A group of Belmont faculty, staff and administrators recently returned from the 2014 New American Colleges and Universities’ (NAC&U) Summer Institute at the University of Redlands in Redlands, California. Representing Belmont and offering presentations at the conference were Dr. Jonathan Thorndike (Honors program director); Dr. Jeffery Burgin (associate provost and dean of students); Dr. Beverly Schneller (associate provost for academic affairs); Dr. Mimi Barnard (assistant provost for interdisciplinary studies and global education); Patricia Jacobs (director of career services); and Dr. Thomas Burns (provost).

The NAC&U Summer Institute keynote speakers were Dr. Edward L. Ayers, president of the University of Richmond and a noted historian and author; Dr. Robin Heyden, an educational consultant and blogger of how new media tools affect education; and Dr. David Asai, senior director of science education programs at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.  The Institute theme was “Creating Community through Collaboration,” and the focus was on NAC&U’s new initiative to provide opportunities for students and faculty through collaboration among members. The Summer Institute explored possibilities to enhance the educational experience through collaboration among NAC&U members, with campuses, and between campuses and their communities. Presentations described existing projects and engaged conference participants in working sessions to develop new ideas for collaboration.

The New American Colleges and Universities is a national consortium of selective, independent colleges and universities dedicated to the purposeful integration of liberal education, professional studies, and civic engagement.  The NACU Summer Institute is held for faculty and administrators from member colleges and universities, providing a unique opportunity for professional development, discussion of issues common to our member institutions, and networking.  Belmont hosted the NACU Summer Institute in 2008.  The members of NACU are Arcadia, Belmont, Drury, Hamline, Hampton, John Carroll, Manhattan, Nazareth, North Central, Pacific Lutheran, St. Edward’s, Samford, Stetson, Sage, Scranton, Evansville, Redlands, Valparaiso, Wagner, Westminster, and Widener.

The individual presentations by Belmont faculty and administrators were “Ingenuity: High-Impact Practices and Transformative Learning for the Global World” by Burns, Schneller, Barnard and Jacobs; “Panel Report on Teagle Project” and “Teagle Goal 1: Faculty Evaluation” by Schneller; and “Evidence-Based Assessment, Growth and Change in the Honors Program” by Schneller and Thorndike.

Dr. Glenn Acree, professor of mathematics, was invited to join the new TN Department of Education’s STEM Leadership Council. Acree delivered the opening address “Conversations for STEM Education and Workforce Development” for the Tennessee Science Standards Steering Committee at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville earlier in the year and was invited by Assistant Education Commissioner Danielle Mezera to serve on the newly formed STEM Leadership Council.

As Tennessee continues to advance towards a greater integration of rigorous K-12 STEM learning pathways, leading to post-secondary achievement and the development of dynamic STEM-related occupation pipelines, it is critically important that the state’s top thought leaders are active in this process. By engaging various stakeholders from across the state, Tennessee will be able – as a state – to ensure strong, robust alignment and visioning between education and industry.

The Nashville Scene has named University President Bob Fisher as among the 25 Nashvillians who have shaped the city for the better over the past 25 years. The article cites Belmont’s growth through the construction of academic and residential buildings, the addition of new graduate programs and the expansion of enrollment to double the number of students since Fisher took helm in 2000. During Fisher’s tenure, campus has expanded significantly with the additions of the Baskin Center, Curb Event Center, Beaman Student Life Center, the Gordon E. Inman Center, the Troutt Theater complex, McWhorter Hall, the Wedgewood Academic Center and several new residence halls and parking garages. Academically, the University has added numerous new interdisciplinary programs in the past decade, including Social Entrepreneurship, New Century Journalism, Pharmacy, Motion Pictures and Law. Click here to read more.

Dr. Steve Murphree, professor of biology, was an invited presenter at the recent Friends of Warner Park’s 2014 Children’s Picnic.  Murphree hosted an interactive table for the children and their families to learn about insects. The Friends of Warner Parks is an organization dedicated to the preservation, protection and stewardship of Percy and Edwin Warner Parks in Nashville, Tennessee. It works to protect the natural and historical integrity of the area by supporting appropriate recreational activities, maintaining and enhancing its features, and promoting programs that inspire appreciation and conservation of the parks. (image: steven_murphree)