MINUTES
HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT MEETING
August 29, 2014 10:00-11:00 AM
Present:
Joyce Szewczynski, Margaret Lloyd, Becky Lartigue, Jody Santos, Kyle Belanger,
Lethuy Hoang, Dennis Gouws, Dan Fraizer, Carol Mitchell, Dennis Gildea, Marty
Dobrow, Allie Eaton, Lynn McGibbon
I.
Welcome Back
 Welcomed Margaret back from sabbatical!
 Justine is doing well and will be here part time.
 Tom Digby will be having hip replacement surgery Sept. 10th. Please think of him
and send a card.
 Missy is home from rehab. She has the pain under control and working at a
complete recovery.
 Joyce has moved her office into room 207.
 Lynn has the updated spring schedule on her desk for review.
 September 6th at 5:00 pm, Joyce will host a department gathering and will celebrate
Bob Price’s retirement. Please let Joyce know if you will attend and what you will be
bringing.
II.
What’s New
 Our building has been ‘touched up’, spruced up, cleaned up, and heated up (new
boiler), air conditioned-up (new belt, unfrozen), rug replaced -upped, and
somewhat uncluttered-up
 The COSJ 15th year celebration will be held on November 11th 10:00-3:00.
Admissions have been working with COSJ in promoting this celebration. Rebecca
Lobo and her husband will be attending as guest speakers. There will be an alumni
panel, Anna Grearson, will be one of the speakers.
 Joyce has hired eight new adjuncts – none for Spanish – 2 courses had to be
cancelled; seven declined offers because of the low salary. Joyce sent emails to
Peter Polito and Julia Chevan
 Faculty positions:
Joyce needs to write and submit to Dean Herzog ‘ads’ for positions. The Dean will
give them to Jean Wyld who will submit them to President Cooper for final approval
(or denial).
Dean Herzog and Joyce feel that conducting 3 national searches in 1 year is too
much. With input from the Humanities Dept and in collaboration with Dean
Herzog, the final 2 search positions for this year will be decided.
Discussion about the need for assurance that we won’t ‘lose’ any position.
o Writing Program Director
o American Literature
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III.
IV.
Religion
Curriculum Proposals Approved
 Modification of Professional Writing concentration and minor, effective Fall 2014
 Modification of ENGL 306, Advanced Creative Writing; (Genre to be Listed) to
modify prerequisites and notes, effective fall 2014.
 Faculty offered some suggestions regarding some possible changes in course
number/title.
Department Annual Report
 Submitted to Dean Herzog; available to faculty -Revision of our mission statement
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The Humanities Department at Springfield College offers two majors and seven
minors across five disciplines – Communications/Sports Journalism, English,
Modern Languages, Philosophy, and Religion. Within each discipline, our
Humanities courses promote creative and critical thinking, foster an understanding
of diverse viewpoints, and provide students with opportunities to contribute to
scholarship and creative production. With an emphasis on teaching strong oral and
written communication skills, our curriculum delivers a solid foundation for students
to develop essential competence for leadership, career development, and life-long
learning.
Joyce has not heard back if this mission statement is acceptable.
V.
Department goals 2014-2015 submitted in Annual Report (discussion/
additions/modifications).
Information only for this meeting. Discussion will be held at next Dept. meeting
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VI.
Excellence in teaching and advising (ongoing)
Review award nomination policies
Modify surveys on Google docs
Explore options for service learning opportunities
Work with Admissions re recruitment - There may be a Writing Workshop in May
for local high school students
COSJ
 Examine the number of internship credits advisable for majors
 Curriculum review re requirement of participation in campus media
English
 Review goals for Writing Studio and ENGL 113, 114
 Review reading and assignment workloads for students
 Review expectations for English majors/students in 300 level courses
 Review scheduling of Shakespeare and Seminar courses
 Explore more internship opportunities for majors
Committee Assignments (set up your own meetings/times)
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Portfolio Committee –Dennis Gouws (Chair), Margaret Lloyd, Missy Montgomery
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VII.
Awards Committee – Lynn McGibbon
Writing Studio contact person: Dan Fraizer
Faculty Colloquia: None this year
Responding to accepted English majors: Becky Lartigue
Responding to accepted COSJ majors: Jody Santos and Kyle Belanger
COSJ Facebook page: Kyle Belanger
COSJ 15th year celebration in fall 2014: Marty Dobrow, Dennis Gildea, Jody Santos, Kyle
Belanger
Moodle Champions: Not needed
Sigma Tau Delta advisor: Becky Lartigue
Alden Street Review advisor: Justine Dymond
Springfield Student advisor: Marty Dobrow
Radio Club advisor: Kyle Belanger
TV Club advisor: Jody Santos
Humanities Portal: Kyle Belanger
Dennis Gouws – point person for Lit substitutions/waivers
Text Book Committee – Dennis Gouws , Missy and Carol
Important Dates for Fall:
 Thursday, October 16, “An Evening with Richard Leakey: Exploring a Life of Discovery
and Activism” will be held in the Campus Union Ballrooms. The event will start at 7:00
p.m.
Richard Leakey is a major donor helping to fund this event, who is also the alumni who has now
established a significant endowment to fund Arts and Humanities speakers on campus. Joyce will need
to submit to Anne the number of sections/classes that will be present (she needs to report back to the
donor/sponsor).
Dean Herzog is asking all faculty to consider building this event into their syllabi. She would love it if
students were required to attend and perhaps draft a brief reaction paper in response. We are
specifically asking all College Writing faculty to help in this way, but other classes within the Humanities
are encouraged to attend. For the first year students enrolled in College Writing, this type of event can
be very important in helping increase awareness of educational opportunities outside of the classroom-during their very first semester at the college. Joyce is also reaching out to colleagues in other
departments across campus.

Thursday, September 18, at 7:00 pm, Author Doc Hendley will speak in Fuller
His general itinerary:
1) Visit a class or two in the early afternoon.
2) Dinner with the group around 6pm.
3) Speech at 7pm.
4) Book signing post speech.
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Department meetings for fall
Wednesday, September 17th 3:30-4:30 (note time)
Wednesday, November 5, 3:30-4:30
English only- Wednesday, October 1; Wednesday, December 10
COSJ only - Wednesday, September, 10; Wednesday, October 22
November 11 COSJ 15th year celebration and recruitment event
October 1 @ 7:30. Margaret Lloyd Reading.
VIII.
Other Information
 Lynn has printed a list of all ENGL 100 studio student names if anyone would like to see
it.
 Send Lynn your information regarding field trips and an estimate amount of the costs,
and number attending.
 If anyone needs an appointment with Joyce, please see Lynn. Scheduled appointments
will be on Tuesday 10-12.
 Joyce is teaching this year MWF at 2-3 pm. She would like to get our department
meeting going by 3:15, and everyone must attend.
 Lynn is working on the department calendar and will be sending it out by the end of the
week.
 SIRIIs – please do not wait until the last day of classes to distribute to your students.
You will be receiving your packets around mid-semester from Lynn. SIRS II should be
administered NO LATER than the 13th week of the semester. Dean Herzog suggests that
SIRIIs not be given on the last day of classes.
 2014-15 Faculty Handbook is now on line
 Faculty discussed the hiring of new faculty for our department. Joyce asked that people
come with suggestions for the next meeting.
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