July 25, 2008

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Beetles, Bugs and Butterflies, Oh My
Dr. Steve Murphree, professor of biology, recently hosted the 2008 “Beetles, Bugs and Butterflies” summer camp on Belmont’s campus. A hands-on introduction to the biology of insects and other arthropods, camp sessions offered school-age children the opportunity to explore the insect world.

BELMONT NEWS

College of Business Administration Hosts Accounting Academy
Over the past week, 70 high school students from across the state of Tennessee learned about business and the accounting profession through their participation in the seventh annual Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA) Accounting Academy.
Hosted for the second consecutive year at Belmont University, the free, four-day program exposes students to the dynamic career opportunities in accounting. This year, students participated in an interactive team project, learned from presentations by successful business leaders and Belmont faculty and visited several area businesses, including Deloitte & Touche, Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain, HCA, Gaylord Entertainment, the Tennessee Titans Practice Facility, Curb Records and the historic RCA Studio B.
Dr. Pat Raines, Dean of the College of Business Administration, said, “The Accounting Academy partnership between Belmont and the TSCPA is a great fit because we are able to introduce students to accounting professors that have experience in the industry and knowledge of careers in the accounting profession. Plus, we build a lot of fun into our interactive teaching methods.”
Dr. Del DeVries, assistant professor of accounting and program director for this year’s camp, added, “The on-site visits to companies and accounting firms gave students an unforgettable experience. Students commented that they never imagined that accounting touched so many parts of business operations or that accounting could be so interesting! It has been exciting to engage some of the best and brightest students from across Tennessee on our Belmont University campus and in Nashville.”
Artist Charles Brindley’s Works Welcomed to Campus
A reception held on Tues., July 15, welcomed the works of Charles Brindley to Belmont University’s Gallery 121, which is located in the Leu Center for Visual Arts on Belmont’s campus.
Brindley’s drawings and paintings depict a variety of symbol-laden subjects, including giant deciduous trees, panoramic landscapes, prehistoric ruins, rock formations, architecture and still lifes. His images are highly representational but contain many abstract elements.
What: Works by Charles Brindley
Where: Gallery 121, Leu Center for the Visual Arts, Belmont University
When: Through Aug. 14
Hours: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday
Contact: 460-6770

ACHIEVERS

Belmont Men’s Basketball Program Mentioned in ESPN Prestige Rankings
ESPN researchers Nick Loucks, Harold Shelton and Chris Fallica revealed this week their new men’s college basketball prestige rankings. The duo analyzed 300 Division I men’s college basketball teams, weighing the thousands of regular-season and postseason wins and losses, the NBA draft picks, the All-Americans and the national titles to come up with a numerical point system to provide unbiased rankings of every college hoops program’s success since the start of the 1984-85 season. However, the rankings required teams to have 15-seasons minimum competing in Division-I, automatically eliminating the Belmont Bruins and 40 other current D-I teams from the list. However, of the schools that were eliminated because they didn’t have the minimum 15 D-I seasons, the school that would have finished the highest is Belmont (132). Click here to see Belmont’s mention along with other programs outside the Top 50.
Oglesby-Pitts Publishes Editorial in The Tennessean
Dr. Myron Oglesby-Pitts, Ed.D., a former Metro school principal who is currently an assistant professor in Belmont’s department of education, recently wrote an editorial for The Tennessean on the passing of her first grade teacher, Mrs. Mary S. Craighead: “The magic of this teacher never seemed to end. She celebrated her 90th birthday sharing lessons of effective teaching and learning strategies with my graduate class at Belmont University.”
Click here to read the full article, titled “A true ‘champion for children’ left an indelible impression on students.”
Childs, Gonas Published in Journal of Financial Planning
Dr. Brad Childs, associate professor of accounting, and Dr. John Gonas, assistant professor of finance, recently published an article in the Journal of Financial Planning with colleague Dr. Jeremy Thornton of Samford University. The article, titled “Are Donor-Advised Funds Always the Best Economic Choice?,” analyzes what factors makes a Donor-Advised Fund preferable to “checkbook philanthropy.”

COMING UP

Friday, August 1-Sunday, August 3
Sales Tax Holiday in Tennessee
Tax-free items include clothing with a price of $100 or less per item, school and school art supplies with a price of $100 or less per item and computers with a price of $1,500 or less. These items are exempt from state and local sales tax in Tennessee during the holiday.
Monday-Tuesday, August 4-5
New Faculty Orientation
Friday, August 8, 7:30 p.m.
Summer Commencement
Curb Event Center

BIRTHDAYS

If you notice an incorrect or missing birthday, please e-mail the update to communication@mail.belmont.edu.
Happy Belated Birthday to Lougan Bishop in the Office of Admissions, who celebrated on July 21.
July 27
Charles Harper, Student Financial Services
Michael Voight, Physical Therapy
July 28
Anthony Jefferson, Custodial Services
Sylvia Morris, Library
July 29
Arthur Davis, Maintenance
July 30
Jeff Kirk, Music
Jennifer Wetzel, Office of Communications
July 31
Helen Bond, Student Financial Services
Laurianne Cates, Development
August 2
John Halle, Physical Therapy
August 3
Jimmy Binkley, Custodial Services
Todd London, Music
August 4
Veronica Smith, Mail Center

SPECIAL PROMOTIONS

Discount Performances to Nashville Ballet
Belmont faculty and staff can receive a 20 percent discount to Nashville Ballet performances by using the UNIV20 discount code at the TPAC box office downtown or at Davis-Kidd Booksellers. Celebrating 23 years of dance in 2008/2009, Nashville Ballet will offer Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments, along with a spine-tingling ghost story, The Bell Witch, on Oct. 24-26, and then for the holidays, a spectacular all-new production of Nutcracker Dec.12- 14 and 19-21. Winter brings a thrilling Repertory Program, Feb. 13-15 and 20-21, 2009, featuring Tharp’s Sinatra Suite and a full range of dances by James Canfield, Paul Vasterling and Salvatore Aiello. For the season finale, Nashville Ballet will premiere the exhilarating Carmina Burana, April 24-26. For more information, visit www.nashvilleballet.com.
Special Back to School Promotion from Dell
From July 14-27, the Dell Employee Purchase Program is offering Belmont employees and students an extra 5 percent off as an incremental Back to School Promotion on select Inspiron & XPS systems over $799. This savings is IN ADDITION TO the standard Employee Purchase Program Discount. You won’t find lower pricing on Dell systems anywhere! There are three steps to take advantage of these savings:
First, click here to go to the Web site, and enter your name and eligible work/school email address. A coupon will be emailed to that address. Click the “Shop Now” button to enter the Dell online store. Enter your member ID: KS11068624 to ensure savings.
Next, customize your Inspiron system to $799 or more (before taxes, fees, shipping and handling).
Finally, at checkout, enter the coupon code that was emailed to you.

July 18, 2008

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

All Shook Up Takes the Massey Stage
The Roxy Regional Theatre performed excerpts from All Shook Up this week in MPAC as part of the Tennessee Arts Academy, a nationally renowned Academy for teachers and administrators. The mission of the Academy is to provide the highest possible staff development in visual art, theatre and music for K-12 teachers and to recognize and encourage the arts in the lives of all Tennesseans.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Do You Need a Debate08 Credential? Deadline Aug. 4
The credentialing process for the Town Hall Presidential Debate has begun. All employees, vendors and volunteers will need an official credential or badge issued by the United States Secret Service (USSS) to enter any restricted areas for the Presidential debate. A background check will be performed by the USSS as a condition of obtaining a credential.
If you have been asked by your supervisor or a Debate Team Leader to obtain an official credential, you must fill-out an online credential form that can be provided by your manager or Belmont’s Office of Human Resources. Please submit the required information and a digital head shot photo of yourself by Aug. 4, 2008. For credential questions, email humanresources@mail.belmont.edu or call 460-6456.
Photo Session dates and times are listed below:
Tues., July 22, 3-6 p.m. CEC 1st floor, Beaman A & B
Wed., July 23, 3-6 p.m. CEC 1st floor, Beaman A & B
Thurs., July 24, 10 a.m.-Noon CEC 1st floor, Beaman A & B
Thurs., July 24, 3-6 p.m. CEC 1st floor, Beaman A & B
Volunteer for Opening Day 2008
The Office of Student Affairs invites faculty, staff, students and the Nashville community to join us in welcoming the largest class in Belmont history to campus on Aug. 23, 2008. There are a variety of roles to volunteer for so join us to move our new students into the residence halls with a warm smile and a proper Bruin welcome.
Click HERE to register for Opening Day 2008.
Read University Ministries South Africa Blog
University Ministries mission team to South Africa is on the ground and blogging about their trip. Seven Belmont students and staff are serving in Cape Town July 4-19.
The team is working with local children’s clubs and hospices to spread the word about AIDS prevention and education. They will also be conducting a children’s club in one of the impoverished areas of the city. Click here to read the blog.