State of play: Last month, the Harrisonburg university announced its new Employment Guarantee — the school's promise to continue to support its bachelor's degree graduates who haven't reached what the university calls a "positive career outcome" within 12 months.

• That means a job, graduate or professional school, military service or a service or volunteer year.
• Dukes who haven't reached one of those milestones can get continued career coaching, resume and interview help, employer connections, work-based learning and additional undergraduate coursework, as space allows.
• It starts with the Class of 2027 and it's available at no additional cost for students.

The intrigue: JMU's guarantee goes beyond students. The school is also promising employers who hire its grads that it will provide additional training if a company identifies gaps in a former student's workplace skills.

• That promise lasts for up to three years after graduation — and comes at no cost to the employer.

The bottom line: JMU isn't guaranteeing every grad a job or every employer a perfect worker. It's putting some institutional skin in the game by promising its responsibility to students doesn't end when they get a diploma.