Bethany College Religious Life

Bethany College was founded on the principles of the Christian Church, and to this day is affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), though the Church exercises no sectarian control.

We welcome students from virtually every religion. It is important to Bethany College that students are aware of campus ministry on campus and the availability of the Chaplain, the Rev. Scott Thayer, who is also minister of Bethany Memorial Church. Rev. Thayer, along with the Rev. Dr. Larry Grimes, meets with the Campbell Scholarship fellows once per month in mentoring sessions. The Chaplain regularly teaches a freshman seminar course and a January term class on social justice. He also leads a number of Connections workshops on topics ranging from spiritual growth to diversity awareness to international relations.

Rev. Thayer leads regular worship services and Bible studies at Bethany Memorial Church which are open to everyone. As a "Confidential Reporter" under the College’s Title IX policy, the Chaplain serves as a counseling resource for the campus community.

Catholic Mass is available every Sunday evening at 6:30. Mass is held at the St. John Fisher Chapel (201 Richardson Street, one block behind the Bison Inn). Shirley Carter, the Catholic campus minister at Bethany, welcomes all students regardless of religion to join her at mass and other events hosted at the St. John Fisher Chapel.

Spiritual life is an active campus tradition. We encourage you to participate in activities and services provided by the Bethany Office of Campus Ministry.

Good to visit with friend of Bethany and senior editor of The Bluefield Daily Telegraph Bill Archer at the West Virginia Capitol during West Virginia Higher Education Day.

Thoroughly enjoyed visiting with State Senator Ryan Ferns at West Virginia Higher Education Day at the Capitol.

Always wonderful visiting with Dr. Pam Balch, former Provost of Bethany College and now President of my alma mater West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Enjoyable visit with Ryan Weld, Delegate to the West Virginia House of Delegates representing the 2nd District, at his office at the West Virginia Capitol Complex in Charleston. He is also a Legal Assistant at the Brooke County Prosecutor’s Office.

A warm Bethany College welcome to our five new students from Heidelberg, Germany

Welcome Back!

I hope everyone here for January Term has had a productive experience, and for those who are just now returning for Spring Term, welcome back!

Special congratulations to those senior students who have taken and passed their Senior Comprehensive Exams. Bethany has an outstanding tradition with these exams, and I’m sure the sense of accomplishment our students have is tremendous!

Bethany College is off to a great start for its 175th anniversary year. We celebrated Martin Luther King Day with two outstanding Bethany alumni, Rodney and Ronnell Heard ‘08. We look forward to many important events on campus, such as Kalon Weekend, Founders Day, Baccalaureate, and Commencement.

Please watch our website (www.bethanywv.edu) and Green Box announcements for updates on celebratory activities and special events throughout 2015. You can also follow me on Twitter at @BethanyCollege1, Instagram prezscottmiller, and Facebook! Click the icons below to start following now.

Have a great spring semester!

Bethany College Announces Commencement and Baccalaureate Speakers for 2015 Graduation

I am pleased to announce our 2015 Commencement speaker, Dr. Robert McCann ‘80, and Baccalaureate speaker, the Rev. Dr. Juan Antonio Rodriguez ‘79.

A graduate in economics from Bethany, Dr. McCann is CEO of UBS Group Americas and is a member of UBS Group Executive Board. Prior to joining UBS, he worked for 26 years for Merrill Lynch, holding a variety of positions within the company. He strives to promote economic recovery and boost small businesses, doing so by implementing firm initiatives. Dr. McCann is also known for giving back to his alma mater, most recently by sponsoring a trip to New York City’s financial community for Bethany student leaders. He and his wife Cindy also established the McCann Learning Center and the McCann Family Student Investment Fund, the latter providing students with opportunities to enrich their learning skills and manage investments in real-world financial markets, utilizing actual dollars and investments.

The Rev. Dr. Rodriguez, born in Puerto Rico and raised in New York City, comes from a heritage of family ministry; his grandfather and father were both lay Disciples preachers in Puerto Rico and New York. For the past 30 years, Dr. Rodriguez has been the organizing Pastor of Iglesia del Pueblo-Hope Center in Hammond, Indiana. He has also served as pastor for First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Hammond, has received pastoral psychotherapy training, and has taught as an adjunct professor for Field Education at McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, from which he holds the degrees of Doctor of Ministry and Master of Divinity.

NCAA Convention Actions

Most of you are aware that last week I attended he NCAA Convention in Washington, DC. Delegates from all NCAA I, II, III colleges and universities attended.

Many of you have asked for my interpretation of a wide variety of convention-related items reported in the media. Attached are two articles that I believe accurately represent the critical issues.

· NCAA Division III: Football proposal sparks debate, ultimately defeated – NCAA.org

· ‘Power Five’ leagues expand athletic scholarships to cover full cost of attendance – Inside Higher Ed

http://www.bethanywv.edu/files/8514/2178/3107/Articles_1-20-15.pdf

Visiting with Martin Luther King Day speakers Rodney and Ronnell Heard (both '08) before tonight's program in Steinman Hall. Both work as teachers at a unique Christian school in inner-city Pittsburgh. Football coach Bill Garvey and Athletic Director Brian Rose joined us for the picture. Rodney and Ronnell both played football at Bethany.

Bethany Alumni Association Now Accepting Nominations for Alumni Awards

I write to call your attention and seek your input/involvement in a special recognition program. Once again, the Bethany College Alumni Association is accepting nominations for the annual Alumni Awards. Award recipients are selected by the Alumni Council from nominations submitted by alumni and friends of Bethany. Recipients will be honored at a banquet during Alumni Weekend festivities in May. To view the award categories and to access a nomination form, visit www.bethanywv.edu/alumni/alumni-awards/.

Nominations should be submitted to the Office of Alumni & Parent Relations no later than Feb. 9, 2015. Nominations can be sent via email to alumni@bethanywv.edu, by fax to (304) 829-7223 or by mail to Erickson Alumni Center, 31 E. Campus Drive, Bethany, WV 26032.

Bethany College Martin Luther King Day of Service

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'" Dr. King dedicated his life to helping others, and for this one day of the year we are asked to remember that his vision for humanity did not perish with him.

Each year, through the encouragement and coordinated efforts of the Corporation for National and Community Service, Americans across the country answer that question by coming together on the King Holiday to serve their neighbors and communities.

The Martin Luther King Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President's national call to service initiative. It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems.

Instead of simply honoring and remembering Dr. King by naming a holiday after him, Martin Luther Day of Service is dedicated to achieving his ‘Dream’ that a community, our nation, could overcome what divided it, and that neighbors, our neighbors, could band together to help one another.

His strong belief in community service and the power of compassion is why the Martin Luther King, Jr., federal holiday is the only holiday that is observed as a national day of service. It is a part of the president’s United We Serve campaign and is considered to be “a day on, not a day off.”

From my standpoint as a college president, community service is one of the most rewarding responsibilities I can encourage our students to participate in. It does not cost you anything but your time, and the feeling of helping someone in need is one that will stay with you for the rest of your life. It proves that one person can make a difference, and that when a group of people pools their resources, anything is possible.

Here at Bethany, our students participate in community service activities all throughout the year, so today was no exception to that service. What makes it stand out, however, is that today’s activities serve to remind us of Dr. King’s incalculable contributions to strengthening the fabric of American life by calling on citizens of all races and all creeds to weave their efforts together to further the cause of liberty for all, justice for all, freedom for all, and hope for all.

Tonight we welcome as our featured Martin Luther King Day Speakers Rodney and Ronnell Heard, brothers, Bethanians, and teachers at Imani Christian Academy in Pittsburgh. The program will begin at 7 p.m. in the Academic Parlour of Old Main. They serve a school with a special mission of service to children that live in neighborhoods that are typically filled with violence, addiction, and various forms of verbal and physical abuse. Their work has earned them well-served widespread recognition.

I hope that all of you will remember the warm feeling you experience in helping another when you perform a selfless act. That warmth is the true meaning of Martin Luther King Day, and should be carried with us every day of the year.

Bethany has a long history of producing outstanding sports administrators. Pictured with Brian Rose, Bethany Director of Athletics and Recreation; Amy Schafer, Associate Director of Athletics/Head Softball Coach at Thiel College; and, Kevin Fenstermacher, Assistant Commissioner of the Presidents' Athletic Conference. Not pictured: Jack Shafer, Widener University director of athletics. #ncaaconvention#scottdmiller

First Year Experience students from Dr. Pat Sutherland’s (Professor of Communications and Media Arts) seminar titled MyNews.com toured the facilities of WTRF-TV 7 Friday. In the seminar, students learn the components of quality journalism, and effects of new technology on the news. News Director Brenda Danehart coordinated the visit which included presentations from five members of her staff. Bethanian Laurie Conway and many other Bethanians have worked at WTRF. The First Year Experience is an important part of The Bethany Plan.

Bethany Broadcasting Network pre-game show with Dakota Kotsol. Bison and W & J five minutes from start.

Thomas More College President David Armstrong and I enjoyed our discussion with Dan Dutcher, head of NCAA Division III, at today's Presidents/Chancellors Luncheon at the Gaylord National

Attending the NCAA National Convention in Washington, DC. Next to me in the lobby is Ellen Crandall, Associate Athletics Director at the University of Hartford. Ellen and I both graduated from General McLane High School in Edinboro, PA in 1977. Had an enjoyable time catching up on life since General McLane. Ellen was a two-time NCAA All-American at Penn State and was a very successful head coach at the University of Connecticut before a stellar career as an athletic administrator at the University of Hartford.

Bethany Women and Leadership Weekend

Thanks to the leadership and generosity of Trustee and alumna Scarlett Foster ’79, I am pleased to share that a Women and Leadership weekend has been scheduled for March 20-21, 2015. The focus is to provide an educational leadership and networking weekend for women on campus to meet and to learn from other accomplished women within the wider Bethany College community.

The weekend will begin on Friday evening with a Women’s Leaders Recognition Dinner in which invited female students will be addressed by guest speaker Neile Miller, the CEO of Ultra High Materials and former Acting Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration. SGA officers, along with Ms. Foster, will recognize women who are in existing leadership positions in campus organizations.

Saturday afternoon will begin with a panel discussion moderated by Scarlett Foster ’79, retired corporate officer and Vice President of Investor Relations, Monsanto. Ms. Foster was one of only six female corporate officers in the company’s history, and one of only 15 people to have that title at Monsanto during her time at the corporation. Panelists include:

· Marie DeParis ’83, Vice President, Marketing & Business Development, SNY

· Billie Flaherty ’79, General Counsel, Chemtura

· Kylin McCardle ’03, Vice President, U.S. Government Relations and Public Policy, Barclays

· Kathy Tucker ’85, Division Manager, NVHomes

These alumnae will share their thoughts and experiences with our current female students to help encourage them to excel as leaders on campus and assist them in preparing for their professional careers.

After the panel discussion, invited participants will be given the opportunity to network with members of the Alumni Council and special invitees of the College. Panel members and Board of Trustee members will also be available for discussion. The evening will be capped with a dinner, held in Commencement Hall, featuring invited banquet speaker Sara Laschever, a noted researcher, speaker and co-author (Women Don’t Ask: The High Cost of Avoiding Negotiation—and Positive Strategies for Change and Ask for It! How Women Can Use the Power of Negotiation to Get What They Really Want).

The events are by invitation only. Invited students have already received a save-the-date email, with full invitations to be sent in February. Please join me in thanking Scarlett Foster for planning and underwriting this wonderful educational weekend for our female students as we celebrate Women’s History Month.

Dr. Lisa Reilly, The Goulding-Woolery Professor of Chemistry, is offering a fascinating January Term class “Chemistry of Food”. I had a wonderful visit with the class and enjoyed hearing about their projects. Dr. Reilly is pictured with students in the “lab” (Benedum Commons). That’s Bethany Executive Chef Clark Creel offering some advice.

Viewpoints of President Obama’s Community College Proposal

Many of you have asked about the implications for Bethany College and higher education in general of President Obama’s recently announced Community College Initiative. I share the attached articles which present balanced viewpoints.

· Obama is joined by Republicans for unveiling of free community college plan – Inside Higher Ed

· The Players Who Influenced Obama’s Free-College Plan – The Chronicle of Higher Education

· President Obama’s community college proposal doesn’t make the grade – Washington Post

http://www.bethanywv.edu/files/7414/2117/1589/Viewpoints_of_President_Obamas_Community_College_Proposal.pdf

Mark Affeltranger Named Chair of the Department of Psychology

Dr. Mark A. Affeltranger, Associate Professor of Psychology, will assume the role of Chair of the Department of Psychology, effective January 1, 2015. Dr. Affeltranger was named Chair following the promotion of Dr. Katrina D’Aquin to Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty.

A member of the Bethany faculty since 2003, Dr. Affeltranger has previously served as Chair for several years. He holds the B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Kelly Schuller promoted to Associate Professor of Psychology with Tenure

It is with great pleasure that I write to inform you that Dr. Kelly Schuller has been promoted to Associate Professor of Psychology with tenure, effective July 1, 2015.

In her time at Bethany, Dr. Schuller has proven herself to be a gifted teacher, a skilled advisor, and a valued member of our faculty. She holds the B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from West Virginia University.

I know you join me in deep appreciation to Dr. Schuller for her many contributions to Bethany College and offer our heartfelt congratulations. I am certain that her talents as a teacher and leader at Bethany will continue to be greatly valued in the future.

ADA & Section 504 Coordinator

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

“It is the purpose of this Act . . . to provide a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities [and] to provide clear, strong, consistent, enforceable standards addressing discrimination against individuals with disabilities . . . .” 42 U.S.C. § 12101(b).

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, state and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications. To be protected by the ADA, one must have a disability or have a relationship with an individual with a disability. An individual with a disability is defined by the ADA as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.

Section 504, Rehabilitation Act

“No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States . . . shall, solely by reason of his or her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance . . . .” 29 U.S.C. § 794(a).

The Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs receiving federal financial assistance and in the employment practices of federal contractors. Each federal agency has its own set of § 504 regulations but all include reasonable accommodation for employees with disabilities, program accessibility, effective communication for individuals who have hearing or vision disabilities, and accessible new construction.

Ms. Lisa Cucarese, College Registrar, serves as the 504 Coordinator for Bethany College. Any student, faculty, staff, or guest who requires special accommodations should contact Ms. Cucarese for medically necessary needs regarding classroom or special event locations. Ms. Cucarese can be reached at 304-829-7821 or by email: lcucarese@bethanywv.edu.

Dr. Chris Sampson, Director of the McCann Learning Center, will continue to serve as the coordinator for students who need special educational accommodation such as testing, note taking, or other educational support. To contact Dr. Sampson: csampson@bethanywv.edu

Bethany Title IX Website

In keeping with best practice, Bethany College’s Title IX Office, in conjunction with the Office of Communications, updated the Bethany College Website this past fall to include a web page for Title IX information. You can access the web page directly at http://www.bethanywv.edu/students/title-ix/

Accessible under the Campus Life page, the section contains the Title IX policy, information on mandatory reporting, and options for filing a complaint.

In addition, the new web page contains valuable information on resources available and helpful frequently-asked questions. Please familiarize yourself with the new content.

This important function reports directly to me. If you have any questions, please contact Malorie Porter at mporter@Bethanywv.edu or me.

Enjoyed speaking/moderating a panel discussion about executive search at the CIC Presidents Institute in San Diego. Pictured with Katherine Haley, Principal, Witt/Kieffer of Chicago, Cheryl Hyatt, Partner, Hyatt-Fennell Executive Search of Pittsburgh; and R. Stanton Hales, Senior Consultant, Academic Search, Inc., of Washington, D.C. I serve as Chair of the Board of Directors of Washington, D.C. – based Academic Search, Inc. The session was sponsored by Inside Higher Ed.

Professor Kenn Morgan and his January Term students send greetings from Italy: "Buon giorno from the Colosseum in Roma!"

Dr. Kelly Schuller named Director of the First Year Experience

Dr. Kelly Schuller has been appointed Director of the First Year Experience, replacing Dr. Katrina D’Aquin who was recently promoted to Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty.

Currently Assistant Professor of Psychology, Dr. Schuller was recently promoted to Associate Professor with tenure, effective July 1, 2015. She holds the B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from West Virginia University.

The First Year Experience is an important part of the College’s nationally-acclaimed program “The Bethany Plan.” It is designed to meet the following goals:

· Provide a small seminar of students with a faculty mentor/advisor who will help them to improve writing and thinking skills and familiarize them with the academic life of the College, while they study a specialized subject area

· Provide a bridge between the high school experience and the Bethany experience, designed to enable students to engage actively and successfully as they grow and learn inside the classroom and out

· Provide students with an intense, single-class, topic-driven learning experience designed to enhance college-level reading, writing and research skills

#2015PI: Enjoyable visit with William Salom, former President of Universidad InterAmericana of Costa Rica & Panama. William, Weezie Fennell @hyattfennell & I founded the InterAmerican Consortium in 1994.

Good to see Jerold Panas, CEO of a premier national development firm at #2015PI. Honored to be among 22 CEOs profiled in his new book. #2015PI

Bethany College President Dr. Scott D. Miller accepts an award recognizing his 15 years as Chair of the New Presidents Program of the Council of Independent Colleges, during the group's banquet Saturday evening in San Diego. The New Presidents Program (NPP) examines challenges and issues confronting new campus CEO's, and offers practical strategies for successful leadership. Pictured with Dr. Miller are, left, Dr. Richard Eckman, President of CIC, and Dr. Mary Pat Seurkamp, Director of the NPP.

Bethany College President Dr. Scott D. Miller finished his second term as the Chair of The Council of Colleges and Universities of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) on Sunday. He is pictured with Dr. Kenneth R. Garren (President, Lynchburg College), new chair of the Council; Dr. Guy Waldrop (Director of TCUCC), and Chris Dorsey (President of the Higher Education and Leadership Ministry).

Dr. Mort Gamble, Executive Assistant to the President, and Dr. J. Daniel Draper, Professor of Chemistry Emeritus, visit in Sarasota, Fla., on Christmas Eve. Dr. Draper and Dr. Gamble share a love of circus history. Dr. Draper's daughter Barbara Stebbins '71 and her husband Ron Levere hosted Dr. Gamble and his wife M.E. Yancosek Gamble, Chair of the Business, Communications and Media Arts Department at Bethany.