Center for International Education – Education Abroad
Every year hundreds of University of Mary Washington students study abroad at some of the world’s most prestigious universities while earning credit toward their UMW degrees. The global perspectives, intercultural skills, personal growth and self-confidence students acquire while abroad set study abroad alumni apart to potential employers and graduate schools, which are increasingly seeking globally educated, trained, and experienced candidates.
CIE encourages interested students to drop by for a personal advising session with a Peer Advisor to learn more about Faculty-Led Programs, Exchange Programs, and UMW Approved Programs. Students may also consider international internships, volunteer, and research abroad options. UMW students can study abroad for a semester or academic year, over the summer, or during the spring and winter breaks to earn academic credits toward their graduation requirements.
International Student Services
UMW welcomes talented international students from all over the world, some as degree-seeking undergraduates and others who are studying abroad for a semester or a year. CIE serves the needs of international students by providing immigration services after they have been admitted to UMW. Our staff guides international students through the process of obtaining visas, preparing for arrival, maintaining visa status, on and off campus employment, CPT, OPT, and transitioning to life at UMW and after UMW
CIE also provides international students the opportunity to engage in American cultural activities and events. We partner with UMW’s International Living Community (ILC) whose members serve as a cultural mentor team to welcome new international students to campus. CIE organizes on and off-campus cultural enrichment activities and encourages participation in the many activities sponsored by the Student Activities and Engagement (SAE) office. Together, we try to provide as many opportunities to facilitate cross-cultural experiences between international and domestic students.
Off-Campus Students
Office of Off-Campus Student Services
The Office of Off-Campus Student Services is committed to helping those who live off-campus have a successful experience at UMW. Visit us in the Cedric Rucker University Center, Room 323 or call at 540-654-1659. Our office provides free on-campus lockers, monthly newsletters, monthly social events, and weekly coffee hours for off-campus students. Be sure to join our Facebook group (UMW Commuter Student Services) and follow us on Twitter (@UMWCommuters) for updates on the latest off-campus student news and events.
Parking Management
Students who will be commuting to campus by car MUST purchase a commuter parking permit. Policies and designated parking lots can be found through Parking Management. (Note: Students are not permitted to park in the surrounding neighborhoods. They will get ticketed!) The campus has plenty of parking for commuter students, but prime spots fill up quickly. Be sure to budget extra travel time for days when you have to walk from a further lot.
Between Classes
Places for students to study and relax on campus include the Cedric Rucker University Center, the Nest, The Underground, the Hurley Convergence Center, Simpson Library, Blackstone Coffee, and any of the academic building lounges. The off-campus student lounge is located on the third floor of the University Center and is equipped with a microwave, refrigerator, sink, TV, lockers, and couches. The LINK Lounge between Mason and Randolph Halls is also accessible to off-campus students 24/7 by EagleOne card.
Official Notifications
Your UMW email is the channel for official and critical information from the University. It is your responsibility to check your UMW email regularly. All students (including those who live off-campus) are also given a campus mailbox in the Woodard Hall post office, which you are encouraged to check often. This is where your parking pass will be delivered at the beginning of the semester. Student mailbox numbers and combinations may be found in Banner SSB under the “Personal Information” tab.
Inclement Weather
Any changes to the University schedule due to inclement weather will be communicated in the following ways: UMW website (in a red banner across the top), UMW Alerts (via text, email, and/or voice message), Information Hotline at 540-654-2424, University social media accounts, and local media outlets. Notices of closings or delays are usually announced around 6 a.m. Remember, weather conditions vary considerably across the area. If you do not feel safe driving to campus, you should not come. It is your responsibility to notify professors of the reason for your absence and to catch up on any missed work. Conversely, if you are on campus and don’t feel safe driving home, you may call the Office of Transfer and Off-Campus Student Services at 540-654-1659 or UMW Police at 540-654-1025, and we will arrange emergency overnight housing for you. Program these numbers into their phone now so you have them handy!
Meal Plans
Meals are a great time to bond with other people on campus, and meal plans offer a stress-free way to get food from the local campus vendors without paying sales tax. There are even special meal plans available only for off-campus students! Enroll or browse meal plan options on the Residence Life site. Students can adjust plans starting in July and have until the end of the second week of classes to modify their plan.
Off-Campus Student Association
The Off-Campus Student Association(OCSA) president acts as the off-campus student voice in the Student Government. Off-Campus students with questions or concerns about campus issues should contact the OCSA president so he/she can best serve their needs and interest. The OCSA also hosts monthly off-campus student social events and welcomes new student ideas and leadership. Contact the association with any questions or concerns about your off-campus student experience!
Getting Involved
Studies have shown that students are most successful in college when they are involved outside the classroom. Be sure to make the most of your UMW experience by joining a club, going to a study session, or getting an on-campus job. Being an off-campus student might put you a little farther from campus, but that doesn’t make you any less a part of this community. Be sure to check out the SAE weekly emails or log into your myUMW account to keep updated concerning on-campus activities, clubs, and events. You may also follow the Office of Student Activities and Engagement on Twitter @SAEumw.
Eagles On and Off Campus
All Eagles are expected to act with integrity and honor, no matter their location. Students who live off-campus should conduct themselves with the same honor and respect as they do in the classroom. Remember that you can be held accountable through the Office of Student Conduct & Responsibility for off-campus conduct. This is a standard process in higher education that results in positive learning outcomes for students and favorable town-gown relationships. For more information, check out the Office of Student Conduct and Responsibility website.
Additional Resources
Additional resources include the Talley Center for Counseling Services, the Health Center, the Fitness Center, and the Library. These services are free to all full-time degree-seeking students. Be sure to take advantage of them!
Disability Resources
The Office of Disability Resources works to eliminate barriers and create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students, including students with disabilities. However, there may be classes, programs, or educational experiences in which students require accommodations due to a disability. To request accommodations, students should submit documentation of disability along with the Disability Resources registration form to the Office of Disability Resources for review. Once review of this information is complete, the student will be contacted via their UMW email for next steps. If the student needs accommodations in their residence hall, such as a wheelchair-accessible room or visual fire alarm, they are encouraged to complete the housing accommodations application as soon as possible.
FERPA / Educational Records
(Family Educational Records and Privacy Act): Unless your student signs the “Student Consent for Release of Information” form and checks the box for “Official Grade Reports,” you won’t receive information about your student’s performance. This consent form is available in the Office of the Registrar, 206 Lee Hall. Faculty and UMW staff are also restricted in the information they may share with you even if you are financially responsible for the student. This is not a UMW policy. This is a requirement of FERPA, a federal law. For more information about FERPA, visit the UMW Registrar’s website or the U.S. Department of Education.
Notification of Parents/Guardians:
The University will, to the extent allowed by federal law, contact the parents or guardians of students under the age of 21 who are found responsible (through the conduct process) for certain violations of the Drug or Alcohol Policies. For more information, please see here: https://students.umw.edu/studentconduct/parental-notification/.
In most cases, a student’s conduct records are not disclosed to anyone outside the University, including parents, unless the student has given their signed consent to do so.
Honor System
The student-run honor system at UMW is a deeply cherished tradition that forms the basis for our community of trust. Students take responsibility for their own actions, and for the honor system itself, electing representatives to the Honor Council. Students pledge not to lie, cheat, or steal, and each student is required to verify acceptance of the honor system by signing the honor pledge. More information about the Honor System is available through honor@mail.umw.edu.
James Farmer Multicultural Center
The University of Mary Washington continually and actively seeks a rich blend of cultural diversity in its faculty and staff, students, curriculum, and activities. The James Farmer Multicultural Center, named after the prominent civil rights leader who taught at UMW, specifically focuses on the academic and social well-being of underrepresented students through programming, mentoring, and leadership opportunities. The center offers a variety of cultural programming including the highly respected Cultural Awareness Series. The series culminates with the spring Multicultural Fair, which attracts huge crowds to campus.
Student Conduct and Responsibility
The Office of Student Conduct and Responsibility (OSCAR) supports the Division of Student Affairs’s overarching mission to promote student success, learning, and personal wellness. In doing so, it also supports the University’s overall mission, which is to provide students with a superior education that inspires and enables them to make positive changes in the world.
OSCAR supports these missions by upholding a Code of Conduct, a set of guidelines for how UMW students are to conduct themselves, and what conduct they should expect from each other. These guidelines, based on principles of student development, are intended to facilitate all students’ learning and personal growth within the University and beyond, and to create a community of integrity. Students’ success, ability to learn, and wellness should not be negatively impacted by the conduct of other students, or by their own conduct. Students whose actions are inconsistent with the Code of Conduct are held accountable through a fair and compassionate process in which education is a primary value. OSCAR upholds an environment in which personal growth is facilitated, citizenship is promoted, and sensitivity to others within the community is balanced against each student’s need for personal expression. Related to their conduct, UMW students have both rights and responsibilities, and OSCAR assists students in understanding how those rights and responsibilities benefit all members of the UMW community, including themselves.
Veterans Resource Center
The Veterans Resource Center is located in the University Center, Room 114A, and provides a space for veterans and military-connected students to gather informally, study and socialize.