a year of revolution and war—revolution in Russia and, for Americans, first-hand encounter with modern warfare as the United States entered World War I. It seems, in retrospect, an inauspicious time for pacifist Mennonites who abhor war and revolution to be launching a new educational venture. But the people of God respond to a time clock governed by faith. Therefore, the humble beginning of Eastern Mennonite University in the peaceful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia provides a moving counterpoint to a year of rapine and violence seldom matched in the annals of human history.

Eastern Mennonite School, as it was first called, began as a Bible academy and is now a fully accredited university with 1,600 students in the undergraduate, seminary and graduate programs. EMU was founded to provide a setting for young men and women of the Mennonite Church to deepen their biblical faith, study the liberal arts and gain specific skills in a variety of professions.

That tri-part objective has remained central to the purpose of the university, and its history is the story of an ever-broadening curriculum and program. In 1930 the university was accredited by the Virginia Board of Education as a junior college. Seventeen years later, in 1947, a four-year degree program was approved by the state of Virginia, and regional accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools was achieved in 1959.

By 1965 a graduate theological school had evolved. Eastern Mennonite Seminary, which seeks to prepare persons for Christian ministry--especially in the local congregation-- offers an intensive, well-rounded program of biblical, theological, historical and practical studies.

During the early 1970s, the university instituted a unique interdisciplinary core curriculum, Christianity and Civilization. That program has evolved into a core curriculum entitled the Global Village Curriculum which is not only interdisciplinary but also cross-cultural in its focus.

The first graduate program (other than seminary)--counseling--began in 1993. It was followed by two others in the next two years--conflict transformation and education. An adult degree completion program was established in 1994 and an MBA program was added in 1999.

The school's name was changed from "college and seminary" to "university" in 1994. Biblical studies, liberal arts, graduate programs and professional training--EMU is still evolving, but its roots reach deep into Mennonite heritage which takes history seriously and reveres humble service guided by faith and knowledge.

Mission Statement

Identity

Eastern Mennonite University, founded in 1917 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, is an educational institution of Mennonite Church USA. EMU serves students of diverse religious and cultural backgrounds and confers undergraduate, graduate, and seminary degrees. As a leader among faith-based universities, EMU emphasizes peacebuilding, creation care, experiential learning, and cross-cultural engagement.

Mission

EMU educates students to serve and lead in a global context. Our Christian community challenges students to pursue their life calling through scholarly inquiry, artistic creation, guided practice, and life-changing cross-cultural encounter. We invite each person to follow Christ’s call to

bear witness to faith,
serve with compassion, and
walk boldly in the way of nonviolence and peace.

Vision

EMU envisions a learning community marked by academic excellence, creative process, professional competence, and passionate Christian faith, offering healing and hope in our diverse world. To this end, we commit ourselves to

do justice,
love mercy, and
walk humbly with God.

Shared Values

EMU embodies the enduring values of the Anabaptist tradition:

Christian discipleship,
community,
service, and
peacebuilding.

Together we worship God, seek truth, and care for God’s creation.

Approved by the Board of Trustees, June 28, 2008

Location

Eastern Mennonite University is located in the heart of the scenic and historic Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Situated in Harrisonburg, a city of 40,000 people, EMU is fronted on the east by the Massanutten and Blue Ridge mountain ranges. To the west lie the Alleghenies. Only 125 miles from the nation's capital and 115 miles from Richmond, the state capital, EMU has an ideal location for historical and cultural field trips. Harrisonburg is served by Interstate 81 as well as two national highways, U.S. 33 and 11. The Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport, about 15 minutes from the university, provides regular air service.

In addition to the Harrisonburg campus, EMU operates a site in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for working adults. This site, known as EMU at Lancaster, is located at 1846 Charter Lane in the Greenfield Corporate Park. Programs offered at this location include an RN-BSN program, Master of Arts in education program, associate in arts in pastoral ministries program, and seminary classes. The facility houses three classrooms and administrative offices.