The following message is from the Office of the President.
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mary Beth Mathews, Professor of Religion, as our new NCAA Faculty Athletic Representative. In this NCAA-mandated position appointed by President Paino, Dr. Mathews will serve as a liaison between the athletics department and the faculty. This role includes bringing faculty/academic concerns to the athletics department; providing faculty with updates and information about the athletics program; and working with faculty, the University Faculty Council (UFC), deans, the provost, the athletic director, coaches, and other constituencies. The goal is to address concerns about and develop ways to support UMW’s student athletes and maintain a high quality, Division III athletics program.
As the Faculty Athletic Representative, Dr. Mathews will work “to establish and maintain an environment in which a student-athlete’s athletic activities are conducted as an integral part of the student-athlete’s educational experience, and an environment that values cultural diversity and gender equity among student-athletes and athletics staff.”
Professor Mathews has served in a number of roles at UMW, including chair of both the College of Arts and Sciences Promotion and Tenure Committee and the University Curriculum Committee. She was also elected as an at-large member of the UFC and served on the Diversity Leadership Council, as well as the Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Committee. A graduate of the College of William and Mary who earned her masters and doctorate degrees from the University of Virginia, she started teaching at UMW in fall 2000 and has been a full-time member of the faculty since 2006. Prior to coming to UMW, Professor Mathews worked on Capitol Hill for nearly 10 years as a legislative assistant and legislative director in both the Senate and the House.
Troy D. Paino, J.D., Ph.D.
President
