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The
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Weekly
VOLUME 97 | ISSUE 17
February 23, 2024
UMW administration proposes academic reorganization plan, faculty petition for proper governance procedures
Callie harkins Associate Editor As of Feb. 21, 67 UMW faculty members have signed a petition to urge University administration to submit the proposed Academic Reorganization plan—which currently calls for the consolidation of multiple academic departments—to the Curriculum Committee to “respect the principle of faculty governance” and follow the guidelines in UMW’s Faculty Handbook. The petition has garnered support from faculty in all three colleges—the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education and College of Business—and 16 of the 23 academic departments. The plan was co-authored by three faculty members associated with UMW’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors: Eric Bonds, president of the AAUP of UMW Chapter and associate professor of sociology and anthropology; Jason Davidson, vice president
of the chapter and professor of political science and international affairs; and Catie Finlayson, associate professor of geography who is a chapter member. “The petition indicates a very high level of concern among tenured faculty for your failure to respect the Faculty Handbook and faculty governance,” said Bonds in an email addressed to University President Troy Paino and Provost Tim O’Donnell, on behalf of the signatories. “Faculty petitions like this rarely occur at the University of Mary Washington. This level of public dissent is extraordinary and if it is ignored, it is likely to permanently erode trust that our faculty has bestowed on President Paino to this point.” The petition follows the release of the proposed Academic Reorganization plan created by members of the Academic Organization Working Group. This group was composed of six faculty members and
SEE PETITON, PAGE 2
The Academic Affairs Organization Final Model outlines the University’s proposed plans, which led to the faculty petition. UMW Board of Visitors
UMW Debate discontinues following director’s departure
Rachel bliss Staff Writer Barring their lack of exposure on campus, the UMW Debate Team was good. They traveled to and won competitions and tournaments, and this extracurricular activity helped its members develop critical thinking and communication skills whose effects stretched beyond the classroom. However, at the end of the 2022–2023 academic year, Director of Debate Adrienne Brovero left UMW to become the associate director of debate at the University of Kentucky. This left the team without a director and sufficient monetary funds, which ultimately resulted in the team’s discontinuation. Debate was housed at 1201 William St. where the team practiced policy debate in the basement of the building. Undergraduates were able to join the team as a way to develop their liberal arts education in service of their career as well as their citizenship. As a whole, debate has been a pillar in liberal learning for more than 2,500 years. Furthermore, according to the
News | 2 INSIDE UMW Debate
THE
RINGER
discontinues in search of new professor for program
UMW Debate Program website, the history of the debate team “can be traced to the literary societies that appeared after the College’s founding in 1908.” Literary societies were a way in which women could communally engage with and discuss literature in light of being excluded from educational institutions and clubs.
“We’ve fought for a while to continue to hire another director of the program, but we were told that it’s both not in the interest of the university—as well as the budget—to appoint a new director at the time.” - Avery Dover “For a university that historically represents critical thinking and political science and the ability to speak out, cutting a program like debate—which I think has some kind of like benefits for students—this is pretty disap-
Opinion | 3
Oversharing hits its limit: Lines blur between media and reality
pointing,” said Avery Dover, a junior political science and communication and digital studies major. Dover was recruited to the debate team by Brovero when she was director. He said that Brovero notified the team and university of her departure, but the process of finding another to fill the role has been difficult. Furthermore, with the university funding the team’s travel and expenses, once the director left, the university did not seem to see it fit to keep the program. “We’ve fought for a while to continue to hire another director of the program, but we were told that it’s both not in the interest of the university—as well as the budget—to appoint a new director at the time,” said Dover. Anand Rao, the chair and a professor of communication and digital studies, supervised the director of debate. He said that there was not a decision to cut the team, but when Brovero left Mary Washington in May 2023 to go to the University of Kentucky, the team’s late search for a director during the summer was unsuccessful. He said they are still working on a plan to find a new director.
Life | 4
UMW’s “True West” reins in audience with humor and comedy
SEE DEBATE, PAGE 2
Sports | 8
Coast-toCoast polls place UMW tennis teams on top
News
Friday, February 23, 2024
The
Weekly Ringer Editorial Staff
Debate strengthens liberal arts education FROM Debate, page 1
“I hope we will succeed in our search and can offer opportunities for students to join the team again soon,” said Rao. Editor-in-Chief The UMW debate team was a historNorah Walsh ically successful program dating back to weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com when Mary Washington was an all-women’s school. The team led students to beAssociate Editors come ranked in the top 15% of debaters Callie Harkins in the country, according to Dover, and in Emma Brennan 2020, UMW Debate took home third at the weeklyringer.associate@gmail.com American Debate Association’s Championship Tournament. The team also competed virtually during News Editor the COVID-19 pandemic in the fall semester Ky Huynh of 2021. At the end of the season, the team weeklyringer.news@gmail.com took home first at the American Debate Association’s Fall Championship Tournament. Opinion Editor There, Dover was awarded the top speaker Margaret Jackson award, and Ainsley Rucker ‘23 won second weeklyringer.opinion@gmail.com in speaking recognitions. In addition to Dover’s award, he has also placed three times at the tournament during his collegiate deLife Editor bate career. Charlie Li Senior history major Lance Hungar said weeklyringer.life@gmail.com that the debate team helped him in his personal life, and it also instilled in him the ability to engage in effective discourse. Sports Editor “It helps me talk to other people. And not Abbey Magnet just saying my point, but listening to them,” weeklyringer.sports@gmail.com he said. The debate team did outreach in the area Online Editor “everywhere except for Mary Washington,”
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said Hungar. However, he explained that the main problems with the team were that the director was “one foot out the door” with a new job ready at the University of Kentucky, the lack of university effort to recruit for and build the program and a lack of monetary support. “There wasn’t a ton of effort being put into recruiting and building, so it wasn’t a huge thing … people didn’t know about it,” said Hungar about the debate team’s exposure on campus.
“There wasn’t a ton of effort being put into recruiting and building, so it wasn’t a huge thing ... people didn’t know about it.” - Lance Hungar According to Dover, even when the school was recruiting, the scholarship for UMW’s Debate was pulled at the onset of University President Troy Paino’s administration, which offered less incentive for prospective students to attend the university. The Debate Program was composed of three teams: the varsity team that would travel to competitions, the junior varsity
team and a club team for less-experienced students or students who were not able to commit as much time to the team. In competitions and tournaments, the debates are separated into groups of two or by team. According to Dover, there is also individual debate, but no one on the team was interested in that style. While the junior varsity and varsity teams were both competitive, the club teams took part in less competitive styles called the Public Forum. Club members would also help facilitate and participate in public debate around UMW. The varsity team met from 6–8 p.m. on Tuesdays to discuss “tournament logistics, preparation and practice debates,” according to Dover. On Wednesdays, the club team met at 4 p.m. and the junior varsity team at 5 p.m. In addition to those regular meetings, there were also partner meetings twice a week for the varsity team and team bonding events on weekends when they weren’t competing. The UMW’s debate team being cut is ultimately a loss for the school and deprives students of an extracurricular activity that helps develop real-world and liberal arts skills as well as meeting new people and competing with new people. “It’s an activity that helps you think on your feet,” said Hungar. “It helps you speak, it helps you listen, it helps you analyze.”
Faculty positions to be eliminated in new plan FROM PETITION, page 1 co-led by Dean of the College of Education Peter Kelly, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Keith Mellinger and Dean of the College of Business Filiz Tabak. Starting in September 2023, the group was asked to create recommendations to “more effectively organize Academic Affairs to address the challenges that lie ahead and to accomplish our many goals” in a transparent and inclusive manner, according to faculty-wide communications from O’Donnell. On Dec. 1, 2023, the group presented their final report to the administration which proposed two organizational models. After receiving the group’s findings, the administration made several adjustments to the recommendations in an effort to keep administrative costs to a minimum. However, according to Finlayson, several aspects of the model chosen were not on the original proposals shared with faculty during the fall semester. “On Friday, February 2, President Paino and Provost O’Don-
nell released the final model they had selected – which was not one of the recommended models and called for the consolidation of multiple departments,” she said. “I was definitely surprised that the model they selected was so different from the two models the working group recommended.” Bonds sent Paino and O’Donnell the petition on Feb. 8—less than one week after Executive Director of University Communications Amy Jessee sent a faculty-wide email on behalf of the Offices of the President and Provost. The email provided faculty with updates on the model the administration had chosen. According to Jessee’s email, the chosen academic reorganization plan reduces the number of academic departments and eliminates two dean and several department chair positions in an effort to cut costs and promote equity across the academic departments and three colleges. The plan proposes a reimagined structure of the three colleges, which would be separated into the College of Arts and Sci-
ences, College of Business Computational Sciences and College of Education and Health. Within the College of Arts and Sciences, the departments would be divided into four schools: School of the Social Sciences, School of the Humanities, School of the Arts and School of Life and Physical Sciences. For the School of the Social Sciences, the Department of History and American Studies would be combined with the Department of Political Science and International Affairs. Likewise, the Department of Sociology and Anthropology would be combined with the Department of Geography. In the School of Life and Physical Sciences, the chemistry and physics, biology and environmental science departments would be consolidated into two departments. Furthermore, the departments of business administration, computer science, economics and mathematics would be merged into three departments within the College of Business and Computational Sciences. The logistics of these depart-
ment mergers—including the specific dean and department chair positions that would be eliminated—is not provided in the plan, but full implementation of the plan is expected in the 2026 fiscal year, according to O’Donnell. “It’s going to take a year because we’ve got to revise the [faculty] handbooks, we’ve got to change arrangements in Banner for budgets—there’s so much that goes into getting this to the place where it will be,” said O’Donnell at a Board of Visitors meeting on Feb. 16. The petition takes no position on the merits of the proposed plan but rather seeks to address the failure in procedure taken by the University as outlined in the current Faculty Handbook. It requests that the administration submit the plan to the University Curriculum Committee in order to allow greater faculty input. “[O]ur goal with the petition was to ensure that faculty had an opportunity to reflect on the plan and offer their ideas and see petition, page 7
Friday, February 23, 2024
Opinion
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Blurred between online and reality: Oversharing may be acceptable online but causes discomfort in the classroom
HARRIET KING Staff Writer We are in the age of opinions; the online world has opened countless opportunities for us to give our opinion on anything and everything we choose—with little to no consequences for the average individual. Celebrities and popular influencers are held to a slightly higher level of accountability due to the scrutiny of the public eye, but “cancel culture” rarely applies to your average student or adult.
“I feel like it comes in part from the need to be heard, and feeling like nobody’s really listening.” - Stephanie Coleman This constant online exchange is one reason that people tend to overshare in person, as the line between online and in-person etiquette starts to blur and people have a harder time adhering to social norms in the “real world.” However, it is important that we re-learn these notions of what topics are appropriate to discuss and in which context, as some discussions pertain to sensitive issues that could make others upset or uncomfortable. The intimacy of the online world has created areas where stories can be told in “safe” and somewhat anonymous places, giving rise to movements such as #MeToo in which thousands of women shared
their experiences with sexual violence and destigmatized sexual assault nationwide. However, sharing intimate and vulnerable personal information is not all positive, as it can open individuals up to harsh critique and hate. Additionally, with trends circulating online, we can expect to see topics like sexual assault in content related to the #MeToo movement. On social media, we are prepared for such discourse, as sharing detailed and personal information is commonplace, but outside of such, there is a different expectation for how much we should share—or at least there used to be. When sharing this type of information occurs in excess online, some individuals bring the same approach to their public, in-person lives, and raising such topics of discussion is unfit for certain types of conversation and settings. Nyla Burton, a staff writer for The Verge, wrote in a recent article, “If the whole point is to share something, how should we think about the choice of what to share and what not to share?” Stephanie Coleman, the program manager and counselor at the Rappahannock Counsel Against Sexual Assault, attributes social media, the need to be heard and an acquired numbness to be some reasons why oversharing occurs on a daily basis. “I feel like it comes in part from the need to be heard, and feeling like nobody’s really listening,” said Coleman. “Social media is also a big part of it; people are so used to putting their entire life out there in 30-second blips or other things that they’ve become numb to oversharing. They can’t pick
When oversharing occurs online, it may seem normal, but when it happens in real life, it could cause adverse reactions and feelings of discomfort. Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer
up on social cues anymore because we live in a world of DM’s and instant messaging, so once they meet in person, they aren’t picking up on the fact that it’s too much.” The amount that we share online under the guise of being anonymous, as well as the normalcy of oversharing online, has seeped into reality. For example, on YikYak—a popular media site that establishes anonymous community forums for those in a common population, such as universities—students post about anything, from campus crushes and announcements about campus events to their mental health struggles and vendettas against people on campus. It is here that we see a stark difference between privacy norms online versus Oversharing in a classroom setting has created concerns about Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer in person. As a result of their comfort amongst peers. enmeshment, oversharing in “A student disclosed that their whole public can elicit strong feelings of discom- family dealt hard drugs and that they fort because it breaks our expectations of personally did as well,” said Barrón. “The how much someone should share and in teacher looked uncomfortable and seemed what context. to find it difficult to make a smooth transiThese changes are not just occurring on tion between that comment and the topic a nationwide scale; UMW students and of discussion.” faculty alike have noticed an uptake in the In an article for the Wabash Center, amount and type of information that stu- an online resource for college professors dents share in class. worldwide, Dr. Nancy Lynne Westfield Associate Professor of Psychological described her personal thoughts about the Sciences Dave Kolar has noticed a shift in dynamic she tries to create in her classthe types of interactions that occur in the rooms. classroom. “Students are definitely “Students are definitely sharing more about themselves in the classroom and in sharing more about themoffice hours than they have in the past. selves in the classroom This is particularly the case with mental and in office hours than health issues,” he said. “At one level, it is they have in the past.” great that there is less stigma around mental health issues so students feel more comfortable sharing. But it is important to not - Dave Kolar overshare, particularly in the classroom.” There are several reasons why students According to Westfield, “Too much should not overshare in public spaces like shared personal information is never a way the classrooms, but it often boils down to to strengthen the dynamics of a classroom an issue of comfort. discussion, lesson plan, or teaching rela“There are times when I can see other tionship…I tell students that we do NOT students in the class feeling uncomfort- have a contract of confidentiality in our able with the amount of sharing someone discussions and to consider anything said is doing. When that happens I will make in this space as shareable with the world.” sure to talk with the student outside of For the sake of the professor’s and stuthe class about what and how much is ap- dents’ comfort, professors should estabpropriate to share and things usually work lish boundaries like this in their classes so out well,” said Kolar. that everyone can identify the standards Sophomore psychology major Isa Bar- of what is appropriate in-class discussion rón described a situation that occurred in material versus private information that a class earlier in the semester where a stu- should be reserved for their friends and dent overshared in class and it made both family. students and faculty uncomfortable.
Friday, February 23, 2024
Life
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A tale of transformation: UMW Theatre’s “True West” reins in audience as bridling brothers find common ground
From left to right: Austin, played by Mason Clark, and Lee, played by Seth Drenning, get into a physical altercation early on in the show. Photo courtesy of Geoff Greene.
eRIKA LAMBERT Staff Writer Sam Shepard’s “True West,” delves into the complex dynamic between Austin, a dignified individual who writes screenplays played by senior theatre and physics major Mason Clark, and Lee—senior theatre major Seth Drenning—a rugged alcoholic thief who lives in the desert. But greater than their sense of individual identity is their brotherly connection, which fuels the havoc-ridden plot of the show. The estranged brothers are reunited when their mother—played by senior theatre and English double-major Maddie Baylor—takes a trip to Alaska and tasks Austin with the responsibility of caring for her home while she is away. In the meantime, Lee is temporarily residing in the house, planning to steal from the other houses in the neighborhood. As “True West” unfolds, Austin seeks the approval of Hollywood producer Saul Kimmer— senior theatre major Nathaniel Huff—and faces significant challenges in writing a true Western screenplay. In a surprising twist, Lee presents his own screenplay idea to Kimmer who accepts it over Austin’s, initiating a compelling exploration of ambition, rivalry and the unpredictable nature of success in Hollywood. In a hilarious and unexpected turn of events, the brothers in “True West” gradually begin to transform into each other. As Austin finds himself going through a drunken haze, Lee takes on the unlikely role of a screenwriter, attempting to put his movie idea into words. But Lee’s lack of education and dependence on Austin’s skills in typing lead to the brothers striking a deal: Austin agrees to assist Lee in crafting his screenplay, and in return, Lee promises to fulfill Austin’s new fantasy by taking him to the desert. As the collaborative efforts between the two unfold, the house is left in chaos. Their mother returns earlier than expected from her Alaskan expedition, and both brothers scramble to apologize for the havoc wreaked in her absence. For the actors, preparing for their characters is a vital aspect of the rehearsal process. For Clark, this meant finding the source of his character’s emotional shifts. To
portray his character well, he “needed to deeply invest in Austin’s hopes,” said Clark. He continued, “Austin doesn’t change personalities, he just reveals a different side to himself that he didn’t want to acknowledge before.” Gregg Stull, chair of the UMW Department of Theatre and Dance and producing director of UMW Theatre, said that casting challenging roles requires “experienced actors whose process can lead them to a deep connection with the characters and the willingness to be vulnerable to an audience while realizing the demands of the roles.” About the lead roles in “True West,” Stull attributed the actors’ closeness and ability to be vulnerable with each other on stage to their frequent collaboration over the past four years.
In a dramatic twist, Lee assumes the role of a screenwriter, a role Austin had before his drunken haze. Photo courtesy of Geoff Greene.
Nathaniel Huff plays Hollywood producer Saul Kimmer in UMW’s production of “True West.” Photo courtesy of Geoff Greene.
“I was fortunate that these four actors have worked together frequently over the past four years and shared a connection that helped them trust each other from the very first rehearsal,” said Stull. He continued, “My work as a director is to create an environment where the actors have the stimuli they need to bring the play to life. I also have to create a culture in which they feel brave and can explore the intensity of the characters’ emotional lives.” The themes of family and brotherhood resonate throughout the show, and despite the tension between the brothers, they recognize a shared identity. While seemingly in competition, the brothers subtly admire each other’s lives, which leads to their personal growth and helps them connect over a shared frustration over their alcoholic father. Both brothers harbor anger and fear of becoming like their father but cannot fully abandon him. Seeking help from their mother, they discover she is as lost as they are. “It’s all love,” said Clark about the show’s underlying message. “It’s tough to see from outside, but if they didn’t love each other, there would be no reason to stay. I think with all families, no matter how frustrating it gets, you always forgive each other and keep loving each other.” The technical side of the production that occurs behind the scenes is not readily visible to the audience, but it holds significant importance in the play—especially with interspersed classic country hits that play during scene transitions and contribute to the lively atmosphere. “There are two scenes in the second act that have major changes to the set. We rehearsed both of the transitions many times, and we even changed the tracks that we had several times over,” said Maddie Chin, the first assistant stage manager and a sophomore theatre major.
SEE TRUE WEST, PAGE 5
Friday, February 23, 2024
Life
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Graduating actors perform Sam Shepard’s “True West”
FROM TRUE WEST, PAGE 4 “It was a lot of collaboration and effort from every single person on the stage management team as well as the run crew.” Martha Stitt, the sound engineer for the show and a junior theatre major, rehearsed with the production team to curate the technical aspects of the show and collaborated with the light board operator to make sure they hit their cues at the right time. “During tech rehearsals, we had the opportunity to discuss how the sound felt in the scene with the other designers, production members and the director,” she said. “Since the sound cues tend to align with the light cues throughout the show, I am working together with the light board operator to listen to the stage manager and ensure everything runs smoothly.” The collaboration between the actors, director and production team fostered a passionate environment to work in, according to Baylor. “It is always lovely to work alongside people who take their work so seriously and approach the process with the same level of passion,” she said. “I am eternally grateful for their dedication and the support that they give us every day; they are always the first ones to arrive and the last to leave.”
In addition to the friendships made during the rehearsal process, the impact of the performances extends beyond the theatre, providing the cast with valuable insights about both themselves and the world. “Every time I perform, I learn so much about acting and the world we inhabit, and through this experience, I’ve learned a lot about family and what it means to be an adult and reckon with the skeletons in your family’s closet,” said Huff. But it’s not just the actors who can leave the stage with these impressions; the audience is meant to as well. “I want our audience to think about the play long after they leave–to consider how our hopes and dreams can also lead to profound disappointment,” said Stull. “I hope, as well, that our audience considers that people are complex and we never really know the inner lives of those around us.” Without a doubt, the effect has been achieved. As I exited the theatre and made my way home, the play lingered in my thoughts, causing me to yearn for the characters and relive the emotions that filled the theatre during the performance. “True West” runs from Feb. 15–25 with showings at 7:30 p.m. from Thursday to Saturday and a matinee show at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Austin and Lee’s role reversal creates a humor-filled drama of rivalry and exploration. Photo courtesy of Geoff Greene.
Personal essay: Taking the gym by storm, one rep at a time CLAIRE marshall WATKINS Staff Writer Growing up, I was the kid who got in trouble during class for reading yet another book beneath my desk. In elementary school, my friends and I preferred telling stories at recess rather than competing for a spot to play basketball on the blacktop, and as a teenager, I got most of my exercise by taking long walks through my neighborhood or learning whatever choreography I needed to learn for the musical I was in at the time. I continued those long walks at the first university I attended, but when I transferred to Mary Washington this year, I decided to try something new. For a long time, I used my busy schedule as an excuse not to exercise, but now that I’ve committed to prioritizing my physical health, I’ve found a way to carve out time to work out just about every day. Regularly going to the gym helps keep me balanced—pun intended. Last autumn, I started to work out at the gym in my subdivision. It’s really just a tiny room in the basement of the neighborhood clubhouse with a few pieces of equipment practically stacked on top of each other, but it gets the job done. As this is my first semester at Mary Washington, when I obtained my EagleOne card at the end of January I also gained access to a bigger gym: Goolrick.
Goolrick gym is located next to the Jepson Science Center and the Hurley Convergence Center. Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer
Along with the fitness center, Goolrick also houses open courts and an open pool. Charlie Li / The Weekly Ringer
The first time I went, it was a nasty day at the end of January. The air was much too cool and the rain came in spitting bouts. Even though I already knew how to use a couple of the machines, the larger space at Goolrick felt daunting. I managed to do a few exercises but felt self-conscious; everybody around me appeared to be an expert and I didn’t even know how to adjust the machines for my admittedly diminutive height. After half an hour, I left, frustrated with myself for not doing more. Maybe the tiny neighborhood gym was my speed after all. I didn’t go back to Goolrick for a week. Instead, I went back to exercising at home while I looked up beginner workouts online and watched videos on how to adjust the height and seats on the machines. When I went back, I felt more confident and a little less self-conscious—enough so that I convinced myself to try a couple of new machines. After a while, I even found
myself watching a girl using one I’d never seen before. I walked closer to try and figure out how she was doing it, but I must have gotten too close because she noticed me standing there and stopped her workout. Before I could stammer an apology for interrupting, she asked if I wanted to “work in” with her and a friend. I looked at her blankly, not knowing how to respond. I was so new to gym culture that I didn’t even know what “working in” meant. She must have realized, though, because she quickly explained, and I took her up on the offer. We spent the rest of our time in the gym together that day, and we exchanged contact information before we went our separate ways. She told me that she worked out at the same time nearly every day and that I was more than welcome to join her in the future. We met up again the next day, and she walked me through a few more new machines and exercises. Since then, we’ve maintained a near-daily routine, alternating days of upper- and lower-body weight training with a healthy serving of balance and core exercises on the side. After a month of using the leg press machine, I can now press 1.31 times my body weight, which may not sound like much of an accomplishment to someone who’s spent longer in the gym, but I’m pleased. As a result of going to the gym, not only am I grateful for the improvements I’ve made, but I’m also happy with the increase in endorphins my body’s producing these days that help me control all the stress that comes with taking a heavy load of college classes while finding my way around—and finding my place—at a new school. Recently, a good friend of mine told me that he finds people who can motivate themselves to go to the gym impressive—“and a little scary, but that’s unrelated,” he joked. I knew exactly what he was talking about when he said it because I used to feel the same way. I’m still not sure where I found my initial motivation to hit the gym, and to keep going day in and day out, but I’m glad I did and am grateful to have met a friend who was willing to help me along the way.
Friday, February 23, 2024
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Students omitted from discussion about reorganization plan FROM PETITION, PAGE 2 concerns through our faculty governance system, whether that’s through the University Curriculum Committee (which is specified in the handbook as the group tasked with reviewing such plans) or the broader University Faculty Council,” said Finlayson in an email to The Weekly Ringer. Many faculty feel that any decision regarding structural changes of the academic affairs model that would have implications for the makeup of departments and programs should be made in accordance with the procedures outlined in the handbook. “The faculty handbook lays out—particularly as it relates to changes in faculty governance, so combining departments, those types of things—that there should be an opportunity for formal consultation to faculty,” said Rosalyn Cooperman, department chair and professor of political science and international affairs who is also a petition signee. In addition to viewing this as a governance issue, faculty members have raised concerns regarding the potential consequences of the proposed plan, such as what it may mean for the campus community. “I have three junior faculty who are assistant professors, which means they have not been through the tenure and promotion process,” said Cooperman. “So my concerns are: what would reorganization changes look like for folks who are just getting started in their career who we think are fantastic and we want to remain a part of the department because of the nature of their teaching, the nature of their research and their contributions to the University community?” Although not all academic departments would be expected to undergo major changes following the implementation of the plan, some signatories view the petition as a way to show support for their colleagues who would be greatly affected. “A second aspect is the question of solidarity,” said Marcel Rotter, chair and associate professor of the modern languages and literature department who also signed the petition. “While my own department has no problems being part of the School of the Humanities, I understand that other programs are not very happy about their new ‘home.’” Some professors question the purpose and implementation of the plan. “To me, what’s unclear is what we’re trying to achieve, why we need this, why we need these changes? What evidence
do we have that they can achieve the goals that the administration would like to meet? ” said Bonds. “Is this the best way to achieve those goals? I just think, for that reason, it worries me to have a really rushed process. It seems like there’s time to let the faculty governance process play its course.” Jackie Gallagher, chair and associate professor of the geography department and the lone member of the Academic Organization Working Group to sign the petition, believes that greater consideration is necessary before the plan is implemented. “My sole goal in signing the petition was to slow down the process,” she said. “I think there are repercussions that have not been considered and I hoped that having to follow some additional procedure might slow adoption of a new organization so that consequences can be thought through before adoption.” Chair of the Curriculum Committee and Professor of geography Dawn Bowen said that while no submission of the proposed plan has been made to her Committee, she has observed what may be the beginning of efforts to gather more faculty feedback. “We agree that there needs to be greater faculty input and I believe that is starting to happen through meetings,” Bowen said. “Faculty do see that this is a governance issue.” Rachel Graefe-Anderson, chair of the University Faculty Council and professor of business, said that greater opportunities to pose questions and provide feedback will be offered to faculty following a coordinated effort with the deans of the three colleges. “We encourage participation in the process, and as more faculty have turned their attention to the topic, we reiterate that we want these concerns, critiques, ideas and opportunities to come through UFC,” she said. During a University Faculty Council meeting on Feb. 21, attendees were told that their comments would be collected through the end of next week, and at the next UFC meeting on March 20, responses to that feedback would be provided. At the meeting, Paino said that he hopes the plan will be finalized within the next month, according to Finlayson. While faculty have been granted an opportunity to provide feedback, there has been no communication to students from the University throughout this entire process. Those who have heard about the pro-
Crime Column Ky Huynh News Editor The Crime Column is based on UMW Police reports from Feb. 14 – Feb. 16.
posed plan have primarily received information from their own professors. Others have heard it from fellow students, but a large portion is unaware of the plan’s existence. “I was not aware of the academic reorganization prior to this interview and was a little shocked when I learned about it,” said Ethan Sweeny, a sophomore geospatial analysis major during an interview with The Weekly Ringer. “I would have appreciated if the university would have held public information meetings or sent out emails about the possibility of these changes happening before they took the next steps in the implementation process.” Upon hearing about the proposed plan, some students said that they would not have attended UMW if their respective department was combined with another when they were applying to colleges. “To be honest, the geography department itself was one of the most major factors in my decision to come here. If they did not have a specific department for geography and GIS, I do not think I would have picked this school, especially when George Mason and JMU have programs for it,” said Elisa Luckabaugh, a senior geography major and president of the UMW geography club.
“I am profoundly concerned that in their haste to make relatively small financial savings, the administration is choosing a cure that will kill the patient.” - Jason Davidson Kat Donovan, a junior anthropology major and president of the UMW sociology and anthropology club, feels similarly to Luckabaugh. “Though I love what I study, anthropology is already a very limited field considering UMW only focuses on cultural anthropology,” she said. “Combining it with other said subjects would only dilute it more and to me, demeans the importance of anthropology as a field of study.” Some students and faculty are concerned that these consolidation efforts will decrease the resources and support available to students within the affected disciplines. “This school has an award-winning geography department with a passion-
ate community of students, and it makes UMW a special place for me,” said Luckabaugh. “I’m afraid that if this program were dissolved and mixed into other departments, that it will limit opportunities for student research and involvement, which is something that is so valuable and readily available in the department at this point in time.” Cooperman echoed Luckabaugh’s concerns. “We are very interested and very invested in our students’ success through providing them the content, training, support and guidance [and] mentorship that we do,” she said. “So those are the things that make me anxious. If there are things that may get in the way of our doing that or make it more difficult, then that is certainly cause for concern.” Many students wish that they had been formally informed of this proposal and given an opportunity to provide their own feedback. “Instead of combining [departments], I feel the school should see what the students want, and what they are interested in,” said Donovan. “We are a humanities and liberal arts school, and it looks like we don’t take that seriously as an institution.” The University hopes the plan will bolster recruitment, retention and fundraising efforts, but many are skeptical of the positive impact the administration claims these changes will have. “I am profoundly concerned that in their haste to make relatively small financial savings, the administration is choosing a cure that will kill the patient,” said Davidson. “For example, if our admissions drop by five percent because students see a combined Political Science/History/International Affairs department as not valuing any of those majors, then what is the benefit of savings on a combined department chair?” Even with the chance to provide feedback over the next few weeks, some faculty are skeptical of the merit that their comments will be given in light of the administration’s expressed haste. “While I appreciate the administration’s willingness to listen to faculty feedback and am pleased that the UFC will be collecting comments, my optimism is tempered,” said Finlayson. “There’s a crucial difference between simply listening to faculty input and actively empowering faculty to participate in governance and in shared decision-making and my hope is that we can move toward the latter.”
Vandalism On Feb. 15 at 12:18 p.m., there was a case of vandalism at Virginia Hall. This case is pending.
Sports
Friday, February 23, 2024
Page 8
University of Mary Washington
Coast-to-Coast Conference surveys coaches for preseason polls, UMW tennis teams in Spring Sports Schedule
Tayin Rivera-Dorazio Staff Writer
In a notable year for UMW Tennis, the Coast-to-Coast Conference posted their preseason polls on Feb. 2, ranking UMW’s men’s and women’s tennis teams first overall. The polls are based on the results of a survey that the coaches fill out, and while the rankings tend to reflect the confidence of coaches across the conference, they also serve as goal-setting markers for the teams. According to Alex Covington, the head coach of the women’s tennis team who was hired in May 2022, the formula for sustained success comes from leadership from coaches and seasoned players.
being ranked first reinforced the close-knit culture between the athletes on both teams. “I definitely view us more as one team than it seems, because obviously we’re not playing together, but it feels like it,” said Riley Smith, one of the captains for the women’s team who is pursuing a Master’s in business administration. “We care a lot about the men’s team and vice versa. It’s expected that we go to each other’s matches and so it’s really exciting everything that we do; I want them to be just as successful and definitely be rooting for them.” Cooper praised the men’s team for their support of the women’s team.
Abbey Magnet Sports Editor
Men’s Basketball (16-9)
Feb. 23 vs. C2C Tournament Semifinal Feb. 24 vs. C2C Tournament Championship
Women’s Basketball (15-8) Feb. 23 vs. C2C Tournament Semifinal Feb. 24 vs. C2C Tournament Championship The UMW men’s tennis team poses together.
@umwathletics / X
The UMW women’s tennis team poses together.
@umwathletics / X
Men’s Tennis (2-0)
“The returners are able to prepare the younger players and set the tone for what the expectations are and give them teammate exposure and prepare them for what’s to come for the season,” she said. “As a coach, I prepare them, but having it come from the players carries a different weight.” Covington spoke on what it meant to be ranked first. “It’s a credit to what the team has done last year,” said Covington. “It’s very humbling to be chosen—not a lot of schools are, and we’re very lucky. We’ve got a talented group of people, and I really enjoy seeing their talent recognized.” The women’s tennis team has a strong history of finishing on top of their standings, as the team has won 19 consecutive conference championships. During the 2019–2020 and 2022–2023 seasons, the team finished with a winning record, overcoming their seed that placed them lower than other teams within the conference that had stronger records.
“In the past, the guys always bring the team, show up to the match- Feb. 17 vs. Averett (8-1) es, cheer them on. You know, we’re close to them,” he said. “[With] vs. Washington College (8-1) the teams being so small, it’s really easy to get to know the team really Feb. 24 vs. Kenyon vs. Stevens well and just work hard.”
“We’ve got a talented group of people, and I really enjoy seeing their talent recognized.”
“We feel like we’ve definitely done a lot to earn the kind of position that we’re in as a team,” said Cooper. “We’re really excited to battle Men’s Lacrosse (1-2) it out against these players to these other teams that are ranked high Feb. 17 vs. Roanoke (10-9) Feb. 24 vs. Bridgewater (Va.) as well.” The men’s and women’s tennis teams at UMW hosted their open- Feb. 28 vs. Eastern
- Alex Covington Men’s tennis at UMW has a similar story to the women’s team. In three of the past five seasons—with the exceptions being the 2019– 2020 and 2022–2023 seasons—the men’s team was seeded at the top of the standings in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, and they have also won two consecutive conference championships. Andrew Cooper, a senior biomedical science major, attributed the men’s team’s success to the culture of hard work they’ve developed. “We’re putting in work all the time,” said Cooper. “That kind of culture is what really contributes to the team that we have right now. I think the one thing that Mary Washington does really well is we work hard, keep developing your skills and develop yourself as a player while you’re also here at school.” In addition to the effort they’ve invested in their athletic careers,
“I definitely view us more as one team Women’s Tennis (1-0) 17 vs. Washington College than it seems, because obviously we’re Feb. (7-2) not playing together, but it feels like it.” Feb. 24 vs. Vassar - Riley Smith
Feb. 25 vs. Swarthmore
Men’s Baseball (4-0)
Nationally, the women’s tennis team is ranked 27th and the men’s Feb. 18 37th across all 328 Division III NCAA tennis teams. Due to their vs. Washington College (6-5) standings, both teams are in the 90th percentile of teams in the U.S., Feb. 25 vs. Westminster (Pa.) Feb. 26 vs. Westminster (Pa.) according to NCSA College Recruiting.
ing regular season meet on Feb. 17 against Averett University and Washington College. Both UMW teams began their seasons unde- Women’s Lacrosse (1-1) feated, with the men’s team starting 2-0 and the women’s team start- Feb. 17 vs. Lynchburg (17-6) Feb. 21 vs. Randolph-Macon (12ing 1-0. Mary Washington will host the Coast-to-Coast Championship 9) Feb. 24 vs. Stevens May 3–5. Feb. 28 vs. Washington College Games are available to watch via livestream on the UMW Athletics webpage www.eagles.com/composite Full schedule not listed above.