Author: Brynn Boyer

The University of Mary Washington Philharmonic Orchestra will perform its annual holiday pops concert on Thursday, Dec. 6 and Friday, Dec.7. The family-oriented concert “The Magic of Christmas” is designed for all ages with music, magic and fun. Both performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. in George Washington Hall’s Dodd Auditorium. General admission tickets are $10, with free admission to children ages 8 and under. Tickets are $2 for UMW faculty, staff and students.

The concert will feature the rarely heard full-length version of Leroy Anderson’s popular “Christmas Festival,” and the “Overture to Miracle on 34th Street,” with musical selections from the blockbuster holiday film “Polar Express” and holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life.” The concert also will include special appearances by Avery Ballet and local magician Michael Taggert. The evening will conclude with an audience sing-a-long and a visit by Santa Claus.

“This is a beautiful show that will delight all the senses and put everyone in a holiday mood,” said Director of the Orchestra Kevin Bartram. “We’re very excited to share such unique music with audiences.”

Families are invited to come to the auditorium early on Thursday for the annual Fiddlestix Instrument Petting Zoo from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. This free event will give children the opportunity to see how musical instruments are played, and get a lesson on conducting from Bartram.

Tickets are available at the door or in advance at the Fredericksburg Visitors Center, online at http://philharmonic.umw.edu, or by calling (540) 654-1324.

The ELS Language Center is hosting a “Toys for Tots” gift drive to benefit less fortunate children in the community. Please bring in your new unwrapped toys and place them into the box. The boxes for “Toys for Tots” are located at Eagle Landing Complex in the foyers on the second and third floors.

ELS students are actively participating in this very project not only to benefit the community, but as a way to engage the students to meet and talk with English-speaking people, as well as to learn about American culture and customs. The drive is ongoing, and the contents of the boxes will be picked up in mid-December.

For more information, contact Kathleen Rodriguez, Center Director of ELS Educational Services, Inc., at (540) 371-2039.

With December and the holidays upon us, hopefully we’re all getting into the spirit of the season a little bit.  Even though this is often a very stressful time of year, it’s also a time when people come together to help those in need.  The Staff Advisory Committee has organized their annual “Helping the Homeless” Drive, and the Fredericksburg Network of the Alumni Association will be taking donations to the Fredericksburg area food bank as part of their Holiday Happy Hour on December 13th.  These are just a couple of the charitable events that the UMW community is involved with this season.  Hopefully we’re all doing a little something this month to help others and those in need.  While the “Office Sustainability Tip of the Week” usually focuses on environmental concerns, we’re taking the opportunity this week to think about how to go about sustaining social relationships in the workplace.

If you’re like me and many other people, you often feel as if you spend more time with your co-workers during the week than you do with your own family.  So it’s crucial to establish good relationships with everyone that you work with.  We’re often quick to shoot off the most minor of emails to co-workers to ask a question or pass along some information, but what about picking up the phone to speak to the individual or walking over to their area/office to discuss things in person?  Even doing this just once or twice a month might make that connection you have with individuals a little more personal.  Some organizations/institutions have “no email Fridays,” which encourages employees to pick up the phone or speak to individuals face-to-face as opposed to sending an email.  Is a policy like this always going to be practical?  Perhaps not, but it’s something to think about.  Moreover, how often do we misinterpret tone or intent through email?  How often is it hard to even comprehend what is trying to be communicated to you through email?  The choice to speak with someone over the phone or in person may not only improve social relationships in the workplace, but it may also improve communication, problem-solving, and productivity.

What about other ways to improve interpersonal relationships in the workplace?  If you’re a supervisor, are you taking the time to praise employees for a job well done?  If there’s that one individual in your office who NEVER leaves their office except for lunch, are you reminding them to take a few minutes every now and then for a quick walk around campus, to grab a cup of coffee, or to even just get up and stretch a little bit?  (Yes, I did just propose that you encourage your employees to get up and stretch — http://tinyurl.com/cstaqnt).  Maybe the answer for improving social relationships with your co-workers lies outside the office.  Does your office have a weekly happy hour or get together for lunch or dinner?  What about a Book Club or Movie Night among those you work with?  If not, maybe it’s time for you to initiate this idea among your co-workers.

If you have any suggestions for things we can all do differently each day to create more sustainable office environments–whether ecological or social–please feel free to leave a comment or email me the idea to be featured in a future Tip of the Week.

The PCS Action Group members for the “Office Sustainability Tip of the Week” are Kevin Caffrey, Elizabeth Sanders, Robert Louzek, and Dre Anthes.

Last week’s tip of the week: Junk Mail.

Enter to win a free Jan Brett tote bag and a free copy of her holiday children’s book, “The Mitten,” at the UMW Bookstore. The drawing, sponsored by Pepsi, will be held Monday, Dec. 10. No purchase is necessary to enter.

December 2012 Updates and Announcements

• Parking
  • Parking Update – ITCC Construction
• Purchasing
  • Beat the Sweep – Holiday Break revised SPCC due dates & order schedule (see link below)
  •  Market Basket Item Comparison (select office supplies)
  • Contract Activity
• Bookstore
  • 12.12.12 Event!
  • Holiday Sales Dates
  • On-time Course Material Adoption Scholarship
• Copy Center
  • Personalized Stationery
• Post Office
  • Price Increase – Stamps
• EagleOne
  • Off-Campus Merchants

PARKING UPDATE

The construction on the IT Convergence Center is scheduled to increase during December.  This will affect the availability of parking spaces in the Sunken Road lot.

Visit the ITCC website for the latest construction and parking developments: http://provost.umw.edu/convergence-center/

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BEAT THE SWEEP – HOLIDAY BREAK

UMW will be closed from December 21 – January 6.  Please code, submit (and supervisors approve) SPCC transactions before December 18, 2012.  Click here for revised due dates.

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MARKET BASKET ITEM COMPARISON

Did you know you can save money depending on where you buy your office supplies?

 An October 2012 Market Basket survey compared the following items:

* Price as of 10/31/12

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CONTRACT ACTIVITY

– Exclusive Athletic Uniform contract has been awarded to Nike & BSN

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12.12.12 SALE!

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BOOKSTORE DECEMBER CRAZY SALES EVENTS!

• Free Jepson ornament with purchase of $20.00 or more.  While supplies last!
• A special collection of adult and children’s classic holiday books awaits you in the store.  Enter to win 12/10/12 drawing for Jan Brett’s, The Mitten (sponsored by Pepsi).
• Annual Holiday sale 12/10/12 – 12/14/12:  20% off entire purchase of regularly priced clothing, gifts and insignia* (*some exceptions apply)
• 12/10/12 and 12/13/12: UMW Junior Jennifer Black will sell her unique and beautiful jewelry creations at the UMW Bookstore
• 12/17/2012 – 12/21/2012: UMW Faculty and Staff, this sale is all for you!  Take an additional 20% off clearance merchandise, while supplies last

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BOOKSTORE SCHOLARSHIP

The Math department has once again turned in 100% of its orders on time and will receive $1,000 in bookstore gift cards to distribute to students!

With the help of department faculty, and financial support from Pepsi, we are able to reward students for their hard work and dedication while saving time and money through on-time faculty adoptions.

We thank the Math department for its continued efforts to turn in their adoptions!

For additional information, please contact DJ Garcia at x1649.

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PERSONALIZED STATIONERY

This holiday season … Let the UMW Copy Center help you create a personalized and affordable gift.

See ad for details.

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STAMP PRICE INCREASE

U. S. Postal Service announces new prices and services effective January 27, 2013.  The price of a first class stamp will increase to $.46.

For more information, go to http://adminfinance.umw.edu/mail/

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OFF-CAMPUS MERCHANTS AVAILABLE DURING WINTER BREAK

Thank you for supporting our merchant partners.  Remember that off-campus merchant partners will be open and accepting EagleOne over the winter break.

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Please contact Business Services for information and assistance at x1576.

Happy Holidays !

Erma A. Baker   CPPO, VCO
Assistant Vice President for Business Services and CPO
University of Mary Washington
1301 College Avenue
Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401
ebaker@umw.edu
540-654-2043