Division of Communication, Fine, and Performing Arts 2001-02

COMMUNICATION ARTS

Varnell Lee

Member:

• Society for Professional Journalists

• Board of Trustees, John Will Scholarship Fund

• American Advertising Federation

-Served on ad hoc committee for organizational leadership program:  submitted curriculum proposal for the program as well as course proposals for two new courses in the program
-Developed several proposals for restructuring the communication arts curriculum;  in conjunction with Dr. Patricia Mark, also developed two new course proposals for the new curriculum

Restructured CMM 145 Introduction to Mass Communication:  integrated additional videos into course and  made significant changes in lecture material

Works in progress:

• Creating lectures, assignments, readings, and other materials for two new courses in the organizational leadership program.

Tom Loehr [Division Chair]

-Recipient of a Summer 2001 faculty grant used to shoot, develop, print, mat, and frame photographs for a September faculty exhibit
-Director of photography on a 35mm PSA for Mobile Opera
-Cinematographer for the 2002 Senior Bowl
-Co-cinematographer on a 35mm commercial shot for V1Digital Productions
-Continued to videotape and edit weekly the Mass for Shut-Ins, a half-hour program on Sunday mornings on WPMI
-Photographed every Spring Hill College play and ballet performance

-Taped approximately 40 Film Noir titles that were added to the  Communication Arts film library
-Led the department in restructuring the communication arts curriculum

Continued to develop faculty web site and used it as a regular part of courses:  posted assignments, provided links to sites related to assignments, etc. 

Works in progress:

• Working on feature-length screenplay begun two years ago

• Working on Directed Journeys photo series and seeking exhibition outlets for them

• Working on Joe Langan documentary;  received Teagle Grant funds to support project

• Implementing the new communication arts curriculum as smoothly and efficiently as possible

• Continuing to integrate faculty web site into teaching

• Continuing to learn fine points of the software programs Photoshop, Media 100 (for video editing), and FrontPage (for web design)

Patricia Mark

Attended:

• State conference of Public Relations Council of Alabama

• Three Public Relations Council of Alabama professional luncheons with several public relations students

• Two SHC collaborative learning workshops 

• Teaching for Justice Seminar

Member:

• Student Committee, SHC Board of Trustees

Assisted in redesigning the communication arts curriculum, particularly restructuring the public relations and  advertising concentrations into the integrated communications concentration

On 9/11 volunteered with the Red Cross in a public relations capacity and disseminated up-to-date information to the media and the community at large regarding blood donation and disaster relief efforts

As part of the course requirements for CMM 462 Public Relations Case Studies, worked with professionals at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, the Red Cross, the Senior Citizens Center, and the Mobile Opera to develop public relations plans for each organization

Works in progress:

• Research with colleague at Southeastern University (Louisiana) on students' perceptions of cheating

• Developing several new courses:  two for communication arts, one for women's studies, and one for organizational leadership

• Developing faculty website

Pat McGraw

Attended:

• Regional meeting, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication

• Presenter:  Paper on history of the tabloid press (paper selection was refereed)

• National convention, College Media Advisers

Named to history roster of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication

Works in progress:

• Revision of  Ph.D. dissertation (on the history of tabloid journalism) for publication

• Refining skills in electronic publishing

FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS

Ruth Belasco

Attended:

• College Art Association conference, Philadelphia, PA

• Reviewed presentations

• SHC writing workshop

-Produced art work included in "9-11" exhibit and SHC faculty exhibit
-Review of Caroline Schleh's exhibit published in the SpringHillian 
-Completed six paintings, several monotypes and etchings, and several finished drawings;  created pieces in paper to incorporate into future works

Developed additional drawings for a series of examples for beginning drawing students

-Maintained association with College Art Association (CAA) and the Mobile Museum of Art
-Joined group of art historians reviewing web materials being produced at the University of Massachusetts

-Participated in developing women's studies minor
-Assisted with the student exhibit "9-11"

-Revised and taught ARH 312 Modern Art History in the wireless classroom:  added a new text, utilized laptops and classroom internet access for half of the course time, used faculty web page as significant tool
-Incorporated new technologies learned last summer into Printmaking courses (ART 307 and ART 407) 
-Revised ART 102 Drawing I course:  used new text, computer projection, and PowerPoint presentations
-New course preparation:  ARH 311 Renaissance to Modern Art History
-Adjusted Senior Seminar for the graduating graphic design majors, using guidance from Janden Richards 
-Continued to incorporate justice issues into advanced painting courses

Reworked faculty web page

Works in progress:

• Working on several  paintings, prints, drawings, etc.

Steve Campbell, S.J.

Interview with arts editor (Thomas Harrison) of the Mobile Press Register

Directed the college's theater productions, including sound design, costume design, and scene design and construction;  involved learning new techniques

Instituted chorale as an organization and developed course sequence for it 

-Publicity for theater, dance, music, and gallery exhibits
-Promotional materials for Catholic Youth Conference
-Supervision of promotional materials for graphic design major
-Assisted Heim Duo in organizing, publicizing, and producing two public performances

Web design and editing

Works in progress:

• Revision of dissertation for possible publication

• Reactivating involvement with the Association for Theater in Higher Education and becoming involved in another professional organization, perhaps in the area of French literature

• Learning Quark Express and Illustrator

Barbara Starr

Awarded sabbatical for Fall 2002

Member:

• College Art Association

• Board of Art Off Center, a division of the Contemporary Art Center being developed in Mobile

Attended Peter Frank lecture and reception at the International October Competition, West Palm Beach, Florida

Art work included in the juried International October Competition, West Palm Beach, Florida;  was one of 98 pieces selected out of approximately 1700 entries ( juror:  Peter Frank, editor of Visions Art Quarterly)

Produced art work included in SHC faculty exhibit and regional Photo South exhibit

Gathered resources for ceramics, two-dimensional design, and textile printing courses

Posted faculty web site (involved translating files from Macintosh to PC format)

Works in progress:

• Use sabbatical to work in number of different media and to explore new approaches and directions 

• Work on the teaching of color

Janden Richards (half-time)

Member:

• Advertising Federation

Delivered talk on creativity at an Advertising Federation function

-Involved graphic design students in design of recruitment materials for admissions, gift and promotional concepts for alumni relations, and ad concepts/designs for communications/public relations
-Involved students in poster design for the Advertising Federation

Developed and directed an art and craft program for the Cody Road Boys and Girls Club, including supervision of eight SHC student volunteers

Put on SHC student art show in spring  2002

Developed two new courses:  ART 420 Graphic Design III and ART 302 Illustration Techniques

Works in progress:

• Learning Dreamweaver web design and FrontPage in anticipation of helping to develop a possible team-taught course in web design and  of assisting SHC seniors in the preparation of websites for their portfolios

• Establishing website that showcases work done by SHC graphic design students

• Becoming familiar with ART 209 Three-Dimensional Design in anticipation of teaching it in the future

• Developing new graphic design courses as the major grows