October 20, 2011
Vol. IV, No. 3
WheelerNotes
Support for Travel & Professional Development:
It is good to occasionally review the resources that
are available to individual faculty members for
professional development. Essentially we have three
sources (in addition to funds available through the
President’s Summer Faculty Development
Initiative.)
• In the budget for each division, there is an
allocation of $500 of state funds per faculty
member for travel. These funds belong to the
division rather than the faculty member, and
some divisions have policies to allow a faculty
member to spend more than $500 if the funds
are available. [Expenditure of these funds is
subject to the Essential Travel stipulations
discussed in the first faculty meeting of the
year.]
• The Faculty Development Committee has
resources in the budget that it allocates each
year. These funds can supplement division
travel funds or be used for other purposes. The
deadline for application for the first distribution
of these funds was October 17, 2011. There will
be a second deadline early next semester.
• If the Faculty Development Committee allocates
its entire budget, it has access to an additional
$6000 this year from the Cy Neuner Faculty and
Staff Development endowment.
Please be aware of these resources as you plan your
projects for this year.
Winding down GC@FVSU: With some sadness
we announce that we will be bringing to a close the
collaboration with Fort Valley State University
known as gc@fvsu on May 31 of 2012. With the
good work of many full-time and part-time
employees of Gordon College, we served over 300
students during the period of our collaboration.
The changing mission of Gordon College and the
growing student population at FVSU created the
need to rethink this program. Thank you to all the
staff and faculty who worked to make this program
work for these important Gordon students. Thank
you, in particular, to Professors Moore, BhembeJenkins, and Cortney Grubbs who delivered both
instruction and care to these students.
Four Important Folks –Aiello, Fuller, Raynie,
and Stanley: We need to take a minute and say
thank you to the important persons who have
helped us birth our baccalaureate programs in the
arts and science disciplines - Biology, English,
History, and Mathematics. The job descriptions of
the coordinators of these majors differ somewhat
from discipline to discipline depending on the
needs of the Division, but each job description
contains these six key responsibilities:
• Promote the new major
• Create and maintain a website
• Lead the effort to advise declared baccalaureate
majors in the discipline
• Create and implement the assessment system of
the new major
• Work with Dr. Mahan to deal with PSC and
NCATE accreditation issues
• Manage the curricular work of the major
Clearly each of these responsibilities has been
crucial to launching the major. However, the most
important of the six responsibilities is the advising.
Because we have very limited offerings initially
and missing a course will be catastrophic in view of
those limits (especially for teaching certification
DEANotes is a quasi-monthly publication of Academic Affairs
students), I have asked the coordinators to advise
all junior/senior baccalaureate majors. This will
not be the steady state advising solution. At some
future time when we are more certain of our course
rotations, we will be distributing junior-senior
majors across the faculty delivering the major.
However, in the first two years, very careful and
consistent advisement is crucial. Thank you to the
four folks who have provided this advisement.
One final note: The four coordinators (Drs.
Stanley, Raynie, Aiello, and Fuller) have created
some of the best “assessments of major” that this
Dean has ever seen. [Unlike Education and
Nursing, arts and sciences disciplines have to create
their own assessment programs.]
AndersoNotes
Patron PIN numbers in GIL
Starting January 12, you will need a PIN (Patron
Identification Number) to get into Your GIL
Account to request loans from other libraries, to
renew books online, and to check your account for
fines and fees. PIN numbers will increase the
security of your library account.
• Retrieve your initial PIN from the “My
Account” log in page. After entering name,
900#, etc., the PIN is sent to your email address
— Your GPC email address if you are a student.
• You can change the PIN after you log in with
your assigned PIN.
• PINs must be 5-12 characters. Letters and
numbers only. (No special characters.)
• Library staff can no longer access patron
accounts to renew GIL Express items for you,
but we will be glad to help you access your
account yourself.
Problems? Questions?
Please Ask at the Circulation or Reference Desk
BaskiNotes
LS Math Coordinator We welcome Mrs. Gwen
Sharpe as our Learning Support Math
Coordinator. She will be the point person for
assisting students and handling petitions when LS
Math courses are involved, and she will play a
primary role in scheduling classes and mentoring
new faculty in LS Math. Mrs. Terry Betkowski
will continue as Director of Learning Support, and
she will be mentoring Mrs. Sharpe in her new role.
23rd International Conference on College
Teaching and Learning: The 2012 conference
will be held April 9-13 in Ponte Vedra Beach,
Florida. A call for proposals has been published,
and the deadline for submission is December 1,
2011. Go to www.teachlearn.org for more
information.
5th Annual SoTL (Teaching and Learning)
Commons Conference (March 7-9, 2012, at
Georgia Southern University): For more
information, go to
http://academics.georgiasouthern.edu/ijsotl/confere
nce/2012/index.htm. The keynote speakers will be
Pat Hutchings (The Carnegie Foundation), Mick
Healey (University of Gloucestershire) and Craig
Nelson (Indiana University).
Update on New Learning Management System:
Many of you are aware that the LMS that will
replace Blackboard is Desire2Learn. We have
asked to be placed in Group 2 for implementation.
If approved, we will implement in January 2013.
Before we begin using the new system, our existing
course content in Blackboard will be migrated to
Desire2Learn. Most of the content should migrate
without problem, and faculty will have the
opportunity to do any needed “clean up.” We will
forward more details as we get them, including
training opportunities.
BursteiNotes
The History Club is up and running, having held a
“Dinner & a Movie with Dr. Aiello” event on
September 21. On October 15 they hosted a BBQ
and Kickball Game versus English faculty and BA
majors. History prevailed, 32-4, despite the mercy
loan of Dr. Frank Winters to help out the English
team.
Dr. Brenda Johnson, Dr. Prathibha Joshi, and
Dr. Karen McCarron accompanied eight business
students to the Business & Society Micro-Credit
Conference at GA Tech on Oct 17. The students
presented a business plan in the competition, an
alternative energy business that would partner with
Habitat for Humanity to install solar energy sources
in their new Georgia homes. Students had an
opportunity to meet with Chancellor Huckaby,
Lieutenant Governor Cagle and Nobel laureate,
Muhammad Yunus.
DEANotes is a quasi-monthly publication of Academic Affairs
GahrNotes
Dr. Beike Jia has been invited by the Executive
Chair to speak at the Montreal International
Translational Medicine Conference to be held this
November in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He will
present his work and ideas of “Reactions between
rubidium atoms and C6F6, C2Cl4, C2HCl3,
CH2=CCl2 or trans-C2H2Cl2 in crossed
molecular beams”. The conference is organized by
EPS Global Medical development Inc., a Canadabased biomedical consultant agency that promotes
continuing academic education, knowledge transfer
and scientific exchange through life sciencesoriented conferences.
Dr. Jia has also received an invitation to give a
speech at the 1st Annual Conference and EXPO of
Analytix 2012, to be held during March 23-25,
2012, Beijing, China. It is an essential event for bio
analysis and chemo analytical professionals in the
field of bio & laboratory instrument.
Dr. Amanda Duffus will be giving a portion of a
work shop at the Southeastern Fish and Wildlife
Association annual meeting on how to necropsy
(i.e. autopsy) amphibians and reptiles, in Nashville,
TN, at the end of October.
- has been asked to organize a workshop at the
2012 annual meeting of the Southeastern Partners
in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation
(SEPARC) on diseases in herpetofauna.
- is coordinating an effort with the Partners in
Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) to
create an information website for Ranaviruses in
amphibians and reptiles.
- has submitted the following articles for
publication:
Duffus, A.L.J., R.A. Nichols, and T.W.J. Garner.
Life History Stages Affected by Ranavirus
Infections in Common Frogs (Rana temporaria) in
the United Kingdom. Journal of Wildlife Diseases.
Dr. Mustapha Durojaiye, along with Forestry and
Environmental science students, attended the Fall
Open House of the University of Georgia, Griffin
campus on October 6, 2011. They were given a
tour of the facility and learned about the Gordon
College Transfer Student ‘Academic Scholarship.’
The scholarship awards can range from $1000-
$3000 per academic year. The application deadline
for spring 2012 semester is December 5, 2011.
Dr. H. Lewis Fang has two presentation proposals
that were accepted to be presented at national
conventions. One is entitled Home-School
Collaboration in the context of Response to
Intervention, accepted by National Association of
School Psychologists (NASP) to be presented at the
2012 NASP annual convention, in February, 2012,
Philadelphia, PA. The other one is entitled The
Effects of Simplified Schema-Based Instruction on
Elementary Students' Mathematics Word Problem
Solving Performance, accepted by the National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) to be
presented at the Research Presession of the 2012
Annual Meeting and Exposition of the National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics in April, 2012,
Philadelphia, PA.
Dr. Linda Hyde took the EarthWindFire Science
Club on a “portage your canoe” cleanup of the Flint
River on Saturday, October 1. (This event was
previously known as a canoeing cleanup of the
Flint River.) Four bags of miscellaneous plastic
and foam items, old furniture, cans, and bottles
were cleaned from the river and its banks.
Dr. Cathy Lee attended the 2011 Georgia Life
Sciences Summit “Titled Bioscience at a
Crossroads” at Americasmart, Atlanta, GA on
September 27, 2011. The summit focused on the
discussions of today’s hottest topics and provided
the opportunity to network with colleagues from
across the state, region and nation. The summit also
included an exhibit hall of the latest technologies,
products and services, and a BioCareer Resource
Center where professionals and students can learn
about the current job market.
Dr. Richard Schmude Jr. gave a talk about Jupiter
at the Solar System Symposium at the Peach State
Star Gaze near Sharon Georgia on September 30,
2011.
- gave a telescope viewing session to a troop of
Girl scouts on October 1, 2011 at The Rock
Ranch.
- gave a 10 minute talk titled “Geostationary
Satellites” at the Flint River Astronomy club on
September 8, 2011 in Griffin, Georgia.
DEANotes is a quasi-monthly publication of Academic Affairs
Dr. Marwan Zabdawi, on 9/23/11, took the
Engineering Class and members of the Engineering
Club to the Caterpillar plant in Griffin for a plant
tour with computer simulation. The tour lasted
three hours and the students described it as fun and
educational.
- registered to attend the STEM conference
(Scholarship of STEM Teaching & Learning)
that will be held at Georgia Southern
University on March 9th of 2012.
Mayo, and Laura West. I am grateful to this group
of students who have agreed to serve the Honors
Program in this leadership capacity.
WhitelockNotes
Dr. Steve Raynie will host a general advising
meeting for all English majors and for any students
who intend to become English majors at 2:00 p.m.
on Wednesday, Oct. 26, in Academic 114.
JansseNotes
The Gordon College Theater Program will open a
series of one-act plays by Tennessee Williams on
November 16.
The Honors Program will be offering the following
classes for Spring 2012: ENGL 1102H, HIST
2111H, and COLQ 2994H (History of Christianity).
As we get busy with advising for Spring, please
encourage qualified students to consider taking an
Honors course, keeping in mind that it is not
required for students to be accepted into the Honors
Program to take an Honors course. Students will
need to see me in order to register for any of the
above.
Dr. Karen Guffey is beginning preparations to
lead her 12th annual Study Abroad Program trip to
Barcelona, Spain, in summer 2012. Second
language proficiency is becoming increasingly
important in the job market, and Dr. Guffey works
hard to make this an affordable and rewarding
opportunity for students to hone their skills. Please
direct interested students her way.
The Honors Council met last week to review Fall
applications to the Honors Program and admitted
the following students:
John Becker
Hannah Law
Sara Croft
Andrew Odegaard
Anna Cogdill
Manuel Ruiz
James Hewitt
Tyler Stone
Kelsey Holcombe
Anne Stansell
Stephanie Hogg
Samantha Watt
If you know any of these students, be sure to
congratulate them!
This year’s Honors Council consists of: Dr. Susan
Glenn, Dr. Jason Horn, Dr. Mark Milewicz, Dr.
Sheryl O’Sullivan, Dr. Rhonda Wilcox, and Ms.
Margie Wright. Council members this year will
be working with leaders of the 4-year programs in
the Divisions they represent to develop criteria for
graduating with Honors in those programs.
A Student Honors Council has been formed this
semester in order to give Honors students a formal
voice in the governance of the Honors Program.
This year’s Student Honors Council is: Jessica
Bailey, Billie Brand, Chris Childress, Shannon
Griffin, Wendy Giere-Frye, Sheila Kern, Emily
Studies in Popular Culture 34.1, for which Dr.
Rhonda Wilcox serves as editor and Dr. David
Janssen serves as associate editor, has just been
published.
Dr. Peter Boltz announces the arrival of the ninth
publication of The President’s Report. Dr. Boltz,
who is the editor of the magazine, said the cover
story is about Bobby Lee Cook, class of ’43 and
one of “the lions of the trial bar.” Dr. Boltz is a
former newspaper reporter for The Idaho Mountain
Express in Ketchum, Idaho.
Dr. Doug Davis presented a paper, “William
Gibson’s Transatlantic Speculations in his Three
Latest Novels," at the annual meeting of the
Science Fiction Research Association in Lublin,
Poland.
Dr. David Janssen and Dr. Mark King presented
their paper, “A Presentation Software by Any Other
Name: The Light and the Dark of Shakespearean
PowerPoint Presentations in College English
Classrooms” at a recent joint conference of two
organizations: The Popular Culture Association in
the South and The American Culture Association in
the South. The joint conference was held in New
Orleans, Louisiana from October 6 to 8. King and
Janssen’s collaboration will continue: the two are
planning on using their paper as fodder for an
upcoming journal article.
DEANotes is a quasi-monthly publication of Academic Affairs
Dates & Deadlines
Dr. Masoud Nourizadeh and Professor Marlin
Adams are scheduled to escort a number of
students to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta on
Saturday, October 22, 2011. The current exhibition
[Picasso to Warhol] will present more than 100
works of art created by modern masters, including
Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Jackson Pollock,
Romare Bearden and many more. The exhibition
will end April 29, 2012.
Dr. Caesar Perkowski earned a Master of
Education degree in Instructional Technology from
Georgia College & State University in May 2011.
Dr. Wesley Venus was promoted to Editor of
Reviews with Kairos, a refereed online journal
examining the intersections of rhetoric, technology,
and pedagogy, hosted by Texas Tech University.
Dr. Edward Whitelock contributed a biographical
essay on 1960’s folk-singer Phil Ochs to ABCCLIO’s forthcoming Music in American Life: An
Encyclopedia of the Songs, Styles, Stars, and
Stories That Shaped Our Culture, edited by
Jaqueline Edmondson.
Oct 10, 11
Midterm – Withdrawals and grade appeals after
October 6 will be an automatic WF except in
cases of hardship as documented and approved by
processing a Student Petition.
Fall Break for Faculty and Students
Oct 12
Georgia History & U.S. Constitution Exam
Oct 31Nov 8
Nov 17
Early Registration for Continuing Students
Oct 6
Nov 23
New Student Orientation – Alumni Mem Hall
Group Advising /Registration (Spring 2012
Semester)
Administrative Offices are open
Nov 23-25
Thanksgiving Holidays for Faculty & Students
Nov 24-25
Dec 5
Thanksgiving Holidays for Administrative Staff
College Closed
Last day of classes
Dec 6-9
Final Exams
Dec 19
College Closed
thru Jan 2
Dr. Rhonda Wilcox presented a paper titled
“Accelerated Pregnancies in Star Trek: The Next
Generation, The X-Files, Angel, Doctor Who, and
Fringe” at the Popular Culture Association in the
South / American Culture Association in the South
Conference in New Orleans. She also served on the
Executive Council.
DEANotes is a quasi-monthly publication of Academic Affairs