Author: Marty Morrison

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

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 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.

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.

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.