SFA to screen ‘Baraka’ documentary

SFA's Friday Night Film Series will feature the documentary "Baraka" in a free screening at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, in The Cole Art Center.

The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art and the Friends of the Visual Arts will present a free, one-night screening of “Baraka” at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

Originally shot in 25 countries on six continents, “Baraka” brought together a series of stunningly photographed scenes to capture what director Ron Fricke called “a guided mediation on humanity.” It was a shoot of unprecedented technical, logistical and bureaucratic scope that would take 30 months to complete, including 14 months on location, with a custom-built computerized 65mm camera, according to information at barakasamsara.com.

“The goal of the film,” said producer Mark Magidson, “was to reach past language, nationality, religion and politics and speak to the inner viewer.”

“Baraka” runs one hour, 36 minutes. The suggested rating is PG-13 for some disturbing images, cultural nudity and brief smoking, according to information at imdb.com.

This screening is part of the School of Art’s monthly Friday Film Series and is sponsored in part by the Nacogdoches Film Festival, William Arscott, Nacogdoches Junior Forum, Karon Gillespie, Mike Mollot, Main Street Nacogdoches, David Kulhavy, John and Kristen Heath, Brad Maule, Galleria Z, Jill Carrington, Jean Stephens and Jim and Mary Neal.

The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.

Cutline: SFA’s Friday Night Film Series will feature the documentary “Baraka” in a free screening at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, in The Cole Art Center.

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SFA Gardens’ Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series to feature Fort Worth horticulturist

Laura Miller, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service commercial horticulture agent for Tarrant County, will be the guest speaker for the SFA Gardens monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series, slated for 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet St. Horticulturist Laura Miller will present “Ornamental Plants for a Drier and Hotter World.”

Miller is the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service commercial horticulture agent for Tarrant County. She provides informal educational programs and problem-solving services to anyone wanting to make money in horticulture. She assists all gardeners, from green industry professionals to fruit, vegetable and ornamental plant growers. Prior to taking on her present position in 2008, she was a commercial horticulture extension agent for seven years at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

A sixth-generation Texan, Miller is a graduate of Eagle Pass High School and earned a Bachelor of Science in horticulture and a Master of Education in agricultural education from Texas A&M University. She is a Texas Certified Nursery Professional and serves on the boards of Region V of the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association, the Cross Timbers Urban Forestry Council, the Texas County Agricultural Agents Association, and the International Plant Propagators’ Society – Southern Region of North America.

The Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series is held the second Thursday of each month at SFA’s Pineywoods Native Plant Center. A rare plant raffle will be held after the program. The lecture is free and open to the public but donations to the Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series fund are always appreciated.

Parking is available at the nearby Raguet Elementary School, 2428 Raguet St., with continual shuttle service to the Brundrett Conservation Education Building.

For more information, call (936) 468-1832 or email grantdamon@sfasu.edu.

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SFA Regents approve faculty, staff changes

Six faculty members were appointed to new leadership positions at Stephen F. Austin State University by the Board of Regents Tuesday.

Scott Shattuck, associate professor and director of the School of Theatre, was appointed associate dean of the College of Fine Arts. Shattuck came to SFA in 2007 from New York City, where he led the theatre and media program at Marymount College of Fordham University. He is co-author of “The Director’s Vision,” second edition and has performed onstage in various roles throughout his career. Shattuck received his Bachelor of Arts from Colorado State University and his Master of Fine Arts from the University of Texas at Austin.

Also within the College of Fine Arts, Gary Wurtz, professor of trumpet, was named the director of the School of Music. Wurtz began his SFA career in 1992 and has since served the university by directing the Jazz Band, the Trumpet Ensemble and SFA Summer Band Camps; working as the assistant director for undergraduate studies of the School of Music; and directing and performing in the Pineywoods Brass Quintet. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from West Texas A&M University and a Master of Music Education and doctoral degree from the University of North Texas.

In the Nelson Rusche College of Business, Professor Marsha Bayless was appointed chair of the Department of Business Communication and Legal Studies. Bayless’ teaching areas include business communication, records management and managerial communication. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Emporia State University and her doctorate from Oklahoma State University.

Additionally, Mikhail Kouliavtsev, professor and director of the Master of Business Administration program at SFA, was named chair of the Department of Economics and Finance. His research has been published in journals such as Economic Inquiry, Review of Industrial Organization and Review of International Economics. Kouliavtsev received his Bachelor of Arts from Lyon College and his Master of Arts and doctoral degree from Temple University.

A professor in the College of Sciences and Mathematics, Lesa Beverly was promoted to chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Beverly joined the SFA faculty in 2004 and received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Virginia’s College at Wise and Master of Science and doctoral degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Her research interests range from standardized testing to mathematics education and teacher preparation, and her work has been published in various journals and publications.

Marc Guidry, professor of English and associate dean, will serve as interim dean of the College of Liberal and Applied Arts while Dean Brian Murphy is on a leave of absence until Sept. 19. Guidry holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Loyola University New Orleans and a Master of Arts and doctorate in English from Louisiana State University.

SFA’s Board of Regents also approved the following faculty appointments within the Nelson Rusche College of Business: Kacie Czapla, senior lecturer of accounting; Ashley Hall, assistant professor of business communication and legal studies; Calee Holcombe, assistant professor of accounting; Vijetha Koppa, assistant professor of economics and finance; Wayne Tervo, associate professor of accounting; and Jeffrey Whetzel, lecturer of management, marketing and international business.

Approved faculty appointments within the James I. Perkins College of Education’s Department of Kinesiology and Health Science include Derek Cegelka, assistant professor, and Mary Hawkins, associate professor.

Within the College of Fine Arts’ School of Theatre, Mark Hawkins was approved as senior lecturer, and Barrett Billew was appointed assistant professor.

The board approved the faculty appointment of Kathryn Kidd as assistant professor of forestry within the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture.

Faculty appointments within the College of Liberal and Applied Arts include Jose Carbajal, assistant professor of social work; John Pruit, assistant professor of anthropology, geography and sociology; and Shanta Scott, clinical instructor of social work.

Candice Cloud, librarian I, and Jonathan Helmke, associate director of library information services, were appointed to faculty positions within the Steen Library.

The board also approved staff appointments Tuesday within the Department of Athletics: Brandon Bernard, athletic marketing coordinator; Derrick Jones and Wade Mason, assistant men’s basketball coaches; and Keith Christopher and Kayla Scott, athletics team operations coordinators.

Additional staff appointments include Jane Ann Bridges, risk and compliance auditor in Audit Services; Carol Gilliland, academic adviser in the Nelson Rusche College of Business: Amie Simmons, coordinator of fitness and wellness programs, Campus Recreation; Kendall Dotson, admissions counselor, Enrollment Management; Emilee Soto, assistant general counsel; Stacy Little, programmer/analyst I, Information Technology Services; Tetyana Kucher, programs coordinator in the Office of International Programs; Carolyn White, program director of the Academic Assistance and Resource Center; William Avery, area coordinator in the Department of Residence Life; Canaan Daniels, student engagement coordinator, and Emily Jefferson, assistant director of orientation programs, Student Affairs Programs; and Kimberly Whitley-Gaynor, communications specialist in University Marketing Communications.

Regents also approved the following changes of status:

Chelsea Heidbrink, from academic adviser in business to coordinator of student success, Academic Affairs;

Rachel Jumper, from assistant director of institutional assessment to assistant professor of human sciences; and Kelly Morgan, from administrative assistant to academic adviser, James I. Perkins College of Education;

Kara Goodson, from admissions counselor to academic adviser, Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture;

Lerin Blackmon, from admissions counselor to admissions coordinator, International Studies;

Rebecca Galatas, from administrative assistant to contracting specialist, Procurement and Property Services;

Zachary Wisniewski, from assistant supervisor to supervisor of library access services; Hayley Gillen, from program associate in education to library acquisitions/loans supervisor, Steen Library;

Sylvester Harris, from student engagement coordinator for activities to student engagement coordinator for Greek Life, Student Affairs Programs;

Jamie Bouldin, from forestry academic adviser to director of the Center for Career and Professional Development; Brandi Derouen, from career services coordinator to assistant director of the Center for Career and Professional Development; and Cyndra Krogen-Morton, from visiting lecturer of kinesiology and health science to compliance specialist (Title IX), Student Affairs Support Services;

Gavin McCarty, manager of the SFA post office with additional responsibilities as interim director of printing services; and Nick Stallworth, from manager of guest services to associate director of the Baker Pattillo Student Center, Student Services; and

Marcus Madden, from sergeant to lieutenant, University Police Department.

The board approved retirements of the following faculty and staff members with 145 years of combined service to the university: Diana Boubel, director of procurement and property services; Carrie Brown, director of research and sponsored programs; Ann Ellis, librarian IV; Jill Hines, Charter School teacher; Melissa McMillian-Cunningham, senior lecturer of theatre; Evelyn Pierce, supervisor of library access services; and Becky Price-Mayo, lecturer of social work.

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SFA Regents approve Master of Arts in professional counseling

Members of the Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents approved a Master of Arts in professional counseling program during its quarterly meeting Tuesday.

Dr. Judy Abbott, dean of the James I. Perkins College of Education, explained that this approval will meet new accreditation standards and consolidate SFA’s existing counseling programs into a required 60-hour licensure program. Three concentrations will be offered: Clinical mental health counseling, school counseling and clinical rehabilitation counseling. The program will be available this fall pending approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

“As accreditation progresses, we seek to evolve our programs to reflect the expectations of the professional organization, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs,” Abbott said. “Maintaining our program accreditation supports graduate students in completing a rigorous, current program that reflects the standards and expectations of professionals in the field of counseling.”

Additionally, regents heard an update on SFA’s Ed and Gwen Cole STEM Building by Kirksey Architects, the Houston-based firm designing the facility. With the design and development phase now complete, the university is moving forward with a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for Nov. 6 and completion in June 2018. The four-story building will feature a 50-foot dome for a new planetarium, glass atrium, labs, third-floor terrace and more.

Regents approved a $6 million capital plan budget for scheduled maintenance and renovation projects, including enhancements to the Baker Pattillo Student Center Grand Ballroom and fire safety improvements to classrooms and buildings across campus. Classrooms also will receive technology upgrades in the form of projection units, TVs and additional equipment to enhance instruction and activities.

“There are 117 classrooms on campus, and our goal is to significantly upgrade 40 percent of these rooms,” said Dr. Steve Bullard, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “We are transitioning these classrooms into active-learning spaces to further engage students in the learning experience, which is an overarching goal of our strategic plan.”

In other business, the board received a report from the SFA auditor and approved the annual audit plan. Board members also heard updates on the university’s marketing campaign and new SFA website, which is scheduled to launch in September.

During its three-day meeting, the board approved the following:

• a list of firms to provide legal consulting services on an as-needed basis

• grant awards totaling $611,037

• building and grounds, financial affairs, and academic and student affairs policy revisions

• revisions to the intercollegiate athletic policies and procedures manual

• fiscal year 2016-17 institutional operating budget of more than $250 million

• submission of the 2018-19 legislative appropriation request

• information technology services capital fund

• network infrastructure upgrades and replacements to wired and wireless networks

• the refinancing of bonds if a 3-percent savings would result and

• the university’s holiday schedule.

Additionally, the board approved the minutes of the April and June meetings and heard reports from SFA President Dr. Baker Pattillo, the Faculty Senate and the Student Government Association.

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July 26, 2016: NPD Crime Report

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

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July 26, 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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July 26, 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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Airport Advisory Board Meeting – July 28

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July 25, 2016: NPD Crime Report

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

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July 25, 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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