Everything Nac

Motorists driving along North Street past the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University will see an extraordinary transformation in the next two years.

Although the rest of campus is slowly opening back up after closing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the long-awaited renovation and new construction to the Griffith Fine Arts Building is on schedule. Demolition is moving full speed ahead, laying the groundwork for a building project that will make the College of Fine Arts a “window” through which the community may view the university, according to Dr. A.C. “Buddy” Himes, dean of the College of Fine Arts.

“With these new facilities, the College of Fine Arts will be able to fully alleviate concerns for space, grow to its potential in enrollment, be competitive with similar programs in Texas, and fully capitalize upon student markets for new programs,” Himes said. “As much as the college has grown in enrollment over the past decade, I predict an explosion of new enrollment in fine arts in the next decade, notwithstanding the immediate effects of a pandemic.”

SFA Regents approved the expansion and renovation project in 2018, and the architectural design phase began the following spring. Funding was obtained through the issuance of bonds in 2019, and proceeds must be used, in accordance with the bond documents, for construction, renovation and other project-related purposes.

In recent months, the College of Fine Arts dean’s staff has relocated to Miller Science Building, and the School of Theatre has relocated to McKibben Education Building, with the exception of the costume shop, which is also temporarily housed in Miller Science Building. The School of Music’s Sound Recording Technology program, which had been housed in the Griffith building, has also relocated to the McKibben building. The Fine Arts Box Office is now in the Kennedy Auditorium building during the two-year construction project.

More than two decades in the making, the Fine Arts Expansion Initiative will include extensive renovations to the existing Griffith Fine Arts Building and add handicap parking, a patron drop-off zone (off of West College Street) and new construction which will extend the building along North Street nearly to the corner of West College Street. The renovated and expanded state-of-the-art building will include two dance studios, two theatres, an auditorium, recording studio, sound stage, audio and video editing rooms, an art gallery, multiple classrooms, rehearsal facilities, faculty offices and the offices of the dean. The facilities will house the CFA’s sound recording technology, filmmaking, theatre, dance and musical theatre programs.

As a result of the building and Turner Auditorium’s temporary closure during construction, coupled with the onset of the pandemic, the University Series has been significantly curtailed for the 2020-21 season, according to Scott Shattuck, associate dean and director of the series. There may be no performances in the fall, and the spring season will have an event-by-event approach with alternate venues for performances.

“We were already thinking creatively about venues for world-class performances,” Shattuck said, “and now we’re also doing our best to be astute about safe practices for artists and audiences, and about the economic realities of presenting the performing arts in a socially distanced context.

“The ever-changing conditions in which we live have caused us to keep our plans as flexible as possible,” Shattuck added. “Rather than lay out a schedule which may require many changes in the months ahead, we’ll announce individual concerts and shows when we’ve gained confidence that our audience can safely experience them when, where, and how we’ve said they will.”

The Children’s Performing Arts Series has been canceled for the coming year. However, CPAS will have a new and exciting online presence so that teachers may still incorporate the unique children’s series curriculum into lesson plans, according to Diane Peterson, Fine Arts Box Office manager and director of the children’s series.

“Even though teachers and students can’t visit us this school year, we hope cpas.sfasu.edu will be your source for the arts,” Peterson said. “You’ll find materials and links to bring the arts easily and safely into your classrooms.”

As the Griffith building’s new look evolves over the next two years, “we believe the community will be highly impressed with the image fine arts projects for the university,” Himes said.

“This is an exciting time for the College of Fine Arts,” Himes said. “With all the bad news that 2020 has brought, we’re glad the College of Fine Arts is able to move forward in a positive and progressive direction that will continue to focus on providing comprehensive and quality visual and performing arts experiences for the university, our Nacogdoches community and all of East Texas.”

To view design plans and artists renderings, and to stay up-to-date on construction progress, visit finearts.sfasu.edu/expansion.

Ireland Bramhall of Ennis has been appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to serve as student regent for Stephen F. Austin State University during the 2020-21 academic year.

“I love SFA, so to be able to have an impact on the university at a deeper level is something that I’ve wanted since I stepped foot here my first day of freshman year,” said Bramhall, a hospitality administration senior.

The SFA Board of Regents comprises 10 members appointed by the governor, including a non-voting student regent.

“The fact that they have this position says a lot about their interest in student input,” Bramhall said. “To be able to represent the public from the student’s perspective is really unique. I can help make the student body heard in situations where it would be unheard otherwise.”

With a pandemic, unemployment and civil unrest, Bramhall, an advocate for diversity, knows college students may have another turbulent academic year ahead.

“As the university faces issues, I’m looking forward to being there alongside it to try to help everyone feel comfortable,” she said. “This is home for the students for four years, and it’s really important that it’s a place where students feel comfortable and welcome and ultimately excited to be here.”

In addition to her regent role, Bramhall helps recruit prospective students as a School of Human Sciences ambassador and serves as a student director of The Big Event, Nacogdoches County’s largest day of community service. She also participates in SFA Dance Marathon to help raise money for Christus Trinity Mother Frances Health Hospital, which is the Children’s Miracle Network hospital in Tyler.

Bramhall said finding a way to maintain student involvement in activities like these despite the pandemic is an issue she wants to address as a student regent.

“I feel like I have been successful at SFA because of my interactions with others, and I’ve grown as a leader because of my involvement with these groups,” she said. “The pandemic led to the cancellation of many student activities over the spring, and I’m hoping we can find creative ways to get back to pre-pandemic levels of involvement.”

With hopes of earning a master’s degree after graduation and establishing a successful career in travel and tourism, Bramhall has imagined some dream trips of her own.

First would be a day at Walt Disney World, where she completed an internship in spring 2019. The dream part is she and her immediate family would be the only guests.

But her ultimate dream vacation would be a trip to Europe, including her namesake island, with her immediate family and “Taylor Swift. I’ve loved her since second grade.”

Bramhall’s first official duty was attending the board’s special-called meeting June 23.

By Jo Gilmore, marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Stephen F. Austin State University recently added eight more certified public managers to the ranks through its nationally accredited certified public manager program, hosted by SFA’s Department of Government.

Since the program’s inception at SFA in 2002, more than 160 working public administrators have completed it to join nearly 2,000 certified public managers in Texas.

The CPM program trains public and nonprofit managers in the ethical values, technical competencies and management skills associated with public service.

Recent graduates are Reggie Cooper, Marshall fire chief; David Craft, Lindale finance director; Sereca Huff-Huggins, Van secretary; Ellie Monteaux, Livingston city secretary and assistant city manager; Laure Morgan, Hemphill city manager; Theresa Bell, Teague city administrator; Kyle Roadcap, Longview water department supervisor; and Brannon Robertson, White Oak patrol lieutenant. The graduates will be recognized during a ceremony at the Texas capitol.

“The nationally accredited program is designed for working professionals seeking to improve their leadership skills and enhance their opportunities for promotion into management positions,” said Dr. Richard Herzog, SFA professor of public administration and CPM program director.

According to Herzog, the CPM curriculum comprises seven courses or tracks designed to help build working public administrators’ skills in managing real-world public management challenges. The program entails 175 contact hours of management training and education. Topics covered include personnel administration, managing for quality, public financing and budgeting, productivity and program evaluation, and information systems for managers.

In addition to completing the coursework, each participant is expected to complete an applied research practicum and capstone research paper. Herzog said the research papers would be considered for future publication in the online journal Certified Public Manager Applied Research, which is published and hosted by SFA’s Steen Library.

More information about SFA’s CPM program and registration for future sessions is available at sfasu.edu/academics/colleges/liberal-applied-arts/government/academics/certified-public-manager.

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