University of Mary Washington - Index

University of Mary Washington - summer08 - Index

both the quality and availability of student housing, to
boost minority enrollment, and to keep tuition affordable,
with annual increases frequently below the rate of inflation.
She also pushed for the establishment of new graduation
requirements to help ensure students could earn their degrees
in four years.
In addition, she encouraged the development of a common
academic calendar that made it easier for students to enroll
in courses at other PASSHE universities, taking advantage
of the broad depth of faculty expertise across the system.
She insisted on increased funding for faculty development;
and during her tenure, the value of federal grants received by
PASSHE universities more than tripled, at a time when state
appropriations for higher education dwindled nationwide.
“It’s astounding to me what she’s been able to accomplish,
given the fact that she’s had very few resources to put to
it,” said Ira Blake, PASSHE’s assistant vice chancellor for
academic and student affairs.
In spite of her success, Hample’s decisions haven’t always
been popular, particularly among the eight labor unions with
26
UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON MAGAZINE����������������
which she regularly engaged in contract negotiations.
“Sometimes the comments are very personal, and
it’s difficult to take,” said Tom Krapsho, PASSHE’s vice
chancellor for human resources and labor relations. “It’s a
difficult part of the chancellor’s job, but she’s got to do it,
and she’s very good at it.”
Her expertise in this area, colleagues say, is due in part to
her unflappable nature and her practice of making decisions
based purely on principle, not special agendas.
“Judy doesn’t play politics,” said Jeff Cooper, PASSHE’s
chief legal counsel. “I’ve never known her to do something
that she didn’t think was the right thing to do.”
Take, for example, the method behind the madness of
one of Hample’s proudest accomplishments: accountability
and performance funding, a blueprint for allocating
resources based on an institution’s success in areas such as
student achievement, resource development, and university
excellence.
“We developed a set of principles first, and then we ran
the numbers,” said PASSHE Executive Vice Chancellor
Judy Hample announced in June 2007 her plans to leave her post as chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education,
with its 14 universities and 110,000 students. As the new president of the much smaller University of Mary Washington, Hample
relishes the opportunity to become reacquainted with campus life and connect more intimately with students, faculty, and staff.
Karen Pearlman