A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff
Professor of French Scott Powers
In June 2019, Professor of French Scott Powers assumed the presidency of the Association for Canadian and Quebecois Literatures. After completing a two-year term as Francophone Vice-President, Powers will lead the executive committee in all affairs related to the ALCQ for the next two years, including the organization of its annual conference and the awarding of the annual literary award, the Prix Gabrielle Roy.
Associate Professor of Middle Eastern History Dr. Nabil Al-Tikriti (3rd from left) recently served as an election monitor for the Kazakhstan presidential elections.
Associate Professor of Middle Eastern History Dr. Nabil Al-Tikriti served as an election monitor for the Kazakhstan presidential elections on 4-12 June. Joining 29 other Americans in the U.S. delegation of some 300+ observers total, Al-Tikriti worked as an OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) STO (Short Term Observer) in 8-9 rural villages and the main town in the somewhat remote steppe region around Capaev, in Western Kazakhstan province. His observation partner was a Polish human rights activist, based in Prague. For more information on these Kazakhstan elections, and OSCE’s support of these elections, please see:
https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/kazakhstan/418187
In the course of his visit, Al-Tikriti also spent two days in Uralsk, an oil exploration base in Western Kazakhstan, and two days in the capital Nur Sultan (Astane), where observers carried out preliminary briefings.While in Nur Sultan, he visited Nazarbayev University, the country’s premier higher education facility.
Associate Professor of Middle Eastern History Dr. Nabil Al-Tikriti (2nd from right), recently served as an election monitor for the Kazakhstan presidential elections. Al-Tikriti worked as an OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) STO (Short Term Observer) in 8-9 rural villages and the main town in the somewhat remote steppe region around Capaev.
Kazakhstan’s ruling party, Nur Otan, had nominated Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as its candidate for a snap presidential vote after he was backed by the country’s founding leader, President Nursultan Nazarbayev, following his resignation in March 2019. In the election itself, state election officials awarded Tokayev 70% of the vote, in line with exit polls announced by state media one hour after polls closed.
This is the 14th OSCE-monitored election Al-Tikriti has observed since 1997.
HEALTH BENEFITS E-NEWS
Department of Human Resource Management
Office of Health Benefits
2019 Health Plan ID Cards Will Be Mailed to Participants This Month
New health plan identification (ID) cards for COVA Care, COVA HDHP, COVA HealthAware and the Optima Health Vantage HMO are being mailed to participants beginning the week of June 10. Here are important things to know about the new ID cards:
All Health Plans: Members must use their new health plan ID card beginning July 1 to receive benefits, and destroy all other cards. Benefits will not process unless the new card is used.
COVA Care and COVA HDHP: ID cards will be mailed the week of June 17.
COVA HealthAware: ID cards will be mailed the week of June 10.
Optima Health Vantage HMO: ID cards will be mailed the week of June 10.
Health and Wellness Programs
As communicated in the 2019 Spotlight newsletter, state health plans will administer the health and wellness programs starting July 1. COVA Care, COVA HealthAware and COVA HDHP members currently enrolled in the ActiveHealth Healthy Insights, Healthy Beginnings and Healthy Lifestyle programs will be receiving a transition letter from their plan administrator (Anthem or Aetna). The letter will have information on how to engage with their new coaching team and, if applicable, how to maintain their health plan incentive.
Premium Reward
To earn a Reward AFTER July 1, 2019:
Visit www.myactivehealth.com/cova to complete or update your online health assessment
New employees and/or spouses added during Open Enrollment to COVA Care or COVA HealthAware may have to wait until July 1, 2019 to complete a Health Assessment, starting July 1, 2019, will be administered by the member’s health plan.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Services Can Assist Employees
In the wake of the Virginia Beach tragedy, remember that each individual health plan has an EAP to help enrolled members with workplace or personal issues. To contact the EAP:
COVA Care and COVA HDHP: 855-223-9277 or www.AnthemEAP.com (Company Name: Commonwealth of Virginia)
COVA HealthAware: 888-238-6232 or www.mylifevalues.com (Password: COVA)
Kaiser Permanente HMO: 866-517-7042 or www.achievesolutions.net/kaiser
Optima Health Vantage HMO: 866-846-2682 or www.optimahealth.com/cova
Managerial assistance also is available for Critical Incident Responses to address traumatic incidents, natural disasters and workplace issues. Anthem EAP is the primary provider for these services to agencies impacted by this tragedy and other emergency or workplace situations. Contact Anthem EAP at 1-855-223-9277 at any time to discuss or arrange these services.
Associate Professor of Political Science Rosalyn Cooperman
Associate Professor of Political Science Rosalyn Cooperman co-authored an article titled “Group Commitment Among U.S. Party Factions: A Perspective From Democratic and Republican National Convention Delegates” that was published in American Politics Research.
In her role as board member for the non-profit organization Stop Street Harassment (SSH), Britnae Purdy, Project Coordinator in the Office of Title IX, has contributed to a joint national study by SSH, UCSD Center on Gender Equity and Health (GEH), RALIANCE, CALCASA and Promundo.
The study, titled “Measuring #Metoo: A National Study on Sexual Harassment and Assault” includes findings that:
The release of this study came at the end of April’s national observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month and serves as a follow-up study to the February 2018 report “The Facts Behind the #MeToo Movement: A National Study on Sexual Harassment and Assault.”
The Virginia Governor’s Office recently announced the appointment of higher education policy expert Deborah Santiago ’90 to the University of Mary Washington Board of Visitors. In addition, Heather Mullins Crislip ’95 and Rhonda VanLowe have been reappointed to second terms on the board. The appointees will serve four-year terms, which expire June 30, 2023. Santiago succeeds Davis Rennolds ’06, whose term expires June 30.
UMW Athletics is excited to announce the 5th Annual Eagle Club Golf Tournament. New this year, UMW President Troy Paino will play in the tournament!
This tournament raises money for the Eagle Club–the fundraising arm of UMW Athletics. Its mission is to maximize opportunities and strengthen support services for Mary Washington’s student-athletes in their pursuit of academic and athletic excellence. Join us as we golf to raise funds for this important organization.
Friday, June 21
8:00am
Augustine Golf Club
76 Monument Drive
Stafford, Virginia 22554
For the fifth consecutive year, the tournament will be hosted by Augustine Golf Club, home of UMW Golf.
Your participation in the tournament includes the following:
Golfers may sign up individually, in a pair, or as an entire foursome. Cost to attend is $125 for an individual golfer, $400 as a foursome registering before June 1, or $450 as a foursome registering after June 1. Also new this year, the athletic program that refers the most golfers will receive 10% of the tournament proceeds! When you register, please note which team referred you to this event.
Registration will remain available until June 18 or until the event sells out. For more tournament details, click here, or visit the registration page. If you haven’t already registered, do so today!
We hope you will join us, and as always…Go Eagles!
Margaret Mock has held many roles at UMW, including director of news and media relations. For the past nine years, she has worked part-time in the bookstore. She retires at the end of June.
For more than three decades, Margaret Mock has been one of the University of Mary Washington’s central characters. At the end of this month, she’s closing the book and heading into a happily-ever-after retirement.
We want to celebrate Margaret, the UMW Bookstore’s trade book specialist, and give her a warm send-off. Please check out her reception, to be held in The Bookstore at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 19.
Previously a key staff member in the University Relations office, Margaret has worked in The Bookstore for the past nine years. She has become a fixture at Great Lives lectures and other book-signings around campus and around town. She has led the UMW Book Club, and she has been involved in literary collaborations with the Central Rappahannock Regional Library.
We wish her well as she begins a new chapter.
A message from UMW Provost Nina Mikhalevsky:
Associate Director of UMW’s Center for Teaching and Associate Professor of Education Victoria Russell
Dr. Victoria Russell has accepted the position of Associate Director of UMW’s Center for Teaching. Victoria is an Associate Professor in the College of Education and former Program Director in Special Education. She received her Ed.D. from George Washington University in Special Education (2005), Master’s degrees in both History (1995) and Curriculum & Instruction (1996) from the College of William and Mary and a B.A. in History from Loyola University New Orleans (1993).
Victoria brings a wealth of professional development experience to this position. She has over 20 years of teaching experience in both K-12 and university settings and was a special education teacher in Maryland public schools. She specializes in inclusive practices and assessment and has had considerable experience thinking through accessible curriculum design and teaching these practices to future teachers. Victoria will be starting in this new position on June 25.
The local Questers 1944 chapter presented a generous donation to the Department of Historic Preservation. Professors Andréa Livi Smith and Christine Henry accepted the donation on behalf of the department.
The Questers 1944 local chapter visited UMW on Wednesday, June 12 to make a donation to the Department of Historic Preservation. Questers members were given a tour of the HISP facilities and current projects before taking a trolley tour of downtown Fredericksburg.
Since 2010, Questers have supported UMW’s Historic Preservation Department and provided funds for equipment needed for preservation. Thanks to the group’s generous donations, the department has purchased mat cutters for museum exhibits, measuring poles, digital cameras and tents for use on archaeological digs to protect students from the elements.
The local Questers 1944 chapter visited UMW’s Department of Historic Preservation this week. Here, two members of the group examine a Civil War ordnance that was found by UMW HISP students at Sherwood Forest plantation.
According to the group’s website, “With a strong desire to see that the best of American heritage is preserved for future generations, Questers seek to educate by research and study of antiques and to donate funds to the preservation and restoration of artifacts, existing memorials, historic buildings, landmarks and educational purposes.” To learn more about the Questers, visit https://www.questers1944.org.
The HISP Department thanks the Questers for their continued generous donations!