Thursday, December 31, 2020

So long, 2020.

In times of adversity, we often show our true nature. In 2020, the Virginia Wesleyan Marlins showed that they are strong, creative, and deeply caring. I will always be grateful for this. So goodbye, 2020. We aren't sorry to see you go, but we will never forget you.


Tuesday, December 29, 2020

"What should it cost a denomination to control governance of a university?"

Given my role as President of the North American Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAAMSCU), I was recently interviewed by Mark Wingfield of Baptist News for his article, "What should it cost a denomination to control governance of a university?" Read it here: http://ow.ly/azVi50CPn1b



Monday, December 28, 2020

COVID-19 Update: Spring 2021 COVID-19 Guide & Mandatory Testing


In case you missed it...


Dear Students and Parents,

We have officially wrapped up the fall semester with last week’s conclusion of final exams, and we are continuing to plan for spring. Please read the following email carefully, as it contains important information about students’ safe return to campus in January.

Returning to Campus Spring 2021 COVID-19 Guide
We are pleased to share the Returning to Campus Spring 2021 COVID-19 Guide, which contains important guidelines for the safety and well-being of our campus community, including: 
  • Repopulation of Campus
  • Monitoring Health Conditions and Detecting Infection
  • Containment to Spread of the Disease When Detected
  • Shutdown Considerations if Necessitated by Severe Conditions and/or Public Health Guidance
  • A link to the Athletic Resocialization Policy, which includes guidance from the NCAA and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference on intercollegiate athletics.
This plan has been reviewed by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and has been found to be compliant in containing the required components of the “Higher Education Reopening Guidance,” which was developed in consultation with the Virginia Department of Health. The document is archived on the University's COVID-19 resource page and will be continuously updated as new information becomes available.

Pre-Arrival Quarantine and Mandatory COVID-19 Testing
All students returning for in-person instruction this spring must submit (as they did in the fall) a negative COVID-19 test result and quarantine for 14 days prior to arrival. 
Please review the following information carefully:
  • A copy of official COVID-19 test results dated on or after January 11, 2021, must be emailed to covidsafe@vwu.edu prior to a student’s arrival to campus. Students who do not submit negative test results will not be allowed on campus. There will be no exceptions to this requirement.
  • Students should quarantine at home beginning January 11 (14 days prior to returning to campus) and remain vigilant in social distancing, use of face coverings, and washing hands frequently. (Please keep in mind that individuals returning sooner—student-athletes, resident assistants, etc.—must quarantine for 14 days prior to their date of arrival on campus).
  • Please consider contacting your primary care physician (PCP) as a first step in the testing process. PCPs are able to prescribe testing per CDC regulations that identify colleges and universities as congregate settings and qualify students for testing. You may also visit the CDC website for more information about COVID-19 testing and to locate a testing site near you.
  • Students who report to campus without a test result on record will not be allowed to move into their rooms or to attend class. These students will be accommodated with up to three weeks of remote instruction, after which they may be subject to administrative withdrawal and financial implications associated with the University’s refund policy.
  • Students that test positive must self-isolate at home, consult a medical professional immediately, and notify the University by email at covidsafe@vwu.edu. The Student Health Management Team will follow up accordingly. 
Thank you for your attention to this important matter and your dedication to keeping our Marlin community safe and healthy. We hope you enjoy your break and get some much-needed rest and relaxation. Please remain vigilant in protecting yourself and others during the holiday season. Continue to abide by the governor’s restrictions and practice CDC guidelines. An overview of the University’s status remains available through VWU CovidSafe.

Sincerely,
The Emergency Response Team


Friday, December 25, 2020

Merry Christmas, Marlins!

Merry Christmas, Marlins! I hope you enjoy this video featuring VWU's Vox Vera, directed by Dr. Bryson Mortensen: https://youtu.be/EQhPTRt7t08



Thursday, December 24, 2020

'Twas the Night Before Christmas: My Letter to Santa

 

December 24, 2020

Dear Santa,
As you know, for the past few years I've used my annual Christmas letter to the North Pole to update you on the state of higher education and to offer up some wishes as we move through the holiday season and into an eagerly awaited new year.
 
Santa, I know you have people all over the world asking you for things right now -- big things like vaccines, employment, and “normalcy.” I hate to pile on, but we in higher education need big things, too. Seeing that you’re such a nice guy and always willing to listen to true believers like me, here are my wishes.
 
First on my list -- light up our trees with ideas to maintain affordability. Higher education is an incredibly competitive market and the pandemic hasn’t helped. Here at Virginia Wesleyan University, we’ve gotten some assistance from your pal Jack Frost to freeze tuition for the fourth year in a row. We’ve created the Work and Learn Program to help students earn money toward their tuition while gaining valuable job skills. We’ve petitioned our government to keep Virginia's Tuition Assistance Grants fully funded. But as the pandemic persists, and we are still facing a continued decline in eligible college-aged students and rising operational costs, maintaining affordability remains at the top of my wish list. 
 
Please stuff our stockings with plenty of masks and hand sanitizer. Have the elves created a COVID rapid-results test yet? If so, we’ll take a few thousand of those. These would be perfect gifts for our intercollegiate athletics teams who are to resume competitive play this spring under an extensive mandated testing requirement. These would also be much appreciated by other members of the campus community: our musicians and thespians, our many students who do so much work in the community, and our researchers and our interns. 
 
Next, package up some nice new donors, preferably ones that like unrestricted giving. Help alumni and friends see the value in giving to the priorities of higher education, be it academic programs, scholarship assistance, or campus life. For our loyal supporters, please be extra nice to them this year, Santa. Their support has been instrumental in helping many institutions stay afloat.
 
In higher education we see America’s most racially and ethnically diverse generation ever. As we reflect on racism, diversity, and American identity, we ask you, Santa, to bring our universities the wisdom and energy to lead and model meaningful dialogue and action that responds to systemic racial inequities. Inspire us to look at ourselves critically, and to ask questions and listen to others carefully, and not to dismiss or condemn what we do not understand.
 
As you travel the globe and spread your good cheer, please ask Rudolph to illuminate the path ahead to mitigate the ongoing climate crisis. As a resident of the North Pole, you know all too well how global warming is affecting the homes and habitats of our friends and neighbors. No greater gift can be handed down to our children than an environment that will sustain all life on our planet. 
 
Finally, Santa, bring us a big empty box where we can place the disappointments from the year -- the cancelled plans, the milestones celebrated alone, the deeper heartaches and fears, and the terrible losses that we have faced. Help us carefully bubble wrap the lessons we’ve learned so that we can recall them again.

We will never forget 2020, nor should we want to, for it is in adversity that we learn our true mettle. But it would be nice to rest awhile, to let go of the heavy burdens of this last year to feel “normal” again. After this very toxic year, I guess what I’m really asking for is peace on earth for everyone. 
 
Please take care of yourself, Mrs. Claus, and all our dear friends in the North Pole. We need you now more than ever. 
Sincerely,
--
Scott D. Miller, Ph.D.
President
Virginia Wesleyan University
5817 Wesleyan Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
 
Phone: 757.455.3215

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Barclay Sheaks Gallery at 20 Years

Join VWU Professor of Art and art historian Dr. Joyce Howell as she walks viewers through a virtual gallery tour of "Barclay, Modernity, and the Environment: Barclay Sheaks Gallery at 20 Years," available here: http://ow.ly/qEYC50COC1M



Tuesday, December 22, 2020

VWU Athletics Returns with the 757 Showdown Tonight

We are so excited for the return of VWU Athletics as the Marlins men's basketball team plays the ODU Monarchs in the 757 Showdown presented by TowneBank. Watch LIVE tonight at 7pm: http://ow.ly/fjUx50CPzD6


Monday, December 21, 2020

Nota Bene: Weekly Update

 

December 21, 2020

Good morning,
I am pleased to announce Dr. Timothy Carter, President of Boston-based Second Nature, as the 2021 Commencement keynote speaker.

Dr. Carter became President of Second Nature in 2014. As President he is also the presiding officer of the Climate Leadership Network (formerly the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment). My involvement with Second Nature dates back to 2006 as one of the early presidents in ACUPCC. I served as Chair of the CLN from 2018-2020 and currently serve on the Board of Directors of Second Nature. That involvement has given me the opportunity to see Tim’s impactful leadership. 

Dr. Carter received his Ph.D. in Ecology with distinction from the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia and completed his B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Learn more about him here

We plan for the Class of 2021 to graduate at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 8 on the lawn in front of our Greer Environmental Sciences Center (weather and pandemic permitting). Should Virginia still be under restrictions regarding large gatherings in the spring, we will adapt how our 2021 Commencement exercises are executed. We are prepared for a number of scenarios and know that Dr. Carter will give an inspiring address to our graduates no matter the format. 
I'm also pleased to announce that Dr. David R. Black will serve as the speaker for our 2021 Baccalaureate Service.  

A university president for nearly 30 years and Executive-in-Residence at VWU the last five years, he assumed responsibility for the Lakeland University Japan and VWU Global (Japan) program earlier this month. He recently retired from a three-year term as interim President of Lakeland University’s parent campus in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. 

During his time at VWU, Dr. Black has played a key role in a variety of initiatives, including the establishment of the Batten Honors College, the Work and Learn Program, and the formation of the LUJ/VWU Global collaborative

In 2013 he retired after 15 years as President at Eastern University in Pennsylvania and was President of Lakeland from 1989 until 1998. He was the founder of the campus in Japan. He holds a B.A. degree from Lee University, M.S. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Ph.D. from Ohio University.  
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our friend and colleague Dr. Joseph Johnston Jr. Joe was the son of Virginia Wesleyan’s first president, Dr. Joseph S. Johnston Sr.

Joe was in high school when his father moved the family from the Washington, D.C.-area to Norfolk to help establish what would become Virginia Wesleyan University. The importance of higher education stayed with Joe his entire life.
 
After graduating from Granby High School, he received his B.A. from Randolph-Macon College and his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, both in English literature. He has an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
 
In 2013, Joe joined AGB Search, an executive search, interim search, and compensation evaluation services exclusively for higher education institutions, where he served as Senior Consultant and Director of Interim Search and the Compensation Evaluation Service. He stepped down in late 2019, capping off a decades-long career in higher education. He also co-authored invaluable resources for executive search, including "A Complete Guide to Presidential Search for Universities and Colleges" and "Presidential Compensation: A Comprehensive Guide for Higher Education Governing Boards and Chief Executives."
 
Beyond his professional contributions to higher education, Joe will be remembered for his kind heart, sense of humor, and friendship. He will be missed by all who knew him, and our hearts go out to his family at this time. Read more about Joe’s extraordinary life here
ET CETERA
VWU Global Campus will offer an online Master of Education (M.Ed.) with a concentration in Teacher Leadership starting in the Fall Semester of 2021. The new online M.Ed. is specially designed for licensed teachers who are interested in furthering their knowledge and skills and becoming leaders in the field of education. Because of this, the program should be attractive to students across the country from a variety of disciplines. 
 
Kudos to Dr. Bill McConnell, Director of Teacher Education, for his leadership. We look forward to sharing more about our newest VWU Global Campus offering in the new year.
We’re pleased that the Commonwealth of Virginia has provided an award of $305,546 toward our COVID-19 relief efforts. Special thanks to our colleagues at the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia for facilitating our request. 
 
Thanks also to Virginia Health Services for providing 2,000 COVID tests to VWU at no cost to assist in our January Term and Spring Semester testing program.  
The pandemic has caused us to revisit our plans for the future. Dr. Maynard Schaus, Vice President for Academic Affairs, has led a planning initiative these last four months to update the University’s strategic plan: Forging our Future: Building on Strength 2020-2030
 
The updated strategic plan is an interactive document with our 10-year Facilities Master Plan developed in 2016 utilizing a space utilization study and facility condition assessment. Our five-year financial business model is being revised now based on the changes to the strategic plan.
Over the years, we have devoted much space in this column to the importance of diversity and inclusivity at VWU. The appointment of a Chief Diversity Officer a year ago, the re-energized charge of the President’s Council on Inclusive Communities last summer, and our collaboration with top National Liberal Arts Colleges this fall for the formulation of LACRELA are some of our action items from a broader plan that was established in the fall of 2015.
 
We are dedicated to Building a Campus Culture of Diversity and Inclusion and created a timeline that documents the University’s efforts to do so since 2015. We’ve made this timeline public to show our commitment to our students, alumni, and friends for this ongoing priority of the University.
AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS
VWU Magazine: Winter 2020 Special Edition Now Available
Please enjoy our Winter 2020 Special Edition of the VWU Magazine, now available online. In this edition, you will find our 2019-2020 Annual Report and honor roll of donors. We sincerely thank our donors for their special support and care this year. Their contributions helped to make our year successful despite the challenges we have faced.
 
Congratulations to our individual contributors and to the Marketing and Communications department for producing another great issue. 
Virtual Art Galleries Available
The VWU art department is proud to offer four virtual galleries which have generated over 800 views online and provided the department the chance to learn and improve in the digital age. Kudos to the entire department for their hard work and initiative. 
 
The Power of Experiential Learning 
The Lighthouse: Center for Exploration and Discovery continues its initiative to connect alumni who have completed internships, study away, and/or undergraduate research with current and prospective students. The goal is to show the impact experiential learning can have on personal, civic, and professional lives. The latest entry for "Where are they now? Alumni Messages: The Power of Experiential Learning" comes from Hope (Hess) Black ’15. Hope’s internship involved working with the Victim Witness Assistance Program at the Adams County Courthouse in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Read her message to students here.
Chapter 5: “President to President” Series
The fifth chapter this year’s President to President thought leadership series is now available. In "Innovation in a Time of Transition," Hollins University President Mary Dana Hinton, Ph.D., describes how innovative thinking in higher education can advance efforts to achieve racial equality and social justice. 
 
The 2020-2021 President to President series titled "Fostering a Culture of Innovation" asks prominent higher education experts to share how their institutions have innovated in response to the previously unimaginable challenges that have recently impacted higher education. 
 
I have been proud to serve as Executive Editor of this thought series along with Dr. Marylouise Fennell, Senior Counsel at the Council of Independent Colleges and a partner in the search firm of Hyatt-Fennell, LLC, for the last 16 years. 
Susan T. Beverly Hall Renovation Continues
Progress continues on our renovation of Susan T. Beverly Hall, formerly the Fine Arts Building. In the Edward D. Hofheimer Theatre, installation of the new floor has been completed. Finished floor sealing will be completed in the next week. The special acoustical stage flooring is similar to that used in the Joan and Macon Brock Theatre of the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center. The new kiln shop on the east side of the building is coming together nicely. We look forward to completing the entire renovation by the time the spring semester begins.
TowneBank Arena is Ready for Marlins and Fans
Finishing touches are being put on TowneBank Arena in the Jane P. Batten Student Center. We look forward to the return of intercollegiate athletics this spring and can’t wait for our newly renovated arena to be filled with Marlins and fans once again.
This is the final issue of Nota Bene for 2020. As a campus community, we have faced some incredible obstacles and also celebrated some wonderful accomplishments this year. I offer my sincere thanks for your support and commitment to VWU. It has been one heck of a year. 
 
Annie and I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy new year. May 2021 bring us all hope, peace, and vaccinations.
STAY CURRENT ON VWU NEWS AND FEATURES
REFLECTIONS
I hope you find these links useful to my recent columns and publications:
CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: @vawesleyanprez 
Instagram: @prezscottmiller 
Flickr: Scott D. Miller 
(Be sure to subscribe to Dialogue for daily updates via email
Sincerely,
--
Scott D. Miller, Ph.D.
President
Virginia Wesleyan University
5817 Wesleyan Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
 
Phone: 757.455.3215