HARRISONBURG, Va. (ROCKTOWN NOW) – James Madison University Provost Heather Coltman has announced she will be stepping down from her role next month.

She has served as provost and senior vice president for the Academic Affairs Division since arriving at JMU in 2017.

In an email to faculty and staff shared with Rocktown Now, JMU President Jonathan Alger praised Coltman’s tenure. He wrote that Coltman has been committed to professionalizing our academic operations by aligning with best practices, enhancing the University’s efforts at inclusion and belonging and elevating JMU’s academic reputation and mission on the national stage.

“I am grateful to Heather for significantly enhancing the academic mission of the university and leading our transition to being a national research university,” Alger wrote in the email. “Her strategic planning and keen operational oversight have raised the bar at JMU.”

He noted that under her leadership, JMU maintained a strong commitment to teaching excellence while also highlighting research and scholarship. This culminated in JMU’s reclassification as an R2 high research activity institution by the Carnegie Commission.

In a statement, Coltman said serving as chief academic officer at JMU has been “thrilling.” She said she was inspired by Alger’s leadership and strategic vision for the university.

Coltman has been active in regional and national higher education organizations. She serves on several committees and previously chaired the Colonial Academic Alliance Provost’s Council. She also holds an academic appointment as a professor in JMU’s School of Music.

Internal recommendations will be considered for the role of interim provost, with an appointee to be named in the coming weeks.

Coltman is the latest of several administrators departing from JMU in 2024. President Alger will leave JMU to start a new role as American University’s President this summer, and former Athletic Director Jeff Bourne retired at the end of the Spring 2024 semester.

Coltman will continue serving in her current role through June 30.