As pre-season groups arrive on campus for preparations for the fall semester, we look forward to another busy week at Virginia Wesleyan. Here are some updates from around campus.
Restoration Continues on the Historic Bell Tower —The Beacon
Orange barrels, yellow tape, and a variety of fencing are sprinkled throughout the Virginia Wesleyan University campus as construction projects progress. Work continues on the restoration of the Bell Tower, which will be structurally repaired and have a new look this fall. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of September.
You may recall, in 2016 we completed a year-long Campus Master Plan process that yielded important results. A key component of the plan was a corrective maintenance study which identified areas for priority attention to facilities around campus.
Accordingly, along with other needs identified, the study recommended that a structural evaluation be conducted of the 44-year-old Bell Tower adjacent to Monumental Chapel. That detailed inspection revealed substantial corrosion from within the tower resulting from the salt-laden air of Coastal Virginia. The recommendation by the inspection team was that the Bell Tower either be removed within three years for safety reasons or be strengthened for long-term use through a comprehensive renovation of the design. A second, unrelated firm completed a subsequent evaluation and affirmed these earlier recommendations as well. These findings, along with other key elements of the Campus Master Plan, were shared with selected donors of Virginia Wesleyan. Several major campus facility needs have therefore been funded through private gifts.
One individual, who prefers to remain anonymous, visiting campus one afternoon, was intrigued by the news about the Bell Tower and asked if a gift could be applied to that project. It was the donor's intention that the gift be designated for the preservation and renovation of the Bell Tower as The Beacon (view the renderings).
Hourigan, our partners on 13 recent campus projects including the Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center and Greer Environmental Sciences Center, is managing the restoration. We are excited to honor this prominent campus landmark while ensuring its structural integrity for decades to come.
Introducing the A. Kenneth Scribner, Sr. University Store
In keeping with the comprehensive, institution-wide rebranding VWU has undergone since becoming a University in 2017, The Scribner Bookstore has been renamed the A. Kenneth Scribner, Sr. University Store. The change took effect on July 1.
The origins of the store trace back to 1976 when the family of A. Kenneth Scribner, Sr. made a leadership gift in his honor upon his passing. In the coming years, the store came to fruition and was appropriately named in his memory.
Dr. Keith Moore, Vice President for Student Affairs, and Kim Brown, who has served as the Store Manager since 2010, are pictured here with me in front of the new sign at the store. The renaming is also reflected through the store’s online presence, a channel which was added last year as part of an expansion to include online sales. VWU also operates an additional online store for intercollegiate athletics.
The Scribner Bookstore has long been a fixture on campus, meeting the needs of students, faculty, staff, alumni, fans, and friends for more than four decades. This name change reflects our understanding of the dynamic environment we serve and our commitment to meet these needs now and well into the future.
Following the transition to University, a campus committee of Dr. Mort Gamble, Stephanie Smaglo, and Christine Hall—working with counsel from Kaufman & Canoles—also initiated official trademark recognition of all VWU logos and designs.
New Flower on Campus – the Photovoltaic “SmartFlower”
Installation was completed last week on Virginia Wesleyan University's new "SmartFlower," a fully integrated photovoltaic system that will supply power to Honors Village. VWU is one of the first college campuses in the country to install SmartFlower Solar, which generates 40% more energy than traditional solar. This collage chronicles the final steps in the process. Maynard Schaus, Associate Provost, and I are pictured at the end of a sunny day with the contracted SmartFlower. Many thanks to the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia for helping to bring this project to life on our campus.
State of the University
Each August, prior to the start of the fall semester, I deliver a State of the University Address to our campus community. The address includes highlights, initiatives and significant accomplishments from the past year, recognition of faculty and staff, points of pride, recent University news and information, current campus projects and direction for the future of the University. The 2018 State of the University Address will take place on August 24 at 12:15 p.m. We look forward to welcoming our Trustees, faculty, staff, and many friends in person. For our students and alumni, the State of the University will be live streamed.
Highest Enrollment in VWU’s History
I am pleased to share that enrollment at Virginia Wesleyan is the highest it has ever been in the University’s 58-year history at 1,660 students for the 2017-18 academic year which is a five percent increase over the previous academic year.
Possibly the most significant growth occurred as a result of the formation of University College. The University College includes the Evening and Weekend Program, Early Enrollment programs, and our growing graduate and online programs. A summary is listed below of VWU’s enrollment for 2017-18:
Undergraduate Liberal Arts and Sciences
Batten Honors College
Susan S. Goode School of Arts and Humanities
Joan P. Brock School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Birdsong School of Social Science
TOTAL.........................
University College
Evening and Weekend 97
Graduate 85
—Master of Business Administration
—Master of Arts in Education
Degree Completion (online) 19
Non-Degree 50
Early Enrollment 56
TOTAL.........................
Grand Total.........................
Overall, the University received 2,738 traditional undergraduate applications and accepted 1,849 (67 percent acceptance rate) with 429 freshman and 141 transfers enrolling. First-year students had a 3.2 cumulative high school grade point average (4.0 scale) and 1068 SAT.
The highly selective Batten Honors College enrolled its first cohort of 40 students in 2017-18 with a cumulative high school grade point average of 4.3 (4.0 scale) and 1344 SAT.
I am pleased to see this demonstrates that more students are finding a fit with Virginia Wesleyan University. This can be attributed to many factors, including the greater visibility of the University and the growing academic reputation, as evidenced by increasing numbers of out-of-state students.
The majority of VWU’s undergraduate students come from Virginia, with 71 percent of undergraduate day students coming from the state. Of this figure, 40 percent come from Hampton Roads communities.
The University enrolled an additional 2,300 students in new non-credit programs offered through University College, including the Westminster/Wesleyan Lifelong Learning Institute (see more information below), Center for the Study of Religious Freedom, Center for Sacred Music, and Boyd Institute. Clearly, we are becoming much more than a Hampton Roads institution; we are becoming an institution of significance throughout Coastal Virginia, the Mid-Atlantic Region, and the nation.
Despite the University’s growth, class size remains small—a hallmark of the VWU educational experience. We are expanding our reach while staying true to our mission as a learning-centered institution with a small faculty-to-student ratio.
Successful Inaugural Year for the Lifelong Learning Institute
As you may recall, Virginia Wesleyan University partnered with Westminster-Canterbury last year to create the Lifelong Learning Institute. Through this partnership, classes and activities offer intellectual fulfillment at both VWU’s campus and Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay’s campus located on Shore Drive. During the inaugural 2017-18 year, 216 learners enrolled in non-credit classes offered through the Lifelong Learning Institute.
Partnership with Sentara Sports Medicine
In an effort to enhance services in an efficient manner to our 22 sports, I am pleased to announce that Sentara Sports Medicine and VWU have partnered for athletic training services.
Last year, Virginia Wesleyan partnered with Sentara Healthcare to operate the University’s Health Center, located in Allen Village. Sentara Healthcare is a not-for-profit health system serving Virginia and North Carolina, with 12 hospitals, outpatient care centers, imaging centers, and more.
Under the new agreement, Virginia Wesleyan will provide oversight for the program through Nicole Curry, Head Athletic Trainer. Sentara Sports Medicine will supplement Nicole’s efforts with a team of certified athletic trainers. Both programs will be housed in the Bonnewell Athletic Training Room in the Jane P. Batten Student Center.
The Sentara sports medicine team consists of physical therapists, exercise physiologists and certified athletic trainers who work with primary care physicians and orthopedic surgeons treating athletes of all ages.
Clearly, this is a win-win partnership for Virginia Wesleyan University and our student-athletes. We welcome Sentara Sports Medicine to our campus.
Resources on the VWU Website
With the Fall Semester just around the corner, I am providing the link to the most recent organizational structure as well as the Administrative and Academic Calendars for your information and reference:
Additionally, VWU regularly posts employment opportunities on our website where you can also find important information regarding our hiring practices, including downloadable employment applications.
Also, information pertaining to our competitive benefits package may be found by visiting this page.
Guide to VWU’s Fee Structure
To help our community better understand Virginia Wesleyan's fee structure, I asked Jim Cooper, Vice President for Finance and Administration, to a create a clear and concise Cost Sheet for the 2018-19 Academic Year. Affordability is of the utmost importance to us as an institution and we strive to make a VWU education accessible and affordable for students of all financial backgrounds. Read more about measures taken to remain affordable.
2018-19 President’s Cabinet
The President's Cabinet is comprised of leaders of each major University division and provides advice and counsel to me, leveraging its collective knowledge and expertise to advance the University's mission. The President's Cabinet ensures that the University makes timely progress toward its goal of advancing as Coastal Virginia's premier university of the liberal arts and sciences.
2018-19 President’s Leadership Council
In 2015, I announced the establishment of The President's Leadership Council (PLC). The PLC meets monthly in an effort to broaden discussion and participation in shared governance and to foster collaborative processes on key administrative issues. The PLC serves in an advisory capacity to me and provides a forum for exchange of information among the administrative staff members and departments and with other University constituencies. The PLC, made up of the President's Cabinet and appointed members of the Virginia Wesleyan community, represents the views of the administrative staff in the University's decision-making process.
2018-19 Athletics Management Council
In 2015, I announced the appointment of an Athletic Management Council (AMC), which reports to me, for the primary purpose of providing appropriate interaction between athletics, faculty and administration.
Membership of this Council includes our Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Tina Hill, NCAA Faculty Athletics Representatives, Dr. Susan Larkin, Associate Professor of English, and Dr. Larry Hultgren, Professor of Philosophy, Andrea Hoover-Erbig, Academic Integration Coordinator, and the Chair of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.
The purpose of the Athletics Management Council is to place appropriate emphasis on the role of athletics for an NCAA Division III university and to promote the welfare of student-athletes. The Council is charged with strategic oversight of all academic matters related to intercollegiate athletics and all policies that impact student-athlete academic success and welfare.
Please feel free to offer them any thoughts you may have on athletics management at Virginia Wesleyan University.
Passing of Dorris W. McNeal
I am saddened to share the passing of long-time friend and supporter Dorris W. McNeal at the age of 98. Ms. McNeal maintained her devotion to the institution throughout the years. We are grateful for the numerous contributions to our community and to Virginia Wesleyan by her and her husband HP (Sonny) McNeal. Her obituary can be found here.
News and Notes
I extend a warm welcome to April Christman, the new Executive Assistant to the Provost and Vice President. April is a Virginia Wesleyan alumna, graduating magna cum laude in 2014, and also holds a Master of Social Work from Smith College. As many of you know, April has replaced Kelly (Sprouse) Barham who was promoted to Executive Assistant to the President earlier this summer.
Enjoy the following links to stay current on all news and features at VWU:
Highlights From My Weekend Reading
From time to time, I come across topical articles of interest to the campus community. I hope you find them insightful.
The U.S. Department of Education recently rolled back Obama-era guidance on Title IX procedures. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, most colleges indicate they won't change their processes.
In "There's No Pot of Gold in Higher Education's Financial Future," former Bucknell and Washington and Jefferson president Brian Mitchell concludes just that. Colleges and universities must undertake systemic changes to modernize their operations and finances.
In "Peril for Small Private Colleges: A Survey of Business Officers,” CBOs of independent baccalaureate colleges display less confidence in financial stability and more willingness to consider merger or other dramatic changes. Public college financial officers are more upbeat.
According to The New York Times, transfer students — whose challenges have often been ignored in higher education — are feeling a surge in popularity as colleges and universities are increasingly recruiting them.
The Virginia Department of Transportation announced last week the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Expansion project will move forward with the bored-tunnel construction method to deliver the next connection across the Hampton Roads harbor.
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It is sure to be an exciting week on campus as we greet new and returning Marlins.
