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Focus

June 2009

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In this issue

Alumni Association membership rates to increase July 1

Faculty and staff members are invited to join the SFA Alumni Association before membership rates increase July 1.

“We’re glad many SFA employees are already members of the association, and we want to remind everyone that now is the time to join or upgrade his or her membership before the rates increase,” said Rhonda Minton ’90 & ’99, director of marketing and membership for the SFA Alumni Association.

After July 1, the current $450 Life Member rate increases to $750 per person. The annual member rate will go from $40 to $50, and joint annual will go from $60 to $75.
Starting July 1, membership rates will be as follows:


“Membership is what helps make activities such as Sawdust magazine, alumni receptions, reunions, Homecoming, alumni chapters and other programs possible. Each event and activity the association presents is designed to support the alumni association’s mission of serving alumni, students, friends and the university,” Minton said. “Membership in your alumni association is simply a great way to show your support for your alma mater. ”

Visit http://www.sfaalumni.com and click on “Become a Member” to view the list of membership advantages.

Visit http://www.sfaalumni.com/?page=FacStaffJUN09 to join online.  Use Promo Code FacStaffJUN09 when completing the online membership form.

Memberships may be purchased through the SFA Alumni Association’s Web site or at the Tracie D. Pearman Alumni Center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday thru Friday. Payment may be made using cash, check, MasterCard or Visa. Payments using American Express and Discover are available online only.

For more information, contact the SFA Alumni Association at 468-3407.

Presentations

Kwame Badu Antwi-Boasiako, Government, presented “The Miles Law: Political Participation and Traditional Institutions in Democratic Ghana” at the Southern Interdisciplinary Roundtable on African Studies at Kentucky State University in Frankfort in April. Using Mile's Law to argue for the incorporation of traditional structures in contemporary political institutions, Antwi-Boasiako examined the role of chiefs in pre- and post-colonial Ghana as he introduced two views of the merger. More information is available at www.africaninstitutions.com.

Andrew Parr, Music, presented “The Eastern European Frederic Chopin; Polish Folk Rhythmic Influences on His Tempo Rubato” at the World Piano Conference in Novi Sad, Serbia, in May. The lecture/demonstration centered on the influence of Polish traditional folk music on Chopin's use of rhythm in composition. Chopin heard this music as a child and attempted to incorporate its complex, asymmetrical rhythmic patterns into his works, particularly the mazurkas.

The SFA Trombone Choir, under the direction of Deb Scott, was invited to perform at the Texas Music Educators Association conference in February in San Antonio.  The session demonstrated how incorporating the entire family of trombones into a trombone choir adds variety and interest to the ensemble’s timbre and range. Including instruments such as the alto, bass, and contrabass trombones continues the 500-year-old tradition of one of the earliest known ensembles.

Conferences

Kefa K. Onchoke, Chemistry, attended the Center for Workshops for the Chemical Sciences conference at the University of Georgia in May.

Chamber of Commerce Leadership Nacogdoches Class of 2008-2009

Six SFA employees were a part of the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Nacogdoches Class of 2008-2009. Participating were John Branch, Athletics; Sharon Brewer, Academic Affairs; Buddy Himes, Fine Arts; April Smith, Development; Dawn Stover, Agriculture; and Terri Thompson-Sayler, Public Affairs.

Carol Scamman, Library, attended the Texas Library Association conference in Houston in April.

Publications

Mark Sanders, English and Philosophy, had "A Vigil at a Missile Silo" published in a special Spring 2009 thematic issue of Reflections: Yale Divinity School, titled "The Fire Next Time:  Faith and the Future of Nuclear Weapons." The poem is about nuclear arsenal awareness and the bomb's intrusion into our private sanctuaries. It was originally published in an anthology, “The Atomic Ghost.”

Kwame Badu Antwi-Boasiako, Government, co-authored a book titled “Traditional Institutions and Public Administration in Africa.” The book tackles the most pressing contemporary issues of Africa, opening with a discussion on neo-colonialism in Africa that questions the authenticity of African democracy as it points out the presence of groups and individuals who exploit African resources to their advantage. The book further probes into the traditional institutions as well as the functions of the government to explain the political status quo of Africa. It emphasizes the negative impact of adhering to democratic structures that impair the positive practices and values of the traditional African administrative culture, while exposing revolutionary views that challenge and defy democracy on the African soil.

Announcements

The SFA Debate Team, coached by Stephen Jeffcoat, was recognized as the top squad for 2008-2009 in IPDA Team Debate.  The award was presented at the International Public Debate Association's National Championship Tournament and Convention on April 5 and was based on the SFA team’s performance at six tournaments during the regular season.

David Lewis, Art, has been awarded a summer residency for June 2009 by the Heliker-Lahotan Foundation.  Lewis conducted research on the artist John Heliker (1909-2000) at the Foundation's archives in Newark, NJ, during his leave in fall 2008. The residency will allow Lewis to continue his research at Cranberry Island, Maine, where Heliker maintained a summer home. Lewis is preparing a traveling exhibition of Heliker's early drawings, which will open at the Cole Art Center in late 2010.

Ralph Busby, Counseling and Career Services, received a certificate of appreciation on May 2 from the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education from the CAS Executive Board. Busby served on the CAS Board of Directors from 2003 until 2009. He represented the National Orientation Directors Association, edited the Orientation Programs standards, and re-wrote the learning and development outcomes for the CAS 2006 publication. He also edited the contextual statement for Orientation Programs for the 2009 CAS publication.

Melanie McGill, Education, will complete the Special Education Recruitment and Retention Grant this summer. This grant, awarded through Texas A&M-Texarkana and the U.S. Department of Education, includes activities related to recruitment and retention of special education teachers.

The SFA chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, an international association for professional educators, honored several past recipients of its Educator of the Year award at a spring banquet. The honorees included Betty Alford, Julia Ballenger, John Jacobson, Ralph Marshall, Jimmy Partin, Pauline Sampson and Donnya Stephens.

The School of Nursing recently received the NCLEX (RN Licensure) results for the fall 2008 graduating class of the School of Nursing, with a passing rate of 100 percent.

The Pineywoods Native Plant Center has received a $35,000 grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife for “Nacogdoches Naturally.”  This project will offer outdoor education and recreation programming for underserved populations in the Nacogdoches area, including after-school and summer activities for at-risk youth and weekend activities for families.  Project partners include the Boys and Girls Club of Nacogdoches, Texas Forest Service, Pineywoods Audubon Society, City of Nacogdoches, SFA Garden volunteers, SFA Latino Legacy, SFA Outdoor Pursuits, SFA Team GEO, and the U.S. Forest Service. For more information, contact Elyce Rodewald at (936) 468-1832.

Carolyn Spears, Stone Fort Museum, has received funding for the "Anna Raguet Conservation Treatment Project," which will conserve two fragile silk gowns owned by Anna Raguet Irion and Harriet Irion, a mother and her daughter who were members of an influential 19th-century Texas family with ties to Sam Houston. Custom archival boxes will be designed and constructed to rehouse the gowns upon completion of their treatment.

Michael Preston has been named director of Student Affairs.  This promotion is the result of a restructuring of the Student Life and Student Activities areas.  In his new role, Preston will continue to oversee the areas that are currently within Student Life (Jack Camp, Volunteerism/Civic Engagement, Leadership Programs, Spirit and Traditions Programs) and will also oversee the Student Activities area (SAA, Greek Life, Student Organizations, Academic Travel and Grounds Reservation). In addition, Preston will work to bring continuity to all of the programming efforts of the Department of Student Affairs and will be leading division-wide and campus-wide initiatives.

Preston earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from East Carolina University, a Master of Science degree in Student Personnel Services from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Education degree at Texas A&M University - Commerce. He has been with SFA since 1997, beginning as a program coordinator for Student Activities. In 2001, Michael was promoted to assistant director of Student Affairs, and assumed the role of director of Student Life in 2006.

Texas Health Match is a free, web-based tool that matches graduates, professionals and workers in the health care industry with employers. Texas Health Match is a statewide collaborative effort, among the Texas Area Health Education Centers, Texas Department of State Health Services, and the Office of Rural Community Affairs.  It was developed by East Texas AHEC as part of its mission to address immediate needs of health care workers and health care facilities in rural communities. The site can be accessed at www.texashealthmatch.com. For more information, contact Mark Scott at (936) 468-6941.

Stephen F. Austin men’s basketball coach Danny Kaspar will hold his basketball camp June 21-25 at the William R. Johnson Coliseum. The camp is for boys in 2nd – 12th grade. The cost of the resident camp is $320, non-resident camp is $255 and the day camp is $185. Discounts are available for SFA faculty and staff: $40 discount for the resident, $30 discount for the non-resident and $20 discount for day camp. For more information call the Lumberjack Basketball Office at (936) 468-3108.

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