Everything Nac

Demolition is winding down inside the Griffith Fine Arts Building on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus in conjunction with a fine arts expansion and renovation project that will add nearly 68,000 square feet to the current building.

Phase II of the project – construction/expansion of the building – will soon be underway and is being described by construction officials as “an extensive project” that will start with massive dirt removal, including digging a hole deeper than the current Johnson Coliseum expansion and three times larger.

As a result, motorists and pedestrians in the area should expect construction zone changes that will alter traffic patterns starting next week and continuing for an estimated two years.

Beginning Nov. 3, a construction zone will be established around the Griffith Fine Arts Building that includes the creation of a perimeter fence surrounding the work site. In order to accommodate site preparation and construction, traffic and pedestrian routes in close proximity to the Griffith Fine Arts Building will be impacted. This includes the areas near the intersection of North Street and East College Street, and the parking spaces located along the westbound lane of Alumni Drive. It is anticipated that construction will take up to 24 months, weather permitting. Motorists and pedestrians are urged to use extreme caution in the area, expect minor traffic delays and use alternate routes if possible.

Note the following areas of impact:

• Sidewalks will be closed to pedestrians around the work site, including the east sidewalk on North Street from Alumni Drive to East College Street and the south sidewalk of East College Street from North Street to the Wright Music Building.

• Eastbound traffic on East College Street will be reduced to one left lane only from North Street to the music building.

• Westbound traffic on Alumni Drive will be reduced to one left lane only from the music building to North Street.

• The small parking lot behind the Music Building, along East College Street will be permanently closed for the duration of the project.

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 East College Street) and new construction which will extend the building along North Street nearly to the corner of East College Street. The renovated and expanded state-of-the-art building will include two dance studios, two theatres, a renovated Turner Auditorium and pre-event lobby space, recording studio, sound stage, audio and video editing rooms, an art gallery, multiple classrooms, rehearsal facilities, faculty offices and the offices of the College of Fine Arts dean. The facilities will house the CFA’s sound recording technology, filmmaking, theatre, dance and musical theatre programs.

Renovation to the existing building and new construction will be underway simultaneously. New construction of 67,905 square feet will bring the total building space to 137,374 square feet.

The anticipated construction will help ease the need for additional space to accommodate continued growth in the College of Fine Arts, according to Dr. A.C. “Buddy” Himes, dean, who has repeatedly stated for many years in his Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ assessment report: “Only through construction of additional facilities will the College of Fine Arts 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.”

“Now, this is coming to fruition,” Himes said. “The lesson to be learned is to develop your vision, articulate this clearly for all to see and understand, and never lose sight of this no matter what obstacles may occur.”

Questions or concerns about construction may be directed to the Physical Plant Department Work Control at (936) 468-3206 or the University Police Department at (936) 468-2608.

If approved, funding would be used to establish collaborative research center

An effort by Stephen F. Austin State University to establish the Center for Applied Research and Rural Innovation – where faculty, staff and students can engage in research development projects that support academic programs and boost regional economic development – began Monday with the approval by the Board of Regents of a $3.57 million Economic Development Administration grant application to provide a physical location for the center.

“When you bring people from disparate disciplines and backgrounds together, new ideas, products and solutions to problems emerge that would never have occurred otherwise,” said Dr. Scott Gordon, SFA president. “In whatever business or industry it may be, bringing people together with SFA’s outstanding faculty and students to form research teams around problem-solving – great things will happen. New ideas and new products and technologies can be developed, and we want to be on the forefront of this innovation.”

Regents also ratified the 2022-23 Legislative Appropriations Request, which includes funding for an Agriculture and Technology Complex, an Interdisciplinary and Applied Sciences Building, and operational funding for the Center for Applied Research and Rural Innovation.

The grandstands recently constructed at the SFA Soccer Field near the corner of Wilson Drive and Starr Avenue will be known as the Joe and Frances Atkinson Family Grandstands, based on the board’s approval of a donation from the Mary Frances Atkinson Charitable Trust in support of the SFA women’s soccer program. The stands include a premium suite area and have allowed SFA Athletics to sell soccer season tickets to the public for the first time in program history.

Regents also approved multi-year grant awards for FY20 and FY21. Grant awards for FY21 total $5.56 million.

The regents heard reports from the Faculty Senate and the Student Government Association.

The board also:

· ratified a contract amendment with Vivature for medical billing services;

· approved an updated holiday schedule for FY21;

· extended the contract for completion of FY20 website development;

· approved policy revisions and the annual audit report and internal audit charter;

· and approved the minutes of previous meetings.

Four faculty members were approved by regents to fulfill interim leadership roles, including Chay Runnels, interim director, human sciences; Luis Aguerrevere, interim chair, human services; James Langford, interim chair, biology; and Matthew Beauregard, interim chair, physics, engineering and astronomy. Regents appointed William Davis visiting assistant professor of education studies in the Perkins College of Education.

Other faculty promotions included Victoria Wagner-Greene, assistant professor of kinesiology and health science, and Heather Munro, assistant professor of human services. In Languages, Cultures and Communications, Kathleen McGough, adjunct faculty, was approved as lecturer, and Michael Welsh, lecturer, was approved as associate professor.

Judith Kruwell, human resources interim director, was approved as associate vice president for finance and administrative services, and John Wyatt, associate director, was approved to serve as interim director of Human Resources.

Other appointments included Garret Ashabranner, broiler research center supervisor; Evan Amstutz, assistant volleyball coach; and Lionel Nau, assistant track coach.

Michara DeLaney-Fields, former assistant dean, was approved as chief diversity officer for the university. Alex Reisinger, former admissions coordinator, was approved as Axe Handle One Stop supervisor.

Regents approved changes of status for Megan Weatherly, from instructional design coordinator to director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, and Jana Redfield, from assistant director to associate director of the STEM Research and Learning Center. In the University Police Department, Craig Goodman was promoted from assistant chief to deputy chief of police.

In Residence Life, regents approved Carla Chumley as assistant director business operations and Donna Hammond as assistant director resident services.

In the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, Dennis Mosely was approved as director, and Amanda Smith was approved as coordinator.

Regents named Jere Jackson as Professor Emeritus of history and approved the following changes of status:

· Kara Carpenter, from assistant director to associate director, Athletics compliance;

· Jane Ann Bridges, from assistant director to assistant executive chief of Audit Services;

· Dorothy Tubbs, from project coordinator to project director, Counseling Services;

· Morgan Smith, from senior analyst to associate director, Institutional Research;

· Brittany Beck, from admissions coordinator to director, Orientation;

· Jessica DeWitt, from project manager to assistant director, Physical Plant;

· Nick Stallworth, from associate director to director, Student Center;

· Daphne Curl, from manager to director, Testing Services;

· and Amanda Pruit, from director to coordinator, Title IX.