The Intercultural Living Learning Community at Framar House would like to invite all UMW faculty and staff to our 7th annual Holi Celebration taking place this Friday, April 26 at 4 p.m. on Ball Circle. Holi is a South Asian celebration of spring and is also known as the Festival of Colors in the West. The actual celebration in South Asia brings the community together regardless of their religious or socioeconomic backgrounds. We at UMW strive towards the same goal of inclusivity and invite you all to join us in this wonderful celebration.
UMW Recognized by Exercise is Medicine® for Efforts to Create Culture of Wellness on Campus
UMW’s Recreation and Wellness programming on campus has helped earn silver level designation from the Exercise is Medicine® On Campus (EIM-OC) program. “We are thrilled to recognize these campuses’ commitment to make movement a part of daily campus culture and give students the tools to cultivate physical activity habits that will benefit them throughout their lives,” said Robyn Stuhr, vice president of Exercise is Medicine. “These campus programs are nurturing future leaders who will advance a key tenet of Exercise is Medicine: making physical activity assessment and promotion a standard in health care.”
The President’s Council on Wellness has been working on this initiative and is excited about the progress and future opportunities. On-campus wellness referrals and exercise prescriptions have been a great new supplement to the ongoing recreation and wellness programming.
Of the 139 campuses recognized this year, 55 received gold, 56 silver and 28 bronze. All gold, silver and bronze universities and colleges will be officially recognized on May 29 as part of the 2019 Exercise is Medicine World Congress, held in conjunction with the American College of Sports Medicine’s Annual Meeting. EIM-OC calls upon universities and colleges to promote physical activity as a vital sign of health and encourages faculty, staff and students to work together to improve the health and well-being of the campus community. EIM-OC launched its recognition program in 2014 to honor campuses for their efforts to create a culture of wellness.
Schools earn gold, silver or bronze status based on their activities. Gold level campuses have created a referral system where campus health care providers assess student physical activity and refer students as necessary to a certified fitness professional as part of medical treatment. Silver campuses engage students, faculty and staff in education initiatives and make movement part of the daily campus culture while bronze level campuses promote and generate awareness of the health benefits of physical activity.
View a complete list of recognized schools and learn more about the EIM-OC program at https://www.exerciseismedicine.org/support_page.php/eim-on-campus/
About Exercise Is Medicine:
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) co-launched Exercise is Medicine® (EIM) in 2007 with the American Medical Association. ACSM continues to manage the global health initiative, which seeks to make physical activity assessment and promotion a standard in clinical care, connecting health care with evidence-based physical activity resources for people everywhere of all abilities. EIM is committed to the belief that physical activity promotes optimal health, is integral in the prevention and treatment of many medical conditions and should be regularly assessed and included as part of health care. Visit www.ExerciseisMedicine.org for additional information.
About the American College of Sports Medicine:
The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 50,000 international, national and regional members and certified professionals are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine. More details at www.acsm.org.
UMW Philharmonic with Violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, April 26
The UMW Philharmonic, conducted by Kevin P. Bartram, joins violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg for a Masterworks performance of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons this Friday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m. in Dodd Auditorium. Passion, excitement and innovation are the hallmarks of this internationally acclaimed violinist’s artistry. Praised for her compelling performances, daring interpretations and electric stage presence, Salerno-Sonnenberg is renowned for her work on stage and in the recording studio. Tickets are $20-$85 and can be purchased at umwphilharmonic.com or by calling (540) 654-1324. Four Seasons flyer
UMW Adopts 2019-20 Budget, Tuition and Fees
UMW’s Board of Visitors unanimously approved a recommendation for minimal cost increases for the next academic year. President Paino’s proposal sought to address the increasing cost of serving students primarily through budget reductions and reallocations. Paino has spoken frequently to the campus community about the importance of controlling costs and ensuring that highly motivated students can attain a college education. Read more.
New UMW General Education Curriculum for BA/BS
On April 3, 2019, the UMW faculty approved a new University of Mary Washington General Education Curriculum for BA/BS students that will take effect in the fall 2020 semester.
The new General Education requirements are streamlined, providing increased flexibility and choice, while enhancing signature elements of the UMW curriculum. Our long-standing writing and speaking across the curriculum programs are strengthened by requiring that one WI and one SI course be taken in the major. Experiential learning is broadened to include service learning and community engagement courses and activities as counting toward a re-imagined “Beyond the Classroom” requirement. Important new areas of emphasis, such as the global and diverse perspectives requirement and a digital-intensive course requirement make the general education experience more relevant to the worlds that students are engaging. A new “After UMW” requirement is a distinctive element focused on translating liberal arts and sciences knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to the student’s professional and career development.
A summary of the UMW General Education Curriculum can be found here. While the new categories have been decided, the specific courses that will fulfill those requirements are still to be determined. Over the summer, faculty will be finalizing the learning outcomes for the new areas in the requirements. Beginning in September 2019, the faculty will be reviewing proposals and making decisions about the courses that will populate the new General Education requirements. This review will be completed by the middle of November 2019.
The new General Education curriculum will be officially published in the 2020-2021 Academic Catalog and will apply to all BA/BS students matriculating in August 2020. Students who matriculated prior to August 2020 will have a one-time opportunity to switch from the current set of requirements to the new ones.
Switching from the current to the new General Education requirements is entirely voluntary. Details about this process are being developed and will be communicated early in the Spring 2020 semester. In consultation with their academic advisor, students should carefully consider both sets of requirements, and the courses that meet those requirements, before making a decision to change. Anyone who changes to the new general education curriculum must meet all of its requirements. A student who voluntarily elects to switch to the new General Education curriculum will not be able to switch back to the old one for any reason.
The new General Education requirements are an exciting step ahead for us. We will keep you well informed with future updates as we progress.
UMW Welcomes Barnes & Noble
The following message is from UMW Business Services:
In 2018 UMW made the business decision to solicit proposals from established and qualified firms to operate the university’s Bookstore. Barnes & Noble Education rose to the top as a result of this competitive process and was recently awarded the contract.
Barnes & Noble will continue to focus on UMW’s priorities around student success, including competitively priced course materials with scalable and various delivery options, exceptional service to the community, and commitments of support that include course material scholarships for students and financial contributions for student activities. The agreement also brings expanded marketing and public relations opportunities and a financial return to the university.
Barnes & Noble representatives prefer to hire existing staff and current employees wishing to stay on will become Barnes & Noble employees.
Committed to a successful transition, members of the Barnes & Noble team recently met with stakeholders integral to the April phase of the transition. While these initial transition processes advance, the team will return in May to meet with faculty and staff representatives as part of the planning and implementation process.
The Bookstore will close after regular operating hours on June 27, 2019, and re-open on July 8, 2019, as the Barnes & Noble/University of Mary Washington Bookstore. A Grand Opening Celebration is planned for late September or early October.
Mary Wash Giving Day Donations Topped $600,000
Donors in 45 states and nine countries made more than 4,000 gifts to UMW topping $600,000.
The UMW community came together on a sunny Tuesday in March to take part in the third annual Mary Wash Giving Day, a 24-hour online fundraising event to benefit students and programs across the University. The day’s final donation total—after all online and offline gifts were counted—exceeded $600,000.
Donors from 45 states and nine countries, including alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents and friends of the University, made more than 4,000 gifts on Giving Day, surpassing the goal of 3,500. These results broke last year’s Giving Day record and represented a 34% increase in gifts and a 33% increase in dollars raised. Read more.
Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2019
Across the nation, April is celebrated as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). This is a time for raising awareness of sexual assault and gender-based violence, as well as celebrating the strength of survivors, passion of advocates, and compassion of allies.
The theme of SAAM 2019 is “I Ask,” a phrase that relates to the ways we ask for and give consent in our daily lives. From hugs to sharing photos on social media, consent is a part of every healthy relationship. Development of this communication skill requires practice.
We hope you’ll join us at one of our many educational, empowerment, and awareness events this month. There is something for everyone to learn.
Sexual Assault Awareness Month Flyer
Sexual Assault Awareness Month Event Calendar
If you are seeking help or more information, please consider reaching out to the following resources:
Confidential:
Talley Center for Counseling Services (540-654-1053)
UMW Victim Advocate: Jaime Opanashuk (jopanash@umw.edu or by calling the Talley Center)
Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault – www.rcasa.org 24/7 hotline available (540-371-1666)
Empowerhouse – www.empowerhouseva.org 24/7 hotline available (540-373-9373)
Student Health Center (540-650-1040)
Non-Confidential:
UMW Police: (540-654-4444)
Coordinator for Prevention and Advocacy: Marissa Miller (mmille23@umw.edu or 540-654-1193)
Center for Prevention and Education: Britnae Purdy (bpurdy@umw.edu or 540-654-5655)
Title IX Coordinator: Stefanie Lucas-Waverly (540-654-5656)
Rally TODAY to Celebrate Grace Anne Braxton’s Special Olympics Silver Medal
Grace Anne Braxton, UMW Campus Dining and Special Olympics silver medalist. (Photo by Norm Shafer).
Special Olympian golfer Grace Anne Braxton, a University of Mary Washington Campus Dining employee for more than two decades, putted her way to a silver medal at last month’s 2019 Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi.
And the campus community wants to celebrate! UMW will honor Braxton – whom many of us know as “Amazing Grace” – on UMW’s Ball Circle TODAY (Thursday, April 11), at 4:30 p.m., with all the fanfare Mary Washington can muster.
Everyone is invited to come out and offer “Three Cheers for Amazing Grace.”
Grace Anne Braxton. Photo by Scott K Brown Photography Inc.
Please try to gather in front of the University Center at about 4:20 p.m. Sodexo will have an appreciation banner that everyone may sign, and cake will also be served (while supplies last!).
Tune in to NBC this evening at 6:45 p.m. to see Grace Anne’s interview.
29th Annual Multicultural Fair on Saturday, April 13
The University of Mary Washington hosts the 29th annual Multicultural Fair in Ball Circle on Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine. Exemplifying UMW’s commitment to enhancing multicultural awareness, the Multicultural Fair provides an entire day devoted to multicultural entertainment, children’s activities, international and American food, and ethnic craft vendors. This event is free and open to the public.