SFA University
Stephen F. Austin State University juniors Garrett Plumlee of Longview, Valentina Stinchfield of Tyler and Breanna Lemons of Hawkins practice meditation at a fitness conference before the COVID-19 pandemic. They are enrolled in the inaugural year of a new academic pathway that helps students in Tyler Junior College’s wellness and exercise program complete a four-year Bachelor of Science in kinesiology with a concentration in exercise science at SFA. Photo courtesy of Anne Provencher
August 13, 2020 - Students enrolled in Tyler Junior College’s wellness and exercise program now have a way to complete a four-year Bachelor of Science in kinesiology with a concentration in exercise science at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches.
The new pathway helps TJC students transfer their credits based on the Workforce Education Course Manual to SFA, which recently switched to the Texas Common Course Numbering System.
“This allows more classes to be transferred into SFA, so that reduces the students’ time to graduation and it reduces their cost because we’ve already agreed that those certain courses are going to transfer in,” said Dr. Jay Thornton, chair of SFA’s Department of Kinesiology and Health Science. “Some of those transfer in as junior- and senior-level courses.”
Anne Provencher, chair of TJC’s Department of Wellness and Exercise Science, said there’s another benefit to the pathway.
“It provides an easy, step-by-step plan with classes sequenced to ensure success at the next level,” she said. “Some students may have to work on the side or may be the first in their family to attend college or may face other issues. They may need a more gradual entry to the university level.”
The TJC program incorporates a lot of hands-on training to help students more easily transition to university-level labs and understand their future job opportunities, Provencher added.
“Students must complete a practicum at TJC, which gives them an opportunity to work with community businesses as interns, get a feel for the industry and network with those who will be hiring when they graduate,” she said. “We want to prepare them for the university level and show them what’s available to them in the industry once they earn their degrees and possibly while they earn their bachelor-level degrees.”
After completing two years of coursework to earn their Associate of Applied Science in wellness and exercise at TJC, students in the pathway transfer to SFA to complete their Bachelor of Science in kinesiology with a concentration in exercise science.
“Our program at TJC aligns with the Workforce Education Course Manual, so we’re coming from the workforce administration side instead of the academic side,” Provencher said. “So, for SFA to be gracious and add our courses to its second or third level is truly unique and greatly appreciated.”
Approved a year ago, the pathway is rolling out this fall despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As long as nothing changes, our groups are small enough that we can socially distance and complete the lab portions,” Provencher said. “And we have a hybrid approach for moving online with coursework and meeting in even smaller groups for testing if the pandemic worsens in East Texas.”
The students enrolled in the inaugural year of the program are juniors Breanna Lemons of Hawkins, Garrett Plumlee of Longview and Valentina Stinchfield of Tyler.
Lemons said the streamlined TJC-SFA pathway will keep her on track with courses she really wants to take while preparing her for a wide range of career opportunities.
“I appreciate the focused academic approach,” she said. “I don’t have to take a lot of extra, generalized courses.”
Plumlee developed an affinity for exercise science while playing sports growing up and coaching for Bishop Thomas K. Gorman Catholic School in Tyler for three years. He also was drawn to the program because of the many career opportunities it presents.
“There are several routes I can see myself going after graduation, whether I'm personally training, coaching at a high school or going the graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach path,” he said. “I can see really enjoying myself in any of those.”
Plumlee believes this pathway will open doors for students in the region.
“The TJC-SFA partnership will give students in Deep East Texas options and accessibility to a four-year degree,” he said.
Stinchfield was anxious at first about the transition from a junior college campus to a university with bigger classes, but after talking with her advisors, she’s ready for fall.
“I’m looking forward to the different ways of learning and styles of teaching,” she said.
Stinchfield played soccer from age 4 through her graduation from Whitehouse High School. She then played competitive soccer before earning her Associate of Arts in teaching at TJC.
Now she wants to focus on exercise science so she can be an effective trainer and coach.
“I want to work with people and teach them how to live healthy lives,” Stinchfield said. “I really want to start training kids when they’re young so they can develop safe, lifelong exercise habits.”
Students obtaining this degree move on to careers in exercise physiology, fitness, medicine and rehabilitation, research, and other allied health areas. The upper-level courses in SFA’s exercise science concentration help students specialize in their areas of interest, such as personal training, sports performance, athletic training and clinical exercise physiology.
This kinesiology degree also prepares students for graduate health professional degree programs to become traditional and osteopathic medical doctors, physical and occupational therapists and physician assistants.
“The Bachelor of Science in kinesiology is one of the top undergraduate degrees nationwide that physical and occupational therapists earn to obtain careers in that field,” Thornton said.
In addition to increasing enrollment at TJC and SFA, Provencher hopes the pathway will train more health and fitness professionals who can teach others safe wellness strategies based on proven information.
“These students will have true science behind them,” Provencher said. “They will know what they’re doing based on real health and safety information and not on the beauty of the market.”
For more information on this program, contact Thornton at jthornton@sfasu.edu or Provencher at apro@tjc.edu.
August 12, 2020 - According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, glaciers around the world have lost significant mass since the 1970s, due in part to warming trends in global temperatures. While the concept of massive sheets of ice may seem foreign to Texans, their importance can’t be overstated.
“Glaciers hold 75% of our fresh water, and they cover 11% of the Earth’s land area — they play a lot of different roles,” said Brianna Clark, Stephen F. Austin State University environmental science graduate student in the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. “For example, in some countries the glacial meltwater is a source of hydroelectric power. In some alpine communities they are the sole source of drinking water.”
Given their global importance, Clark sought to shed light on current trends in glacial coverage within two U.S. national parks by performing area and volume calculations of the landforms using digital remote sensing and geographic information systems.
Clark explained that the study of glaciers, known as glaciology, has been radically expanded thanks to satellites surveying the Earth.
In 2013, NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey launched the Landsat 8 satellite, which orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and captures approximately 740 scenes of the planet each day in nine electromagnetic spectral bands.
Clark said the bands represent different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum and have wavelengths of varying size. Researchers viewing the satellite imagery online are able to add or subtract observable bands to create ratios that improve the visibility of different landforms.
“With my project, I used two ratios — the normalized difference snow index and the normalized difference glacier index,” Clark said. “There have been a lot of studies that used the normalized difference snow index, but not a lot have used the normalized difference glacier index. My project used a combination of both.”
The two parks at the center of her research, Glacier and Mount Rainier National Parks, were chosen based on their representation of two distinct geographic and climactic regions known as the Intermountain Region and the Pacific Northwest.
“Most studies have focused on the plausibility of using satellite remote sensing for measuring specific glacier parameters or measuring one specific region, but there has been a lack of research combining satellite remote sensing and climatic factors to assess the differences in deglaciation among regions,” Clark said.
To do this, Clark used satellite imagery to measure the glacial area of her study sites for the years 1985, 2000 and 2015. She then used contour lines to make digital elevation models in order to calculate the change in volume of the glaciers. In addition to the satellite imagery, Clark also compared climate trends between the two regions by measuring cumulative degrees above zero for each study year, as well as precipitation.
Dr. Daniel Unger, Kenneth Nelson Distinguished Professor of geospatial science and graduate advisor for Clark’s research, said the geospatial technology utilized by Clark is a game changer.
“Remotely sensed data allows a researcher to obtain information over a large geographic area within each image, sometimes from locations that a researcher would not physically be able to get to on the ground,” Unger said. “Given the large synoptic perspective within a Landsat image — approximately 13,200 square miles — obtaining ground information remotely can be cheaper than physically visiting each location. An added benefit is the digital data can be obtained over a series of dates allowing for change detection analysis, as was in the case in Brianna’s research.”
Ultimately, Clark found that within the 30-year period of the study, Glacier National Park lost 27.5% of its glacial coverage, while Mount Rainier lost only 5.7%.
“The differences in these percentages can largely be attributed to the warmer temperatures of the Intermountain Region coupled with lower amounts of snowfall compared to the Pacific Northwest,” Clark said.
She added the Earth undergoes natural cycles between warm and cool temperatures, but this typically takes place over a much longer time scale than currently being experienced.
“Glaciers melting isn’t always something to be alarmed about because it’s something that naturally occurs,” Clark said. “But given the rate at which they are decreasing, we are to some extent contributing to it through anthropogenic climate change.”
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, records of deglaciation in Glacier National Park was observed as early as 1914, corresponding with the Industrial Revolution and the beginning of global warming trends.
“In 2003, two researchers modeled glacial change within the park, simulating increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and a 2-to-3-degree Celsius rise in temperature by 2050,” Clark said. “Based on this simulation, it is predicted that between 2030 and 2080, many of Glacier National Park’s remaining glaciers will disappear.”
As glacial research continues, Clark’s work will provide a valuable record of the state of these glaciers, as well as how geospatial technologies can facilitate similar research in the future.
Stephen F. Austin State University environmental science graduate student Brianna Clark utilized satellite imagery and geospatial technology to calculate the change in glacial area within Glacier and Mount Rainier National Parks over a 30 year period. Her research found Glacier National Park lost 27.5% of its glacial coverage, while Mount Rainier lost only 5.7%. Clark said the variance of glacial loss is largely the result of the difference in temperature and precipitation between the two regions where the parks are located.
August 6, 2020 - When Fred Poston was a senior at Klein Forest High School in the Houston area, attending Stephen F. Austin State University was a good business decision.
“I had interest in attending a private university, but when I compared the costs, SFA just made sense,” he said.
Poston’s early business acumen paid off – he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1992 and soon departed the state to begin his career in the entertainment industry.
“It wasn’t a career I had been considering,” he said. “In the early ’90s, most of the people I went to school with were getting job offers and lining up jobs before they graduated. Then a recession hit in 1992, and there wasn’t a job waiting for me. So, I asked myself what I might enjoy doing and decided to just give it a shot.”
Poston worked at a coffee factory for a few weeks to make enough money to pay for his transportation to California, and then landed a job in the Dick Clark Productions mail room making $40 a day.
“It didn’t pay all the bills, but it motivated me to work hard and make sure I could support myself,” he recalled.
Poston’s next step involved work with live television shows.
“The company was doing a lot of award shows at that time,” he said. “It was a great way to learn the aspects of production for live television – you only got one chance to get it right, because everybody was watching.”
Poston learned that television production involves very long and intense working hours, so he set his sights on the networks.
“I would see network executives kind of come and go, and I had to figure out what those folks were doing,” he recalled.
Poston got his wish in 1995 when he was hired to be a part of the launch of Warner Brothers’ The WB Television Network.
“It was great ground for learning everything it takes to build a television network, and it gave me the skill set to carry forward to the next network launch, which at the time was Fox Family,” he explained.
Poston had the opportunity to launch Fox Family for the second time when it was bought by Disney and became ABC Family. Much like his earlier work in live television, Poston learned that executive work also was very intense.
“Starting a television network – or a business – is very different than working with an organization that’s already established. You have to build everything from the ground up,” he said. “An advantage for me was coming out of the College of Business at SFA. Even though it was media work, I was a good partner to the people who were creating the product, that product being the creative business of telling stories. My priority was keeping an eye on what it takes to do story-telling as a business, and ultimately getting that product to the viewers.”
More recently, Poston worked with Discovery Communications to launch The Hub, a joint venture with Hasbro, and had a hand in the launch of OWN – the Oprah Winfrey Network. Poston’s work with Discovery Communications in California eventually took him across the country for what was scheduled to be a month-long project in Florida to manage Discovery’s Latin American operations.
“That led to living in Miami for multiple years and working in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, setting up local operations,” Poston said. “I would travel on a regular basis, meeting and hiring people to manage the regional production and operations. Managing people in other countries is an entirely different ballgame, due to the differences in languages and cultures. It definitely tested my skill sets.”
Poston again rose to the occasion when asked to oversee global operations for Discovery’s Asia-Pacific networks based in Singapore, managing operations for more than 80 channels and developing strategy for multi-purposing media.
“I was very fortunate – I was at the right place at the right time, from that first mailroom job to my first network launch,” he said. “And there was a time when my skills were used to provide change management leadership to reorganize or, in some cases, close networks. As interesting opportunities came along, I got involved, and that would lead to the next job. It was a privilege to be given these responsibilities.”
Always motivated and driven, Poston set and met the personal milestones he set for himself: a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, vice president by 30, senior vice president by 40. Now vice president for operations services for the CBS division of the ViacomCBS Corporation, Poston has played a role in the network origination of more than 100 channels in more than 40 countries and in 20 languages. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, he commuted to work each week in Los Angeles from his home in San Marcos.
“It’s been an incredible journey,” he said. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the things I’ve been involved with and the many talented people and projects I have had the fortune to be a part of, while always making it a priority to make a difference and give back in everything I do.”
This desire to make a difference led Poston to serve for 10 years on the board of directors for the Alliance for Housing and Healing, an organization that provides housing, food and healthcare for individuals in need in Los Angeles County.
Poston said he was honored to be invited to provide the virtual commencement address for SFA in August and will deliver a positive message to the graduation candidates.
“My industry’s business has been about telling stories, and I am fortunate to have this opportunity to share my life story,” he said. “Things have changed for each graduate, but each one should realize and think to themselves, ‘I haven’t changed.’ They’ve completed their college degrees, and regardless of where they did that, they can decide how they will narrate and use that story to write their next chapters. We are definitely living in different, trying times – and we have an opportunity to choose how we will continue.”
The ceremony will be available via the SFA website beginning at 6 p.m. August 14. More than 400 students are candidates for graduation, including five doctoral candidates, 114 master’s degree candidates and 325 bachelor’s candidates. For more information, visit sfasu.edu/commencement.
July 30, 2020 - Registration is underway for fall classes in the Music Preparatory Division of the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music.
The fall roster for youth includes lessons in piano, violin, cello, viola, voice, Music Theory Adventures and Piney Woods Youth Orchestra, among many others. Lessons may be available for other instruments upon request. Lessons begin Aug. 17. Music Prep also offers programs for adults in piano and strings.
As the world continues to struggle with the economic and emotional effects of a worldwide pandemic, music remains one of the best coping mechanisms for stress and uncertainty, according to Alba Madrid, the new director of Music Prep who took over the division in June.
“We understand that music provides an outlet to express a wide range of emotions which ultimately helps to enrich our lives in a number of ways,” Madrid said. “Children have the need to connect now more than ever, and what better way to connect with others than through music. I have witnessed firsthand, through my many years of teaching, the healthy relationships our students have with their friends in their music community. They share the same passion, interests and values.”
Because of the economic effects of COVID-19, lower tuition fees for private lessons and other programs will be offered this fall. Scholarships are available to students based on need and commitment.
“We are working to expand our scholarship funds through grants, donations and sponsorships to help families that have been negatively impacted by the pandemic,” Madrid said. Deadline to apply for a scholarship is Aug. 15.
Madrid said appropriate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention safety protocols, including wearing face coverings, maintaining social distancing and following sanitizing procedures, will be followed. Students, parents and teachers will have the flexibility to decide on lesson format: face to face, virtual or a hybrid structure.
A new String Project will be piloted in the spring. The nine public school districts with in Nacogdoches County and some surrounding districts will be invited to participate. String Project students will have the opportunity to learn to play a stringed instrument at a low tuition cost as part of an after school activity. The project will be grant and community funded.
Registration for private and group instruction can be completed online at sfamusicprep.com or by calling (936) 468-1291. Prices range from $20 to $180 per month, depending on frequency, type of lesson and lesson length.
The Music Prep House is located at 3028 Raguet St. Office hours are 1pm to 5pm Monday through Friday. Madrid can also be reached via email at madrida@sfasu.edu or musicprep@sfasu.edu. Parents can also find program information on Facebook and Instagram.
Fall class registration for music instruction through SFA’s Music Preparatory Division is underway. Lessons begin Aug. 17.
July 29, 2020 - Keeping the safety of their fellow students in mind when the campus opens this fall, five interior design seniors at Stephen F. Austin State University spent the summer working as interns for SFA’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness to collect data on classrooms and design safe learning environments for their classmates.
On June 8, Miriam Amador of Lufkin, April Cooper of Huntington, Osiel Mireles and Cristel Perez of Houston, and Brooke Ward of Dallas were tasked with taking measurements, inventorying and photographing all furniture and technological equipment, and documenting elements ranging from electrical outlets to floor, baseboard, wall and ceiling materials for nearly 400 rooms across campus, including auditoriums, gyms and laboratories.
“They had to assess every space that can possibly be used to teach a class,” said Sally Ann Swearingen, associate professor and internship coordinator for the interior design program at SFA.
The students are working through all their data to create floor plans for each SFA building to comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines by the first week of August. They’re also compiling spreadsheets with information to help faculty members know how many students are allowed in each learning space and how to arrange the furniture and technology in those spaces to meet physical distancing requirements.
The students’ finished floor plans, along with their proposed physical distancing furniture plans and occupant loads for each room and lab, will be posted on the Office of Institutional Effectiveness website. All faculty and staff will have full access to this site.
“This will be a great resource many people will be able to utilize even after the pandemic ends,” Swearingen said. “Everybody will have access to it, so faculty and staff, department chairs and deans will all know how each classroom should look.”
In return for their efforts, the interior design seniors are receiving a small stipend and credit for their interior design internship course.
Swearingen directed the students to approach this assignment as if they were completing a job for an interior design client.
“I believe in looking at a job to see how you can make others’ lives better,” Swearingen said. “This is a great way to illustrate to these students how to be resourceful and utilize their creative skills to assist their firm or client.”
The client for this project is John Calahan, director of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness at SFA.
“This has been a great group of students to work with,” Calahan said. “Their efforts are critical to the safe opening of the university in the fall. The data, analysis and plans they’ve developed set a new standard for information management regarding our academic spaces and will inform future decisions for the university.”
All five students have different strengths that contribute to the team, Cooper said.
“We have five different perspectives, so we’ve been able to eliminate any gaps in our COVID plan,” she said. “We were able to correct each other and prevent each other from missing something.”
One of the first needed strengths was proficiency in the Microsoft Teams application, which Amador provided. She helped team members use the tool to connect with each other and exchange large quantities of data, including photos of every piece of furniture and technological equipment encountered in each classroom. She also used the app to ensure her teammates uploaded complete information.
“Using Teams was key because we’re not all in the same location and we’re not online at the same time,” Amador said.
Amador and Ward led efforts to take the physical measurements of each room.
“We noted every door, every small nook, all the windows and electrical outlets,” Ward said. “We made sure electrical plans were accurate for the electrical team to come in later and create Zoom rooms.”
Cooper assessed the furniture in each room to help determine how it should be arranged and occupied for proper physical distancing among students in the fall.
Amador, Cooper and Ward uploaded digital copies of their measurements, drawings and notes in Microsoft Teams so Mireles and Perez could use computer-aided design software called AutoCAD to merge the information into floor plans for each room.
“We made the plans really simple to understand, even for someone who doesn’t know how to read floor plans,” Mireles said.
The interior design seniors have had to juggle jobs, other classes and commutes from out of town to complete this assignment. Cooper commutes from Huntington, Mireles commutes from Houston and Perez contributes remotely from Houston, where she’s working and taking two other courses.
Though the students knew each other from their junior year classes, this opportunity gave them the chance to learn from each other.
“It was great being able to work as a team even when we can’t be physically together,” Perez said. “That’s the challenge of COVID.”
Mireles and Perez transferred to SFA through the university’s interior design partnership with Houston Community College. They used Zoom to attend classes from Houston even before the pandemic.
“When we were in the Zoom classes, we all would see each other, but Cristel and I never would communicate with April or Brooke or Miriam,” Mireles said. “But this fall, I’ll feel comfortable texting them if I need help and vice versa.”
Swearingen said learning how to work with team members who have different schedules and live in different locations is good preparation for when these students graduate and begin working for global firms with offices in a variety of time zones.
“There are so many firms that have an office in London and another in Houston and another in New York,” she said. “We’re training them that this is how you work together.”
Swearingen added, “This group of students has done really well to brainstorm, talk among each other and work through issues and double-check each other. It takes a team effort.”
Perez said team members have been able to exchange different tips and tricks they picked up on their respective campuses.
“Osiel and I learned AutoCAD tricks from our HCC professors, while April, Brooke and Miriam had their own tricks from SFA professors,” Perez said. “We’ve picked the best of both worlds to apply in future projects.”
This internship also gives the interior design seniors experience — the ability to create COVID-19 plans for offices and workspaces — that more businesses will need as employees return to work during the pandemic.
“At the beginning, I just considered this a regular internship, but now, toward the end of it, I’m very proud of us,” Mireles said. “I feel like this is special for us because it reflects what’s going on in the real world. We can show potential employers our portfolio and tell them how we put our COVID plan together, and I think they’re going to be really impressed.”
The seniors said their fellow students should feel safer knowing SFA is meticulously following CDC guidelines while making preparations for the fall.
“We know what’s going on; we’re seeing it with our own eyes. We've been working many hours a week for the past two months to complete the project,” Ward said.
Perez added, “And we’re students, so other students know we care because we’re also attending classes here. We want to make it safe not just for us but for others, too.”
For more information on SFA’s reopening plans, visit sfasu.edu/fall2020.
Sally Ann Swearingen, far right, associate professor of interior design at Stephen F. Austin State University, assembled a team of five interior design seniors to help ensure safe learning environments for their fellow students when SFA reopens this fall. From left, Brooke Ward of Dallas, Cristel Perez and Osiel Mireles of Houston, April Cooper of Huntington and Miriam Amador of Lufkin spent the summer taking measurements, inventorying furniture and technological equipment, and documenting elements ranging from electrical outlets to floor, baseboard, wall and ceiling materials for nearly 400 rooms across campus to produce detailed floor plans for each SFA department and school. Their floor plans indicate how to arrange furniture to help ensure compliance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention physical distancing guidelines. They also produced spreadsheets with data to guide faculty members on the number of students allowed in each learning environment. Photo by Robin Johnson
By Jo Gilmore, marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.
July 28, 2020 Nacogdoches — Two separate virtual programs will allow Stephen F. Austin State University students and their parents to experience firsthand the academic rigors and student engagement that make the Lumberjack experience unique among institutions of higher education.
The two programs, Virtual Saturday and the Lumberjack Family Experience, will provide parents the opportunity to engage in informative livestream sessions with campus faculty and staff and have their questions answered about SFA’s programs and instruction.
“The objective of our virtual programs is not only to provide parents a deeper look into their own students’ experiences in the classroom and on campus, but also to provide an outlet for parents to get the answers they need as we approach the fall semester,” said Erma Nieto Brecht, SFA’s executive director of enrollment management. “We want parents to understand that, regardless if courses are delivered face-to-face or through distance-learning, their students will still be receiving the quality SFA experience they expect, no matter how they choose to build their schedule. And there is no better way to understand that than to experience it firsthand.”
Virtual Saturday
Free to any interested party, Virtual Saturday is intended to give parents and their students an immersive look at a livestream classroom setting. The 50-minute Zoom session will mirror that of an actual full Zoom class.
“We know parents have a lot of questions, and we think the best way to show them what their child’s class will be like is to let them join one,” said Dr. Joyce Johnston, associate dean in the College of Liberal and Applied Arts and the director of SFA’s Division of Multidisciplinary Programs. “We want to emphasize that however faculty members deliver their classes, students’ educational experiences are second to none. Their faculty members are supported by an outstanding team in the Center for Teaching and Learning who provide us training, innovation and technological support to help ensure high-quality distance education for all Lumberjacks.”
Those interested in participating may choose from among six 50-minute Zoom classes conducted by faculty members from each of SFA’s six colleges.
“Our hope is for family members to come away with a greater understanding of how much our faculty members care about our students,” Johnston said. “We hope they experience what their students will — that distance learning can be dynamic, engaging, innovative and enjoyable. Our faculty and our CTL constantly work to improve the students’ experience in the classroom, even the virtual one. Parents who choose to send their child to SFA can rest assured that faculty members will connect with and support all students.”
Understanding not everyone may possess the necessary technology to attend, Virtual Saturday classes will be recorded and posted online at a future date.
Seven Virtual Saturday sessions will be held Saturday, August 1 — three at 10 a.m., three at 11 a.m. and one at noon.
To register for a Virtual Saturday session, visit sfasu.edu/info-for/parents/virtual-saturday.
Lumberjack Family Experience
Hosted by SFA’s Office of Orientation and Transition Programs, the Lumberjack Family Experience offers parents several opportunities to connect with campus representatives from the comfort of their own home.
The Lumberjack Family Experience focuses on three main areas: student engagement, safety and academics. It is designed to allow parents and students to learn about the entire university experience.
Parents, guardians and family members of an incoming student for fall 2020 are invited to attend. During the event, university representatives will provide information and answer questions regarding the upcoming in-person Jack Camp Orientation, and there also will be a mock virtual classroom experience.
The Lumberjack Family Experience is scheduled for 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 5.
To register, visit sfasu.edu/orientation/first-year.
July 23, 2020 - While COVID-19 and Stephen F. Austin State University’s response to the pandemic were top concerns during the July quarterly meeting of the Board of Regents, actions taken were geared toward the future of the university.
Regents heard reports regarding the university’s plans to open campus for the fall semester and approved the budget for the upcoming academic year.
“This is the most complicated budget process we’ve ever been through,” said Dr. Danny Gallant, vice president for finance and administration. “We started with a flat budget and then reduced revenue projections an additional 5%. Based on instructions state agencies received from the governor’s office, the university reduced an additional $1.6 million to provide a biennial reduction of $3.65 million.”
The university received CARES Act funding of approximately $11 million, with $5.3 million allocated to student financial relief.
“We have disbursed to students who were eligible during the spring, and remaining funds will be available to students this fall,” Gallant said.
While some of the CARES Act funding was used to cover the costs of refunds distributed to students for housing, meal plans, parking and other fees, $2.6 million was allocated to classroom upgrades to facilitate distance learning, according to Dr. Steve Bullard, provost and vice president for academic affairs.
“Nearly 90 classrooms have been upgraded to support Zoom capabilities,” Bullard said. “They will function as lecture-style classrooms for students attending in person, and students joining the class via Zoom will see and hear the professor and be able to interact with the class.”
According to Bullard, as of July 17, 51% of SFA classes were slated to be face to face, 17% were online and 28% were hybrid, so that students can access the course in either manner.
“Options for students will continue to advance in coming weeks, as we move more of our course sections to distance-related options,” he said.
Budget reductions also necessitated freezes on hiring and university travel, as well as furloughs for staff members. The university also introduced a voluntary separation incentive plan being offered to employees who are eligible to retire, which was approved by regents.
“This is a way to reduce our payroll and eventually realize savings,” Gallant said. “It’s a great opportunity for those employees who have reached retirement eligibility, and also will be beneficial to the university.”
Gallant said according to university records, 220 current employees are eligible to participate in the program, and 57 employees have applied.
“The deadline is July 31, so we are likely to receive additional applications,” he said.
Regents heard an update regarding the renovation and addition to the Griffith Fine Arts Building and approved funding for a power-plant upgrade and associated utility infrastructure improvements at a cost not to exceed $2 million. They also approved roof replacement at the Norton Health and Physical Education Building.
Facility improvements being made at Johnson Coliseum have eliminated the need for a strength and conditioning room in a basement area of the building, which was approved by regents in 2018. Regents voted to return funding for the project, now totaling approximately $724,387, to the university’s designated fund balance.
Regents authorized SFA administrators to submit a legislative appropriations request to the Texas Legislature for capital funding to support the development of an interdisciplinary and applied sciences building, an agriculture and technology complex, and a special item request for programming funds to establish a center for applied research and rural innovation.
“These would be transformative for our campus and our region,” said Dr. Scott Gordon, SFA president. “However, we understand the current economic conditions of Texas and see funding for these projects as a long shot during this legislative session. We know from prior experience that even in these difficult times, we should present our requests and priorities, so we have compiled this proposal to indicate that we are looking to the future needs of the state and how SFA can help to meet those needs.”
The agriculture and technology complex would be located at SFA’s Todd Agricultural Research Center, a 490-acre complex located on U.S. Highway 259.
“In addition to agricultural engineering and industrial engineering technology programs, the facility would allow for the expansion of programs in areas that could include advanced manufacturing and industrial supervision, as well as programs such as veterinary technology and veterinary nursing,” Gordon said. “The facility for interdisciplinary and applied sciences would be connected to our Forestry Building and would build on the synergies between programs. It will include offices and classrooms for subjects including agriculture, biology, environmental and geospatial sciences, and geology.”
Regents approved the renewal of a five-year contract with EAB Global for the Navigate program, which includes a student success management platform and best-practice research. Regents also approved the use of quasi-endowment funds by the College of Liberal and Applied Arts to support the redesign of core curriculum courses.
“Merely adopting the latest textbooks does not mean the overall structure of an academic program is providing the integrated knowledge base a student should possess upon graduation,” said Dr. Brian Murphy, dean of the College of Liberal and Applied Arts. “Most students in a core course are not majors in the instructor’s discipline, and the aim of our redesign is to make a core course meaningful, interesting, and relevant at the current time and five years after the student graduates.”
Murphy said educators must adapt in order to teach the skill sets that are relevant in the marketplace.
“Our faculty members are adopting the pedagogical approaches that have been identified as facilitating this transition, such as experiential learning and gamification,” he said.
Regents also approved funding for the purchase and replacement of computers and cloud software, as well as grant awards, changes in course fees and the online-only fee, and policy revisions.
Regents heard reports from SFA President Gordon; Dr. Andrew Lannen, chair of the Faculty Senate; and Christopher Moore, Student Government Association president. Members elected the individuals who serve in positions that report to the board and approved:
- minutes from previous meetings
- holiday schedule for 2020-21
- annual audit plan and audit services report
- and curriculum changes and low-producing programs.
To view recorded meetings of the SFA Board of Regents, visit sfasu.edu/regents.
July 23, 2020 - The appointments of three Stephen F. Austin State University faculty members to serve in interim leadership roles were approved by the Board of Regents during a regularly scheduled meeting today.
Matthew Beauregard, professor of mathematics and statistics, was named interim chair of the Department of Physics, Engineering and Astronomy. Beauregard holds a degree from the University of New Hampshire and a master’s degree and doctorate from the University of Arizona at Tucson. He joined the SFA faculty in 2014.
Kevin Langford, associate professor of biology and director of pre-health professions programs, is serving as interim chair of the Department of Biology. Langford joined the SFA faculty in 2002 and holds degrees from SFA and a doctoral degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Chay Runnels, associate professor of human sciences, was approved to serve as interim director of the School of Human Sciences. Runnels holds degrees from the University of Texas and a doctoral degree from SFA and joined the SFA faculty in 2005. She replaces Dr. Lynda Martin, whose retirement was approved by regents.
Also in the education college, Ginney Love Watkins, a master teacher in the Early Childhood Lab, was approved as a visiting assistant professor of human sciences. Kelly Finnerud, who previously served as a teacher aide and substitute teacher, was appointed to a teaching position at the Charter School. Ande Wallace also was approved as a Charter School teacher.
Elizabeth Gound’s promotion to assistant professor of elementary education was approved by regents, and Tonya Jeffery and Kevin Jones were approved as new assistant professors of education studies. Other approvals included Jill Pruett, clinical instructor of human sciences; Elaine Turner, assistant professor of human services and educational leadership; and Robyn Whitehead, assistant professor of kinesiology.
Appointments in the College of Sciences and Mathematics included Jeremy Becnel, a professor of mathematics and statistics, who was approved to serve as a professor of computer science. The appointment of Dipak Singh as an assistant professor of computer science also was approved.
Jordan Baker, Morgan Benton, Sherry Cheever and Ashley Goar were approved as clinical instructors of nursing.
New faculty members in the College of Fine Arts included Margaret Fay, visiting assistant professor of music, and James Taylor, lecturer of sound recording technology.
In the College of Liberal and Applied Arts, Christine Bishop and Ronald Rush were approved as assistant professors of social work. Gregory Smith is a lecturer for languages, cultures and communication, and Spencer Willardson is an assistant professor of government.
In Human Resources, John Wyatt was promoted from assistant director to associate director. The promotions of Lisa Balty and Deja Peterson from human resources representatives to senior human resources representatives were approved, as was the promotion of Kimberly Odems, from specialist III to senior human resources representative.
Tanner Boyd and Colleen Gallagher were approved to serve as assistant general counsels to the university. Deborah Rossler was approved as construction project manager in the Physical Plant.
The appointment of Marcus Walker as assistant football coach was approved by regents, as was the promotion of Aidan Pool, from athletic training graduate assistant to athletic trainer.
Faculty development leave was approved for Jane Long, mathematics and statistics, for the spring 2022 semester.
Regents approved the retirement of Gary Kronrad and his appointment as Professor Emeritus of forestry and environmental science. Other retirements approved included Neill Armstrong, secondary education; Larry Bishop, English and creative writing; Regina Brown and Cynthia McCarley, nursing; Deborah Cady and Robbie Steward, human services; Jere Jackson, Center for East Texas Studies; Marcus Madden, University Police Department; and Karren Price, government.
July 22, 2020 - A station completely free of seven major food allergens is one of several new features in an extensive, ongoing renovation to Stephen F. Austin State University’s Baker Pattillo Student Center dining hall.
Other major features include a dedicated “plant-forward” produce station to replace the former salad bar, a redesigned bakery allowing for confectionary pickup orders, a meat carvery station that will focus on lean meats, and the implementation of various physical distancing and health safety measures.
Construction began in April and is scheduled to be complete before the start of the fall semester.
“Because there are millions of people with food allergies, we knew we needed to better serve our students by having a more inclusive concept in the dining hall,” explained Carrie Charley, SFA’s director of auxiliary services. “In a commercial kitchen, it is nearly impossible to prevent cross-contamination. At this new allergen-aware station, all ingredients are kept separate from other dining hall menu items from the moment they arrive on the student center’s back dock until the moment the dish is served.”
The innovative meals offered through the station will be free of seven of the eight most common food allergens: milk, egg, peanut, tree nut, soy, wheat and shellfish. The eighth allergen, finfish, was kept to provide sufficient protein variety, Charley said.
“For the past several years, we’ve been tracking how many students have dietary restrictions, and that number has increased,” said Jill Hamilton, an Aramark senior specialist registered dietitian. “The allergen awareness station was added to make it easier for those with restrictions to identify offerings. Even if someone doesn’t have an allergy, I think they will still enjoy the station.”
While some dietary restrictions are based on a diner’s personal preferences, food allergies are not, and exposure to certain food products can be potentially dangerous to students with those allergies. Allergen-aware staff members will prepare dishes using dedicated kitchenware and utensils that have been thoroughly washed and sanitized between uses.
SFA has, for years, utilized allergen and nutritional information cards, which are placed near each dish at dining hall stations. The new dedicated station is the next step toward ensuring increased levels of student health awareness and dietary flexibility.
While universities nationwide are expanding their allergen-aware accommodations, SFA “might be one of the first to also use this new space as a teaching kitchen,” Charley said. “Once we are able to safely do so, we hope to host teaching tutorials and cooking competitions from this space in the evenings and during special events. We have special seating designed around the area that is movable and customizable for small groups.”
The concept of plant-forward offerings, which emphasizes “healthy plants at the center of the plate with a proportionally small quantity of animal protein,” Hamilton explained, is not a new one. SFA began adding plant-forward dishes two years ago, including such offerings as lentil “meat” loaf, grilled veggie skewers and cauliflower wings.
Several other stations in the dining hall also offer plant-forward dishes, but the newly revamped and expanded plant-forward produce station will provide a dedicated space for and expansion of these offerings. It also provides more flexible and diverse options for vegan and vegetarian diets, although every station also includes a vegan dish.
“I am super excited about the new produce station,” Charley said. “According to Dataessential, nearly 40% of Americans say they are eating less red meat and are seeking more vegetables. This trend is called ‘plant forward,’ putting plants (fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, beans) at the center of your plate. This renovation bursts open the doors to new possibilities for dining on our campus with a fresh perspective, fresh ingredients and a bright new landscape to enjoy meals together.”
Aside from expanding food options, the student center dining hall renovation also has updated food service procedures and modernized seating and dining aesthetics.
“The entrance to the dining hall has been expanded by 16 feet and provides a more open view into the entire facility,” Charley said. “There are three self-check-in stations and also pre-packaged to-go meals available.”
With the outbreak of COVID-19, additional safety and distancing measures were added to the renovation project, including the design of 25%, 50% and 75% capacity seating plans by architects Tipton Associates, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
“With those plans, we will be able to adjust as needed before it is time to load the furniture in,” Charley said. “Most of the crowd control and occupancy management will be handled by the dining team, with the cooperation of our guests. The new check-in stations are self-swipe, and the dining team will serve food rather than having self-service, keeping things as contactless as possible. We now also have outdoor seating available facing the beautiful view down Vista Drive.”
Visual cues will be implemented throughout the hall to keep diners at a safe distance from each other. Sneeze guards have been a standard fixture in all dining halls, but extra guards were added to fill gaps.
“Face masks are required to be worn while in line and walking from station to station,” Charley added. “You also will see staff members in masks and frequently cleaning throughout the day. You might see that a station is temporarily closed during 15-minute intervals for deep cleaning and utensil replacement.”
For more information on fall 2020 dining options and updates, visit the “Dining” section on sfasu.edu/fall2020.
A digital rendering of Stephen F. Austin State University’s Baker Pattillo Student Center dining hall renovation project provides a glimpse of the facility’s modernized look. The project is scheduled to be complete before the start of the fall semester and includes plans for social distancing and increased student safety.
By Christine Broussard, marketing communications coordinator at Stephen F. Austin State University.
Contact: University Marketing Communications (936) 468-2605
July 17, 2020 Nacogdoches — Despite being in the midst of global change, Stephen F. Austin State University has announced significant enrollment increases in both of its summer semesters.
“SFA’s summer enrollment increases are a testament to a number of exciting things,” said Dr. Scott Gordon, SFA president. “First and foremost, it’s an indication that now more than ever, people understand the value and importance of pursuing higher education. It also reaffirms our campus community’s excitement of and investment in our new Lumberjack Education Assistance Program, which was approved by the Board of Regents in April, and that our swift work to expand flexible learning options allowed students to take classes from anywhere, regardless of their situation.”
According to data collected through SFA’s Office of Institutional Research, summer I experienced an 8.8% increase in student enrollment, jumping from 3,741 in 2019 to 4,071 in 2020, or a difference of 330 students. Undergraduate headcount comprises the main difference, jumping 13% from last year’s summer I semester.
Summer II headcount is up by 10%, jumping from 3,109 in 2019 to 3,422 in 2020, or a difference of 313 students. Undergraduate and graduate headcount totals both increased for summer II, with undergraduate increasing by 10% and graduate by 11%.
“Expanding our flexible learning options has clearly resonated with students who still seek to learn in a rapidly changing world,” said Gordon. “Also, it is exciting that many SFA employees and their family members are taking advantage of LEAP because this helps promote our Strategic Plan’s goal by attracting and supporting high-quality faculty and staff.”
For summer I, the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture reported the highest overall percentage increase at 48%, or an addition of 93 students. Summer I credit hours also increased by 7.8% overall, with the largest volume credit hour increase in undergraduate sciences and mathematics.
For summer II, the College of Sciences and Mathematics reported the highest overall headcount increase at 41%, or an addition of 169 students. Summer II credit hours increased by approximately 10%, with the largest volume credit hour increase in undergraduate sciences and mathematics.
For additional enrollment data, visit sfasu.edu/ir.
By Christine Broussard, marketing communications coordinator at Stephen F. Austin State University.
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