Category: What’s New @ UMW

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:

• Are we allocating our resources in the best possible manner?
• How might we do things better?
• In what areas can Mary Washington be recognized as truly distinctive?
• How might we further enhance our strengths?
• In an increasingly competitive environment, which new program proposals coming from our faculty might we support?
• Which of our existing programs might we want to expand?

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.

With Thanksgiving a week away, remember to shut off lights, computers, monitors, printers, copiers, etc. before you leave your offices for the break.   Also unplug items in your office such as coffee makers, microwaves, radios, etc. since these small appliances often waste energy when plugged in and not in use.

As you begin to spend this weekend perhaps making final Thanksgiving day plans, here’s a great article we found online about having a “Green” Thanksgiving.  Some good tips are featured in this article including reducing the amount of waste that often accompanies Thanksgiving, ways to keep costs down on the big day, and also general Do’s and Don’ts for an Eco-Thanksgiving:

http://earth911.com/news/2011/11/22/your-guide-to-a-green-thanksgiving/

If you’re also starting to think about getting a start on holiday shopping, November 24th is Small Business Saturday.  Sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday encourages holiday shoppers to support their local economy by patronizing brick and mortar businesses in your community.  Consider if items you plan on buying this holiday season can be purchased from locally owned “mom & pop” stores.

Hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving — enjoy the break!

Last week’s tip of the week: Green Meetings

Students from the University of Mary Washington were finalists in a preliminary round of the College Fed Challenge competition, held on Friday, Nov. 9 at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. In the competition, students delivered 20-minute presentations on monetary policy and were scored on content, teamwork, responses to questions, presentation and style.

Students Patrick Byrne, Robert Herse, Lawton Cooper, Chelsea LeHew, Luke Mendelsohn and Roxy Sklavos presented for UMW. Daniel Abbondanzo, Jose Chavez Guzman, Paul Flather, Colin Jennings and William Zebian were part of UMW’s research support team. Professor of Economics Margaret Ray coached the UMW team.

UMW competed against teams from across the Commonwealth, including the University of Richmond, Virginia Tech and Christopher Newport University. The team from the University of Virginia, winners of the preliminary round, competed against the winners from the Richmond Fed’s Baltimore and Charlotte branches. American University won the overall competition on Nov. 13.

The Richmond Fed sponsors College Fed Challenge, a regional academic competition, to encourage better understanding of the nation’s central bank, the forces influencing economic conditions in the United States and abroad, and the ways the economy affects everyone. More information is available online at www.richmondfed.org/education/.

The 2012 UMW holiday ornament features the front gates and the Carmen Culpeper Chappell Centennial Campanile, complete with “University of Mary Washington” written across the bottom. The ornament includes a navy box with navy lining and an imprinted design on the front. In addition, the box contains a brief description of the locations displayed and the history of the ornament itself.

The ornament is available for $19.99 from the UMW Bookstore, located in Lee Hall, or from the Bookstore’s website.