November 23, 2024

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Community Values Statement Drafts – Final Feedback Opportunity

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Thank you to everyone who attended the open forums, spoke with us during our meetings with campus constituency groups, or submitted online feedback. We are happy to receive additional feedback through Wednesday, April 4th – please use the online comment form  or contact a member of the committee. You can find copies of the three draft statements of community values and two options regarding the Statement of Guiding Principles on Diversity and Inclusion online at http://www.umw.edu/diversity/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2018/03/Community-Values-Drafts-March-2018.pdf.

Sincerely,

Anand Rao and Cedric Rucker, co-chairs

Committee to Review the Statement of Community Values

  • Cedric Rucker (Dean of Student Life), co-chair
  • Anand Rao (Professor of Communication), co-chair
  • Janet Asper (Associate Professor of Chemistry)
  • Bianca Hightower (Staff Advisory Council Representative)
  • Ekta Kapoor (student representative)
  • Marion Sanford (Director of Multicultural Affairs)
  • Holly Schiffrin (Professor of Psychology)
  • Alda White (community representative)

UMW Names Mellinger College of Arts and Sciences Dean

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Keith Mellinger has been named dean of the College of Arts and Sciences for the University of Mary Washington. The announcement was made today by Provost Nina Mikhalevsky in an email to the UMW community. Mellinger has served as interim dean since June, 2017, but his history of service and leadership at the University extends […]

UMW Names Mellinger College of Arts and Science Dean

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Keith Mellinger has been named dean of the College of Arts and Sciences for the University of Mary Washington. The announcement was made today by Provost Nina Mikhalevsky in an email to the UMW community.

Keith Mellinger has been named dean of UMW's College of Arts and Sciences.

Keith Mellinger named dean of the University of Mary Washington’s College of Arts and Sciences.

Mellinger has served as interim dean since June, 2017, but his history of service and leadership at the University extends over the past 15 years. He started at UMW in 2003 as a faculty member in the Department of Mathematics, where he served six years as chair. In addition, he has held positions as director of Academic and Career Services and director of UMW’s Quality Enhancement Plan, and he was instrumental in the development and success of the First-Year Experience program for incoming freshmen.

“Dr. Mellinger brings the necessary experience, skills, knowledge and genuine commitment to our students and faculty to provide the kind of leadership that will enable us to address our current challenges, strengthen and enhance our academic programs, and ensure the central and critical role of the College of Arts and Sciences in implementing our strategic vision and moving UMW forward,” according to Mikhalevsky.

A talented scholar and professor, Mellinger has a long record of accomplishments that includes encouraging and mentoring students in their research. More than a dozen undergraduate students have published research under his guidance. Author of nearly 40 peer-reviewed articles, Mellinger received a national writing award from the Mathematical Association of America and a research grant from the National Security Agency.

The University recognized him with the UMW Alumni Association Outstanding Young Faculty Member Award in 2008, and Millersville University honored him with its Young Alumni Achievement Award in 2013.

In addition to his B.S. from Millersville, Mellinger received an M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Delaware. He is an avid musician who has participated in the local music scene for many years.

UMW Professor Publishes Book on ‘Internet’ Presidents

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There’s no question the first four presidents of the internet age are different, but Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump share one thing in common: They have emphasized their personal character to win office and to fight back against critics. In his new book Presidential Communication and Character: White House News […]

Farnsworth Publishes Book on Presidential Communication

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Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, is author of a new book, Presidential Communication and Character: White House News Management from Clinton and Cable to Twitter and Trump, published earlier this week by Routledge Press.

The publisher’s description is below:

Presidential Communication and Character

Presidential Communication and Character, written by Stephen Farnsworth

This book traces the evolution of White House news management during America’s changing media environment over the past two decades. Comparing and contrasting the communication strategies of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, it demonstrates the difficulty that all presidents have in controlling their messages despite a seemingly endless array of new media outlets and the great advantages of the office. That difficulty is compounded by new media’s amplification of presidential character traits for good or ill. Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube notwithstanding, presidential power still resides in the “power to persuade,” and that task remains a steep challenge. More than ever, presidential character matters, and the media presidents now employ report on the messenger as much as the message.

The book also looks at the media strategies of candidates during the 2016 presidential campaign, puts presidential media use in global context, and covers the early phase of the Trump administration, the first true Twitter presidency.

Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom Conference, March 22-23

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The Department of Classics, Philosophy, & Religion is gearing up for its fifteenth annual celebration of the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom. Nine speakers have been invited to this year’s two-day conference, which will be held on March 22 and 23. Speakers will address the theme “Religious Freedom in a Fractured America.”

Winners of the 2018 Religious Freedom Essay Contest will be announced.  The student writers of the three winning essays on the topic of “How has freedom changed in America since the 2016 election?” will each receive a check of $200, and will present their essays on March 23, during the last session.

The conference is free and open to the UMW community and the public.

Literary Award Recipient Jon Pineda to Launch Novel at UMW, March 20

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Virginia Literary Award winner and UMW Assistant Professor of English Jon Pineda will debut his new novel Let’s No One Get Hurt on the Fredericksburg campus Tuesday, March 20. The 6 p.m. event, held at Ridderhof Martin Gallery, is the first leg of a book tour that stretches throughout the commonwealth. Appearances also are scheduled […]

Fredericksburg Foundation Honors UMW Historic Preservation Faculty

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The Historic Fredericksburg Foundation (HFFI) presented the University’s historic preservation faculty with its 2018 President’s Exceptional Service Award. The award, given at HFFI’s annual meeting Sunday, March 11, recognizes the master teachers for their leadership and initiative in support of preservation through education and volunteering. “The faculty of the Department of Historic Preservation provide a […]

New UMW Victim’s Advocate Provides Confidential Support

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A newly hired victim’s advocate at the University of Mary Washington will provide an additional confidential resource for students who may have experienced sex- or gender-based violence. Erin Hopkins, who has worked in crisis management and teaching, has only been on the Fredericksburg campus a few weeks, but she sees her role as bridging the […]

UMW Debaters Qualify for National Tournament

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University of Mary Washington juniors Parker Coon and Gabe Lewis will compete in the 72nd National Debate Tournament next month. The varsity UMW Debate Team members qualified for the national competition after placing third at the District VII National Debate Tournament, recently hosted on the Fredericksburg campus. Coon and Lewis finished the contest with six […]