Category: What’s New @ UMW

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.”

• Free Jepson Alumni Executive Center ornament with purchase of $20.00 or more (while supplies last!).
• A special  collection of classic holiday books awaits you in the University Bookstore.  Enter a drawing* for a FREE Jan Brett tote bag and a FREE copy of her holiday children’s book, The Mitten. *Drawing sponsored by Pepsi to be held Dec. 10.

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:

• 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