Vol. IV, No. 6
January 20, 2012
WheelerNotes
Dean’s Forum – Wednesday, February 1: Although
we try to keep faculty engaged with DeaNotes, emails,
web sites, telephone calls and such, it is good to
occasionally meet face-to-face for conversation. We
last met for such a conversation last August. On
Wednesday, February 1, we will gather at 2:00 pm for
a conversation in the Collaborative Learning Center of
the new Nursing and Allied Health Building. As
always, we will welcome questions, inquiries, and
suggestions on any topic, and tea and cookies will be
provided. Before the meeting is over, we will talk
briefly about academic reorganization.
Complete College Georgia: In Fall of 2011, the
University System of Georgia became a partner with
the Technical College System of Georgia in an
initiative called Complete College Georgia. This
initiative responds to the fact that only 42% of the
state’s young adults have any form of higher education
credential (certificate, associate degree, bachelor
degree) and that prognosticators suggest the state
needs this rate to be 60% for economic health. This
will require 248,000 additional graduates by 2020.
The 29 page document that defines the initiative
describes many new directions; here are a few that will
most directly affect Gordon College.



Focus on adult learners [Gordon’s recent
acceptance into the Adult Learning Consortium
and the Soldiers to School program are
important first steps.]
More robust partnerships between USG and
TCSG including more robust transfer of credit.
Smaller initiatives, including: modularizing and
personalizing remediation, a student centered
transfer portal, prior learning assessment
including standardized tests, restructuring
delivery.
The Gordon Classroom Response System
(“Clicker”) Solution: Last year several faculty
members showed interest in using a Classroom
Response System (“clickers”) in their classes. They
pointed out that “clickers” allow instructors to more
easily assess student comprehension and improves
student engagement during class. “Clickers” give
faculty the ability to poll students or ask multiplechoice questions during class and then gather feedback
in response to those questions immediately. Results
can be graphed on the screen in real-time and then
discussed in class. Jeff Hayes identified Turning
Technologies as our campus clicker solution. We
began a pilot that included four faculty members
beginning last Fall. The software that allows you to
build questions into PowerPoint lectures
(TurningPoint) or poll in ANY application
(TurningPoint AnyWhere) can be downloaded for free
at
http://www.turningtechnologies.com/responsesystems
upport/downloads/. Students can buy the
ResponseCards RF Clickers in our campus bookstore.
Representatives of Turning Technologies have been on
campus twice and we can arrange more visits as
needed. Case studies, group and individual training
are available at www.TurningTechnologies.com. Call
Troy Stout or Jeff Hayes for more details.
100% … Again: Sometimes good news occurs so
often that we fail to attend to its significance.
Certainly that is the case with the success of our
nursing students. We now know that all of the Spring
2011 graduates passed the NCLEX on their first try, an
astonishing fact made all the more impressive because
it has happened multiple times in recent years. Having
worked at an institution where an 89% pass rate was
good news, I am in awe. Many thanks not only to our
nursing faculty but to the biologists and psychologists
who teach key courses in the preparation of future
nurses and to the general education faculty that ensure
that these students have the critical thinking skills so
important on this test.
DEANotes is a quasi-monthly publication of Academic Affairs
Walkers Welcome: This is a reminder that there are
a cluster of aging athletes who no longer can muster
the “stuff” to jog, but who nonetheless periodically
depart from the gym for a brisk walk at the noon hour.
If you would like to join this distinguished (or perhaps
extinguished) group, let Wheeler or Baskin know and
they will add you to the email reminder that goes out
when the walking session is to occur.
BaskiNotes
Learning Communities: I encourage you to send
ideas for learning communities to me (Richard
Baskin) by January 27. See my email and attachments
from January 11 for details. Don’t hesitate to call if
you have questions.
Success in STAR 0098: This class is taken by
students who have been readmitted to the college after
having been suspended. It can be a valuable class to
students, and Peter Higgins received the following
note from one of these students: “I just want to thank
you for the class. Though truthfully, at the time, I
didn't think I was learning anything, I learned a lot and
it has helped me to bring up my grades and in turn
bring up my GPA as well.” The student goes on to list
the A’s and B’s that she has made since her STAR
class. Data shows that, for all students taking STAR
0098, the rate of their returning the following term is
typically 55-65%. This is a dramatic increase from the
25-30% rate for this type of readmitted students before
we began the class. Another piece of good news: at
the end of the fall term, 20% of students in STAR
0098 changed status from Probation to Good Standing
rather than continue under probationary status or drop
out. This degree of positive change in one semester is
very good.
SoTL Update: To find the new issue of the
International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching
& Learning and information about the 5th Annual SoTL
Commons Conference (March 7-9, 2012), go to the
Georgia Southern University web site and type “sotl”
in the search box.
USG Faculty Development: Registration is now open
for the USG face-to-face faculty development
sessions. The topics for Spring are listed below.
1/20/12 - Creating a Collaborative Learning
Community. Presenters: Meredith Ginn & Shea Mize,
Georgia Highlands College, Kim Huett and Jason
Huett, University of West Georgia. Location: ITS Athens
2/17/12 - Integrating teaching, service, and
scholarship: Publishing what you do where it counts.
Presenters: Linda Noble, USG Board of Regents and
Iris, Saltiel Columbus State University. Location: ITS
– Athens
3/30/12 - Class from Hell (Note Location).
Presenters: Peter Lindsay, Georgia Southwestern State
University. Location: Georgia Southwestern College
4/20/12 - Leading Undergraduate Research Programs.
Presenters: Samuel Abegaz, Cindy Henning and
Shamim Khan, Columbus State University, David
Williams, University of Georgia. Location: ITS –
Athens
For more session details and online registration, go to
http://bit.ly/usg-fac-dev.
GahrNotes
Drs. Hartman and Rumfelt gave a Student Success
Workshop January 18th, called “How to Talk with
Your College Professor”, to help students engage in
conversations with their professors to reach their
academic and personal goals.
Dr. Rumfelt has volunteered to judge the Lamar
County Comprehensive High School Science Fair on
January 20, 2012 coordinated by their Science teacher,
Holly Hamlin.
Science Olympiad report: Faculty and staff from the
Math and Natural Sciences, Nursing, Humanities,
Business and Social Sciences, Student Success Center,
and Learning Support divisions will supervise 23
science–based events for the Regional competition of
the Science Olympiad held right here at Gordon
College, on Saturday February 25, 2012. Our fabulous
volunteers are busily working to write tests that will
challenge the 6-9th grade students seeking to place in
the top five schools invited to the State Competition in
March. We are on track for another year of friendly
scientific competition. All are welcome to come see
the events live and attend the awards ceremony. Go to
our website to see the schedule:
http://gascience.gdn.edu/index.asp.
Dr. Theresa Stanley, Biology Discipline Leader,
Upper-level biology courses (excluding research)
currently have 70 unique students enrolled. This is an
increase over Fall 2011 by 16 students. We are
pleased that our program continues to grow.
DEANotes is a quasi-monthly publication of Academic Affairs
Dr. Marwan Zabdawi:
 Volunteered to be a judge for the Annual Science
Fair at Spalding High School on Friday, January
20, 2012.
 Volunteered to be a judge for the Regional Science
Olympiad “Storm the Castle Event” on Saturday,
February 25, 2012.
 Will be attending the 1st Annual Georgia
Scholarship of STEM Teaching & Learning
Conference on March 9th at the Nessmith-Lane
Conference Center on the campus of Georgia
Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia.
KnightoNotes
On December 8, 2011, Dr. Christy Flatt successful
defended her dissertation (Work to Live or Live to
Work? The Impact of Gender, Personal Resources,
and National Policy on the Importance of Intrinsic and
Extrinsic Work Rewards in Post-Industrial Nations)
receiving a Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology at
Mississippi State University. Congratulations
Dr. Flatt!
Dr. Matthew Hill will be teaching his second course
at the Sun City Peachtree Center in Griffin through the
Community Ed Office. It is a six-week course titled
“The History of the American Revolution” (January 19
- February 23) in which 45 people are currently
enrolled. This past Fall, Dr. Hill taught a previous 4week course there titled, “A Religious History of the
United States” to 22 participants. The audience is
largely made up of retired professionals and working
adults.
Dr. Alan Burstein presented “Play Money as
Classroom Reward’ at the Governor’s Teaching
Fellowship Reunion Conference on Friday, January.
20th, in Athens, GA.
Drs. Tom Aiello, Jeff Rogers, Marvin Thomas, and
Frank Winters attended the American History
Association Annual Conference, January 4 – 8, in
Chicago.
Ms. Bethany Johnson recently began the EdD
program in Workforce Education at the University of
Georgia. We all wish her much success.
MahaNotes
Dr. Mike Mahan:
 will speak to a group of School Counselors
attending a meeting here at Gordon College on
Friday, January 20th.
 has been named to the editorial board of
“Education” of the Academic Open Access
Journal.
 Chair of Education has also had a paper selected
for presentation at the 1st Annual STEM
Conference at Georgia Southern.
 is attending a Task-Force meeting in regards to
PSC rule 505-3-.28 Science Educator preparation
Rule for the State of Georgia. The Task-Force
will meet on January 26th for the first time.
Dr. Mike Borders:
 had a paper accepted for Presentation at the 2012
Council for Exceptional Children State
Conference in February.
 has also had a paper selected for presentation at
the 1st annual STEM Conference to be held at
Georgia Southern in March.
Excitement continues at a high level about the
construction to Smith Hall. The staff of the Division
of Education toured the building on Wednesday,
January 18 for a look inside and were moved.
WhitelockNotes
The Gordon College Theater Program will present
Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, directed by
Rhonda Wooley, in the Fine Arts Auditorium
February 22 - 26. All performances begin at 7:30 p.m.
excepting the Sunday matinee at 2:00 p.m.
Our Music Program’s ongoing Gordon College Recital
Series also continues in February with a performance
by violinist David Courcheron on February 28th in the
Fine Arts Auditorium. The performance begins at
7:30 p.m.
Dr. Marc Muneal was awarded a Faculty
Development Grant and will begin work this summer
on a new project, “The Forgotten Fanny Cradock,” a
scholarly biography of the British television cook,
novelist, and travel-writer. He has also contributed to
a proposal for a new scholarly edition of the letters of
Aubrey Beardsley, the late Victorian Artist.
Dr. Rhonda Wilcox served as an external reviewer for
the dissertation of a doctoral candidate at Pacifica
Graduate Institute in California, reading multiple
versions of the dissertation, offering commentary and
suggestions, and subsequently approving the work
after revision. She will participate in the student’s
dissertation defense on January 30.
DEANotes is a quasi-monthly publication of Academic Affairs
Dates & Deadlines
Jan 2, 2012
Jan 3 (T)
Jan 4 (W)
Jan 4 (W)
Jan 4 -11
Jan 5 (R)
Jan 9 (M)
Jan 9-11
Jan 9 -11
Jan 11 (W)
Jan 16 (M)
Jan 18 (W)
Jan 20 (F)
Jan 23 (M)
Jan 25 (W)
Jan 27 (F)
Feb 1 (W)
Feb 3 (F)
Mar 1 (R)
Mar 12-16
Mar 18
Mar 21 (W)
Mar 21 (W)
Apr 2 - 20
Apr 30 (M)
May 1 thru
May 4 (TF)
May 11 Friday
New Year’s Holiday – College Closed
Staff Report
Faculty Report
Pymt Deadline - Early & Open Registration
4:00 pm
Open Registration for Continuing Students
NSO – Alumni Memorial Hall
Group Advising and Registration
Classes begin
Late Registration
Drop/Add
Payment Deadline for Late Registration and
Drop/Add Periods – 4:00 pm
Last day to receive refund for reduction of
hours
MLK Holiday, College Closed
Faculty Enrollment Verification Deadline
8AM
Bookstore Charges End – 12:00 pm
Financial Aid Disbursed
Faculty Meeting with Dr. Max Burns 2:00 PM
NAHB – Rm 114
Deadline for Student Petitions for
Reinstatement to Class Rolls
Dean’s Forum 2:00 PM
NAHB Collaborative Learning Cntr – Rm 123
Refunds Available on Higher One
Midterm – Withdrawals after March 1 will be
an automatic WF except in cases of hardship
as documented & approved by processing a
Student Petition.
Spring Break for Faculty and Students
Residence Halls reopen at 4:00 pm
Georgia History and U.S. Constitution Exam
Review Session on Advising 2:00 PM
Foundation Room - SC 229
Early Registration for Continuing Students for
Summer and Fall 2012
Last day of classes
Final Exams
Book Buy-Back – Bookstore
Graduation
DEANotes is a quasi-monthly publication of Academic Affairs