Dear UMW Community, 

The University of Mary Washington is continuing to study and build on our established brand, and we rely on you, our faculty, staff, students and alumni, to help us understand perceptions of the University so that we can strengthen our reputation and better tell our story to attract the next generation of University of Mary Washington students.
 
You can play a critical role in this effort. Our third-party brand research partner, Mindpower, is conducting the study, which will take about 15-20 minutes to complete. All your responses will be completely anonymous.
 
Your opinion is extremely valuable to us, and we sincerely appreciate your time and willingness to provide your feedback. Check your email for a survey link in order to share your opinions.
 
Sincerely,
Troy Paino, President

Dear UMW Colleagues,

In recognition of Commonwealth employees’ dedicated service so far in 2023, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has permitted a half-day of leave. While many agencies granted the leave for Friday, April 7, we have decided to offer it the week following Commencement so our University’s essential services and academic mission continue at this critical time of the year.

Employees will have four hours of leave that can be used the week after Commencement, from Tuesday, May 9, through Sunday, May 14, in coordination with their supervisor. Note that Monday, May 8, also is a UMW holiday for Employee Appreciation Day.

Employees are encouraged to begin working with their supervisors to plan their time off as soon as possible.  Note, this four-hour holiday may only be used May 9 thru May 14, 2023.

How to Log the Leave:

To use this leave, you must enter a time off request in MyTime using the pay code Floating Holiday.  In the Time Unit section choose Hours, then enter the time of day you plan to start your leave.  In Daily Amount enter up to 4.0 and click Submit. The leave may be used incrementally over several days from 5/9-5/14 or as a lump sum for one day, as approved by your supervisor.

Once submitted, the time off request is ready for supervisor approval. Once approved, the floating holiday will populate on the timecard.

If you’ve already requested leave during the week of 5/9 to 5/14 and would like to replace some of the leave with the floating holiday hours, you’ll need to submit a cancelation of the previous leave request, then enter a new leave request that includes the 4 hours of Floating Holiday.

Note that Monday, May 8, also is a UMW holiday for Employee Appreciation Day.

Lynda Worthy
Payroll Manager
University of Mary Washington
lworthy@umw.edu
Phone 540-654-1045

This message is for all full-time faculty and staff. 

As noted in the materials you’ve received from the Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM), open enrollment for health benefits began on May 1.  Below are some important highlights and reminders about this process, along with links to available resources.

During our annual open enrollment period of May 1 to May 15, employees can make health insurance plan changes,  waive or enroll in plans, add or remove family members without a qualifying event.   Please note participation in Flexible Spending Accounts REQUIRES annual election during the open enrollment period.  To enroll or continue receiving the Premium Reward Credit ($17 toward your monthly premiums) you must follow the Premium Reward Requirements (page 12 of Spotlight).

A few important reminders about open enrollment:

• If you take no action, your current health plan and membership will continue in the new plan year. Your current FSA and Premium Reward will end as of 6/30/2023.  FSA and Premium Reward Incentive must be renewed annually.
• Open Enrollment website – https://www.dhrm.virginia.gov/employeebenefits/open-enrollment2023-24
  • Spotlight
  • Benefits At A Glance
  • Cardinal Quick Guide to making open enrollment  elections
  • Enrollment form submit by 5pm on May 15 to 2^nd floor of GW Hall
  • Health and Wellness Program
  • 2023 Open Enrollment Presentation
  • Alex

Please note:

• Premiums and plan benefits may change – subject to final state budget approval –  Monthly Premiums
• If using Cardinal ESS to make changes, you must hit submit to complete the process and finalize your elections; no exceptions will be granted for failure to complete the process.  After you make a change and hit submit, you will receive an email confirmation; if you do not receive a confirmation, you have not completed the process.

You may reference Spotlight, the Open Enrollment page or contact Denise at dfrye2@umw.edu or Janet at jhudgins@umw.edu for assistance.

The enrollment period for Tuition Reimbursement (courses outside of UMW)  for courses starting July 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023, is open and will end on Monday, May 15, 2023. Please note: Last fall, the Cabinet agreed to expand the Tuition Reimbursement Program to include certificate programs.  However, any and all courses associated with the certificate program must be credit-bearing.

The complete policy and procedures are posted online, and 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 or enrolled in a credit-bearing certificate 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:

• A Tuition Reimbursement Request form is required to be submitted to Human Resources during open enrollment for courses starting July 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023. The link to the form is below and forms may be scanned to jhudgins@umw.edu or delivered to Human Resources Rm 207 (George Washington Hall).
• The Finance office will notify the employee the Tuition Reimbursement Request Form has been approved within 2 weeks of the enrollment timeframe closing and request the following:

a) Proof of enrollment in a degree granting program

b) Schedule of the institution’s fees

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.  Reimbursement will be issued within 10 business days of grade submission to the Finance Office.

Thank you,

Beth Williams

Executive Director for Human Resources

Thinking about saving for education?

Join Virginia529 for a special webinar on Wednesday, May 17 at 11 am.

Saving for future education expenses for a child, a grandchild – or even yourself – can seem overwhelming. In this webinar, you’ll learn how a Virginia529 account can help you save for tuition and other costs, take advantage of tax-free earnings, and meet your savings goals.

As a bonus, all employees who attend this webinar will receive an exclusive offer – a $25 gift code to open a new Invest529 account and the chance to win one of the three $50 Target gift cards that will be given away at the end of the session.

** Sign up with this link to reserve your spot **

P.S. By attending the webinar, you’ll receive an exclusive offer – a $25 gift code to open a new Invest529 account and the chance to win one of the three $50 Target gift cards that will be given away at the end of the session for UMW attendees.

The following message comes from the Office of the Provost:

Dear Colleagues,

As many of you know, Carolyn Parsons has announced her retirement this summer after many years of service to the University and Simpson Library. I am especially grateful for her efforts over the past year and half to provide steady leadership as the interim University Librarian.

We are now in the midst of a search for our next University Librarian and the search will continue into the summer. The search committee consists of:

• Victoria Russell (co-chair)
• Jerry Slezak (co-chair)
• Claudine Ferrell
• Phyllis Johnson
• Angie Kemp
• Brooks Kuykendall

If you would like to be involved and help as we get to campus visits, please contact Victoria and Jerry. We are enthusiastic about the opportunity ahead and want to demonstrate that to our candidates.

Thanks so much for your consideration.

Tim O’Donnell
Provost

Planning Matters: A Charitable Planning Newsletter for Mary Washington Alumni and Friends.

In this issue:

• Meet Nicolas Espana ’22, the first in his family to have the opportunity to pursue higher education.
• Learn about two endowments planned by Patrick H. Filippone ’88 and Wendy Risher Filippone ’88 to align with their passions for the James Monroe Museum and the UMW Libraries.
• Discover tips to support UMW through a charitable gift annuity and how to include charitable bequest language in your will.
• Read a special message from President Paino about spring activities and the Class of 2023.
• See how a transformational estate gift from Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59 will impact UMW students and our campus community for generations to come.
• Read each story in the spring edition of Planning Matters by selecting the links above, or click here to view a PDF version.

Dear UMW Community,

With final exams, end-of-year projects, research papers, and most grading behind us, it’s time to reflect on our many accomplishments over the past year.

We recently celebrated this year’s Eagle Awards, recognizing primarily students and student organizations who have provided leadership and contributed outstanding service through involvement in activities and organizations. Congratulations to you all!  In addition, we’ve shared news of departmental honors, national honor societies, and individual awards, including our second Goldwater Scholar, the top honors student in the Virginias, and a Newman Civic Fellow. We’ve also learned of Fulbright awards given to our students, alumni, and faculty, and look forward to celebrating your achievements and sharing your adventures around the world.

At the last faculty meeting of the year, we celebrated our faculty, honoring colleagues who have served this University for decades, bringing their expertise to our classrooms and our community and defining our approach to the liberal arts and sciences.  We also reaffirmed our ASPIRE community values during a weeklong celebration.  I encourage you to carry these values of accountability, scholarship, personal and institutional integrity, inclusive excellence, respect and civility, and engagement in both your personal and professional life whether on campus or beyond.

Congratulations to our graduating seniors – the Class of 2023!  There is much to be proud of, including your perseverance and dedication needed to earn your degree despite many challenges and obstacles along the way.  You did it!  I look forward to celebrating your great achievements with your family and friends at UMW’s 112^th Commencement on Saturday, May 6^th.

And, to all of the grounds crew, Facilities Services crew, Events team, faculty, staff, students and many, many volunteers – thank you for your hard work, countless hours and sheer resolve in preparing for commencement.  Whether you assisted with setting up chairs, laying mulch, preparing parking spaces, finalizing the program, providing regalia, coordinating logistics, or anything in between – thank you for ensuring our campus is beautiful and welcoming.

Continuing students, I wish you great success in your summer endeavors which may include classes, study abroad trips, internships, jobs, etc.  I also encourage you to immerse yourself in special interests, hobbies, outdoor activities, service projects, and more – those positive, rewarding experiences that encourage personal growth and satisfaction, as well as professional exploration.

On campus, we’ll welcome another season of the Summer Science Institute, now in its 24^th year, and showcase the second Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Summer Institute. I extend a heartfelt thank you to all of you who work throughout the summer on important projects and programs.  Your leadership, energy, and dedication are invaluable to providing strong and impactful summer courses, programs like the Student Transition Program, the Summer Enrichment Program, and Orientation and New Student Programs, beloved events such as Reunion Weekend planned for June 1 thru June 4, and services including Admissions Office campus tours, varied sports camps, etc.

Thanks to each of you, our faculty, staff, and students, who have worked so hard to make this a successful year, and to those who continue to work to provide robust summer enrichment opportunities.  Have a great summer!

Sincerely,

Troy Paino