May 2025

A Note from the Dean

Dear Colleagues,

As we emerge on the fourth day of Spring term, we wish you well no matter where you are in the world and no matter what you are doing these days! These are some intensive weeks of teaching, learning, and celebrating and we look forward to seeing you around campus.

If you are in or near Lexington, we hope to see you at the Faculty Meeting on Monday, May 5 at 4:10pm in Stackhouse.

And don't forget to fill out your open enrollment paperwork for benefits through Workday. The window closes on May 23.

Thanks, as always, for all your hard work in teaching our students and in service to the institution! We are stronger together and we are achieving great things!

Best wishes,

Thank you, Michelle Rothenberger!

At the end of this academic year, we will say goodbye to Michelle as she retires in June after 17 years as Executive Assistant in the Dean of the College office. Since joining W&L in April 2008, she has been a steady and trusted presence, supporting academic programs, managing budgets and contracts, and assisting with strategic initiatives across the College. Her behind-the-scenes work has been vital to the success of so many programs and people.

We are deeply grateful for Michelle's dedication, warmth, and institutional knowledge. She will be greatly missed, and we wish her all the best for a joyful, relaxing, and well-deserved retirement ahead!

Cohorts in the Arts and Humanities

Are you interested in learning more about the medical humanities?

Join a new cohort whose mission is to connect faculty and students interested in exploring how the humanities inform our understanding of medicine. Read and study medical humanities scholarship, design programming, and collaborate with other students and faculty to develop potential three-course pathways in the medical humanities that will contribute to the new general education program.

Contact Leticia Fernández-Fontecha and Genelle Gertz for more information.

Do you want to improve your career advising to arts and humanities students?

Join the ongoing Career Connections Faculty cohort (C Cubed). This group convenes faculty in the Arts and Humanities to discuss ways of connecting the study of the arts and humanities with professional competencies and career paths. Alongside discussing best practices with regard to advising about career paths, this cohort will hear about assignments and projects from the '24-'25 group as well as brainstorm ideas for their own assignments or courses, including the new gen ed categories.

Contact Genelle Gertz for more information.

New Grant Process for Faculty Conference Travel - Coming Soon!

The Dean's Office is developing a new grant process for Faculty Conference Travel that will take effect next academic year. Details will be shared soon, so please stay tuned.

Open Enrollment is Happening!

Washington and Lee's open enrollment period started on Monday, April 28 and will run through Friday, May 23 for the plan year that begins on July 1, 2025.

What is open enrollment?
Per the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), employees enrolled in pre-tax benefit plans may only make changes to their benefits once per year, during the open enrollment period. During open enrollment, you may:

• Enroll in, change or cancel benefit enrollments
• Enroll or re-enroll in flexible spending accounts for the new plan year
• Add or drop dependents from benefit plans

Outside of the annual open enrollment period, you may only make changes if you experience a "qualifying life event" such as marriage, birth of a child, loss of dependent status, etc. Don't forget, log into Workday and complete your selections today!

If you have any questions about Open Enrollment, please reach out to Kim Austin or Jason Bunn.

Call for Story Ideas from the Communications and Public Affairs Office

The Communications and Public Affairs is currently seeking story ideas for The Columns in the lead-up to Commencement and throughout the summer. Faculty and staff are encouraged to suggest seniors who could be featured, particularly those who have made a notable impact on campus, engaged in unique academic or extracurricular opportunities, or have interesting post-graduation plans.

In addition, Communications and Public Affairs is compiling summer story ideas featuring students, faculty, and staff involved in internships, research, volunteer work, or other distinctive summer activities.

Suggestions can be sent directly to Brian Laubscher, and faculty and staff are welcome to share this request within their departments.

Congratulations to our Retirees

As the academic year comes to a close, we want to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the College faculty and staff who are retiring this year. We are grateful for their many years of dedication, leadership, and service to our community.

Please join us in honoring their achievements and wishing them all the best in their next chapter.

Faculty:

Jeff Barnett

Jeff Barry

Larry Hurd

Gordon Reistrup

Staff:

Michelle Rothenberger

Events:

Museum Talk: More Exquisite than Crystal - Understanding Chinese Export Ceramics

Join the Museums at W&L on May 2 at 3:00pm in CGL Atrium for the closing ceremony of Stephanie Shih: LONG TIME NO SEE with William R. Sargent, a renowned scholar and author of “Treasures of Chinese Export Ceramics” (2012) and other seminal works. Sargent will deliver a lecture on how European and American paintings and prints provide a rich source of information reflecting the appreciation of Chinese ceramics through the ages.

Leadership Lab: Reflections on Ethical Leadership in Contemporary Times

Kenneth P. Ruscio, President Emeritus of Washington and Lee University, will deliver the inaugural lecture of the Mudd Leadership Lab on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Leyburn Library 128. Drawing on his decades of writing and teaching, Ruscio will reflect on the importance of humility and trust as essential qualities of ethical leadership, especially in today’s challenging times. His talk will explore how these values are rooted in a commitment to the collective good.

Artist Talk: Hugo Crosthwaite

Staniar Gallery is pleased to present “Tijuacolor,” a solo exhibition by artist Hugo Crosthwaite, on view from April 28 to May 10. Crosthwaite will also give an artist’s talk at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, May 12 in Wilson Concert Hall in the Lenfest Center for the Arts, followed by a reception.

Aerial Dance performance

The spring term Vertical Dance class in collaboration with the Aerial Adornment class presents the once-every-four-years Aerial Dance performance. May 22nd at 12:00pm and 9pm and May 23 at 12:00pm dancers fly from the roof of Wilson Hall. Bring lunch or dinner and sit on the grass behind Wilson for this exciting dancing in the air experience. Admission is free.