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SHSU Update For Week Of Oct. 12

Health Center To Vaccinate Faculty, Staff
Enrollment Continues To Rise
Published Bearkats To Read Their Works
Physics Colloquium To Feature Rice Professor
Assistant Dean Of Students To Share ‘Roots’
Rescheduled Job Fair Brings 77 Companies To Campus
Theatre To Show ‘Scenes From an Execution’
French Groups To Host Book Sale
Octubafest To Feature School, Guest Artists
Music To Present Choirs, Composition Performances

Childhood Class Helps Break Reading Record
Biology Profs, Students Present At Aquatics Conference
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Health Center To Vaccinate Faculty, Staff

The SHSU Student Health Center will administer the influenza vaccine at no charge to faculty and staff on Tuesday (Oct. 14) and Wednesday (Oct. 15), from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Lowman Student Center Atrium.

In order to receive a flu shot, employees must present their SHSU identification cards (Bearkat OneCard) prior to receiving the vaccine and are asked to come prepared with sleeves that can be easily adjusted to expose their shoulder.

“There will be an area to disrobe with privacy screens, but an easily accessible injection site will make the process faster and more comfortable,” said SHC health programming coordinator Sarah Hanel.

Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that can lead to mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death.

“In addition to the flu vaccine, the most essential things employees can do to avoid the spread of flu is to consistently wash their hands, avoid rubbing their noses, eyes and mouths, and continue a healthy lifestyle,” Hanel said.

About two weeks after vaccination, antibodies that provide protection against influenza virus infection develop in the body. Despite commonly believed myths, a person cannot contract the flu from the flu vaccine.

“The Student Health Center’s mission is prevention and education," Hanel said. "Our goal is to minimize the spread of the flu on campus and keep students, faculty and staff healthy. The only cost to SHSU employees wanting the vaccine is their time spent waiting in line."

Supplies are limited and the vaccine will be administered on a first come, first served basis.

The shot will not be administered to any person younger than 17 years old or who is pregnant or nursing.

For more information about the influenza vaccine or the administration process, visit www.shsu.edu/healthcenter or call 936.294.1805.

Enrollment Continues To Rise

Sam Houston State University is continuing to break enrollment records this fall, with 16,663 students taking classes this semester.

The fall 2008 figure is over 200 students more than last fall’s enrollment of 16,416.

The total is SHSU’s preliminary enrollment number, determined on the 20th class day.

Published Bearkats To Read Their Works

SHSU students, faculty, staff and alumni whose work was selected for publication in the most recent edition of the “Sam Houston State Review” will share their writings on Tuesday (Oct. 14).

The readings will be held at 7 p.m. in Austin Hall.

The Sam Houston State Review is an annual publication of poetry, short fiction, and essays written by members of the SHSU community, including undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff and alumni.

"As a student-run literary journal, we're pleased to be able to provide a venue for writers here at Sam, and we're certainly excited to be able to offer this event,” said Scott Kaukonen, assistant professor of English and the faculty adviser for the Review. “The reading is a chance for us to celebrate the literary arts on campus, and for us to be able to hear the stories and poems in the writers' own voices."

This year’s edition includes fiction by Allison Sellers, Zach VandeZande, Melanie Sweeney, and David Quarles; essays by Scott McCarrey and Deborah Greene; and poetry by Audrey K. Miller, Debby Carpenter, Joshua Bowen, Jennifer Fox, Rhéma Hill, Vanessa Mayberry, Judy Shofner, Abby Stewart, and Sellers.

The cover features the artwork of Sarah L. Miller, a pen and ink drawing on canvas paper with digital media, entitled “Feel My Light Series II.”

Students from Kaukonen’s “Practicum in Publishing” course helped to produce the review, which is published by the Texas Review Press.
"It's our goal each year to produce the best possible literary journal we can—from the cover art to the interior design to the stories and poems themselves," Kaukonen said.

Beginning Nov. 15, the review will begin accepting submissions for its 2008-09 issue. The process is competitive.

The reading is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served and copies of the journal will be available.

For more information, contact Kaukonen at kaukonen@shsu.edu or the SHSU Review staff at shsureview@yahoo.com.

Physics Colloquium To Feature Rice Professor

Rice physics professor Rui-Rui Du will discuss “5/2 State in a High Density Quantum Well” on Tuesday (Oct. 14).

The discussion will be held from 3-4 p.m. in Farrington Building Room 209.

At Rice, Du teaches in the areas of solid state physics, nanoscience and nanotechnology.

He earned his bachelor’s degree at Fudan University in China and his doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He also completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Princeton University.

For more information, call the physics department at 936.294.1601.

Assistant Dean Of Students To Share ‘Roots’

Assistant dean of students Jeanine Bias will discuss and answer questions about her life on Wednesday (Oct. 15).

The Grassroots speaker series lecture will be held at 5 p.m. in Academic Building IV's Olson Auditorium.

Bias is a San Antonio native and SHSU alumna who earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. She is also currently completing her Master of Public Administration from Texas State University—San Marcos.

Bias has spent her entire professional career in student affairs. Prior to coming to SHSU, she has worked at University of Texas at San Antonio and Texas State University— San Marcos.

As assistant dean of students at SHSU, her areas of responsibility include the Orange Keys, FLASH student mentor program, BOLD leadership program, Bearkat Family Weekend, Student Absence Notification, and she serves as adviser to Alpha Lambda Delta and the SHSU Parents' Association.
Following the discussion, a meet-and-greet with refreshments will be held in the Student Advising and Mentoring Center, located in ABIV Room 210.

“Grassroots: A Series of Conversations on Leadership in a Diverse Community” is sponsored by the academic support programs of the Student Advising and Mentoring Center; the Elliott T. Bowers Honors Program; the International Hispanic Association; Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc.; the NAACP; the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program; Omega Delta Phi Fraternity, Inc.; and Women United.

For more information, contact Bernice Strauss, director of academic support programs for the SAM Center, at 936.294.4455.

Rescheduled Job Fair Brings 77 Companies To Campus

More than 77 companies and organizations will be scouting out potential employees and interns during the 2008 Career Expo on Wednesday (Oct. 15).

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the City of Houston Public Library, C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., the Disney Company and numerous banks and police departments from many of Texas’ metropolitan areas will be among those available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. that day in the Johnson Coliseum.

A number of graduate schools will also be on hand for those considering furthering their education.

“If students register on ‘Jobs 4 Kats’ (before the expo), they can get a specific, detailed list of the companies that are coming, what majors they are looking for and what positions they are hiring for, full-time, part-time or internship,” said Vinessa Mundorff, Career Services employment specialist.

Students also can register on Jobs 4 Kats after the job fair to find that information.

All attendees are encouraged to dress professionally and bring multiple copies of their résumés.

The originally-scheduled event, set for Sept. 17, was postponed due to Hurricane Ike.

For more information, call Career Services at 936.294.1713, or to sign up for Jobs 4 Kats, visit https://www.myinterfase.com/shsu/student/.

Theatre To Show ‘Scenes From an Execution’

The SHSU Department of Theatre and Dance will present an “externally-complex and fractious relationship between the artist and the state” with a unique twist during its production of “Scenes from an Execution” Wednesday through Saturday (Oct. 15-18).

Show times for SHSU’s Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival entry are at 8 p.m. each day, with a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee, in the University Theatre Center’s Mainstage Theatre.

Galactia, a 15th century female Venetian painter, is commissioned by the State of Venice to paint The Battle of Lepanto, “the greatest triumph of Venetian history.”

But when her 1,000 square-foot canvas contains an interpretation that upsets the Doge and the Cardinal, the two commission Galactia’s lover, Carpeta, to paint a depiction that is more to their likings.

Thus the battle over truth, freedom and responsibility is engaged.

In a unique twist, theatre faculty member and production director David McTier cast two actresses, Adrianna Jones and Ashley Lowe, to play the single lead role in order to represent the public and private sides of the painter’s life.

The cast also includes theatre and musical theatre majors Mike Sims as Doge Urgentino, Michael Keeney as Cardinal Ostensible, Marcus Cumby as Suffici/Lasangna, John Ryan DelBosque as Prodo, Maegan De La Rosa as the Sketchbook, Sara Luke as Supporta, Josh Fehrmann as Sordo/Pastaccio, Yliana Arredondo as Dementia, Garret Storms as Carpeta and Margaret Hoffman as Rivera.

The stage manager is senior theatre major Sara Hodgin, and designers include Bich Do (costumes), Nathan Stanaland (set), Eric Marsh (lights) and Seth Bales (assistant sound).

“Scenes from an Execution” contains adult language, adult content and nudity; therefore, children under the age of three will not be admitted.

Tickets are $10 for general admission, or $8 for SHSU students and senior citizens. Group rates are also available.

For more information, call the UTC Box Office at 936.294.1339.

French Groups To Host Book Sale

The Pi Delta Phi National French Honor Society and the French Club will bid adieu to some old materials next week with their annual French book sale.

The sale, held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the first floor of the Evans Building, will include books, magazines, music LPs and more, all in French.

“Some books are new and some are old but not necessarily used,” said Shirin Edwin, assistant professor of French. “Most books were left behind by faculty who worked here at some point.

“We host this annually because we have lots of books left over from the sales every year,” she said.

Proceeds from the sale benefit the SHSU Eta Iota chapter of Pi Delta Phi and will be used to pay the honorary memberships that are extended to faculty and staff members or others who promote the French culture.

“Although we collect dues from regular members, the honorary memberships are free and the chapter pays those,” Edwin said.

Membership into Pi Delta Phi is by invitation only for French majors and minors who have a minimum overall grade point average of 3.0 and a 3.5 GPA in French.

The French Club is open to anyone who speaks the language or is interested in the culture.

For more information, contact Edwin at 936.294.4732 or see001@shsu.edu.

Octubafest To Feature School, Guest Artists

The School of Music will celebrate the month of “Octuba” during a series of brass performances beginning Sunday (Oct. 12).

Students from the euphonium and tuba studios will kick off Octubafest that day by performing a wide variety of solos for the instruments, some accompanied by the piano, at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall.

On Thursday (Oct. 16), a faculty recital, featuring euphonium professor Henry Howey, tuba professor Robert Daniel and joined by new staff accompanist and professor Kaju Lee, will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall.

During the performance, trumpet professor Randy Adams will accompany Howey, who will also perform a piece by Alan Hovhannes with the saxophone quartet.

“Included in Daniel's repertoire will be a wonderful and challenging piece by the contemporary German composer, Rolf Wilhelm,” Daniel said.

On Oct. 20, guest artist Oystein Baadsvik, a Norwegian tuba soloist, will stop at SHSU to perform a recital at 8 p.m. in the Recital Hal.
“He is arguably the finest tuba soloist in the world today,” Daniel said. “He is a gifted artist with a rare talent that will certainly amaze and thrill everyone present.”

Baadsvik will also conduct a masterclass that day, working with students to help perfect their craft, from 3-5 p.m. in Music Building Room 201.

Octubafest will culminate on Nov. 2, when the SHSU Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble and the Tuba-Euphonium Quartet will play various chamber groups featuring the tuba or euphonium.

The student ensemble recital will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall.

All Octubafest performances are free and open to the public.

For more information, call the School of Music at 936.294.1360.

Music To Present Choirs, Composition Performances

The School of Music will “double your pleasure” during a choir performance and show off the skills of its music composition professors during two concerts beginning Sunday (Oct. 12).

The SHSU Concert Choir and Women's Chorus will perform the “Missa brevis,” or the short setting of the mass, of Joseph Haydn and Benjamin Britten that day, at 6:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church.

“Doubling Your Pleasure,” the Concert Choir will begin their performance with Haydn's “Little Organ Mass,” while the Women's Chorus will begin with Britten's "Missa Brevis in D," and then follow with both groups performing contemporary Hungarian compositions and Americana selections, according to James Franklin, associate director of choral activities.

“Both works were composed for choir and organ,” he said. “The Haydn mass, which is scored for violins and cello, will feature five School of Music faculty, four of which are new to the university.”

The concert is free and open to the public.

On Tuesday (Oct. 14), original School of Music professors’ works will be featured during the faculty composition recital, at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall.

Different student ensembles, as well as some professors themselves, will perform the new pieces, including two by John Crabtree, three by Trent Hanna and one each by Carlo Vincetti Frizzo, Kyle Kindred and Brian Herrington. All five are music composition professors.

Admission is free, and the concert is open to the public.

For more information, call the School of Music at 936.294.1360.

Childhood Class Helps Break Reading Record

Gibbs Elementary students show off (or hide behind) their copies of Don Freeman's "Corduroy," given to them by SHSU students in Maggie McGuire's early childhood classes.

Children at Gibbs Elementary School in Huntsville got an added surprise when Maggie McGuire’s early childhood students came to the school to “Read for the Record” on Sept. 30 and Oct. 2.

While the ECE 323 students usually donate the book they read to the classroom for its library, this year McGuire decided to have her students purchase the book and give one to each student to whom they read.

“The kids were just delighted; they were so excited,” said McGuire, assistant professor in the language, literacy and special populations department.

“Read for the Record” is a nation-wide Jumpstart program held annually that encourages participants to read to more kids than have ever been read to before. Proceeds from book sales through Jumpstart are used to purchase books for children who don’t have them.

The program, which is growing annually, was featured on Good Morning America this year, with celebrities including rap musicians and movie stars reading to kids.

Preliminary figures for this year’s read, held Oct. 2, show that 425,565 were read to, which has broken last year’s total.

“They try to get more and more kids read to each year,” McGuire said. “This year, my four different classes read to about 700 kids (at Gibbs and other locations).”

McGuire and SHSU students, who read Don Freeman’s “Corduroy” as this year’s selection, donated approximately 330 books to the Gibbs Elementary pre-kindergarten students. McGuire also purchased books in Spanish for Gibbs’ bilingual population.

“The purpose is to get books into the hands of kids, and that’s why I thought it was so important to have books in Spanish for the 60 bilingual kids at Gibbs, so the parents could read to them,” she said. “We want kids to be read to; we want kids to enjoy books.”

Biology Profs, Students Present At Aquatics Conference

Chad Hargrave and Raelynn Deaton, assistant professors in the biological sciences department, were recently invited to participate in a panel discussion for a student career workshop at the Oklahoma Texas Aquatics Research Group Conference.

During the conference, held Sept. 26-27 at the University of Oklahoma Biological Station at Lake Texoma, Deaton shared with students how to prepare an application dossier, while Hargrave discussed the job interview process.

Several SHSU students also presented during the meeting on topics related to aquatic ecology, fish ecology and behavior.

The students include Chris Kroll, James Cureton, Rachel Martin, Samir Rosado, Landis Shoemaker, Laura Gaides and Samir Rosado.

Send Update Items Here

Information for the SHSU Update can be sent to the Office of Public Relations electronically at Today@Sam.edu or to any of the media contacts listed below.

Please include the date, location and time of the event, as well as a brief description and a contact person.

All information for news stories should be sent to the office at least a week in advance to give the PR staff ample time to make necessary contacts and write the story.

For electronic access to SHSU news see the Public Relations Web page Today@Sam.

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SHSU Media Contacts: Julia May, Jennifer Gauntt
Oct. 12, 2008
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu

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Writer: Jennifer Gauntt
Located in the 115 Administration Building
Telephone: 936.294.1836; Fax: 936.294.1834

Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu.

SHSU 'In the News'

Brian Domitrovic, assistant professor of history, appeared on Book TV (C-SPAN) May 1-2, speaking about his recent book "Econoclasts: The Rebels Sparked the Supply Side Revolution and Restored American Prosperity" (www.econoclasts.net).

Houston Chronicle education writer Jeannie Kever recently turned to Regents Professor of English Paul Ruffin for his views on university presses moving toward "digital books" as opposed to traditional ink-on-paper."We're fulfilling the ancient role of the university press, and that is to produce books," said Paul Ruffin, the Texas poet laureate for 2009 and director of the Texas Review Press at Sam Houston State University. "I don't want to give up the book because it is an art."