May 16, 2024

2020 Holiday Calendar Updates

July 18, 2020 by

A message from the Office of Human Resources:

 

Dear Colleagues:

In addition to the recent commemoration of Juneteenth, there have been a few other changes to the 2020 UMW holidays. The updated calendar can be viewed here and the changes are summarized below:

  • Due to the changes in the academic calendar necessitated by COVID-19, Sept. 7, 2020 (Labor Day), will now be a work day. This holiday has been moved to Tuesday, Nov. 24, the week of Thanksgiving.
  • The Commonwealth has added Election Day 2020 (Nov. 3) to the state holiday calendar. UMW will be open on Election Day and has moved this holiday to Monday, Nov. 23, 2020, so we will be off the entire week of Thanksgiving. UMW urges all employees to exercise their right to vote and expects managers to be flexible in allowing employees the time to do so.

Other news:

  • After careful reconsideration, the Cabinet has decided to reinstate the Tuition Waiver Program for employees taking UMW classes! Please follow the link provided to view the policy and access the request form. Tuition waiver request forms should be returned to Denise Frye, dfrye@umw.edu, before classes start.

We appreciate your flexibility and understanding as we all work to navigate the changes and challenges 2020 continues to bring.

Thank you,

Beth Williams
Executive Director for Human Resources
University of Mary Washington

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Larus Comments on Indus News on Chinese Sanctioning of U.S. Officials

July 15, 2020 by
Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Freund Larus

Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Freund Larus

Elizabeth Freund Larus, Chairman of the Department of Political Science and International Affairs, commented on Indus News on China’s sanctioning of U.S. officials. Larus indicated that China imposed sanctions on U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, and U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback in retaliation for their support of the newly passed Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, and for their criticism of Chinese human rights abuses in Hong Kong and in Muslim-majority populated Xinjiang Province. Larus also indicated that the U.S. Congress compelled President Trump to invoke the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act against four Chinese officials last week for their role in abusing human rights in Xinjiang.

Dr. Larus’s comments begin 23 minutes into the program at
https://youtu.be/UMSN-zwvtxU

Filed Under: Professional Notes Tagged With: ,

‘COVID-19 in Context’ Course Highlighted on Education Blog

July 14, 2020 by

UMW’s eight-week “COVID-19 in Context” course was highlighted in a post on Bryan Alexander’s blog, “Academia Next: The Futures of Higher Education.” The article primarily focused on private liberal arts institutions – singling out the University of Mary Washington as a public liberal arts university.

The University of Mary Washington – that unusual thing, a public liberal arts university – also taught/teaches a summer seminar on the pandemic. Topics include biology, policy, communication, elections, climate change, social justice, art, literature, chemistry, geography, history, and finance. Professors of communication and math facilitate. Read more.

Filed Under: What's New @ UMW Tagged With: , ,

Harris Publishes Article on the Soviet Jet Age

July 14, 2020 by

Photomontage celebrating the Jet Age in the Soviet magazine, Grazhdanskaia aviatsiia, no. 12 (1963).

Associate Professor Steven E. Harris (HISA) recently published the following peer-reviewed article: “Dawn of the Soviet Jet Age: Aeroflot Passengers and Aviation Culture under Khrushchev,” Kritika: Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History 21, 3 (Summer 2020): 591-626.

In this article, Harris examines how representations of the ideal Soviet passenger became a central feature of aviation culture under Khrushchev and bolstered the state’s broader goals of advancing mass consumption, embracing the scientific-technical revolution, and fighting the Cold War. The research and writing for this article and the broader book project on which it is based were generously funded by an A. Verville Fellowship at the National Air & Space Museum and multiple grants from the University of Mary Washington, including a Waple Professorship. Many of the themes in Harris’s article are also featured in the exhibition, “Cold War Friendly Skies,” which is on display at the entrance to Simpson Library.

Filed Under: Professional Notes Tagged With: ,

Furlough reminders

July 14, 2020 by

A message from the Office of Human Resources.

Dear Colleagues,

As you are aware, furlough days were due to be requested and approved in MyTime by Friday, July 10. Supervisors: Please make sure you have approved all requested furlough days in MyTime in order for them to be populated in employee timesheets. Below are several reminders regarding furlough days:

  • Furlough days cannot be taken the day before, after or on the day of a UMW holiday (see pay period dates below, updated based on revised UMW holiday calendar).
  • When on furlough, employees are to perform no work; this includes emails, meetings or phone calls. This is very important, and supervisors should have no expectation for employees to perform work on furlough days.
  • In order to manage service expectations, please ensure you have an “away” message programmed for emails. This message should indicate that you will not be checking or responding to emails until you return to work, and give your return date.
  • If, due to business needs, you end up having to work on a previously scheduled furlough day, the furlough leave will need to be canceled for that day and rescheduled for a later date.
    • Due to stringent payroll deadlines and manual adjustments Payroll must make, furlough days will be identified by Payroll at the beginning of each furlough eligible pay period.
    • If there are any adjustments needed to furlough days/hours at the end of the pay period, Payroll must be notified.
    • Necessary adjustments will be made on a future pay date.
  • During weeks in which furlough days are taken, please ensure your work hours do not exceed 40 for the week.This applies to Exempt employees as well as Non-Exempt.

 

  • Furlough Days are based on salary:

Below $30,000                                    0 days
$30,000-$39,999                                5 days
$40,000-$49,999                                7 days
$50,000-$74,999                                8 days
$75,000-$99,999                                9 days
$100,000-$124,999                         10 days
$125,000-$149,999                         12 days
$150,000 and above                        15 days

  • Pay Periods During Which Furlough Days May Be Scheduled:
7/10-7/24 12/1-12/09*
8/10-8/24 12/10-12/17*
9/10-9/24 1/5-1/9/2021*
9/25-10/9 2/10-2/24/2021
10/25-11/9 3/10-3/24/2021
11/10-11/19*

 

*These pay periods have fewer furlough days available due to UMW holiday breaks. Furlough days cannot be taken the day before, after, or on the day of a UMW holiday.

Please refer to the June 2 furlough guidance email, and the attached Furlough FAQs document if you have additional questions.

Beth Williams
Executive Director for Human Resources
University of Mary Washington

Filed Under: Announcements Tagged With: ,

Farnsworth Lectures on Free Speech to Malaysian Students

July 14, 2020 by
Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and director of UMW's Center for Leadership and Media Studies

Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and director of UMW’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies

Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, recently delivered an online lecture, “The Right to Speak: The First Amendment in the 21st Century,” to mark U.S. Independence Day with the students and faculty at Methodist College, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Dr. Farnsworth was a Fulbright Specialist at the Malaysian college during the summer of 2019.

Farnsworth also commented in the following regional and national news stories:

For now, McAuliffe is on the sidelines of Virginia’s 2021 governor race. Some wish he’d stay there. (Prince William Times)

Florida COVID-19 Deaths Reach Record Highs (CTV News Channel)

America’s Top Doctor Sends Grim Warning (CTV News Channel)

President Trump and the Latest Russian Scandal (Viewpoints, CJAD Radio Montreal)

Experts See ‘Deep Trouble’ for Trump Overcoming Plummet in the Polls (Courthouse News Service; Missoula Current)

Trump Calls Russian Bounty Scandal a “Hoax” (CTV News Channel)

Filed Under: Professional Notes Tagged With: ,

Bonds Mentioned in FLS Article on Rt. 1 Name Change

July 13, 2020 by

Associate Professor of Sociology Eric Bonds was mentioned in an article on the Fredericksburg City Council’s resolution to change the name of Jefferson Davis Highway, a measure that was approved 6-1. The General Assembly will discuss the name change at a special session in August. History and American Studies Associate Professor Will Mackintosh has also been a driving force behind the current effort, Bonds said.

Bonds and two students in his political sociology class had asked City Council to make the change because of Davis’ role in the Civil War and the fact that he’d owned more than 100 slaves during his lifetime.

The request evolved out of Bonds’ desire for the students to do a community involvement project that would help them develop democracy skills and not simply vote in an election and then tune out. The class overwhelmingly voted on the renaming project, and researched Davis and the history of the naming of the highway after him. Read more.

Filed Under: Professional Notes Tagged With: , , ,

Coffman Interviewed on Online Training for Teachers

July 13, 2020 by
Professor of Education Teresa Coffman

Professor of Education Teresa Coffman

Professor of Education Teresa Coffman was interviewed for an article in The Mercury (Manhattan, Kansas) entitled, “Kansas teachers will get little training on how to run classrooms online.”

After the sudden shift to online classes in March, more training is the last thing some Kansas teachers are thinking. Instead, they’ve been using their summer vacation time to decompress.

“This has been an extremely stressful time,” said Teresa Coffman, a professor of education at the University of Mary Washington. “Teachers need a little bit of a break.” Read more.

Filed Under: Professional Notes Tagged With: ,

Benson Discusses Pandemic and Arts Sector

July 12, 2020 by
Assistant Professor of Theatre Michael Benson

Assistant Professor of Theatre Michael Benson

Assistant Professor of Theatre Michael Benson was interviewed for an article in The Well News entitled, “Pandemic Related Challenges Loom Large in the Arts Sector.” 2020 graduate Erick Boscana was also quoted in the story.

 

Erick Boscana, a 2020 graduate of the University of Mary Washington, was still in the midst of scenic design classes when the university informed students facilities were being closed and they had to continue their classes remotely.

“For most of us, adapting to that new reality was impossible,” Boscana said.

“The shutdown placed the [UMW Theatre and Dance] Department in a very precarious position academically because for many of the seniors, their senior project hinged on either a completed performance in ‘Much Ado’ [the spring semester play] or an executed design.” 

Boscana continues, “Fortunately, they were able to organize a Zoom format for an abridged production of ‘Much Ado,’ allowing the actors to showcase the work they had spent the past three months on and the department created a video featuring the work we had already completed.” 

The students at the university weren’t the only ones adapting to uncharted territory.

Michael Benson, an assistant professor in the UMW Theatre and Dance Department, said his initial reaction to having to teach remotely was to ask himself what it was going to take to adjust to the new situation.

“Frankly, most of my energy was funneled to migrating my classes online,” said Benson.

To improve his ability to teach in the remote environment, Benson learned new software and technology, one byproduct being a set of online lectures for his technical production class. 

He goes on to joke that for his scene painting class, he “devised modality of instruction that resembled ‘The Joy of Painting’, sans the cool hair.” 

Benson says as a result of all these adaptations, he “gained a new and healthy respect for instructors who regularly teach online.”  Read more.

Filed Under: Professional Notes Tagged With: ,

Richardson Column in The Free Lance-Star

July 11, 2020 by
UMW College of Business Dean Lynne Richardson

UMW College of Business Dean Lynne Richardson

College of Business Dean Lynne Richardson’s weekly column in The Free Lance-Star discusses holding employees to their commitments. Read ACCOUNTABILITY IS MY SUPERPOWER.

 

A colleague told me that accountability is my superpower. After reflecting a bit, I determined there was merit to her statement.

First, I hold myself accountable. When I say I’m going to do something, you can count on me to get it done. Whether it’s attending a meeting or completing a task, if I commit, I will do everything in my power to fulfill the commitment. In Gallup’s StrengthsFinder assessment, responsibility is one of my top five strengths. Gallup’s definition of responsibility equates to accountability.

But I don’t think that’s what my colleague was referring to. She noticed that I hold others accountable.

The first step in holding others responsible is communication. Before others can be held responsible for their actions, they must understand what is expected of them. If you work in my unit and have no clue what you need to do, how can we hold you accountable? Read more.

Filed Under: Professional Notes Tagged With: ,
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