December 27, 2024

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Staff Advisory Council Updates

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School Supply Drive 001S.A.C. Activities:

Children’s Summer Food Program – The UMW community spent the summer donating and collecting food to give to needy children who depend on school meals and don’t necessarily have enough food during summer months. So far, seven boxes and five bags of food have been delivered.

School Supply Drive – A school supply drive is currently in full swing. There are donation locations across campus. Robert E. Lee and Hugh Mercer elementary schools will receive the supplies as the S.A.C. collects them.

Stay tuned for information on our holiday campaigns.

The Eagle Has Landed:

ugly-eagleBaldwin spent a lazy summer in the College of Business with Lynne Richardson, but he promises to take flight this semester and haunt as many desks as possible. Watch out, you could be next!

Staff Advisory Council Updates

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School Supply Drive 001

Members of the Staff Advisory Council collecting school supply donations for local schools.

The Staff Advisory Council will be initiating two simultaneous campaigns beginning Aug. 4 and running through the month of August.

The first campaign is the annual School Supplies Drive, benefiting several area elementary schools. Among the items needed are pencils, spiral notebooks, erasers, crayons, glue sticks, tissues, and plastic bags. For a complete list of school supplies, visit http://www.walmart.com/classrooms/lists/57-Elementary-K-2nd-School-Supplies-List. Last year, the S.A.C. donated to four area elementary schools. School supplies will be stored on campus until Friday, Aug. 29, and then delivered on Monday, Sept. 1. All area schools begin on Tuesday, Sept. 2 this year.

Reminder ~ School supply/clothing Tax-Free days are Friday, Aug. 1 – 3. For further information about the Tax-Free weekend, visit http://www.tax.virginia.gov/site.cfm?alias=SchoolSuppliesAndClothingHoliday.

In addition to the School Supply Drive, we will be participating in WhyHunger’s Summer Food Program targeting our area children who have been fed at school during the school year, but may not have enough food during the summer months.

WhyHunger is a national organization striving to close the hunger gap between the close of school in the summer and beginning of school in the fall.

As we collect food, the S.A.C. Activities Committee will deliver the donations weekly to the following WhyHunger centers in our area:

  • Bragg Hill Family Life Center
  • Hazel Hill Complex
  • Mayfield Civic Association
  • Lafayette Upper Elementary

Current UMW donation locations are:

Fairfax House – HR
Jepson Alumni Executive Center
Lee Hall
Marye House
Eagle Village – 4th floor
GW – 3rd floor
Trinkle Hall, 2nd floor
Stafford Campus – South
Facilities Services – Lobby

To find out how you and your department can help, or to become a donation location, contact Priscilla Sullivan, S.A.C. Activities Chair at psulliva@umw.edu.

Tammy Pettus and Baldwin

Tammy Pettus and Baldwin

The Eagle Has Landed

Baldwin’s latest victim is Tammy Pettus. Check out sac.umwblogs.org for more details on this initiative.

 

Betty Bradshaw Named Excellent Eagle Employee

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Congratulations to Betty Bradshaw, Associate Registrar for Administration and Enrollment, who has been selected as the Excellent Eagle Employee for the month of July. A parking spot of her choosing has been reserved for her through the end of the month.

Here is what a coworker said about her:

“Betty Bradshaw is an invaluable asset to UMW. She has been with the university for approximately 30 years and has developed great relationships with faculty and administrative staff from all different departments and units. As an Associate Registrar for Administration and Enrollment, Betty works in the heart of the university – the Registrar’s Office. Her knowledge on university policies and procedures is vast – she’s on that short list of “go to” individuals when an issue comes up and it’s not immediately clear how to handle it. Much of her responsibility involves handling the academic schedule each semester – a precarious situation in which she does an outstanding job. She is also very modest – usually describing her job as just ‘handling the schedule.’ However, she does much, much more than that – from dealing with registration issues, grade changes, and various student issues to supervising staff and student aides.  On a personal level, she is very friendly, extremely thoughtful, and always willing to take the time to answer a question or explain a situation.  She cares about those who attend the university, as well as those who work for the university.  I am proud and honored to call her a colleague.”

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, job title, 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).

You may now also go to the Staff Advisory Council’s site and click on the Excellent Eagle tab to make a nomination:  http://sac.umwblogs.org/excellent-eagle/.

Staff Advisory Council Updates

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Next Meeting:

The Staff Advisory Council will meet on Thursday, June 19 in Eagle Village, Suite 480 Conference Room to hear from Director Pamela McCullough on the new bachelor of science in nursing completion program, which is slated to begin this fall. All S.A.C. meetings are open to the UMW community. Please join us!

Faculty/Staff Mixer:

The next UMW Employee Mixer will be Friday, June 27, 5-7 p.m. at Home Team Grill. We have reserved the bar and outside overflow area for this event. The happy hour special is half-price draft beers, half-price shelf liquor, and half-price wine from 5-6 p.m.

 

Connie Dowell Named Excellent Eagle Employee

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Congratulations to Connie Dowell, coordinator for the Stafford Campus Writing Center, who has been selected as the Excellent Eagle Employee for the month of June. A parking spot of her choosing has been reserved for her through the end of the month.

Here is what a co-worker said about her:

“Connie Dowell is the coordinator for the Stafford Campus Writing Center. Although Connie is located out on Stafford away from the main campus, she takes her job as seriously as if she were seeing 300 students a day. Connie adores the students at Stafford and works to ensure their writing needs are met. Moreover, Connie works hard to build bridges and relationships with the other departments and services around the writing center in an effort to ensure that students receive the assistance, support, and encouragement they so deserve.

Connie coordinates workshops for students such as APA Bootcamp and works with the library to ensure students have opportunities to master APA citation style. Importantly, Connie listens. She is truly concerned about what students say they need from their experiences at UMW and works hard to provide them with the skills and support the wriitng center can offer. Any student to whom I have spoken who has worked with Connie always echoes the same sentiment in a variety of ways: She was patient, kind, and brilliant.

Those who know Connie would describe her as quiet, but we have all heard the cliché that still waters run deep. Connie is truly a content person absorbed in thought most days. It would be a mistake to construe her quiet as aloofness. Rather, the opposite is true. Connie illustrates what Mother Teresa described as practicing humility: ‘To speak as little as possible of one’s self.  To pass over the mistakes of others. To be kind and gentle even under provocation.’ Connie is truly a humble employee who works tirelessly to assist students; she endeavors to gain as much wisdom as possible. She even works in her spare time to publish a book on composition in universities as well as keeping up a blog for which she writes and illustrates.

Connie never ceases to amaze me. She has amazing hobbies. One day she simply brought everyone some hot peppers she had been growing at home. She and her husband hiked in Alaska for their honeymoon. She decorates cakes for people who want them. Connie knits. Who knows what else she does! As Silent Bob says in Chasing Amy, “What you don’t know about [Connie] could just about fill the Grand Canyon.”  Indeed she is a source of order, dependability, knowledge, friendship, and support..” 

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, job title, 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).

You may now go to the Staff Advisory Council’s site and click on the Excellent Eagle tab to make a nomination:  http://sac.umwblogs.org/excellent-eagle/.

Staff Advisory Council Updates

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Faculty Staff Mixer:

The next UMW Employee Mixer will be Friday, June 27, 5 to 7 p.m. at Home Team Grill. We have reserved the bar and outside overflow area for this event. The happy hour special is half-price draft beers, half-price shelf liquor, and half-price wine from 5 to 6 p.m.

ritaThe Eagle Has Landed:

After Baldwin graduated, he landed on Rita Dunston’s desk. Check out the Staff Advisory Council blog for more information.

Amanda Rutstein Named Excellent Eagle Employee

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rutstein

Amanda Rutstein

Congratulations to Amanda Rutstein, coordinator at the Fredericksburg Writing Center  and adjunct English instructor, who has been selected as the Excellent Eagle Employee for the month of May. A parking spot of her choosing has been reserved for her through the end of the month.

Here is what a coworker said about her:

“Amanda has been working at UMW for almost three years now. She is a graduate of UMW and went on to UNC Greensboro for her MFA. She loved the university so much, she wanted to come back and contribute to the atmosphere of dedication and hard work UMW is known for.

Amanda now works as the Coordinator for the Writing Center on the Fredericksburg campus. Amanda manages all the tutors’ work schedules, time sheets, scheduling student appointments, records for the visits the Writing Center has, planning events, and so forth. This is merely her required activities. Amanda goes above and beyond her job description every day. She arrives early almost every day to ensure that everything is set up for the busy day ahead. She also volunteers to assist the tutors with their own writing, and many students come by just to have her read their poetry and provide feedback. Moreover, Amanda goes out of her way to be kind and accommodating to all she encounters during the day. For instance, she always remembers what is going on in peoples’ lives and asks them how a particular event went or how a paper turned out.

To beat it all, Amanda is a funny and genuine person. She is always making us laugh with her quick wit and humor. She always makes the day fly by. No matter how busy or frustrating a day may get, we all can count on Amanda to make us laugh hysterically. We are constantly afraid we will lose her to a job at some great, funny online website or blog such as Jezebel. With any luck, she will remain with us for many years to come as she makes certain the writing center is running well all the while making it look easy. She EVEN makes me look organized–a feet unto itself!

Amanda genuinely cares about the university and wants to see it maintain the spark that first captured her heart when she was in high school looking for her perfect university. Every day, she gives the university all she has to ensure students currently enrolled have the wonderful experience she had. Amanda truly exemplifies what it means to be a an excellent eagle employee.”

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, job title, 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).

You may now go to the Staff Advisory Council’s site and click on the Excellent Eagle tab to make a nomination:  http://sac.umwblogs.org/excellent-eagle/.

Staff Advisory Council Updates

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Leah Cox and Baldwin

Leah Cox and Baldwin

Meeting:

The Staff Advisory Council will meet on Thursday, May 15 at 1 p.m. in Lee Hall, Room 412 to hear Leah Cox speak about the her role as the Ombudsmen in relation to staff issues. All meetings are open and we encourage you to attend.

Last month’s meeting minutes are available our website: sac.umwblogs.org.

The Eagle Has Landed:

Baldwin landed on Leah Cox’s desk this week. He’s now sporting an eye patch and a tie! Will you be next? Click here for more information on this program.

VPSW Online Appreciation Blog:

Take advantage of the appreciation blog to let your fellow co-workers know how much you appreciate them during VPSW:  May 5 – 9.  The blog will go live on Monday, May 5 and can be accessed at the following address:  http://vpsw.umwblogs.org.  You can also drop off your “thank you” at the Fairfax House and a Human Resources staff member will post them.

Staff Advisory Council Updates

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Rick Pearce holds Baldwin.

Rick Pearce holds Baldwin.

Baldwin sits on Torre Meringolo's desk.

Baldwin sits on Torre Meringolo’s desk.

Faculty and Staff Mixer, April 24:

The Staff Advisory Council invites you to join your University of Mary Washington colleagues for a faculty and staff mixer TODAY from 5 to 7 p.m. at Sunken Well Tavern.

The Eagle Has Landed:

The eagle is on the move! This week, the eagle landed on Richard Pearce’s desk and then flew over to Torre Meringolo’s desk. Watch out, you could be next! Click here to find out more.