Category: What’s New @ UMW

In last week’s “Office Sustainability Tip of the Week,” we discussed making sure the lights in your office kitchen are turned off when not in use.  But when it comes to your office kitchen and conserving energy, it does not have to stop there.  Here are some things that you may want to consider in order to reduce energy and limit extra waste in the kitchen:

Kitchenware:  If you use paper plates, cups, or plastic cutlery in your office kitchen, consider instead investing in reusable dishware.  Depending on the amount of people in your office, it would likely be relatively inexpensive to purchase a set of plates, glasses, and cutlery for everyone to use.  Or, consider old unwanted dishware or cutlery that you have in your house that you no longer use and bring it in for your office to use.

Recycling Bins: Hopefully all office kitchens on campus have a recycling bin to make it very easy for those using the area to deposit their recyclable materials.  If not, go to your Supervisor or Department Head and inquire about getting a recycling bin for your kitchen.

Water: I’m definitely guilty of relying too much on using bottled waters.  Instead of using bottled waters however, consider investing in a water filter or simply drink tap water — as people often point out, it tastes just as good as bottled water.  If you prefer your water very cold, just keep a pitcher of tap water in your office refrigerator.  And how’s the kitchen faucet?  Does it drip?  Even a small, consistent drip can waste a tremendous amount of water each week.  If you have a faucet that drips in your kitchen office, place a work order through EagleNet to see if it can get repaired.

Energy:  Is your office refrigerator and freezer possibly set too high?  It’s recommended to set your refrigerator temperature between 36° F and 42° F, and to set your freezer control to a temperature between -5° F and +6° F.  A small thermometer placed in your refrigerator and freezer will help you set the temperature correctly.  By making sure that your refrigerator and freezer temperatures are set correctly, you will help reduce energy consumption.

Paper Towels: Stop using paper towels and instead use cloth towels to clean up spills.

These are just a few suggestions to conserve energy and reduce unnecessary waste in your office kitchen.  If you have any tips 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 suggestion to be featured in a future Tip of the Week.

Last Week’s Tip: http://tinyurl.com/8oo8ve8

Faculty and Staff,

The Division of Student Affairs cordially invites you to the first Faculty-Staff Social Hour, this Friday, November 2, in the Underground at 4 p.m.

Join us for some social time which will include a live performance by the Judi Jackson Jazz Ensemble and drink specials.

See you Friday from 4-5 p.m. in the Underground.

Congratulations to Tember Smith, office manager of the College of Education’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction, who has been selected as the Excellent Eagle Employee for the month of November. 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:

“Tember should be recognized as an Excellent Eagle Employee because, simply put, she is a model of excellence.  She goes above and beyond her duties, never hesitating to stop her detailed focus on the mounds of paperwork and data she deals with daily to help a fellow employee or student.  I have been the recipient of her helpfulness on several occasions.  Rest assured, she gets right back on task to complete her job.  Students love her enthusiasm and sense of humor.  She instantly puts worried students at ease with her calm and caring manner, not to mention her extensive knowledge of all the requirements of the education program.  Tember is the epitome of caring and sharing her knowledge to help others.  She is adaptable and flexible in her position.

Tember has been an employee at UMW for decades, working in various departments.  She is a great asset to the UMW community and someone the UMW faculty and staff need to recognize for her contribution in helping make UMW a quality institution.”

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 disastrous effects of Hurricane Sandy have been a reminder of how quickly the services of a non-profit might be needed.  That is why we chose the American Red Cross – Rappahannock Area as our featured non-profit in this week’s Eagle Eye.  Their services include:  preparedness (educating the community on how to prepare for man-made or national disasters), disaster services (provide sheltering, mass-care feeding, and mental health services free of charge to those affected by a natural disaster or single-family fire), services to the Armed Forces (provide emergency communications and financial aid to military personnel and their families), biomedical services (coordinate local blood drives), and health and safety services (provide CPR/AED, First Aid and Aquatics Training to companies and community members; fee for these services).

The American Red Cross is just one of over 1100 non-profits you can choose to support through the CVC.  To date, 13 employees have made a contribution to the UMW CVC 2012.  Please consider making your donation today.  Please contact Lori Izykowski, x1105, with any questions.  And thanks for your participation!

Please consider joining us for a faculty workshop focused on graduate school advising on Monday, Nov. 5 at 4 p.m. in the Woodard Campus Center, Red Room.  This 45-minute session is with Donald Asher, one of the nation’s foremost authorities on the graduate admissions process.  Asher is the author of the best-selling guide to getting into graduate school, “Graduate Admissions Essays” (4^th ed., Ten Speed Press) and has twice being selected as keynote or featured speaker at NAGAP (National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals).

Topics will include:

• Reasons your students are not selected when they should have been
• Trends in funding
• Career outcomes for Ph.D. students
• Ranking systems (the good, the bad, the ugly)
• What needs to be in that letter of recommendation
• Ready-to-use handouts to make your advising easier
• Q&A and solutions sharing between UMW faculty

Asher is an incredibly engaging presenter and is an internationally acclaimed author and speaker specializing in professional development and higher education. He is the author of 12 books (available in English, Chinese, Korean, and Portuguese), is a frequent guest on television and radio, and speaks at more than 100 venues annually.  You can learn more about Asher, his work, and publications at http://www.donaldasher.com.

Immediately following the workshop there will be a reception in the Red Room featuring wine, light hors d’oeuvres, and conversation.

Please RSVP to Amanda Kennedy (akennedy@umw.edu) if you plan to attend.

As part of Asher’s visit we will be doing a series of talks for student populations as well.  You will receive information concerning those and their intended target populations under separate cover.

— Fred A. Pierce III, Associate Provost, Enrollment Management and Student Services