As President Rick Hurley’s email message to all employees on December 20, 2010 noted, we are holding a university-wide meeting on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at 4 p.m. in Dodd Auditorium (George Washington Hall). We are calling this “University Assembled” to express that the meeting will cover topics and issues important all faculty and staff. Students are, of course, welcomed as well.
The plan is for President Hurley and me to each offer initial thoughts about how UMW might respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by Governor McDonnell’s recently announced budget amendments, and by the interim report issued by the Governor’s Commission on Higher Education. I have posted some documents on my web site that you might find useful as background. One is a summary of the key budget amendment proposals as they relate to higher education in Virginia generally and to the University of Mary Washington in particular. The other is the interim report from the Governor’s Commission on Higher Education. Both documents are available here.
President Hurley and I see the “University Assembled” meeting as the starting point in what we hope will become an extended conversation about future directions for UMW. There’s no mistaking that these are challenging and potentially exciting times for higher education in Virginia. UMW needs to take the initiative. Our goal in this meeting is to explore some potential options and strategies, keeping in mind the need to maintain our position as a liberal arts university and to advance toward our goal of being the best public liberal arts university in the U.S.
Please attend this important meeting, which we pledge to conclude by 5:30 P.M.
Jay Harper
Provost
