Approved 4/12/11
Bellarmine College Council of Chairs Meeting
February 17, 2011
Minutes
Members Present: Michael Ackerman, Muzaffar Ali, Steven Berg, Pam Cartor, Carlos Chavarria, Caren
Cunningham, Bill Fenton, Aaron Hoffman, Pat Holt, Mary Huff, Frank Hutchins, Tony Lentz, Nelson
Lopez, Margaret Mahoney, Bob Pfaadt, Frederick Smock, Mil Thompson
Guests: Graham Ellis and Cathy Sutton
Minutes: Dean Fenton called the meeting to order and asked if there were any additions or corrections
to the minutes of the January 20 meeting. Hearing none, he entertained a motion to approve the
minutes as written. Margaret Mahoney so moved and Pat Holt seconded. Motion carried.
Departmental Websites: The Dean distributed a handout with summaries of the Arts & Sciences
departmental websites (see attached). He noted that Mathematics had submitted a description, with
key words “barebones” and “outdated,” but he had inadvertently omitted it. He pointed out that Jim
Welp is happy to update these sites if faculty will send him content. The Dean recommended such
updates as a good summer project.
Annual Evaluations: Dr. Fenton gave the Chairs an extension of the deadline for submitting annual
evaluations until Spring Break. He asked for feedback on the new form and received positive comments
on the bullet points and the ten-page limit. Tony Lentz suggested that Chairs comment on each section
(teaching, scholarship, and service) rather than each item.
Questions Raised at January’s Meeting: The Dean briefly answered some questions that were asked at
the previous meeting:
 Who is responsible for evaluating Study Day? No one.
 Who is paying for refreshments at the new student orientation? Graham Ellis replied that the
orientation budget will pay for it.
 Are faculty informed when their students withdraw from the university? No.
 Are advisors notified when one of their students is placed on academic probation? Advisors can
go to myBellarmine and see that their advisee has been placed on probation. The Dean will
pursue a process of notifying advisors when this occurs.
Miscellaneous Items: The Dean briefly reviewed the following:
 Scholarship Criteria – He has not yet found out about the approval of each department’s
scholarship criteria.
 New Blackboard Policies – There were no comments from Chairs and Program Directors.
 Kentucky Academy of Science – Due to Bellarmine’s renewed membership in KAS, faculty are
eligible for certain benefits. Interested faculty should contact Dr. Fenton.
First-Year Orientation: Dr. Graham Ellis, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Dr. Cathy
Sutton, Director of the ARC, asked for feedback on the plans for an academic orientation for in-coming
freshmen (see attached). This year Admissions will hold only one SOAR and the rest of the students will
register online. An academic orientation is planned for August 16 consisting of previews of selected
classes and a departmental reception.
The response of the Chairs and Program Directors was that the timing of the orientation was bad for
faculty, that the week before classes begin is the busiest time for faculty. The preview classes will be
redundant to what the faculty do in the first class meeting. Several Chairs said that they have found that
a departmental reception after the first two or three weeks of classes is more effective. A suggestion
was made to have selected upperclassmen conduct the preview classes. In general, Council members
saw more negative aspects than positive aspects to the proposed academic orientation.
Reminders: The Dean gave a few reminders before concluding the meeting.
 The Arts & Sciences Awards Ceremony will be Friday, April 15.
 Decisions on student awards must be made by March 21. Please inform both Allison and
Joyce Stephenson of your recipients.
 The deadline for submission of abstracts for Academic Achievement Week is March 1. The
deadline for faculty approval of the abstracts is March 4.
 Hedda Gabler opens February 17.
 There will be a forum on the unrest in the Middle East on February 25.
 Next A&S Chairs’ meeting: Thursday, March 17, 11:00 a.m.
Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at approximately 12:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Allison Becker
Recording Secretary