Dialogue: Nota Bene: Weekly Update

Today we come together to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It's a legacy that continues to inspire service, leadership, and unity across our nation. While we see evidence of this far and wide, we feel it right here as our campus and community unite today for the "Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service." We are grateful to Wesleyan Engaged: Center for Civic Leadership and Service Learning and VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads (VHR) for this program that so aptly celebrates Dr. King's life and contributions. Additionally, the Office of Academic Affairs and Marlin Ministries have collaborated to host a special recognition event today at noon in the Monumental Chapel on campus. More information can be found here. I hope to see you there. For those able to attend, an annual tribute, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ceremony and March, will be held at the Attucks Theatre in Norfolk at 10 a.m. All are welcome.

I look forward to remembering Dr. King as I attend the 35th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Community Leaders Breakfast this morning. Created in 1984 to honor the legacy of Dr. King, the event recognizes individuals and groups who promote positive images, exemplify community service, demonstrate the values that model those of Dr. King, and show evidence of the impact their contributions make on the lives of others. The Honorable Jerrauld C. "Jay" Jones, representative of the 89th district, will be sharing remarks at the breakfast. Thanks to the Urban League of Hampton Roads for organizing this event, one that VWU is glad to support.

It is a true testament to his work and vision that fifty-one years after his assassination, Dr. King is still bringing us together to improve our world. I encourage all to take time to reflect on Dr. King's life, a life that ended too soon, but one that brought everlasting change, a quest for social justice, and inspiration to think better, do better, and be better. With that, I will leave you with one of my most valued Martin Luther King, Jr., quotes; exemplifying his wisdom, character, and eloquence: "The time is always ripe to do what is right."

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As the federal government shutdown continues to impact Coastal Virginia and the nation, VWU is taking action. We announced last week that tuition deposits for furloughed families will be waived. Vice President for Enrollment David Waggoner shared: "We know this is a difficult time for many families. This is a way we can help financially, while also ensuring that a young person's education is not interrupted." For more information, please visit vwu.edu.

On the other side of campus, Wesleyan Engaged: Center for Civic Leadership and Service Learning is working with food banks across the region to host a non-perishable food drive. Goods collected will aid federal workers across Coastal Virginia who are financially affected by the furlough. Non-perishable foods can be dropped off at the Wesleyan Engaged office in the Jane P. Batten Student Center through February 15.

Virginia Wesleyan has experienced its own setbacks due to the shutdown. The January term chemistry course "Metrology: Measurement Science," a travel course to Washington, D.C., was cancelled due to closure of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Another Winter Session travel course to D.C. was also impacted. Funding has been affected for Dr. Audrey Malagon, Batten Associate Professor of Mathematics, who is developing course materials and leading workshops for faculty across the country as part of a grant she received from the National Science Foundation. Dr. Malagon noted: "We rely on this funding to continue to make broad impacts on the teaching of undergraduate differential equations." Additionally, our partners for the construction of Oxford Village--an eight-building, 248 unit, mixed-use housing complex to be constructed on VWU property across from the main entrance on Wesleyan Drive--report that their funding for the project has been delayed in Washington, D.C., because of the shutdown.

ET CETERA

I'm proud to share that a team of Virginia Wesleyan students will compete in The Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges (VFIC) 20th annual statewide collegiate Wells Fargo Ethics Bowl. Our team will deliberate ethics and social justice in the form of case studies, competing against other highly qualified teams from Virginia's 15 leading independent colleges and universities. Notable individuals from career fields including business, law, finance, education, and journalism will serve as judges, listening to presentations and offering reactions. The VWU team includes: Brandon Foster, Anitra Howard, Alex Powers, and Brianna Sandy. While the location rotates among the VFIC institutions, this year's will be held at Roanoke College, February 10-11. Dr. Steven Emmanuel, VWU Professor of Philosophy, and I serve on the Ethics Bowl Committee. Many thanks to Dr. Kathy Merlock Jackson, Professor of Communication, for her service as the faculty coordinator for the team.

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As the conversation continues about inclusiveness for all in the United Methodist Church, I was interviewed by The Washington Post as a spokesperson on this national issue. You can read the article, "United Methodist university leaders call for LGBTQ acceptance by church," in The Washington Post. This truly is "a pivotal moment in the Methodist Church and a pivotal moment in Methodist higher education." In case you missed it, additional coverage can be found in Inside Higher Ed, The Chronicle of Higher Education's Daily Briefing, and in The Laredo Morning Times. Read more here.

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After just one year, Virginia Wesleyan University Online is attracting attention in national rankings. VWU was named to the U.S. News & World Report's 2019 Best Online Bachelor's Programs. Read more here.

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I hope our Virginia Wesleyan alumni and friends in the Richmond area are making plans to join us on Thursday, January 31, at Southern Railway Taphouse for an Alumni Gathering. Learn more here.

AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS

It was great to see our friends from the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges (VFIC) and other member institutions on January 12 as Virginia Wesleyan hosted part two of the VFIC STEM education workshop series. The workshops are meant to provide a foundation for a long-term initiative in this area. Host institutions were selected in part to highlight some of the recently completed facilities among VFIC institutions. The VWU workshop was held in our award-winning Greer Environmental Sciences Center. Many thanks to our talented faculty who participated and coordinated the workshop, including: Chris Haley, Katrina Henry, Maury Howard, Elizabeth Malcolm, Bill McConnell, and Maynard Schaus. We were proud to welcome Matthew Shank, new president of the VFIC, to campus for the workshop. Read more here.

Great to host for a visit on campus longtime colleague and friend Kevin Manning, former president of Stevenson University in Baltimore. Kevin was one of the great transformational presidents in American higher education during his tenure there, and I'm sure his many talents and contributions will be long remembered.

We hope you can join us on Saturday, February 9, as we hold a special induction ceremony for the eleventh class to become members of the Virginia Wesleyan University Athletic Hall of Fame. A large crowd is expected. Please RSVP to secure your spot. Event details and registration information can be found here.

During what is the largest January term in Virginia Wesleyan history, students are accelerating their studies through unique courses, including study-away experiences. Read about the wonders of Winter Session 2019 and view the incredible photo gallery here.

Enjoyable evening last Monday at the beautiful new Zeiders American Dream Theater in Town Center as the Virginia Beach Vision Board of Directors celebrated VBV's 25th Anniversary.

With the home opener just over a month away for the two-time defending NCAA Champion Virginia Wesleyan University Marlins softball team, construction of the new scoreboard is underway and finishing touches are being done to the dugouts, stands, fencing warning tracks, field, bullpens, and batting cages at TowneBank Park / Broyles Field. The new auxiliary building is progressing nicely at Birdsong Field. Sidewalks went in on the west side (adjacent to the parking lot) of the new Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center last week.

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM MY WEEKEND READING

"What Does the Future Hold for Liberal Arts Graduates?" Voices of America reports: "Since their earliest days, American colleges and universities have based their study programs around what is known as the liberal arts. A liberal arts education does not require students to intensively study only one subject. Students choose a major like history or psychology for a liberal arts education. But they also take classes in other subjects that may not directly relate to their major. This is meant to give students a wider understanding of their world by showing them how different fields are connected." Read more here.
"Slover Library makes administrative break from Norfolk Public Libraries," reports The Virginian-Pilot. "Sources say the Slover will operate as its own department and its director will report to the chief deputy city manager, Wynter Brenda." Read more here.
The 2018 State of the Commonwealth Report says many upbeat things about how economic growth in Virginia has picked up.
The article "Think the Federal-Aid Process is Crazy? Here's Some 'Bureaucratic Sanity,'" in The Chronicle of Higher Education reports: "New guidance from the U.S. Education Department will ease the 'verification' process for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to give colleges more flexibility to verify students' financial information."
"Changes in Pell Grants and other financial-aid programs may be adding to hunger and poverty on college campuses, according to a new study from the Government Accountability Office," reports The Chronicle of Higher Education. Read more here.
"A survey of more than 4,000 faculty members about teaching materials shows an increasing awareness of open educational resources. But in the absence of institutional help, many professors have to devise their own solutions to make course materials more affordable for their students," reports The Chronicle of Higher Education. Read more here.