Page 2 - CROSSROADS - April 1979
From The President’s Desk
One of the goals I set for my presidency was to
gather a community of planners io develop long-
range plans for Belmont Abbey College. The realiza
tion of that goal began on 14 February when Brother
Gregory Corcoran, O.S.B., Mr. Warren Clark, Dr. J.
Patrick Lee, Father Richard Burton, Mrs. Kathy
Drumm, Father Lawrence Willis, O.S.B., Mr. Joseph
Graham, Dr. Francis Murray, Dr. Monica Minton,
Mr. David Gilliken, and Mr. John Maresh met under
my chairmanship to undertake long^mige planning
for the College.
Our process originated in a study of the historical
.rends as v\e simply asked ourselves what were the
widely accepted convictions-not subject to further
debate-which guided the College in the past and
which provide a foundation for the future. TTiis took
us back to our roots and resulted in a statement of in
stitutional beliefs. 1 wish to share those beliefs as we
have presently stated them:
We believe:
1. In the value of the Christian message as pro
claimed by Christ and as etribodied in the Catholic
tradition.
2. In the value of the Benedictine way of life and
learning, including stability, community, hospitality,
adaptability, and the preservation and communica
tion of culture.
3. In the value and inherent dignity of the person,
both as an individual with inalienable rights and as a
responsible member of society.
4. In the vjilue of the person developing physicaDy,
intellectually, emotionally, socially, and spiritually,
according to his or her potential.
5. In the value of the dual system of public and
private higher education.
6. In the value of Catholic higher education.
7. In the value of Benedictine higher education.
8. In the value of coeducation.
9. In the value of liberal arts as the essential and of
professional studies as the complementary com-
Father Neil W. Tobin
ponents of education.
10. In the value of an academic community coom-
posed of monks, priests, sisters, laymen, laywomen
from various faiths, races, and ethnic origins.
11. In the value of a faculty committed to ex
cellence in teaching and to the scholarship and
research necessary for effective teaching.
12. In the value of service to the local Catholic
Church and to other faith communities.
13. In the value of service to the local civic and
business communities.
14. In the value of fiscal responsibility
demonstrated by efficient use of resources and a
balanced budget.
Our long-range planning committee would ap
preciate your reactions to this list of institutional
beliefs. It is the very foundation stone of our plann
ing process.
Next the committee will direct its attention both to
the mission statement, which gives the broadest,
most comprehensive statement of continuing pur
pose, and to a list of the major functions of our Col
lege. ,
In the second step of our planning cycle we will
describe our resources and our constraints: the
organizational chart which delineates authority,
responsibility, accountability, and communication,
the basic operational policies which are an internal
constraint on our mission, our strengths and
weaknesses, extrinsic environmental factors which
are beyond our control 2md influence our operation,
and assumptions which must be taken for granted in
planning.
Then we will formulate the goals and objectives
for the College. Existing data will then be used to
establish trends and to identify gaps between our
goals and our present trends. In the final stage our
committee will design strategies, programs, and ac
tions along with resources to bridge the gaps between
projected goals and present trends.
The long-range planing cycle is an extended one,
but it does cause the College to focus on its develop
ment in an orderly fashion. We will keep you inform
ed as our committee moves through its work. We ask
your prayer and concern for the success of our in
stitutional planning.
Father Neil W. Tobin
President
Abbey People
On The Move
Fr. John Bradley, provost,
has been named to the Board
of Directors of Contact, a
24-hour telephone service in
Charlotte. Trained volunteers
provide an around-thelock
listening and counselling ser
vice for callers with various
problems and needs.
A paper co-authored by Dr.
Mike McLeod, assistant pro
fessor of biology, has been ac
cepted for publication in
“Taxon,” a highly respected
taxonomy journal. This paper
will probably appear in print
around August.
Dr. Michael Reidy, chair
man of the department of
recreation, had an article on
“Belmont Abbey College’s In
tramural Orientation for
Freshmen” accepted for
publication in the “Journal of
Hcilth, Physical Education,
and Recreation.”
Dr. Bill Kirk, chairman of
the department of economics
and business, was selected to
ser'e as a member of the
discussion panel at the March
28 area meeting of the Na
tional Association of Elec
trical Distributors in
Charlotte. The topic of discus
sion was “Warehouse Pro
blems - Shrinkage, Organizing
and Security.” Dr. Kirk was
accompanied by Ben Smith,
Jr., an Abbey student major
ing in distribution manage
ment.
Dr. Winslow Hartford.
associate professor of environ
ment science, was selected as
the recipient of the 1979
American Wood Preservers’
Association Award of Merit.
The award was presented at
the group’s annu^ meeting in
Colorado Springs, Col., April
14. Dr. Hartford also con
tinues to speak to various
groups in the area. He
presented a seminar on “Ther
modynamics, Economics and
the Environment” for the
chemistry department of the
Citadel, Charleston, S.C., on
February 22. And on March
5, he presented a lecture en
titled “Science, Economics
and the Environment” for the
Chemistry Club of Central
Piedmont Community Col
lege.
Dr. George Hemdl, chair
man of the department of
.English, served on the
Visiting Committee to reaf
firm the accreditation of
Southern Benedictine Col
lege. Representing the
Southern Association of Col
leges and Schools, the
11 -member committee visited
the St. Bernard, Ala., campus
April 14. Dr. Herndl was
responsible for evaluation of
the humanities area of
Southern Benedictine’s
academic program and served
on the subcommittee for
evaluation of the college’s
faculty.
Dr. Bennett Judkins.
chairman of the department
of sociology, and Ms.
Robena Wertz, a senior
sociology major, presented a
paper they co-authored at the
Southern Sociological Society
Meeting in Atlanta on April
5. The paper was titled “The
Struggle for Community in
Public Housing.”
Dr. Anselm Min, assistant
professor of philosophy,
presented a lecture on “Chris
tian Theism and Process
Philosophy: Are They Com
patible?” at the Fourth James
Montgomery Hester Seminar.
The seminar, sponsored by
the department of philosophy
at Wake Forest University,
was held on their campus
April 5-6.
Father John Bradley,
provost, was the keynote
speaker at the 18th Annual
Convention of the Carolina’s
District Circle K Interna
tional in Charlotte on April 6.
He presented his talk at the
President’s Honor Banquet
on the topic of providing
motivation and inspiration
toward the dedication of
young lives to helping their
fellow man.
•Is
The alumni participants in the First Career Awareness
Day were: front row (1 to r). Robert GaUagher, Robert Hea-
ly; back row (1 to r). Larry Hortsell, Ted Hawley and
Robert McDonnell.
First Career
Awareness Day
The first Career Awareness
Day, coordinated by the
Alumni As.sociation, the Of
fice of the Academic Dean
and the Office of Career Plan
ning and Placement, was held
March 7, 1979 on the Bel
mont Abtey College Campus.
With five alumni represen
ting their career fields,
students were able to hear
presentations concerning
careers in accounting, bank
ing, insurance, law, sales and
marketing. The alumni gave
overviews of their fields, the
qualifications required and
opportunities available. The
students were able to ask
questions following the
presentations.
The alumni participants in
cluded Larry Hartsell C70),
Ted Hawley C68), Robert
Healy f68), Robert McDon
nell C67), Robert Gallagher
C72).