The Skyline Newspaper

Dr. Martin Terry receives an Outstanding Teacher award from President R. Vic Morgan. Photo by Jason Hennington

Teacher Recognized As Outstanding

Martin Terry came out of the weeds of Texas to study biology, first at Harvard and then at Texas A&M, where over the years he collected three doctoral degrees.

He has worked as an educator and in regulatory affairs in North and South America, Africa and Europe. In 2003 he accepted an academic appointment in the Biology Department at Sul Ross, where he enjoys the interactions with the students, collaboration with colleagues in botany and related disciplines, and the opportunity to study cacti in habitat on both sides of the Border.

Dr. Terry sees teaching as more than the mere transmission of factual information. The students we influence most may not remember much of the factual content of what they learned as the years pass, but they do remember whether we created a favorable atmosphere for learning.

They do remember how we carried ourselves, how we expressed our views, and how we listened to their concerns. In short, they remember who we were as people.

While acknowledging that such intangible aspects of teaching cannot be measured by standardized tests, Terry perceives that they have a significant role in the development of attitudes conducive to lifelong learning.

In the belief that research informs and enriches teaching, Dr. Terry serves as Curator of the A. Michael Powell Herbarium at Sul Ross. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute (CDRI), and as President and Chairman of the Board of the Cactus Conservation Institute (www.cactusconservation.org), which focuses primarily on vulnerable cactus species of the Tamaulipan thornscrub of South Texas and adjacent Mexico.

Recently he has become engaged in an interdisciplinary research project, where a team of archaeologists, botanists and chemists are working to understand the role of cacti in a series of pictographs in ancient rock shelters in Baja California. A small group of Sul Ross undergraduates, supported by the Welch Foundation, are working on this project with Dr. Terry.

"Look Of The Lobo" Campaign Thru Nov. 16

"‘The ‘Look of the Lobo' is a campaign to commemorate how Sul Ross students dressed in their school years, so that as alumni they can peruse the pages of ‘The Brand' and be reminded of the trends," says Dr. Laura Payne Butler, faculty sponsor of "The Brand."

"As a style page model for my alma mater's yearbook," adds Dr. Butler, "I was featured in bright red stirrup pants, bright green, wide hip belt, with my hair piled up high and frizzy on top of my head. We were all going for the Madonna look, then.

"Reviewing the annual is great fun, and the style pages are a major part of it as they remind us of such an integral part of college life -- attire."

This year's annual plans to present a retrospective of decades past at Sul Ross, going back to its inception in the 1920s.

"We will juxtapose current 21st century fashions against those from the past century - see how we're evolving and how we are inspired through history. The staff is very excited - the pages should be informative," says Brain Mireles, "Brand" editor.

To apply for the Look of the Lobo best-dressed model competition, please submit up to two pictures with a one-paragraph essay on your ideas of what the Look of the Lobo means to you, to Kathy Granado, News and Publications, BAS 108, or call Dr. Laura Payne Butler at 837-5702, or email Dr. Butler at lbutler@sulross.edu.

The competition ends Nov. 16, 2007.

Submitted pictures will be available for return pickup at News and Publications after the competition.

Television Pilot Plugs In Students

By Jason Hennington
News Writer

Think you have what it takes to write, direct, and produce your own television pilot? In efforts to revitalize the video and mass communications department, Dr. Michelle Selk, assistant professor of communication, is holding a contest where students enter scripts for their own television pilot. The winner will get the chance to write, film, and produce his or her own pilot.

"I thought it would be exciting for student to come up with their own ideas," Selk said.

The contest is open to all genres: drama, comedy, action, etc. The entries must be manually submitted; no electronic entries will be accepted. Scripts must be typed in standard screen play form. For information and samples of this format, students can log on to www.script-o-rama.com. Required length for a 30 minute show is 24 pages, and a 60 minute show is 48 pages. Ideas for reality shows are welcome as well.

"I'm open to the idea of reality shows," Selk said.

"But I need to see the content well laid out. Who are the characters? What is the storyline? What is the purpose of the show?"

Selk has most of her experience in 5 to 30 minute single camera style television. The winning pilot will be produced in this style. "We are working to my strengths," Selk said.

With the recent job switch this summer, moving Assistant Professor of Communication and Theatre Keith West to being in charge of the radio station and Selk to the television station, she is looking for ways to get students involved.

"This is a way of making creative content for the station," Selk said.

The winning script will receive a $250 budget for production and will begin at the beginning of the spring semester. Students will not receive credit hours for winning the contest; the production will be an outside project, although the final project will be executive produced by Selk herself.

"I'm letting the students do it, I'm just making sure that everything is in line," Selk said.

Although Selk will be executive producing, the winner will be able to determine if he or she wants to just be a writer or be a part of the actual crew. Selk plans to utilize the Video Club in producing the winning pilot.

"Being the advisor of the Video Club, I feel like they are being well trained," Selk said. "They are in a good position for key department positions."

In addition to the contest, Selk will be teaching a Video Production Workshop during the spring semester which addresses short video production.

"Student will be in groups of 2 or 3 and will do everything from pre-production to post production," Selk said.

The finished products will air during finals week.

The television pilot contest is open to all Sul Ross students, faculty, and staff. Selk stresses that she wants students to be creative in writing their pilots and hopes this opportunity can help boost programming for the television station.

"We're living in a technological world with things like YouTube, and this lets students be creative in their own way," Selk said.

"If the pilot goes well, I would like to have it as a regular series."

For more information or to submit a script, students can contact Dr. Selk in FAB 203A or Box-43, or call (432) 837-8794. She can also be emailed at mselk@sulross.edu. All entries must be turned in by November 30 at noon. Late entries and electronic entries will not be accepted.

An Anonymous Donor Makes Music

By Jason Hennington
News Writer

An anonymous donor made a generous contribution to the Sul Ross music department by donating a fully functional organ. The donor wants to see students learn how to play the organ and felt that the best way to encourage that learning would be to make the instrument available to them. Currently, the organ is located in Assistant Professor of Music Justin Badgerow's office.

"The organ is an important instrument for a pianist," Badgerow said. "We are thrilled to have this generous gift."

The purpose of the donation was to allow students a chance to learn how to play the organ. The music department is planning to offer a course that teaches organ.

"We're not sure who will teach the course yet, but some of the faculty have experience," Badgerow said.

The Allen Organ Company is a national organ company dedicated to producing quality, craftsmanship, and technological superiority in every organ. A dealer from New Mexico produced the high quality organ which was donated.

This particular model, an Allen Digital Computer Organ, has features not found on typical organs. Like most organs, it has two keyboards and lets players choose different sounds to play around with.

A new feature on this organ is that it is all digital and comes with a MIDI hook-up so it can be connected to a computer to record the sounds created.

It also comes equipped with a front headphone jack so the user can practice without disturbing others. Along with the digital settings, the style of organ can be changed between four different sounds: American, English Cathedral, French Romantic, and Baroque.

Another unique feature is the full pedal board. This board lets the player switch between sounds he has created or preset sounds already in the organ. There is also an acoustic and crescendo feature. Both of these features help simulate older sounding organs.

"Having this high quality of an instrument is a great addition to our program," Badgerow said. "The possibilities are endless."

The organ can also be broken down into three smaller pieces so that it can be transported to another place. This feature will help when the music department holds concerts and recitals.

"We want to be able to use it with concerts," Badgerow said.

The organ is available to students who would like to learn about it, and play it as well. The music department greatly appreciates the donation, and hopes students will enjoy its worth.

"So many other schools don't have organs like this. It's a high quality instrument we are proud to have," Badgerow said.

"Hopefully we will be able to use it to its full capacity, and any student who wants to take part is welcome."

CBBS Annual Conference This Friday

The Center for Big Bend Studies invites you to attend its 14th Annual Conference Friday and Saturday, Nov. 9 and 10, on the history, culture, and archaeology of the borderlands region of the United States and Mexico, with an emphasis on the Trans-Pecos and north-central Mexico.

Distinguished guests include Joaquin Jackson, author of "One Ranger," and Jefferson Morgenthaler, author of "The River has Never Divided Us" and "La Junta de los Rios."

The two-day conference offers expert presentations on topics ranging from recent Big Bend archaeological investigations to exploration of historical figures from the region.

Sul Ross faculty, staff, and students may attend free of charge. Please contact the Center to register for the Conference: (432) 837-8179, or cbbs@sulross.edu. Registration forms are also available from the CBBS website: www.sulross.edu/cbbs/

Panel Features Sul Ross Writing Program Students

The Department of Languages and Literature panel at the Center for Big Bend Studies Conference highlights the writing and literature programs at SRSU. This year's panel, moderated by Dr. Sharon Hileman, professor and chair, and Dr. Laura Payne Butler, assistant professor, features Sul Ross Languages and Literature students who are either pursuing degrees with writing concentrations or have recently graduated. The creative pieces to be read in the panel were all written within courses offered in pursuit of these degrees.

Erika Baeza is a 2007 graduate of the master's in English program and will read a story, "Valle Nuevo." Erin Caro, the Center for Big Bend Studies Editor and master's candidate, will read a story entitled "One Toe Over the Line." Both stories were written for a Borderlands literature class with Dr. Sharon Hileman.

Sharon Collyer, a graduating senior in the writing program set to begin master's work in writing at Sul Ross, will read an essay written in a photography for writers course with Dr. Barney Nelson entitled, "Green Was the Color of My Father's Thumb." Landon Moore, an English graduate student working on her master's thesis, will read a short story, "Into the Face of the Wind," which was written for a fiction writing course taught by Dr. Laura Payne Butler.

Tx Oral History Association Presentation

Saturday, Nov. 10, at 10:45 a.m., Texas Oral History Association president Vernon Williams and immediate past president JoAnn Pospisil, will present an introductory session on conducting oral history interviews at the Center for Big Bend Studies annual conference.

Whether for classroom projects, genealogical research, or other pursuits, oral history interviews provide and preserve a unique perspective through spoken reminiscences of experiences and events.

Pospisil and Williams will discuss organizing oral history projects, examples of Texas projects currently underway, preparations for an interview, legal releases and other forms, equipment, conducting the interview, and format processing and transcription.

A question and answer session will follow the presentation and sources for additional information will be provided.