Category: What’s New @ UMW

With Thanksgiving over and some of us still recovering from the craziness of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, Two-For-One Tuesday, Warehouse Blowout Wednesday (OK, I admit, I may have made some of these titles up….), this is the time of the season where we inevitably start thinking about mail more often than we usually do.  Sending out and receiving holiday cards, heading to the Post Office on your lunch break to mail gifts, wondering if your nieces and nephews will get their presents in time for Christmas, anxiously looking out the window for the mail carrier wondering where YOUR present is…we tend to start thinking a bit more about “the mail” than we usually do around this time of year.

So with mail on our minds, do you know how much UNWANTED mail we receive each year?    There are estimates that the U.S. Postal Service sends out approximately 90 billion pieces of unsolicited mail/advertising every year.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that about 44% of this mail is tossed away, unopened.  So maybe we should take a moment to think about the junk mail we receive in our own offices.  Do you continually receive mail addressed to former employees?  Catalogs or newsletters from companies that have no relevance to your department?  Advertisements for products and services that you have absolutely no interest in?  There are services out there (http://www.catalogchoice.org, http://ecocycle.org/junkmail, http://www.greendimes.com, and many others) that you can look into to help reduce the amount of unsolicited mail that you receive from companies .  But perhaps the most effective and simplest way to stop getting these items might be to contact the customer service telephone number or send an e-mail to the company’s website and request to be taken off of their mailing list.  Companies likely have no more interest in sending unwanted mail to you than you have in receiving it.  Spending the few minutes it takes to make a phone call or send out an email seems well worth the time, energy, and waste involved with continually receiving and disposing of unwanted mail.  In addition to the obvious waste of paper, think of all the energy needed to haul away all of this unnecessary mail each year.   It’s also important to consider how to go about reducing the amount of junk mail that you receive at home.  If you want to reduce the volume of unsolicited mail you receive in your own home, Direct Marketing Association (http://www.dmachoice.org) is a free service that helps you manage your mail preferences to reduce the likelihood of receiving mailings from companies/services that you have no interest in.

Hopefully this week’s entry has given you something to think about the next time you open up your mailbox and curiously find a three pound catalog from a North Dakota Soy Candle company (no offense intended towards soy candles OR North Dakota).    If you have any suggestions for things we can all do differently each day to create more sustainable office environments, please feel free to leave a comment or email me the idea to be featured in a future Tip of the Week.

The PCS Action Group members for the “Office Sustainability Tip of the Week” are Kevin Caffrey, Elizabeth Sanders, Robert Louzek, and Dre Anthes.

Last week’s tip of the week: Green Thanksgiving

On Nov. 17, the University of Mary Washington Board of Visitors passed a resolution of appreciation commending the students and staff who were instrumental in the response to the Mason Hall fire. In the resolution, the BOV expresses appreciation to student staff members of the Office of Residence Life (resident assistants and office assistants), to the professional staff members of Residence Life, UMW Police, Emergency Management and Safety, Facilities and Housekeeping, University Events, University Relations and Communications; and to the senior level administrators for their service during the incident.

Congratulations to Rose Wagner, recruitment coordinator in the Office of Career Services, who has been selected as the Excellent Eagle Employee for the month of December. A parking spot of her choosing has been reserved for her until the end of the month.

Here is what one of her co-workers said about her:

”Rose has been an integral teammate for the office of Career Services. Her determination and attention to detail allows for even the largest of events to go smoothly. Her quality customer service and friendly disposition greet students, faculty, staff, and current employers day in and day out. Rose has taken the time to fill in when needed on a variety of tasks for both Academic Services and Career Services. She accepts new responsibilities without question and provides results that exceed expectations. Most recently, Rose was willing to assist in the planning and day of logistics of a major event in the Office of Academic Services. She was quick to prepare materials needed, able to help greet guests, and dedicated the man hours it took to make it a success. Rose is modest and hardworking. Her eagerness to learn and ability to juggle multiple priorities is the key to her success within our office. We are grateful to have her on our team!”

To nominate someone who you believe is an Excellent Eagle Employee, send an email to Priscilla Sullivan (psulliva@umw.edu) with Excellent Eagle Employee in the subject line.  In your email, be sure to list the person’s name, department, work location (with the most convenient parking lot), and of course, the reason why you believe they should be recognized.  Please spread the word to other employees about this wonderful opportunity to recognize a co-worker(s).

The Multicultural Fair is one of the largest, most anticipated events hosted at the University of Mary Washington. The Multicultural Fair features amazing performances, multicultural vendors, ethnic food, and kid-friendly activities. The 23rd Annual Multicultural Fair will be held on Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you are interested in serving as a volunteer for the Multicultural Fair, please contact the James Farmer Multicultural Center at 540-654-1044, or email at umwjfmc@gmail.com.  If you are interested in selling crafts, art, or other items at the Multicultural Fair, complete the attached application form by Friday, March 29. For additional information, contact Greta Franklin at 540-654-1044.

The University of Mary Washington Geography Club and Department of Geography celebrated National Geography Awareness Week during the week of Nov. 11 through Nov. 17.

On Tuesday, Nov. 13 members of the UMW Geography Club celebrated by presenting a ‘Trivia Table’ in front of Lee Hall to engage fellow students in geography competitions to win prizes. The event, which was organized by Dr. Caitie Finlayson, was the first the Geography Club has attempted to put on in several years. The club hopes to make it an annual event.

The same day, geography majors accompanied Dr. Jackie Gallagher to the National Museum of the Marine Corps to participate in Geography Day, an annual event at the museum to emphasize geographic literacy among local fifth grade students. Agencies and companies such as the Virginia Geographic Alliance, an organization promoting geography education in Virginia, and the United States Geological Survey were also in attendance. At the event UMW students worked with the Virginia Geographic Alliance and in activities with fifth graders to spread the word about geography.

Dan Clendaniel, current Teacher in Residence at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, thanked the UMW representatives “for keeping geography education alive as a vital component in the overall education of our students.”