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Several Stephen F. Austin State University political science students within the Department of Government were recently honored during the Midwest Model European Union Competition.

The MMEU Competition, hosted by Indiana University, is the second-oldest intercollegiate simulation of the European Union in North America. According to Dr. Steven Galatas, SFA associate professor of government and SFA Model EU faculty advisor, the competition allows students to immerse themselves in the policies and procedures of the EU.

“The purpose of the MMEU is to provide a hands-on learning experience about how the European Union operates, to work with students from across the U.S. to debate and discuss issues related to the European Union and to promote awareness and understanding of the union and its role in the world,” Galatas said.

SFA’s team comprised 12 students representing two countries: Slovakia and Sweden. The students received their country assignment through a lottery system. Each member prepared for the competition by conducting individual research and then collaborating with their team members and Galatas via Zoom.

Matthew Jennings, who role played as the environment minister of Slovakia, and Hayden Young, who represented the foreign minister of Sweden, each received second place in the competition. Dalton Hice, who played the role of the commissioner for home affairs of Sweden, placed third.

“The competition was a great opportunity to compete with other schools and show that SFA’s political science program can hold its own against other teams,” Young said.

During the course of three days, the students participated in various sessions that showcased their knowledge of their assigned countries’ policies and affairs. Students also had the opportunity to network with peers and establish connections outside the competition.

“The students have worked really hard all semester to prepare for this competition, and I am proud of their dedication to the team,” Galatas said. “Due to COVID-19, I wasn’t sure how well the team would be able to collaborate and work together. However, they quickly impressed me.”

Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, the MMEU Competition was held virtually. More than 25 teams from 21 universities, including several Big 10, ACC, Big Twelve and elite private universities, from 10 states competed.

For more information on Model EU, contact Galatas at galatasse@sfasu.edu.

By Emily Brown, marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.

After a months-long effort, the Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents approved negotiations with a new food service provider for the campus.

With objectives that include reimagining or replacing SFA’s East College Cafeteria and contributing to student satisfaction and enrollment growth, regents heard presentations by representatives with the current food service provider, Aramark, as well as competitors Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services and Sodexo.

A request for proposals for the food service contract, valued at approximately $73 million over seven years, was issued by SFA in November 2020. Aramark, Chartwells and Sodexo were the only three companies that submitted proposals.

Regents voted to authorize SFA President Scott Gordon to negotiate with Chartwells and, should the need arise, to subsequently enter into contract negotiations with Sodexo. Dr. Brandon Frye, SFA vice president for student affairs, expressed appreciation to a committee of SFA employees, as well as Envision Strategies, an external consulting firm, for their assistance with the project.

“Student access and success are top priorities for SFA, and we look forward to working with the selected vendor, after the contract is finalized, to advance those priorities through our dining services program and services,” Frye said. “We will work to ensure a smooth transition to the selected vendor.”

Chartwells is the food service provider for several Texas universities including Texas State University, the University of Texas at Dallas and Texas A&M University at College Station.

Regents also approved a housing allowance program that will give students even more reason to be part of SFA’s on-campus residential community. Qualifying new students can receive a housing scholarship of up to $3,000 per semester for up to two years.

“We want students living on campus,” Frye said. “Research shows the more engaged students are and the more active they are in university life, the better their chances for success.”

Based on the recommendation of a Campus Climate Steering Committee, regents approved a Diversity and Inclusion Statement to affirm the university’s commitment to creating an environment that respects, honors and values diverse experiences and perspectives.

The statement reads: At SFA, our commitment to diversity and inclusion is more than words—it is actions. We believe diversity and inclusion are keys to promoting more engaged individuals locally and globally. We at SFA are committed to amplifying a campus culture that nurtures belonging and embraces similarities while celebrating that every Lumberjack will be different. Those differences are valued, acknowledged and supported purposefully.

The 46-member committee includes faculty, staff, students and administrators.

“Our goal is to create welcoming learning environments and promote access and opportunity for all,” said Dr. Michara Delaney Fields, SFA’s chief diversity officer.

A STEM Research and Learning Center quasi-endowment of $500,000 will provide funds to support student scholarships for incoming freshman and returning students majoring in a STEM field within SFA’s College of Sciences and Mathematics. The funds also will support initiatives that reflect the teaching and learning mission of the STEM Research and Learning Center.

Regents approved utilizing solely private donations to replace the turf and track at Homer Bryce Stadium and voted to name the field in honor of former SFA regent Jimmy W. Murphy. Regents also approved the naming of three areas in the Loddie Naymola Basketball Performance Center at William R. Johnson Coliseum: the Dr. Robert and Ruth Carroll Sports Medicine Offices, the Coach Harry and Tillie Miller Fan Observation Area, and the Joe Max and Jane Green Lobby.

Regents approved grant awards and a LaNana Trails campus project to reconstruct the trail on the university campus. The initiative is part of a Texas Department of Transportation project valued at more than $1.8 million, and SFA is contributing $362,255 as a 20% institutional match.

Regents acknowledged receipt of the audit services report and also approved:

· curriculum changes

· the summer 2021 budget

· policy revisions

· and the minutes of previous meetings.

Regents heard from reports from President Gordon; Chris Moore, the president of the Student Government Association; and Dr. Andrew Lannen, chair of the Faculty Senate.

For more information, visit sfasu.edu/regents.

The Stephen F. Austin State University Singin’ Axes and Kantorei choirs will present their final concert of the spring semester titled “The Storm is Passing Over” in a livestreamed event performed at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 27, and accessible at music.sfasu.edu.

“This theme was chosen due to the difficulties choirs all over the world have faced during the pandemic,” said Dr. Tod Fish, associate director of choral activities in the SFA School of Music and the choirs’ director. “I am hopeful that brighter days are ahead and a return to normalcy is on the horizon.

“This concert has a wide variety of styles and time periods,” he added, “and the choirs will sing as a combined mixed choir and their individual treble and tenor-bass choirs.”

As a mixed choir, they will sing the double-chorus “Haec est dies” by Jacobus Gallus; “Bogoroditse devo” from “All Night Vigil,” by Sergei Rachmaninoff; and Barbara W. Baker’s arrangement of Charles Albert Tindley’s “The Storm is Passing Over.”

The Kantorei will sing “Ave Maria” by Ellen Keating; “Laudate pueri” by Felix Mendelssohn; and Tawn B. Thomas’ arrangement of the spiritual “Rockin’ Jerusalem.”

The Singin’ Axes will perform Edvard Grieg’s “Ave Maris Stella,” arranged by Mark LaBelle; “Cantate Domino” by Alec Schumacker; and Elaine Hagenberg’s “O Love.”

“We will be joined by undergraduate cello major Ella Gaertner on Hagenberg’s beautiful setting of ‘O Love,'” Fish said. Gaertner is from Mount Pleasant.

To access the livestreamed concert free of charge, visit music.sfasu.edu the night of the performance. For additional information, contact the School of Music at (936) 468-4602.

The Stephen F. Austin State University’s new Electric Guitar Ensemble will perform in a virtual concert at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 28, under the direction of Larry Greer, School of Music adjunct faculty member and guitar instructor.

“Baroque to Bossa to Blues” concert will feature “Sinfonia XX” (fourth movement) by J.H. Roman; “Tequila” by D. Flores; “Blue Bossa” by Kenny Dorham; “Blues in the Closet” by Oscar Pettiford; and “Blues Walk” by Clifford Brown.

The newly formed electric guitar ensemble will show case works arranged for up to six guitars in a variety of styles, according to Greer.

The first piece by Roman, considered by many as the “Swedish Handel,” is the fourth movement from his “Sinfonia XX” arranged for guitar quartet by Manley Mallard. The second piece is the well-known tune “Tequila” made famous by the 1950s R&B group the Champs, arranged for six guitars by Steve Briody. “Blue Bossa,” the third piece, is a popular jazz standard that Greer arranged for the ensemble. The final selection is a medley of the two standard blues tunes, “Blues in the Closet” and “Blues Walk.”

Performers include Hayden Udy of Nolanville, Tanner Tankersely of Tyler, Joshua Hall of Frisco, Drew Williams of Fairfield, Sam Slape of Houston, Chandler Barton of Burleson, Noah Harper of Spring, Sean Clifton (electric bass) of Clyde and Lucas Freer (percussion) of Whitewright. All guitarists are sound recording technology majors except for Barton, who is a music performance major ,and percussionist Freer, who is a music education major. Featured soloists are Tankersley, Udy, Slape, Hall, Clifton and Barton.

The concert is accessible at https://music.sfasu.edu. For more information, contact the School of Music at (936) ) 468-4602.

When Rachel Rucker a was top student at Jersey Village High School in Houston, she attended the Undergraduate Research Conference, an annual event that honors Stephen F. Austin State University’s brightest from all six of its colleges.

Watching older collegians present their work in front of their families, professors and peers, it all seemed so impressive and unobtainable. The thought crossed the teenager’s mind: How do I get from where I am to where they are?

That question has finally been answered.

Now a junior majoring in data analytics, Rucker, representing the Rusche College of Business, produced a project that won first place. Using U.S. Census demographics and 2016 county-level election results by the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, she wrote a research paper that explains why the states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin going “blue” for President Joe Biden in 2020 should have been more expected, even though former President Donald Trump turned those states “red” in 2016.

Rucker was selected by faculty mentor and economics professor Dr. Ryan Phelps, who helped model the mountains of data used for the study, which was undertaken after the election.

“Our model correctly predicts that Pennsylvania and Wisconsin would go blue, and it predicted a Democratic shift in Arizona,” Phelps and Rucker concluded. In the future, there could be yet another study incorporating 2020 results, which could provide “prediction errors that can be used to scrutinize claims of large-scale election fraud in very particular counties.”

Prior to doing the project, Rucker had already completed, and excelled in, the applied statistics course taught by Phelps. So, when it came time to consider the conference, Phelps knew Rucker had what it took to produce meaningful research.

“I am always on the lookout for students with talent and a strong work ethic,” Phelps said. “Rachel stood out in my online class because of her perfect homework scores and her excellent project grades. Given her passion for current events, I thought that she might like to take a look at the 2020 election. She and I spent many hours of winter break on the paper. She has been an excellent research partner.”

The paper, “County Level Changes Alone Predicted Biden Win in Both Pennsylvania and Wisconsin,” is joined in the winner’s circle by top projects from SFA’s other five colleges and one from Tyler Junior College. While Rucker now gets to enjoy the accolade, the process of researching and writing a winning paper wasn’t easy, especially under Phelps’ exacting standards.

“I went through a lot of red ink and many drafts,” Rucker said.

Rucker came to SFA for the DeWitt School of Nursing. She changed her mind just two days into her first semester, instead pursuing a degree in data analytics. That turned out to be a good choice. Rucker holds a 4.0 GPA, has four scholarships – the Academic Excellence Scholarship, University Scholars Award, the STEM Scholarship, and the Focus POS Systems Scholarship – and works as a tutor for anatomy at the Academic Assistance and Resource Center.

If all goes to plan, she’ll be the first to graduate from the data analytics program when she walks across the stage in May 2022.

Down the road, Rucker certainly has a lot ahead of her, like a dual graduate degree in statistics or economics and law. But for now, winning the research conference feels pretty good.

“This actually proves that I learned a lot in all three of my fields – computer science, statistics and economics,” she said.

By Richard Massey, Senior Marketing Communications Specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University

The Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents honored a longtime psychology professor with the designation of Regents Scholar for the 2021-22 academic year.

Dr. Mark Ludorf holds a doctorate in experimental psychology with a specialization in cognition from the University of Kansas, and his research interests include attention, memory, leadership, applied statistics/methodology and technology applications in higher education. He joined the SFA faculty in 1991.

The appointment of Dr. Lorenzo Smith as SFA’s next provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, beginning June 1, was approved by the board. Smith currently serves as professor and dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science at California State University, Sacramento. In addition to a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Smith earned a master’s from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, and a doctorate in engineering mechanics from Michigan State University.

Other appointments approved include Christopher LaHaye as broiler research center supervisor, Angela Johnson as learning experience design specialist in the Center for Teaching and Learning, and Jade Dehaas as lead teacher in SFA’s Early Childhood Laboratory. In athletics, Jackson Smith was appointed as golf assistant coach, and Myles White was appointed as football assistant coach.

Regents approved promotions in the College of Sciences of Mathematics including Brian Barngrover to associate professor and Alyx Frantzen to professor in chemistry and biochemistry. Hector Ochoa was promoted to associate professor in physics, engineering and astronomy; Christopher Ivancic was promoted to associate professor in computer science; and Angela Jones was promoted to associate professor in nursing.

In the James I. Perkins College of Education, Dustin Joubert and Heather Samuelson were promoted to associate professors in kinesiology and health sciences, and Sharon Rice was promoted to assistant professor. In the School of Human Sciences, Darla O’Dwyer was promoted to professor, Jennifer Newquist was promoted to associate professor and Todd Barrios was promoted to clinical instructor III. Tingting Xu was promoted to professor in education studies, and Leah Kahn was promoted to associate professor. In human services and educational leadership, Luis Aguerrevere, Stacy Hendricks, and Raul Prezas were promoted to professor, and Lydia Richardson was promoted to associate professor.

Promotions in the Rusche College of Business included Christopher McKenna and Drew Thornley, associate professors in business communication and legal studies. In management and marketing, Matthew Lindsey was promoted to professor, and Pamela Rogers was promoted to associate professor.

In the College of Liberal and Applied Arts, Lee Payne was promoted to professor of government, Paul Sandul was promoted to professor of history, and Catherine Pearte was promoted to associate professor of psychology. In languages, cultures and communication, Jose Netfali Recinos, Christopher Sams, Ty Spradley, and Louise Stoehr were promoted to professor, and Elizabeth Spradley was promoted to associate professor.

Daniel Anguiano was promoted to associate professor of art in the College of Fine Arts, and Inga Meier was promoted to associate professor of theatre.

In the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Rebecca Kidd and Yuhui Weng were promoted to associate professors of forestry.

Kyle Ainsworth was promoted to librarian IV, and tenure was awarded to the following faculty members: Daniel Anguiano, art; Brian Barngrover, chemistry and biochemistry; Rochelle Cade and Summer Pannell, human services and educational leadership; James Ewing and Mark Montgomery, education studies; Christopher Ivancic, computer science; Angela Jones, nursing; Dustin Joubert and Heather Samuelson, kinesiology and health science; Rebecca Kidd and Yuhui Weng, forestry; Christopher McKenna and Drew Thornley, business communication and legal studies; Inga Meier, theatre; Michael Murphy, music; Jennifer Newquist, human sciences; Hector Ochoa, physics, engineering and astronomy; Catherine Pearte, psychology; and Pamela Rogers, management and marketing.

Changes of status included Jamyia Barrett, Jamaica Ethington and Christopher Ruth, from hall director to interim area coordinator, residence life; Hollie Smith, from assistant dean of students to interim dean of students, student affairs; Lacey Folsom, from director of student engagement to interim director of student rights and responsibilities; and Michael Walker, from associate professor of psychology to interim Title IX coordinator.

Steve Westbrook, SFA’s former vice president for university affairs, was honored with the title administrator emeritus, and three longtime faculty members were honored with the professor emeritus title: Marsha Bayless, business communication and legal studies; William Clark, mathematics and statistics; and Norm Markworth, physics, engineering and astronomy.

Regents approved the retirements of employees with 123 years of combined service: Susan Dykes, accounting clerk, information technology services; Rodney Bryant, heavy equipment operator, and Mark Holl, grounds and community relations assistant manager, physical plant; and Micky Allen, residence life operation assistant manager.