Caitie Finlayson Quoted in Chronicle of Higher Ed
How Teaching Centers Can Get Professors to Buy Into Their Work (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
Caitie Finlayson, an assistant professor of geography at the University of Mary Washington, in Virginia, wrote to say that she “completely redesigned” her “World Regional Geography” course two years ago. The old approach, she found, promoted a “novice-level understanding” of her discipline consisting of terms and facts.
“I now approach geography as experts understand the discipline,” Finlayson wrote, “focusing on connections between regions and an in-depth understanding of core themes. Students now spend the bulk of our class time applying textbook concepts to real-world problems, like Syrian refugees or a loss of biodiversity in the Pacific.”
https://www.chronicle.com/article/How-Teaching-Centers-Can-Get/244640
Open Enrollment – Tuition Reimbursement Program, October 1 – October 22, 2018
The following message is from the office of Human Resources.
Dear Colleagues:
Open Enrollment for Tuition Reimbursement under our policy for courses starting January – June 2019 is October 1-22, 2018. The complete policy and procedures are posted online but here are important and key provisions to have in mind. You may contact Denise Frye at dfrye2@umw.edu with any questions.
Program Purpose:
Eligible employees enrolled in a degree seeking program at other accredited institutions of higher education will be provided with tuition reimbursement up to a specified amount for courses after completion of the course and submission of proof of grade.
Eligibility:
This policy applies to classified, wage, administrative professional faculty, and other non-faculty part-time employees. Graduate Assistants who are required to be enrolled in UMW graduate programs are not eligible for this program. Eligible employees must be continuously employed by the University for a minimum of one year prior to their application for reimbursement and job performance must be satisfactory or at the “contributor” level. Tuition up to the approved amount will be reimbursed upon receipt of proof of completion of approved courses. Employees who receive tuition reimbursement must remain employed at the University of Mary Washington during the term of the courses taken and for one year after receipt of tuition reimbursement for those courses(s) or be subject to terms for repayment as described in the written agreement.
Important Information to Know:
· The open enrollment period for courses taken July 2018 to December 2018 was April 1 to 23, 2018.
· The program’s funding will be limited to $50,000 per calendar year; $25,000 will be budgeted for each period January to June and July to December.
· Each eligible employee may receive up to $2,500 in assistance each period. The amount of assistance will vary depending on the number of requests and the available funds for that period i.e. where $25,000 is available, 20 requests may each be awarded $1,250.
· A Tuition Reimbursement Request Form is required to be submitted to Human Resources during open enrollment for courses starting January 2019 – June 2019.
· The Finance office will notify the employee the Tuition Reimbursement Request Form has been approved within two weeks of the open enrollment timeframe closing and request the following:
a) Proof of enrollment in a degree granting program
b) Schedule of the institution’s fees
c) Proof of payment (payment may not have been made as of 10/21, this can be submitted later)
· The assistance awarded will then be reimbursed to the employee upon submission of evidence of course completion with a minimum grade of “C” or “PASS” if a Pass/Fail course. Submission of grade must be within 30 days of semester end. The employee will receive reimbursement within 10 business days of grade submission to the Finance Office.