March Alumni Newsletter News

A Kingsville Welcome for Sul Ross President

Dr. R Vic Morgan was welcomed to Kingsville by a number of of residents and local officials on Friday 16 as he was en route to Mission, Texas to attend the Sul Ross State Alumni Association South Texas Chapter golf tournament. Roy Cantu '74, Sul Ross alumni who is employed at Turcotte-Piper Mortuary organized the welcome with a meet and greet at the Comfort inn that included proclamation of presentations from the county and city and a mariachi band. Kleberg County Judge Pete De La Garza and Kingsville Mayor Pro-tem Charles Wilson presented Morgan with a key to the city and county. "It's a dual key,' the county judge joked.

See Kingsville welcoming photos

SUL ROSS SPRING SEMESTER ENROLLMENT SHOWS SLIGHT INCREASE by Steve Lang

Sul Ross State University's spring semester enrollment numbers showed a 1.48 percent increase from 2006 figures. Semester credit hours were virtually even.

As of the 12th class day, 1,788 students were enrolled, 26 more than the 2006 total of 1762. Semester credit hours numbered 19,812 compared to 19,801 last year. Undergraduate students numbered 1,182, compared to 1,231 a year ago. Post-baccalaureate and graduate totals were 606, up from 531 in 2006.

"The increase in post-baccalaureate and graduate students is a real positive for Sul Ross's future. We believe that with the increased recruiting and retention efforts by the entire university that, in the fall, the undergraduate enrollment will show increases as well," said Gregory M. Schwab, associate vice president for Enrollment Management.

"Currently the number of applicants for the fall semester is greater than the number we had a year ago," he said.

SUL ROSS PROFESSOR BOB HEXT
by Steve Lang

Memorial services were held Thursday, Feb. 15 for Sul Ross State University art professor Charles Robert "Bob" Hext, 58, who died Sunday evening (Feb. 11) of an apparent heart attack.

A private service was held for the family at 4 p.m. Thursday at the First Christian Church, 201 West Sul Ross Ave., Alpine. A community service was held at 6 p.m. at the Kokernot Outdoor Theatre. Brother Keith West, instructor in Fine Arts and a long-time colleague, will officiate. The family requested no dark colors at the sunset celebration at Kokernot Outdoor Theatre. A reception followed at Kokernot Lodge.

Hext, a native of Canadian, had taught at Sul Ross since 1974. He joined the faculty as an instructor and was subsequently promoted to assistant professor, associate professor and to his present rank. He was named chair of the Art Department in 1989.

Hext, who was named to "Who's Who Among America's Teachers" several times, took art education far outside the classroom. For a number of years, he led art tours in Europe, and also taught classes about rock art in West Texas, taking his students to the sites. He studied Paleolithic cave art in northern Spain, was regarded as an international expert in the field and was active both in preserving regional rock art and teaching students to create their own works.

An accomplished sculptor, with wood as his primary medium, his works were exhibited at numerous shows. His metal "cowboy" sculptures are also visible in Alpine, along Highway 67/90 near Sul Ross and in front of the Alpine Chamber of Commerce office.

"Bob Hext's presence extended far beyond the campus," said Sul Ross President R. Vic Morgan. "He was a talented artist and extremely committed teacher. He will be sorely missed as a colleague and friend."

Hext was born May 26, 1948 in Canadian and graduated from Canadian High School in 1966. He attended Stephen F. Austin University in Huntsville, receiving a B.S. degree in 1970, an M.A. in 1971 and an M.F.A. in 1975. He taught at Nacogdoches High School from 1972-74 before coming to Sul Ross.

He is survived by his wife, Kristi, of Alpine; daughters Ashley (Will) Baker, Alpine; and Andrea (Mike) Rudolph, Colorado; granddaughter Berkley Baker and grandson Fisher Baker, both of Alpine; a brother, Phil Love, Michigan; nieces Brooke Busbee, Arizona; Kassie Fuller, Alpine; and Heather Barron, Argyle; nephews Clay (Courtney) Busbee, Dallas; Lance Posey, Austin; James Fuller, Arizona; Will (Brandy) Fuller, Midland; and E. O. Barron, Austin; seven great nieces and nephews; many friends and thousands of students.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles "Hub" and Bessie Mae Hext; his sister, Dora Mae Busbee; and a nephew, Zack Busbee.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Sul Ross State University Scholarship Fund in memory of Bob Hext.

BILLY G. GOLDEN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT ESTABLISHED AT SUL ROSS
by Steve Lang

A scholarship endowment in memory of Billy G. Golden has been established at Sul Ross State University.

The endowment agreement was established Jan. 25 by Golden's widow, Robie Golden, daughter Traci Adame and grandson Alec Adame and Sul Ross President R. Vic Morgan. The endowment was established by gifts in memory of both Golden and his father-in-law, the late Dudley Harrison.

Successful scholarship applicants must be at least 23 years old, and/or married, and/or have children, and /or veterans of any U.S.A. military service. If beginning freshmen, applicants must be fully admitted to Sul Ross. Returning students must be making normal progress toward a degree and have an overall grade point average of 2.5 or higher.

Bill and Robie Golden and Tracy Adame are all Sul Ross alumni. Both Bill and Robie are former Sul Ross employees. Robie Golden worked as an instructor in the mathematics department and later served as the first director of the Office of Alumni Affairs.

"Billy Golden and his family have a long-standing relationship with Sul Ross as students, friends and advocates," Morgan said. "This endowment is another indication of the family's love of the university and we are grateful for their continued support."

Sul Ross endowments presently exceed $11 million with over 200 individual scholarships.

For information on endowments, contact Leo Dominguez, associate vice president for Advancement, (432) 837-8033 or leodo@sulross.edu.

Dr. Perry Kay Hayley-Brown

Dr. Perry Kay Haley-Brown is the incoming president of the Education Deans: Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas (EDICUT). Dr. Haley-Brown will be inducted in May in Austin, Texas.

EDICUT was established to provide leadership for the delivery of teacher education programs in private universities and colleges. The organization also provides support in efforts to address issues and concerns specific to private universities and colleges. In the past few years, the organization has also initiated programs to increase public awareness and improve public perception of the preparation of educators in private universities and colleges. The group promotes effective teaching and quality education through efforts to improve teacher education and the teaching profession.

The membership of EDICUT is involved in new research and collaborative initiatives with Texas universities, public schools, and communities to improve learning for all students.

Dr. Haley-Brown attended the University of Texas at El Paso and holds a B.S. and M.Ed. from Sul Ross State University. She received her doctorate from Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. She is currently employed by McMurry University as Dean of the School of Education.

EDICUT Education Deans: Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas

Perry is highly qualified in the areas of ESL and Bilingual Education. As a HELP, Inc. consultant, she has worked closely with us to develop the best possible study program to help students pass their exam.

Dr. Brown is the Dean in the School of Education at McMurry University. She holds a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Arizona State University with teaching fields in Early Childhood and Multicultural Education. She holds Master of Education and a Bachelor of Science degree from Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. She has taught in the public schools in Texas and Arizona in the areas of Bilingual Education, English as a Second Language, and Early Childhood.

As an administrator in the public schools, she was the Coordinator of Compensatory Education in the Chandler Unified School District in Chandler, Arizona. Her responsibilities included supervision of the Bilingual and ESL Programs, coordination of all computer labs district-wide, and training of staff and curriculum coordinators. She has taught for Northern Arizona University and has served an educational consultant for numerous school districts in the United States. She has written curriculum for the University of Phoenix and holds a Community College Certificate in Arizona. Dr. Haley-Brown has presented both nationally and internationally and is a member of NAEYC, TESOL, and Phi Delta Kappa.

During her time at McMurry University, Dr. Haley-Brown has developed courses for the Early Childhood (EC-4) and English as A Second Language certificates. She has developed and teaches bilingual coursework which is required for the EC-4 Bilingual Generalist certificate. She is responsible for the development of the elementary portion of the McMurry Professional Development School. The Professional Development School is a field-based program taught in conjunction with the public schools during the semester immediately preceding student teaching. Her approach to teaching is very student-centered. She incorporates cooperative learning experiences and requires the inclusion of educational technology as a part of her course requirements. She is also a great supporter of collaborative partnerships and has written several successful grant applications with surrounding school districts and departments on the McMurry campus.

Art Williams is proud to have Dr. Perry K. Brown on the HELP, Inc. team!

Our immediate goal is to help you pass your teacher certification examination. Our overall objective is to help you become an effective and successful teacher.

REGENTS APPROVE DEGREE PROGRAM CHANGES AT SUL ROSS
by Steve Lang

Degree program changes in business administration were among Sul Ross State University items approved by the Board of Regents of the Texas State University System during their Feb. 15-16 meeting in Austin.

Also approved were $241,000 in gifts and contributions and a room and board fee increase for Fall Semester 2007.

Regents approved program changes, replacing the Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, Computer Information Systems and Management with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Business Administration. The Bachelor of Business Administration in Office Systems will be replaced with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Administrative Systems and Business Technology. Both program changes will be implemented upon final approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Both changes are part of an extensive revision of the business curriculum recently completed by the Department of Business Administration. The Bachelor of Business Administration degree will combine the three existing majors to allow for a higher quality program to better meet student needs. This change will also provide students with a degree plan that is easier to understand, offers a higher number of electives and reduces the number of hours required for graduation from the current 130 semester credit hours (SCH) to 120 SCH to comply with recent changes by the Texas Legislature reducing all degrees to require no more than 120 SCH.

The Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Office Systems was designed to be a transfer curriculum for students completing the Certificate in Office Systems. For these students, the Bachelor of Arts will meet their needs and academic background better than the BBA degree. As compared with the BBA, the BA will require students to complete two semesters of Spanish in exchange for completing one semester of mathematics. The current BBA requires no Spanish and two semesters of mathematics.

Increases of four percent in the meal plan rates and 3.5 percent in room rates beginning Fall Semester 2007 were approved. ARAMARK, the university's food service provider, implemented a new "all you care to eat" concept for meal plans effective Fall Semester 2006. Operation costs are expected to be higher than originally estimated.

Lobo Village Residence Hall rates will rise from $1,675 per fall/spring semester to $1,735. Summer semester rates will increase from $575 to $595.

Monthly apartment rates will increase $15, to $415 per month in the Lobo Village Efficiency Apartments and to $450 per month in the Lobo Village Family Apartments. The increases were approved to address increased costs of operation for the new apartment-style facilities, including wear and tear and utilities. The increases were included in Sul Ross' five-year housing plan budget.

Gifts and donations totaling $241,000 were approved , including:

* $10,000 from Mr. and Mrs. W. H. (Jack) Perryman of Alpine to the W. H. Perryman Physical Education Endowment.

* $40,000 grant from the Abell-Hanger Foundation of Midland to the Museum of the Big Bend Renewal Campaign – Exhibits and Programs Fund. The Exhibits and Programs Fund will enchance the displays and the presentation of items to be housed within the renovated facility.

* $5,000 from Trans-Pecos Banks of Pecos to the Museum of the Big Bend Renewal Campaign – Exhibits and Programs Fund and $1,000 to the Museum Advantage Fund. The Museum Advantage Fund supports special projects and programs of the Museum.

* $50,000 grant from the AT&T Foundation of San Antonio to the Museum of the Big Bend Renewal Campaign – Exhibits and Programs Fund and $1,000 to the Museum Advantage Fund.

* $25,000 grant from the M.S. Doss Foundation of Seminole to the Child Care and Family Support Center. The grant will assist with the site work and equipment for the Center, which will provide day and after-school care for approximately 80 children (infants through 10 years old) every day that Sul Ross is in operation.

* Gifts totaling $110,000 from Mr. and Mrs. Robert Eaves of McCamey, including $100,000 to the Robert P. Amacker Memorial Geology, Chemistry and Mathematics Scholarship Endowment, $3,000 to the Geology Excellence Fund, $1,000 to the Sul Ross State University Alumni Association Endowment, $5,000 to the Art Endowment; and $1,000 to the Robert P. (Robo) Cross Memorial Scholarship Endowment.

Other Sul Ross items included 12th day enrollment reports from both Sul Ross Alpine Campus and Rio Grande College, personnel changes, operating budget and related adjustments and a progress report on priority issues.

Sul Ross Professor Paul Wright Publishes Articles

Dr. Paul Wright, Sul Ross State University associate professor of geography and sociology, recently published the first of a four-part series in the Desert Candle.

The first installment of "The Development of the Big Bend: 1848-1929" appeared in the Spring 2007 issue.

Wright has published many articles on the early history of the Big Bend in scholarly journals, notably The Journal of Big Bend Studies. Much of the research for these articles was distilled for his first article on the Big Bend to appear in a popular publication. Photos for the article were provided by the Archives of the Big Bend, located in the Wildenthal Library at Sul Ross.

The Desert Candle features articles, poetry, art displays and photos on the Big Bend. It is published by The Desert Mountain Institute, Inc.

For more information, contact Wright, (432) 837-8150.

SUL ROSS' RITZI PUBLISHES ARTICLE IN ASSOCIATION WITH GSMNP ATBI.

Dr. Christopher Ritzi, Sul Ross State University assistant professor of biology, participated in the publication of a manuscript studying ectoparasites in Great Smokey Mountains National Parks.

"Ectoparasites and other ectosymbiotic arthropods of vertebrates in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, USA" was published in the January issue of Zootaxa. The article represents the work of six authors, including Ritzi, and several years of research.

This work encompassed both recent sampling and historical museum work to recover and document all the ectoparasites and ectosymbiotic arthropods found on vertebrates in the park. Ritzi, worked on the mammalian mites recovered in this study, as well as identifying several of the bird mites associated with nest or roosting materials.

The research is a small part of the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) that has been conducted at the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. This project has attempted to document all the different forms of life in the park, from the smallest microbial organism to the largest animals and trees. Project goal was to inventory 100,000 different organisms in the park, and to create checklists, maps, and natural history profiles for all the organisms within the park.

Part of this project can be observed on-line at the Discover Life in American Homepage at http://www.dlia.org.

For more information, contact Ritzi, (432) 837-8420.

DAVIS OUTLINES JOYS OF COLLECTION ADDICTION IN SUL ROSS MARSHALL LECTURE
by Steve Lang

Collecting, from acquisition to disbursement, proves addictive, according to John Martin "Marty" Davis.

Davis' collections include a valuable store of maps donated to the Museum of the Big Bend at Sul Ross State University. He outlined a 12-step program about his hobby during the 19th annual Mary Thomas Marshall Lecture Wednesday evening (Feb. 21).

Collecting, said Davis, "is an addiction, but an addiction somewhat acceptable in certain circles. Those who don't admit it's an addiction have a problem."

Davis, Dallas/Fort Davis, a certified public accountant and attorney, addressed "The Cadillac Jack Collector's Protocol" to an audience in the Espino Conference Center, University Center.

His remarks, liberally sprinkled with humor, traced his interests in collecting, as well as what the hobby is and is not.

"We can learn from our collections," he said. "We can follow our tastes, our interests and can find that novelty and contrast are as important as uniqueness."

His own collecting interest began as a young boy, when he accompanied his grandmother and great-aunt to art shows. Both studied with regional Texas artists. The experiences helped him recognize the works of various artists in later years, some of which he began collecting.

Over the years, Davis' personal collections have been unique and varied, including books, maps, land warrants, Confederate documents, Goofus glass, Haitian folk art, religious art, Smithers lamps, and numerous other collectibles. His belief that collections can and should be educational tools led him to donate the maps to the Museum of the Big Bend.

He noted that when he was a Southern Methodist University student, one of his professors, Dr. Allbritton, permitted him access to a valuable collection that included rare books.

"He trusted me with looking at the collection and letting me find the way," Davis said, adding that he wanted to encourage the same "hands-on" interest for other students.

Davis outlined his evolution to a collector, then traced the collection process. He emphasized that acquiring was not collecting unless passion and interest accompanied the acquisition.

He believes that a true collector is not an investor, even though many collections often appreciate in value.

On the other hand, "it probably cost more to appraise the Goofus glass collection I donated to Sul Ross [Museum of the Big Bend] than the collection was worth," he laughed.

Collectors should realize their financial limits for the items they purchase, but not necessarily space.

"Museum collections are limited by [display] space, but the collector can be an unlimited pack rack," Davis said. "A true collector collects to handle, examine and even smell what he is collecting."

According to Davis, the collection process should follow some practical steps, including storage, exhibition and security; insurance and appraisals; and curation, conservation and preservation. When the collection concludes, the collector has several options: leaving it to his family, selling the collection or donating it to museums or archives.

Leaving the collection to family may be a risky proposition, Davis laughed. He recommended that the collector first consult potential heirs as to their If the estate taxes on the collection look like they will consume the rest of the estate, other means of disposal might be recommended.

Davis concluded that a primary joy of collecting remained in the hunt itself. He explained that the "Cadillac Jack" collector's protocol stemmed from a Larry McMurtry novel of that title.

"As stated in the book by Zach Jenks, the well-known Coke bottle scout who in 1979 found a near-mint 1924 Coke bottle beside I-85 near Gaffney, South Carolina, 'anything can be anywhere.'

"That statement of antique collecting is what E equals MC-squared is to physics."

The Sul Ross State University Lecture Series was renamed in 1985 to honor Mary Thomas Marshall, a good friend of the University. On Feb. 21, 1992, the Board of Regents, Texas State University System, approved renaming the Main Auditorium of Sul Ross State University to the Marshall Auditorium in recognition of Mrs. Marshall's many contributions to the University.

Mrs. Marshall's interest in Sul Ross State University stemmed from time spent as a young woman in the Trans-Pecos area of West Texas and from the longtime association of her sister-in-law, Stather Elliot Thomas, with the University as a member of the original faculty.

Attorney, accountant, collector and philanthropist John Martin "Marty" Davis delivered the 19th annual Mary Thomas Marshall Lecture, Wednesday, Feb. 21.