Dear UMW Community:

For the University of Mary Washington, 2020 will be a particularly significant year. As our civic engagement ramps up for the national election in November 2020, we will also celebrate several institutional milestones, including the thirtieth anniversary of the James Farmer Multicultural Center and the tenth anniversary of UMW’s Women’s and Gender Studies program.

Moreover, January 12, 2020, will mark the centennial birthday of civil rights pioneer and UMW professor Dr. James Farmer. In commemoration, UMW will launch a year of reflection and drive for action called Farmer Legacy 2020: A Centennial Celebration and Commitment to Action. With Farmer Legacy 2020, the University will focus on Dr. Farmer’s imprint on U.S. history and on UMW specifically. Through several signature events, we will celebrate Dr. Farmer’s influence and other social justice milestones. And, in recognition of Dr. Farmer’s activism and determination to, in his own words, “do something about” injustice, Farmer Legacy 2020 will encourage our community to take action in support of inclusive excellence. We will ask: What would Farmer fight for today?

James Farmer was born in 1920 in Marshall, Texas, into a family of educators. As a boy, his heart “swelled with rebellion” when he personally witnessed the injustices of Jim Crow, motivating his lifelong civil rights activism. In 1942, 22-year-old Farmer co-founded the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), which organized several protests of segregated facilities in the 1940s and 1950s. CORE, under his leadership, led the 1961 Freedom Rides into several southern states, including Virginia, to test Supreme Court rulings that outlawed segregation in interstate transportation and bus terminals. After moving to Spotsylvania County in the early 1980s, Farmer served as Distinguished Professor of History at Mary Washington College from 1985 until his retirement in January 1999. He passed away on July 9, 1999.

Tomorrow, as a prelude to Farmer Legacy 2020, a group of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members will embark on the Freedom Rides Tour, organized and led by the James Farmer Multicultural Center and the Office of Equity and Access. The two buses will follow the route of the 1961 Freedom Rides and will visit sites along the way such as the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, the Anniston bus bombing, and the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change.

This fall and throughout 2020, join us in celebrating a Mary Washington icon and leaving your own mark on UMW’s vision to be a force for positive social change aimed at producing citizens ready, willing, and able to address the greatest challenges facing our democracy and world. Plan to visit the Farmer Legacy 2020 website throughout this year of commemoration to share and learn about our community in action.

Next week, the Campus Environment Committee, which has been engaged in study for two years, will release its draft report and recommendations to ensure that our campus’s physical environment reflects our values and commitment to diversity and inclusion. I encourage all faculty, staff and students to become involved. Mark your calendars to attend a community open forum and provide input there (or electronically) on the committee’s recommendations and next steps.

Campus Environment open forums:

Monday, October, 28, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.,  HCC Digital Auditorium

Wednesday, October  30,  3:30 – 5:30 p.m., HCC Digital Auditorium

Thank you for your engagement. Your voice matters.

Troy D. Paino, J.D., Ph.D.

President

The following message is from the Office of Human Resources. 

Dear Colleagues:

Open Enrollment for Tuition Reimbursement for courses starting January 2020 – June 2020 is October 1-21, 2019. The complete policy and procedures are posted online but some important and key provisions are listed below. You may contact Denise Frye at dfrye2@umw.edu with any questions.

Program Purpose:

Eligible employees enrolled in a degree seeking program at other accredited institutions of higher education will be provided with tuition reimbursement up to a specified amount for courses after completion of the course and submission of proof of grade.

Eligibility:

This policy applies to classified, wage, administrative professional faculty, and other non-faculty part-time employees. Graduate Assistants who are required to be enrolled in UMW graduate programs are not eligible for this program. Eligible employees must be continuously employed by the University for a minimum of one year prior to their application for reimbursement and job performance must be satisfactory or at the “contributor” level.  Tuition up to the approved amount will be reimbursed upon receipt of proof of completion of approved courses.  Employees who receive tuition reimbursement must remain employed at the University of Mary Washington during the term of the courses taken and for one year after receipt of tuition reimbursement for those courses(s) or be subject to terms for repayment as described in the written agreement. 

Important Information to Know:

• The open enrollment period is for courses taken January 2020 – June 2020 is October 1 – October 21
• The program’s funding will be limited to $50,000 per calendar year; $25,000 will be budgeted for each period  January-June and July-December.
• Each eligible employee may receive up to  $2,500 in assistance each period. The amount of assistance will vary depending on the number of requests and the    available funds for that period i.e.  where $25,00.00 is available, 20 requests may each be awarded  $1,250.
• A Tuition Reimbursement Request form is required to be submitted to Human Resources during open enrollment for courses starting January 2020- June 2020. (Link to the form is on page 3 of the policy)
• The Finance office will notify the employee the Tuition Reimbursement Request Form has been approved within 2 weeks of the open enrollment timeframe closing and request the following:

1. a) Proof of enrollment  in a degree granting program
2. b) Schedule of the institution’s fees
3. c) Proof of payment

• The assistance awarded will then be reimbursed to the employee upon submission of evidence of course completion with a minimum grade of “C” or “PASS” if a Pass/Fail course.  Submission of grade must be within 30 days of semester end.  The employee will receive reimbursement within 10 business days of grade submission to the Finance Office.