To: All UMW Faculty, Students, and Staff 

The Division of Teaching and Learning Technologies and The Center for Teaching Excellence and Innovation invites all students, faculty, and staff from the UMW community to apply to the Digital Media Commons Initiative. As we head towards the completion of the Information Technology Convergence Center (ITCC), there is a prevailing question of ‘what is going to happen in this building?’ The ITCC has physical resources in the form of studio and editing facilities, as well as collaboration & classroom spaces, that will allow for multiple and varied creative activities and learning experiences. At the heart of this initiative is the creation of digital media projects and a documentary that can serve as the narrative of the different disciplines that will use the ITCC in the creation of digital media. Its purpose is to bring students, staff, and faculty together (in partnership) to ‘imagine, create, share, and learn’ about digital media use and innovation at UMW.

This initiative is designed to build upon, strengthen, and develop staff, faculty, and students’ digital media awareness, expertise, and use at a public liberal arts institution that values learning and engagement. Staff and faculty expertise (content pedagogical knowledge) and students’ cultural and digital knowledge, creates a unique opportunity for participants to come together and participate in an innovative cross-collaboration learning model. This model is designed to provide support and build collaborative bridges between students, staff, and faculty in rich authentic ways. Participants learn from each other through the creation and development of digital media projects (individual and collaborative) that infuse a rich array of digital media to ‘showcase’ UMW liberal arts learning and community engagement. Faculty, staff, and student digital media projects could be shown in a variety of ‘showcase’ settings.

Each participant will receive a $1,000.00 stipend that will be broken down into two payments. The first $500.00 will be awarded at the mid-point of the initiative (end of March 2104), and the final $500.00 will be awarded after July1st and when you have completed your digital product(s).

Student Participation Benefits – Opportunity to enhance and refine your technological media skills and collaboration skills, preparation for applying for the Convergence Center Student Aide positions that are designed to support a wide range of student and faculty generated digital media projects and documentaries. In addition to your individual project, you will have the unique opportunity to: a) Partner with faculty and staff in the creation of a pilot documentary aligned with awarded PTAC grants or choose to participate in the creation of a Digital Media Space (website) that is designed to support UMW community efforts to integrate digital media into a variety of contexts; and b) develop and create your own digital media project that informs the broader community about UMW. What story would you like to tell for an individual digital media project and how does it connect to UMW?

Faculty Participation Benefits – Opportunity to develop and refine your technological and collaborative skills through the ‘imagine, create, share, and learn’ cross-collaborative model. Additional benefits could include creation of an individual digital project for your program, department, or course(s) that can serve as a showcase. This is an opportunity to tell a story about your discipline, digital pedagogy, or research topic of your interest. Bring your ideas of what you would like to imagine, create, share, and learn about.

Staff Participation Benefits – Opportunity to develop technological and collaborative skills, create digitally rich projects to showcase innovative teaching and learning. This could be a department showcase that captures learning in multi-media rich environments highlighting departmental units, achievements, resources, and strengths. What is your individual digital media project that you are interested in creating related to the UMW community or Digital Scholarship?

Applications are due by January 17, 2014. 

To apply to the Digital Media Commons Initiative, fill out the application at http://academics.umw.edu/teach/digital-media-commons-initiative-application/.

The application must include a 250-word (max) proposal and description of the finished product (video, website, project, etc.). If you have questions, contact Andy Rush (arush@umw.edu) or Mary Kayler (mkayler@umw.edu).

The following message is from Parking Management:  

Due to the possibility of inclement weather during winter break, ALL vehicles…this includes ALL student, visitor, Fac/Staff/Contractor vehicles AND any UMW assigned Service/Pool Vehicles for all departments…that are left unattended/overnight on campus during the Winter Break should be parked in Sunken Road lots  #11,  #13 or the William Street lot and, for Eagle Landing residents, floors 3 through 5 of the Eagle Landing deck.

In the event of a Snow Emergency Declaration, all other lots/areas will need to be clear of vehicles, this includes Fac/Staff vehicles and any UMW assigned Service/Pool Vehicles for all departments; please move these vehicles to the above mentioned areas or the Physical Plant prior to your campus departure, and follow any other Declaration instructions.

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday season! Please contact the Parking Management Office at (540) 654-1129 with any questions.

To Members of the UMW Community:

Today we remember the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 95.

Mandela, former president of South Africa and revolutionary leader, activist, freedom fighter, and heroic icon in the fight against apartheid, represented to many the moral voice of a nation, a political movement, and served as the soul of change—creating equality and freedom where none existed.

Mandela’s experience shared a common spirit with the U.S. civil rights movement of the ‘50s, ‘60s, and beyond, yet for Mandela his voice and activism resulted in 27 years of imprisonment by the apartheid government in control of South Africa at the time. Mandela was released from prison in 1990 and continued to be a strong voice for reconciliation and equality throughout his life.  On April 27, 1994, Mandela was elected President of South Africa by winning the first free, democratic election in that nation’s history.  As President, his demonstrated commitment to forgiveness, understanding, and peace served as a shining example to all the citizens of his nation and the world.

While we at Mary Washington are privileged to have James Farmer as an example and symbol representing the freedom and the battle against inequality, we acknowledge and treasure the foundation of change and freedom created by Nelson Mandela, as through his perseverance, humility, and passion he changed the path of history.

After the rain passes, the flags on Jefferson Square will fly at half-staff in honor of Nelson Mandela.

Richard V. Hurley

President