Cello Club to perform in SFA’s Cole Performing Arts Series

The Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts and School of Music will present the Cello Club with Dr. Evgeni Raychev in a recital at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

Cello Club continues its mission to promote cello ensemble playing and to bring cellists together, according to Raychev, instructor of cello in the SFA School of Music and director of the ensemble.

The concert, which is part of the Cole Performing Arts Series, will feature original works and arrangements from different time periods.

“All of the cellists have been working with me in preparation for this concert in one-to-one communication, either in person or through the Internet,” Raychev said. “It is really amazing to listen to a choir of cellos as the number grows bigger. The listener should expect to see over 20 cellos on stage.”

The Cello Club is in its third season.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.

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Former East German prisoner to visit SFA, discuss importance of free speech

 Hans-Jochen Scheidler, a Berlin resident and former prisoner of the East German state secret police, speaks with Stephen F. Austin State University students in the interrogation room of the former East German Ministry of State Security prison, Hohenschönhausen. Scheidler will present a keynote address titled “A Former Political Prisoner’s Personal and Historical Review of Twenty-Five Years of German Unity” at 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14, in the Ferguson Building, Room G78, on the SFA campus.

Hans-Jochen Scheidler, a Berlin resident and former prisoner of the East German state secret police, speaks with Stephen F. Austin State University students in the interrogation room of the former East German Ministry of State Security prison, Hohenschönhausen. Scheidler will present a keynote address titled “A Former Political Prisoner’s Personal and Historical Review of Twenty-Five Years of German Unity” at 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14, in the Ferguson Building, Room G78, on the SFA campus.

Hans-Jochen Scheidler, a Berlin resident and former prisoner of the East German state secret police, will present a keynote address titled “A Former Political Prisoner’s Personal and Historical Review of Twenty-Five Years of German Unity” at 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14, in the Ferguson Building, Room G78, on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus.

His presentation is sponsored and organized by the SFA Department of Languages, Cultures and Communication. It is free and open to the SFA and Nacogdoches communities.

“I met Mr. Scheidler in May 2014 at the memorial site of the former East German state secret police prison, Hohenschönhausen,” said Dr. Louise Stoehr, SFA associate professor of German and the director of the Language Resource Center. “He was the contemporary witness who met with my study abroad students, introduced them to the history of the Hohenschönhausen prison and took us on a tour that traced the stages of his personal experience being a political prisoner at that site.”

Scheidler was born in 1943 in Wollhaus, now a part of Poland. In 1968, just before he was expected to begin doctoral studies in physics, he and his friends distributed 800 leaflets protesting the Soviet intervention during the Prague Spring.

He was arrested by the Ministry of State Security of the German Democratic Republic and sentenced to two years and six months in prison, which he spent at the labor camp in Berlin-Hohenschönhausen.

“In his presentation, Mr. Scheidler will address the importance of free speech for an open, democratic society and share his personal experience of attempting to exercise free speech in a dictatorship and the consequences of that attempt,” Stoehr said. “I am hoping that participants will realize the importance of constructive, free speech and a free press for maintaining a functioning democracy. Similarly, I would hope that participants will think about the implications of Mr. Scheidler’s experiences for our society today.”

Following his early release in December 1969, Scheidler worked as a technician and was barred from pursuing his academic career as a physicist.

“I am excited that more of the SFA community, especially those who do not have the opportunity to travel to Berlin and meet with Mr. Scheidler, will have the opportunity to learn firsthand from a contemporary witness to life in a dictatorship and the contrast of his life then to the life he leads now in (re)unified Germany,” Stoehr said.

As a contemporary witness to East German political history, Scheidler has worked as a tour guide at the Berlin-Hohenschönhausen Memorial since 2009.

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Cole Art Center to host CVB photo contest exhibition

A reception for the opening of the “All Things Nacogdoches” photo exhibition is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

Sponsored by the Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau, the exhibition will feature the winning entries from a photo contest designed to highlight a variety of themes that showcase Nacogdoches, according to the entry application.

The exhibition will include the best submitted photos taken of Nacogdoches nature, culture and food, best photos taken with a mobile phone or tablet, best photos captured by someone 21 and younger, best photos of action or adventure moments, and photos that show “what Nacogdoches represents to you.” The CVB accepted entries Sept. 7 through Nov. 7.

Winners in the juried competition will be announced at the reception, and cash prizes will be awarded. The exhibition will show through Jan. 14 in the Reception Gallery. Admission is free.

“The photo contest is a great opportunity for the CVB to partner with the Cole Art Center, to feature local talent and to build upon the CVB’s library of images that will be used to showcase our destination as a film friendly city, and for other promotional purposes such as the CVB’s website and social media, just to name a few,” said Sherri Skeeters, marketing director for the Nacogdoches CVB.

The Cole Art Center is Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art’s historic gallery at 329 E. Main St.

For more information, visit www.VisitNacogdoches.com or contact the CVB at (936) 564-7351. Contact Cole Art Center at (936) 468-1131.

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November 8, 2016: NPD Crime Report

This is a complete list of reports responded to by the Nacogdoches Police Department

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November 8, 2016: Nacogdoches Sheriff’s Crime Log

This is the report from the Nacogdoches County Jail that lists the arrests made from 6 a.m. of the previous day to 6 a.m. of the listed day.

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November 8, 2016: Nacogdoches County Booking Report

This is the report from the Nacogdoches County Jail that lists the arrests made from 6 a.m. of the previous day to 6 a.m. of the listed day.

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MenuRunners Restaurant Delivery Service is Now Servicing the Nacogdoches

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SFA’s Rusche College of Business faculty members introduce innovative course delivery method

Two faculty members in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Rusche College of Business will offer online courses in spring 2017 through an innovative delivery method that will allow students to complete select three-credit-hour courses in almost half the time.

Dr. Susan Jennings, professor, and Dr. Ashley Hall, assistant professor, in the college’s Department of Business Communication and Legal Studies, will each offer two online courses during a regular semester — each will offer one course during the first half of the semester and the other during the second half. The course schedule is akin to those typically offered during summer sessions.

“As far as I know, this is not something the College of Business has ever done,” said Dr. Marsha Bayless, chair of the Department of Business Communication and Legal Studies. “While the eight-week schedule provides a concentrated, faster-paced course, the same content will be covered and included as in the regular 16-week course so students do not miss out on any vital information in the accelerated format.”

Jennings explained this course breakdown follows a national trend.

“Many online programs work on a revolving eight-week schedule that allows students who want to take one class at a time to take more classes during the year,” Jennings said. “If this model proves successful, we will be able to offer students the ability to take seven classes in a year — one at a time.”

The four classes that will be offered in this half-semester format are BCM 247: Business Communication; GBU 321: Information Technology; GBU 330: Principles of Employee Development; and GBU 310: Business Communication Technology.

“We believe this delivery method could be beneficial for distance-education students and athletes who participate in spring sports,” Hall said.

For more information, contact Hall at hallaa@sfasu.edu or Jennings at sjennings@sfasu.edu.

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SFA Regents approve faculty and staff appointments

Appointments approved during Monday’s meeting of the Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents included a new associate provost and a new director of human resources for the university.

janetDr. Janet Tareilo was appointed associate provost and vice president for academic affairs, and Loretta Doty was named director of Human Resources.

Tareilo’s position was created in conjunction with implementation of the university’s strategic plan, and she will oversee the leadership of a Student Success Center, operating in SFA’s Steen Library since Sept. 1, according to Dr. Steve Bullard, provost.

“Dr. Tareilo is responsible for the center, as well as the Center for Teaching and Learning, and the library,” Bullard said. “The Student Success Center is designed to enhance student retention, graduation, and time-to-completion rates by assisting students as they make the transition to college and providing resources throughout their undergraduate study.”

Tareilo, who joined the SFA faculty in 2004, previously served as associate dean of the James I. Perkins College of Education. In 2010, she received the Teaching Excellence Award for her work in the Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership. Her research regarding online teaching, educational leadership and the use of technology in educational environments has been published in books and in state and national journals.

Prior to joining SFA, Tareilo served as principal for the school districts in Lufkin and Hudson and as director for the gifted and talented program and a teacher for Lufkin ISD. She received her Bachelor of Science with honors and her master’s degree from SFA, and she also holds a doctoral degree in educational leadership.

dotyLoretta Doty, former director of human resources for the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and consultant for the city of Austin, was named director of SFA human resources. The Jacksonville native holds a bachelor’s in management from the University of Texas at Tyler and has served as chair of the Texas State Human Resources Association. She replaces Glenda Herrington, who recently retired from the university.

Stacy Hendricks’ appointment as associate professor of secondary education and interim associate dean of the education college was approved by regents. Other appointment approved included Troy Davis, history professor, serving as interim chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Health Science, and Elizabeth Vaughn, professor and chair of the Department of Elementary Education, as interim chair of the Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership.

Other changes of status within the education college are Carrie Baker, from academic adviser to educator preparation academic program manager; Frankie Clark, from adjunct faculty member to clinical instructor of human services; Megan Kelley, from secretary to academic adviser; and Jennifer Kennon, from instructor to assistant professor of human services.

Approved faculty appointments within the education college include Flora Farago, instructor of human sciences; Erin Keeling and Amanda Pruit, clinical instructors of human services; and Justin Pelham, clinical instructor of human sciences.

In the College of Fine Arts, Richard Jones, a professor in the School of Theatre, was approved as interim director of the school. Regents approved the following faculty appointments: James Adams, assistant professor of music; Wesley Berg, visiting assistant professor of art; Stephen Campbell, Richard Leonberger and Lee Goodhew, visiting assistant professors of music; and Stephanie Murphy, visiting assistant professor of theatre.

Appointments approved in the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture include Hans Williams, from associate dean to interim dean; Matthew McBroom, associate professor of forestry, as interim associate dean of the college; Joey Bray, associate professor of agriculture and director of the Poultry Research Center, as interim chair of the Department of Agriculture; Brandy Bishop, former academic adviser in education, as academic adviser; and Stephanie Pulley, assistant professor of agriculture.

Appointments approved within the College of Liberal and Applied Arts include Kristopher Teters and Savannah Williamson, visiting lecturers of history. Jessica Boone was approved as an academic adviser for the college, and Deborah Siblia, a visiting instructor of government, has been appointed assistant professor. In the Department of English and Creative Writing, Sara Henning is a visiting assistant professor, and Amber Wagnon, an adjunct faculty member, was approved as lecturer.

Kelly Noe, an associate professor of accounting, was approved as interim director of the Schlief School of Accountancy in the Rusche College of Business. Theunis Oliphant is a lecturer of management, marketing and international business, and Megan Sellers is an academic adviser.

In the College of Sciences and Mathematics, Liane Stevens was appointed assistant professor of geology. Status changes were approved for Melinda Faulkner, from lecturer to assistant professor of geology; and Wesley Turner, from adjunct faculty member to lecturer and lab coordinator of geology.

The board also approved staff appointments within the Department of Athletics: Mikkel Bjerch-Andresen, women’s golf assistant coach; Keri Burns, assistant director of athletic media relations; Jeremy Cox, men’s basketball assistant head coach; Mackenzie Cutter, athletic academic services assistant; Nicole Dickson, head softball coach; Audrey Farfan, assistant softball coach; Jessica Grayson, women’s basketball assistant coach; Keith Stein, assistant softball coach; and Daniel Wenger, athletic strength and conditioning assistant.

In Residence Life, regents approved James Allen Jr., BreAnna Hall and D’Andrea Jones as hall directors and Ashleigh Kellis-Carr as coordinator of Residence Life programs.

Additional staff appointments include Paul Henley, assistant director of institutional assessment, Academic Affairs; Lauryn Kitchen, teacher, SFA Charter School; Megan Henderson and Rebecca Gatwood, teachers, Early Childhood Laboratory; Jennifer Leuschner, registered nurse, and Mary Manis, director, Health Services; Alanna Millis, coordinator, Office of International Programs; Jamal Smith, director, Orientation programs in Student Affairs; and Linda Hernandez, Student Affairs Support Services counselor.

The following changes of status are among those approved by the board:

Shea Roll, from hall director to area coordinator, Residence Life;

James Maple, from head coach of spirit programs to coordinator of spirit programs, Student Affairs Programs.

Jennifer Hanlon, from assistant director to interim director of research and sponsored programs, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs;

John Calahan, from coordinator of academic space scheduling and utilization to coordinator of academic space scheduling and utilization and interim director of institutional assessment, Academic Affairs;

Mary Smith, from assistant director to interim director of instructional technology, Center for Teaching and Learning;

Shannon Jacobs, from interpreter to senior interpreter and coordinator of deaf and hard-of-hearing services, Disability Services;

Alison Reed, from administrative assistant in the Office of International Programs to teacher in the Early Childhood Lab;

Henry Wiederhold, from technical support specialist I to systems programmer I, Information Technology Services; and

Jasmine Anderson-Hayes, from library associate to assistant supervisor of library access services, Steen Library.

The board approved the retirements of the following faculty and staff members with more than 130 years of combined service to the university: Billie Baggett, benefits manager; Glenda Herrington, director of human resources; Hossein Hosseinpour, lecturer of mathematics and statistics; Stephen McGee, systems programmer II; Robert Strader, professor of computer science; and Belinda Vanglahn, academic adviser.

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SFA Regents approve purchase historical documents

Visitors to the Steen Library at Stephen F. Austin State University soon will have access to the papers of legendary leaders of the Republic of Texas, thanks to a decision made in Monday’s quarterly meeting of the SFA Board of Regents.

The board approved the purchase of a collection of Texas historical documents from members of the Rusk family, including materials from legendary leader Thomas J. Rusk and his brother, David. The collection contains more than 1,000 Republic of Texas historical materials that have been in the Rusk family since the 1830s, and include legal and personal documents signed by other notable leaders such as Sam Houston, Mirabeau Lamar and James Starr.

Thomas J. Rusk was a political and military leader of the Republic of Texas, serving as its first secretary of war and as a general at the Battle of San Jacinto. He was later a U.S. politician and served as a senator from Texas. His brother, David Rusk, served as a sheriff and tax collector of Nacogdoches county during the Republic period. The materials help tell the story of Nacogdoches as well as the Republic of Texas, according to Kyle Ainsworth, special collections librarian at SFA’s East Texas Research Center.

“The highlights of the collection are the more than 50 letters received by David Rusk from his older brother, appointments to serve as Nacogdoches County sheriff signed by Sam Houston and Mirabeau Lamar, and several rare maps,” Ainsworth said.

Ainsworth is currently organizing the collection, which is expected to be open to the public in February 2017.

Additionally, regents approved changing the name of the Department of Physics and Astronomy to the Department of Physics, Engineering and Astronomy. Since the four-year engineering program launched in 2014, the department has seen tremendous growth, according to Dr. Kim Childs, dean of the College of Sciences and Mathematics.

During the meeting, Childs provided a report on SFA’s STEM program and the national STEM initiative. In 2015, the 84th Texas Legislature granted SFA approximately $46.4 million in tuition revenue bond funding to construct the new science, technology, engineering and mathematics building. Regents participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for SFA’s new Ed and Gwen Cole STEM Building Monday afternoon following the regents meeting.

In other business, regents heard presentations from three fundraising consulting firms and selected Dini Spheris, a Houston-based firm with more than 47 years of experience, to partner with the university to conduct a professional feasibility study to assess the viability of a comprehensive capital campaign for the university.

Regents heard reports from the Faculty Senate, Student Government Association, President Baker Pattillo and Dr. Scott Coleman, chair of the board. The board also received an update on the university’s marketing campaign and new SFA website.

During the Monday meeting, the board received a report from the SFA auditor and approved the annual audit report. Regents also approved:

– building and grounds policy, financial affairs policy, and academic and student affairs policy revisions;

– the final version of the 2018-19 Legislative Appropriations Request, which includes non-formula funding requests of $38,915,895 and $2,493,854 in exceptional item requests;

– the ratification of $77,354 additional grant awards allocable to the 2016 fiscal year and $5,512,863 grant awards for fiscal year 2017;

– the deletion of more than $1,500 in course and lab fees for fiscal year 2016-17;

– minutes of the July and September meetings; and

– intercollegiate athletic policies and procedures manual revisions.

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