The James Monroe Museum is pleased to offer UMW faculty and staff reduced admission to “Deck the Halls,” our popular holiday floral decorating presentation given by Jan Williams. Jan demonstrates how to craft unique decorations from local evergreens and flora in this entertaining and inspiring annual presentation, which has become a mainstay of Fredericksburg’s holiday celebrations. A breakfast of coffee, pastries and seasonal breads will be served. Join us to deck the halls for the season and benefit the James Monroe Museum.
The event will take place on Saturday, December 1 from 9:30 a.m. to noon in Dodd Auditorium. Tickets are $22 for Friends of JMM and UMW faculty/staff. Call 540/654-1043 or e-mail auphaus@umw.edu to register.
In order to continue to focus on President Hurley’s goal of aspiring to be the best liberal arts and sciences university in the nation, UMW is embarking on an examination of its programs and current expenditures. This will help establish a roadmap for the future. We will be asking such questions as:
The reality for state-supported institutions like Mary Washington is that state dollars are severely limited and no longer provide funds for meaningful growth in either size or programs. Currently, state appropriations constitute only 20 percent of our operating budget. In addition, all colleges and universities face increasing pressures to keep tuition costs to students and families as low as possible.
It is for this reason that such examinations are becoming commonplace in universities. At Mary Washington, we plan to conduct a broad-based consultative process involving many faculty members. It is imperative that decisions about our future are made with significant faculty involvement, and not imposed from the top down. Again, through this process, we will not only identify future priorities, but also strengthen our unique niche among Virginia’s public universities.
We will be assisted in this endeavor by an external consulting firm that has expertise in developing consultative faculty decision-making processes. The goal of the exercise is to study all academic and non-academic activities, and to conclude where we might want to invest or reallocate resources. With such a blueprint, making those decisions as we progress forward will be buttressed by widespread input from all constituencies.
The process, which will take several months, is funded by President Hurley’s Fund For the Future, which is supported by the UMW Foundation. As the study progresses, you will be hearing more about it.
–Ian Newbould
Interim Provost
The University of Mary Washington has received a $2.5 million gift to establish a series of endowed professorships and faculty awards in various departments within the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and the College of Education. The bequest is from the estate of Shirley Van Epps Waple, an alumna from the Class of 1952.
“Named, endowed professorships enable the University to attract, retain and recognize outstanding faculty who are truly experts in their fields,” said President Richard V. Hurley. “This generous gift from Mrs. Waple’s estate is greatly appreciated, and we will honor her legacy by ensuring that UMW professors continue to inspire students to think critically, engage meaningfully and communicate effectively.”
Vice President for Advancement and University Relations Torre Meringolo said each new professorship will be named for Shirley Van Epps Waple.
This is one of the largest single gifts to support academics at the University. Its timing is ideal in advancing President Hurley’s vision for UMW to be among the premier public liberal arts and sciences universities in the nation.”
Originally from Troy, N.Y., Waple majored in psychology at Mary Washington. After graduation in 1952, she returned to New York. Working with her husband Harry, who predeceased her, she co-founded, operated and served as president of the Professional Adjustment Bureau, Inc. of Troy. She was active in numerous professional associations and served in various capacities within several arts and historical organizations. Waple relocated to Richmond in 1999, and she died in September 2010.
A longtime supporter of the University, Waple previously endowed a scholarship for students with financial need, and she made a gift to name an office in the Jepson Alumni Executive Center.
