Nov. 8 SHSU Campus News Update

On Saturday (Nov. 14) from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 29 schools including Huntsville will compete in the Fall 1998 Invitational Academic Challenge at the Lowman Student Center.

SHSU has hosted Academic Challenge competitions for schools throughout Texas since 1991. Frank Fair, professor of philosophy and coordinator of the program, said that the idea of academic competition is catching on.

"We want as many students to be as involved as possible, and that will only happen if there is a growth of local league play between neighboring schools," said Fair. "This has begun to happen in a number of areas, and also in a number of places, such as Temple High School, intraschool competition is an exciting event on the school calendar."

Competition in Saturday's event will involve head-to-head matches between four-student teams, with winning teams advancing through a bracket until an eventual champion is determined.

Competition is on a "College Bowl" format, in which teams score points by answering questions posed by a moderator. As in the "Jeopardy" television quiz show, an electronic buzzer system is used to determine which student will be first to answer. All matches are open to the public and there is no admission fee.

SHSU holds two such events each year--a fall competition for schools in the Houston area, and a statewide event in the spring in which the winner advances to a national contest.

Four to Participate in Slovak Conference

Participants will include faculty members and administrators David Payne, Don Coers, Bobby Lane and Chuck Stowe. All will present papers.

Payne's presentation is entitled "Leading Instructional Technology Change at Sam Houston State University."

Payne has been a member of the alliance for eight years and for the last two years has served on its executive board. The alliance is a group of about 100 universities from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union and about 40 American universities. It was formed about the time of the fall of the Iron Curtain.

"Their major goal was to help Eastern European universities take the best of western higher education into their systems as they attempted to develop faculty and student exchanges and friendships between the member universities," said Payne.

Coers will present a paper entitled "The Multi-Institutional Teaching Center," based on his SHSU's involvement with the University Center in the Woodlands, a consortium of universities offering degrees to students who may never take a class on any of the consortium member campuses.

"This concept should be especially attractive to universities in countries emerging from Communism because they are typically strapped for resources," said Coers.

Lane's presentation is entitled "The Structure of Agricultural Education in the United States." He will also explore possible connections with the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra, where the conference is being held.

Stowe's presentation will relate to his experiences working to introduce entrepreneurial concepts in the Republic of Poland.

Fitness Week

Fitness Week events include Ab Challenge (sit-ups) on Monday, Bearkat Shuffle (walk or jog across campus by predicted time) on Tuesday, Aero-Jam (combined aerobics classes) on Wednesday, Happy Hour (healthy snacks and drinks) on Thursday, and I-45 Challenge (bicycling) all month.

Bearkat Boogie workouts led by guest instructor Tiffany Peters are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Information and times on all events is available by calling 409-294-1985 and on posters in the Health/Kinesiology Center. Events are free and open to SHSU students, faculty and staff.

The Department of Health and Kinesiology is offering a trophy for the campus department scoring most points on stationary bicycle (Nov. 9-25) and sit-up (Monday) events. In order to compete, full time employees must register and report points on behalf of their work unit. Call Bob Case at 409-294-1165 with questions.

Music Events

A faculty recital featuring the Sam Houston Brass Quintet is scheduled for 7:'30 p.m. Monday in the Recital Hall. Performers include Randal Adams (trumpet), Stephen Warkentin (trumpet), Peggy DeMers (horn), Henry Howey (trombone) and Robert Daniel (tuba).

Works by Giovanni Gabrielli, Fisher Tull, Anthony Plog, Michael P. Buckley, Andre Previn and Malcolm Arnold are on the program.

On Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall a student recital will feature Byron DCamp (trumpet) and Sam Pugh (trumpet) assisted by Heather Hamilton (piano), Heather Marsh (trumpet) and Natalie Wilkins (piano).

Works by Igor Stravinsky, Franz Joseph Haydn, Johann Hummel and Benjamin Britten will be performed. The Huntsville Community Chorale Society & Symphonic Chorus, under the direction of Brian Miller, will present "Hodie," a Christmas cantata by Ralph Vaughn Williams, on Nov. 17.

The performance will also feature the SHSU Symphonic Chorus and Concert Choir of the Huntsville Children's Choir, with an orchestra of SHSU faculty/students. The concert is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in the Lowman Student Center.

For ticket information on music events contact the music department at 409-294-1360.

Students Help Redecorate Conroe Mansion

The restoration of the Conroe landmark is being overseen by the Montgomery County Performing Arts Society, and is expected to be completed this week. The students have been at work decorating a bedroom and accompanying bathroom since Sept. 28.

Design coordinator for the project is Garlaine Kelly, who also serves as adviser to the SHSU students.

The SHSU students are Misty Evans, Jessie Gilland, Natalie Ehmann, Carrie Kennedy, Meredith Moore, Debbie Hermann, Becky Adams, Jenny Henton, Amy Nichols, Christy Featherston and Maria Mayfield.

National FFA Convention

Faculty members Billy Harrell and Joe Muller will assist with the Agricultural Mechanics competition, James Casey will assist with the Farm Business Management Event, and David Moorman will assist with the Ag Sales event.

Students who will also assist in those events are Stephanie Peter, Jason Hammons, Kelly Adams, Jason Blackshear, Brandon Downs, Natalie Herring, Jodie Smith, and Michael Vansaeu.

A&M Prof to Speak

Cook's presentation, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in room 213 of the Lee Drain Building, is entitled "What's new with symbiotic nitrogen fixation: The use of comparative biology to understand the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis." More on Cook's topic is available here.

Cook is the key speaker for this year's presentation in the 21st Century Lecture Series. Call Brian Sailer, assistant professor of biology, at 409-294-1549 for details.

Briefs

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Media Contact: Frank Krystyniak
Nov. 8, 1998
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