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SHSU Update For Week Of April 3
- Beto Chair Lecture To Focus On Corporate Crime
- ‘High-Pressure Culture’ Documentary To Be Presented
- Football Game To Drive For Political Fellowship
- Baylor Med Prof To Give Lecture On DNA Replication
- Undergrads To Present Research For One-Day Conference
- Dancers To Go ‘Beyond’ For Spectrum Concert
- Concerts To Span 18th Century To Modern Music
- Art Students To Present Work For Juried Show
- CJ Organization Re-launches On Campus
- Event To Guide Students From ‘Backpack To Briefcase’
- SHSU Faculty, Alumni Earn National Awards
- Leadership Command College Graduates 65th Class
- Send Update Items Here
Beto Chair Lecture To Focus On Corporate Crime
John Braithwaite, a professor in the law program at Australian National University, will discuss "Corporate Crime in the Pharmaceutical Industry Today" as part of the College of Criminal Justice’s Beto Chair Lecture series on Thursday (April 7).
The presentation will be from 9:30-11 a.m. in the Criminal Justice Center’s auditorium.
Braithwaite, an Australian Research Council Federation Fellow and founder of Regulatory Institutions Network at ANU, is best known for his research on responsive regulation and restorative justice both in criminal and business crime.
As a major force in the restorative justice movement, his 1989 book “Crime, Shame and Reintegration,” argued that criminal justice practices tend to stigmatize offenders, while restorative justice, through mediation with offenders and citizens, helps repair the social harm caused by crime.
He also applied restorative justice principals to the business community and developed responsive regulations in such industries as mining, health care and nursing homes.
His 1984 “Corporate Crime in the Pharmaceutical Industry,” an exposé revealing illegal practices in the pharmaceutical industry—including bribery, false advertising, fraud in the safety testing of drugs, unsafe manufacturing processes, smuggling and international law evasion—was based on interviews with 131 senior executives in the industry in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico and Guatemala.
As a result of his studies, Braithwaite founded RegNet, which is comprised of scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds who work in the field of regulation and governance.
RegNet’s aim is to challenge and advance understanding of and approaches to issues through a regulatory framework that develops evidence-based theory, policy and practice.
Among the areas of study are human security, policing, environment, cyber crime, illicit organizations and markets, intellectual property and the governance of knowledge, development, peace building, human rights, international law, micro foundations of democratic governance, health and occupational health, and safety.
Braithwaite received his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Queensland in Australia. He was a Meyer Visiting Research Professor at New York University Law School, a visiting fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellow and visiting lecturer at the University of California in Irvine.
For more information, contact Beth Kuhles, College of Criminal Justice public relations officer, at 936.294.4425.
‘High-Pressure Culture’ Documentary To Be Presented
The College of Education and the Division of Student Services will present “Race to Nowhere,” a grassroots documentary film by Vicki Abeles, on Monday (April 4) in the Lowman Student Center Theater at 3 p.m.
The film depicts Abeles’s frustrations with the education system after one of her young children began taking anxiety medication. She expresses what she sees as fault with the high-pressure culture of the system by featuring the stories of youth from all different backgrounds.
The documentary seeks to show that children are not learning how to succeed, but are following in the anxious and stressed-out patterns of their parents, even turning to violence.
“As a mother, I have experienced the stress firsthand and realized that no one was talking about it,” said Abeles. “I saw kids who were anxious, depressed, physically ill, checking out, abusing drugs and, worst case, attempting suicide. I felt compelled to speak out about this crisis by making a film and giving voice to the students, teachers, and parents. I wanted to expose the deeper truths about our education system.”
Though the film targets the educational system, educators have embraced its critical yet hopeful message.
A blog will be at http://shsuracetonowhere.wordpress.com on the day of the presentation.
Football Game To Drive For Political Fellowship
The Political Science Junior Fellows will host their fourth annual Democrats versus Republicans Charity Football game on Saturday (April 9) at Pritchett Field.
The teams, which will raise funds for the local YMCA and the John Holcombe Scholarship Fund, will face off at noon.
“This is a good way to have fun while also doing something good for the community,” said Cameron Goodman, junior fellows secretary.
For the past three years, the Junior Fellows’ annual charity football game has brought together students, faculty, and members of the community to promote inter-party cooperation and to raise funds for local causes.
Beginning four months before the game, the players volunteer at local venues, with Democrats and Republicans working alongside one another to help the community.
“It’s a good way to build relationships with people who hold different views,” Goodman said. “Although it’s not always apparent on game day, we actually begin practicing three or four months in advance. While not always building football skills, it does promote friendship and camaraderie.”
The spirit of the game was captured by the late John Holcombe, who, when asked to serve as honorary coach of the Democrats in 2008 responded, “Yes, political parties should have fun together.”
To play in the game, players are asked to donate between $100 and $150 dollars, agree to a certain number of “practices” and assist with volunteer events in the community.
Last year, the contest raised $3,000, with more than half of the proceeds raised by personal donations from the players themselves. Over the last three years, the event has raised $7,400.
“We have a two-party system, and the parties should offer different solutions to many problems,” said junior fellows president Dana Angello. “But there are some local causes, such as education, that the parties can work together on, and we want to encourage that.”
Various officials from both parties will be on hand to lead the coin toss, serve as honorary coaches, and adjudicate disputed calls.
Attendance is free and many family-friendly activities will be offered, including sack races, hula-hoops, and a Frisbee toss contest. After the game, YMCA kids and teens will participate in a Republican versus Democrat tug-of-war contest.
For more information, contact junior fellows adviser Mike Yawn at 936.294.1456.
Baylor Med Prof To Give Lecture On DNA Replication
Jade Wang, an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine, will present a lecture on “DNA Replication: A Bacterial Story” as part of the Biological Sciences department’s first annual research symposium on Friday (April 8).
Wang’s discussion will be presented over dinner during the event, which can be attended by anyone with a special interest in the topic by special arrangement, according to biology graduate student Jeff Goessling.
Wang is an assistant professor in Baylor College of Medicine’s departments of molecular and human genetics, biochemistry and molecular biology, and molecular virology. She is a co-director of the interdepartmental graduate program in cellular and molecular biology.
Wang's lab currently focuses on control of bacterial DNA replication by nutritional availability, the conflicts between replication and transcription and the mechanism by which they are resolved, and genome organization and replication stress in B. subtilis (Bacillus subtilis, known also as the hay bacillus or grass bacillus) and E. coli.
She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in physics from McGill University in Canada and her doctorate in biochemistry from the University of California, San Francisco.
She became a microbiologist and genomicist during her postdoctoral work with Alan Grossman at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Wang is a recipient of a National Institute of Heath Director's New Innovator Award (2008-2013) and is the winner of the 2010 Rosalind Franklin Young Investigator Award by the Genetics Society of America and the Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation.
Those interested in attending the lecture should contact Madhu Choudhary, assistant professor of biological sciences, at 936.294.4850.
Undergrads To Present Research For One-Day Conference
Twenty-two undergraduates in the College of Criminal Justice will present their work, while the college recognizes the winner of its research competition, during the Third Annual Undergraduate Research Conference on Wednesday (April 6).
Six posters and 11 PowerPoint presentations will be displayed from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Criminal Justice Center's Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom.
Undergraduate students were invited to submit an original research poster or paper in December with the possibility of winning $500 in scholarships and be recognized at the annual Honors Convocation on April 28.
Six scholarships, ranging from $200 to $500, will be announced on April 6 for the top presentations.
The Undergraduate Research Conference was created to give criminal justice students an opportunity to show off their research and presentation skills, which are in high demand in the job market. It also allows students to test the water to further their education through graduate studies or law school, according to Holly Miller, College of Criminal Justice assistant dean for undergraduate programs.
"I wanted to give students the opportunity to get more involved in research and to get in front of people to present," Miller said. "They need to show off their analytical skills. I am also hoping some of the students show interest in graduate or law schools. This helps them prepare better."
For more information, contact Beth Kuhles, College of Criminal Justice public relations officer, at 936.294.4425.
Dancers To Go ‘Beyond’ For Spectrum Concert
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| Senior dance major Katie McMann practices Andy Noble's work, "Landing Light," which will be one of the many performed as part of "Dance Spectrum: Beyond" April 6-9. —Photo by Lynn Lane |
The SHSU dance program will feature alumni and student-recognized performances as part of the “Dance Spectrum: Beyond” presentation Wednesday through Saturday (April 6-9) in the Performing Arts Center Dance Theater.
Performances will begin at 8 p.m. each evening, with a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee.
The concert will feature students performing modern and ballet pieces choreographed by dance faculty members, including Jennifer Pontius, Jonathan Charles, Andy Noble, Dionne Noble and Erin Reck.
“Beyond” also will feature guest alumnae Alicia Carlin and Julie Holcombe performing an aerial dance, and senior Bachelor of Fine Arts candidate Jessica Cantu's “Just Let Me Breathe,” which was honored by inclusion in the gala concert of the American College Dance Festival South-Central conference.
“Aerial dance is done on silk ropes that are rigged; dancers are on the ropes,” said Pontius, who is also the dance program coordinator. “It is super cool.
“Alicia and Julie are members of Blue Lapis Light, a professional aerial dance company in Austin,” Pontius said. “They dance from skyscrapers there; it's amazing. The choreography Alicia and Julie will perform here is their own, though, not from Blue Lapis Light's repertory.”
Tickets are $15 for general admission and $12 for students and senior citizens.
For more information, call the dance program at 936.294.1875, and for tickets call 936.294.2339.
Concerts To Span 18th Century To Modern Music
Flute soloists and an ensemble of faculty will perform three concerts for the School of Music beginning Monday (April 4).
Two Flute Studio Recitals will be held at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center Recital Hall.
Soloists, accompanied by pianists Kaju Lee and Rebeca Geabou, will perform for programs that will span the 18th century through the present and will include music composed by Telemann, Bach, Mozart, Gluck, Quantz, Reinecke, Andersen, Donjon, Godard, Debussy, Poulenc, Taktakishvili, Hue, Sancan, Clarke, Kennan, Ferroud and Hanson.
“The programs are diverse, interesting, beautiful and challenging,” said Kathy Daniel, associate professor of flute.
On Wednesday (April 6), the Faculty Brass Ensemble will showcase romantic works at 7:30 p.m. in the PAC Recital Hall.
The large featured works on the program include the Ewald “Quintet No. 3,” “a lush romantic Russian composer” and Malcolm Arnold “Quintet for Brass,” according to horn professor Peggy DeMers.
“Ewald is one of the better-known composers for the brass quintet because of his style of using Russian folk music and writing for brass as though they are a vocal ensemble,” she said. “The work is written for two trumpets, horn, trombone and tuba.
“(Arnold) was composing music for some of the most talented players at that time, which is reflected in the virtuosic style of writing,” she said. “The work is highly energetic with fast first and third movements, and a lyric second movement that features the trombone.”
Both concerts are free.
For more information, call the School of Music at 936.294.1360.
Art Students To Present Work For Juried Show
Students in the art department will display their work while competing for cash awards during the 12th annual Juried Student Exhibition beginning on Monday (April 4) in the Gaddis Geeslin Gallery.
Mixed media artist Josephine Durkin will help select the winning submissions as the guest judge for the exhibit.
Winners will be announced on April 21 during the award presentation, from 5-6 p.m. in Art Building E Room 108, followed by a closing reception from 6-7 p.m. in the Gaddis Geeslin Gallery.
On that day, the Art Complex will open its studios for an informal viewing of the classroom and spaces throughout the complex.
In addition, Durkin will present an artist talk on April 12 at 5 p.m. in Art Building E Room 108.
Durkin, an assistant professor of art at Texas A&M—Commerce, utilizes technology, sound, found and fabricated objects, video and photography to create sculptural objects, installations and drawings.
Her work has been shown at Lawndale Art Center in Houston; The Front Gallery in New Orleans; Soo Rye Gallery in Rye, N.H.; Los Angeles Center for Digital Art; the P4 Kuntshouse in Calgary, Canada; and Lohin Geduld Gallery in New York City.
Durkin received her Master of Fine Arts degree in sculpture from Yale University and her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in sculpture from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va.
The Gaddis Geeslin Gallery is located in Art Building F.
For more information, contact Debbie Harper, audio/visual librarian for the art department, at 936.294.1317.
CJ Organization Re-launches On Campus
A student organization dedicated to serving crime victims has been re-launched at the College of Criminal Justice.
Open to all students who are interested in preserving and enhancing victims’ rights, the Crime Victim Services Alliance will meet on Wednesday (April 6) at 3 p.m. in Criminal Justice Center Room A-185.
“There are a lot of opportunities to do activities,” said Leana Bouffard, the club’s faculty adviser. “For example, February was Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, and April is Sexual Assault Victims Awareness Month. April is also Crime Victims’ Rights Week, which will generate a lot of activities.”
The alliance, which was active up until 2007, is being reorganized along with the Victim Studies curriculum, which is now focusing on understanding a victim’s response to trauma through classes in psychology and sociology. The bachelor’s degree previously involved a more interdisciplinary approach.
SHSU is one of only a few colleges nationwide to offer the Victim Studies degree. Graduates can work in victim service offices in police department and correctional facilities as well as non-profit agencies, such as women’s shelter and crisis hotlines. The college is in the process of developing a Bachelor of Science degree in victim studies.
While the group is expected to attract students in victim studies, it also is available to anyone passionate about working with victims.
“It is perfect not only for those in victim dtudies, but anyone that supports or advocates for crime victims,” said Alicia Deal, a doctoral student who was one of the founding members of the organization in 2003. “It is a very positive way to talk, debate and expose themselves to how victims feel.”
It is also a great way to network with professionals in the field for future career opportunities, Deal said.
For more information, contact Bouffard at 936.294.3123.
Event To Guide Students From ‘Backpack To Briefcase’
Career Services will introduce students to the “dos and don’ts” of professional interview dress during its second annual Backpack to Briefcase Fashion Show on Wednesday (April 6).
The event will be from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the Lowman Student Center Ballrooms.
Career Services director Pam Laughlin will host the event, during which she will provide tips on interview attire on a budget, explain what business casual means and tell students what not to bring to an interview.
In addition, students will model clothes sponsored by The Woodlands Dillard’s and the Men’s Wearhouse of Conroe for participants to determine whether their outfit is a “do” or a “don’t,” according to Paige Loft, Career Fair and Special Events Coordinator.
“They will hold up paper signs indicating their opinions. Then Pam Laughlin will explain what the student is wearing and why or why not it was a good choice,” Loft said. “We will also be giving prices of the clothing so that participants can see how much a good interview suit should cost.
“Dressing for an interview is your first impression you will make on a potential employer, and it can cost you a job offer if done incorrectly,” she said.
The event also is sponsored by the SHSU Fashion Merchandising Club.
For more information, call Career Services at 936.294.1713.
SHSU Faculty, Alumni Earn National Awards
Matt Nobles, assistant professor of criminal justice at Sam Houston State University, recently received a 2011 SAGE Junior Faculty Professional Development Teaching Award from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.
Nobles is one of 10 criminal justice faculty members nationwide to be recognized for his “significant promise as a teacher.” It is the second consecutive year that a Sam Houston State University faculty member has been awarded this honor, which was also conferred upon Kate Fox in 2010.
To be eligible for the Professional Development Teaching Award, faculty members must have begun teaching full-time and received their most recent graduate degree within the last five years. The faculty members can teach at the associate’s, bachelor’s or doctoral degree level in a criminal justice or criminology program.
Awardees participated in a two-day teaching workshop at the conference in Toronto, where they discussed topics such as providing online learning, teaching theory and research methods, teaching large sections, exploring service learning, and using different techniques to assess student performance.
In addition to receiving the teaching award, Nobles participated in two research projects, on “Non-response bias in web-based surveys of college students: A comparison of results across in-class and web-based surveys” and “Student support for concealed handguns on a university campus,” which were presented at the ACJS annual meeting this year.
His general areas of interest include violent and interpersonal crimes, guns and gun policy, communities and crime, and quantitative methodology.
In addition to Nobles, two other SHSU alumni received the SAGE Junior Faculty Professional Development Award, including William C. Hale, of Louisiana State University at Shreveport, who received his doctorate in 2005; and Tina L. Freiburger, of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, who earned her Master of Arts degree in 2004.
Leadership Command College Graduates 65th Class
More than 1,500 police executives have graduated from the state’s premier management training program since it was created in 1989, providing the knowledge and skills necessary for successful leadership in a modern law enforcement agency.
The leadership command college, the most comprehensive program run by the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas, graduated its 65th class in March.
The nine-week program—which is taken in three, 15-day modules— helps up-and-coming law enforcement supervisors with training in general business administration; social, political and judicial issues; and budgeting, leadership and operational matters.
“I’m so proud of the police executives that have invested in their careers with the LCC experience,” said Rita Watkins, executive director for LEMIT. “LCC is an executive development program recognized for its exemplary and rigorous curriculum. A graduate proudly wears the professional insignia of LCC which signifies the hard work and commitment one has made to develop themselves personally and professionally.”
After completing an online introduction to the program, law enforcement supervisors participate in three different modules over an 18-month to two-year period held on the consortium campuses of SHSU, Texas A&M and Texas Woman’s University. The program is open to licensed peace officers with at least two years of management experience and five years in law enforcement.
The training is academically rigorous and requires participants to create research papers on a law enforcement issue they are passionate about, which are cataloged in SHSU library collection and sometimes published in law enforcement magazines. The LCC executives also can use the course to earn college credit toward undergraduate or graduate degrees.
“It’s truly an exceptional program,” said Ric Sadler, assistant chief for Little Elm and a program graduate and instructor. “It nurtures you from your basic to your academic needs. It is for the whole person as a contemporary law enforcement officer.”
Among the topics addressed during the latest class were the reduction of teen drunken driving through education; the effect of night shifts on officers; forensic facial imaging; forensic art versus forensic software; incentive pay for police for bachelor’s or master’s degrees; workplace performance improvements; and the grief of surviving spouses.
Send Update Items Here
Information for the SHSU Update can be sent to the Office of Communications 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 staff ample time to make necessary contacts and write the story.
For electronic access to SHSU news see the Communications Web page Today@Sam.
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SHSU Media Contacts: Julia May, Jennifer Gauntt
April 1, 2011
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu
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Telephone: 936.294.1836; Fax: 936.294.1834
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu.
