Category Archives: Faculty/Staff

Faculty Members Honored for Dedication with Presentation of Annual Awards

Advancement, Alumni, Current Students, Faculty/Staff, Home, Media Relations, Parent, School-AH, School-Business, School-Education, School-MS, School-Music, School-PS, Visitors

anderson

Anderson

thomas lee

Thomas-Lee

Davis

Davis

mcnally

McNally

Mullins

Mullins

Reinhardt University Honors Faculty Dedication with Presentation of Five Awards; Students Present Faculty Mentor Award

At the final Faculty Senate meeting of the academic year, University administrators underscored the crucial role that faculty play in making Reinhardt a true community of challenge and care. Among the outstanding faculty honored at the meeting were Dr. Matt Anderson, Dr. Paula-Thomas Lee, Jym Davis, Robin McNally, and Joe Mullins, and Dr. Catherine Emanuel was recognized during Honor’s Day.

Jane England Faculty Award for Excellence – Dr. Matt Anderson

Dr. Matt Anderson, instructor of music and a resident of Cumming, Ga., was honored with the Jane England Faculty Award for Excellence. The $500 award is named for a long-time Reinhardt faculty member who retired in May 2001 and passed away in January 2007. England was a professor of history and political science for 31 years at Reinhardt. She also served in numerous leadership roles, including advisor to the student newspaper and faculty chair. Upon her retirement, Reinhardt established this annual faculty award, along with a scholarship fund, in her honor. Anderson has been a faculty member at Reinhardt for almost three years.

Faculty Research and Scholarship Award – Dr. Paula Thomas-Lee

Dr. Paula Thomas-Lee, assistant professor of music, received a Faculty Research and Scholarship Award for her contributions to the artistic community. Thomas-Lee, a resident of Woodstock, Ga., has taught at Reinhardt for more than seven years.

“It was such a tremendous honor to receive this award for research,” said Thomas-Lee. “Conducting research is something that I find incredibly exciting! I think as educators we should always strive to look for ways to be more effective and applicable to our students. By researching on varying topics in the field of music education, I think I’ve become a stronger and more influential educator.”

Faculty Artistic Award – Jym Davis

Honored with the Faculty Artistic Award was Jym Davis, associate professor of art and a resident of Canton, Ga., who has taught at the University for more than eight years.

“Receiving the Faculty Art Award was a tremendous honor,” Davis said. “It was nice to have my art recognized and to hear so many encouraging words from my colleagues at Reinhardt University. There is a tremendous amount of creative energy at Reinhardt so it was nice to receive recognition from my peers.”

United Methodist Exemplary Teacher Award – Robin McNally

Robin McNally, assistant professor of mathematics, received the prestigious United Methodist Exemplary Teacher Award. McNally, a resident Acworth, Ga., has taught at Reinhardt for more than 21 years.

“I am very honored to have received this meaningful award,” said McNally. “I have been blessed for the last 20 years working with wonderful faculty members, amazing students and outstanding staff/administration at Reinhardt University.”

Funded by the Division of Higher Education of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church, the Exemplary Teacher Award is given annually to a Reinhardt faculty member to recognize excellence in teaching, commitment to value-centered education and service to students at the University.

Vulcan Materials Company Teaching Excellence Award – Joe Mullins

Honored with the Vulcan Materials Company Teaching Excellence Award was Joe Mullins, assistant professor of sport studies. Mullins, who is a resident of Jasper, Ga., has taught at the University for almost three years.

“I was excited to be nominated for the Vulcan award because the nominations come from students and faculty,” Mullins said. “I love to teach, and I am truly blessed to get to work with wonderful students and faculty every day. I was surprised to win the award and thankful to be recognized for something I love to do.”

Established in 1991, the Vulcan Teaching Excellence Awards annually honor an outstanding professor on selected member campuses of the Georgia Independent College Association. The award recognizes an outstanding faculty member who demonstrates strong academic skills in the classroom and provides leadership and support in the other areas of campus life. The recipients are faculty who assist the institutions in nurturing an academic climate which fosters teaching and who provide leadership to enhance the campus community.

Elizabeth Moss Bailey Faculty Mentor Award – Dr. Catherine Emanuel

The Elizabeth Moss Bailey Faculty Mentor Award was presented during Honors Day by Student Government Association President Alexander Bryant. Catherine Emanuel, director of the Center for Student Success, was selected by the students to receive this award.

“I certainly wasn’t expected this award, but it’s nice to have students acknowledge my efforts,” said Emanuel, a resident of Marietta, Ga. and faculty member for more than six years. “I feel very honored to have been recognized.”

The Elizabeth Moss Bailey Faculty Mentor Award was created in 2003 by the College’s Student Government Association (SGA) as an opportunity for recognizing a faculty member that renders outstanding mentorship to students. The SGA takes nominations for the honor from students, and then the members of the Student Senate vote on the faculty recipient. The award is named for Elizabeth Moss Bailey ’28, a distinguished alumna and former professor and dean of women who helped create the work-study program at the College.

Students Learn Important Concepts and Raise Funds for House of Hope in Kenya

Current Students, Faculty/Staff, Home, Media Relations, Parent, School-Business, Visitors

Two Reinhardt business classes presented more than $1300 to SERV International.

Reinhardt Business Students Learn Important Concepts As They Raise More than $1300 to Address Food and Clothing Shortages and Help the House of Hope in Kenya

Two Reinhardt University business classes have had much more than just good grades on their minds this spring.  They have explored the complicated issues of hunger, inadequate clothing, and malaria prevention, and by partnering with SERV-International, a Christian nonprofit headquartered in Canton, Ga., these students’ projects have produced impressive results:

  • Raised $1000 to build a bread oven for House of Hope, the orphanage in Kenya run by SERV International
  • Raised $342 for mattresses and malaria nets for the orphanage
  • Donated 45 school uniform shorts during a mission trip to the Dominican Republic
  • Provided 850 meals financed by increased clothing donations to SERV
  • Collected and donated 252 pairs of flip flops

Reinhardt senior Brooke Haley“I kept feeling like it was something I was supposed to help fix.”

Reinhardt senior Brooke Haley (left) from Marietta, Ga. was deeply moved by what she’s learned.  “My attitude changed 100 percent. I would come home from school, not depressed, but definitely not how I usually was. I would constantly having to talk to my family and even teammates at practice about what’s going on in Kenya.  I kept feeling like it was something I was supposed to help fix. I realized that I was drawn in and felt so connected to the children in Kenya, and it has made me want to go over there with SERV… I can’t thank [Dr. Joann P. Adeogun] enough for partnering us with SERV… Yes, we receive a grade, but someone also gets something out of our work.”

Ambitious Goals Include $1000 to Build a New Bread Oven

Instructor Tina H. Boosel’s Project Management class focused on raising $1000 for the oven, which will help the orphanage become more self sustainable by allowing them to prepare and feed fresh bread to the children, and also provide bread to sell to the community to generate income.  The class raised the money by selling Chick-fil-A lunches on February 11 and the Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q on March 26.  The successful projects allowed the students, professors and Reinhardt administrators to present a $1300 check ($1000 for the oven and $300 for mattresses and malaria nets) to SERV officials as part of the Bar-B-Q.  The foundation for the oven has already been laid, and the class hopes to get a photo of the completed project before the end of April.  

Boosel commended the University community for its support.  “It has been a tremendous learning experience for our students, and it’s also given us a platform to teach to give back to the community.”  For the barbecue fund raiser, Boosel’s class worked with Dr. Joann P. Adeogun’s class.  “Working together helped them all learn the importance of teamwork to carry out a goal.  The projects have certainly met our theme of ‘A Great Leader Must SERV First,’” Boosel said.  

Jim Mroczko, a Reinhardt alumnus and SERV’s president, was thankful for the assistance.  “It is a great pleasure for our SERV team to have the honor of being the recipient of the proceeds from such a meaningful project!” he said. “Bringing global awareness to the basic needs in developing countries through our work in Kenya has been truly rewarding.  I would like to thank Dr. Joann Adeogun, Tina Boosel, and all of the business class students for their efforts as they are a huge inspiration to us.  It was so great to see such enthusiasm for the project as they worked together toward a common goal with such purpose.”

Selling Chick-fil-A to raise funds was one of the business class' projects. Wrapping supplies at SERV International.
Reinhardt business student Chase Holmes (right) of Canton, Ga., sells a Chick-fil-A lunch to fellow business student Alex York of Marietta, Ga.  To help raise money to build a bread oven for an orphanage in Kenya which is supported by SERV International, Instructor Tina H. Boosel’s Project Management class sold lunches on February 11. Senior business major Warren Staples, from McDonough, Ga., securely wraps supplies at the SERV International facility in Canton, Ga.

The projects will have long-lasting Impact on the House of Hope in Kenya

Mroczko said the House of Hope Kenya will be greatly impacted for years to come through the efforts of the Reinhardt staff and faculty.  “I look forward to personally tasting the bread from the new oven when I visit Kenya the first week of May, along with having the privilege of seeing the smiles on the orphans faces with their new flip flops, mosquito nets and mattresses.  In addition to benefiting the House of Hope, the clothing drive helped to provide for much needed food in the Turkana District of Kenya where many are dying daily from a severe famine.  [This has been] truly a huge blessing!”

To learn more about the developing countries, students in the International Business class researched challenging topics like education, transportation, religion and churches, self-sufficiency of women, relationship building and communication, and risk factors and violence in developing countries.  That research will be shared with SERV to help them address their goals.

Adeogun said the idea to collaborate with SERV International developed after Mroczko gave the University’s annual business ethics lecture.  A Christian organization, SERV International establishes long-term projects designed to empower and partner with local residents.  Its staff and volunteers also share the love of God as they address critical needs, like providing clean water, life skills and feeding programs.

When Mroczko and the organization’s project coordinator Shelby Thayer spoke with the classes, the project took on a new energy, Adeogun said. 

“When Jim and Shelby came to the class and showed a video, my students got a visual of the organization, and that visual actually helped them identify with the people in Kenya and in House of Hope orphanage.  That, along with actually going to volunteer in the SERV store in Canton and seeing where the clothing, the flip-flops, the money was going, underscored the real-world impact their efforts could have.”

Writing letters to the children who live in the House of Hope Orphanage touched the students.Writing Letters to the House of Hope Children “Opened my eyes and made me see the real world.”

Adeogun’s students also were impacted by the time they spent volunteering in the SERV facility.

Haley really enjoyed writing the letters to the House of Hope children.  “I was always one of those people who would act like everything was fine because I kept myself uneducated about developing counties so that I could continue to go on with my life. I love that this experience opened my eyes and made me see the real world. While writing, I was nearly in tears. I couldn’t believe what I was reading about each of the children. Writing those letters to the children made me feel connected to them, and I hope the letters let the children know that they are so loved.”

“It gave me hope that what we were doing would actually make a difference…”

Senior John “Adam” Rogers of Lindale, Ga., also learned a great deal through the assignments, especially the volunteer experience.  “During our SERV project, I learned not only the struggle of underdeveloped countries, but the project also shed light on how well we have it here in America. Poverty on any level is saddening, and it is a shame to see people struggle… It touched my heart when our class was given the opportunity to go work… at the SERV facility. We were able to package some electronic Bibles to send to the Dominican Republic and to write letters to some of the kids who are in the orphanage in Kenya. Although they live in poverty, it was evident in their letters and pictures that they possess a light, a happy demeanor that shines through no matter the circumstances thrown their way. This had to be my favorite part of the entire project because it gave me hope that what we were doing would actually make a difference. They are living under extreme circumstances and facing some incredible obstacles in life, but yet they remain optimistic. So therefore, if they can do it, I can do it as well.”

The Projects also helped the students and faculty get to know one another more as individuals

Radvile Autukaite, a senior from Vilnius, Lithuania, also learned from the experience.  “While working towards a common goal all together, we were able to learn about each other, each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” Autukaite said. “I think it was helpful because we were able to learn about who we are more as individuals and not just students, including the professor.”

Senior business major Jared “JJ” Johnson of Ellenwood, Ga., said the experience underscored the “importance of giving back and how little things in our world make a big difference in underserved people across the world.”

To learn more about the giving opportunities provided by SERV International, visit https://servone.org/

Reinhardt Expands Title IX Past the Playing Field

Alumni, Current Students, Faculty/Staff, Media Relations, Parent, School-AH, School-Business, School-Education, School-MS, School-Music, Visitors

Reinhardt Expands Title IX Past the Playing Field

In the higher-ed world, the term “Title IX,” has always been synonymous with equality on the playing field. In the old days, the only Title IX question many colleges and universities considered was the number of scholarship opportunities for men and women athletes. If the number was equal, then institutions were thought to be compliant. Today, in the increasingly complex cultural landscape of U.S. college campuses, Title IX has expanded beyond equality to also address safety and accountability.

According to KnowYourTitleIX.com:

Title IX prohibits any type of sex-based discrimination in education. “It addresses discrimination against pregnant and parenting students and women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs. It also addresses sexual harassment, gender- or sex-based discrimination, and sexual violence. Sexual violence includes attempted or completed rape or sexual assault, as well as sexual harassment, stalking, voyeurism, exhibitionism, verbal or physical sexuality-based threats or abuse, and intimate partner violence.

Focused on Raising Awareness and Publicizing Resources

For the past several years, administrators and student leaders at Reinhardt University in Waleska, Ga., have been hard at work addressing the varied issues related to Title IX. Efforts last year focused on raising awareness and publicizing resources. This year, online training was provided for students at MyStudentBody.com and for faculty and staff on In2vate; the student handbook was revised to include a nondiscrimination notice; grievance/code of conduct procedures have been updated; and a Title IX Intervention Committee of faculty and staff has been formed and trained.

According to Dr. Roger Lee, vice president of student affairs and dean of students, the Intervention Committee has several critical responsibilities. “The overall role is to provide oversight in making our campus a safer environment to live and learn and also to guide our commitment to meeting the requirements of the Title IX federal mandate,” Lee said. “This committee has been hard at work, especially in the last few months, presenting Title IX strategies/updates/initiatives to the University Board of Trustees, participating in a state-wide ‘Commitment to Act’ statement through GICA/Legislators and learning Title IX compliance in state-wide training opportunities.”

Student-Activated Efforts

On March 7, 2013, the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization was signed into law, which required colleges and universities to adopt new policies and procedures pertaining to the reporting, discipline procedures, victims’ rights and prevention programs. The Reinhardt Student Government, in collaboration with the committee, took an active role in seeking to eliminate sexual violence on campus through the changing of student policy and providing prevention resources. This includes the primary prevention tool used for all incoming new students called MyStudentBody—an online tool that helps students tackle and reduce their risk of drug and alcohol abuse and sexual violence. Additional secondary prevention resources developed by SGA include campus resource contact cards and bystander intervention informational door hangers.

Title IX Web Section

A section on Reinhardt’s website developed by student Stephen Vosika, coordinator of student involvement and orientation, will serve as an institutional resource about Title IX policies and resources for students, faculty, staff, their families and Reinhardt visitors.
“It is our commitment to support the rights of all members of the Reinhardt University community to work, live, and study in an environment free of sexual violence,” said Vosika. “The new Title IX web section will assist individuals in the understanding of new procedures that will apply for reporting and discipline procedures while connecting them to national, local, and campus resources to report incidents of sexual violence.”

“Stop. RU Ready to Talk?”

Another student-activated effort included a campus-wide sexual awareness marketing campaign, which was created by an Advertising and PR Strategies class, under the direction of Dave Garner, adjunct instructor. The class created four different flyers, each with three different statistics about sexual assault, as well as a coordinating brochure advertising the campaign.

“Our campaign slogan was “STOP. RU Ready To Talk?” said Jayde Crowe, co-coordinator for the class campaign. “So many people experience sexual assault and are scared to say anything. That was the main thing we wanted students to understand. It’s time to talk about it. If it has happened to you and you stay quiet and don’t tell anyone then that could be harming someone else’s safety.”

The campaign was implemented during Sexual Awareness Month and students were invited to take a pledge to help stop sexual violence on college campuses. Two large posters were created with blue handprints and signatures of the students who made the pledge.
“We had great results from this campaign,” said Crowe. “I think, as college students, we don’t realize how often sexual assault occurs. However, being on a college campus you are even more prone to it happening to you.”

Increased Safety and Accountability

Overall, the efforts of implementing all the Title IX procedures and policies have increased the safety and accountability of all Reinhardt students, faculty and staff. Educational programming at all constituency levels has improved; sexual violence awareness training is more consistent and thorough; and because of greater awareness, incident reporting has increased.

“How will we know if our energies put forth have been successful in helping the campus understand Title IX?” said Lee. “We will know this by how our students, faculty and staff are proactive, as well as reactive against sexual violence on campus; when there are more campus-wide discussions regarding awareness; and when violence issues have been prevented because of training. It all goes hand-in-hand and it will continue. Our goal is to make Reinhardt somewhere where all will want to be because it’s a safe place to live and work.”

Business Students Learn Important Concepts and Raise Funds for House of Hope in Kenya

Current Students, Faculty/Staff, Home, Media Relations, Parent, School-Business, Visitors

Two Reinhardt business classes presented more than $1300 to SERV International.

Reinhardt Business Students Learn Important Concepts As They Raise More than $1300 to Address Food and Clothing Shortages and Help the House of Hope in Kenya

Two Reinhardt University business classes have had much more than just good grades on their minds this spring.  They have explored the complicated issues of hunger, inadequate clothing, and malaria prevention, and by partnering with SERV-International, a Christian nonprofit headquartered in Canton, Ga., these students’ projects have produced impressive results:

  • Raised $1000 to build a bread oven for House of Hope, the orphanage in Kenya run by SERV International
  • Raised $342 for mattresses and malaria nets for the orphanage
  • Donated 45 school uniform shorts during a mission trip to the Dominican Republic
  • Provided 850 meals financed by increased clothing donations to SERV
  • Collected and donated 252 pairs of flip flops

Reinhardt senior Brooke Haley“I kept feeling like it was something I was supposed to help fix.”

Reinhardt senior Brooke Haley (left) from Marietta, Ga. was deeply moved by what she’s learned.  “My attitude changed 100 percent. I would come home from school, not depressed, but definitely not how I usually was. I would constantly having to talk to my family and even teammates at practice about what’s going on in Kenya.  I kept feeling like it was something I was supposed to help fix. I realized that I was drawn in and felt so connected to the children in Kenya, and it has made me want to go over there with SERV… I can’t thank [Dr. Joann P. Adeogun] enough for partnering us with SERV… Yes, we receive a grade, but someone also gets something out of our work.”

Ambitious Goals Include $1000 to Build a New Bread Oven

Instructor Tina H. Boosel’s Project Management class focused on raising $1000 for the oven, which will help the orphanage become more self sustainable by allowing them to prepare and feed fresh bread to the children, and also provide bread to sell to the community to generate income.  The class raised the money by selling Chick-fil-A lunches on February 11 and the Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q on March 26.  The successful projects allowed the students, professors and Reinhardt administrators to present a $1300 check ($1000 for the oven and $300 for mattresses and malaria nets) to SERV officials as part of the Bar-B-Q.  The foundation for the oven has already been laid, and the class hopes to get a photo of the completed project before the end of April.  

Boosel commended the University community for its support.  “It has been a tremendous learning experience for our students, and it’s also given us a platform to teach to give back to the community.”  For the barbecue fund raiser, Boosel’s class worked with Dr. Joann P. Adeogun’s class.  “Working together helped them all learn the importance of teamwork to carry out a goal.  The projects have certainly met our theme of ‘A Great Leader Must SERV First,’” Boosel said.  

Jim Mroczko, a Reinhardt alumnus and SERV’s president, was thankful for the assistance.  “It is a great pleasure for our SERV team to have the honor of being the recipient of the proceeds from such a meaningful project!” he said. “Bringing global awareness to the basic needs in developing countries through our work in Kenya has been truly rewarding.  I would like to thank Dr. Joann Adeogun, Tina Boosel, and all of the business class students for their efforts as they are a huge inspiration to us.  It was so great to see such enthusiasm for the project as they worked together toward a common goal with such purpose.”

Selling Chick-fil-A to raise funds was one of the business class' projects. Wrapping supplies at SERV International.
Reinhardt business student Chase Holmes (right) of Canton, Ga., sells a Chick-fil-A lunch to fellow business student Alex York of Marietta, Ga.  To help raise money to build a bread oven for an orphanage in Kenya which is supported by SERV International, Instructor Tina H. Boosel’s Project Management class sold lunches on February 11. Senior business major Warren Staples, from McDonough, Ga., securely wraps supplies at the SERV International facility in Canton, Ga.

The projects will have long-lasting Impact on the House of Hope in Kenya

Mroczko said the House of Hope Kenya will be greatly impacted for years to come through the efforts of the Reinhardt staff and faculty.  “I look forward to personally tasting the bread from the new oven when I visit Kenya the first week of May, along with having the privilege of seeing the smiles on the orphans faces with their new flip flops, mosquito nets and mattresses.  In addition to benefiting the House of Hope, the clothing drive helped to provide for much needed food in the Turkana District of Kenya where many are dying daily from a severe famine.  [This has been] truly a huge blessing!”

To learn more about the developing countries, students in the International Business class researched challenging topics like education, transportation, religion and churches, self-sufficiency of women, relationship building and communication, and risk factors and violence in developing countries.  That research will be shared with SERV to help them address their goals.

Adeogun said the idea to collaborate with SERV International developed after Mroczko gave the University’s annual business ethics lecture.  A Christian organization, SERV International establishes long-term projects designed to empower and partner with local residents.  Its staff and volunteers also share the love of God as they address critical needs, like providing clean water, life skills and feeding programs.

When Mroczko and the organization’s project coordinator Shelby Thayer spoke with the classes, the project took on a new energy, Adeogun said. 

“When Jim and Shelby came to the class and showed a video, my students got a visual of the organization, and that visual actually helped them identify with the people in Kenya and in House of Hope orphanage.  That, along with actually going to volunteer in the SERV store in Canton and seeing where the clothing, the flip-flops, the money was going, underscored the real-world impact their efforts could have.”

Writing letters to the children who live in the House of Hope Orphanage touched the students.Writing Letters to the House of Hope Children “Opened my eyes and made me see the real world.”

Adeogun’s students also were impacted by the time they spent volunteering in the SERV facility.

Haley really enjoyed writing the letters to the House of Hope children.  “I was always one of those people who would act like everything was fine because I kept myself uneducated about developing counties so that I could continue to go on with my life. I love that this experience opened my eyes and made me see the real world. While writing, I was nearly in tears. I couldn’t believe what I was reading about each of the children. Writing those letters to the children made me feel connected to them, and I hope the letters let the children know that they are so loved.”

“It gave me hope that what we were doing would actually make a difference…”

Senior John “Adam” Rogers of Lindale, Ga., also learned a great deal through the assignments, especially the volunteer experience.  “During our SERV project, I learned not only the struggle of underdeveloped countries, but the project also shed light on how well we have it here in America. Poverty on any level is saddening, and it is a shame to see people struggle… It touched my heart when our class was given the opportunity to go work… at the SERV facility. We were able to package some electronic Bibles to send to the Dominican Republic and to write letters to some of the kids who are in the orphanage in Kenya. Although they live in poverty, it was evident in their letters and pictures that they possess a light, a happy demeanor that shines through no matter the circumstances thrown their way. This had to be my favorite part of the entire project because it gave me hope that what we were doing would actually make a difference. They are living under extreme circumstances and facing some incredible obstacles in life, but yet they remain optimistic. So therefore, if they can do it, I can do it as well.”

The Projects also helped the students and faculty get to know one another more as individuals

Radvile Autukaite, a senior from Vilnius, Lithuania, also learned from the experience.  “While working towards a common goal all together, we were able to learn about each other, each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” Autukaite said. “I think it was helpful because we were able to learn about who we are more as individuals and not just students, including the professor.”

Senior business major Jared “JJ” Johnson of Ellenwood, Ga., said the experience underscored the “importance of giving back and how little things in our world make a big difference in underserved people across the world.”

To learn more about the giving opportunities provided by SERV International, visit https://servone.org/

Reinhardt Expands Title IX Past the Playing Field

Alumni, Current Students, Faculty/Staff, Home, Media Relations, Parent, School-AH, School-Business, School-Education, School-MS, School-Music, Visitors

Reinhardt Expands Title IX Past the Playing Field

In the higher-ed world, the term “Title IX,” has always been synonymous with equality on the playing field. In the old days, the only Title IX question many colleges and universities considered was the number of scholarship opportunities for men and women athletes. If the number was equal, then institutions were thought to be compliant. Today, in the increasingly complex cultural landscape of U.S. college campuses, Title IX has expanded beyond equality to also address safety and accountability.

According to KnowYourTitleIX.com:

Title IX prohibits any type of sex-based discrimination in education. “It addresses discrimination against pregnant and parenting students and women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs. It also addresses sexual harassment, gender- or sex-based discrimination, and sexual violence. Sexual violence includes attempted or completed rape or sexual assault, as well as sexual harassment, stalking, voyeurism, exhibitionism, verbal or physical sexuality-based threats or abuse, and intimate partner violence.

Focused on Raising Awareness and Publicizing Resources

For the past several years, administrators and student leaders at Reinhardt University in Waleska, Ga., have been hard at work addressing the varied issues related to Title IX. Efforts last year focused on raising awareness and publicizing resources. This year, online training was provided for students at MyStudentBody.com and for faculty and staff on In2vate; the student handbook was revised to include a nondiscrimination notice; grievance/code of conduct procedures have been updated; and a Title IX Intervention Committee of faculty and staff has been formed and trained.

According to Dr. Roger Lee, vice president of student affairs and dean of students, the Intervention Committee has several critical responsibilities. “The overall role is to provide oversight in making our campus a safer environment to live and learn and also to guide our commitment to meeting the requirements of the Title IX federal mandate,” Lee said. “This committee has been hard at work, especially in the last few months, presenting Title IX strategies/updates/initiatives to the University Board of Trustees, participating in a state-wide ‘Commitment to Act’ statement through GICA/Legislators and learning Title IX compliance in state-wide training opportunities.”

Student-Activated Efforts

On March 7, 2013, the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization was signed into law, which required colleges and universities to adopt new policies and procedures pertaining to the reporting, discipline procedures, victims’ rights and prevention programs. The Reinhardt Student Government, in collaboration with the committee, took an active role in seeking to eliminate sexual violence on campus through the changing of student policy and providing prevention resources. This includes the primary prevention tool used for all incoming new students called MyStudentBody—an online tool that helps students tackle and reduce their risk of drug and alcohol abuse and sexual violence. Additional secondary prevention resources developed by SGA include campus resource contact cards and bystander intervention informational door hangers.

Title IX Web Section

A section on Reinhardt’s website developed by student Stephen Vosika, coordinator of student involvement and orientation, will serve as an institutional resource about Title IX policies and resources for students, faculty, staff, their families and Reinhardt visitors.
“It is our commitment to support the rights of all members of the Reinhardt University community to work, live, and study in an environment free of sexual violence,” said Vosika. “The new Title IX web section will assist individuals in the understanding of new procedures that will apply for reporting and discipline procedures while connecting them to national, local, and campus resources to report incidents of sexual violence.”

“Stop. RU Ready to Talk?”

Another student-activated effort included a campus-wide sexual awareness marketing campaign, which was created by an Advertising and PR Strategies class, under the direction of Dave Garner, adjunct instructor. The class created four different flyers, each with three different statistics about sexual assault, as well as a coordinating brochure advertising the campaign.

“Our campaign slogan was “STOP. RU Ready To Talk?” said Jayde Crowe, co-coordinator for the class campaign. “So many people experience sexual assault and are scared to say anything. That was the main thing we wanted students to understand. It’s time to talk about it. If it has happened to you and you stay quiet and don’t tell anyone then that could be harming someone else’s safety.”

The campaign was implemented during Sexual Awareness Month and students were invited to take a pledge to help stop sexual violence on college campuses. Two large posters were created with blue handprints and signatures of the students who made the pledge.
“We had great results from this campaign,” said Crowe. “I think, as college students, we don’t realize how often sexual assault occurs. However, being on a college campus you are even more prone to it happening to you.”

Increased Safety and Accountability

Overall, the efforts of implementing all the Title IX procedures and policies have increased the safety and accountability of all Reinhardt students, faculty and staff. Educational programming at all constituency levels has improved; sexual violence awareness training is more consistent and thorough; and because of greater awareness, incident reporting has increased.

“How will we know if our energies put forth have been successful in helping the campus understand Title IX?” said Lee. “We will know this by how our students, faculty and staff are proactive, as well as reactive against sexual violence on campus; when there are more campus-wide discussions regarding awareness; and when violence issues have been prevented because of training. It all goes hand-in-hand and it will continue. Our goal is to make Reinhardt somewhere where all will want to be because it’s a safe place to live and work.”

4/10 – Year of India Symposium: Hinduism in Metro Atlanta

Advancement, Alumni, Current Students, Faculty/Staff, Home, Media Relations, Parent, School-AH, School-Business, School-Education, School-MS, School-Music, School-PS, Visitors, Working Adults

Year of India Symposium: Hinduism in Metro Atlanta

You are invited to attend our Year of India Symposium: Hinduism in Metro Atlanta, Friday, April 10 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

8-9 a.m.: Registration

9-9:50 a.m.: Lecture – Dr. Steven Ramey University of Alabama, associate professor religions of Asia, Diaspora Indian Religions and Global Identities, Indian Identities in the US South

10-10:50 a.m.: Presentations – Brother Shankara, spiritual director and resident minister of Vedanta Center of Atlanta; and Mr. Manhar Valand, vice president of the Chinmaya Mission Atlanta

11-11:50 a.m.: Panel Discussion by Presenters

12 p.m.: Traditional Indian Lunch – catered lunch is free for the first 30 who register online (see below for link)

*All sessions held in the Hill Freeman Library and Spruill Learning Center

Online Registration