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The Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents voted Friday during a telephone conference meeting to grant SFA President Dr. Scott Gordon the temporary authority to suspend university policies and take any necessary lawful action to help cope with COVID-19 without obtaining prior board approval.

Brigettee Henderson, chair of the Board of Regents, said the authority will automatically terminate once the university resumes normal operations, unless terminated earlier by the board.

“This global pandemic has already caused significant disruption to the university’s operations,” Henderson said. “The situation requires the university’s swift action to help minimize the impact to SFA’s students, faculty, staff and other stakeholders. Granting this authority will help speed up that response time.”

Henderson also recognized SFA’s administrators, faculty and staff for their diligence in dealing with the national emergency.

“Our campus community is to be commended for all the work they are doing to serve our students,” Henderson said. “The main priority is to keep everyone safe while also ensuring our students complete the necessary coursework to progress in their degree program. It has been no small task to convert classes to an online format, but that has been accomplished.”

The university announced March 19 that courses will continue to be taught in an online or distance format for the remainder of the spring semester, as well as throughout the summer semesters.

“Although we have faced many challenges during the past few weeks, we also have seen the SFA and Nacogdoches communities come together,” Gordon said. “Although our students are not here in Nacogdoches physically, they are foremost on our minds. We will continue to do whatever is possible to ensure their educational needs are met.”

During the meeting, the board also approved a wireless networking upgrade and the guidelines for use of the environmental service fee.

The College of Fine Arts at Stephen F. Austin State University has canceled all public performances scheduled for the remainder of the spring semester in response to SFA’s decision to cancel or postpone all on-campus programs, gatherings and events until further notice due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19.

This includes all plays, concerts, recitals and art exhibitions and the final University Series and Children’s Performing Arts Series events for this season – the University Series presentation of “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” originally scheduled for April 16, and the children’s show “Cinderella,” scheduled for April 28.

On Thursday, SFA President Dr. Scott Gordon announced the remainder of spring semester classes and all summer session classes will be offered online or in distance-education formats. Additionally, until further notice, all on-campus programs, gatherings and events will be canceled, postponed or moved online to a virtual setting. These include office or faculty meetings, student programs and community events, in addition to all athletic events and public performances.

“We are still dying to present the marvelous cast of ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’,’ and they are eager to perform for the SFA and Nacogdoches communities,” said Scott Shattuck, associate dean of the College of Fine Arts and director of the University Series, “but obviously this spring isn’t the time. We’re in discussions about the possibility of a fall performance, but until we’re able to set a date certain, unfortunately we need to cancel the final series event of this season.”

Diane Peterson, Fine Arts Box Office manager and director of SFA’s children’s series, said, “‘Cinderella’ has been added to next season’s children’s series and will be presented in spring 2021. We are excited that East Texas school children will have the opportunity to see this fun-filled production.”

Refunds for advance purchase tickets are available on request through the event date printed on the ticket. Any ticket money not refunded will be used by the College of Fine Arts to defray expenses already incurred by the event. For details about advance ticket refunds, contact the Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For official information about SFA’s cancellation of on-campus activities and the university’s response to the COVID-19 public health crisis, go to http://www.sfasu.edu/life-at-sfa/health-safety/health-clinic/coronavirus.