November 25, 2024

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Important Message From the Provost

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In order to continue to focus on President Hurley’s goal of aspiring to be the best liberal arts and sciences university in the nation, UMW is embarking on an examination of its programs and current expenditures. This will help establish a roadmap for the future. We will be asking such questions as:

  • Are we allocating our resources in the best possible manner?
  • How might we do things better?
  • In what areas can Mary Washington be recognized as truly distinctive?
  • How might we further enhance our strengths?
  • In an increasingly competitive environment, which new program proposals coming from our faculty might we support?
  • Which of our existing programs might we want to expand?

The reality for state-supported institutions like Mary Washington is that state dollars are severely limited and no longer provide funds for meaningful growth in either size or programs. Currently, state appropriations constitute only 20 percent of our operating budget. In addition, all colleges and universities face increasing pressures to keep tuition costs to students and families as low as possible.

It is for this reason that such examinations are becoming commonplace in universities. At Mary Washington, we plan to conduct a broad-based consultative process involving many faculty members. It is imperative that decisions about our future are made with significant faculty involvement, and not imposed from the top down. Again, through this process, we will not only identify future priorities, but also strengthen our unique niche among Virginia’s public universities.

We will be assisted in this endeavor by an external consulting firm that has expertise in developing consultative faculty decision-making processes.  The goal of the exercise is to study all academic and non-academic activities, and to conclude where we might want to invest or reallocate resources. With such a blueprint, making those decisions as we progress forward will be buttressed by widespread input from all constituencies.

The process, which will take several months, is funded by President Hurley’s Fund For the Future, which is supported by the UMW Foundation.  As the study progresses, you will be hearing more about it.

–Ian Newbould
Interim Provost

 

UMW Receives $2.5 Million Gift for Professorships

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The University of Mary Washington has received a $2.5 million gift to establish a series of endowed professorships and faculty awards in various departments within the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and the College of Education. The bequest is from the estate of Shirley Van Epps Waple, an alumna from the Class of 1952.

“Named, endowed professorships enable the University to attract, retain and recognize outstanding faculty who are truly experts in their fields,” said President Richard V. Hurley. “This generous gift from Mrs. Waple’s estate is greatly appreciated, and we will honor her legacy by ensuring that UMW professors continue to inspire students to think critically, engage meaningfully and communicate effectively.”

Vice President for Advancement and University Relations Torre Meringolo said each new professorship will be named for Shirley Van Epps Waple.

This is one of the largest single gifts to support academics at the University. Its timing is ideal in advancing President Hurley’s vision for UMW to be among the premier public liberal arts and sciences universities in the nation.”

Originally from Troy, N.Y., Waple majored in psychology at Mary Washington. After graduation in 1952, she returned to New York. Working with her husband Harry, who predeceased her, she co-founded, operated and served as president of the Professional Adjustment Bureau, Inc. of Troy. She was active in numerous professional associations and served in various capacities within several arts and historical organizations. Waple relocated to Richmond in 1999, and she died in September 2010.

A longtime supporter of the University, Waple previously endowed a scholarship for students with financial need, and she made a gift to name an office in the Jepson Alumni Executive Center.

Ben & Jerry’s Co-founders Share Business Philosophy, Ice Cream

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Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, co-founders of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc., shared their business philosophy with attendees of the Fredericksburg Forum on Saturday in Dodd Auditorium.

Their multi-million dollar enterprise uses products created by socially responsible businesses and has begun utilizing only fair-trade ingredients in their ice cream.

Patron ticket holders enjoyed a special treat—a sampling of Ben & Jerry’s signature ice cream flavors, including Cherry Garcia and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.

Since Cohen and Greenfield served the first Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in Burlington, Vt., in 1978, the company has grown into a multi-million dollar entity with an international presence.

Cohen and Greenfield received the Corporate Giving Award from the Council on Economic Priorities in 1988 and were named U.S. Small Businesspersons of the Year by President Ronald Reagan the same year. Their bestselling 1997 book “Ben & Jerry’s Double-Dip: How to Run a Values-Led Business and Make Money, Too” uses their experiences at the helm of Ben & Jerry’s to illustrate their views on socially conscious entrepreneurship. Greenfield currently serves as president of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation.

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield pose with students and administrators of the Center for Honor, Leadership and Service.

UMW Alumna, National Security Agency Historian to Lecture on Tuesday

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Department of History and American Studies & Department of Mathematics

An Accidental Cryptologist:  Genevieve Young Hitt
the U.S. Government’s First Female Cryptologist

presented by

Betsy Rohaly Smoot

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

5:00 PM

116 Monroe Hall

Genevieve Young Hitt, wife of U.S. Army Colonel Parker Hitt,  was the first woman to break codes and ciphers for the U.S. government.  She first worked on an unpaid basis during Pershing’s Punitive Expedition, and then as a paid government employee at Fort Sam Houston during World War I.   Recently discovered letters and government records shed light on this remarkable woman, her brief career and her interesting life.

Betsy Rohaly Smoot is a historian at the National Security Agency’s Center for Cryptologic History.  She is a member of the Class of 1982 and majored in Geography and Economics while at Mary Washington.

UMW Weight Watchers Open House is Wednesday

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The holidays are approaching and so are those added pounds. Surveys show that the average person gains 7 pounds during the holiday season. Don’t become a statistic. Join UMW’s Weight Watchers @ Work and shed pounds instead of adding them. Since 2009, the UMW family has dropped thousands of pounds, and as an added benefit; they’ve gotten to know coworkers they don’t often see on a daily basis.

Stop by the WW@W Open House on Wednesday, Oct. 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Woodard Campus Center, Red Room. Try scrumptious recipes prepared by the WW@W family and sample delicious Weight Watchers snacks. Talk with Weight Watchers leaders and hear from members about their successes. Learn how you can join the next session, which begins Wednesday, Oct. 17. Find out about the special pricing and benefits for UMW employees.

Bring a friend and your name can be entered in a drawing for a Weight Watchers prize.

Tom Sheridan Accepts Associate Head Baseball Coach Post at George Washington

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UMW Baseball Coach Tom Sheridan

Baseball Coach Tom Sheridan

Director of Athletics Ken Tyler announced today that head baseball coach Tom Sheridan has resigned to accept the position of associate head baseball coach at Division I George Washington University.

Tyler stated, “While we are sad to see Coach Sheridan go, we are very pleased that he has earned this outstanding opportunity at George Washington. Coach Sheridan literally built the UMW baseball program from scratch, and, over the last 25 years, has turned it into a consistent winner on the conference, regional, and national level. More importantly, he has made a real difference in the lives of the countless young men he has mentored and coached. We are grateful to Coach Sheridan for his many positive contributions to Mary Washington and we wish him nothing but the best.”

A national search for the next head baseball coach will begin immediately.

Update on Convergence Center Construction

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Groundbreaking for the Information and Technology Convergence Center is expected to begin after Commencement activities. On Monday, May 14, Facilities Services will close Campus Walk and route all handicapped and pedestrian traffic onto College Avenue until mid-June.  At that time, handicapped traffic will remain on College Avenue, but a pedestrian bypass around the construction site will be routed through the Simpson Parking Lot.  This detour configuration will remain in effect for the duration of the project.

Currently, Facilities Services is installing utilities to support the center.  This work is centered primarily in the Simpson access road between the Jepson Science Center and the Simpson Library. Along with closure of Campus Walk, the bridge in front of Arrington Hall will be closed to prepare for the relocation of city water, sewer and fire mains. This area and the entire construction site will remain fenced for the duration of the project.

Construction on the Convergence Center will commence in late June or early July with an anticipated completion date of spring 2014.  Access to Simpson Library will be via the Campus Walk entrance from Woodard Campus Center.

For more information, contact Len Shelton, associate director of capital planning and construction, at lshelton@umw.edu.  Or visit the Convergence Center project website at provost.umw.edu/convergence-center/.

 

 

 

Volunteer And Cheer On Half Marathon Runners, Sunday, May 20

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Get your race on! Once again, UMW is a proud sponsor of the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon on Sunday, May 20. Nearly 9,000 runners will hit the pavement around our campus, and we want to welcome and cheer them. Get into the fervor by handing out water at the official Mary Washington Water Station, near the intersection of Sunken Road and William Street. We need volunteers from 6 to 10 a.m. on race day.

We also need volunteer UMW ambassadors at the Half-Marathon headquarters and registration center at the Fredericksburg Expo Center on Friday, May 18, from 4 to 8 p.m. or Saturday, May 19, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. We will be handing out information about the school along with towels with our logo. It’s a great way to meet people from all over the country and spread the good news about the place where great minds get to work!

If you are interested in volunteering, contact Kelly Eury, marketing assistant, at keury@umw.edu. Please indicate which day and time you prefer. UMW t-shirts are available for volunteers.

 

Cathy Byram, Excellent Eagle Employee

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Congratulations to Cathy Byram, office manager in the Department of English, Linguistics, and Communications, who has been selected as an Excellent Eagle Employee for the month of May.   A parking spot of her choosing has been reserved for her until the end of the month.

Here is what one of her co-workers said about her:

“I would like to nominate Cathy for a variety of reasons. First, she is absolutely kind and generous. I am fairly new here, having begun in August. Cathy, whose job does not involve me at all, is kind enough to do all of the purchasing for me in the Writing Centers and the WI Program. She does so without any complaint and never asks anything in return although I ask her time and again if there is anything I can do for her. She helps me navigate appropriate channels in order to get things accomplished for students and the university. Cathy goes above and beyond her job description just to help out a fellow employee. I want to nominate Cathy just so she is recognized and knows what an invaluable employee and person she is.” 

To nominate someone who you believe is an Excellent Eagle Employee, just send me an email (psulliva@umw.edu) with Excellent Eagle Employee in the Subject Line.  In your email, be sure to tell me the person’s name, department, work location (with the most convenient parking lot), and of course, the reason why you believe they should be recognized.  Please spread the word to other employees about this wonderful opportunity to recognize a co-worker(s).