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Contact: C. Wayne Mitchell 936-560-5533
President / CEO

SFA vs. Lamar University at Cram the Coliseum

Free admission tickets available at Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce

The SFA Ladyjack and Lumberjack basketball teams are ready for the match up with Lamar University at Cram the Coliseum on Saturday, Feb. 9. The women’s game begins at 2 p.m., and the men’s game will start at 4:30 p.m. in the William R. Johnson Coliseum at the intersection of E. College St. and University Dr.

“Cram the Coliseum is the perfect opportunity for the community to support the partnership the Nacogdoches County Chamber has with SFA Athletics,” said Ted Smith, Chamber Vice Chairman Community Development. “Plus, it’s an opportunity to pack the place and show the Cardinals that SFA has a solid fan base.”

All Nacogdoches County Chamber members received 10 free admission tickets in the February mail packet.

“The tickets can be shared with anyone, including employees and coworkers, clients and customers, family and friend. A limited number of tickets are available and ready for pick up at the Chamber,” Smith said.

Cram the Coliseum tickets are compliments of SFA Athletics Department. For all SFA athletic event schedules, please visit www.sfajacks.com. Go to www.nacogdoches.org for more information about this and other Nacogdoches County Chamber events or call 936-560-5533.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs is hosting its annual MLK Celebration to honor the life and legacy of civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at 7 p.m. Feb. 19 in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Twilight Ballroom.

“This event is a time to celebrate Black History Month by honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in addition to other black leaders,” said Veronica Beavers, OMA director. “We use this time to educate the community and celebrate through performances and networking.”

Dinner will be provided along with student performances. Bettie Mae Fikes, a civil rights activist, singer and storyteller, will serve as the keynote speaker. Fikes began singing gospel music with her mother at age 4 and is a founding member of the Freedom Singers, a musical group active during the 1960s that sang songs on behalf of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Fikes also traveled and marched with King during the civil rights movement.

“I am looking forward to having someone who actually marched with Dr. King among us,” Beavers said. “The fact that she is a singer known as the ‘Voice of Selma’ and is a storyteller is amazing.”

The event is open to the SFA and Nacogdoches communities. Tickets will be available from Feb. 1 to Feb. 13 and are $2 for SFA students with an ID, $5 for faculty and staff with an ID, and $10 for community members. To purchase tickets, visit the student center information desk on campus.

By Kasi Dickerson, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.

The Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents approved appointment of two new leaders for the University Police Department during its Tuesday meeting

John Fields will serve as chief of the SFA department. Fields served as director of public safety and chief of police at Albany State University in Albany, Georgia, since 2011, after serving as assistant chief of police and chief investigator from 2007-11. He brings a background in municipal law enforcement, having served in a variety of roles for the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office, before rising to the rank of operations captain in 2001.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science, a Master of Public Administration and a Master of Science in criminal justice, all from Albany State University. Fields is a decorated veteran of the U.S. Army, serving in Operation Desert Storm.

“The chief of police position impacts our entire campus, and we are pleased to have found such an exceptionally qualified candidate,” said Dr. Adam Peck, interim vice president for university affairs.

Fields replaces Marc Cossich, who is currently serving as chief of police at the University of West Florida in Pensacola.

Craig Goodman was approved as assistant chief of the SFA department. Since 2015, Goodman has served as chief of police in Brenham after working in a variety of roles at the Pasadena Police Department. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration from SFA and a Master of Science in criminal justice from the University of Houston-Downtown. In 2008, he was selected to participate in the FBI National Academy.

Peck’s service as interim vice president also was among the appointments approved by regents. Peck is the SFA dean and assistant vice president for student affairs. Dr. Hollie Gammel Smith, assistant dean, was approved to serve as interim dean of student affairs. Lacey Folsom, director of the Office of Student Engagement, was approved as interim assistant dean of student affairs.

Faculty appointments approved during the regents meeting include Yuan He, assistant professor of elementary education; Jessica Glasscock, instructor of forestry; Timothy Nix, associate professor of computer science; Collin Timmons, lecturer of physics, engineering and astronomy; and Shannon Bowman, librarian II.

In the Department of Athletics, staff appointments approved were Freddie Banks, Kevin Bleil, Wendel Davis, Kincaid Faske, Nathaniel Johnson, Malcolm Kelly, Jared May, Brian Natkin, Scott Power and Matthew Storm, assistant football coaches; Chance Chapman, assistant soccer coach; and Alex Luna, assistant volleyball coach.

Regents also approved the appointments of Alisha Windham, budget analyst; Rayburn Mitchum, development officer II; Jacqueline Conde, hall director; and Benjamin Tucker, student engagement coordinator.

Three staff members within Information Technology Services were approved as programmer/analyst I, including Taylor Day, Michael Deruiter and Justin Mlinar. Regents also approved changes of status within information technology:

– Tristan Adams, from programmer/analyst III to manager of ITS development;

– Michael Carmical and Charles Fox, from programmer/analyst I to programmer/analyst II;

– William Croft, from system programmer II to systems programmer III;

– Daniel Davis and Stacy Little, from programmer/analyst II to programmer/ analyst III;

– Tracey Foster, from programmer/analyst IV to manager of IT applications;

– Joseph Jacobs, from network support specialist I to network support specialist II;

– Travis Killen, from systems programmer II to manager of ITS systems;

– Kreg Mosier, from manager of library web services to programmer II systems;

– Cathy Rhodes, from senior specialist security access to analyst identity management III;

– Karrie Roberson, from administrator of library database to systems programmer I;

– Scott Speichert, from database administrator III to manager of database administration;

– Brandon Stringfield from specialist II to interim chief information security officer;

– Henry Wiederhold, from systems programmer I to systems programmer II;

– and Tracy Wilbanks, from specialist security access to analyst identity management II.

Additional changes of status approved include:

– Sahitya Neeli, from research analyst to senior research analyst; and Katelyn Childress, from graduate assistant to coordinator of student success in academic affairs;

– Katie McLain, from analyst in Human Resources to lecturer of government in the College of Liberal and Applied Arts;

– Dedra Michalowski, from clerk II to accountant II in the controller’s office;

– Jessica Barrett, from budget analyst to budget director in the Office of Finance and Administration;

– Jeffery Ghiringhelli, from assistant director to associate director, and John Branch, from senior associate athletic director of external affairs to assistant director, physical plant;

– and Melissa Turner, from career coordinator to compliance specialist for Title IX compliance.

The board approved the retirements of four individuals who have a combined 92 years of service to the university. Retirements include Chris Barker, associate professor of geology; Jack Ethridge, professor of accounting; David Justus, ITS compliance coordinator; and Donna Mettier, ITS programmer/analyst III.

The Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents voted unanimously to hire a Dallas-based executive search firm with a history in higher education to lead the search for a new president for SFA.

R. William Funk & Associates has placed presidents for universities including Rutgers, Purdue, Auburn, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Southern Methodist and Clemson.

“The firm has a proven track record of providing personalized service with a commitment to meeting the needs of all university constituents,” said Brigettee Henderson, chair of the board. “We look forward to working with Funk & Associates to find SFA’s next great leader.”

The firm will assist in identifying candidates and will collaborate with a university search committee to identify finalists for the presidency.

SFA President Baker Pattillo passed away on Dec. 29. An SFA employee for more than 50 years, Pattillo began serving as president in 2006.

The Board of Regents voted on Tuesday to reaffirm its focus on supporting faculty and staff by approving a $12 per semester credit hour increase in designated tuition. This new rate will help fund a faculty and staff salary pool as well as strategic institutional initiatives.

Regents were provided data regarding the funding SFA has received from the state since tuition deregulation in 2003, when SFA received slightly more than $36 million in net general operating revenue funding from the state. Rather than keeping up with rising costs and inflation rates, contributions from the state have decreased. In the most recent fiscal year, SFA received less than $33 million in operating revenue, according to SFA administrators.

Approximately 4,000 students participate in fixed-rate tuition plans, which set the tuition price for 12 consecutive semesters. The university approved a $233 per semester credit hour fixed-rate tuition plan for eligible undergraduate students entering in the fall 2019 semester.

A board rate increase of 2.1 percent also was approved for meal plans for resident and commuting students.

Along with approving policy revisions and changes in course fees, the board waived Student Recreation Center and student center fees for summer study-abroad students whose programs will occur outside the country.

“We want to make study-abroad programs more affordable and encourage participation,” said Dr. Steve Bullard, provost. “We removed similar fees for online-only students in the past. We want to ensure students who are paying these fees are enjoying the associated facilities and benefits.”

A lab located on the first floor of the Cole STEM Building was named the Rex Engelhardt Laboratory. Engelhardt graduated SFA in 1986 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance and was a member of the Lumberjack football team. He was a part owner of Documation, a company specializing in copiers and document management, which was changed in 2017 to UBEO and later sold to a private entity.

“Gifts like Mr. Engelhardt’s will elevate our STEM programs here at SFA,” said Jill Still, vice president for university advancement. “His generous spirit is setting a distinguished example for others.”

Regents approved selecting an architectural firm to rebuild the Walter C. Todd Agricultural Research Center Livestock Facility, which burned down in November 2018. An architectural firm will be selected from a regents’ approved indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architectural services pool.

In May 2018, SFA graduated its largest class in university history with more than 1,500 candidates. As the graduation numbers have increased over the years, SFA has offered two graduation ceremonies in the fall and spring semesters to accommodate for this growth. Regents signed off on purchasing new commencement chairs and equipment at an additional $29,670 to a previously approved budget of $105,330.

Regents approved almost $5 million in grant awards for fiscal year 2019, which is an increase of about $1.45 million; the 2017-18 annual financial report; and minutes from the October, December and January meetings.

Additionally, the board acknowledged the receipt of audit services report, review of investment policy and strategy, and a resolution to approve qualified financial institutions and investment brokers. Due to administration changes, the board approved a resolution with Texpool, an investment entity for public fund investments, to authorize university representatives as signatories.

The board heard reports on current construction, planned maintenance and investments. Interim President Steve Westbrook, the Student Government Association, and the Faculty Senate also delivered reports to the board.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the Gifts from the Garden workshop to share methods for creating skin creams, scrubs and tea from natural products.

The event will run from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 9 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building, Room 101, at the SFA Pineywoods Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet St.

Jodi and Duke Pittman of Pittman Farms will lead the workshop. Participants will use a variety of oils and waxes, including coconut oil and beeswax, with dried herbs and essential oils to craft their samples.

“Homemade products are easy to make, fun to use and much more affordable than store-bought products,” Duke said.

Herbs used in these products can often be grown in yards, gardens or even a windowsill, which increases the environmental soundness and sustainability of their production. They are aesthetically pleasing to grow, aromatic and can be a great source of pride for participants to nurture their own plants for harvest.

“The ingredients are simple, diverse in their uses and are easy to blend without the inclusion of undesired chemicals or other additives,” Jodi added. “It is empowering to know exactly what you are using and where it came from.”

Cost for the seminar is $25 for SFA Garden members and $35 for non-members. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. To register for the seminar or for more information, contact the SFA Gardens education office at (936) 468-4129 or sfagardens@sfasu.edu.

Stephen F. Austin State University School of Theatre will host the internationally renowned Shakespeare & Company from Lenox, Maine, in a weekend intensive study of the language and text of William Shakespeare’s works March 8 through 10 on the SFA campus.

Designed to meet the needs of professional actors who seek an introduction to Shakespeare & Company’s training methods as well as alumni who wish to refresh and reconnect with the work, the weekend intensive integrates Linklater Voice instruction, movement and monologue work. Participants will explore ways to unlock the emotional and intellectual content inherent in Shakespeare’s language, yielding a direct relationship between actor and text, according to Cleo House Jr., director of the SFA School of Theatre.

“We are extremely fortunate to have such a renowned company in residence here in East Texas,” House said. “This is an excellent opportunity for teachers needing professional development credit and for young professionals looking to deepen their study of Shakespeare’s text in performance.”

Instructor is Dave Demke, a Shakespeare & Company senior faculty member and a Designated Linklater Voice teacher. He has a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Minnesota State University, Moorhead, and an M.F.A. in performance (devised theatre) from the University of Maryland. From 2000-2010, he served as the associate director of training for Shakespeare & Company. He has also served as the artistic director of Stark Raving Theatre in Portland, Oregon, and as a principle dancer, soloist, choreographer and teacher with Red River Dance Company in Fargo, North Dakota.

As an actor, Demke has appeared in productions at Shakespeare & Company in New York and regionally, as well as performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and in Beijing, China. His directing credits include theaters in Portland, Oregon, Shakespeare & Company and Tennessee Shakespeare Company. He has guest directing credits at Purdue University, Skidmore College and Northeastern University. He has guest taught at various universities, as well as at the Linklater Center in New York, the National Theatre of Ghana and 16th St. Studio in Melbourne, Australia.

The weekend intensive is from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, March 8; from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 9; and from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, March 10. Tuition is $345. Alumni, union and student discounts are available. For more information or to register, call (413) 637-1199 ext. 114 or visit http://www.shakespeare.org/actor-training/weekend-intensive

The Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band at Stephen F. Austin State University will present the concert program “Journeys” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus.

The Wind Symphony, directed by Dr. Tamey Anglley, associate director of bands at SFA, and the Symphonic Band, directed by Chris Kaatz, assistant director of bands, will perform works that represent various types of journeys.

The Symphonic Band will open the concert with Charles Carter’s “Overture for Winds,” followed by Frank Ticheli’s “Earth Song.”

The Symphonic Band will also perform Jan Van der Roost’s “Suite Provençale,” which Kaatz describes as “a musical journey through southeastern France via colorful settings of four folk songs native to the region.”

The first half of the concert closes with the Symphonic Band performing Karl King’s “Hosts of Freedom,” which was written the same year the famous march composer moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa, after years of conducting numerous circus bands.

The Wind Symphony will open the second half of the concert with “Shortcut Home” by Dana Wilson. Written in 2003, Wilson wanted a rousing and elaborate fanfare that featured each section of the ensemble, according to Anglley.

“Drawing upon various jazz styles, the music proclaims and cascades, always driving towards the ‘home’ of the final C major chord,” she explained.

Dr. Christopher Ayer, professor of clarinet in the School of Music, will perform a solo on the clarinet concerto “Auto ’66” by James M. David. About the piece, the composer writes: “The automobile, perhaps more than any other piece of technology, inspires strong emotional reactions in people, and certain cars seem to transcend their role as means of transportation to become works of art. My clarinet concerto is about three such vehicles that were built in 1966. They were chosen for their historical significance, physical beauty and ability to inspire their owners. Further, all three cars have different national origins, which allowed me to draw from the native music for each.” David chose Lamborghini Miura, Mini Cooper S and Pontiac GTO as the three movements for his concerto.

The Wind Symphony will close the concert with John Philip Sousa’s “From Maine to Oregon” march. Based on the recurring march theme from his operetta, “The American Maid (The Glass Blowers),” “From Maine to Oregon” was composed in 1913.

The concert is a joint presentation of the SFA College of Fine Arts and School of Music.

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.