Stephen F. Austin State University

NACOGDOCHES-The state of Texas has set a goal of adding 630,000 more college students by 2015-a number approaching the population of Austin. The $30 million in tuition revenue bonds recently approved by the Legislature for construction at Stephen F. Austin State University and ceremoniously signed into law today at the university by Gov. Rick Perry will help meet the state's goal of Closing the Gaps in higher education.

The $30 million is the largest amount in tuition revenue bonds that the university has ever received. By issuing the bonds, SFA plans to build a $20.1 million education research center and use the remaining $10 million for improvements to academic buildings. Dr. John Jacobson, dean of the College of Education, projects the new education center will help SFA accomplish many goals--one being to increase the university's enrollment.

"It certainly opens our capacity to handle more undergraduates, and it also would provide more opportunities for graduate education," he said. "It also sets the stage to offer a doctorate in early childhood education at some future date."

Jacobson's plan is to bring the university's Early Childhood Laboratory, the Nacogdoches Independent School District-SFA Charter School and the Department of Elementary Education under one roof. With additional space, the Charter School could expand from one class per grade to two and increase the diversity of its student body, he said.

Diversity would increase, he explained, because parents "with means" pay to send their children to the private lab school. Those students move into the public Charter School, leaving few openings for youngsters who haven't attended the lab school.

Jacobson also envisions spaces in the new facility to allow more interaction between the lab and Charter School students and university students and faculty in other disciplines--art, music and science, for instance--and also clinics and after-school programs, including counseling, speech, language pathology and tutoring in math, reading and other subjects. The center also could become a resource, clearinghouse and dissemination site for community and faith-based organizations, childcare providers and other entities with a mission to support children and families.

The ability to conduct research in education and other academic areas will benefit not only area school districts but East Texas in general, Jacobson said. "For some time the College of Education has been a leader in preparing outstanding early childhood teachers in both quality and quantity," he said. "With its nationally accredited Early Childhood Laboratory and exemplary-rated Charter School, the next progressive step is to become a research and development site."

By sharing research findings with school districts, SFA could help those districts replicate best practices in their schools: the best methods for preparing children to read or to learn English as a second language, for example.

"If we can support parents in their role as parents and strengthen them, their children will become better students and will achieve at higher levels and have more opportunities for advancement," he said. "If we can build the family and support the family, it will have long-lasting and far-reaching effects."

The College of Education is discussing a relationship with the National Research Center on Rural Education Support at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and representatives of that center are scheduled to visit SFA next month.

"The UNC center is the only one of its kind in the U.S," Jacobson said. "This will be a real opportunity for SFA to join with them in rural education research."

Because the $20.1 million is earmarked for construction only, Jacobson said the college is seeking others sources of funds for personnel and start-up costs. "The support given by our local legislators, Sen. Todd Staples and Reps. Roy Blake and Jim McReynolds, and by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, will make this education center a reality and provide services to East Texas and the state for a long time," he said.

Debbie Baisden, vice president for finance and administration, noted that the legislation only authorizes the university to issue the bonds. It does not appropriate funds to pay the debt service on the bonds.

"Our hope is that the state will continue its tradition of supporting higher education through support of the debt service on these bonds," she said. "We look forward to the 80th Legislative Session and seeing that happen."

The university is in the process of developing a long-range campus master plan with 3D/I International, Baisden said.

"This will fit in nicely with that, and the specifics of these projects will be worked out as part of that process," she said.

Projects to be funded with the $10 million earmarked for deferred maintenance have yet to be decided, but the university identified several pressing needs: renovation and safety enhancements to the Chemistry Building; replacement of heating, ventilation and air conditioning units and safety enhancements in the Boynton Building; and renovation of the hatchery at the Science Research Center.

"One of the primary uses of the bonds for deferred maintenance will be to address issues highlighted by a state fire marshal's inspection and to improve the efficiency and functionality of the campus," Baisden said.