December 23, 2025

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Yoga in the Garden at the James Monroe Museum

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Join us on Saturday, May 11, from 8 to 9 a.m. to get energized for your weekend with outdoor yoga! Ren Fields and other teachers from Healing Arts Yoga will offer drop-in classes for all ages and skill levels. This program allows the James Monroe Museum to participate in First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative, and we’re excited to be joining the list of museums and galleries that encourage healthy living through programs and exhibits.

Classes are $12/person. We recommend bringing a yoga mat.

Read the Free Lance-Star article about this program here.

We hope you will join us!

Diversity Academy Workshop May 14, 15

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UMW is sponsoring DIVERSITY ACADEMY – a workshop designed to examine the ways in which institutions of higher education infuse and incorporate diversity into the curriculum, programming, and the campus climate. The first day is open to everyone, and will include panel discussions, short workshops, and a guest speaker, all focusing on best practices for addressing diversity in the classroom and on campus. The second day is a half-day workshop that will build upon the discussion from the first day and will provide support for faculty interested in work shopping materials for their class(es). Diversity Academy is being hosted by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in conjunction with the Speaking Intensive Program, the Writing Intensive Program, and the Center for Teaching Excellence and Innovation. This event is free and open to all members of the UMW community.

This workshop will:

· Help to frame the conversations about infusing diversity into the curriculum, and campus programs

· Identify best practices for inclusiveness in a rapidly changing and increasingly diverse society

· Discuss ways to infuse diversity into speaking and writing assignments

WHEN: May 14 (8:30 to 4) and 15 (8:30 to 1); separate registration required for the second day – contact Gwen Hale at ghale@umw.edu for more information

WHERE: University of Mary Washington, Stafford Campus, University Hall (125 University Blvd. Fredericksburg, VA 22406)

*Breakfast and lunch will be provided*

To register for the event to go http://diversityacademy.org/

 

 

Board of Visitors Announces Faculty Promotions, Tenures

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At its April 19 meeting, the Board of Visitors granted final approval for promotion and/or tenure for the following faculty members.

“I am certain that you will join with me in congratulating them on reaching these important milestones in their academic careers,” said Ian D.C. Newbould, interim provost.

UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Promotion and Tenure

Laurie B. Abeel, Associate Professor in the Department of Foundations, Leadership, and Special Populations granted tenure.

Surupa Gupta, Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Affairs granted tenure and promoted to Associate Professor.

Jane L. Huffman, Associate Professor in the Department of Foundations, Leadership, and Special Populations granted tenure.

Rosemary K. Jesionowski, Assistant Professor in the Department of Art and Art History granted tenure and promoted to Associate Professor.

Emile J. Lester, Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Affairs granted tenure and promoted to Associate Professor.

Miriam N. Liss, promoted from Associate Professor of Psychology to the rank of Professor.

Jeffrey W. McClurken, promoted from Associate Professor of History to the rank of Professor.

Clarence W. Tweedy, Assistant Professor in the Department of English, Linguistics, and Communication granted tenure and promoted to Associate Professor.

Ronald A. Zacharski, Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science granted tenure and promoted to Associate Professor.

Xiaofeng Zhao, Assistant Professor in the College of Business granted tenure and promoted to Associate Professor.

 

 

 

Abbie McGhee Presents at International Conference

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McGhee_Abbie_2013Abbie McGhee, coordinator of community events, presented a session on Free Online Resources at the 33rd Annual Conference of the Association of Collegiate Conference and Event Directors – International (ACCED-I) in Toronto, Canada.  Attendees included campus professionals who design, market, coordinate and plan conferences and special events on the campuses of colleges and universities in North America, South America, Europe and Asia.

Stephen Farnsworth Appears on C-SPAN

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Farnsworth,-Stephen-2011Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and director of the university’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, talked about his book, “Spinner in Chief: How Presidents Sell Their Policies and Themselves,” on C-SPAN’s Washington classroom for a session that focused on the White House and the media. The program aired nationally on April 26.

The session was part of a joint educational partnership involving C-SPAN, the Washington Center, George Mason University, and Purdue University. The course focused on “The Presidency, Congress, and Media,” examining all facets of politics in the TV and digital age, taking a look at the issues and events shaping the agenda for the next Congress and next round of elections, as well as the historical process of public policy making.

In addition Farnsworth, and Benjamin F. Hermerding, an Alvey Scholar at UMW and a research associate at the Center, are coauthors of an opinion column, “Could the Old Dominion Give Birth Again?” published in the Free-Lance Star on April 24. The column was based on an analysis of the Center’s recent survey of Virginia voters that found considerable interest within the state in having both Sen. Mark Warner (D) and Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) seek the presidential nominations of their respective parties.

 

Strategic Resource Allocation Process Underway

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A message from President Hurley:

As you may know, the Strategic Resource Allocation project that I announced earlier is now underway.  Both the Academic and Support task forces have organized and are moving forward in conducting their important work.  Although much of the work of these groups must be confidential in nature, everyone involved is committed to providing as much communication about the process as is appropriate and to creating opportunities for input from throughout the UMW community.  Therefore, a new website has been created to foster this type of information sharing.  In order to access the website, there is a link to the site posted on the President’s Office page.

Best wishes for a great summer.

Richard V. Hurley
President

 

Status of Amendments to the Honor Constitution

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Artful-School-Pix-006The University of Mary Washington Board of Visitors considered four procedural changes to the Honor Constitution recommended by students and approved three at the April 19 meeting. The recommended changes are listed below. Number three, the definition of stealing, was not endorsed by the BOV.

“On behalf of the Fredericksburg Campus Honor Council, I would like to thank all those students who participated by voting and express our appreciation to Dr. David Rettinger for his assistance in the process,” said Alice O’Brien, president of the Fredericksburg Campus Honor Council.  “Honor is a way of life at the University of Mary Washington, and we take pride in the fact that the Board of Visitors of the University delegates to the students the authority to operate and maintain the honor system. Your acceptance of and participation in the honor system is vital to its continued success and relevance to the community.”

1.  Change to Honor Suspension:  This sanction was amended so that suspension would no longer be retroactive. The new sanction of suspension can be applied to the current or future semester(s).

2.  Procedure for handling multiple Honor Code violations:  This new procedure clarifies that cases are heard through completion, in the order they are received by the Honor Council.

3.  Stealing.  Changes throughout to indicate that, for purposes of making an honor accusation, “stealing” is limited to an academic context.

4.  Clarifying official beginning of an honor case:  Addition to Article II, Section 1.F – the official start of an honor proceeding begins with first contact either by the accuser or by the Honor Council.