Dialogue: Nota Bene: Weekly Update

January 10, 2022

Good morning,

Happy New Year, Marlins! 2022 has not started off the way we hoped, but it’s wonderful to have students, faculty and staff back on campus, creating a safe and vibrant learning community.

We welcome Dr. Susan Larkin as the new Vice President for Academic Affairs. This announcement also includes the appointment of Dr. Loren Marquez as the new Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs.

I am also pleased to share the appointment of Dr. Antje Schwennicke as Dean of the Birdsong School of Social Science. Dr. Schwennicke is an Associate Professor of Political Science and the Coordinator of NATO Partnerships. She previously served as Assistant Dean of the Batten Honors College.

Congratulations to all! Let’s finish January Term strong and have a wonderful spring semester.

Virginia Wesleyan University and Chatham University’s Falk School of Sustainability and Environment (Pittsburgh, PA) have agreed to priority admission for their Master of Sustainability (MSUS) program and Master of Arts in Food Studies (MAFS). Eligible students must maintain an overall minimum GPA of 3.3 for the MSUS program or 3.0 for the MAFS program and have completed at least 110 total credit hours at VWU.

This agreement gives our Marlins the opportunity to continue their studies and interest in sustainability and the environment at one of the earliest schools of its kind. The relationship with Chatham University came from both universities’ active involvement in the Climate Leadership Network. I’m the immediate past-chair of that group, and David Finegold, President of Chatham, is chair-elect. The two of us recently co-presented “Campus Strategies for Responding to Climate Change” at the Council for Independent Colleges’ Presidents Institute (see below for more news about the institute).

For more information on this new agreement, as well as our agreement with the Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment, visit our Accelerated Degrees/Preferred Admission webpage.

With pride, I share the Fall 2021 President's List and Dean’s Lis t. Congratulations to the 77 students on the President’s List who achieved a 4.0 grade point average and to the 262 students on the Dean’s List who achieved a 3.5-3.99 grade point average for the fall semester. A commendable accomplishment, especially given the continuing challenges presented by the pandemic. Well done!

To qualify for these honors, students must have full-time status and have taken at least nine semester hours of traditionally-graded courses. These individuals demonstrate a remarkable level of dedication to their academic pursuits. Congratulations to all of these students!

For the past 31 years, I have opened the new year by attending the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) Presidents Institute. The largest meeting of its kind in the country, it is the premier annual meeting of college and university presidents. Although my schedule is routinely filled with a variety of meetings and events on campus and around the country, I always find this CIC gathering of 350 private college presidents to be a time of personal reflection and restoration, regardless of the format.

Last year, this event was offered virtually, and this year, fellow presidents and I were in a bubble January 3-9.

Based in Washington, D.C., CIC works to raise the quality of education and strengthen resources at some 770 independent colleges, universities and higher education organizations. CIC's 2022 Presidents Institute explored the theme of “Recovery, Reckoning, Reinvention” and other important issues of presidential leadership. It drew on the lessons learned by experienced campus CEO's and the perspectives of other distinguished speakers.

This year's trip was very productive:

On Wednesday, I presented “Campus Strategies for Responding to Climate Change” with presidential colleagues David Finegold (Chatham University) and Hilary L. Link (Allegheny College). (Pictured top right.)
On Thursday, I participated in the panel “No Margin, No Mission: Presidential Strategies for Performance and Financial Health” with presidential colleagues Fayneese Miller (Hamline University), Daniel G. Lugo (Queens University of Charlotte) and Weymouth Spence (Washington Adventist University). The panel was moderated by Sean Creighton, President of New American Colleges and Universities. (Pictured bottom right.)

In addition, the following meetings took place:

A meeting with Academic Search, Inc., Board of Directors, a group I chair;
A meeting with the American Academic Leadership Institute Board of Directors (I serve as vice chair);
A meeting of the New American Colleges and Universities Board of Directors;
A meeting with the Council of Independent Colleges Online Course Sharing Consortium, a collaborative we joined in 2019;
A meeting with Wiley Education Services, our partner in developing VWU Online;
A meeting with Ellucian, our partners in campus technology;
A meeting with Derck & Edson of Lititz, PA, the firm that facilitated our 10-year Campus Master Planning efforts.

Although there are many recent developments and trends that bring uncertainty and demand vigilance--for VWU and other institutions--I am confident that with persistent effort on campus and through strong connections to colleagues in the higher education community and beyond, we will continue to find success.

ET CETERA

I am pleased to inform you that through the generosity of the E.K. Sloane Fund of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation, VWU is purchasing a Steinway Spirio piano for DeFord Manor. The Steinway Spirio Player Piano will be utilized in the East Room of DeFord Manor to provide ambiance and entertainment for gatherings held there.

A dedication for DeFord Manor was planned for early February. However, out of an abundance of caution, it has been rescheduled for May.

AROUND TOWN AND ACROSS CAMPUS

Urban League of Hampton Roads Honors Jane Batten H’06

Jane Batten, the University’s incredible friend, supporter, and Trustee Emerita, will be honored by the Urban League of Hampton Roads during the 38th Annual Martin Luther King Community Leaders Awards on Monday, January 17 at 8:00 a.m. Since 1984, the MLK Community Leaders Awards have honored individuals and groups who exemplify service, demonstrate the values modeled by Dr. King, and make significant contributions to the Hampton Roads community. Grammy Award-winning artist and philanthropist Pharrell Williams will serve as the event’s keynote speaker. Registration for this virtual event is free and open to the public.

MLK Day Commemoration: Now a Virtual Event

Our annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemoration event will be next week on Monday, January 17 at 6:00 p.m. on the VWU Digital Broadcast Network. Our keynote speaker will be Dr. Veleka Gatling, ODU Director of Diversity Initiatives and First Lady at our neighboring Ebenezer Baptist Church. The program will include the presentation of the Mavis McKenley ’11 Award to a student who embodies the ideals of Dr. King. I hope you make plans to tune in to our special virtual event.

The Arts at VWU: January/February 2022 Calendar

Our calendar of events for the Arts at VWU for January and February 2022 can be found here.

Coach Elliott Honored Among Top 20 Best Coaches in Softball

Kudos to Head Softball Coach Brandon Elliott ’03 who was named in the top 20 of the top 100 coach rankings of 2021. He is one of only three Division III coaches to claim this distinction.

Bobbie Laur Appointed Next President of Campus Compact

Campus Compact is a national coalition of nearly 1,100 colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education and is the only national higher education association dedicated solely to campus-based civic engagement. VWU has enjoyed membership in this commendable organization for many, many years. We offer our congratulations to incoming President Bobbie Laur who currently serves as associate vice president for outreach at Towson University and simultaneously serves as executive director of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU). Learn more.

LSSU’s 2022 Banished Words List

Lake Superior State University’s annual irreverent list of phrases it would banish includes only three out of 10 related to the pandemic, a reversal of last year’s. New normal, you’re on mute, and supply chain are the three. No. 1 on this year’s Banished Words List, which the institution has compiled since 1976 to “uphold, protect, and support excellence in language by encouraging avoidance of words and terms that are overworked, redundant, oxymoronic, clichéd, illogical” and nonsensical is: Wait, what? Learn more.

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:

University Business