Dialogue: Nota Bene: Weekly Update

The spring meeting of the Virginia Wesleyan University Board of Trustees was held virtually last Wednesday. We thank Board Chair John Malbon for his strong leadership always, and we are particularly grateful for it during this unprecedented time.

I am especially pleased to share that the Board approved the naming of two campus facilities in honor of longtime benefactors and friends. The recently renovated main entrance will be named "The Sue Benton Birdsong Entrance Gate at Virginia Wesleyan University" in memory of the late Sue Birdsong, wife of Trustee Emeritus George Birdsong, and the original Fine Arts Building will be renamed "Susan Beverly Hall" in honor of alumna Susan Beverly '72. We look forward to adding appropriate signage in the near future.

The meeting opened with a special presentation by the Emergency Response Team with an update and discussion on the COVID-19 crisis. The Board expressed appreciation to Maynard Schaus, Keith Moore, Jim Cooper, and Jason Seward for their "tireless leadership during these challenging times."

The Board heard reports and approved actions from the Committee on Trusteeship as well as the Audit, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Administration and Finance, Investment, Advancement, and Enrollment Committees.

Policy and procedure actions included:

Re-elected Officers of the Board of Trustees for 2020-21.
Re-elected the Board of Trustees Class of 2020 to a new three-year term.
Expressed appreciation to Trustee Ron Kramer, who was named to Emeritus status.
Expressed appreciation to Troy DeLawrence '94, retiring Chair of the VWU Alumni Council.
Recognized Rob Kohler '93, the new Alumni Council Chair, who is ex-officio on the Board.
Affirmed operational actions by University leadership regarding the COVID-19 crisis.
2020-21 updates to the Bylaws of Virginia Wesleyan University to include VWU Global Campus.
Re-affirmed the Virginia Wesleyan University Mission Statement.
Approved the 2020-21 Staff Policy and Procedure Manual.
Approved the 2020-21 Faculty Handbook.
Approved the 2020-21 Organizational Chart.
Approved the 2020-21 Academic Catalog.
Approved the 2020-21 Online Degree and Graduate Catalog.
Approved the 2020-21 Student Handbook.
Approved the updated Athletics Mission Statement.
Approved the 2020-21 Student-Athlete Handbook.
Approved the 2021-21 Athletic Department Policy and Procedure Handbook.
Accepted for the record the University's NCAA Campus Sexual Violence Attestation.
Approved the Class of 2020 graduates.
Affirmed Emeritus status for Trustee Ron Kramer and faculty members Michael Hall (English) and Jayne Sullivan (Education).
Approved the "Environmental Guiding Principles of Virginia Wesleyan University."
Approved naming the entrance (Sue Benton Birdsong Entrance Gate), the original Fine Arts Building (Susan Beverly Hall), and rooms and studios inside Beverly Hall, in recognition of University benefactors.
Approved the final executed LUJ-VWU Global (Japan campus) Agreement and entered it into the record.
Accepted the revised 2019-20 budget as presented (with significant revisions as a result of the COVID-19 crisis).
On recommendation of the President, deferred action on a 2020-21 budget until June.

We are grateful for our Board of Trustees and for their continued enthusiasm and commitment. They are a critical asset to the success of Virginia Wesleyan University, its students and alumni.

# # #

Congratulations to our graduates! As I shared above, the Board of Trustees approved the Class of 2020 at last week's meeting and though not in the fashion we had originally planned, we made it official on May 16. A virtual Commencement celebration video was emailed to all students on Saturday at 11 a.m. and posted to our University social media. It was a privilege to congratulate these graduates, share a special message, and confer their degrees. View the video here.

The Virginia Wesleyan University Class of 2020 will always be special to us and will be remembered fondly, serving as an inspiration for so many Marlins to come. They have made their mark on VWU history and in our hearts.

ET CETERA

VWU Goes Remote: Professor Bryson Mortensen

Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Music Bryson Mortensen shares his interesting experience with the shift to remote delivery of instruction, and what it means for choral ensembles. Read more here.

Summer Sessions

Summer Sessions begin this week and there is still time to register. Whether you're behind in coursework or planning to graduate early, enrolling in summer courses at VWU gives you the opportunity to accomplish your goals in a cost-effective way. Catch up or get ahead through VWU. We offer five terms throughout the summer and you can learn more here.

Virtual Campus Visits

We've created a wide array of "virtual visit opportunities" for prospective students and their families to learn more about Virginia Wesleyan. These can be found here and include a Virtual Marlins Day Open House, Virtual Campus Visit, Freshman Virtual Information Session, Transfer Student Virtual Information Session, Virtual Athletics Open House, Batten Honors College Virtual Information Session, Meet a Marlin Student Videos, Faculty Videos, and a Message from the Director of Financial Aid.

AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS

It was such an honor to present this year's Norfolk Sports Club Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete Award to Hanna Hull of Virginia Wesleyan Softball. In my 30 years as a college president, I have never seen a student-athlete as dominant in any sport, on any level, at any school. Congratulations to Hanna, who is not only an outstanding athlete, but also an amazing student, strong leader, and extraordinary person. View the virtual presentation and learn about Hanna's many accomplishments here.

Progress is still going strong on our new TowneBank Arena. Thanks to Inside Business for this feature on our new space made possible by our good friends at TowneBank.

I participated in a discussion on higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of a virtual series hosted by the Coastal Virginia Chamber of Commerce. It was nice to connect with fellow West Virginia Wesleyan College alumnus Gus Godsey who is now the director of the newly-formed CVCC. Watch it here.

Last month VWU's Dr. Benjamin Dobrin, Dean of the Watts School of Professional Studies, partnered with our good friend Chris Stuart, Vice President of Top Guard Security in Norfolk. They presented "COVID-19 and the Private Security Industry" via Zoom at the ASIS Hampton Roads Chapter Meeting. The recent adoption of Temperature Scans to the region's various workforce scenarios and broader issues of Public Health were discussed.

In case you missed it, Virginia Wesleyan will welcome three new faculty members for the 2020-2021 Academic Year. Joining the Marlin family in August is Abdullah Al-Alaj as Assistant Professor of Computer Science, and Drs. Claire Berube '83 and Rebecca John, both with the rank of Assistant Professor of Education. Read more here.

Our newest issue of the Wesleyan Review is available. Read about the latest VWU news and events here.

STAY CURRENT ON VWU NEWS AND FEATURES

Virginia Wesleyan University Magazine

The Pharos

REFLECTIONS

I hope you find these links useful to my recent columns and publications:

The Virginian-Pilot

University Business