Aa reminder all faculty and staff are invited to these traditional fall events!

• The President’s Welcome: Wednesday, Aug. 20 in Anderson Center @ 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
• Honor Convocation: Friday, Aug. 22 in Dodd Auditorium @ 4 – 5 p.m.
• Post-Convocation Reception immediately following Convocation on Aug. 22 @ approx. 5 p.m. on Campus Walk
• Eagle Gathering: Sunday, Aug. 24 in Ball Circle @ 7:30 p.m.

We’re excited to share the progress on several campus facilities projects and outline what’s coming up this fall. Below are summaries and estimated dates of the projects, with more information available on the Campus Construction website or linked with each project.

Monroe Hall is open for classes, following the completion of the roof restoration project.

Monroe Hall
Monroe Hall is open for classes, following the completion of the roof restoration project. In addition to the new slate roof, several areas of the building have new walls, ceilings, floors or carpeting, which was replaced following water damage from leaks in the roof. For more information on this two-year project, visit the construction website. Faculty have already moved back into Monroe Hall through the summer. For those who need to update office information, please submit it through the directory forms for profile updates and office moves.

Simpson Library
The stair tower repairs at Simpson Library are complete, with additional work to the building façade scheduled in this academic year. This extended project includes rebuilding the brickwork on the east face of the building. The library remains open during the project. Check the website for hours and more information.

Woodard Stream Restoration
Following the completion of the new waterline between Seacobeck and Woodard Halls this summer, we’ll start a stream restoration project adjacent to the building this fall. The project will stabilize the banks of the stream and prevent water erosion, as well as further preserve the Woodard walkway. It will also include native plants streamside plantings.

Alvey Parking Deck and Parking Lot Improvements
The top floor of the Alvey Parking Deck has reopened following repairs and resealing. North-side elevator repairs are in progress. The elevator is open on the south end of the building. Parking lot repaving and restriping took place this summer, with regrading and drainage improvements to the Sunken Road entrance. As a reminder, the Sunken Road lots are available for parking, as the Marshall and Russell lots have closed for construction of the new theatre.

Accessibility Improvements
Accessibility improvement planning and design is in progress for Combs Hall, Westmoreland Hall, Bushnell Hall and the Battleground Athletics Complex. We also continue walkway paver maintenance and brickwork throughout campus. A new accessible ramp is forthcoming for James Farmer Hall, and this academic year improvements will take place at Ball Hall, which is further detailed in the next section.

Ball Hall is offline in 2025-26 for accessibility improvements, including the addition of an elevator and room updates to the first floor to make several suites accessible.

Ball Hall
Ball Hall is offline in 2025-26 for accessibility improvements, including the addition of an elevator and room updates to the first floor to make several suites accessible. The work is scheduled to be completed in Fall 2026, and until then Bushnell Hall will be the all-female residence hall. In addition, potential water and sewer lines replacement may be conducted, including renovations to the bathrooms in the residence hall. Work is currently pending approval as to not conflict with other permitted project activities. Occasional debris removal or deliveries may occur around the work area and across Campus Walk, with minimal disruptions. Contractors may unload in the Fairfax Parking Lot.

Elevators
We’ve experienced an increase in elevator outages this past year, so this summer, we brought in a new contractor for elevator repairs and maintenance. This vendor has been on site each day since the start of their contract, reviewing and repairing persistent issues, prioritizing replacement parts, and determining where new elevators are needed. Final repairs are being made to the elevators in the Alvey Parking Deck and Lee Hall, and we are still waiting on the replacement part for the elevator in Virginia Hall. We understand that this is disappointing during move-in to the building, and we are working closely with Residence Life to support the efforts during the week and provide an extra lift in personnel during this time. This elevator vendor will have an active presence on campus this fall as they work to improve response times and facilitate repairs.

Updates to Houses on Campus
Brent House, which has been closed and offline since the police station move in 2022-23, was demolished this summer as part of the initial plan for the new theatre at the corner of William St. and Sunken Road. The nearly 100-year-old structure had been damaged from water intrusion, with major foundation and roof issues that made it too costly to repair. The site has been marked off with fencing and erosion control measures until the theatre project construction starts and will help us extend Campus Walk to the newest academic building when complete. Foundation work and repairs will take place at Fairfax, Tyler and Hamlet Houses, with general maintenance at the house at 1004 William St, known as the “Econ House.” Offices in these houses have been moved to other spaces on campus. The Economics Department has permanently moved to Woodard Hall. Please check the directory for more information.

Construction-related activities began this summer on UMW’s new theatre – a new academic home for the Department of Theatre and Dance.

New Theatre
We’re excited to announce that construction-related activities begin this summer on UMW’s new theatre – a new academic home for the Department of Theatre and Dance that will be a student-focused hub of arts enrichment designed to inspire creativity and foster student success. The Marshall hill roadway and the Marshall and Russell parking lots are closed for the duration of the project.

Construction traffic and noise will increase over the next few months, and we recognize the impacts you may experience. We’ll implement best-practice erosion control measures, including silt fencing, dust suppression systems, perimeter fencing and stabilized construction entrances. Dedicated environmental staff will conduct regular inspections to ensure all controls are functioning effectively, even in changing weather. Demolition and major work will take place in accordance with the City of Fredericksburg noise ordinance, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Updates are available on the campus construction website, as well as a community newsletter for this campus corner.

Additional Projects
In addition, the Student Paint Crew completed work in Mason Hall this summer, and we replaced the heat exchanger in Randolph Hall. We also completed critical HVAC equipment replacement projects throughout campus, including new window AC units throughout Jefferson Hall. A special thanks to our Housekeeping staff for their work throughout the summer to turnover residence rooms for summer events, intern housing and camps. Landscape and Grounds enhanced the landscaping around the UMW signs at the corners of campus and focused on renovations to the Jepson Science Center area storm detention pond. At the Battleground Athletic Complex, we replaced the D Field turf, along with fencing around B and C Fields.

Contact Info
We appreciate you working around these areas as the projects take place. In addition, if have concerns in campus buildings, including residence halls, please submit a work order online. We’ve had a humid summer, so our HVAC systems have been working hard to keep up. For any questions, contact Assistant Vice President for Facilities and Capital Outlay Brian Gorham at bgorham@umw.edu.

Every year, we update the Student Handbook online, which has important information about the policies and regulations on campus as well as resources and procedures to support the Mary Washington student experience.

Some policies and links have been updated with this latest edition of the handbook, so whether this is your first semester at UMW or you’ve been here many years, you’ll want to review the information. It is the responsibility of every student to know and follow the policies outlined in the UMW Student Handbook along with federal, state, and local laws.

If you have any questions or concerns about the handbook, please contact studentaffairs@umw.edu.