CAMPUS NEWS
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C harles Robinson
Miller Leads Belmont’s ‘Dialogues with America’s First Peoples’
Belmont Goes Tobacco Free August 2011 This fall Belmont University announced that a tobacco-free campus policy will be introduced August 15, 2011 in an endeavor to provide the healthiest possible environment for students, faculty, staff and guests. An email sent to the entire campus noted, “We believe that it is our responsibility to actively engage our students in transforming their world and being leaders of change. Accepting responsibility for improving our environment begins on our campus. Knowing the detrimental effects of tobacco use, we believe that we can no longer support its use on campus.” With the new tobacco free policy, no tobacco use of any kind will be permitted on university property. To help current smokers quit, Belmont’s Health Services will offer individual consultations to create a four-month personalized smoking cessation program. In addition, a peer counseling program will be initiated, and Belmont’s Pharmacy Care Center will offer a discount on smoking cessation products. n
Grammy-winning artist Bill Miller led a number of lectures on campus in October as part of Belmont’s first series on “Living the Circle: Dialogues with America’s First Peoples.” In one convocation, Miller, a Native American musician, discussed the relationship between faith and the arts with a standing-room only crowd in Neely Hall. Miller urged the audience to merge faith and their arts, noting that anything can be an art—including love, communication and leadership. Miller concluded his lecture by outlining his own 12 feathers of healing, including seeking and believing in divine revelation, abandoning all things to God, knowing the cost of spiritual freedom, accepting the blessings of others and Miller’s personal favorite, blessing others with all God has given you. Other symposium events included art, music and dance workshops, a spirituality panel and a closing concert headlined by Miller. n
Belmont Appoints Dr. Thomas Burns to Provost Following an extensive nationwide search, Belmont University announced in early November that Dr. Thomas Burns, current associate provost at Millersville University of Pennsylvania, is being named Provost. Dr. Pat Raines, Belmont’s interim provost and dean of the College of Business Administration, will continue to serve as provost until Burns’ term begins January 1, 2011. In the role of provost, Burns will act as the university’s chief academic officer. Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “The provost position has been one of the key factors in Belmont’s success. I have no doubt that in this role Thomas Burns will continue to create one of the most amazing stories in higher education.” Burns graduated cum laude with a B.S. in Chemistry from Dickinson College in 1991, and completed his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Vanderbilt University in 1998. Prior to Millersville, Burns taught at Florida Southern College and then served as the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs for the Yale University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Burns said, “My wife and I are both very excited to move our family to Nashville to join the fantastic community at Belmont. It is a rare privilege to be able to join such a strong student-centered institution and to become part of an overwhelmingly positive, supportive academic community like Belmont.” n
Belmont Launches Bike Share Program Belmont University recently launched the Belmont Bike Share Program – Belmont Bikes – as the latest campus-wide initiative to reduce the university’s carbon footprint. With the help of Halcyon Bike Shop, owned by a Belmont alumnus, the University has refurbished 10 bicycles which are now available for daily rentals to students, faculty and staff at no cost. The entire bike share program was researched and written by recent Belmont graduate Anna Higginbotham, a non-traditional adult student who pursued this project for an eco-justice class. She said, “My hope is that the Belmont Bikes program will encourage riders to experience Belmont University and Nashville in a new way and to see the benefits of environmental stewardship while having fun and being active.” n
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