The Skyline Newspaper

Liz Garcia, SRSU Dean of Student Life. Photo by Jason Hennington

Liz Garcia Named Dean of Student Life

After two stints in an interim capacity, Elizabeth "Liz" Garcia has made the permanent transition to dean of student life at Sul Ross State University.

Garcia, who came to Sul Ross as director of Residential Living in August 2003, served as interim dean between the departure of Dr. Ken Waldrop in September 2005 and the arrival of Dr. James Clifton in April 2006. She was again named interim dean when Clifton resigned in May 2007 and was appointed dean in the middle of the recently-completed fall semester.

As dean, she oversees five departments: Residential Living, Career Services and Testing, Health Services, Recreational Programs, and Campus Activities.

"The hardest part in this [appointment] is letting go of the day-to-day, hands-on interaction, primarily with students," she said. "Residential Living, especially at Sul Ross, was my life."

As director of Residential Living, Garcia was heavily involved in the transition to the new $20 million Lobo
Village residential complex. During her tenure, the fall-to-spring semester on-campus residential retention has increased by about 25 percent. Retention remains a major goal.

"There is an on-going challenge of keeping the residence halls filled," she said. "In addition to the new facilities, we have increased services and constantly try to improve the quality of service to make it more enticing for students to stay."

A native of Riviera, Garcia is a first-generation college graduate, and received her B.A. in Psychology from Texas A&M University-Kingsville, and her M.A. in Communications (with an emphasis in Student Personnel Administration) from Eastern New Mexico University, Portales. Prior to coming to Sul Ross, she was the director of Student Activities/Housing at McCook Community College, McCook, Neb.

She embraces the Sul Ross student-centered philosophy. "Having personal contact with a mentor was the driving force to my getting through college," she said. "I was fortunate to have that mentor/human connection and in our capacity [Student Life] we want to give it back.

"We are the life skills teachers, and we try to bridge life skills with the academics. We seek to help students to be ready to succeed on their own," she said.

"I am pleased and excited that Liz has agreed to serve students at Sul Ross as our dean of student life," said Sul Ross President R. Vic Morgan. "She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the position.

"Liz has the commitment and ability to serve the University's students in this important role," said Morgan. "She has done an outstanding job in each of her assignments and we expect her to be successful in this one, as well."

Dividing Wall Unites Community

By Shanna Elmore
Journalism 3301 Student

MARFA- Protestors gathered outside the Paisano Hotel in Marfa on Wednesday, Jan. 23, to voice their opinions on the building of the proposed border barrier in the Big Bend area. Picketers marched and cheered as local officials and citizens of Far West Texas expressed their concerns over what some call the antithesis of democracy.

"On January 17, of 1961, President Eisenhower warned us about the military industrial complex. He warned us about something creeping into our country, a partnership between military and military companies," said Jay Johnson-Castro, Sr., a business owner and resident of Del Rio. "Texas companies are exploiting Texas riverfront property only to make more money."

Alpine City Councilman and SRSU professor of chemistry Dr. Avinash Rangra attended the rally and called the proposed border wall "silly." "It is obnoxious to the senses of any civilized person. We should not separate the communities."

The Secure Fence Act was passed in October of 2006 as one part of the immigration reform plan of President George W. Bush. The act allows for over 700 miles of double-reinforced steel and concrete fences to be built across cities and desert alike between Texas and California, in areas prone to illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

Approximately six miles of the fence may be built in Presidio County, stretching for 3.1 miles to the east and west of the Presidio Port of Entry. The fence will range from a height of 14-16 feet and have a width of approximately 14 inches.

The proposed physical barrier will be accompanied by the completion of a virtual fence which will include night-vision cameras and motion sensors. These 24-hour, year-round surveillance capabilities are meant to deter illegal entry attempts and enable United States Border Patrol Agents to detect and rapidly respond to illegal border crossing activities.

"The border barrier is part of an overall strategy," said Chief Patrol Agent John Smietana, Jr. "When you have a border crossing in the middle of two urban to urban areas, if they cross that line they disappear in seconds. We want them to move past this barrier into rural areas where we have more time to apprehend them."

An open house was held inside the Paisano Hotel later that afternoon, to report the findings of the Draft Environment Assessment for the proposed construction, operation, and maintenance of the fence. Audience members were allowed to comment only to the stenographer.

"The costs of this wall will be incurred by all Texans, not just those of us who live on the border," said State Representative Pete P. Gallego in a letter sent to rally organizers. "Trade and relations between the people of Texas and Mexico is necessary to continue our way of life in border communities. After all, Mexico is the United States' largest trade partner."

Editor's note: according to the U.S. Census Bureau's Foreign Trade Statistics, in 2007 Canada was the United States' largest trading partner (587 billion dollars), and China the second largest (354 billion). Mexico was third with 320 billion dollars in trade with the U.S.

First "Stellar Student Service" Award Given

Carlas Mack, a counselor in the Office of Financial Assistance, received Sul Ross State University's first Stellar Student Service Award Dec. 19.

The award stems from a meeting about Sul Ross being more student service oriented and taking responsibility for doing what it takes to help students with problems or issues.

"As a follow up to that meeting, we have developed a feedback program, 'The 60 Second Feedback" program,' said Sul Ross President R. Vic Morgan, who presented the award.

The program included a feedback card for students to complete in regards to the service of staff members. Once the cards were completed, students would deposit them in the suggestion boxes, located in the hallways on the first and second floors of the Briscoe Administration Building. Staff members also began wearing nametags so that students could easily remember their names.

"The decision was not an easy one ,since all participants had students who were complimentary of our help," Morgan said. "There were many good examples of staff who went out of their way to better serve students and the students who completed the feedback cards were, for the most part, complimentary of our efforts."

Morgan presented Mack with a traveling trophy that will move from recipient to recipient with the awards in the future. She also received her choice of a day off with pay, a $50 gift certificate for a local restaurant, a $50 gift certificate to the bookstore, or a parking spot on the circle for a month. In addition, she will also receive an engraved paperweight as a reminder of her selection as an outstanding supporter of students. Morgan also read some of the comments about Mack's outstanding services which included:

"Helping me throughout the semester, always there available when I needed some answers."

"Just friendly and never made me feel dumb about the questions I asked."

"I just needed help and [she] knew exactly how to help me."

During the presentation, Morgan said there were numerous other favorable comments, but two that he regarded as most important: "Finding a way to stay in school and not have to take a semester off to generate money to come back to school," and "Helped me survive at Sul Ross."

Each month the Executive Committee will select an employee who has best assisted students based on the feedback received. The award is a "traveling trophy" that will be displayed in the recipient's work area for the following month. The Stellar Student Service Award is a trial program for only staff in the Financial Assistance, Registrar's Office, Recruiting and Admissions, Collections and Cashier's Office.

"If the program is effective in identifying particular stars of student services, we plan to expand it to all support staff at the University," Morgan said. "I believe we have staff members who are doing exemplary work in serving students and I hope this program will help us recognize these individuals and will encourage others to step up their level of service."

Morgan stressed that it is important to hand out cards and encourage students to complete them. The next award will be presented at the end of January or early in February.

New Director of Recreational Programs Named

Ryan Baade has been named director of Recreational Programs at Sul Ross State University.

Baade, who has earned two degrees from Sul Ross, has previously served as assistant housing director. As a student, he was a residential assistant (RA), hall director, and apartment and family housing director. He has also been a supervisor for RAs and Residential Living staff.

Baade, was born in Hawaii, lived in San Diego, Calif., Ruidoso, N.M. and San Antonio before enrolling at Sul Ross. He replaces Don Cook, who resigned during the fall semester.

Baade said changes are planned at Graves-Pierce Recreation Center for spring semester, including expanded hours. Baade also plans to repair existing equipment and order new equipment.

"One goal is to give you the most for your money," he said.

"I also want to go outside the scope of just athletes; I want to increase the demographics."

Graves-Pierce already has yoga, karate, and cycling classes, but Baade is looking into adding aerobics and other types of wellness classes. Along with new additions, he also wants to increase participation in intramural sports, as well as expand the amount and diversity of the sports offered.

"I plan to increase the intramural programs offered. I'm open to any ideas that students have," Baade said.
The three most competitive sports, which Baade called "The Big Three," are flag football, five-on-five basketball, and softball. Under his supervision, he wants to add more sports, such as kickball, dodge ball, and floor hockey, as well as more water sports. Although he is offering more programs, Baade would like to keep the spirit of good sportsmanship.

"Intramurals will be strict, but we will play and have fun," Baade said. "I will try to attend every event, just to have that presence of authority there."

Along with goals of increasing numbers and intramural participation, Baade wants Graves-Pierce to be a place for students to come and relax even without working out. With plans to add a big screen television and couches, Graves-Pierce will have programs for students that do not necessarily involve physical activity.

"It's a place for people to come and just hang out," Baade said. "I have an open door policy, so I'd like to see students in my office hanging too."

Along with new additions, extended hours, and more activities, Baade wants to work on customer service as well.

"I want this to be student centered," Baade said.

Student workers will still be in the front office collecting IDs and greeting people as they enter the gym.

"My ultimate goal is to run a friendly, clean, and safe facility," Baade said.

For more information, contact Baade, (432) 837-8299 or jbaade@sulross.edu.