A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff
Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Larus
Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Freund Larus contributed to a piece titled South China Sea Disputes for BBC News. She commented on a recent China Coast Guard attack against Philippine naval vessels. Read more.
This email is being sent as a reminder about flexible work arrangement options, particularly for departments where work demands change after students leave for the summer. Flexible work arrangements are available year-round, and departments determine how and when those options are utilized based on departmental needs. Whenever possible. supervisors are strongly encouraged to permit flexible work arrangements in their departments. Such arrangements may include:
Full-time employees are expected to work their full 40 hours per week (unless taking approved leave) and alternative schedules must adhere to Federal and state regulations as they relate to employee class and schedule period (see the UMW Hours of Work webpage).
Because we will still have some students on campus during the summer as well as a variety of events and activities taking place during those months (e.g. orientation and STP), a department’s summer flexible work arrangements may need to vary from week to week, depending on its employees’ roles in planned campus activities. Any changes to in-person service hours must be clearly and widely communicated to avoid negatively impacting student services.
Thank you for all you do every day. We hope you are able to enjoy some additional work flexibility during the summer months.
Beth Williams
Executive Director for Human Resources
540 654-1294
bwilli22@umw.edu
I’m pleased to announce a state-wide 3% pay increase has been authorized and that UMW Classified, A/P faculty, full-time teaching faculty, adjunct faculty and wage employees are all eligible to receive this pay increase per the criteria described below:
Classified Staff
A/P Faculty
Pay increases for both Classified staff and A/P faculty will appear in paychecks beginning July 1, 2024. Please refer to 2024 UMW Salary Increase FAQs for information about employees working fewer than 12 months annually and are not actively working on June 10.
Full-Time and Adjunct Teaching Faculty
Wage Staff
Deferred Compensation
Part or all of the salary increase may be deferred, subject to relevant plan guidelines and limitations. Please see 2024 UMW Salary Increase FAQs for detailed guidance to enroll in or change contribution amounts for the 403b Pre-tax Annuity.
For questions about salary increase eligibility, you may contact Deborah Burton dburton@umw.edu in Human Resources
Thank you for all you do to make UMW such an outstanding university!
Beth Williams
Executive Director for Human Resources
540 654-1294
bwilli22@umw.edu
Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Surupa Gupta
Surupa Gupta, professor of Political Science and International Affairs, was invited by the Wilson Center to brief Hill staffers on the implications of the outcome of India’s 2024 parliamentary elections. The Wilson Center’s South Asia Institute, Indo-Pacific Program, and Congressional Relations office hosted the off-the-record briefing at the Capitol on June 11 2024.
Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Jason Davidson
In advance of the 75th anniversary summit for leaders of NATO’s thirty-two member countries in July in Washington, D.C., Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Jason Davidson contributed to an article for Inkstick Media titled “NATO at 75: What’s Its Future?” In the article, Davidson says, “While it would be a mistake to overstate Russia’s power (its GDP is smaller than Italy’s), it does pose a real threat to European security.” Read more.
Assistant Professor and Archaeology Director Katherine Parker
Assistant Professor of Archaeology Katherine Parker’s work with her students to locate Mary Washington’s gravesite was highlighted in a Northern Virginia Magazine article titled “Searching for Mary: George Washington’s Mother.” Parker, who joined the Historic Preservation Department last year, said in the article, “I used GPR for a lot of other archaeology projects prior to being hired, and it is well-suited for finding burial sites with minimal ground disturbance. It’s definitely a technology that’s in high demand, and teaching students how to use it will serve them as they go on in their profession.” Read more.
The University of Mary Washington Center for Historic Preservation is proud to award its 2024 Book Prize to Citizen Science in Maritime Archaeology: The Power of Public Engagement, edited by Della A Scott-Ireton, Jennifer E Jones, and Jason T. Raupp. Citizen Science in Maritime Archaeology is a collection of essays exploring the wide variety of ways volunteers have been involved in gathering and processing data in cultural heritage projects in underwater environments around the world. Whether involving combat veterans in or high school students, these projects are all grass roots efforts to actively engage communities in the scientific process of mapping, documenting, and preserving tangible fragments of our shared history that is found under water. While each of these essays could stand on its own as a deep case study of a specific place, from Massachusetts to New Zealand, as a collection this volume provides a glimpse at the future of the field where deep relationships with communities lead to meaningful collaborations in historic preservation. Contributing authors Daniel Houlihan and Calvin Mires summarize this spirit when they state “We also begin to articulate a larger framework for understanding how citizen science projects can advance science while, simultaneously, enhancing the lives of participants.” (33) In each chapter, authors are honest in assessing the challenges of working in the field, generously sharing lessons learned in this eminently readable volume. This work is essential reading for everyone who is involved in studying or practicing professionally in historic preservation, a field that depends on the crucial work and passion of volunteers in preserving and interpreting our shared human histories.
Dr. Della A Scott-Ireton is associate director for the Florida Public Archaeology Network, University of West Florida and specializes in maritime and public archaeology. Dr. Jennifer E. Jones is librarian, graduate of the East Carolina University coastal resources management program, and recipient of a US Fulbright Scholar Award 2020-2021. Dr. Jason T. Raupp is assistant professor of maritime studies at East Carolina University.
The University of Mary Washington Center for Historic Preservation has awarded this prize annually since 1989 to the book (or books) with the most potential for positively impacting the discipline of historic preservation in the United States. In making its selection, the jury focuses on books that break new ground or contribute to the intellectual vitality of the preservation movement. Winners receive a monetary prize and are invited to give a lecture at UMW. The jury was comprised of preservation academics, professionals, alumni and a current student.
2024 University of Mary Washington Book Prize Committee:
Christine Rae Henry, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Historic Preservation, University of Mary Washington (Chair)
Erica Berger, UMW Class of 2025, Knight Scholar, Historic Preservation, University of Mary Washington
Paige Gibbon Bachus, Historic Site Manager, Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre & Lucasville School
Andréa Livi Smith, Ph.D., Professor of Historic Preservation, University of Mary Washington
Jessica Ugarte, Tax Credit Reviewer, Virginia Department of Historic Resources
UMW Landscape & Grounds is adopting new, greener battery-powered equipment.
As UMW adopts more sustainable practices to improve operations and support the university’s carbon neutrality goals, our campus landscape equipment is also making the transition from noisy, gas-powered landscaping equipment to clean technologies. The transition will be a work in progress, which began with a “field day” event on the morning of June 13 in Jefferson Square, with demonstrations of the new equipment. Kenneth Glass, Technical Sales Specialist from Mid-Atlantic STIHL, was on hand to demonstrate the ins and outs of the quieter, cleaner landscape equipment, including string trimmers, hedge pruners, pole saws, leaf blowers and more!
The following message is from the Office of the Provost:
UMW Faculty, Staff and Students,
It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Senior Lecturer in Biological Sciences Michael “Mike” Killian. He died on May 22, 2024, after a courageous battle with brain cancer as family and friends were by his side. His family has shared information with campus and through the obituary now published online.
Mike finished his teaching career at the University of Mary Washington as a senior lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences. He previously taught biology and chemistry at Courtland High School in Spotsylvania County. He also worked for the North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service and earned a master’s degree in entomology from NC State University. In addition, he attended UNC-Chapel Hill and served in the U.S. Army.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 43 years, Joella Killian, professor emerita of biology, who retired from UMW after 34 dedicated years. The two traveled the world together, exploring nature. Mike’s family notes that he is a plant person at heart, who loved to fish or play in any river stream, swamp, or marsh. As noted in his obituary, Mike believed that musical theater was the highest art form and regularly attended productions at UMW and the Riverside Dinner Theater.
Those wishing to send condolences may make a contribution in memory of Mike Killian to the Killian Theatre Scholarship (giving.umw.edu or UMW Advancement Services at (540) 654-1024), or the charity of your choice. The campus community is also invited to join a Celebration of Life, which will be held at 12 p.m. on Saturday, June 22nd, at the Unitarian Fellowship of Fredericksburg, 25 Chalice Circle, Fredericksburg.
Students seeking resources may access TimelyCare, an online service accessed via a web browser or app or find additional resources from the Talley Center. Go to timelycare.com/umw to access the service using single sign-on (you’ll access it with your UMW NetID – just using umw.edu at the end). For faculty and staff, information about the Employee Assistance Program, which is available at no cost with state employee health insurance plans, may be accessed through the Human Resources website.
We extend our sympathies to the Killian family.
Timothy M. O’Donnell
Provost
University of Mary Washington
Stephen Farnsworth, professor of Political Science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, recently presented a lecture, “Mass Media and U.S. Presidential Elections,” at German-American Institute Saxony (DAI-S) in Leipzig, Germany. The talk, sponsored jointly by DAI-S, Fulbright Germany, and the American Studies Center of the University of Leipzig, was derived from portions of Dr. Farnsworth’s recently published book, Presidential Communication and Character: White House News Management from Clinton and Cable to Twitter and Trump. Dr. Farnsworth is serving at the University of Warsaw in Poland as a Spring 2024 Fulbright Distinguished Scholar.
In addition, recent media mentions for Dr. Farnsworth include:
The Democratic primary in Virginia’s 10th congressional district is getting expensive. Where is all the money coming from? (WAMU)
“It’s a rare opportunity for Democrats to see an open congressional seat in the Washington suburbs, and that means that you have a huge field and a huge amount of money being spent,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington. “This may end up being one of the most expensive Democratic congressional primaries in the history of Virginia.”
https://wamu.org/story/24/06/07/virginia-10th-district-democratic-primary-campaign-spending/