As part of UMW’s annual opening faculty meeting on Thursday, Aug. 25, President Troy Paino outlined his priorities for the upcoming academic year. Through collaboration and transparency, Paino discussed the necessity of building a foundation of trust over the next year in order to move UMW forward. Paino outlined the following nine priorities for the upcoming academic year, which have been approved by the Board of Visitors:

Determine a clear set of indicators for success. Identify high-level institutional indicators that speak to the university’s definition of success. This will include a conversation about re-identifying peer and aspirational institutions.

Finalize the strategic enrollment plan. Currently underway, the strategic enrollment plan is being created by a group of faculty and staff to determine UMW’s academic/student profile.

Update the university’s master plan. Address building needs on campus with a focus on older residence halls in order to stay competitive in student recruitment.

Create a committee to develop a Diversity Action Plan. Reporting directly to the president, the committee will discuss strategies for recruiting and retaining a diverse student body and workforce.

Update the budget. Address the budget in a way that creates room for future strategic investments, includes a solution for salary issues, develops new opportunities for revenue and is mindful of reserves.

Capitalize on regional opportunities. At the core, UMW is a traditional liberal arts and sciences institution, but the addition of programs for nontraditional students has the opportunity to increase revenue.

Develop and implement a plan to address faculty and staff salary issues. Create and implement a plan that addresses workforce salary issues over the next three years.

Conduct an environmental scan of UMW’s position in the marketplace. Analyze our institution’s place within the greater higher education landscape.

Articulate UMW’s vision by the end of the academic year. Be able to clearly articulate the past and traditions of UMW, the strengths of its current community and where the university is headed.

This is a reminder that there will be an “All UMW Opening Assembly” on Wednesday, Aug. 17.  President Troy Paino wrote in a July letter, “As we approach the beginning of a new academic year, I’d like for us to gather together in celebration of our shared commitment to this community and to look forward to the year ahead.”

The Opening Assembly will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 17 in Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall. Light refreshments will be available in the foyer beginning at 8. The assembly will conclude by 9:30.

“I hope that this assembly will become a regular annual feature of our work together at UMW,” Paino wrote. “I look forward to seeing you on August 17 and to an exciting new academic year. ”

Please plan to attend!

Dear Colleagues, 

I hope you all had a great 4th of July weekend.  My family and I arrived in Fredericksburg a couple of weeks ago and have been busy getting settled into Brompton (much work still to do) and our new lives in Virginia.  We are all very excited to be members of the University of Mary Washington community, and I will be spending time this summer getting around campus to get to meet as many of you as possible.  In time you will also get to know my wife, Kelly, daughters, Sophia and Chloe, and dog, Oscar.  Kelly is an educator as well and is a strong advocate for the importance of early childhood education.  Sophia is a sophomore at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and Chloe will be a junior at James Monroe High School.  Oscar is busy getting to know his new digs, exploring the expansive lawn at Brompton, and putting the fear of God into a few squirrels.   

I explored the opportunity to come to Mary Washington because of what I knew about UMW’s mission, tradition, and location, but I decided to come here because of what I discovered about this place during the presidential search process.  It is truly special–with a strong sense of community, outstanding faculty, staff, administrators, and students, and devoted alumni.  UMW has a unique opportunity to become a national model for the growing power and relevance of a public liberal arts education in an increasingly pluralistic republic.  The current state of national and world affairs reminds us of the importance of what we do, and UMW is here to remind our state and national leaders that you cannot have a true democracy without a liberally educated citizenry. 

I am energized by the work ahead and am thrilled that I will get to do it alongside each of you.  If you see me on campus, please do not hesitate to introduce yourself to me.  It will take a while to get to know you all, but I genuinely look forward to it. 

Sincerely, 

Troy