2011-12
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Table of Contents
Introduction – Mission and Vision………………………………………… 1
Swot Analysis……………………………………………………………………2
Planning…………………………………………………………………………. 14
Review of Achievements…………………………………………………….. 21
Recommendations for New Development and Resources………….. 43
Suggestions…………………………………………………………………….. 45
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SCHOOL OF ARTS & LETTERS
Annual Report 2011-2012
Date: July 26, 2012
Dean: Dr. Timothy Whisler
I. Introduction - Mission and Vision
Mission
Fundamentally, the mission of the School of Arts & Letters is to honor the
achievements of past students, faculty and staff; to encourage, support and appreciate the
efforts of current students, faculty and staff; and to inspire hope for future students,
faculty and staff.
The School of Arts & Letters offers professional and pre-professional programs in
Elementary, Middle and Secondary Education, Criminal Justice, Public Administration,
Pre-Law, and Social Work and majors and programs in the Humanities and Behavioral
Sciences. These majors prepare students for entry into the workplace or post-graduate
and professional programs. The school’s departments and programs contribute
significantly to the university’s General Education program. The traditional heart and
soul of the university, the School of Arts & Letters provides students of all majors with a
broad and deep liberal arts education. The department and programs of the school offer
students relevant curricula, including study abroad and internship opportunities, and
majors that present students with the skills, knowledge and values needed to live a
productive, rewarding and satisfying life in an uncertain contemporary world.
Vision
The School of Arts & Letters will continue to strive to offer premier programs in
the Humanities, Behavioral Sciences and Education. We will define ourselves by our
academic programs, student successes and faculty achievements. The school will create
an atmosphere that fosters mutual respect and acceptance of the diversity of its people
and programs. The primary goals of faculty are and will be teaching and advising
students. Faculty and students engage in research and participate in community service.
Our majors, minors and programs will continue to offer relevant, attractive and
challenging courses, curriculums and co-curricular activities to prepare students for
success in various future endeavors. The school majors and programs have been designed
to provide students with a distinguishing spring board into post-graduate study or the
workplace. All of the school’s departmental and pre-professional programs will be
grounded in the liberal arts. Consequently, the students and alumni of Arts & Letters will
reflect professional skills, values and ethics. The ultimate goal of the School of Arts &
Letters is to continue to provide faculty and students with a distinctive academic home of
first choice.
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Members of A&L School Chairs’ Council, 2011-12
 Education: Dr. Susan Makosy, Chair.
 English, Communication Arts & Foreign Languages: Ms. Donna Menis, Chair.
 Fine Arts: Mr. Charles Olson, Chair.
 Graduate Education: Dr. Janette Kelly, Director.
 History and Political Science: Dr. Mark Gentry, Chair.
 Philosophy and Religious Studies: Dr. Rosemary Bertocci, Chair.
 Psychology: Dr. Sara King, Chair.
 Social Work: Dr. Mark Lynch, Program Director.
 Sociology and Criminal Justice: Dr. Teelyn Mauney, Chair.
Associate Dean: Dr. Robin Cadwallader, Associate Professor of English
Administrative Assistant: Mrs. Laurie Madison
II. SWOT Analysis
Please note that the following items listed in challenges, opportunities, weaknesses
and strengths sections were mentioned by at least two different departments or programs
in their 2011-12 annual reports. Variations often occurred in wording and/or in the
category placement, such as strength or opportunity or as weakness or challenge.
Nonetheless, a pattern of commonality emerging from multiple independent units
suggests clear strategic or operational issues that affect the school level.
Obviously, individual units highlighted issues unique to their specific
discipline/department/program. Any omission of an issue raised by a department or
program in this document is not a judgment of unimportance. The school pledges to
assist departments with specific issues. Please consult the department/program reports
for specific department and program assessments. The order of listing here is not a
designation of priority.
Challenges:
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Meeting ever changing program accreditation standards with limited
resources.
Maintaining faculty morale following cancellation of Furlong Lecture.
Adapting to unknown consequences of the new General Education curriculum
and program.
Handling the workload and implications of assessment program
implementation.
Meeting increased competition for students from regional institutions.
Coping with the effects of reduced federal, state and local expenditures in
fields that employ graduates from our disciplines.
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Adapting to rising tuition rates in less than optimum macro-economic
conditions, which may reduce student enrollments.
Relying heavily upon the local region for student enrollments.
Pervading image of the institution as a pre-professional university.
Varying ability and academic curiosity of students presents challenges to
faculty in the classroom.
Finding the proper role, if any, of on-line courses in the curriculum in light of
the development of Massively Open Online Courses (MOOC).
Balancing faculty commitments between teaching, service and research.
Balancing fairly departmental workloads across faculty members.
Striking balance in student enrollments across introductory and advanced
levels classes.
Acquiring and maintaining a consistently optimum number of students in the
major.
Scheduling within a limited number of classrooms and sections.
Acquiring sufficient classroom/practice and faculty office space, particularly
for Fine Arts.
Preparing for succession of department leadership.
Adjusting to budget crises in public school districts that will probably result in
lower tuition reimbursement rates for students enrolled in Graduate Education.
Opportunities:
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Implementing PDE-approved Early Childhood, Middle Childhood and Social
Studies programs.
Managing Admissions Fellowship awards to incoming and enrolled students.
Exploiting revised PDE guidelines from hours to competencies in several
programs, including pre-student teaching Field Experiences.
Increasing the number of non-traditional and transfer students who enter our
majors and programs.
Developing student assessment standards for knowledge, skills and conduct.
Implementing new American Sign Language minor.
Promoting and growing the Autism support programs in the departments of
Education and Fine Arts.
Taking advantage of the new General Education requirements and curriculum
when they come on-line.
Participating in Study Abroad programs.
Offering new courses and sections to meet demands of increased number of
minors (and majors).
Sharing students and classes with new Environmental Studies program.
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Utilizing excellent students to serve as student ambassadors in departmental
outreach and recruitment efforts.
Implementing new courses, curricular reforms and/or major requirements,
particularly in Education, History/Political Science, Philosophy/Religious
Studies, Psychology and Social Work.
Offering advanced-level courses that serve as collateral requirements in other
majors, particularly in Philosophy/Religious Studies and Psychology.
Exploiting Arts & Letters and external grant opportunities.
Developing a Human Services minor proposal by Social Work.
Offering more co-curricular activities.
Offering RLST 105, “Franciscan Goals for Today,” as a first-year required
course that will expose students to the mission of the university and
opportunities of the major.
Providing tuition deferment and financial aid programs to assist enrolled
Graduate Education students who must wait for tuition reimbursement from
school districts.
Implementing Arts & Letters major and Paralegal studies undergraduate
minor.
Strengths:
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Committed, professional and hard-working faculty and administrative assistants.
Pertinent and innovative co-curricular activities, such as Autism Support,
Drumming and Disabilities, Ethics Institute, North American Conference of
Religious Studies and Philosophy, Café Voltaire, Hand Drumming, Mock
Convention, Gateopener, Sign Jam, APPLES, Remote Area Medical, Writing
Center, World Drumming Ensemble, Star theatre, Consortium for Educational
Resources on Islamic Studies Board, Center for Study of Law and Government,
Washington Internship Institute, Washington Center, Ann Eppard Congressional
Internship and Scholarship, Moot Court, IM4Q program, Women Writers Retreat,
etc.
Smart classrooms.
Private faculty offices. (Note that some departments have noted that the lack of
private faculty offices or inadequate private offices is a weakness).
Flexible scheduling of courses, particularly on-line classes, supplemental classes,
tutorials, special topics and continuing education classes.
Active and inclusive student clubs associated to majors and departments.
Collegial intra- and inter-school cooperation in events, programs and majors.
Active and motivated group of students in the department or major who go onto
success in graduate and law schools or the workplace.
Revitalized or reformed curricula, including some based upon state or national
standards or guidelines.
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Relevant minors and interdisciplinary minors.
Growing number of participants in undergraduate research programs and grants.
Active pedagogies (in-class, community-based learning).
Developing Artist- and Scholar-in-Residence programs.
Growing opportunities and participation in Study Abroad programs.
Increasing student numbers in majors and minors. (Note some departments
believe that they have reached capacity. Other departments have noted that they
do not have enough students in their majors and minors.
High expectations in classes and major requirements.
Continuing growth in enrollments in the Graduate Education programs. From
summer 2010 until spring 2011 the program graduated 50 students and enrolled
73 students for an annual net increase of 23 students.
Offering a diverse and practical adjunct faculty in Graduate Education.
Providing personal service and advising to students in the Graduate Education
programs.
Weaknesses:
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Low faculty salaries compared to CUPA benchmarks and competing institutions.
Lack of sufficient Administrative Assistant support.
Insufficient classroom, studio and laboratory space.
Low faculty staffing levels within some departments compared to rivals.
Less-than-desired number of co-curricular offerings.
Reliance upon adjuncts to ensure full offering of courses.
Limited curriculum compared to aspirant and peer institutions.
Undistinguished and difficult to maintain university web site.
Imbalanced teaching and service loads within some departments.
Insufficient in-load support for research, directed undergraduate research, student
recruitment and community-based service.
Higher (net) tuition costs compared to regional rival institutions.
Inadequate department operational budgets.
Varied student motivation and/or commitment to major fields of study and cocurricular opportunities.
Difficult access to information (budget, registration, advising, program data).
High tuition rates in Graduate Education programs relative to competition.
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Summarize enrollment trends for departments as well as trends in the
Delaware Study data:
Enrollment Trends
The School experienced its fourth straight year of increased number of majors,
students taught and credits generated. The three tables below provide a specific
breakdown of enrollment trends. Table One provides student enrollment and credit data
by department. Table Two illustrates the number of majors and, new for this year, minors
by department. Table Three lists faculty data again by department.
The tables utilize information from My Francis and department annual reports.
Information is based upon data for the spring 2012 semester. As noted on My Francis,
the information is unofficial. Discrepancies, perhaps wide, may exist between data in My
Francis and department reports, particularly in the number of majors and minors. A
number of reasons may explain these inconsistencies, such as students not formally
declaring a minor, data entry errors and author error. In short, the reader must remember
that the data presented below is approximate and subject to correction.
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Table 1
Number of students taught and credits generated by
Departments within Arts & Letters, 2011-12
Department of Education
Fall
Spring
Students
254
236
Credits
762
708
Total
490
1470
Department of English, Communication Arts & Foreign Languages
Students
Credits
Comm. Fall
187
561
Spring
154
462
Total
341
1023
English Fall
Spring
483
403
1449
1209
Total
886
2658
Foreign Lang. Fall
Spring
211
222
633
666
Total
433
1299
Department of Fine Arts
Fall
Spring
Students
292
488
Credits
564
940
Total
780
1504
Department of Graduate Education
Students
Summer
342
Fall
171
Spring
183
Total
696
7
Credits
1026
513
549
2088
Department of History & Political Science
Students
History Fall
345
Spring
209
Poli. Sci. Fall
192
Spring
104
Geography Fall
21
Total
871
Credits
1035
627
576
312
63
2613
Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies
Students
Credits
Philosophy Total
764
2292
Rel. Stud. Total
922
2766
Total
1686 includes online
5058 includes online
con-ed courses
con-ed courses
Department of Psychology
Fall
Spring
Students
564
548
Credits
1692
1644
Total
1112
3336
Total
Students
278
Credits
933
Total
278
933
Department of Social Work
Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice
Students
Fall
255
Spring
318
Total
Credits
765
954
573
1719
Students
8146
Credits
23,701
School of Arts & Letters Total
Total
Totals include all classes registered by department codes.
Sources: Departmental Reports and Registrar’s Course Enrollments.
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Table 2
Number of Majors and Minors* - Spring 2012
Discipline
Arts & Letters
Education
Elementary/ Special Ed
Early Childhood
Middle Childhood
Secondary Education
Certification
English & Communication Arts
Number of Majors
4
118
28
34
13
34¹
9²
50
Foreign Languages
French
Spanish
ASL
Fine Arts
Graduate Education
History
Political Science/Public Adm.
Philosophy
Religious Studies
1
18
0
138
27
21
10
5
Minors
6
3 writing
4
13
12
6 (34)
5
9
5
5
Ethics 4
50
4
Social Resp.
minor 3
Psychology
Social Work
57
43
Sociology
Criminal Justice
4
56
10
Total Undergraduate
371
138
Total Graduate
138
*Reported by departments and Myfrancis. Numbers are unofficial
¹ Concentration
²Non-degree
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Table 3
Faculty Head Count, 2011-12
Department
Full-Time
Adjuncts
FTE
Vacancies
Education
4
3¹
3.75
English, Communication Arts & Foreign Languages
12
10
14
1²
0
Fine Arts
Graduate Education
Summer
Fall
Spring
4
4
3
0
0
0
0
27
20
23
0
0
0
0
0
0
History/Political Science
7
7
6.125
1³
Philosophy/Religious Studies
6
9
8.785
0
6
2
6.125
0
2
3
1.75
0
8
3.25
0
Psychology
Social Work
Sociology & Criminal Justice
3
Source: Department Reports.
1. Includes one student teaching administrator and one field services
coordinator.
2. Full-time faculty member on leave during 2011-12.
3. Resignation of full-time history faculty member in spring 2012.
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Delaware Cost Analysis
Preface
The departmental chairs of Arts & Letters see value in assessing the “efficiency” of their
programs by utilizing external benchmarks, such as the Delaware Study (hereafter The
Study). A number of the chairs, however, have expressed concerns with The Study’s
methodology and benchmark groups. The chairs find the two-year lag time between the
questionnaire and results and the composition of comparative peer groups especially
problematic.
The chairs rightly point out that numerous changes might have occurred in the
interval that render the data obsolete. Indeed, the historical nature of the study will not
account for more recent enrollment trends, such as the growth in the number of
Psychology, Social Work and Sociology/Criminal Justice majors. Moreover, the chairs
of combined departments, such as English/Communication Arts, Philosophy and
Religious Studies, Fine Arts and History/Political Science, question which specific
disciplines are their peers. Numerous chairs expressed frustration with not knowing the
teaching loads and service expectations of faculty at the peer institutions. Nearly all of
the chairs believe that more pertinent data would emerge if the departments were part of a
refined peer group, especially since the study is now using one peer group—Peer 2—and
a national group. The significant number of public institutions in the national group calls
into question the relevance of the group itself for comparison as will be argued below.
Ideally, we believe that the university should compare itself to a peer group composed of
its regional competitors, aspirant and Franciscan mission groups.
Remaining “Efficient” in a Rapidly Changing World
The Study uses the FTE students/FTE faculty (hereafter students/faculty) and
direct instructional expense/FTE student (hereafter DIE) ratios to determine “efficiency.”
In 2008, all but one of the departments in Arts & Letters (hereafter A&L) exceeded 100%
of their Peer 2 group benchmarks in students/faculty percentages. Given the correlation
between students/faculty and DIE, A&L departments’ cost ratios to Peer 2 institutions
were very favorable. A&L departments were clearly more “efficient” than those in Peer
2. On the national scale in 2008, all of the A&L departments, with the exception of two,
were within four percentage points of the students/faculty benchmark. Consequently, the
national DIE ratios were generally very favorable.
At first glance the 2009 data suggests a mixed picture. On the one hand, A&L
departments continue to be very “efficient” relative to the Peer 2 group. On the other
hand, A&L departments’ students/faculty and DIE ratios to the national benchmark
deteriorated during the year. Only three A&L departments –Education, History/Political
Science and Social Work—had “favorable” students/faculty ratios. Three A&L
departments—Education, Modern Languages and History/Political Science—had
favorable DIE ratios.
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How and why did A&L departments’ relative position to the national benchmarks
change so quickly? While the reasons for A&L’s increased comparative costs remain
subject to debate, I will argue that our DIE ratio is more a function of developments
within the institutions that comprise the national group than significantly higher costs
within A&L. Indeed, all but three of the departments within A&L—
English/Communications, Philosophy/Religious Studies and Fine Arts—had lower direct
institutional costs in dollar terms in 2009 than in 2008. As a whole between 2008 and
2009, A&L’s average DIE in dollar terms ($4773 in 2008 vs. $4779 in 2009) and average
students/faculty stood level (15.8 in 2008 vs.15.0 in 2009).
A&L’s position relative to the national benchmark can be explained by what
appears to be a strategy of increasing class size and decreasing instructional costs within
the institutions, many of which are public, that comprise the national group. By 2009 the
full effects of the Great Recession upon national and, in particular, state budgets became
apparent. In response to the budget crises, legislators in state capitols, following the longterm trend of reducing appropriations to public universities, made larger reductions in
subsidies. In turn, the administrators in Old Main at “dear ole state u” were forced to
decrease instructional costs wherever possible, including placing more students in
classes, leaving faculty positions vacant and eliminating departments. At the same time,
larger enrollments at Saint Francis spared the university and A&L from cost-cutting.
Indeed, The Study suggests that A&L, which historically “did much with little,”
continued steadily on its path. It would appear that Peer 2 institutions followed a similar
strategy. Again this is hardly remarkable since few, if any, publics are in the Peer 2
group. In short, the cost structure of our national peers changed far more dramatically and
quickly than ours—and the Peer 2 group’s—did.
Peering into the Ratios
In 2008, all but one of the A&L departments exceeded 100% of their Peer 2 group
benchmarks in students/faculty as illustrated in Table 3 in The Study. One year later, all
but two of the A&L departments did so. No trend of “laggard” departments within A&L
is evident, since Education and Modern Languages, which fell below 100% in 2008,
recovered in 2009. Education reached 130% of Peer 2. Modern Languages was at par. In
2009 Sociology/Criminal Justice and Fine Arts were below the 100% mark. Dr. Lening
Zhang’s semester sabbatical explains the fall in Sociology/Criminal Justice’s
student/faculty ratio. One possible trend is emerging. Since 2006,
English/Communications, History/Political Science, Philosophy/Religious Studies, and
Psychology have annually recorded ratios above or well above those of Peer 2.
History/Political Science had the highest ratio at 138%. Reflecting the beginning of their
recent enrollment turnabouts, Social Work (137%), Education (130%) and Philosophy/
Religious Studies (112%) trailed closely behind the historians and political scientists.
History/Political Science, Education and Social Work were the three departments
to exceed the national students/ faculty benchmark in 2009. Notably, History/Political
Science and Social Work have long petitioned for an additional faculty position. The
remainder of the A&L departments generally bounced around the mid 80 percentile of
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the national benchmark. The extraordinary 61% posted by Sociology/Criminal Justice
reflects once again a sabbatical leave in the department. More important, the A&L
school average of 15 students/ faculty in 2009 was down from 15.8 in 2008 but nearly
spot on the A&L four year average of 15.2. In contrast, the national group
students/faculty in 2009 was 16.8, up from 14.4 in the previous year. The consequences
of a 17% larger class size in the national group will be evident in the comparison of DIE.
The DIE ratios contained in Table 4 of The Study indicates that A&L departments
are far more “efficient” than those in Peer 2 group. In the aggregate, A&L’s DIE is 83%
of that incurred by the Peer 2 group. Reflecting the faculty/students ratios, Education,
History/Political Science, Modern Languages, Social Work and Philosophy/Religious
Studies are relatively low-cost programs. The remainder of the A&L departments are at
or within 10% of their Peer 2 Group benchmarks. No glaring inefficiency emerges when
A&L is compared to the Peer 2 group.
Only four A&L departments (Education, Modern Languages,
Philosophy/Religious Studies and History/Political Science) are below or within 5% of
the national direct instructional expense benchmark. Since the average DIE within A&L
in 2009 was unchanged from the 2008 rate, the departments were not to blame for a
relatively poor showing. Indeed, the national department average of DIE declined by over
4% in dollar terms between 2008 and 2009. Notably, the departmental national average
DIE of $4997 remained higher than the A&L average of $4779 in 2009.
Others are now learning how to do much with little
Within the university, A&L’s students/faculty average is identical to that of the
institution. From a wider perspective, the departments within A&L are clearly more
“efficient” than those within the Peer 2 group. The belief, long-held by faculty, that A&L
departments “do much with little” is supported by the 2009 data and longer-term trends.
Philosophy/Religious Studies, History/Political Science, and Psychology can substantiate
their requests for additional faculty on a cost basis. Education and Social Work have
moved into a similar situation. Dr. Zhang’s sabbatical skewed the Sociology/Criminal
Justice results for 2009. In general, A&L costs still appear to be “competitive” in spite of
the budget cutting and larger class sizes in departments at the national peer institutions.
The instructional costs within A&L are not rising in absolute terms or compared to Peer
2. Falling costs in the national institutions explain the change relative to that group.
I would suggest further that the absolute decline in the national group’s DIE poses
little threat to A&L’s competitive position in the short-term. The public institutions
within the national group are not reducing costs as part of a strategy to increase market
share by reducing tuition rates. They are being forced to decrease costs while raising
tuition to cover the reduced state subsidy. I suspect that this trend will continue,
particularly as macro-economic growth remains weak and political pressures for reduced
government spending remain strong. SFU and A&L may well benefit from these
developments even as our relative national cost ratios continue to decline. Increasing
tuition rates and larger class sizes at our national peer institutions will erode their
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competitive advantages. Our relatively stable tuition rates and smaller face-to-face
classes may well convince more students, particularly those of a higher quality, to choose
to study in Loretto. And our counterparts in the national group will have to learn what we
have done for decades: to do more with little.
III. Planning
Accomplishments for 2011-2012:
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Conducted 14 meetings of A&L Chairs Council. Hosted at various meetings, Ms.
Lisa Frederick, Head of Recruiting, HR; Ms. Marie Young, Director of Marketing
and Communications; and Ms. Maria Pellegrino, Major Gifts Officer,
Advancement.
Hosted first A&L Artist in Residence, Dr. Paolo Schianchi, who performed five
concerts and assisted in music, language and art classes.
Secured Dr. John McWilliams to be A&L’s first Scholar-in-Residence. Dr.
Williams will teach courses in History and Criminal Justice, respectively, and
deliver a public talk during the fall 2012 semester.
Assisted in completion of external review of History/Political Science
Department.
Secured SPSS for methodology classes in Behavioral Sciences. Developing
system to ensure student and faculty access to SPSS.
Implemented new support and preparation system for faculty seeking
tenure/promotion.
Procured various musical instruments for Fine Arts department and a dedicated
space in DiSepio for piano.
Established in conjunction with the departments a method to recognize faculty
significant achievements. Sponsored reception for Dr. Arthur Remillard marking
publication of his first monograph.
Supported successful capital budget application from English, Communication
Arts & Foreign Languages to construct new TV studio.
Supported successful move of Sociology/CJ offices to former IT suite in Scotus.
Applied unsuccessfully to host WPSU Story Corps in Loretto.
Submitted to Advancement annual list of fundraising needs within A&L.
Worked closely with Advancement in cultivation of potential donors.
Implemented second Intrepid student research/service projects.
Secured external funding for Intrepid awards.
Amended Associate Dean tenure from two to three years.
Implemented new faculty mentoring system with mixed results.
Implemented first year of A&L major.
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Sent letter by Chairs Council requesting that the President re-consider his decision
to disinvite designated Furlong speaker, Ms. Ellen Goodman.
Met monthly with Vice President for Enrollment Management, Vice President for
Student Development, Vice President for Advancement, Dean of School of
Science and Chief Information Officer. Met regularly with Director of Marketing.
These formal meetings were designed to enhance horizontal communication flows
and resolve current operational problems.
Hosted Fourth Annual Arts & Letters Academic Recognition Ceremony. Speaker
was Mr. Sotiris Aggelou, Alumnus (English/Communication Arts) and Vice
President for National Sales, Crons, Inc.
Held four meetings of the A&L Recruitment Task Force (RTF). RTF hosted at
various times Mr. Robert Krimmel, Director of Athletics, Mr. Robert Beener,
Dean of Enrollment Management, Ms. Erin McCloskey, Vice-President of
Enrollment Management and Dr. Wayne Powel, Provost.
Prepared for roll out of Post-baccalaureate Paralegal Program. Recruited and
hired faculty, including hosting a reception in December. Spoke to Law Day
audience to recruit faculty and students. Designed and published hard copies of
recruitment materials. Designed and uploaded web recruitment materials,
including an on-line application form. Secured housing spaces for potential
students. Sent hard copies of application materials to pre-law advisors and career
placement officers at every college, university and community college between
Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. Scheduled classes for fall semester. Sent email blasts
featuring tuition discount vouchers to SFU seniors and graduates. Plastered
classroom buildings with posters. Negotiated with WestLaw sales representatives
to purchase access to WestLaw online Paralegal library. Will organize faculty
orientation program in late July/early August.
Submitted proposals and materials to the Dean of the Business School for Master
of Human Resource Management with Paralegal Certificate and Master of
Business Administration with Paralegal Concentration programs. Awaiting
decision on the proposals from Dean of Business School.
Composed proposal for undergraduate paralegal studies minor. The minor will be
operational in the fall 2012 semester.
Delivered new presentation for Admissions Open House sessions.
Implemented Work Study Funds sharing scheme within school.
Published new Arts & Letters Fact/Recruitment booklet.
Implemented new school-based Independent Study program. Dr. Robin
Cadwallader, Associate Dean, administered the program.
Devised and implemented Administrative Assistant “sick day coverage” scheme
within the school.
Sponsored, with the School of Science, the university “Undergraduate Research
Poster Session” and the university undergraduate research journal Spectrum. Dr.
Robin Cadwallader, Associate Dean, administered the program.
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Assisted Psychology Department in staging Undergraduate Research Poster
session.
Assisted departments in developing and implementing assessment programs.
Began exploring a Medical Humanities major or minor. Dr. Stephen Baker will
report the committee’s findings during the 2012/13 academic year.
Worked in conjunction with Dr. Lauri Chose, Director of Interdisciplinary
Environmental Studies program and School of Science, to reform major
requirements and curriculum of Environmental Studies program.
Developed school website layout and assisted departments in developing their
pages. Retained Mr. Michael Sell, President of MCS Web Rescue, to maintain
school and department web pages.
Commissioned school video production for recruitment and publicity purposes.
Poor quality of video prevented use.
Investigated a consistent system for defining supplemental pay categories.
Revised Art & Letters grant lines, deadlines and procedures. Added Adjunct grant
of $500. Added Community Outreach to Faculty Grant Writing Release Grant,
thereby allowing the line to serve multiple functions. Added Artist/Scholar-inResidence to Consulting Grant line to provide flexibility. Moved deadlines for
release-time grants from October to September. Chairs will have to endorse
faculty applications for release-time grants. Applications from faculty for travel
reimbursement will have 90 days from date of travel to submit requests rather
than an open ended deadline. Renamed Student Research grant, Arts & Letters
Undergraduate Research grant.
Conducted sessions for the short- and long-term Arts & Letters strategy. The
results are contained elsewhere in this document.
Awarded first Karen Walkney Outstanding ASL Student award.
Renewed three Master of Education cohort programs: Somerset, Clearfield and
Northern Cambria.
Staged by Graduate Education: two open house events, five cohort meetings, and
two fairs.
Graduated 50 Master of Education students from summer 2011-spring 2012; 14
students completed either the Principal or Special Education Supervisory
Certification programs.
Accepted into Graduate Education program 73 students from summer 2011 until
spring 2012.
Earned by Graduate Education program, a net profit of $894,193 from summer
2011 until spring 2012.
Assisted Graduate Education in developing criteria for admitting foreign students
into graduate programs.
16
Review of Progress on Objectives during the past academic year:
Progress on Objectives remaining from 2008-09
 Explore initiation of program cycle review for History/Political Science.
Completed.
 Establishing school and department Web sites. Ongoing.
 Explore possibility of new position of Technical Director in Fine Arts. Ongoing.
Progress on Objectives remaining from 2009-10
 Develop a proposal for a Medical Humanities major or minor. Ongoing.
 Discuss and develop policies and expectations for chairs, faculty and students.
Ongoing.
 Oversee and manage facilities, particularly office space, with a goal of private
faculty offices grouped by discipline and department. Ongoing.
Progress on Objectives identified as goals in 2010-11:
 Implement Arts & Letters major. Completed.
 Begin implementation of Post-baccalaureate Paralegal program—assuming the
proposal is approved by the President. Completed.
 Develop—assuming Post-Baccalaureate Paralegal program is approved—an
undergraduate minor in paralegal studies. Completed.
 Refine and expand 2012 edition of Arts & Letters Admissions booklet. In process.
 Support, in conjunction with the School of Science, the reform of the
Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies program. Proposal completed and will be
sent to Curriculum Committee in Fall 2012.
 Continue to refine and develop major student recruitment methods. Ongoing.
 Investigate Civic Engagement/Social Justice project. Postponed.
 Explore Arts & Letters spring break trip, possibly to Ambialet. Investigated and
considered without clear resolution. Idea might be reconsidered later.
 Develop and refine Arts & Letters Artist in Residence program. Completed.
 Investigate feasibility of staging an Arts & Letters Day as part of student
recruitment process. Considered without clear resolution. Ongoing.
 Explore methods to better publicize student and faculty research, such as Arts &
Letters presentation. Considered without clear resolution. Ongoing.
 Conduct follow up reports and assessment of External reviews. Completed.
 Assist History/Political Science department in conducting external review.
Completed.
 Assist Sociology/Criminal Justice department in conducting external review.
Post-poned to 2012/13.
 Improve new faculty mentoring program. Progress made. Ongoing consideration
for improvement.
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Implement tenure/promotion preparation program. Completed with ongoing
consideration for improvement.
Explore increased links with athletics to improve recruitment, scheduling and cocurricular activities. Progress made.
Host seminars sponsored by Mr. Rob Young on grant writing for faculty and
students. Completed. Plans established for series of events in 2012/13.
Improve school and department marketing activities by strengthening the
relationship with Marie Young, Director of Marketing. Ongoing.
Revise Arts & Letters Open Forums. Completed.
Oversee movement of Sociology/Criminal Justice offices into the Scotus 203/204
suite. Completed.
Manage offices and space on the first floors of Raymond and Scotus. Ongoing.
Maintain flexibility to meet unforeseen challenges and exploit unanticipated
opportunities. Ongoing.
Explore the possibility of offering a Master of Special Education that includes
Special Education Certification (K-12) in Graduate Education. Completed.
Education and Graduate Education Departments will explore proposals in
2012/13.
Explore possibility of Graduate Education Program offering a doctoral program.
Completed. Proposal postponed. Consideration at a later date possible.
Objectives for 2012-2013:
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Promote the department minor programs of study as the new General Education
GETMS are implemented.
Investigate feasibility of school-wide student “Research Day.”
Systematize capital and operational budget requests within the school.
Increase student participation rates in external and university-wide Undergraduate
Research activities, including poster sessions and publications in Spectrum.
Review supplemental pay categories and pay rates for Directed Readings and
Honors Theses.
Support departmental reviews of their internship opportunities and capstone
courses.
Support implementation of departmental assessment plans, particularly utilizing
information gleaned from those evaluations.
Explore interdisciplinary and hybrid majors and minors, with special attention
focused upon Environmental Studies, Medical Humanities Women’s Studies and
Special Education.
Coordinate better Undergraduate Research funding with department capstone and
methodology courses.
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Implement Arts & Letters’ first Scholar-in-Residence program and, if feasible, a
second Artist-in-Residence.
Implement new Arts & Letters grant lines, deadlines and procedures.
Support construction and furnishing of TV studio.
Work toward private offices for all faculty in Arts & Letters.
Support external review of the Department of Sociology/Criminal Justice.
Continue collaboration with Advancement in fundraising efforts.
Coordinate better efforts of Recruitment Task Force and Admissions.
Adjust Arts & Letters’ tenure track faculty mentoring efforts to complement the
university’s revised mentoring program.
Maintain program to review faculty applications for tenure/promotion and prepare
candidates for committee review.
Develop systems for collecting and advancing department Capital and
Operational budget requests.
Promote better to internal and external stakeholders the achievements and
potential of faculty and students. Consider feasibility of A&L reception for Board
of Trustees members and other groups.
Review and support academic institutes and centers housed within Arts & Letters.
Implement system to secure SPSS software packages for students enrolled in
relevant Behavioral Science classes.
Investigate and develop, if necessary, systems to ensure full coverage at Open
Houses, CLASS Days and SOAR.
Conduct Search for Associate Dean position.
Implement post-baccalaureate paralegal certificate and undergraduate paralegal
minor programs.
Promote passage of Environmental Studies proposal.
Host grant writing seminars by Mr. Rob Young for students and faculty as
determined by 2011/12 plan.
Maintain an annual net increase in students enrolled in the Graduate Education
program.
Await re-approval of Reading Specialist in the Graduate Education program.
Application was submitted in December 2010.
Explore adding Coaching Endorsement to the Master of Education program.
Explore adding Master of Special Education that includes Special Education
Certification (K-12) to Graduate Education program.
19
Longer-term Objectives:
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Ensure equity and adequacy in office and departmental facilities: finding Fine
Arts a suitable permanent home; managing the first, second and third floors of
Scotus and first floor of Raymond; and providing Psychology with a
laboratory/classroom presence in Science building.
Secure sufficient classroom, studio and laboratory space and sections.
Establish Arts & Letters as the identity for Scotus, Raymond first floor and the
Boiler House.
Secure, in cooperation with Advancement, a donor for endowing the School
of Arts & Letters.
Ensure sufficient faculty and administrative staffing levels within Arts &
Letters and support for 3/3 faculty load.
Support efforts to achieve faculty and administrative CUPA salary goals.
Secure reliable transportation for field trips, including the possibility of
procuring a van.
Provide support for Graduate Education program enrollment.
Contribute to increased student participation rates in Delta Epsilon Sigma
fellowships and scholarships.
Work towards creating financially self-sustaining Artist/Scholar-in Residence
and Intrepid programs.
Raise quality of major students and maintain high quality faculty.
Increase the number of incoming first-year students who choose a major
within Arts & Letters through an active Recruiting Task Force, better
coordination with athletics, refined school literature, and enhanced social
media efforts.
Increase the diversity of faculty and students within the school.
Increase student enrollment in Arts & Letters and Environmental Studies
majors and Paralegal minors. Assist other departments and disciplines that
wish to increase the number of their majors.
Provide faculty and students with increased resources needed to conduct
research, performances and exhibits.
Expand Intrepid program.
Create links between alumni, current and prospective students.
Work seamlessly with Admissions, Athletics, Advancement, Marketing and
the other schools in pursuit of recruitment, scheduling, fundraising and
publicity.
Complete construction of our web site sections.
Explore applied aspects of majors or new hybrid majors with a goal of
offering relevant courses and majors.
Implement superior mentoring for faculty from the first year through tenure.
20
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Increase faculty and student morale and satisfaction.
Create a home of first choice for faculty and students.
Increase community outreach and service.
Explore feasibility of Graduate Education offering a DEd. program.
IV. Review of Achievements
Personnel:
Newly Hired:
Ms. Jenifer Baker, Adjunct Instructor
English, Communication Arts & Foreign Languages
B.F.A., Rochester Institute of Technology and National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Dr. John Curtis, Assistant Professor of Psychology
Psychology
B.A., University of Virginia; M.A., Michigan State University; Ph.D., University of
Minnesota Institute of Child Development
Ms. Gale DeArmin, Clinical Assistant Professor of American Sign Language
English, Communication Arts & Foreign Languages
A.S., Pennsylvania Business Institute; B.A., Mount Aloysius College; M.Ed., Saint
Francis University
Departures:
Mr. William Padamonsky, Educational Field Service Coordinator, Education
Mr. Nathan Santos, Adjunct Instructor, Fine Arts
Dr. Kathryn Miele, Assistant Professor, History, Political Science
Dr. Julia Maier, Visiting Assistant Professor, Psychology
Promotions:
Dr. Timothy Bintrim, Associate Professor of English
Dr. Stephen Baker, Associate Professor of Psychology
Ms. Susan Black, Clinical Associate Professor of Social Work
Tenured:
Dr. Timothy Bintrim, Associate Professor of English
Dr. Stephen Baker, Associate Professor of Psychology
21
Curriculum Changes:
Arts & Letters
 Arts & Letters major.
 Post-baccalaureate paralegal certificate paradigm approved.
 Undergraduate paralegal studies minor approved.
Education
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PDE restructuring continues. The Middle Childhood and Social Studies
programs were approved by Faculty Senate and approved by PDE.
Curriculum Committee and Faculty Senate approved an Education Minor.
Several course descriptions were revised and new courses were approved;
revisions submitted for inclusion in 2011-2012 Catalog.
English, Communication Arts & Foreign Languages
 SIGN course designation changed to ASL
 ASL minor approved
 Four new ASL courses approved (ASL 250, 305, 312 & 401)
 COMM 401 approved
 Second writing course requirement for English literature majors (a
recommendation from external review team) approved
Graduate Education
N/A
History/Political Science
 A new International Studies major was approved, replacing the International
Studies concentration of the Political Science major and the World History and
Government and Politics major.
 The Political Science Secondary Education majors were discontinued
 HIST 301 was changed from a required course in the History major to an elective
and the number of elective courses required to complete the major was increased
from 24 to 27.
 The following new courses were approved:
o PLSC 421 – International law
o HIST 405 – Disaster! Environmental and Social Crisis in World History
 The following courses were removed from the curriculum:
o PLSC 212 – Third World Politics
o HIST 205 - The United States in the Modern World
o HIST 206 - Age of Conflict: 20th Century
 The following courses were revised and/or re-titled:
o PLSC 259 – Natural World became U.S. Environmental History
o PLSC 103 World Politics
o PLSC 221 International Relations
22
o PLSC 211 Comparative Government became Comparative Politics
o PLSC 223 Conduct of U.S. Foreign Policy became U.S. Foreign Policy
Philosophy/Religious Studies
 Revised courses required for the RLST major, created a PHIL-RLST major, and
transitioned from RLST 205 to RLST 105: Franciscan Goals for Today.
Psychology
 New courses approved Fall 2011:
a. Psyc 365 - Junior Psychology Portfolio (0 credit)
b. Psyc 410 -Advanced Research (3 credits)
c. Psyc 465 - Senior Psychology Portfolio (0 credit)
d. Psyc 303 – “O”-credit lab
 New Psychology Major Tracks approved Fall 2011:
a. General Liberal Arts Track (B.A. and B.S. options)
b. Research Track (B.A. and B.S. options)
c. Pre-professional Track (B.A. and B.S. options)
 Implemented the Psychology Portfolio Requirement
Social Work
 Taught the Group in Theory and Practice course and hope to add it to the social
work curriculum as a required course.
 Addressed the competencies in all social work classes.
Sociology/Criminal Justice
 We successfully implemented many of our curriculum revisions. For instance,
Sociology of Sport over-enrolled.
Scholarship - Faculty Publications:
Scholarship—Conference Presentations:
Education
Shaw, M. What is Asperger’s Syndrome? Professional Workshop sponsored by the Saint
Francis University Counseling Department, Dec. 14, 2012
Zeak, G. OCDEL (PA Office of Child Development and Learning) Saint Francis
Gateopener Program report
English
Bintrim, T. “‘An aroma of poetry’: Ethelbert Nevin’s Lyric Influence on April Twilights
(1903), ” Willa Cather Spring Conference, April 31-May 2, 2012, Red Cloud, NE.
Bintrim, T. “RAM Mission Trip” poster presentation at the Faculty Development
Committee Wine and Cheese Reception, March 29, 2012 (with students).
23
Cadwallader, R. “Growing Old Gracefully: Elsie Dinsmore as a Model of Female
Maturity,” MLA, January 2012, Seattle, WA.
Farabaugh, P. Poster presentation at the Faculty Development Committee Wine and
Cheese Reception, March 29, 2012.
Farabaugh, P. “How the News Media is Undermining the Electoral Process.” CES
event, February 2012).
Farabaugh, P. “Carl McIntire’s Crusade Against the Fairness Doctrine: Fundamentalist
Preacher and Radio Commentator Challenges Federal Communications Commission and
its Fairness Rules,” American Journalism Historians Association, October 2011, Kansas
City, MO.
Farabaugh, F. “Maurice Stokes Biographical Research,” North American Society for
Sport History, June, 2012, Berkeley, CA.
Menis, D. “Budgeting in the Age of Shrinking Budgets,” National Collegiate Honors
Council, October 18-23, 2011, Phoenix, AZ.
Morales, M. "Understanding Mexican Culture & Immigration Issues" FCI Loretto (for
Hispanic Heritage Month), October 13, 2011.
Thomas, B. “Let’s Start from Scratch’: Rebuilding a Writing Center Website through
Tutor Collaboration,” Southeastern Writing Center Association, February 16-18, 2012,
Richmond, KY.
Thomas, B. “Problem-Based Learning Projects for Linked First-Year Composition
Courses” and “Writing-about Writing” workshop (with colleagues), Conference on
College Composition and Communication, March 21-24, 2012, St. Louis, MO.
Thomas, B. “‘Extra! Extra!’: Writing Center Newsletters as Signifiers/Agents of
Change” and “Newsletter Snapshots: Images and Imagery of Peer-Tutor Collaboration”
(poster), Mid-Atlantic Writing Center Association, March 30-31, 2012, Shippensburg,
PA.
Fine Arts
Olson, C. Solo exhibitions. Galerie Christine Frechard, Pittsburgh, Galerie del”Echarpe
Toulouse, France, Galerie Palladion Toulouse, France, Asling Gallery, Washington DC,
Artworks Johnstown, PA, James Gallery Pittsburgh, PA
Donovan, J. See www.jimdonovan music.com for continuing professional involvement.
Donovan, J. SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Utica, Mount Wachusetts College, Marist College,
and Davis and Elkins College
24
Santos, N. See www.nathansantos.com
Graduate Education
Kelly, J. National Association of Secondary School Principals Annual Meeting (NASSP)
Tampa, FL. 3/8/12-3/11/12
Kelly, J. Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals
Annual Meeting State College, PA (PAESSP) 10/12/11-10/25/12
History/Political Science
Damico, D. “‘To Trace the History of a River’: Albuquerque and the Rio Grande,”
American Society for Environmental History annual conference, Madison, Wisconsin,
March 2012
Damico, D. “Community, Commodity, and Corporation: Local Use of and Response to
Changing Water Law in Albuquerque, New Mexico,” American Society of Legal
Historians annual conference, Atlanta, Georgia, November 2011
Melusky, J. “The Electoral College Revisited: Assessing Reform Proposals.” Paper
presented at the National Social Science Association Conference on the Social Sciences
and Technology, Las Vegas, April 1-3, 2012.
Melusky, J. Northeastern Political Science Association Conference, Philadelphia, Pa,
Director of Employment Services, organized and presented on panel, “Job Market
Essentials” (November 17-19, 2011)
Woods, L. “Disciplinary Dilemmas: Reconciling Prostitutes and Wayward Wives in Late
Medieval Valencia”, American Historical Association, Chicago, IL, 2 January 2012
Philosophy/Religious Studies
Bertocci, R. Presenter on “Inviting Global Awareness and Spiritual Growth in a FirstYear Honors Course” at “A Symposium on Holistic Learning: Spirituality & Honors
Education” Co-Sponsored by IWU’s John Wesley Honors College an SCIO…
Scholarship & Christianity in Oxford, Wycliffe Hall (Oxford)
Julin, G. Invited Speaking Engagement, Theology on Tap (Funded by the Diocese),
March 19, 2012 “Would Jesus Be a Capitalist or Communist?”
Levin, J. Presented “The Ethics of Diversity in Health Care: The Relationship between
Identity and Health, and the Importance Respecting All Patients” at CERMUSA’s Rural
Telehealth and Advanced Technologies Conference, November 6th.
McKale, M. Presented a series of four lectures on “Political Islam & Muslim Politics:
The Struggle for the Soul of Islam” at Seton Hill University on April 28, 2012. The
Lectures were entitled: “Political Muslims: Laying a Foundation for Understanding
25
Islamic Voices,” “Understanding the Age of Globalization & the Rise of Political
Muslims & Multiple Visions of Political Islam,” “Understanding ‘The Troubles’: The
United States and the Islamic World 1998-2008,” and “The Obama Years & the Future:
Everyday Issues & Solutions to the Major Dilemma of Our Age.”
Remillard, A. “Francis of Assisi, beyond the Birdbath: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on
Teaching Compassion,” Society for Values in Higher Education, Madison, NJ (3-7
August 2012) Panelists include: Katherine Remillard (Math); Timothy Bintrim (English);
Stephen Baker (Psychology); Grant Julin (Philosophy); Edward P. Zovinka (Chemistry);
Rose Clark (Chemistry)
Remillard, A. “The ‘Race Problem’ as a ‘Place Problem’: Catholics, Race, and Place in
the New South,” American Academy of Religion Meeting, San Francisco, CA (19-22
November 2011)
Psychology
Baker, S. Bintrim, T., Baker, S., Clark, R., Julin, G., Remillard, A., Remillard, K., &
Zovinka, E. (2012) Interdisciplinary Panel Presentation “Francis of Assisi, beyond the
Birdbath: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Teaching Compassion.” Society for Values in
Higher Education
Social Work
Lynch, M., and Black, S. Two peer reviewed presentations at BPD.
Sociology/Criminal Justice
Snyder, J. “A Sociology of Psychosis and Violence: The Case of the Virginia Tech
Massacre.” American Society of Criminology, Washington D.C., November 20111.
Invited presentation at the session “The Logic of Violence.”
Snyder, J. “’I Was Just Lucky, That’s All:’ Trauma and Probabilistic Memory”
presentation to Saint Francis University faculty Writing Circle.
Zhang, L. “Drug Law Enforcement in China: Difficulties and Challenges.” The 63th
Annual Meeting of American Society of Criminology, November 16-19, 2011,
Washington, DC.
Scholarship—Faculty Publications:
Monographs/Textbooks
Political Science
Melusky, J. Capital Punishment, with Keith Pesto, Greenwood Press, part of their series,
Historical Guides to Controversial Issues in America, 2011.
26
Philosophy/Religious Studies
Remillard, A. Southern Civil Religions: Imagining the Good Society in the PostReconstruction Era, The New Southern Studies Series (University of Georgia Press,
December 2011)
Book Reviews:
History
Damico, D. Review of DeJong, David H., Stealing the Gila: The Pima Agricultural
Economy and Water Deprivation, 1848-1921. H-Water, H-Net Reviews. March, 2012.
URL: https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=31292
Melusky, J. “From Burning at the Stake to Lethal Injection: Evolving Standards of
Decency and Methods of Execution.” Paper published in National Social Science
Proceedings (2011) and accepted for publication in National Social Science Journal
(forthcoming).
Melusky, J. “Too Young to Die? The Evolving Views of the Supreme Court of the
United States on the Death Penalty for Juvenile Offenders. Paper published in The
National Social Science Journal Volume 37, Number 2 (2011)
Philosophy/Religious Studies
Remillard, A. Diverging Loyalties: Baptists in Middle Georgia During the Civil War, by
Bruce T. Gourley. In Civil War Book Review (Forthcoming 2012)
Remillard, A. A History of the Catholic Church in the American South, 1513-1900, by
James M. Woods. In The American Historical Review (Forthcoming 2012)
Remillard, A. Out of Left Field: Jews and Black Baseball, by Rebecca T. Alpert. In
Religious Studies Review (Forthcoming 2012). Also reviewed this on WPSU:
http://wpsu.org/radio/single_entry/LL-3963/bookmark
Remillard, A. Game Day and God: Football, Faith, and Politics in the American South,
by Eric Bain-Selbo. In Religious Studies Review (December 2011)
Remillard, A. Tennis and Philosophy: What the Racket is All About, edited by David
Baggett. In The Journal of Sports History (Summer 2011)
Remillard, A. Kentucky’s Most Hated Man: Charles Chilton Moore and the Blue Grass
Blade, by John Sparks. In The Journal of Southern History (May 2011)
Remillard. A. Served as book review editor for the Journal of Southern Religion Volume
13: http://jsr.fsu.edu/Volume13/Front13.html.
27
Sociology/Criminal Justice
Snyder, J. Review of Moral Time, by Donald Black, Pro Bono: Newsletter of the Law
and Society Division of the Society for the Study of Social Problems. 11(2): 3, Summer
2011.
Snyder, J. Review of What is Mental Illness? by Richard McNally, Medical Sociology
Online. 6(2): 54-6, May 2012. (Co-authored with Caitlin Rivers, SFU undergraduate)
Encyclopedia/Book Contributions:
English
Bintrim, T. “Exit Smiling: The Case for Paul’s Dandyism.” Essay in the peer-reviewed
book collection, Willa Cather and Aestheticism (2012) from Fairleigh Dickinson UP, coedited by Sarah Cheney Watson and Ann Moseley. 17-28. Book Chapter.
Cadwallader, R. “American Social Movements and Film.” Movies in American History.
Ed. Philip C. DiMare. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2011. 1086-91.
Cadwallader, R. “Claudette Colbert.” Movies in American History. Ed. Philip C.
DiMare. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2011. 606-07.
Cadwallader, R. “Life in the Iron-Mills: Overview Essay.” Literary Encyclopedia. July
2011. Web. [commissioned]
Menis, D. Foreward. Honors Programs at Smaller Colleges. By Samuel Schuman.
1988. 3rd edition. Lincoln, NE: National Collegiate Honors Council, 2011. 5. Print.
Philosophy/Religious Studies
Remillard, A; “Bob Hayes” and “Michael Johnson,” Sports in American Popular
Culture: An Encyclopedia, ed. Murry Nelson
Remillard, A; “Civil Religion: Christian Contact, Theological Exchanges, and Current
Issues” and “Civil Religion: History, Beliefs, and Practices,” Handbook of Religion, ed.
Terry C. Muck
Sociology/Criminal Justice
Snyder, J. Invited to write an encyclopedia entry on war for the volume Cultural
Sociology of Mental Illness. Entry draft sent June 2012.
Zhang, L. 2011. “Transferring Western Theory: A Comparative and Culture-sensitive
Perspective of Crime Research in China.” Pp. 77-86 in Handbook on International
Criminology, edited by Cindy Smith, Sheldon Zhang, and Rosemary Barberet. Milton
Park, UK: Routledge.
28
Media
Fine Arts
Donovan, J. See www.jimdonovan music.com for continuing professional involvement.
Chairman’s note: Mr. Donovan’s considerable professional activity sees him occupied
Thursdays through Sundays for 80% of all weekends. He conducts performances and
workshops across the country.
Donovan, J. Interactive presentations at SUNY Dehi, Penn State/Harrisburg, SUNY
Binghamton, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Utica, Mount Wachusetts College, Marist College,
and Davis and Elkins College
Santos, N. See www.nathansantos.com
Philosophy/Religious Studies
Remillard, A. Completed the first JSR podcast, an interview with Paul Harvey on his
new book, Jesus, Moses, and the Trickster in the Evangelical South.
Articles
English
Cadwallader, R. Managing Editor and Special Features Editor: Legacy 28.1 and 28.2
Cadwallader, R. “Rebecca Harding Davis and Her Bees.” Rebecca Harding Davis
Society Newsletter. 2011. [electronic]
Farabaugh, P. “Call of the Wild.” IUP Magazine, Fall-Winter 2011.
Philosophy/Religious Studies
Remillard, A. October 14, 2011, appeared in a Time Magazine article dealing with
religion and Tim Tebow. http://ideas.time.com/2011/10/14god-and-the-nfl-what-timtebows-celebrity-says-about-america/
Remillard. My article, “Movement, Maps, and Wonder: Civil Religious Competition at
the Source of the Mississippi River, 1805-1832,” will appear this fall in Gods of the
River: Religion and Culture along the Mississippi, ed. Michael Pasquier (Indiana
University Press).
Political Science
Melusky, J. “Too Young to Die? The Evolving Views of the Supreme Court of the
United States on the Death Penalty for Juvenile Offenders. Paper published in The
National Social Science Journal Volume 37, Number 2 (2011).
Melusky, J. “From Burning at the Stake to Lethal Injection: Evolving Standards of
Decency and Methods of Execution.” Paper published in National Social Science
29
Proceedings (2011) and accepted for publication in National Social Science Journal
(forthcoming).
Psychology
King, S. (2011). Military Social Influence in the Global Information Environment: A
Civilian Primer. Analysis of Social Issues and Public Policy Special Issue: Military
Social Influence. 11(1), 1-26. (Print version of previous online publication).
King, S. (2011). Author Response to: Military Social Influence in the Global Information
Environment. Analysis of Social Issues and Public Policy Special Issue: Military Social
Influence. 11(1), 52-61. (Print version of previous online publication).
Sociology/Criminal Justice
Snyder, J. Submitted feature article for Contexts, entitled “Hundred Billion Chances”
(May 2012).
Zhang, L., William F. Wieczorek, and John W. Welte. 2011. “Early Onset of
Delinquency and the Trajectory of Alcohol-Impaired Driving among Young Males.”
Addictive Behaviors 36: 1154-1159.
Zhang, L., Jianhong Liu, and Kaicheng Huang. 2011. “The Role of Criminal Justice
System in Treating Drug Abusers: The Chinese Experience.” Journal of Substance
Abuse Treatment 41: 45-54.
Works in progress:
English
Cadwallader, R. Rebecca Harding Davis’s Business Savvy: Her Collected Business
Correspondence. Preliminary contract, U of Massachusetts P.
Cadwallader, R. “Welsh Immigrants in American Literature and Life.” Under review:
Topic, special issue on Rebecca Harding Davis.
History
Damico, D. “Aldo Leopold, Albuquerque, and the Rio Grande:
Possibilities and Challenges for the Land Ethic in an Urban Context,” in Evolving Ethics
and Thinking Communities: Re-Reading Aldo Leopold and the Culture(s) of
Sustainability, ed. Bill Forbes and Teressa Trusty, under review.
Philosophy/Religious Studies
Bertocci, R. Submitted paper for consideration in the monograph: Seeking the Soul of
Excellence: Exploring Spirituality in Honors Education.
Bertocci, R. Submitted paper titled, “Till Death Do Us Part,” pending approval for
publication.
30
Julin, G. Currently working on Book Chapter for the following edition: “Kierkegaard on
revelation, Divine Knowledge, and Ethics”, which will appear through the Philosophical
Studies in Contemporary Culture book series published by Springer Press
McKale, M. Initial Draft for a manuscript on Justice, Peace, & Human Development,
Fall, 2011
Remillard, A. God and Games in Dixieland: Religion and the Making of the South’s
Modern Sports World, 1865-1945
Remillard, A. “Race, Prizefighting, and Competing Interpretations of Jack Johnson in the
Evangelical South,” for Perspectives on Religious Studies. Publication is Spring 2013.
Remillard, A. “The Shrines of Sport: Sacred Space and the World’s Athletic Venues,”
for The Changing World Religion Map, ed. Stanley D. Brunn. Publication date is Spring
2014.
Sociology/Criminal Justice
Mauney, T. In progress, “Teaching Sociology Through Service at a Small Mexican
Orphanage: A Preliminary Study” (Note: Data collected, analysis in progress)
Mauney, T. Editing last version USA vs. IBP: An Assessment of Grassroots Control of
a Major Meatpacking Company.
Snyder, J. “A Hundred Billion Chances.” Invited feature article for Contexts. Article
manuscript sent for review in May 2012.
Snyder, J. “Dirt, Violence, and The Moral Constitution of Traumatic Memory.” Article
manuscript under review at Sociological Theory.
Snyder, J. “’I was just lucky:’ Trauma, Violence, and Probabilistic Memory.” Article
manuscript to be sent for review in Summer 2012 to Discourse and Society.
Snyder, J. “The Sociologies of Trauma: A Review.” Article manuscript in preparation.
Snyder, J. Sent manuscript of “Dirt, Violence, and the Moral Constitution of Trauma”
for review to Sociological Theory. (Sent by the editor for peer review.)
Snyder, J. Received IRB approval for interviews with veterans: “Memories of Combat
and Trauma among American Veterans.” Began conducting interviews.
Snyder, J. Received IRB approval for interviews with mental health professionals:
“How do Mental Health Practitioners use the DSM?” Began conducting interviews.
Zhang, L. “Youth Gangs in Contemporary China.” 2012. Journal of Gang Research
(forthcoming)
31
Zhang, L. Yang Zhang, and Michael S. Vaughn. 2012. “Indeterminate and Determinate
Sentencing Models: A State-Specific Analysis of Their Effects on Recidivism.” Crime
and Delinquency (forthcoming).
Zhang, L. “Reintegrative Shaming Theory.” 2012. In Encyclopedia of Adolescence,
edited by Roger Levesque. New York: Spinger (forthcoming).
Zhang, L. “Characteristics of Women’s Victimization of Sex Offenses in Contemporary
Urban China.”
Zhang, L. William F. Wieczorek, and John W. Welte. “The Influence of Parental and
Peer Drinking Behaviors on Underage Drinking and Driving by Young Men.”
Zhang, L. William F. Wieczorek, and John W. Welte. “The Influential Factors of
Early Onset of Alcohol-Impaired Driving among Young Males: An Exploratory Study.”
Zhang, L., Jianhong Liu, and Kaicheng Huang. “Official Mandatory Treatment and
Relapse among Chinese Drug Users: An Exploratory Study of the Influential Factors.”
Grants and External Funding:
School of Arts & Letters Awards Convocation and
Academic Recognition Program Winners
2011-2012
ACT 101 Program Academic Achievement Award- Adam Lechak
Margaret M. Tobin Research Award- Freshman/Sophomore: Kayla Koba,
Junior/Senior: Katherine Dacanay
Intrepid Awards – Shawn Beish, Phuong Ming Do, Kevin Kesslak
International Service Award- Thomas Johnson
Delta Epsilon Sigma: National Catholic Honor Society- John Dunning, Tara Goshey,
Megan Hill, James Kmett, Shaina Szekeresh, Claire Wilkie
Richard Dorsey Muller Memorial Scholarship Award- Jr.: Derek Markle; Sr.: Emily
Patterson
Ann Eppard Memorial Scholarship and Congressional Internship- Shiann
McGovern
Gunard B. Carlson Memorial Foundation Saint Francis University Creative
Writing Contest- First prize: Eric Horell, Second prize: Lisa Moser, Third Prize:
Susan Gerber, Fourth Prize: Caitlin Rivers
Honors Program- Noelle Barber, Katherine Dacanay, Kevin Douds, Elisha Fleig,
Brooke Fulcher, Emily Patterson, Anthony Rusonis, Keri Shaffer
Academic Achievement Award- Amber Latterner
Distinguished Faculty Nominees- Dr. Stephen Baker, Dr. Rosemary Bertocci, Ms. Kelly
Rhodes, Dr. Kirk Weixel
32
Gerald & Helen Swatsworth Faculty Award Nominees- Dr. Stephen Baker, Dr.
Timothy Bintrim, Dr. Arthur Remillard, Dr. Lindsay Ross-Stewart
Mr. & Mrs. Frankie Award- Elisha Fleig
Saint Francis University Honor Society- Brittany Baker, Noelle Barber, Linzey Billy,
Brenda Byrne, Katherine Dacanay, John Dunning, Elisha Fleig, Brooke Fulcher, Andrea
Giachetti, Rebekah Harrison, Megan Hill, Hannah Jenkins, terry Kuhn, Latitia Lattanzio,
Megan Layne, Anne Marie Potente, Katherine Scalo, Scott Seaman, Keri Shaffer,
Mallory Steffke, Shaina Szekeresh, Sarah Thorn, Jessica Ulishney, John-Michael
Werking, Claire Wilkie, Elizabeth Zipf.
Department Awards
Communication Arts- Taylor Powers
Elementary Education- Rebecca Bianconni
English - John Dunning
Fine Arts: Music- Brenda Byrne Theatre- Robert Callis-Keiser Visual Arts- Liza
Catannia & Elizabeth Wheeler
Graduate Education- Meghan Bradley
History- Katherine Dacanay
Philosophy- Scott Seaman
Political Science- Emily Patterson
Public Administration/Government Service- Anthony Rusonis
Psychology- Jenae Cimba
Religious Studies- Kevin Douds
Secondary Education- John Dunning
Sociology- Sarah Thorn & Hannah Jenkins
Spanish- Malia Lonergan
Criminal Justice- Megan Hill & Tara Goshey
Social Work- Brittany Chmelik
Kathryn Weixel Award- Elizabeth Anastasio & Eric Horell
James Scarletta Memorial Award- Megan Layne
John F. Coleman Award- Dr. Art Remillard
Dr. Rhea Gaunt Memorial Award- Leah Kletzli
School of Arts & Letters Awarded Grants 2011-2012
Major Recruitment Grants – Tim Bintrim (English), Sue Black (Social Work),
Rosemary Bertocci (Philosophy/RS), Justin Snyder (Soc/CJ), Sue Makosy (Education),
Lindsay Ross-Stewart (Psychology), Denise Damico (History/PS)
Sr. Faculty Research Grant – Dr. Lening Zhang
Jr. Faculty Research Grant – Dr. Stephen Baker, Ms. Sue Black, Dr. Patrick Farabaugh
Faculty/Student Research Grant – Dr. Stephen Baker, Dr. Robin Cadwallader, Dr. Sara
King, Dr. Lindsay Ross-Stewart
Curriculum Development/Travel Grant – Dr. Stephanie Ivory, Dr. Michael McKale,
Ms. Gale DeArmin
Curriculum Development Innovative Teaching – Dr. Stephen Baker, Ms. Sue Black,
Dr. Lindsay Ross-Stewart
33
Special Faculty Projects – Ms. Kelly Rhodes, Dr. Art Remillard, Dr. Timothy Bintrim,
Dr. Mike McKale, Mr. Chuck Olson, Ms. Mary Jean Budjos, Ms. MaryAnn Shaw, Mr.
Brent Ottaway, Dr. Robin Cadwallader, Dr. Mark Lynch, Dr. Joe Melusky, Dr. Sara King
Undergraduate Research Awards- Terry Kuhn, Latitia Lattanzio
Faculty Writing Grant- Dr. Lori Woods
Student Research Grant- Dr. Justin Snyder for Hannah Jenkins
External Grants
Education
Zeak- PDE Gateopener Grant to assist low-income non-traditional students to attain early
childhood certification while employed at Head Start.
Zeak- PDE Dual Certification in Special Education and Secondary Content
Government and Law
Melusky- Several mini-grants were approved in 2011-2012 to students who took LSAT
Prep Courses at PSU.
History
Damico- National Endowment of the Humanities Summer Institute, “Rethinking the
Land Ethic: Sustainability and the Humanities.”
Psychology
Moist- Internal Evaluator for Title 3 U.S. Dept. of Education grant for $1 million to SFU,
Strengthening Institutions Program, 2007-present
Ross-Stewart- “Effect of guided-imagery on physical activity levels of low-income
women.” National Institute of Health (NIH) R21 Grant. Application currently under
review. ($250,000). Grant rejected March 2012, will be resubmitted September 2012.
Social WorkLynch/Black- Received grants totaling over $22,000 for the IM4Q project.
Sociology/Criminal Justice
Zhang- Principal Investigator. “Neighborhood Social Control and Disorder in
Contemporary Urban China.” Award: $274, 824. Award Period: September 2011August 2013. National Science Foundation.
Internal Grants
Education
Makosy- A&L Recruitment grant to support departmental recruiting, including revision
of promotional video
Makosy- A&L Grant for implementation of new PDE Field Experience requirements.
34
Zeak- Faculty Development Grant for Smart board for Schwab 101 and professional
development for faculty.
English
Bintrim- Faculty Development Committee grant for a course release to improve the SFU
Free Health Screening events.
Bintrim- Recruitment grant from School of A&L
Bintrim- $1,000 Excellence in Education grant to fund second mission trip to Remote
Area Medical in Grundy, VA, Oct. 4-8, 2012.
Chose- $1,169 grant from Faculty Development Committee for travel to Jamaica for ASL
service trip.
Chose- $550 General Education Study Abroad Grant to purchase shoes, health care and
hygiene supplies for children in Jamaica
Farabaugh- Junior Faculty research Grant from School of A&L
Morales- Recruitment Grant from School of A&L
History
Melusky- School of A&L Special Projects Grant, $488 approved to support Washington,
D.C. trip with students to visit Capitol Hill and Supreme Court of the United States.
Woods- A&L Writing Release Grant
Philosophy/Religious Studies
Bertocci- Secured a Faculty Development Grant and an A&L Grant for Bolivia Service
Trip
Remillard- Dr. John F. Coleman Award for Outstanding teaching and Research in the
School of Arts & Letters.
Psychology
Baker- (2012, Spring) Faculty Development Grant. Preparation for the development of a
course in narrative medicine.
Baker- (2012, Spring). Junior Faculty Research Grant Autobiographical Memory Across
the Lifespan
Moist- (Fall 2012). SFU Faculty Development Grant. Writing a Supplemental Textbook
for Research Methods in Psychology.
Ross-Stewart & Baker- (2012, Spring) Excellence in Education (spring 2012) Expansion
of Poster Session connected to PSYC 209 (Developmental Psychology) and PSYC 321
(Sport Psychology) to encourage community involvement.
Ross- Stewart, Baker & Black, S.- (2012, Spring) Arts & Letter Curriculum Development
Grant (spring 2012). Funds to attend the Teaching Professor Conference in Washington
DC (June 1-4, 2012).
Ross-Stewart & Baker- (2012) Saint Francis University School of Arts and Letters
Student Research Grant (500.00)
35
Ross-Stewart- (2011) Saint Francis University School of Arts and Letters Special
Projects Grant (200.00).
Sociology/Criminal JusticeSnyder- Saint Francis University Faculty Development Grant: Awarded $2,941.20 for
the project “Memories of War and Trauma Among American Veterans.
Community Outreach and Service:
EducationReading Day (Ivory & Zeak)
Outreach program for children with autism and their families (Shaw)
Outreach to area Head Start Programs (Zeak)
Offering session entitled Examining the Fascinating World of Science and Math through
Children’s Literature during the Kid’s College Program held this summer (Ivory)
Reviewer for Head Start programs in Texas and New Jersey. Dr. Zeak is an
acknowledged expert in the field of early childhood education. (Zeak)
Reviewed test items for PDE for the new teacher certification examination and field
experience requirements. (Padamonsky & Zeak)
After-hours, open-houses and other community and cohort programs offered by the
Graduate Education Program (all department members)
English, Communication Arts & Foreign LanguagesRead for anniversary celebration of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, sponsored by the Harriet
Beecher Stowe House, Hartford, Connecticut. (Cadwallader)
APPLES Foreign Language Festival (at IUP) (Morales, judge)
ASL service trip to Jamaica (DeArmin & Chose, co-leaders)
ASL Sign Day for local elementary students (DeArmin & Chose, coordinators)
Day of Reflection (Bintrim, co-chair & Farabaugh and Thomas, committee members)
Free health screening events at SFU (Bintrim, coordinator)
Golden Tiger Roundball Classic steering committee (Ottaway, member)
Greg & Kathy Griffith Family Foundation board of directors (Ottaway, member)
Griff’s Run & Gun for a Cure cancer fund-raiser (Ottaway, director)
Gunard Berry Carlson Writing Contest (Thomas, director & Farabaugh committee
member)
Hollidaysburg Area School District Elementary Basketball Program (Ottaway, coach)
Institute for Contemporary Franciscan Life executive committee (Menis, member)
Literature in the Mountains, biennial retreat (Bintrim, Cadwallader, Chose & Rhodes,
committee members)
May in Mexico program (Morales, director)
Penn-Mont Academy board of directors (Ottaway, member)
Planning committee to honor Rebecca Harding Davis by designating Washington, PA, a
National Historic Site (Cadwallader, member)
“Poetry Out Loud” competition at Curwensville High School (Weixel & Woznak, judges)
Remote Area Medical spring break volunteer mission (Bintrim)
SIGN Jam—twice (DeArmin)
36
Fine ArtsWorld Drumming campus performances and six WDE area public school performances
(Donovan)
Arts in the Mountains Summer Arts Festival (Donovan)
Theatre productions (Resinski)
Involved with Holy Name Church Choir, Ebensburg (O’Brien)
Director Haitian Experience Program and the Haitian Bridge Program (O’Brien)
Artist in residence program at SFU. This featured guitar and lute virtuoso Paolo
Schianchi from Parma, Italy in a four month residency at the university. His
accomplishments included all of the following:
a. Concert: Meet Paolo Schianchi January 2012
b. Concert: Paolo Rock and Rollo February 2012
c. Concert: Paolo Jazz with Davey Yarborough and students from the Duke
Ellington School of the Arts (Washington DC) and Dr. Schianchi’s group of
Italian student musicians March 2012
d. Concert: Paolo Blues April 2012
e. Concert: Paolo Classico April 2012
f. Performance for Alumni, New York City March 2012
g. Performance for Advancement, Duquesne Club Pittsburgh March 2012
h. Concert: Gwynedd Mercy College Philadelphia March 2012
i. Concert: Schwab Estate Friary March 2012
j. Performance: Duke Ellington School of the Arts Washington DC April 2012
k. Performance: Bucanese Society Altoona Area May 2012
l. Concert: Sean Johns & Paolo Schianchi August Wilson Center, Pittsburgh May
2012
m. Performance: Indiana University of Pennsylvania April 2012
n. Established SFU Instrumental Ensemble
o. Lectured in Guitar, Explorations, Studies in Music, and Italian courses February
through April 2012
p. Composed and original score of 10 compositions for the harp guitar to be
recorded in Italy during the fall of 2012
q. Performance Café Voltaire with Italian Musicians March 2012
r. Numerous appearances on WTAJ TV Altoona
s. Numerous articles related to residency and performance: Altoona Mirror,
Johnstown Tribune Democrat, Indiana Gazette, Saint Francis Troubador,
Pittsburgh Tribune review, and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Graduate EducationMember of the Editorial Board for the PAESSP magazine Pennsylvania Administrator.
(Kelly)
PAESSP Conference 2011 Program Co- Chair. (Kelly)
Monitored Program for PILS requirements 2011 conference (Kelly)
Received a Gold Award for NASSP & PAESSP for 20 years of service to the
organizations. (Kelly)
Member of the Middle States Committee of Higher Education (MSCHE) Graduate
Studies Committee (Kelly)
37
Stakeholders Committee in AASD. (Kelly)
HistoryStudents from HIST 495 completed a service learning project with Sandyvale
Association wherein they conducted original research at Johnstown Flood Museum and
elsewhere, and used their research to craft content for park signage and the Association’s
forthcoming website. (Damico)
Presented “Native Americans and the Vietnam War,” Loretto Federal Correctional
Institute, November 2011 (Damico)
Presentation to Hollidaysburg Area High School students on presidential State of the
Union Addresses (January 24, 2012) (Melusky)
Judge of Elections, Blair Township, East Hollidaysburg (elected position, participated in
training sessions, organized polling place and coordinated election proceedings on
election days, November 8, 2011 and April 24, 2012) (Melusky)
Blair County Democratic Committee (elected position) (Melusky)
Saint Michael’s Church, Hollidaysburg, PA, volunteer for “Soup Saturdays” (spring
2012) (Melusky)
Participating in “Walk to Cure Diabetes,” supporting the work of the Juvenile Diabetes
Research Foundation, May 2012(Melusky)
Philosophy/Religious StudiesVolunteered for “Cause for Paws” fundraising event (Sept. 2011) for the Indiana County
Humane Society. (Menta)
Spoke at Indiana County Humane Society fundraiser dinner, October, 2011. (Menta)
Volunteered as timer for Indiana County YMCA swim meets, several Saturdays. (Menta)
Fall ’11 adapted my Faith and Fran for two Honors students (Remillard)
Organized A&L Writing Circle: May 12; July 26; September 20; November 29; Feb. 16;
March 28 (Remillard)
May 9, 2011, volunteered for the junior high track meet held at St. Francis, and organized
by Gordon Thomson and Central Cambria High School coach, Randy Wilson.
(Remillard)
July 23, 2011, helped track coach Gordon Thomson organize and host a 5k on track
during Alumni weekend. (Remillard)
October 8, 2011, helped organize the annual reunion of XC/Track athletes held during the
home meet. (Remillard)
October 27, 2011, organized CES event for Mike Pasquier of LSU, “The Culture of Oil in
Louisiana.” (Remillard)
Dec. 8, 2011, invited to attend and participate in new faculty meeting, December 8, 2011.
(Remillard)
Fall ’11, led the revision of our major, and included new courses: “Religion and Sports in
America”; “Religion in America and West-Central Pennsylvania”; “Religious Ethics for a
New Millennium”; “Compassionate Caregiving”; “Christianity” (Remillard)
Fall ’11, led the writing of departmental objectives for majors, which includes an
entrance and exit exam and writing portfolio. (Remillard)
Committee member for Recruitment task force and Academic Standing (Remillard)
38
Revamped the department website with the new major, as well as a “testimonials” page
highlighting students of past and present: http://www.francis.edu/ReligiousStudies.htm
Helped to organize the Ebensburg Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, along with the
Ebensburg Area Running Club. (Remillard)
PsychologySFU Faculty Senate 2012-2013 Present-elect (Baker)
IRB Co-Chair (Baker)
Reader’s Forum (Baker)
Psychology Search Committee (Baker)
Distance Education Committee (Baker)
Faculty Co-Sponsor, Psi Chi (Baker)
Co-coordinator of the mental health component of the proposed Health and Wellness eportfolio (Baker)
Relay for Life (Baker
Director, PROJECT FIDO (dogs in prison program). (Gilmour)
Faculty Co-Sponsor, Psi Chi (Gilmour)
Co-Coordinator, Neuroscience Minor (Gilmour)
Science Day (Gilmour)
Psychology Search Committee (Gilmour)
Honors Program Directed Readings (Brian Hancox) (Gilmour)
SFU Faculty Senate (King)
Committee, General Education Associate Dean Search Committee, Psychology Search
Committee (Chair) (King)
Member, Board of Directors, Friends of White’s Woods (King)
Internship Coordinator (King)
Coordinator, Social Responsibility Minor (King)
Honors trip to U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, D.C. (faculty supervisor)
(King)
Intern Supervisor (FCI-Loretto; Conemaugh Valley; Justice Works) (King)
SFU CES Presentation: Flashmobs (King)
Honors Program Seminar (King)
Curriculum Committee, Fall 2011 – Spring 2012 (Moist)
Psychology Search Committee, Fall 2011-Spring 2012 (Moist)
Arts & Letters Writing Circle, Summer 2011-Spring 2012 (Moist)
Community-based service supervisor: 3-credit Community Service Capstone Project
with McIan Campbell entitled, The Camp Combe Experience Summer 2011 (Moist)
Statistical Consulting: Communities in Schools of the Laurel Highlands, Summer 2011
(Moist)
Volunteer editor: SFU Admissions (Moist)
Volunteer, United Way of the Laurel Highlands (UWLH) Community Impact Allocation
Team member, February 21, 2012. (Moist)
Sport Psychologist for Athletic Teams (Ross-Stewart)
Psychology Department Recruiting Coordinator (Ross-Stewart)
Psychology Department Portfolio Administrator (Ross-Stewart)
Psychology Club Faculty Advisor (Ross-Stewart)
39
Athletic Advisory Board (AAB) Faculty Representative (Ross-Stewart)
Head of the AAB Registration Subcommittee (Ross-Stewart)
AAB Minority Committee Member (Ross-Stewart)
AAB Athletic Appeals Committee Member (Ross-Stewart)
Student Athlete Development Assistant Search Committee Spring 2012 (Ross-Stewart)
Field Hockey Assistant Coach Search – conducted Interviews Spring 2012 (Ross-Stewart)
Psychology Department Search Committee Fall 2011-Spring 2012 (Ross-Stewart)
Exercise Physiology Search Committee June 2011 – Search Failed (Ross-Stewart)
Exercise Physiology Search Committee Fall 2011 – Search Failed (Ross-Stewart)
Exercise Physiology Search Committee Spring 2012 (Ross-Stewart)
School of Arts and Letters Recruitment Task Force Psychology Department
Representative (Ross-Stewart)
Honors Program Directed Readings – Jordan Grgurich (Ross-Stewart)
Advising; Admissions Fairs; SOAR. (all faculty)
Social WorkThe Social Work Club held a golf tournament that raised over $3000 for Families of
Spinal Muscular Atrophy. (Lynch, Black)
The program and club help the annual Take Back the Night and Clothesline Project
(TBTN) week of events in March. Approximately 400 participants attended the sessions,
which deal with empowerment and education for victims of abuse and interested others.
We also had 43 students do their Senior capstone experience as part of TBTN and each
event was a CES for freshmen. (Lynch, Black)
Faculty development committee and helped organize the community development week
for the spring. (Black)
Standards and Admissions committee, liaison for both the women’s field hockey and
softball team. (Lynch)
Supporting Children through Grief" on April 18, 2012 in the DiSepio Institute. Allison
Stockley, MSW and Shannon Chille, BSW from the Home Nursing Agency's "Healing
Patch" spoke on how to identify the impact of grief on children and learn the skills
needed when explaining death to a child, and other grief related issues. Over 55 people
attended the luncheon meeting from the local community. CEU's were offered through
the continuing education office. It should be noted that Ms. Chille is an alum of our
program. (Lynch, Black)
Sociology/Criminal JusticeDepartmental breakfast for all graduating seniors and their parents (Snyder and Mauney)
Consulting for the Blair County Poverty Committee, 2012 (Snyder)
External Review and Accreditation:
Education
The Education Program submitted the Middle Childhood Education and Social Studies
programs to PDE in October 2011. Programs were approved.
40
Graduate Education
The Graduate Education Department has approval from the Pennsylvania Department of
Education to offer certification in the following areas: Principal, Special Education
Supervisor, Reading Specialist, and Superintendent/IU Executive Director Letter of
Eligibility Certification.
History
The History/Secondary Education Social Studies Certification major was reviewed by the
Pennsylvania Department of Education. Program approved.
External review completed in spring 2012.
Sociology/Criminal Justice
External review was postponed to fall 2012.
Review of Department Assessment Plan Results:
Year-long Focus on Assessment Plans
During 2011-12 departments within Arts & Letters (A&L) scrutinized their
internal assessment plans, with particular focus on student learning. Each department had
student learning assessment plans in place as the year began. Those plans have been
listed in the school’s annual reports over the past several years. The objectives this past
year consisted of reviewing the learning objectives, measures and objectives and
establishing benchmarks for action and course mapping to the objectives. The
departments also paid close attention to establishing feedback loops so that data collected
from the plans could be utilized to review and, if necessary, adjust course objectives and
major requirements. Assessment plans and the review process were frequent topics in
meetings of the A&L Chairs Council. Each department with a major submitted its
assessment plans to the Provost’s office to be, well, assessed. As of the end of the spring
2012 semester, the Provost’s office had sanctioned all the plans submitted.
It is no secret that, at the beginning of 2011-12, faculty within A&L generally
approached comprehensive learning assessment plans skeptically. This attitude, of
course, is prevalent amongst faculty at many institutions. I am convinced, however, that
the year-long internal emphasis upon assessment and the repeated stress upon assessment
by department external reviewers have changed some minds. No longer is assessment
automatically equated with administrative make-work. All but two of the A&L
departments (Fine Arts does not have a major learning assessment plan since it does not
have a major) have listed assessment-related goals in their planning for 2012-13. While
most departments indicate that they will refine and develop their assessment plans, I
suspect that the largest challenge for departments will be interpreting and then acting
upon the assessment data. By the end of the 2011-12 academic year, every department
within Arts & Letters, had established a formal assessment plan consisting of student
learning objectives, measures, benchmarks, curriculum mapping and feedback loops.
41
Graduate Education had long implemented a detailed assessment plan as required by
PDE.
Assessing the Assessment Plans
The greatest challenge in the departments as they developed and reviewed their
formal assessment plans was not necessarily overcoming faculty hostility or resistance
(of which some did and does exist), but learning the vocabulary and “best practices” of
assessment. Departments, in general, had existing course and major objectives and
assessment plans, even if they were, perhaps, not always clearly articulated. The greatest
confusion emerged in discussions of implementing measures and benchmarks that
satisfied accrediting bodies, such as Middle States.
Education, Graduate Education and Social Work had an advantage in establishing
measures and benchmarks since they have historically met the skills and competencies
standards established by their accrediting bodies, the PA Department of Education (PDE)
and Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), respectively. Lacking accrediting
councils, the Humanities and Behavioral Sciences sought guidance from national
discipline associations or PDE or a combination thereof. Historically, the significant
number of secondary education majors in History/Political Science and English,
Communications Arts and Foreign Languages provided those departments with some
experience in adhering to PDE curriculum mapping and course objective requirements.
Beginning in 2009 Psychology adopted the curricular and competency guidelines of the
American Psychology Association. Sociology/Criminal Justice used recommendations
from the American Sociological Association to develop its major requirements and
competencies. Arguably, Philosophy/Religious Studies, by the nature of the disciplines
and its insulation from PDE, had the least external guidance available. In short, the
departments utilized their respective external discipline associations to develop learning
objectives. The learning objectives, skills and competencies prevailing in A&L
departments are clearly in the mainstream of their respective academic disciplines.
Disciplinary associations, as well as Middle States, provided far less help to the
departments in developing measures and benchmarks. Failing to heed the warnings of
several assessment experts and a bit uncertain of acceptance criteria, a handful of
departments delved deeply into benchmarks and measures. In the end, those departments
generally adopted objective, discipline-based external examinations and/or a research
skill project, such as an e-portfolio or methodology paper, to use as their keystone
learning assessment measure. Departments with exposure to PDE requirements, such as
Education, and History/Political Science, utilized the PRAXIS scores for factual
assessment. English, Communication Arts and Foreign Language and
Sociology/Criminal Justice emphasized an internally developed and graded
comprehensive examination. Unsurprisingly, Spanish has oral proficiency examinations.
Every department utilized the General Education Writing Competency
Examination as a measure of student writing abilities. A senior capstone or methodology
course research paper features prominently in nearly every department’s plan. Education,
Psychology, and Communication Arts require students to maintain a portfolio of research
42
and competency activities. Psychology is exploring the development of an extensive
student e-portfolio scheme. IDEA results are being utilized by several departments.
History/Political Science, Education and Sociology/Criminal Justice have emphasized
student exit surveys. History/Political Science, in particular, has detailed feedback from
graduating seniors. That department also has formalized student post-graduate placement
in their plan. Nearly every department has included in their plan student participation
rates in co-curricular and discipline-related club activities. Sociology/Criminal Justice,
Education, Communication Arts, and Psychology have standards related to internships or
student teaching. All departments have established benchmarks for specific goal
achievement at reasonably rigorous rates, ranging from 60 to 80 per cent. Discussions at
A&L Chairs Council meetings indicate that all departments have an ideal pass benchmark
of 100 per cent. Nonetheless, the departments have taken a number of variables into
account to develop realistic measures of success.
Ongoing Process: Feedback and Action
Performa, the higher education consultant group, noted in their recent review that
the university generated considerable amounts of data, but then failed to utilize the
findings. Closing the feedback loop will be priority discussion within the Chairs Council
of A&L during 2012-13. Departments will be urged to discuss the results of their plans
and then take appropriate action. Admittedly, the departments will have the difficult task
of determining if one year’s results are indicative of a trend. No doubt, departments can
experience the “one-off” year. By and large, the learning objectives and curriculum
mapping is complete. The departments will also be asked to review and refine their
measurement tools and benchmarks. In this case experience and group discussion will
provide faculty with the means to hone their standards. For most departments, the
challenge will be formalizing and systematizing what had been an informal process. It is
not a stretch to suggest that assessment is becoming a part of the culture of many
departments. As an external reviewer of the History/Political Science department said,
“Faculty hate and resist assessment at first, and then they realize how helpful it can be.”
V. Recommendations for New Development and Resources:
The following recommendations were listed in the 2011-12 Annual Reports submitted by
the departments within Arts & Letters.
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“Reliable and easily accessible in-house transportation available for taking
students on field trips and to undergraduate research conferences.”
Additional faculty members have been requested by Communication Arts, Fine
Arts, History, Political Science, Religious Studies, Psychology,
Sociology/Criminal Justice and Social Work.
Additional administrative assistants are needed within the school.
“Permanent space for the Writing Center.”
“Fully equipped television studio.”
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“Additional classroom, studio, performance and laboratory space.”
“Additional funding for the Ethics Institute and The North American
Undergraduate Conference in Religion and Philosophy.”
“Increase amounts of current scholarships
o Dr. John Coleman Scholarship in History
o John Murphy Scholarship in History
o A named Political Science scholarship”
“Fund raising to establish an endowment of approximately $50,000 for the SFU
Center for the Study of Government and Law.”
“Mini-grants for students who enroll in LSAT or GRE preparation courses.”
“Mini-grants for student interns in Washington, DC, to support housing and other
living expenses.”
“Support for departmental outreach efforts such as the Mock Convention or
participation in Model UN.”
“Faculty computers should be comparable in quality to student computers and
should be replaced on a routine and predictable cycle.”
“Private office space for all faculty members.”
“A & L should look into identifying a useful comparison peer group for the
Delaware Study (other SFU schools are doing so).”
“An increase in server capacity and classroom computer equipment sufficient to
allow for reliable in-class Internet use in teaching.”
“More SMART classrooms.”
“More seminar rooms.”
“More rooms at prime time.”
‘Improved laboratory facilities.”
“More marketing/public relations support.”
“More travel money dedicated to student presentation at conferences.”
“In-load support for research and class-embedded community service.”
“Increased operating budget to support labs.”
“An automatic (upward) adjustment to a department operating budget as the
faculty increases in size – our faculty has doubled; our operating budget has
barely budged.”
“More involvement with community colleges to prepare students who transfer
into Saint Francis.”
“Expansion of library holdings and access to online journals in line with growth
in department majors.”
“Graduate Education requests additional funding for the following budget lines:
o Faculty salaries – budget is consistently over in this area because of the
increased number of cohorts and teachers teaching in these areas.
o Rentals – budget is consistently over in this area as well due to the
increased courses being offered at the Greater Altoona Career and
Technology Center and some of the cohort buildings charge a rental fee
for classroom space.
o Travel – additional travel expenses will accumulate because of the
additional cohorts, and on-site coordinator visits at many school districts,
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which is required in our principal, reading, and superintendent
certification programs.
o Advertising – more recruiting and advertising tools could be utilized if
more funds were available.”
VI. Suggestions:
The following suggestions were listed in the 2011-12 Annual Reports submitted by the
departments within Arts & Letters.
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“I think that the organization of the University by Schools was a brilliant idea.
Although I did not experience the previous system, I know that our department
receives much support from the Schools organization, in terms of guidance from
the Dean, collaboration with faculty from other departments, and a general feeling
of belonging.”
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“We hear whispers about our department’s relocation from time to time. That’s
not problematic to us; however, we do enjoy much informal collaboration because
our offices are located in the same hallway. Our only request would be that the
department faculty be kept together.”
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“When we divided into schools four years ago, the university took the time to
define and formalize some job titles and unit designations that had been longused, but inconsistently so. For example, the requirements for a department were
set, and job titles like director and coordinator were standardized. I applauded
those efforts at the time and asked that parameters be set for the workload of a
department chair. Chairs come in all sizes now; you could be overseeing a faculty
of two or twelve. Your department could have 75 majors or none at all. Yet
despite the disparities, the compensation is the same: one course release per
semester. Perhaps I’m the only one who feels this set-up is unjust. I guess I
thought it was so obviously unfair that once the schools were formed, the deans
would see the inequities among their own department chairs and work towards
making things right. I’m very disappointed that this has not been the case.”
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“The School of Arts & Letters should sponsor an outreach day, such as Science
Day, to promote A&L major programs with area high school students.”
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“Additional staff should be added to the Marketing Department and to the
Admissions Office.”
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“The Marketing and Admissions Offices (and Advancement) should be
reorganized to correspond to the four school structure of the University with
marketing and admissions specialists assigned to each school.”
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“The division and redistribution of administrative and other responsibilities
between University offices and Departments should be pursued through a more
collaborative and consultative process.”
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“Availability of classrooms is an increasingly difficult issue. We particularly need
more classroom allocations because we have doubled the number or sections of
the RLST intro course.”
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“Thanks for making grants available for faculty research and special projects.
Keep up the good work. These are precious to the faculty and to the health of the
university.”
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“The Recruiting grants/release times are working and should be continued.”
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“In-load time dedicated to administrative work, recruiting, research, direction of
student research, and community-based learning seems essential to the health and
growth of the college. (As my statistics instructor said, variability -or in this case,
inequity- kills.)”
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“The substantially increasing hostility to women and to religious, ethnic, racial,
and sexual minorities at SFU is mindboggling, heartbreaking, and at its core,
antithetical to liberal education. This problem seems to typify this institution
from top to bottom. Why is this happening? Who is going to work to fix it?”
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“Identify me as a chair of our department instead of director of this program. It is
confusing and actually ineffective labeling. While I only have one other faculty, I
am project manager of a research grant that employs a professional social worker
and a non-professional team leader. This has been suggested for 2 years now,
with no response.”
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“Provide the social work program with additional assistance in regards to teaching
so we can add classes to the major. Dr. Whistler has helped us by adding an
adjunct slot during a semester, which is greatly appreciated, but this does not
solve our problems. It is becoming increasing difficult to meet the standards of
CSWE as well as our program goals with only 2 faculty, no matter how
outstanding we are. This was also suggested for the past 2 years.”
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“Bring the CUPA’s up to a reasonable amount. It is frustrating to look at what
our targets are, which are already identified as a “percentage of means’” for like
universities (in other words, below average), and we are not even up to what we
are told we would be to be compliant with the target goals. We understand that
there are some faculty that are over 100% of target that have just started teaching
recently, and in majors in which the discipline already pays a great deal better
than ours, which is the lowest paid on campus. Every year that we are under
target is less that we have going towards retirement, which means this is not just a
current problem, but one that will impact us ongoing throughout our future.”
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“As the number of sociology majors grows, it is necessary that the library expand
its collection of sociology books and journal subscriptions.”
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“Release time for research and publication.”
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“Additional faculty member.”
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“An equitable distribution of the “invisible work” service.”
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“Designated faculty assistant for our department.”
____________________________________
Submitted By
Timothy Whisler, Dean, School of Arts & Letters
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