Spider Insider: Autumn 2023

Spider Insider Spider Insider

TAKE A PEEK AT SOME OF CAMPUS’S NEWEST SPACES

UR — recently voted the No. 1 most beautiful campus by the Princeton Review — provides a dwelling for an abundance of wildlife, including deer, turtles, snakes, squirrels, and even the occasional otter. On a recent trip to the Eco-Corridor, campus photographer Jamie Betts got a close-up look at some of the birds that have made campus their home.

BIRDS OF SUMMER

1) Northern cardinal

2) Red-eyed vireo

3) Carolina chickadee

4) Song sparrow

5) Eastern towhee

Vice president for communications and chief marketing officer

Tom Addonizio

Associate vice president for communications and media relations Cynthia Price

Editor Cheryl Spain

Associate vice president for creative and design services

Samantha Tannich

Graphic designer Ashley Hill

Photographer Jamie Betts

Staff contributors: Lauren Anesta, María Badillo, Sunni Brown, Sandi Cauley, Megan Condict, Kevin Creamer, Catherine Amos Cribbs, Rachel Dawson, Matthew Dewald, Phillip Gravely, Paul Heltzel, Terrance Henderson, Kevin Heraldo, Alicia Hubbard, Pamela Lee, Rachel Long, Katie McBride, Kyra Molinaro, Amy Ogle, ’26, Cynthia Price, Gordon Schmidt, Sandra Shelley, Cindy Smith, Greg Thompson, and David Vinson

 President Hallock was there to lend a helping hand on move-in day.

Onward and Upward

Dear Fellow Spiders,

STAY CONNECTED

Read more of President Hallock’s messages to the University community — or share your thoughts or ideas with him at any time — at president. richmond.edu.

As we embark on a new academic year, I’m so grateful to welcome nearly 1,000 new Spiders to our university community — including our new provost and executive vice president of academic affairs, Dr. A. Joan Saab — and to continue to partner with all of you to make the future of our university even brighter.

To guide this work, we completed a new strategic plan this past spring, A Plan for Richmond. A pocket-sized version of the plan is available in the middle of this issue. The plan reflects a great deal of thought and input from our university community. It’s a roadmap outlining five areas of opportunity to take our university to greater heights: Academic Excellence; Belonging & Community; Access & Affordability; Well-Being; and Experiential Learning & Community Engagement. We’re now focused on identifying how best to operationalize our strategic priorities into specific actions. At the same time, we will be turning to campus space planning and identifying philanthropic priorities to raise the funds necessary to realize our vision.

As we continue our upward trajectory, we will continue to have incredible opportunities to engage and celebrate as a Spider community this year. I am particularly grateful to colleagues across campus for working together to coordinate our inaugural Research Symposium cele-

brating the work of staff and faculty on September 22 and Spider Day festivities on October 27. The symposium showcased our colleagues — across UR’s disciplines, programs, and schools — presenting their scholarly and creative projects. By sharing our work, we can benefit from our community’s collective expertise, deepen our understanding of one another, and spark new ideas. Thanks so much to Elizabeth Outka and Lidia Radi for leading the planning efforts, and thanks to all our presenters for participating and inspiring our community.

Spider Day will kick off Homecoming Weekend, bringing together students, staff, faculty, alumni, and friends to celebrate our shared web. Many cross-campus colleagues, led by Samantha Tannich, have worked over the summer to plan the day’s events, starting with a “Spiderific” lunch service at the Heilman Dining Center and culminating with an evening festival under the lights on Millhiser Green. I hope to see you there!

Another great academic year at Richmond has begun. Thanks so much for your partnership in making this a remarkable place to work, learn, and grow. I‘m so proud of the dedication and support our staff and faculty show one another and our students. Please remember to take care of yourselves and look out for others.

Sincerely,

Kevin F. Hallock President

Researchers and Record Holders

UR welcomes the Class of 2027

It was another record-breaking year for undergraduate applications at the University of Richmond, with 15,763 students hoping to become UR’s newest Spiders. The 841 who make up the Class of 2027 come to UR from 43 states and U.S. territories and 36 countries, including Vietnam, Greece, and Zimbabwe. They have the highest academic profile to date based on GPA and test scores, and they are incredibly accomplished.

Many have already completed advanced research. One spent more than two years researching C. difficile infections and helped develop a wipe that makes its spores visible under ultraviolet light. Others researched prison systems and solitary confinement, the impacts of the Holocaust on the mental health of the children and grandchildren of survivors, and the effect of a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet on dance injuries.

“Our incoming class is comprised of students who have achieved both academically and personally,” said Stephanie Dupaul, vice president for enrollment management. “In addition to their academic excellence, they have interesting hobbies and extracurricular activities that bring diverse perspectives and a lot of energy to our campus.”

One started a nonprofit that raised more than $20,000 and provided 2,000 backpacks filled with school supplies for students in Texas and Zambia. One was among the first female members of the Boy Scouts of America. One held a Guinness Book of World Records title for the world’s largest slime.

In a recent enrollment update, Dupaul shared that although the enrollment management team typically gets credit for ‘bringing in the class,’ it’s the work of the entire University community that makes it happen. “The truth is that they are not here because of us, but because of [those of you] who have made Richmond such a wonderful place.”

Official data will be available after the University’s census date, Oct. 1, via the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

SOCIAL BUZZ

A roundup of reactions to posts on @urichmond:

Dr. de Sa was the best professor for comparative anatomy for sure! I’m so glad to see that he’s still mentoring students and collaborating with them to continue this important evolutionary biology research. 10/10 would recommend UR for a biology bachelors.

—Hilary Rinsland via LinkedIn

Gender inclusive housing and queer housing are such passion projects of mine. It was amazing to work with VP Steve Bisese and his team on gender inclusive housing options and glad to see this wonderful living-learning program!

—Diana Reighart via LinkedIn referring to the Lavender Living Community, UR’s newest living-learning program

841 traditional undergrad first-year students

49 transfer students

3.79 average GPA

27% U.S. students of color 15% first-generation students 11% international students

Can’t wait! Mom and dad are ’96 alum, and our son will be class of ’27! Spider born and Spider bred!

—Carole Ann via Facebook

Steve Nash, Mike Spear, Gene Anderson, Joyce McAllister, Steve Barza….the longer I think, the more I remember! They were all great. It was 40 years ago that I was getting ready for my very first day as a Spider.

—Leslie Elizabeth Shotwell via Facebook

Love the helpful staff and faculty in the Professional and Continuing Education department. They have worked with me to find a grad class for teacher’s recertification.

—Marlyn Spitalny via LinkedIn

Love this piece on one of our best! So proud of you, Janelle, and all you bring to our mission.

—Martha Merritt via Facebook

Referring to a story about Janelle Peifer’s teaching and mentoring in University of Richmond Magazine

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @urichmond

THE CLASS OF 2027 AT A GLANCE

Automated parcel and mail lockers — 525 to be exact — in the Campus Post Office (pictured), Marsh Hall, and Gateway Village make it easy for students to pick up their mail anytime day or night, close to where they live.

New Spaces

As the fall semester kicked off, the campus community was met with fresh — and revitalized — campus areas designed for work, recreation, inspiration, and even moments of self-reflection.

The Department of Undergraduate Education and the Education Studio (pictured) moved from North Court to Fountain Hall. In addition to updated offices, classrooms, and restrooms, ground floor renovations included the creation of a lactation room.

The base and turf from two intramural fields was removed and replaced, with the rubber sub-surface being traded for a sustainable, organic pine infill. The rubber infill was reused at Robins Stadium.

The renovated Information Services suite and Help Desk in Jepson Hall brought all IS staff together under one roof. Skylights bring natural light into the open, collaborative space.

(Left) The labyrinth behind Cannon Memorial Chapel provides a quiet, meditative space for the campus community.

(Right) About 700 square feet of low-maintenance sedum was installed on the University’s first green roof. Part of a multiphase renovation at the School of Law, the roof improves the work environment for building occupants while greatly reducing the heat island effect.

ACCOLADES MEDIA MENTIONS

The Princeton Review ranked UR high for ACADEMICS, CAMPUS OFFERINGS, and STUDENT EXPERIENCE — and No. 1 “MOST BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS” — in its 2024 edition of The Best 389 Colleges. The Princeton Review also named UR to its list of “BEST VALUE COLLEGES” for 2023, ranking UR No. 3 among private schools on the “TOP 20 BEST SCHOOLS FOR INTERNSHIPS.”

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education recognized UR as a CENTER FOR SUSTAINABILITY

ACROSS THE CURRICULUM As a newly established center, UR will build upon the success of the River City Project, the University’s sustainability-focused faculty development workshop, by hosting an abridged version of the two-day workshop open to faculty, staff, and administrators from other colleges and universities in Virginia.

The National Association of College and University Food Services awarded UR two LOYAL E. HORTON DINING AWARDS. Dining Services received gold awards in the Residential Dining Facility and Catering, Special Events categories.

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, using American Rescue Plan Act funds, awarded the University of Richmond Department of Public Safety $78,000 to improve coordination with city and county first responders and expand resources to limit trauma and loss of life in the event of an emergency.

Second Nature, a nongovernmental organization focused on accelerating climate action in higher education, awarded UR PRO BONO CONSULTING SERVICES up to $20,000 to aid campus climate projects. The services of planning and advisory firm Brailsford & Dunlavey will be used to help integrate climate action and resilience planning into high-level campus planning efforts.

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education awarded UR two 2023 CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE AWARDS. University Communications received gold in the Design/ Illustrations category for “The Steals GOAT,” and the Office of Donor Relations received silver in the Leadership/Change Management category for “Streamlining Internal Gift Documentation Process and Procedures.”

The Public Relations Society of America –Richmond Chapter awarded the Office of Donor Relations five VIRGINIA PR AWARDS. UR received Awards of Excellence for the Within the Web donor newsletter and “Pillars: A Report on the Impact of Giving” and awards of merit for the Giving Spotlights blog, the Weinstein family donor impact book, and the Paragon Medal presentation.

“‘I couldn’t outrun my trauma’: nobody talks about parenting with complex PTSD” quoted psychology professor JANELLE PEIFER, a licensed clinical psychologist. “Some of the often-overlooked symptoms might be the somatic symptoms,” Peifer said about complex PTSD. “The physical signs that might be recurring are headaches, migraines, stomach issues, insomnia, sleeplessness — those physical signs that may be indicative of the chronic stress the body has been under for long periods of time.”

Accounting professor ROBERT PAWLEWICZ was quoted in “EY Battles Internal Strife In Wake of Abandoned Break Up.” “It’s more of an economic question than an audit quality question,” Pawlewicz said about the challenges for Ernst & Young. “It’s a business model question at this point for EY.”

Leadership studies professor DAVID WILKINS, a member of the Lumbee Nation of North Carolina, was quoted in “United Nations watchdogs raise concerns about Nooksack evictions, again.” “Many thousands of people have been disenrolled or otherwise spurned by 80-plus tribes since the mid-1990s, when casino revenues surged,” Wilkins said. “Each instance is different with personal and political strife sometimes more important.”

Law professor DA LIN was quoted in “Execs from failed banks should forfeit paychecks, says U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown.” Lin, a financial regulation expert, was one of three expert witnesses who testified during the Senate Banking Committee hearing earlier this year. “Failed oversight is seldom a demonstrably deliberate act, and senior bank leadership, in particular, are often immunized by the diffuse decision-making processes that characterize most large and midsize banks,” Lin said.

“He rapped ‘Murder on My Mind.’ Now, jury will decide if he’s behind a double homicide” quoted liberal arts professor ERIK NIELSON, an expert on the use of rap lyrics in court and coauthor of Rap on Trial. “In court, rap songs are treated as confessions, proof of intent or threats, whether written before or after the crime,” Nielson said.

ALEXANDRA BYRUM, director of communications and community relations in equity and community; KYLE REDICAN, Spatial Analysis Lab director; and TOM SHIELDS, associate dean in SPCS and education professor, coauthored “By mapping Richmond's past and present, our future comes into focus,” celebrating the legacy of the late John Moeser, longtime Bonner Center for Civic Engagement senior fellow. “All of us, in some way, have been touched by Moeser’s love of maps and their use in fighting social injustice in the Richmond area,” they wrote.

Head women’s swim coach MATT BARANY was quoted about wearable technology related to sports performance and mental health in

“A Discussion On Swim Training: Is It An Art or Science?” “Some of the coaches leaving the sport right now aren’t prioritizing mental health,” Barany said. “As a young coach you can engage in all the most progressive technology, but if you aren’t looking out for the mental health of your student-athletes your career is going to be very short. It goes back to having relationships. We can have all the gadgetry we want, but if you don’t have healthy relationships you aren’t going to get the result you want.”

Visit news.richmond.edu to view additional media mentions or connect with University Communications’ Media and Public Relations team, Cynthia Price, Sunni Brown, and Lauren Anesta.

Living Near the Fire

The thought of living near an active volcano probably sounds like an unimaginable risk to you — and rightly so. An active volcano is never safe. From molten avalanches of rock to razor-sharp lung-shredding ash, volcanoes threaten people’s lives and property. Yet 500 million people worldwide live and work under the shadow of active volcanoes.

Their motivations range widely. For some, strong cultural beliefs and traditions keep them in place. For others, volcanoes offer significant economic opportunity. For the most vulnerable, poverty traps them in dangerous locations.

CENTERS OF IDENTITY

Numerous cultures and Indigenous peoples revere volcanoes as places of worship, ritual, and tradition that are celebrated for their power over fertility, life, and sustenance.

For a number of religious traditions, Mount Fuji in Japan is a place where ancestral spirits congregate. It has been a symbolic and sacred site of pilgrimage for centuries. Every summer, thousands of people ascend through the clouds to reach the summit.

For the Tenggerese people on Java, Mount Bromo is a deeply sacred site. Every year they hike up the volcano carrying agricultural products and livestock to be sacrificed during the Yadnya Kasada festival.

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

Volcanic landscapes can offer rich mineral resources, such as gold, silver, and amethyst, which are mined for export, and volcanic soils

are among the most fertile in the world. They contain essential minerals and nutrients such as iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and trace elements that are essential for plant growth. They also have high organic matter content, good pH balance, and strong water retention, making them ideal for agriculture.

In addition, volcanic terrains often create unique microclimates that are ideal for growing high-value crops such as grapes, coffee, and bananas.

Striking landscapes, unique geological features, and the thrill of proximity draw tourists to active volcanoes worldwide.

LOW-COST LAND

Not everyone who lives next to a volcano does so by choice.

At Mount Merapi in Indonesia and Mount Mayon in the Philippines, two of the world’s most active volcanoes, subsistence farmers live and work on the steep slopes. In 2010, 250 people were killed by searing gas clouds during an eruption of Mount Merapi. Despite the tragedy, many people who did survive stayed put because leaving their crops behind would mean financial ruin.

As scientists get better at predicting eruptions and likely paths of destruction, sometimes the danger of volcanoes can be mitigated with good communication and solid evacuation plans. Even so, life beside a volcano is a complex interplay of risk and reward.

By David Kitchen, associate professor of geology and associate dean in the School of Professional & Continuing Studies

Indonesia’s Mount Merapi spews lava during an eruption on May 23, 2023. Over 250,000 people live nearby. DEVI RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Image.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

A complete list of The Conversation articles, including this one by Kitchen, is available at news.richmond. edu/placements/ conversation.html.

Faculty interested in writing for The Conversation can contact Sunni Brown, director of media and public relations, at sbrown5@richmond. edu or Lauren Anesta, media relations manager, at lauren. anesta@richmond. edu.

Reprints of The Conversation articles appear frequently in Spider Insider, University of Richmond Magazine, and UR Now (urnow. richmond.edu).

500 million people worldwide have active volcanoes as neighbors

A Season of Opportunity

Faculty take advantage of summer months to further their academic endeavors

For the more than 425 full-time University of Richmond faculty, the summer is a prime opportunity for scholarly endeavors. With classrooms largely empty, professors immerse themselves in research excursions, engage in vibrant collaborations with colleagues in their fields, present at conferences, and diligently fine-tune journal submissions or book manuscripts — often traveling beyond the familiar campus borders to do so. Here’s what a handful of UR’s faculty were up to this summer:

DENIZ BESIK, assistant professor of analytics and operations

The paper promotes sustainability within the agri-food industry through examination of the triple bottom line — profit, people, and planet — as a way to measure organizational impact.

“The agri-food sector faces various significant challenges, particularly regarding its environmental impact. However, several obstacles hinder progress, such as the high costs associated with implementing sustainable farming practices, concerns about yield reliability, insufficient financial support, and a tendency to prioritize short-term gains over long-term benefits.”

Besik and her coauthors are in the process of submitting their work to a journal for publication.

Robins

School of Business

Besik’s research is on agricultural supply chains, with a specific focus on sustainability and social concerns such as food insecurity. In July, she presented her paper “Competitive Agricultural Supply Chain Network Model with Environmental and Social Sustainability Considerations” at a conference in Paris.

JOEL B. EISEN, professor of law University of Richmond School of Law

For more than 20 years, Eisen’s scholarship has focused on the development of laws and policies to address climate change by transitioning from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy. In June, he traveled to Hawaii, where the majority of electricity on Molokai Island is generated from diesel fuel sources and residents pay

An image from the Mars Rover in bromoil, a 19th-century photographic process that results in a textured, paint-like print.

Brittany Nelson, Spirit of St. Louis Crater, 2022, unique bromoil photograph, 42 x 70 inches

as much as four times the national average.

In collaboration with Hawaii’s top energy experts, Eisen analyzed the development of the citizen-led Molokai Clean Energy Resilience Action Plan as a framework for the island’s electric company to put more renewable energy in place.

“I learned a lot about the ongoing planning process and local involvement that would have been challenging to do from afar,” he said.

Eisen is coauthoring an article on the Molokai energy transition for the Washington University Journal of Law and Policy with Mark Glick, Hawaii’s chief energy officer.

BRITTANY NELSON, associate professor of photography and extended media School of Arts & Sciences

Nelson is a conceptual artist who uses 19thcentury photography processes to create modern, research-based art. Her work addresses themes of loneliness, isolation, and distance within the LGBTQ+ community and its parallels with space exploration.

In June, a large-scale research project took Nelson to California to interview scientists at the SETI Institute, dedicated to understanding the origins and prevalence of life and intelligence in the universe; Nelson is the current artist in residence. She also spent a week at the Hat Creek

Radio Observatory, home of the Allen Telescope Array — a group of 42 radio telescopes designated for SETI Institute research.

“I left the ATA with 420 medium-format negatives, many hours of video footage, and several hours of audio from interviews that will be used to make a collection of artworks.”

Nelson’s work will be the subject of solo exhibitions at the Patron Gallery in Chicago and the Quartz Studio in Turin, Italy.

ERIK NIELSON, professor of liberal arts School of Professional & Continuing Studies

Nielson spent his summer working with Recording Academy and 300 Elektra Entertainment to push legislation making it harder to use creative expression as criminal evidence. He testified before the Maryland House of Delegates and traveled to Louisiana and New York to consult with legislators.

Nielson, co-author of Rap on Trial, has served as an expert in criminal cases across the country. He argues that rap lyrics deserve the same First Amendment protection as other forms of creative expression. Some states have passed laws based on his research.

“The summer is ideal for this work because that’s when legislative sessions tend to come to a close and bills like these get consideration.”

In the coming months, Nielson will likely testify in a number of cases, including that of Atlanta rapper Young Thug. A documentary related to his work is set for release within the year.

BO YUN PARK, assistant professor of leadership studies and sociology

Jepson School of Leadership Studies

Park is a sociologist whose recent work investigates how political strategists create narratives of leadership for presidential candidates in the digital age. She spent her summer in South Korea conducting research to inform her book Is (S)he Presidential? The Changing Scripts of Political Leadership in the Digital Age

Drawing on insights gained from interviews with high-profile political operatives in the U.S., France, and South Korea, Park’s book will demonstrate how strategists craft scripts by tapping into the collective ideas and beliefs people have about politics and perceived political issues and by adapting to cultural changes associated with social media and the digital age.

“I immersed myself into the South Korean case by going to the national archives and better familiarizing myself with South Korean politics in preparation for the quantitative and qualitative analyses I plan on conducting in the months to come.”

FALL FACULTY VENTURES

Several faculty have received grant funding to support their research this fall.

Religious studies professor Douglas Winiarski will spend this academic year in residence at Monticello working on his next book on religious violence in the Jefferson era through a $50,000 fellowship from the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies.

Africana studies and sociology

professor Deborwah Faulk received a fellowship to incorporate The HistoryMakers — the largest video oral history archive of the Black experience in the country — in her course Sociology of Black Families, offered for the first time at UR this fall.

With support from the American Mathematical Society, mathematics professor Heather Russell and a team of UR undergraduates will begin work this fall on a new project to further her research focused on algebraic geometry and combinatorial representation theory.

THANK YOU, SPIDERS!

For more information on this year’s UR Here Giving Day results, including impacted areas, leaderboards, and challenges, visit urhere.richmond.edu.

Giving Back to Our Community

In April, Spiders around the world showed their support for students during the University’s fifth annual UR Here Giving Day. More than 3,200 donors provided $1.6 million in just 36 hours.

As an alum and SPCS Dean’s Ambassador Circle (DAC) member, UR Police Department Maj. Eric Beatty played a significant role in UR Here’s success. In honor of the school’s 60th anniversary, the DAC, a leadership committee of dedicated SPCS alumni, faculty, and friends, offered a combined $20,000 challenge for gifts made to SPCS during UR Here. SPCS won the leaderboard challenge for the most donors.

“UR continues to provide me with so many opportunities, lifelong memories, and friendships,” Beatty said.

“Giving back regularly is one way for me to support the next generation of Spiders.”

A former Spider football student-athlete, Beatty is also a loyal donor to Spider Athletics. During UR Here, Spider Athletics set a record by raising more than $800,000, a 17% increase from last year. Contributions to Spider Athletics on Giving Day have increased by more than 65% since 2021.

“The growth athletics has had since I was on the field is incredible,” Beatty said. “New fields, buildings, administrative positions, and

technology have really improved the University’s opportunity for success. It’s exciting to see all these things come together.”

This fall, Spiders will have another chance to give to students through Spiders Helping Spiders. The annual fall initiative encourages gifts targeting financial need. Support for Financial Aid, the Student Emergency Fund, and the Career Opportunity Fund enables students to stay on track when they face financial difficulties or need targeted assistance to prepare for work and life after graduation.

In 2022, more than 800 donors — including 58 faculty and staff — raised nearly $350,000 during the event.

Martha Callaghan, vice president of Advancement, said that the generosity provided by faculty and staff is inspiring and deeply appreciated. In fiscal year 2023, 445 staff and faculty donors contributed nearly $542,000 for UR’s students and programs.

“Our talented faculty and staff represent the very best of our University community,” Callaghan said. “I am thrilled to have the support of my fellow Spiders as we aim to provide students with an unparalleled educational experience.”

URPD major, Spider alum supports SPCS and athletics on Giving Day

In 2022, more than 800 donors — including 58 faculty and staff — raised nearly $350,000 during the event.

Laying the Foundation

New curriculum serves as “web of inquiry” for students

In May 2021, after more than four years of planning, drafting, and responding to community feedback, UR faculty voted to adopt a new Foundational Curriculum. It’s the first major change to the current general education curriculum — a set of courses taken by all undergraduate students before graduation — in more than 30 years. The redesign reflects the University’s commitment to preparing students for a rapidly changing job market and evolving global landscape.

The Foundational Curriculum is “a broad range of topics, approaches, and methods that set students up for success as intellectuals and citizens of the world in the 21st century,” said Joanna Love, director of general education. “The goal is to educate students from a variety of perspectives in a variety of fields, encouraging them to think critically, to look at things from multiple viewpoints, and to learn their roles and their strengths.”

Serving as a “web of inquiry” for students, the Foundational Curriculum fosters deep knowledge within one’s major while also broadening perspectives through the exploration of other disciplines. Students will select from an approved set of courses that serve as the foundation for their liberal arts education while meeting requirements in six areas of inquiry — historical; social; literary and textual; visual and performing arts; natural science; and symbolic reasoning. In addition, they’ll strengthen their knowledge of

quantitative data literacy; written and embodied (oral as well as visual and performing arts) communication; and power, equity, identity, and culture — all areas important to today’s employers. The model also calls for a First-Year Seminar, second-language proficiency, and wellness modules designed to encourage a healthy lifestyle. An optional integrative learning pilot program encourages students to reflect and make connections across their experiences and courses from their four years at Richmond.

“We have this really interesting community with so many talents and skills, and we’re finding ways to make connections between them all,” Love said.

Despite challenges brought on by the pandemic in 2020, faculty and staff worked tirelessly to keep the curriculum redesign on track for launch in fall 2024, something Love says “speaks volumes about the passion for the work and getting it done.” Earlier this year, faculty cohorts created assessment measures for each area of the new curriculum as well as the faculty development required for the new areas in which faculty intend to teach. Development began in June, and faculty began submitting initial course proposals in September.

“We’re creating this amazing opportunity for our students,” Love said. “We’re a liberal arts university, and we can be really creative and shape their education in a way that is less possible at larger institutions.”

LEARN MORE

For more information about the Foundational Curriculum, visit gened.richmond.edu.

“We have this really interesting community with so many talents and skills, and we’re finding ways to make connections between them all.”

 Photo courtesy of Special Olympics of Virginia

SUMMER CARE Little Scholars is an educational summer youth program for children of full-time employees. This summer, the program attracted more than 100 participants.

Offered through Human Resources and paid for by the University, sessions last one week and cover a variety of themes. Recent camps include:

• Galactic Adventures

• Scientists in Training

• Backyard Games

• World Travelers

• Under the Sea

Learn more at hr.richmond.edu.

Summer Synergy

Cross-campus collaboration ensures a summer of successful programming at UR

As students move out and graduates toss their caps, one might expect the University to settle in to a few quiet months before the start of the new academic year. But life on campus doesn’t slow down during the summer — not for employees and not for the visitors UR hosts.

This summer, UR welcomed nearly 8,000 guests for a variety of programs including sports camps, business conferences, and large-scale events.

“These summer programs show off the University in a very good light,” said Rick Glass, director of camps, conferences, and external events.

“They also help fill our campus during what would normally be considered a downtime after graduation and before students arrive back on campus and allow us to use facilities on campus that wouldn’t normally be used during that three-month period.”

Nine conferences were held at UR this summer, bringing 2,189 attendees to campus. They ranged from gatherings of fire chiefs and a prelaw institute to high school students belonging to Future Business Leaders of America.

Markel Corp.’s annual shareholders meeting brought an additional 1,500 people from around the globe to campus in May. The main event took

place in the Robins Center, allowing facilities to repurpose the setup from commencement. Smaller meetings were held in the Jepson Alumni Center and Modlin Center for the Arts.

“Inviting organizations to campus enhances engagement opportunities in the city, region, and world,” said Jerry Clemmer, executive director of campus business services. “It strengthens relationships with the Richmond community, including businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits.”

Those in the professional sector weren’t the only ones enjoying UR’s grounds and facilities. Throughout the summer, more than 3,700 K–12 athletes attended sport camps on campus, eager to improve their baseball, basketball, field hockey, football, lacrosse, and soccer skills. With COVID-19 restrictions lifted, the 37 youth sport camps saw an influx of attendees, with the men’s basketball camp hosting more than 360 participants.

UR was also the site for Special Olympics Virginia, which saw an increase in participants from roughly 850 last year to 1,500 this year. Athletes competed in eight locations across campus during the organization’s annual summer games. UR also served as home away from home for the

athletes and volunteers for the weekend.

While most events on campus require some level of cross-campus collaboration, this year’s Special Olympics demanded an all-hands-ondeck approach, with every department playing a crucial role. Landscape services beautified the grounds; the UR Police Department provided security, maintained the flow of traffic, and coordinated parking; facilities organized tent placement; and custodial services, housekeeping, electrical, and plumbing prepared for the 1,079 athletes staying overnight in residence halls.

Dining Services, of course, had its own set of challenges to tackle. Meal planning becomes a science during the summer, as dining staff forecasts menus and adjusts services based on specific client requests. For example, athletes could need graband-go meals, while conferences might require made-to-order options.

“Dining makes a specialty menu catered around the nature of the guests we have,” said Jonathan Williams, summer programs and con-

ference manager. “The younger generation are going to go straight for the food they typically aren’t allowed all the time — and they’re going to get as much of it as they want. The ice cream machine, of course, is always a popular item for them.”

To pull off well-coordinated programming that leaves guests, athletes, and conference attendees with a memorable experience and a desire to return to campus, events and support services staff begin planning months — or more — in advance. Three of the groups that met on campus this summer have already requested space for 2024. As soon as they left, Glass and Williams began working on next year’s plan. But they don’t do it alone.

“These events wouldn’t be able to happen without collaboration from our campus partners,” Williams said. “We input the various requests that the client might have, but it’s those individuals that make it all happen. They are the backbone.”

YEAR-ROUND PARTNERSHIPS

Summer isn’t the only time visitors flock to UR. On March 9, 2024, Sports Backers’ first half-marathon, the Virginia Credit Union River City Half, and River City 5K will start and finish on campus. Both courses will take runners throughout the city of Richmond and along the James River, finishing at Westhampton Lake.

This summer, UR welcomed nearly 8,000 guests for a variety of programs including sports camps, business conferences, and large-scale events.

WORKDAY SELECTED AS NEW ERP SYSTEM

More than three decades after the introduction of Banner — and a thorough search for its replacement — UR has chosen Workday as the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system for human resources and finance functions.

The new system will be a central part of an effort to modernize and streamline core dayto-day functions such as recruiting, accounting, payroll, and procurement and will allow offices across campus to handle financial and human resource processes more efficiently. UR will continue to maintain the Banner student module.

The selection of Workday was finalized by the board of trustees at its April 2023 meeting after a year of evaluating ERP options. A project team defined the institution’s needs, reviewed products and implementation partners, and referenced higher education institutions before making the recommendation.

“We have been exploring ERP alternatives since December of 2016 and very intensively the past 15 months,” said Mark Detterick, senior associate vice president for business affairs strategy and Workday program lead. “The project team and leadership agreed that Workday provides the best product to realize our goal of a system that will provide a critical foundation for broader access to UR’s data to better inform decision-making.”

The University’s migration to Workday will take 18 to 24 months, during which time HR and Finance functions will continue to be completed in Banner. A dedicated team of business and finance, human resources, payroll, and information services staff will oversee the project. UR has also engaged business management consulting firm Accenture to assist with implementation by lending its expertise to ensure business processes, architecture, configurations, testing, and deployment are ready for launch in early 2025.

“UR is not on the ‘bleeding-edge’ of this change,” Detterick said. “Our deployment will benefit learning from experts and other higher education institutions that have gone before us.”

For more information about the ERP project and Workday, visit workday.richmond.edu.

A Transformational Project

Boatwright Memorial Library renovation to enhance available resources and services

For students, staff, and faculty, Boatwright Memorial Library has long served as a learning hub and community gathering space. Now, a significant renovation project, including a 7,500-square-foot expansion, will transform the space, enhancing and reimagining the resources and services available to the campus community.

“The library is a hub of learning, a gathering space for the exchange of ideas, and a repository of knowledge,” said Joan Saab, executive vice president and provost. “This renovation and expansion project will further amplify these qualities.”

The renovation will create new and inviting study spaces, such as an enclosed atrium with natural light, while providing better access to key spaces, including the Book Arts Studio, the Rare Books & Archival Collections, and the Lora Robins Gallery. The existing café will be relocated and expanded, and the building will become more accessible from the lake level.

The renovation also includes planning space to prepare for the future home of the new Carole and Marcus Weinstein Learning Center, a collaborative, state-of-the-art space that co-locates, integrates, and expands services that support academic achievement, including effective speaking, writing, and peer tutoring. The new center will also include advanced quantitative support and other resources for students in every stage of their educational journey.

The library, which opened in 1955, has undergone several improvements over the past few years. This current work began in May and is scheduled to be completed in spring 2025.

“The new center will also include advanced quantitative support and other resources for students in every stage of their educational journey.”

Watercolor rendering of future collaborative space on the library’s lower level

‘Steady, Strategic, and Strong’ UR’s financial future on solid ground

As the University begins a new academic year, Dave Hale, executive vice president and chief operating officer, offers three words to describe the status of Richmond’s budget situation: steady, strategic, and strong.

But his first message for the campus community is about another trifecta: robust undergraduate enrollment, effective endowment management, and generous philanthropy. “They leave us in a very good place financially,” he said. “We feel really good about where we are.”

Salaries and benefits for employees were the highest priorities for this fiscal year’s budget increases, he said. Merit raises for staff and faculty accounted for 44% of the increase in the current fiscal year’s budget; compounded, the merit pool has increased by nearly 14% over the last four fiscal years. Moreover, the University increased the minimum wage for staff from $12 to $15 over the same period, addressed salary compression issues that arose, and continued to increase budget resources for employee benefits such as health care, as costs for it continue to rise. Additionally, 6% of this year’s overall budget

increase was allocated to fund new faculty and staff positions.

“We’re a mission-driven organization,” he said, “and we want to take care of our workforce and, of course, provide our students with exceptional opportunities.”

For the longer term, projections show a steady increase in the endowment’s contribution to the annual budget over the next five years. Based on trendlines used as recently as a couple of years ago, Hale’s office estimated that the endowment would likely contribute approximately $130 million to the annual budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024. While this is already a substantial contribution that many universities would love to have, current projections raise that estimate by about $15 million.

The effects of the increase are significant, Hale said. They give the University the ability to increase investment in strategic areas, such as additional scholarships, programs, facilities, and the positions to support them.

“The endowment remains an incredible differentiator for the University of Richmond,” he said.

ENDOWMENT

101

The University’s endowment is a fund built by generations of generous donors to secure UR’s fiscal strength in perpetuity. Through strategic investment, careful stewardship, and additional philanthropy, it grows over the long term even as investment returns vary from year to year.

Each fiscal year, a portion of the endowment is withdrawn to support the University’s annual budget. For the current fiscal year, its contribution is $138.4 million, or approximately 40% of the University’s operating budget.

“The endowment remains an incredible differentiator for the University of Richmond.”

EVOLUTION OF A CAREER

Among the first things visitors see when entering the lab of longtime biology professor Rafael de Sá are the massive skull and jaw of a living species of elephant. Housed within the Gottwald Science Center, these specimens are surrounded by many smaller animal skeletons de Sá has collected during research collaborations in the U.S. and with labs in South America, Europe, and Africa. These partnerships have provided unique academic experiences, as well as cultural exchange opportunities, for de Sá and his students.

De Sá uses the specimens to teach several courses, including vertebrate zoology, conservation biology, evolution, and comparative anatomy — all within an evolutionary approach.

Comparative anatomy was the first class he taught at UR, and this fall, it will be his last.

De Sá will retire at the end of the semester following a 31-year career at the University.

“I have enjoyed my time teaching and discovering new species of frogs,” he said. “And I have been privileged to work alongside dedicated colleagues and outstanding undergraduates; I will miss you all.”

We celebrate the accomplishments of UR’s talented faculty and staff.

See more accomplishments and submit your own grant, publication, or honor at richmond.edu/ faculty-staff.

OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

TIMOTHY BARNEY associate professor of rhetoric and communication studies, presented “Weinberger, Wild Bill, and the Nuclear Cartography of the Second Cold War” at Mapping Armageddon 1945–2045, sponsored by the UK-based Living Maps Network. Barney was awarded the 2023 Past Officers’ Award from the Eastern Communication Association.

ELIZABETH BAUGHAN, associate professor of classics and archaeology, published the chapter “Forms and Functions of Beds and Couches in Etruscan and Anatolian Tombs” in Etruria and Anatolia: Material Connections and Artistic Exchange (Cambridge University Press), a book she co-edited.

LESLIE BOHON, director of English language learning, led the panel discussion “Students’ Perceptions of Intercultural Learning in the ESL Classroom” at the Southeast Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Conference.

THOMAS BONFIGLIO, William Judson Gaines Chair in Modern Foreign Languages, published Linguistics and Psychoanalysis: A New Perspective on Language Processing and Evolution (Routledge).

JENNIFER BOWIE, associate professor of political science, received the 2023 School of Arts & Sciences Outstanding Mentor Award.

SARAH CALVERIC, adjunct associate professor of education, was named the Region 3 Superintendent of the Year by the Virginia Association of School Superintendents.

DAN CHEN, assistant professor of political science, received a Centennial Center Research Grant from the American Political Science Association.

VOLHA CHYKINA, assistant professor of leadership studies, received the American Educational Research Association’s 2023 Outstanding Paper Award for “Expecting to Achieve Against the Odds: Anti-Immigrant Sentiment and Immigrants’ Educational and Occupational Expectations in Europe.”

RICHARD COUGHLAN, associate professor of management, was elected to a two-year term as chairman of the board for Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia.

JANICE CRAFT, associate professor of law, presented “Professional Identity Formation of Law Students” at the Wake Forest Law Review 2023 Spring Symposium – “Leading Change in the Legal Profession.”

KEVIN CREAMER, communications and engagement manager in Information Services, co-authored the chapter “Collaborative Assessment and Survey Administration: A MISO Survey Case Study” in Cases on Establishing Effective Collaborations in Academic Libraries (IGI Global).

REBECCA CROOTOF, associate professor of law, published “War Torts” in the New York University Law Review

A speech by BETTY NEAL CRUTCHER, mentor-in-residence in the Jepson School of Leadership Studies — “Leadership and Mentoring: A Path to a Greater Sense of Belonging” — was published in the March 2023 issue of Vital Speeches of the Day

JOEL EISEN, professor of law, presented “Energy Law Academic Perspective” at the European Law Students Association – Ireland’s Energy & Environmental Law Conference; “Distributed Energy Resource Aggregation Under FERC Order 2222” at the 2023 Energy Law Symposium – “Energy Law Currents: Energy Transition Under Uncertainty”; and “Utility Reforms in the 2023 Virginia General Assembly Session” at the 2023 Symposium on General Assembly Updates. Eisen served on a panel discussion, “The Major Questions Doctrine,” for the Richmond Law Federalist Society.

DANA EL KURD, assistant professor of political science, published “Is Graduate School Worth It? Harassment and Graduate-Student Satisfaction in Political Science” in PS Political Science & Politics El Kurd was selected as one of three early-career researchers to serve as a teaching fellow for the Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research’s New Voices Initiative.

DALE FICKETT, instructor of entrepreneurship, received a grant of more than $290,000 from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation for “Community-Engaged Research to Advance Equity and Inclusion.” The grant will be used in collaboration with Virginia Commonwealth University.

JESSICA FLANIGAN, Richard L. Morrill Chair in Ethics and Democratic Values, co-authored “Wealth Without Limits: In Defense of Billionaires” in Ethical Theory and Moral Practice

MARSHALL GEIGER, CSX Chair in Management and Accounting, received a grant from the Foundation for Auditing Research to fund interviews with audit partners regarding experiences with reporting on financially stressed companies where continuance in business is in doubt.

CHIARA GIORGETTI, professor of law, presented “Assessing the Past — Envisioning the Future: International Investment Arbitration Law and Policy” at the Assessing the Past, Envisioning the Future conference at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy; “Immunity and Other International Law Implications in Seizing Central Bank Assets” at the American Society of International Law Annual Meeting; “Learning from Past Experience: Building an International Claims Commission for Ukraine Following the Framework of Past ICCs” at Paris Arbitration Week; “International Law Responses to Russia’s Aggression — Building an International Reparation Mechanism for Ukraine” at the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights; and “International Arbitration as a Tool of Foreign Policy: The Weaponization of International Arbitration” at the annual conference of the Penn Law International Arbitration Association.

LAUREN HENLEY, assistant professor of leadership studies, received the Omicron Delta Kappa Epsilon Circle Faculty Member of the Year Award.

DANIEL HOCUTT, web manager in the School of Professional and Continuing Studies, received the 2023 Frank R. Smith Distinguished Article Award from the Society for Technical Communication for “Localizing Content: The Roles of Technical & Professional Communicators and Machine Learning in Personalized Chatbot Responses,” co-written with professors from George Mason University and Central Michigan University.

CRYSTAL HOYT, Colonel Leo K. & Gaylee Thorsness

Endowed Chair in Ethical Leadership, and Laura Knouse, professor of psychology, published “A Systematic Review of Growth Mindset Intervention Implementation Strategies” in Social and Personality Psychology Compass

KATHRYN JACOBSEN, William E. Cooper Distinguished University Chair and professor of health studies, received the 2023 Velji Global Health Award for Teaching Excellence from the Consortium of Universities for Global Health in honor of outstanding teaching and committed, creative approaches to serving underserved populations.

YUCONG JIANG, assistant professor of computer science, was awarded a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) European Fellowship for 2023–24. The grant will support digital musicology research she will conduct in the Department of Music Acoustics at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna.

SANDRA JOIREMAN, Weinstein Chair of International Studies and professor of political science, published “The Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus in Practice: Building Climate and Conflict Sensitivity Into Humanitarian Projects” in Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability

THOMAS KAPSIDELIS, visiting assistant professor in journalism, published “Curbing Gun Violence Demands Focus on Stronger Laws, Helping Those Who’ve Been Hurt” in the Richmond Free Press

The lab of LAURA KNOUSE, professor of psychology, was recently named a Featured Lab for the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, an honor typically given to graduate programs. Knouse and Crystal Hoyt, Colonel Leo K. & Gaylee Thorsness Endowed Chair in Ethical Leadership, published “A Systematic Review of Growth Mindset Intervention Implementation Strategies” in Social and Personality Psychology Compass. Knouse; Shweta Ware, assistant professor of computer science, and undergraduate students published “Predicting ADHD Symptoms Using Smartphone Sensing Data” in UbiComp-ISWC ’22 Adjunct: Proceedings of the 2022 ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing

CORINNA BARRETT LAIN, S.D. Roberts & Sandra Moore Professor of Law, hosted the webinar “Lethal Injection Lies: The Myth of the Humane, Painless Execution,” hosted by Death Penalty Focus.

KELLY LAMBERT, MacEldin Trawick Professor in Psychology and professor of behavioral neuroscience, was named one of three finalists for Baylor University’s 2024 Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching. The $250,000 national award is the single largest monetary award presented by a college or university. The winner will be announced in the spring of 2024. Lambert published “Wild Brains: The Value of Neuroethological Approaches in Preclinical Behavioral Neuroscience Animal Models” in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

KURT LASH, E. Claiborne Robins Distinguished Chair in Law, presented “The Reconstruction Amendments” for Constitution 101, sponsored by the National Constitution Center, and “Originalism: Types and Methods” at the Judicial Education Institute’s Law and Corpus Linguistics Judicial Retreat. Lash delivered the Heritage Foundation’s Edwin Meese III Originalism Lecture, “Originalism and Fixing the Fourteenth Amendment.”

DA LIN, associate professor of law, presented “How Deals Die” at the Tulane Corporate and Securities Roundtable, at the NYU/Penn Conference on Law & Finance, and at the 2023 Temple University Beasley School of Law Faculty Colloquium. Lin also co-presented “The Banker Removal Power” at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Legal Division Workshop.

MICHAEL LEOPOLD, Floyd D. and Elisabeth S. Gottwald Professor of Chemistry; Jeff Simpson, director of nuclear magnetic resonance and computational support; and undergraduate students published “On-Site Detection of Neonicotinoid Pesticides Using Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles and Halogen Bonding” in ACS Applied Nano Materials

MARUTI MISHRA, Trawick Postdoctoral Fellow in Psychology, co-published “What is the prevalence of developmental prosopagnosia? An empirical assessment of different diagnostic cutoffs” in Cortex; it was highlighted in EurekAlert, “How common is face blindness?” Mishra also published “Spatial and Temporal Massive Memory in Humans” in Current Biology

CAMILLA NONTERAH, associate professor of psychology, co-published “A Nominal Group Technique Study of Patients Who Identify as Black or African American and Access to Renal Transplantation” in Progress in Transplantation

KRISTEN OSENGA, Austin E. Owen Research Scholar and professor of law, presented “Efficient Infringement: In view of PTAB success rates and EBay Decision” at the Best Practices in Intellectual Property Conference – “IP in the AI Era: Impact and Challenges.” Osenga also presented “Hit the Road Jack: The Auto Industry as the Next Vehicle for Predatory Infringement” at the 2023 Symposium on the Impact of the Patent System on Markets for Technology.

JON PARK, assistant professor of computer science, co-published “Beyond Fact Verification: Comparing and Contrasting Claims on Contentious Issues” and “Critic-Guided Decoding for Controlled Text Generation” in the Findings of the Association for Computational Linguistics. Park also co-published “KoSBi:

NEW & REAPPOINTED Endowed Position Holders

These academic honors recognize an individual’s attainment of the highest levels of teaching, scholarship, research, and service in their discipline or field.

TED BUNN

E. Claiborne Robins Distinguished Chair in the Liberal Arts

ART DURNEV

Patricia A. and George W. Wellde Jr. Distinguished Chair in Finance

RHIANNON GRAYBILL

Weinstein-Rosenthal Chair of Jewish Studies

KIMMARIE MCGOLDRICK

E. Claiborne Robins Distinguished Professor in Business

ELIZABETH OUTKA

Tucker-Boatwright Professor of Humanities

MICHEL ROBE

Patricia A. and George W. Wellde Jr. Distinguished Chair in Finance

JULIETTA SINGH

Stephanie Bennett-Smith Chair in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

JONATHAN WHITAKER

Joseph A. Jennings Chair in Business

A Dataset for Mitigating Social Bias Risks Towards Safer Large Language Model Applications” in the Proceedings of the Association for Computational Linguistics (ACL): Industry Track

SANDRA PEART, dean of the Jepson School of Leadership Studies, was the invited speaker for Boise State University’s 2023 Adam Smith Lecture. Peart published “Mill’s Harm Principle: A Study in the Application of ‘On Liberty’” with the Fraser Institute.

WENDY PERDUE, dean of Richmond Law, presented “Supplemental Jurisdiction: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly” at “The Jurisprudence and Legacy of the Honorable Joseph F. Weis Jr.,” an event hosted by the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

JENNY PRIBBLE, professor of political science and global studies, co-published The Political Economy of Segmented Expansion: Latin American Social Policy in the 2000s (Cambridge University Press).

TERRY PRICE, Coston Family Chair in Leadership and Ethics, presented “Maybe Leaders Are Special After All?” for the inaugural Distinguished Lecture in Ethics and Leadership, hosted by the Fitz Center for Leadership in Community at the University of Dayton.

OMAR QUINTERO-CARMONA, associate professor of biology, co-published “Myo19 Tethers Mitochondria to Endoplasmic Reticulum-Associated Actin to Promote Mitochondrial Fission” in the Journal of Cell Science

HEATHER RUSSELL, associate professor of mathematics, was selected a mathematician-in-residence for the Budapest Semesters in Mathematics.

NOAH SACHS, professor of law, was a panelist for “Transboundary Environmental Harms” at the International Environmentalism Symposium, hosted by the William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

DORON SAMUEL-SIEGEL, professor of law, facilitated a pre-law reading and writing skills workshop at Road to Law School, a pre-law program hosted by the Council on Legal Education Opportunity.

JEFF SIMPSON, director of nuclear magnetic resonance and computational support; Michael Leopold, Floyd D. and Elisabeth S. Gottwald Professor of Chemistry; and undergraduate students published “On-Site Detection of Neonicotinoid Pesticides Using Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles and Halogen Bonding” in ACS Applied Nano Materials

JACK SINGAL, associate professor of physics, published “The Second Radio Synchrotron Background Workshop: Conference Summary and Report” in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.

The book No Archive Will Restore You by JULIETTA SINGH, Stephanie Bennett-Smith Chair of Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies and professor of English and WGSS, has been translated into German as Kein Archiv wird Dich wiederherstellen

ROGER SKALBECK, professor of law, presented “Infusing Your Research Instruction with Transactional Tools” at the Southwestern Association of Law Libraries’ 2023 Meeting – “Critical Innovation & Innovating Critically.”

MARISSA JACKSON SOW, assistant professor of law, presented “Race and the Constitution” at the Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law.

MARIBEL STREET, director of emergency management, was awarded the Stanley Everett Crigger Humanitarian Award from the Virginia Emergency Management Association.

RAVYNN STRINGFIELD, visiting assistant professor of media studies, published “A Duet with History: Lizzo and James Madison’s Crystal Flute” on the collaborative blog project Nursing Clio

STEVE TALLMAN, E. Claiborne Robins Distinguished Professor in Business, published “Global Strategy Collections: Multinationality and Performance” in the Global Strategy Journal

CARL TOBIAS, Williams Chair in Law, published “Biden, Bennet, and Bipartisan Federal Judicial Selection” in the University of Colorado Law Review Forum

JOÃO TONINI, postdoctoral researcher associate, co-authored “Multilocus Phylogeography, Population Genetics and Niche Evolution of Australian Brown and Black-tailed Treecreepers (Aves: Climacteris)” in the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society and “Invest in Early-Career Researchers in Brazil” in Science

SHWETA WARE, assistant professor of computer science; Laura Knouse, professor of psychology; and undergraduate students published “Predicting ADHD Symptoms Using Smartphone Sensing Data” in UbiComp-ISWC ’22 Adjunct: Proceedings of the 2022 ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing

CAROLINE WEIST, associate professor of German studies, received a Faculty Research Award from the Coalition of Women in German to support travel and archival work for the book manuscript Bodies of a People: Disability, Community, and Volkskörper on the German Stage

CHRIS WHITE, sous chef, won bronze at the 2023 National Association of College and University Food Services Regional Culinary Challenge at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. The challenge is a live, timed cooking competition recognizing exceptional culinary expertise within collegiate dining.

JUSTIN WIGARD, postdoctoral research associate in rhetoric and communication studies, co-published Attack of the New B Movies: Essays on SYFY Original Films (McFarland) and a review of Stephen Graham Jones’ Don’t Fear the Reaper for Los Angeles Review of Books

SANDY WILLIAMS, assistant professor of art, was awarded a 2023–24 Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Visual Arts Fellowship.

Distinguished Educators and Scholars

Congratulations to this year’s award recipients, who were honored at Colloquy in August.

Distinguished Educator Awards

In recognition of outstanding contributions to excellence in education

ELISABETH GRUNER Professor of English

MEREDITH HARBACH Professor of Law

ALEKSANDRA SZNAJDER LEE

Associate Professor of Political Science

CASSANDRA MARSHALL

Associate Professor of Finance

DAVID SALISBURY

Associate Professor of Geography and the Environment

TREY SUTTON

Associate Professor of Management

CHRISTOPHER VON RUEDEN

Associate Professor of Leadership Studies

Distinguished Scholarship Awards

In recognition of a consistent record of outstanding contributions in scholarship as documented through published research, scholarship, or creative expression

TED BUNN

E. Claiborne Robins Distinguished Chair in the Liberal Arts

JANE GEANEY

Professor of Religious Studies

PETER IVER KAUFMAN

George Matthews and Virginia Brinkley Modlin Chair in Leadership Studies

MONIKA KUKAR-KINNEY

F. Carlyle Tiller Chair in Business

MARSHALL GEIGER

CSX Chair in Management and Accounting

KRISTEN JAKOBSEN OSENGA

Austin E. Owen Research Scholar and Professor of Law

BILL ROSS

Roger Francis and Mary Saunders Richardson Chair in Mathematics

The following highlights employment status changes for full- and part-time faculty and staff — including temporary to full- or part-time positions — from Feb. 1 to June 30, 2023.

NEW HIRES

STAFF

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES

Dajanae Bivens

Integrated and Inclusive Sciences Post-Baccalaureate Fellow, Biology

Cori Carson Post-Baccalaureate Research Assistant, Biology

Issa Lampe Executive Director, University Museums

Sabahudin Redzic Post-Baccalaureate Research Assistant, Chemistry

ROBINS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Danice Stetson Graduate Programs Specialist, MBA Programs

SCHOOL OF LAW

Sara Titcomb Admissions Specialist

PROVOST

Stacey Calderon-Castillo

International Education Fellow for International Student Engagement

Riley Champine Associate Director, Digital Scholarship Lab, Boatwright Memorial Library

Caitlin Adair Daglis Book Arts Studio Manager, Boatwright Memorial Library

Matt Perelli Processing and Reference Archivist, Boatwright Memorial Library

Houda Touchen Learning Center Post-Baccalaureate Fellow, Weinstein Learning Center

Warner West Digital Collections Librarian, Boatwright Memorial Library

SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL & CONTINUING STUDIES

Catherine Pelletier

Administrative Coordinator, Academic Programs

ADVANCEMENT

Alicia Moseley

Assistant Director, Alumni Belonging, Alumni Relations

Eddie Sonnie Assistant Director, Career Services

Tara Wiley

Associate Director of Grants and Foundation Relations, Foundation, Corporate, and Government Relations

ATHLETICS

Mik Aoki

Head Baseball Coach

Steve Butler Deputy Director of Athletics and Chief Operating Officer

Brian Carroll Facilities and Events Assistant

Courtney Claud Assistant Director of Development, Spider Athletic Fund

Jack Fahed Director of Men’s Basketball Operations

Yahneet Govine Health Insurance Coordinator

Jacob Huesman Assistant Football Coach

Amber Martin Assistant Athletic Trainer

Chris Mereen Director of Athletic Development, Spider Athletic Fund

Rob Noel Assistant Football Coach

Jennifer Phillips Assistant Business Manager

Kelly Self Head Women’s Basketball Strength and Conditioning Coach

Jalynn Spaulding Coordinator for Leadership Development and Engagement

Errin Stanton Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach

Jameson Zacharias Assistant Football Coach

BUSINESS AFFAIRS

Jack Beall Finance Business Analyst

Justin Woodson Budget and Planning Analyst

CAMPUS OPERATIONS

Dustin Bowles Gardener

Chris Cocca Utility Associate, Heilman Dining Center

Jimmy Davis Cook II, Heilman Dining Center

Liliana Diaz Duran Chef Production Manager, Heilman Dining Center

Shaydon Erickson Groundskeeper

Scott Glatfelter Floater Manager, Heilman Dining Center

Rich Jacobs Director of Retail Operations, Dining Services

Petko Kotsev Custodian

Gabriel Lewis Utility Associate, Heilman Dining Center

Matthew Mahoney Cook II, Heilman Dining Center

Michael Onorato Stores and Requisition Manager, Heilman Dining Center

Logan Peterson Project Designer

Teale Phillips Cook I, Heilman Dining Center

Elizabeth Reed Utility Associate, Heilman Dining Center

Laura Richardson Line Service Associate, Heilman Dining Center

Walter Robbins Utility Associate, Tyler’s Grill

Joanna Stevens Utility Associate, Heilman Dining Center

Emmanuel Thorne Custodian

Alan Turner Roofer

Raven Ward Utility Associate, Heilman Dining Center

CONTROLLER

Star Harris Director of Payroll and Accounts Payable

HUMAN RESOURCES

Leslie Austin Human Resources

Business Analyst

Brooke Bullock Talent Development Specialist

Kiera Campbell Compensation Analyst

Cindy Lloyd

Human Resources Information System Analyst

Carter Plashal

Human Resources

Representative

Carl Sorensen

Human Resources Team Lead — Enterprise Resource Planning

Geraldine Sullivan Chief Human Resources Officer

SECURITY

Daniel Giddings Security Officer

Morgan Godwin Communications Officer, Campus Safety

Leslie Trexler Police Officer

Aaron Walker Fellow, Emergency Management

COMMUNICATIONS

Sandi Cauley Associate Director of Marketing

Rachel Long Web Designer/Developer

Sandra Shelley Senior Digital Content Specialist

ENROLLMENT

MANAGEMENT

Brianna Borton Financial Aid Advisor

Melissa Falk

Associate Vice President and Dean of Admission, Undergraduate Admission

Annaka Grismer Program Coordinator, Office of Scholars and Fellowships

Lindsey Stevens Admission Counselor, Undergraduate Admission

Manny Valdez Perez Assistant Director, Richmond Scholars Program, Office of Scholars and Fellowships

INFORMATION SERVICES

Mason Cox Senior Programmer Analyst, Enterprise Applications

Joon Han Senior Programmer Analyst, Enterprise Applications

Earl Lewis Technical Support Consultant, User Services Specialists

Scott Pega

Senior Telecom Technician, Campus Telecommunications

Pavel Perinka Senior Programmer Analyst, Enterprise Applications

Aneshia Price

Senior Programmer Analyst, Enterprise Applications

Richard Williams

Database Administrator, Enterprise Applications

PLANNING AND POLICY

Randy Romich

Assessment Specialist, Office of Institutional Effectiveness

SPIDER MANAGEMENT

Lisa Feng Investment Analyst

Maureen Fenty Chief of Staff

Alex Gan Data and Reporting Analyst

Sidney Haisley Investor Relations Analyst

Ashley Herring Executive Assistant

STUDENT

DEVELOPMENT

Marchelle Ayers Operations Coordinator, Health and Well-Being

Cole Bendel Facility Supervisor, University Recreation

Hunter Bonton Assistant Director, Fraternity and Sorority

Life, Center for Student Involvement

Debbie Johnson Medical Assistant, Student Health Center

Kayon Johnson Coordinator for Training and Development, Residence Life and Undergraduate Student Housing

Cliff Maske Manager, Communications and Events, Center for Student Involvement

Keilah Shannon

Area Coordinator, Residence Life and Undergraduate Student Housing

MOVES FACULTY

SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES

ART AND ART HISTORY

Brittany Nelson

Associate Professor of Photography and Extended Media

BIOLOGY

Jory Brinkerhoff Professor of Biology

Dan Pierce Associate Professor of Biology

Isaac Skromne Associate Professor of Biology

CHEMISTRY

Michael Norris Associate Professor of Chemistry

CLASSICAL STUDIES

Dieter Gunkel

Associate Professor of Historical Linguistics

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Prateek Bhakta

Associate Professor of Computer Science

ENGLISH

Thomas Manganaro

Associate Professor of English

GEOGRAPHY, ENVIRONMENT, AND SUSTAINABILITY

Todd Lookingbill

Professor of Geography, the Environment, and Biology

LANGUAGES, LITERATURES, AND CULTURES

Lidia Radi

Professor of Italian and French

LATIN AMERICAN, LATINO, AND IBERIAN STUDIES

Jannette AmaralRodriguez

Associate Professor of Spanish

David Giancaspro

Associate Professor of Spanish

PHYSICS

Mariama Rebello de Sousa Dias

Associate Professor of Physics

POLITICAL SCIENCE

Jenny Pribble

Professor of Political Science and Global Studies

PSYCHOLOGY

Laura Knouse

Professor of Psychology

Caps Off!

Congratulations to UR’s most recent employee graduates! You did it!

JANEE BOLLING

Master of Human Resource Management

Human Resources Information System Specialist

AMANDA GEARHART

Master of Business Administration

Associate Director of Admission, Undergraduate Admission

JOCELYN HERMOSILLA

Master of Human Resource Management

Area Coordinator, Residence Life and Undergraduate Student Housing

JESS OLIVER

Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts

Communications Supervisor, Campus Safety

RACHEL RISTOW

Master of Human Resource Management

Associate Director for Visitor Experience, Undergraduate Admission

RYAN SIMS

Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies

Cashier, Heilman Dining Center

LESLEE STONE

Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies

Administrative Coordinator, University of Richmond School of Law

RICH THOMAS

Master of Human Resource Management

Concessions/Relief Manager

Employees listed above graduated in December 2022, May 2023, or August 2023. Many, if not all, received their degrees using the University’s tuition remission program. Visit hr.richmond.edu/ benefits for more details.

Matthew Lowder

Associate Professor of Psychology

Camilla Nonterah

Associate Professor of Psychology

SOCIOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY

Jeff Hass Professor of Sociology

THEATRE AND DANCE

Patricia Herrera Professor of Theatre and Dance

ROBINS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ACCOUNTING

Ashley Austin Associate Professor of Accounting

Joyce van der Laan Smith Professor of Accounting

ECONOMICS

Tom Zylkin

Associate Professor of Economics

SCHOOL OF LAW

Janice Craft

Associate Professor of Law, Legal Practice, and Director of Professional Identity Formation

Hayes Holderness Professor of Law

Da Lin Associate Professor of Law

Ali Silva Associate Professor of Law, Legal Practice, and Director of Externships

JEPSON SCHOOL OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES

Kristin Bezio Professor of Leadership Studies

SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL & CONTINUING STUDIES

Andrew Schoeneman

Associate Professor and Chair of Nonprofit Studies

STAFF

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL & CONTINUING STUDIES

Laura Fitrer

Program Manager, Professional Education

BUSINESS AFFAIRS

CAMPUS OPERATIONS

Blake Carter Gardener Landscape Supervisor

Steffan Dickerson Custodian

Rachel English Cook II, Heilman Dining Center

Catherine Hash Convenience Store Lead, ETC

Kayla Johnson Event Assistant, Events, Conferences, and Support Services

Eric Lee Gardener

Shannon Millisor Event Coordinator, Events, Conferences, and Support Services

Dylan Moore Lead Cook, Heilman Dining Center

Stephen Roberts Café/Stores Associate, Tyler’s Grill

Matt Seymour Stores Associate, Heilman Dining Center

Leah Taylor Cashier, ETC

Campbell Tucker Sous Chef, Heilman Dining Center

HUMAN RESOURCES

Laura Sprague HR Representative

ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT

Laurie Mackey Financial Aid Advisor

PLANNING AND POLICY Dustin Engels Director, UR Better

STUDENT DEVELOPMENT

Johneisha Taylor Operations Coordinator, Student Center for Equity and Inclusion

RETIREMENTS

44 YEARS

30 YEARS

HOLLY BLAKE will

28 YEARS

SUSAN ALTORELLI Law School Dean’s Office

23 YEARS

DEBORAH JONES University Facilities –Custodial

MAVIS BROWN Arts & Sciences faculty (Education)

43 YEARS

ELIZABETH SCHLATTER Arts & Sciences faculty (University Museums)

DAVID WALSH Athletics

19 YEARS

PAT FISHE Robins School faculty (Finance)

JOYCE MACALLISTER Arts & Sciences faculty (English)

COREY JANECKY Robins School Dean’s Office

17 YEARS AL GOETHALS Jepson School faculty

STEVE TALLMAN Robins School faculty (Management)

16 YEARS

KATHE EDMONDS Undergraduate Admission

CLARK WILLIAMS Law School faculty

38 YEARS

SHELBY TIMBERLAKE University Recreation

34 YEARS

TOM ROBERTS Health and Well-Being

31 YEARS

KARL SCHMITZ Information Services

– Campus Telecommunications

WALTER SCHOEN

Arts & Sciences faculty (Theatre and Dance)

CARL SORENSEN Human Resources

11 YEARS

GABRIEL GARZON University Facilities –Custodial

Fostering Belonging

A conversation with Geraldine Sullivan, chief human resources officer

Prior to joining UR this past spring, Geraldine Sullivan spent 15 years in human resources at Yale University and the Yale School of Medicine. She has a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging to add to her deep and broad experience in HR.

What attracted you to your new position?

I was ready to apply my learnings and contribute to a new organization. I am a collaborator at heart, and when I interviewed I experienced a deep sense of community. That was definitely a pull for me.

Has anything surprised you?

I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the opportunities to interact with students. That hasn’t been as present in my past roles. I love that opportunity to be more closely connected to the mission; it energizes me. I’ve signed up to welcome new Spiders as they arrive at the airport in a few weeks, and I’m looking forward to that.

What are your priorities at this time?

I’m getting to know my team and as many people around campus. I’m also developing an understanding of our collective strengths and any areas where my experience and background can be beneficial. A big focus for the HR team and others across campus is preparing for the enterprise resource planning implementation.

How do you define a holistic approach to well-being for faculty and staff?

Well-being for me at the core is about balance. Are we minding our physical and mental health?

Do we have a good sense of work-life balance?

Are we earning fair wages for the work we do?

And much more. If we find a good balance, then hopefully we can thrive. Here on campus, there is a strong collaboration between HR and Health Promotions, which works to ensure benefits and programs highlight the eight dimensions of well-being: emotional, financial, social, spiritual, occupational, physical, intellectual, and environmental.

How do we create an environment where all staff and faculty feel a sense of belonging and community?

This is a collective effort, but those of us in leadership positions need to play a big part. But we can also all take steps to foster belonging, no matter what our role on campus is. I want to be seen, feel connected and supported, and be proud to be a part of the Spider community. I want every member of the community to feel that way, too. We need to understand that we will make mistakes and miss the mark and be open to forgiveness. If each of us can be open, curious, respectful, and supportive, we will be taking steps that collectively will have a big impact.

What would you like everyone to know about you?

My sense is that different members of the community might be interested in knowing different things about me. With that, I put out an invitation to those who’d like to get to know me better to reach out to set up a time to meet. I am always open for a walk around the lake or to grab a cup of coffee — or a more traditional office meeting.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE

If Sullivan is not in her office, you might find her walking around the lake or using the gym on campus. “I like to walk and run, and this is a city that is friendly for both,” she said. A favorite spot is along the James River, often with her rescue dog, Murphy.

OCT. 30–NOV. 10

OPEN ENROLLMENT

The one time during the year to make changes to your benefit elections without a qualifying event

Benefit Fairs

Open Enrollment assistance from HR and insurance representatives, free flu shots, and more

Nov. 2, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Queally Center, Breed Pavilion B&C

Nov. 8, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. (for food service employees only)

Heilman Dining Center, Richmond Room

Nov. 10, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Jepson Alumni Center

410 Westhampton Way

University of Richmond, VA 23173

OCTOBER

Oct. 7, 1:30–3 p.m.

Employee & Family Tailgate (Football vs. University of Maine)

Millhiser Green

Oct. 17, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.

Employee Fall Fest Westhampton Green

Oct. 20

Preview Richmond Open house for prospective students and their families

Oct. 20–21

Access Richmond

Overnight introduction to UR for underrepresented prospective students

Oct. 27

Spider Day

START HOMECOMING WEEKEND WITH SPIDER DAY

Friday, October 27

Lunch 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. in Heilman Dining Center with themed menus, a free Spider Day Homecoming T-shirt, and live broadcast from WDCE Radio. In appreciation of all staff and faculty, Human Resources will sponsor a complimentary lunch for employees.

Evening Festival 6–10 p.m. on Millhiser Green with food trucks and music by Faculty Lounge, Room for Improvement, and Dogpark!

RICHMOND.EDU/SPIDER-DAY-HOMECOMING

Oct. 27–29

Homecoming

NOVEMBER

Nov. 22–24

Thanksgiving Break

DECEMBER

Dec. 1

WintUR Chill

Dec. 8

Last Day of Undergraduate Fall Classes

Dec. 22–29

Winter Break

JANUARY

Jan. 1

New Year’s Day

Jan. 15

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Jan. 16

First Day of Undergraduate Spring Classes

USAC

The University Staff Advisory Council represents the needs of staff to senior administration and works to make the University of Richmond an employer of choice.

Meetings*

Oct. 10

Nov. 14

Dec. 12

Jan. 9 1–3 p.m.

Visit usac.richmond. edu for meeting locations.

FACULTY SENATE

The University of Richmond Faculty Senate represents the faculty in the University’s governance process on matters that impact the University or affect more than one school.

Meetings*

Oct. 20

Nov. 17

Dec. 15

Jan. 19 3–4:30 p.m.

Visit facultysenate. richmond.edu for meeting locations.

*Unless otherwise noted, meetings are open to all faculty and staff.