Stephen F. Austin State University

Stephen F. Austin State University faculty and staff members were honored by the university’s regents during the April meeting with promotions and awards. Dr. Leon Young was named a Regents Professor, which is the highest honor the university bestows, and Steve Westbrook was named vice president for university affairs.

"The Regents Professorship is reserved for faculty members who are well-rounded and exemplary in teaching, research, and service and who serve as role models to the university community,” said Dr. Marlin Young, provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Leon Young received his bachelor’s degree at Texas A&I in Kingsville and his master’s and doctorate degrees at Iowa State University in Ames. He joined SFA as an assistant professor of agriculture and director of soil testing laboratory in 1975, and he served in that capacity until 1980 when he was promoted to associate professor.

From 1984 to 1997, Young served as chair of the department. In 1987 he attained the rank of professor. Since 1997 he has served as and director of the soil, plant and water analysis laboratory.

Professors receive a medal and a $2,000 grant to support their efforts.

Steve Westbrook, currently serving as interim vice president for university affairs, was appointed to that position on a permanent basis.

As interim vice president for university affairs, Westbrook’s responsibilities include oversight of Counseling and Career Services, Disability Services, the Health Clinic, Judicial Affairs, Student Publications and the University Police Department.

Westbrook earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in counseling from SFA and began his first job at the university in 1981, serving first as University Center program advisor through 1985, then as coordinator of programs from 1985 until 1989. In 1989, he was named director of student activities and served as director of student affairs from 2001-2005. He was named executive director of student affairs in 2005 and interim vice president in August 2006.

Dr. Mingteh Chang, who retired from the SFA forestry faculty in 2006, was named Professor Emeritus, an honor conferred only on those retirees who have a record of distinguished service to the university, according to the SFA provost.

"Honored retirees typically have received at least one of the university’s highest honors, such as Regents Professor, the Alumni Association Distinguished Professor Award, or the SFASU Foundation Faculty Achievement Award or Teaching Excellence Award,” Young said.

Chang joined the SFA faculty in 1975 and holds a bachelor’s degree from National Chung-Hsing University in Taiwan, China. His master’s degree is from Penn State University and his doctorate in forest hydrology is from West Virginia University. He was awarded the Regents Professorship in 1998.

Dr. Charles F. Abel’s promotion to chairman of political science, geography and public administration department was approved. Dr. Robert S. Stewart, associate professor of biology, was named director of biotechnology, and Becky Price-Mayo, currently serving as interim director of the child welfare project, was promoted to director of the project.

Faculty promotions are granted by the board of regents each year at the April meeting.  Promotions are initiated at the departmental level and are reviewed, ranked and recommended for approval by the departmental faculty, the department chair, dean, provost/academic vice president, and president. Promotions recommended for approval by the president are submitted to the board for promotion consideration.

Faculty members honored by regents and promoted to full professorship included: Drs. Brent Burt, biology; Michele Harris, chemistry; Lynda Martin, human sciences; Dixie Mercer, human services; and Kandy Stahl, psychology.

Faculty members promoted to associate professor included Drs. Charlotte Allen and Marlene Kahla, management, marketing and international business; Dr. Lesa Beverly, mathematics and statistics; Dr. Deborah Buswell, kinesiology; Dr. Philip Catton, history; Dr. Warren Conway, forestry; Amy George, art; Dr. Jeana Paul-Ureńa, modern languages; Dr. Garland Simmons, economics and finance; and Dr. Gary Wurtz, music.

Drs. Carolyn Davis, elementary education, and Mark Seaman, secondary
education and educational leadership, were each promoted to assistant
professor. Librarians receiving promotion to Librarian II were Susan Clarke and Priscilla Coulter.

Tenure was awarded to the following faculty members: Dr. Charlotte Allen, management, marketing and international business; Dr. Lesa Beverly, mathematics and statistics; Dr. Philip Catton, history; Dr. Warren Conway, forestry; Dr. Carolyn Davis, elementary education; Amy George, art; Dr. Jeana Paul-Ureńa, modern languages; Dr. Kelly Salsbery, English; Dr. Peter Simbi, social work; and Dr. Brian Utley, music.

New faculty appointments approved by the regents included Darrel Kniss, assistant professor of kinesiology and health science; Barry Stafford, assistant professor of human services; Dr. Jeff Bremer, assistant professor of history; Dr. Leslie Cecil, assistant professor of sociology, Dr. Dana Magill Cooper, assistant professor of history; Haskell Stephen Cooper, assistant professor of social work; Jason Dormady, assistant professor of history, Lee Payne, visiting lecturer of political science, geography and public administration; Dr. Walter H. Scalen, assistant professor of criminal justice, Elizabeth Spradley, lecturer of communication; Juan Carlos Ureńa, instructor of modern languages; and Dr. Kent Riggs, assistant professor of mathematics and statistics, Staff appointments approved by the regents included admissions counselors Ryan A. Horne and Rachel Jennifer Lambert; Stephen D. Rasmussen, Network Support Specialist; Emily Taravella, public affairs editorial coordinator; Charlotte Ann Sullivan, government information officer; Jennifer L. Davis, counseling and career services outreach coordinator; Jonathan Elder, student organizations Greek life coordinator; Amanda  Horne Windham, Student Activities Association coordinator; and Marie Quaresima, campus recreation aquatic/safety/camp coordinator.

Changes of status were approved including Tiffany G. Gauntt, from admissions specialist to admissions counselor; Debrah G. Corbin, from accountant to assistant to the director of business operations at the Columbia Regional Geospatial Service Center; Richard M. Kennedy, from network support specialist to network services manager; Paul Davis, from assistant director for information technology services to interim director for information technology services; Rachel B. Galan, from librarian to interim associate director; Donna J. Burkett, from degree audit coordinator to assistant registrar; and Michele D’Nese Haddox, from associate director of housing to interim director of housing.

Faculty development leaves for the fall semester were approved for Drs. Kathleen Belanger and Sam Copeland, social work; Dr. Warren Fisher, management, marketing and international business; and Robert Kinsell, art. For the spring semester, Dr. Gregory Miller, mathematics and statistics, received faculty development leave. Dr. Mark Turner, music, received faculty development leave for the fall and spring semesters.

Dr. Larry H. Chasteen, assistant professor of management, marketing, and international business, was granted a one-year leave of absence to serve as William C. Foster Fellow Visiting Scholar with the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.

The university granted a one-year leave of absence to Dr. Tracy Johnson, associate professor of English and philosophy, to pursue a Master of Arts in Theological Studies and a two-week leave to Robin Redmon Wright, Academic Assistance and Resource Center director, to complete her dissertation on adult education.

Retirements approved included Dr. John Anson, professor of psychology; Dr. Donald E. Bowen, professor of physics and astronomy; Dr. Ronald G. Claunch, chair of political science, geography and public administration, Dr. Linda Morales, director of the School of Social Work, Dr. Robert T. Ramsey, chair of communication; and William Wagner, director of information technology services.