SHSU Update for Week of Feb. 6

• Spring Enrollment Is Up
• Acclaimed Musicians to Visit
• Orchestra to Perform at Convention
• Baseball Reception
• Bearkat Center Open House
• Tutoring Program Certified
• Puebla Field School Meetings

Spring Enrollment Is Up

Registrar's Office figures indicate that students registered for 132,954 semester credit hours, down by 630 semester credit hours from last spring's 133,584.

The lower average of semester credit hours per student is a trend experienced by other universities as well, as students register for fewer semester credit hours per semester, with many attending classes part-time while working.

This is certainly the case at the University Center, a consortium of six senior universities offering programs administered by the North Harris Montgomery Community College District in The Woodlands.

Of the University Center's 53 major programs, Sam Houston State University accounts for about 70 percent of semester credit hours generated. Other institutions involved include Prairie View, Texas A&M, Texas Southern, University of Houston, and University of Houston-Downtown.

The Registrar's Office reported that Sam Houston State University is offering 88 sections generating 5,573 semester credit hours at the University Center. SHSU professors also teach 295 prison system inmates, an increase of 24 above last spring.

Acclaimed Musicians to Visit

Clarinetist Rochelle Oddo, who is studying for her doctorate at Rice University, and San Jacinto College professor of piano Sarah Spencer will perform a program of pieces by Witold Lutoslawski, Johannes Brahms, Alban Berg and Carl Maria von Weber.

Oddo has participated in the Sarasota, Aspen, National Repertory Orchestra, and the National Orchestral Institute music festivals, She currently plays second clarinet for the Breckenridge Music Institute summer festival orchestra.

Oddo teaches in Houston and has performed with such groups as the Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera and OrchestraX. She has also performed with the Corpus Christi Symphony, the Shreveport Opera Company and the New World Symphony.

Spencer began her piano studies at the age of five and within two years was winning local and state competitions. At the age of 10 she gave her first live radio recital and made her orchestral debut at the age of 12.

She has made concert appearances at the Kennedy Center, Swathmore Hall, the National Music Educators Conference, and the Aspen Music Festival. In addition to her solo performances, she collaborates frequently with faculty and artists from the Eastman School of Music, the University of Southern California, the Houston Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra.

On Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall Patrick Sheridan, world renowned tuba soloist, will perform a guest recital. He will also give a master class at 4 p.m. in Room 202 of the Music Building.

Sheridan has performed in venues from the White House to a National Basketball Association halftime show, and was one of the primary soloists of "The President's Own" United States Marine Band.

He is equally at home with standard classical repertoire and as an entertainer in the "pops" realm. This year his touring schedule will take him to 20 countries around the world and 35 states in the United States. He is regularly featured on BBC, PBS and NPR broadcasts including the program "All Things Considered."

Admission to the Oddo/Spencer concert is free to SHSU faculty, staff, and students and Friends of Music, and $5 for general admission. Sheridan's performance and master class are free.

Orchestra to Perform at Convention

"We are performing at the invitation of the Orchestra Division of the Texas Music Educators Association," said Carol Smith, Chamber Orchestra conductor. "We feel especially honored to be asked to talk about such an esoteric subject and perform as well. It is scary but exciting, and a real honor for Sam Houston State University."

Faculty members who will lecture during the program scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Friday (Feb. 11) include Smith and string faculty members Peter Kempter, Aaron Bielish and Andrew Wilson.

The orchestra will perform Franz Joseph Haydn's "Concerto for Violin and String Orchestra in G Major," with Wilson as solo violinist.

Baseball Reception

At 2 p.m. the Bearkats will play the Owls in their new home, Reckling Park, and following the game a reception is scheduled for the Doctors' Club of Houston. Sam Houston State University graduate and Baylor College of Medicine's Dr. Robert E. (Bob) Rousch will host the reception. Roush is a 1966 graduate.

Special guests for the reception will be Bearkat baseball coach John Skeeters and his coaching staff. The reception is scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Reckling Park is on the Rice University campus, and the Doctors' Club is nearby in the Bank of America Building, 1020 Holcombe, #1600.

Tickets for the game and reception are $40 for Alumni Association members and $50 for non-members, and must be purchased by Monday, Feb. 14. Call 409-294-1841 or 1-800-283-7478 for information and reservations. The mail order ticket deadline is Thursday (Feb. 10).

Bearkat Center Open House

On Friday (Feb. 11) from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. the Bearkat Center on the first floor of the Teacher Education Center will have a campus and community-wide reception to give parents/guardians a chance to learn more about the Center.

"The Bearkat Center is a half-day program for 3 1/2 and four-year-old children from the campus and community," said Laverne Warner, the center director. "It is designed to give university early childhood education undergraduates opportunities to work with children.

"The program is supervised by a graduate student who is a certified teacher. The children receive social-emotional, physical and intellectual development that is appropriate for their ages."

Tutoring Program Certified

Sam Houston State University's Academic Enrichment Center has been certified by the College Reading and Learning Association's International Tutor Certification Program. The Sam Houston program is thus qualified to issue Regular/Level 1, Advanced/Level 2, and Master/Level 3 tutoring certificates.

The Academic Enrichment Center was created to help students in subjects such as math, writing, and reading, and is directed by Patricia Williams, Diane Dowdey, and Judy Olson. For more information on the center's programs call 409-294-3680 or stop by Room 115 in the Gresham Library basement.

Puebla Field School Meetings

Both meetings will be in the Lowman Student Center--the first in room 301 and the second in room 308.

The Puebla Field School is scheduled June 5 - June 9. The 50 students who participate will take classes in management, economics, art, art history (Mexico), literature, and Spanish.

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SHSU Media Contact: Frank Krystyniak
Feb. 6, 2000
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