Frequently Asked Questions About Cultural Events

How can I find out when and where Intellectual and Cultural events are offered?

BSC will host a variety of events throughout the term and you are welcome to attend as many as you like. However, for the purpose of the Intellectual and Cultural Foundations Program a special calendar has been prepared for you to select from. It is updated regularly and all of the events on this special calendar are for credit. You may access the calendar on the BSC Web site. You may also access the calendar through the system that you use to check your attendance status, the CEIS, on the BSC Web site. Upcoming events are also posted each week in the weekly newsletter Student Link. Your faculty advisor will usually send you a list by email each week as well. Event sponsors usually post advertising fliers around campus. Your professors will often keep you informed of the events you will need to attend for the purpose of enriching the classroom discussions or for extra credit.

How do I let the Office of Intellectual and Cultural Events know that I have attended an approved on-campus event?

Before entering the event, pick-up and complete the attendance scan form located at the door of most on-campus events. To complete the form, you will need a pencil and your BSC ID number (last seven digits) as shown on your BSC ID Card. Other information, such as the event’s title and ID number, will be posted. Return the attendance scan form at the conclusion of the event to the return box as you exit. If you wish to turn the form in at a later time, you must get permission from an ICE staff member on duty. If there are no forms at the event, follow the procedure that you use for approved off-campus events.

How do I let the Office of Intellectual and Cultural Events know that I have attended an approved off-campus event?

Within 10 days after you attend an approved off-campus event, bring your ticket stub, receipt, program, flyer, or some other proof of attendance to attach (no staples please) to an attendance scan form, which you can pick up in HC 104. If you prefer to keep your proof as a collector’s item or for classroom use, ask the office assistant in HC 104 to initial it and return it to you. Your signature on the attendance scan form indicates your compliance with the BSC Honor Code.

What happens if I cannot arrive on time or stay until the conclusion of the event?

There may be times when you may not arrive at an event on time or be able to stay until its conclusion due to your class schedule or other important obligations. In these instances you will not get cultural credit for attending the event. For your benefit and out of respect for others in attendance, as well as the event speaker/conductor, please plan ahead, arrive at your chosen events in plenty of time, and stay until the conclusion.

How do I check my attendance record?

The Cultural Event Information System (CEIS) keeps you updated on your attendance record. Select the CEIS link on the bottom of the BSC home page.

To access the system enter your BSC email-id and BSC email password before pressing the Authenticate Method 1 button. For example, if your BSC email address was jksmith@bsc.edu, then you would use jksmith as your user-id.

For the purpose of securing your data please remember to select "Terminate my CEIS session" in order to close your file and exit the system.

What if there is an error in my attendance record?

It is important that you check your status often and report any errors immediately to Brenda Bailey, bbailey@bsc.edu, 226-7842, or HC 104.

What is the general rationale and criteria for deciding which events get credit?

Any member of the faculty, staff, administration or student body may propose an event for credit. However, since intellectual and cultural events are a part of the BSC Foundations general education requirements, each event must be sponsored by a member of the faculty.

The Intellectual and Cultural Foundations recognize events that represent the highest quality of intellectual and cultural engagement. The events may include scholarly and current events, lectures, and seminars; faculty sabbatical presentations; music recitals, poetry and fiction readings, fine and performing arts events; and many other events involving national, regional, and local leaders and experts in various fields. Events must be of a standard certified by the sponsoring faculty, and they must be conducted by people who are of recognized accomplishment in the field.

Additional Criteria:

Scheduled events must be open to the entire college community. Particular events assigned by a faculty member for a class also count if they are open to the college community.
Social events or gatherings will not count.
Student events must be faculty-sponsored and contain faculty-approved content.
Artistic presentations, excluding student events as noted above, must be conducted by recognized artists/authorities in the field. Lectures and seminars must be conducted by recognized scholars/professionals in the field.
Events that may be deemed as pop culture must be faculty-approved.
Sponsoring faculty are responsible for publicizing the event and making all necessary venue arrangements. Please contact Anne Curry, acurry@bsc.edu or 226-4904 for venue arrangements for on-campus events. For available dates on the Intellectual and Cultural Events Calendar contact Brenda Bailey, bbailey@bsc.edu or 226-7842.
Applications for events should be submitted to the Intellectual and Cultural Events (ICE) Committee via the CEIS Submission Form https://intranet.bsc.edu/ at least one month prior to the planned events.
Common Hour events should not conflict with Provost Forums.

What happens if I don’t complete the minimum required events per term?

Prior to graduation, you are required to attend at least 40 approved intellectual and cultural programs held on campus and in the community, an average of 10 per year. No more than 10 of these may come from off-campus events. Transfer students must obtain points equivalent to five per each semester they attend Birmingham-Southern College.

Failure to attend required events has consequences. Your time of registration is linked to your class standing and the number of cultural events attended. The minimum required number of events is as follows:

	fall registration (for interim and spring)	spring registration (for summer and fall)
1st Year	3	7
2nd Year	13	17
3rd Year	23	27
4th Year	35	37 (if necessary)

Students on foreign study receive five credits for each semester abroad. Events attended in excess of the minimum do not supersede class standing.

What if I’m just a few events shy at the end of my senior year? Will there be an exception made for me so that I can graduate on time?

No. You will not receive your degree if you do not complete this requirement.