Since launching in October, UMW’s official podcast—What Matters Most With President Paino—has been gaining momentum with compelling monthly episodes.

President Paino sits down with students, faculty and campus leaders to explore the ideas, experiences and connections that define our University community.

With winter break on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to catch up on the conversations you may have missed. Follow the new podcast channel, now available on multiple platforms, with more coming soon!

Episode 1: President Paino sits down with student leaders Amira Said ’26 and Adam McAninley ’27 to talk internships, role models, sustainability, honor and what truly matters most to them as UMW students.

Episode 2: Professor and Director of the Center for AI and the Liberal Arts, Anand Rao joins the podcast to discuss artificial intelligence (AI) education, ethical AI adoption, debate-centered learning and preparing students for an AI-drive future. Rao is passionate about integrating AI into higher education while preserving human creativity and critical thinking.

Episode 3: Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) co-presidents Jay Hooker, Sophie Hubbard and Kalani Moore join President Paino to discuss what it means to lead and advocate for student-athletes while balancing academics, athletics and campus involvement.

Big thanks to all the students, faculty and staff that have been guests or are working behind the scenes to make the podcast come together, including President Paino, Amy Jessee, Sam Cahill, Ryland Willis, Carland Berge and University Communication Intern Matthew Clinton.

UMW’s men’s basketball team continues to break records, as the Eagles, off the strength of their school-record 8-0 start to the season, have climbed to fifth in the nation in a recent D3Hoops.com national poll. The women’s soccer program earned its highest final ranking since the 2004 season by finishing No. 12 in the final United Soccer Coaches Poll released this month.

Men’s Basketball:

• Monday, Dec. 29 vs. Mary Baldwin University at 5 p.m.
• Tuesday, Dec. 30 vs. Virginia Wesleyan University at 4 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 6 vs. Swarthmore College at 5:30 p.m.

Women’s Basketball:

• Saturday, Jan. 3 vs. Hood College at 1 p.m.
• Monday, Jan. 5 vs. Swarthmore College at 2 p.m.

Dear UMW Faculty and Staff,

Please save the date for the All UMW Faculty and Staff Assembly with President Paino:

Date: Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Location: Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall

We look forward to seeing you there!

Office of the President

Carleigh Wood (left) and Delaney Humphrey, both biology majors on a pre-med track, present their research during the Jepson Science Center Fall Research Symposium in 2024. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

End-of-semester events showcase student work and research. All are invited to attend various research symposia, posters and presentations Thursday, Dec. 4 and Friday, Dec. 5 to explore the impressive work of UMW students and celebrate the talent, dedication and curiosity that drive inquiry at Mary Washington.

Many departments hold events during the end of the week, please share your opportunities via EagleEye online or our digital EagleVision screens. More details of where to share are available online. For more information, visit the Research and Creativity Collaborative online to see the list of upcoming events and workshops.

Thursday, Dec. 4:

Honors Senior Capstone Fall Symposium. 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Lee Hall 412. Honors students completing their Capstone Projects this semester publicly showcase their work, including four 45-60-minute presentation sessions with 15-minute breaks in between.

Lively Viewing Party for student video projects produced with University Communications. 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. University Communications Suite 300 in Eagle Village. Student interns share their creative work on topics ranging from roommates reunited and behind-the-scenes of UMW baseball to the history of our buildings and the highlights of our downtown neighbors.

Friday, Dec. 5:

Jepson Science Center Fall Research Symposium — RESCHEDULED FOR MONDAY, DEC. 8 FROM 6 – 7:30 P.M.
Jepson Science Center main lobby. 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Showcase for undergraduate research projects, including 42 independent research projects, highlighting scholarship in biological sciences (21 projects), earth and environmental sciences (10 projects), chemistry (4 projects), physics (5 projects), and interdisciplinary collaborations between physics and biology (2 projects). In addition, students in biological sciences will share 28 research-intensive, course-based investigations. Complimentary refreshments available.

History, American Studies, and Sociology Fall Symposium. 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monroe 111 and 210.

Columns Humanities and Social Sciences Fall Symposium. 5 p.m. Combs 139.

Students, faculty, and staff: Do you have a great idea and need funds to make it happen? If your project would support students, foster professional/academic growth, or expand an existing campus program, consider applying for a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant! Previous grant-funded initiatives include campus composting, summer programs, trolley rides to the polls on Election Day, and an interactive printmaking project.

The application period is now open for grants ranging from $500 to $5,000, funded by donors’ gifts to the Fund for Mary Washington. Grant-funded projects will align with UMW’s ASPIRE values and must be implemented between May 2026 and May 2027. The deadline to apply is February 6, 2026.

Please see the Impact Grants page for requirements, evaluation criteria, FAQs, and the application. Approval from a direct supervisor/faculty sponsor is required to apply. A Zoom information session will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, December 3, for anyone interested in learning more.

Please contact Beth Hunsinger ’01, assistant vice president for development and campaign operations, with questions: ehunsing@umw.edu or 540-654-2068.

We want to remind campus about the potential for winter weather and resulting changes to campus operations and the class schedule. In the event of inclement weather that impacts normal operations at UMW, we’ll communicate to the campuses (Fredericksburg, Stafford, Dahlgren) via email and post updates to the UMW website, umw.edu. You should check these communication channels as your first source of information, as updates to external sites, social media and traditional media are secondary and may be delayed. Severe storm updates will come from the National Weather Service via text messages in UMW Alerts, but you’ll need to check email for changes to class schedules and campus operations.

Changes to campus operations and class schedules are not sent via UMW Alerts unless it’s an emergency or urgent situation. You will need to check email and the website for updates during winter weather.

Every effort will be made to post an inclement weather announcement by 6 a.m. on the day of closing or delayed opening. A decision about evening class changes will be made by 3 p.m. on the day in question if possible. A class schedule delay or cancellation includes all modalities of classes – in-person and online. When UMW campuses are closed for inclement weather, public events are also canceled during that time.

Where to Find Additional Information

Even when campus is closed and classes are canceled, many campus services remain open and accessible to students, but may modify hours or services depending on the situation. UMW Police and Public Safety remains open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Please check the following for updates:

• UMW Dining on Facebook or join the UMWFoodies by texting 82257.
• The UMW Facilities Instagram account shares updates on campus conditions.
• Campus Recreation with updates posted to Instagram
• Hurley Convergence Center (HCC)

If internet is down, updates will be shared via the University Information Line, which can be reached at (540) 654-2424.

Planning for Changes in Operations

Students and employees should assess the weather conditions in your location. If campus continues normal operations, but you are impacted by weather and road conditions in your area, please contact your instructors and supervisors with any changes to your schedule and to make arrangements for missed classes or work.

During inclement weather that impacts campus and results in a change to campus operations, employees who can work from home (telework) should do so.

Those unable to work remotely should contact your supervisor for options:

• Supervisors will add Emergency Closing Leave, as necessary, to timecards of non-essential fulltime and quasi-fulltime employees who are not able to telework. If supervisors have MyTime questions, please contact payroll@umw.edu.

• If an employee has the means to telework but chooses not to, another leave type must be requested. (For more information on entering leave, supervisors should check the MyTime Training Information & Instructional Materials.)
• Employees who are designated as essential and required to work on campus during authorized closings are paid their regular rate of pay for hours worked and granted compensatory leave for the hours worked during the closure. For some inclement weather events, Facilities Services Alternate Shift Pay Policy E.1.3 may be in effect for employees engaged in snow/ice removal working outside their normal schedule.

Please check with your supervisor if you are unsure of your designated employee status. Supervisors are reminded to communicate with employees regarding expectations during changes to campus operations for inclement weather.

Where to Park during Snow Events

Snow emergency parking regulations may also be implemented. In most cases, these regulations go into effect when there is a threat of snow, sleet, hail, freezing rain, or ice and begin at 10 p.m. preceding forecasted inclement weather or as otherwise announced.

Vehicles may be moved to the following locations:

• Sunken Road lot #13 – located outside the Alvey Drive Parking Deck
• Battleground lot #33 – located on Hanover Street

Student vehicles should NOT be moved to faculty/staff parking lots, as these are included in the areas to be cleared.

The Faculty/Staff lots, Commuter parking lots, Pizza Hut parking lot, CRUC parking lots, and Double Drive – left side of inbound and outbound, will reopen at 7 a.m. the morning following the Snow Emergency declaration unless the University is declared closed or moves to a delayed opening. Under either of these conditions, all Snow Emergency Areas will remain closed to parking until the University officially reopens. The following locations are exceptions and may remain closed past the opening of the University: Marshall Hill, Alvey Drive Hill and the top level of all parking decks (Alvey Drive and Eagle Landing).

Note that if parking access is closed due to an icy hill, such as road to the Alvey Deck, there is access via Sunken Road. Please do not park on Double Drive or the Jefferson Square loop, so these areas can be cleared quickly.

Any vehicle on University property interfering with snow removal operations will be subject to towing at any time of the day or night at the owner’s expense.

For more information, please visit https://www.umw.edu/news/information-hotline/.

This fall HR completed a year-long compensation study for AP faculty and classified staff, with the help of Gallagher Consulting, specifically to address salary compression for those who have served UMW for many years or decades. As a result, almost 120 employees, mostly in classified positions, will receive a salary increase later this calendar year.

If you are one of the employees with a salary increase, you and your supervisor will receive direct communication from HR about the timing and amount of your adjustment.

This salary adjustment is an incremental improvement and addresses where individuals should be in the pay band for their current position, as calculated by the time in that current position and market comparison. It recognizes their length of service to date and ensures salaries remain competitive.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why did this study just focus on classified staff and AP Faculty? Will wage positions be part of a study?
  • The scope of this study was necessarily limited to full-time positions, however, we intend to include wage in the next study.
• Does this study address faculty compensation?
  • This study focused on full-time staff positions, specifically classified staff and AP faculty. We completed a faculty salary equity study a few years ago, and a faculty salary study with market comparisons would be next on our list, when the budget is prepared for it.
• How and when was the study conducted?
  • This was a year- long study, with results announced in Fall 2025.
• What should employees and hiring managers know about compensation studies?
  • Position descriptions should be kept updated and accurate, as they are the basis for any compensation analysis.
• What were the outcomes of the study?
  • Gallagher assessed that we are 12% below market median, which is considered slightly misaligned with the market. Within 10% is considered to be aligned with market.
  • The study identified compression as a primary concern.  This assessment was done by assuming a 1% increase for each year in position (time in seat) and comparing current salary to the time-in-seat adjusted salary.
  • The study concluded that our AP faculty positions are well-aligned. For these roles, we focused on high-risk, high-turnover or hard-to-fill positions and made three adjustments.
  • The majority of positions that need to be adjusted are classified positions. These are mostly time-in-seat increases. If a position was 15% or more below market, it was also identified for further review and a possible adjustment.
• Does the study factor in market rates or a market comparison?
  • Yes, those classified positions that are 15% or more below market are identified for review and possible adjustment.
• What areas were used for the market comparison?
  • Gallagher used a mix of published survey data and CUPA-HR data.  Geographic data cuts included Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, Northeast and National. Industry data cuts included colleges and universities, services, government and public entities, for profit and not for profit.
• How do employees find out if they are included in the salary increases from the 2025 compensation study?
  • HR will be contacting employees who are receiving a salary increase, along with their supervisor, prior to the December payroll date.
• When do the increases take place?
  • The increases will be effective December 10, 2025.
• When was the last study similar to this one?
  • The prior study was in 2017 with outcomes announced in 2018. Additional studies were not completed during the pandemic as the University would not have been in a position to make changes at that time.

UMW women’s soccer team

The UMW women’s soccer team capped a standout postseason with its first trip to the NCAA national quarterfinals since 2004. The Eagles advanced through a challenging tournament field, defeating No. 20 Vassar in the opening round, edging No. 10 Williams on penalty kicks, and topping Penn State–Harrisburg in the Sweet Sixteen to earn a place in the Elite Eight. Their postseason run ended in a hard-fought 1–0 overtime loss to No. 3 Tufts, but the team finished the season 14–4–5 with three ranked wins, 16 shutouts, and several program milestones. It marks one of the strongest seasons in UMW women’s soccer history and a promising foundation for the years ahead. Learn more about Eagles women’s soccer.