March 31, 2026

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Upcoming Opportunities for Connecting With Students

by

The Office of Student Activities & Engagement would like to announce several different ways for your department to connect with students at the start of the fall semester:

  • The Eagle Resource Fair will take place on Wednesday, August 17 (first-year move-in day), from noon  to 3 p.m., in the Chandler Ballroom. This fair is an opportunity for groups from on and off campus to interact with new students and their families. Please register for this event.
  • Club Carnival will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 24, from 5 to 7 p.m., on Ball Circle. Club Carnival is similar to the Eagle Resource Fair but on a much larger scale, and it’s an opportunity to interact with many more students. Please register for Club Carnival. 
  • A Student Employment Fair will take place on Thursday, Aug. 25, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the University Center Living Rooms. If your department has open student staff positions you’re looking to fill, you’re invited to host a table at the event for students who are looking to work on campus. Please register for this event. 
  • We are currently compiling a list of events that are open to all students to include in the Eagle Takeoff schedule for the first six weeks of the semester. If your department is hosting an event that can be included in this schedule, please submit it.

Questions about any of these events or initiatives? Feel free to email Sandrine at ssutphin@umw.edu.

University Staff Council 2022 Election Results

by

Thank you to all who participated in the campus-wide nomination and election process for the University Staff Council committees this year. The 2022 University Staff Council election results are in!

Budget Advisory Committee staff representatives:

  • Arin Doerfler
  • Kim McManus-Carini
  • Ryan Snellings

James Farmer Multicultural Center Advisory Committee staff representative:

  • Alicia Tisdale

USC and UFC are happy to continue with this staff representation on these two faculty committees!

We also want to welcome the following new and returning members for three-year terms on the University Staff Council.

Classified Staff representatives:

  • Kim McManus-Carini
  • Melinda Albrycht
  • Michelle Pickham
  • Maureen Aylward
  • Megan Williams
  • Takera Zajac

Wage Staff representative:

  • Tracey Funtanilla

Thank you to all who participated in selecting members who will serve all UMW staff! We are grateful to those who have served on the USC in the past years and hope that they will continue to share their time, experience and voice with us and the UMW community. All USC meetings are open to the campus community, so if you would like to participate, please contact one of the USC representatives for an invitation with the meeting link or use our Contact Us form on the USC website. There is an option to submit your question or comment anonymously.

Want to know more about the USC or its members? Visit the University Staff Council website!

Fiscal Year End System Downtime

by

Fiscal year end is approaching! That means fiscal year end processing and system downtime. Please mark your calendars.

  • Banner will be down from 3 p.m. Thursday, June 30, until noon Friday, July 1. This downtime will impact the Banner production environment, including Banner Self-Service functionality and Report Central.
  • Cashnet and Nelnet/EaglePAY will go offline Wednesday, June 29, at 5 p.m.
  • Processes using the JAMS job scheduler that exchange data with Banner will go offline Wednesday, June 29, at 7:30 p.m.

All systems are expected to be back up and online by noon Friday, July 1. For additional information on deadlines, refer to the End of Year Calendar.

Finance will make every effort to have the systems restored as quickly as possible. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation and patience.

Please contact Training, Evaluation and System Support at tess@umw.edu with questions.

Construction Update – Underground Utilities

by

While work is still continuing on Westmoreland Lawn and behind Jefferson Hall, please note that construction activity on the Underground Utility project will begin to pick up after Reunion Weekend and is expected to continue until mid-August.

Campus Walk – Starting the week of June 6, work will begin on the waterline along Campus Walk beginning in front of George Washington and continuing to Lee Hall. This work is expected to run through summer until August 15. In addition, a section of steam line work will be crossing from Westmoreland Lawn across Campus Walk and terminating in the lawn in front of Mason and Randolph Halls. While a portion of Campus Walk will be open to pedestrian traffic during the waterline work, the steam line crossing will necessitate a temporary closure during its excavation. Steel plates will be provided for this crossing to allow emergency vehicle access afterhours. All work will be coordinated with Campus Police and Emergency Management & Safety.

Jefferson Square – Waterline work will continue from behind Jefferson Hall around its west side and finish in Jefferson Square. This work will also begin the week of June 6.

Westmoreland Lawn – Steam piping work will continue to connect steam lines between Ball Hall to Westmoreland and George Washington Halls.

Ball Circle – Final steam piping runs and connections will need to be made near Virginia Hall and the front of Ball Circle as well this summer.

It is crucial that all of these projects begin on time and are implemented prior to the return of students for the fall semester so your cooperation and patience are truly appreciated. Should you have any questions, please contact Jay Sullivan at (540) 379-3422 or dsulliva@umw.edu.

Partial Steam Outage for Fredericksburg Campus

by

As part of the Underground Utility project, the Fredericksburg Campus will experience a partial steam outage beginning on June 13, 2022. This outage may run through the end of July. The steam outage will impact hot water service for the following buildings:

  • Ball, Custis and Madison Halls
  • Mason and Randolph Halls
  • Westmoreland Hall
  • Bushnell and Jefferson Halls
  • Marshall and Russell Halls
  • George Washington Hall
  • Brent House
  • Combs Hall

This outage will not affect hot water service for the faculty apartments in the identified residence halls because they are supported with stand-alone water heaters.

Please contact Gary Hobson if you have any questions: 540-654-1292, ghobson@umw.edu.

UMW Prioritizes Affordability, Access With New Scholarship for In-State Undergraduates

by

UMWThe President and the Executive Committee of the Board of Visitors of the University of Mary Washington announced today the addition of a one-time scholarship to offset a 3% tuition increase for all in-state undergraduate students in the 2022-23 academic year, effectively keeping in-state undergraduate tuition at the same rate for four consecutive academic years.

The board approved an increase of 3% for undergraduate annual tuition at the June 2022 meeting. In 2022-23, tuition for in-state undergraduate students is $8,938, an increase of $260. The university will provide approximately $700,000 in one-time scholarship funds to offset this increase, supporting Virginia students, while sustaining capacity for existing programs and staffing levels, funding new initiatives and employee raises, and addressing inflationary increases.

This one-time reallocation of current funding is coupled with the state’s impressive investment in the University of Mary Washington, with key new funding for UMW’s arts, career building, faculty and staff salary increases, accessibility, affordability and museums. Read more.

UMW Serves Three-Course Dining-Service Success Story

by

Joye Thomas, Rigoberto Mendoza and Emily Bond

Joye Thomas, Rigoberto Mendoza, Emily Bond

University of Mary Washington’s Catering Executive Chef Rigoberto Mendoza was one of only 14 chefs featured in a June 17 front-page Food Management Magazine article about college dining chefs who made a difference over the last year. The next week, Food Management Magazine ran another front-page piece about college dining associates who also made a difference during the year. University Dining Senior Cook Emily Bond and Marketing Assistant Joye Thomas were two of only 22 people included in that showcase!

University Dining General Manager David Schneider said, “We’re very proud of Chef Rigo, Emily and Joye for getting this well-deserved recognition. They bring tremendous dedication, talent and heart to our dining operations, and we’re extremely pleased that Food Management Magazine gave some great national recognition to them, our dining team and the University of Mary Washington.” The following are excerpts from Food Management Magazine’s feature stories about college chefs and dining associates who made an impact last year.

Catering Executive Chef Rigoberto Mendoza

Catering Executive Chef Rigoberto Mendoza

Executive Chef Rigoberto Mendoza

One of 14 college dining chefs who made a difference.

“Rigoberto is a supremely talented chef who has invested tremendous time and effort into training his catering culinary team, as well as members of the resident dining culinary staff. He is known for his exceptional food and presentations, particularly those prepared for the president of the university and other VIP events, and he takes the time to share his knowledge and skill with the rest of his team. He is an innovator, creating custom recipes and menus for a broad range of dining events. He is extremely dedicated. Besides the many hours he spends on his catering events, he still provides great support to the rest of our dining operations. He does everything from cooking at our Campus Grill, to planning menus, to meeting with students, to washing dishes!”

University Dining Senior Cook Emily Bond

University Dining Senior Cook Emily Bond

Emily Bond, Senior Cook

One of 22 college dining associates who made a difference last year.

“Emily is one of the primary cooks for our resident dining program, and she is quick, efficient, and very skilled! She stays on top of everything, anticipating the needs of the various points of service, and ensuring that everyone has everything they need, from the beginning to the end of service. She’s very supportive of all her co-workers, hopping on any station whenever they need help. She’s especially good at preparing dishes for our special dining events, making sure they properly reflect the theme or ethnic culture of the event.”

Joye Thomas, Marketing Assistant

One of 22 college dining associates who made a difference last year.

University Dining Marketing Assistant Joye Thomas

University Dining Marketing Assistant Joye Thomas

“Joye serves on Fredericksburg’s Citizen Advisory Panel, where she is an advisor to the police and a liaison for the community. She took on this role because she wants to make a real difference in the world. After the Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020, it became clear to her that change was needed in our community policing practices. She has been part of a taskforce that re-wrote the city police department’s directives on various issues, including the use of force. Joye was also elected by the city council and mayor of Fredericksburg to serve as a commissioner on the Fredericksburg Arts Commission, which is responsible for a multitude of arts initiatives. It awards grants to local artist and arts organizations, runs a sculpture program, coordinates First Friday celebrations and more!”

Orientation Parking Message

by

During the month of June, UMW will welcome incoming students and their families to campus for Orientation.

Orientation is a vital experience designed to help students and their families feel welcomed, involved and connected to the University. Your support in this mission is greatly appreciated.

Parking lots will be reserved for Orientation as follows:

  • June 13, 16, 21, 23 & 27: George Washington, Marshall, Double Drive and Randolph lots
  • June 14, 17, 22, 24 & 28: George Washington, Marshall, Double Drive, Randolph, Thornton and Pizza Hut lots. While guest vehicles will remain in GW until the conclusion of Orientation, spaces that remain open on these dates may be used by UMW faculty and staff.
  • June 15 & 29: George Washington lot. While guest vehicles will remain in GW until the conclusion of Orientation, spaces that remain open after 10 a.m. may be used by UMW faculty and staff.

Please note:

  • Accessible parking spaces are available in all lots to any vehicles with DMV-issued accessible placards or license plates.
  • The UMW Police Department provides escorts when needed, and may be reached at ext. 1025. Please visit the Safety Escort webpage for more information.
  • For a calendar view of lot reservations visit the Parking Lot Reservations Calendar webpage.

Thank you for your support as UMW welcomes students and their guests to this important event.

For further details, please contact Maie Makin in Parking Management: mmakin2@umw.edu, 540/654-1129.

Rucker Wins Spotlight During UC Naming Celebration

by

Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life Cedric Rucker

Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life Cedric Rucker

Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life Cedric Rucker caught some media attention centered around the naming celebration to recognize the University Center’s new name – the Cedric Rucker University Center – upon Rucker’s retirement next week. During his decades-long career, Rucker’s big personality, strong standards and compassionate demeanor have led him to leave a bit of a legacy on campus. Read more:

Trailblazing Dean to Be Honored at the University of Mary Washington (NBC 4)
Walking around the campus of the University of Mary Washington with Cedric Rucker is like walking around with a celebrity.

University of Mary Washington renames campus hub to honor trailblazing dean (The Free Lance-Star)
University of Mary Washington renames campus hub to honor trailblazing dean (Culpeper Star-Exponent)
Watch Now: UMW University Center renamed in honor of ’81 grad (Roanoke Times)
A 1981 University of Mary Washington graduate who never ventured far from his alma mater was honored Sunday morning during a ceremony in which the school’s bustling University Center was renamed in his honor.

From humble beginnings in Richmond to a stellar career–and a university building named in his honor (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
The grand, four-story hub of student activity at the University of Mary Washington has a new name: the Cedric Rucker University Center.