TO:         UMW Community

FROM:   Golda Eldridge, Director of Leadership and chair of the Veterans Work Group

President Hurley, Provost Levin, and Vice President Searcy join me in requesting that you take 30 minutes to compete an on-line training video to help us make UMW a more veteran-friendly campus.

In recognition of the fact that the veteran population at the University Mary Washington continues to grow, a Veterans Work Group was formed to evaluate and improve resources and services available to them on the UMW campus that can support their success.

As part of that initiative we have identified a wonderful opportunity to help us better serve our veteran and veteran affiliated students. A Veteran/Military Cultural Competency training video designed to increase awareness of veteran-related issues has been made available to UMW. The link below will take you to an innovative 30-minute training simulation for faculty and staff that supports the goal of creating a more veteran-friendly campus. It is interactive and can be completed at your convenience on any computer. While the video focuses on veteran students, the techniques and processes presented are effective in dealing with any struggling student.

We ask that this process be completed by November 17.

If you have any feedback on the video or ideas on any other veteran related issue please contact me at geldridg@umw.edu. Thanks.

1) Go to: https://www.kognitocampus.com/vet

2) Click: Access Training

3) Create account: Use Enrollment Key: cspcva (case sensitive)*

Vehicle traffic exiting from the Marshall / Russell parking lots will be temporarily redirected this Thursday and Friday, October 23 and 24. People using the Marshall / Russell lots may continue to enter from Sunken Road as usual, but are asked to exit using the Brent Hill road to Double Drive. The diversion is due to installation of a grated trench drain, and is part of the storm water management for Marshall.

Please direct questions to Les Johnson, Capital Outlay project manager, at 654-2100.

Regards,

A. Leslie Johnson, Jr.

Project Manager, Capital Outlay

President, Staff Advisory Council

University of Mary Washington

1301 College Avenue

Fredericksburg, VA 22401

Tel. 540-654-2100

Cell 540-446-1469

Email ajohnso3@umw.edu

Did you know that you will need a minimum of 80% of your pre-retirement income to live comfortably during retirement. Your UMW retirement and Social Security benefits are only a foundation.  You will need a savings to help fund your retirement.

Spend some time looking at your finances and evaluating your retirement goals. During this week take a fresh look at your savings strategy and get prepared for retirement.  There are benefits in saving for your retirement and now is a great time to begin to take advantage of our employer sponsored plans (457 Deferred Compensation Plan and 403(b) Tax Deferred Savings Plan) and receive the Cash Match on one of your tax deferred election.

• If you save just $20 per pay in a tax-deferred savings plan, earning an average rate of return of 7%, you could have more than $100,000 in your account in 40 years.

During the week, access tools and resources that are available to help you save for your future on the HR webpage under What’s New.

We have also scheduled our TIAA CREF Representative to be onsite for individual account counseling on Thursday, October 23, and our 457 Deferred Compensation Representative to be on site for Defined Contribution Plans Overview at 9 am in Lee Hall 412 and individual account counseling following the session on Tuesday, November 11.  Please set up your appointment because retirement is closer than you think.

October is Optional Retirement Participants Open Enrollment –

Open Enrollment information.  ORP Plan Providers will be on campus for individual counseling.  Providers currently have appointments available, contact their scheduling office to set up your appointment time:

Fidelity on Monday, October 20, 2014 in GW 106.  TIAA-CREF on Thursday, October 23, 2014 in GW 106.  You may also set up an appointment for your 403(b) Tax Deferred Savings Plan and/or 401(a) Cash Match Plan with TIAA CREF.

If you have any questions, please contact Denise Frye at dfrye2@umw.edu or 654-1210.

The following message is from the Office of Emergency Management and Safety:

UMW has launched a new emergency alert system. Faculty, staff and students must register with the new system if they want to customize the ways they receive emergency notices– by text, phone and/or email.

If you haven’t registered already, you will receive a message shortly from UMW Emergency Management with a link to the UMW Alerts system and step-by-step instructions to sign up. Please register at that time and encourage everyone in the UMW community to sign up, too. If you fail to register, you will learn of campus emergencies only via UMW email.

For more information, please contact Chris Cash in Emergency Management and Safety at ccash@umw.edu.

On Saturday, October 18, 2014, the University of Mary Washington will host an Admissions Open House. About 287 prospective students (typically transfers and high school seniors, juniors, and sophomores) and their families will visit campus between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. for this event. Estimated guest count is ~ 820 visitors.

Visitor parking has been reserved in the parking deck off of Route 1. Primary event locations are the Anderson Center, Lee Hall, Seacobeck Dining Hall, and residence hall/special interest tours in Randolph, Jepson, duPont, and Melchers. Expect to see increased foot traffic on campus (especially between 11 and 2) and curious newcomers in the dining facilities. Help them know their presence is a pleasure by anticipating the crowds and responding warmly, especially in the dining hall where crowds will be heavy between noon and 2 p.m.   

A special note to Seacobeck diners:  please help!  Ask visitors if they need assistance locating anything. Help them find a place to sit. Welcome them at your table if there’s room and talk to them about UMW. A kind word or deed shows the heart of our community. Faculty and staff will be involved in the Academic Showcase (9 a.m., Anderson Center) and Academic Spotlights (11 a.m., various locations), and student leaders will be panelists for an Inside Student Life session (12 noon, Lee 411). Thank you to all UMW partners who will spend part of their Saturday highlighting our community. An agenda is posted here:  October 18, 2014 Open House agenda.

If you’d like to be involved in Open Houses or have ideas, please contact Admissions at 540.654.2000 or email admit@umw.edu.

While the Office of Admissions sponsors these events, the entire campus assumes the role of host. You represent our brand, our mission, and our sense of the UMW family. One way to show your support is to tweet to @UMWAdmissions and/or post to Instagram and tag @UMWAdmissions. We would like to see #UMWOpenHouse trending throughout the day.

Other Open House dates for 2014-2015 are February 16and April 3. Thank you for your partnership in showcasing all that is great about UMW!

Office of Admissions

540/654-2000

admit@umw.edu

Beth Searcy

It’s a great day to be an Eagle!

Director of Admissions Events & Strategic Initiatives

University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg, VA  22401

Lee Hall 419

esearcy@umw.edu

540.654.2151