Sul Ross State University

June News

Morgan heads ASC Council of Presidents

Sul Ross State University President R. Vic Morgan has been named president of the American Southwest Conference Council of Presidents.

Members of the 2007-08 Executive Council met at the group's annual meeting in Dallas May 24. Morgan will serve as council president and Dr. Tom Cedel, President of Concordia University-Austin, will serve as vice-president.

The newly announced conference officers began their one-year term June 1.

The American Southwest Conference, a member of NCAA Division III, will begin its 12th year of league competition in 2007-08. Fifteen colleges and universities located in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas hold membership.

Freed publishes articles

Dr. Donald Freed, Sul Ross State University associate professor of music, recently published two articles in the Choral Journal.

Freed reviewed two new choral compositions, "Requiem," by Karl Jenkins, and "O Taste, and See," by David Ashley White. The reviews were published in Choral Review's May issue.

SUL ROSS SUMMER I HEAD COUNT SHOWS 3.58 PERCENT INCREASE

Fourth-day enrollment for the Summer I session showed a 3.58 percent increase at Sul Ross State University, while semester credit hours were virtually even with 2006 numbers.

A total of 782 students were enrolled as of Friday (June 1), compared to 755 a year ago. The fourth-day enrollment is 7.12 percent higher than the final 2006 Summer I headcount of 730.

Semester credit hours (SCH) totaled 3,652, 41 less than a year ago. Final figures for 2006 were 3,562.

Freshman (17.24 percent increase), sophomore (14.52 percent), post-baccalaureate (14.52 percent) and graduate numbers (7.27 percent) showed the greatest gains. Junior students declined 25 percent, from 96 to 72, while senior numbers dipped two students, from 173 in 2006 to 171.

Volleyball camp June 12-14

The Sul Ross State University Lady Lobo volleyball team will host their annual volleyball summer camp June 12-14 at the Pete P. Gallego Center

Daily sessions will be held from 9 a.m.-noon for girls in grades one-eight. Registration fee is $35. Registration forms are available at the Gallego Center lower level.

For more information, contact head volleyball coach Rick Garcia, 8256.

Writing academy July 23-27 at Sul Ross

Top-notch writers in their genres will teach a week-long series of intensive writing classes at Sul Ross State University July 23-27.

Sponsored by the Writers' League of Texas, the Writing Academy offers registrants an opportunity to sharpen your writing skills and explore the beautiful, rugged terrain of West Texas.

Registrants can enroll in one of six classes. Each class meets Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Classes are limited to 20 students each. Rooms in the Sul Ross dormitory are available for $25 per night and a cafeteria meal plan is also available. For more details contact the Writers' League of Texas main office at (512) 499-8914 or wlt@writersleague.org.

Tuition is $199 for Writers' League of Texas Members and $249 for non-members.

Participants may register by phone (512).499-8914, or visit the Writers' League of Texas website to download registration forms: www.writersleague.org/programs/swa.html.

Fax forms to 512.499.0441, or mail to 1501 W. Fifth St., Suite E-2, Austin, TX 78703.

Classes offered are:
A. Building Blocks for Novel Writing - Jodi Thomas. Thomas has earned an impressive list of distinguished awards. In July 2006, Jodi was the 11th woman to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame.

B. Breaking Down the Barriers: Writing Scripts That Sell - Bonnie Orr. Bonnie Orr has written 21 screenplays, two teleplays, and a TV pilot. She completed the graduate level screenwriting program at UCLA in 1998.

C. Memoir Writing - Joan Neubauer. Neubauer's work has appeared in national and regional publications. She has written on a wide array of subjects including history, camping, nutrition, business, wedding planning, writing, and personal biographies.

D. Writing the Successful Book - David Marion Wilkinson. Wilkinson's latest book, One Ranger, is a memoir co-written with legendary Texas Ranger Joaquin Jackson, Alpine. Wilkinson's other books are Oblivion's Altar (Spur Award), The Empty Quarter, and Not Between Brothers (Writers' League of Texas Violet Crown Award).

E. Writer's Boot-Camp - Linda Rohrbough. Rohrbough has been writing about the computer industry since 1989 and she has more than 5,000 articles and seven books to her credit.

F. Your Novel: From Conception to Publication, and Beyond - Marsha Moyer. Moyer is the author of two critically acclaimed novels, The Second Coming of Lucy Hatch and The Last of the Honky-tonk Angels. The forthcoming book is Heartbreak Town.

Full workshop descriptions are available at: www.writersleague.org/programs/swa-class-instruct.html

Sul Ross State University junior Brian Mireles, San Antonio, is the winner of the Homecoming 2007 Logo design competition.

Mireles, an art major, created the "Livin' La Vida Lobo" design, depicting the Lobo mascot with maracas wearing poncho and sombrero. He receives $100 in cash, a $50 gift certificate and T-shirts bearing the winning logo.

Winners are chosen by the Homecoming Committee.

Sul Ross announces administrative changes

Sul Ross State University will operate with one less vice president and a host of organizational changes.

President R. Vic Morgan announced the reorganization plan recently. Among major changes will be the reduction of one vice presidential level position, after the retirement of Mickey Havens, vice president for Administrative Services, on May 1. Dr. David Cockrum will continue as Provost and vice president for Academic and Student Affairs. Cesario Valenzuela, vice president for Business Affairs, will have a new title, vice president for Finance and Operations. Dr. Joel Vela will continue as vice president for the Rio Grande College.

Departments formerly under Havens' supervision have been shifted, and two new associate vice presidencies have been established. Jim Clouse, formerly director of Physical Plant, has been named associate vice president for Facilities Planning, Construction and Operations. He will report to Valenzuela. Eddie Natera has been named assistant director of Physical Plant to serve under Clouse's supervision.

Dr. James Clifton, dean of Student Life, becomes associate vice president and dean of Student Life. He will supervise the University Department of Public Safety (UPDS), previously reporting to Havens, in addition to his present duties.

Athletics director Kay Whitley, and associate vice president for University Advancement, Leo Dominguez, previously supervised by Havens, will report directly to Morgan under the reorganization. The University Post Office will now report to the director of Purchasing.

Three other positions have been created in addition to the assistant director of Physical Plant: an administrative secretary in each of the areas of University Advancement and Facilities Planning, Construction, and Operation and an additional buyer in Purchasing.

Morgan noted that these changes will "improve efficiency and enhance service to our various constituencies and will achieve reduced costs to the University."

"A few additional revisions are being considered to improve overall operations in our administrative functions and activities and will not likely involve new positions," he said.

The complete organizational charts may be reviewed on the Sul Ross web site at http://www.sulross.edu/docs/policy/apm106.pdf

NEW MUSEUM EXHIBIT USES DAVIS MAP COLLECTION

An exhibit at the Museum of the Big Bend by Sul Ross State University graduate student ViCindy Riggs incorporates the Yana and Marty Davis Map Collection.

Riggs, Alpine, curated a history exhibit on the U.S.-Mexican Boundary Survey which occurred following the Mexican War. The exhibit is part of the academic requirements towards earning her Master's degree in history at Sul Ross. This exhibit will be on display through August.

In 1846, after the Republic of Texas was annexed by the United States, the U.S. and Mexico fought a two-year war. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo officially brought the war to an end in 1848. As a result of the war, Mexico was reduced by about half and the United States gained new territory which included the present-day states of New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah, along with portions of the states of Colorado and Wyoming. The treaty also called for a survey to be conducted of the new boundary between the two countries.

Most of the maps used in the exhibit are part of the Yana and Marty Davis Map Collection. This map collection, which was a gift to the Museum of the Big Bend and Sul Ross State University, is one of the largest and most significant map collections in the state of Texas. Riggs' exhibit is the first one to use maps from the collection, which will be available to students and researchers once accessioning and cataloguing are complete. Additional materials for the exhibit were provided by the Haley Library of Midland, the Dr. Keene Ferguson Collection at the Museum of the Big Bend, Marty Davis, and Larry Francell, Museum director.

"This is our first opportunity to use the great resource that is the Davis Map Collection," Francell said. "We are excited about the continuing possibilities for research and education offered through this generous gift."

This exhibit features some of the most important maps and coastal charts associated with the Boundary Survey, including those foundation maps which preceded the survey and those which resulted from the survey. The land survey itself took place between 1848 and 1857, mostly under the leadership of surveyor and scientist William H. Emory, a member of the U.S. Corps of Topographical Engineers.

The Coast Survey was led by Emory's brother-in-law, Alexander Dallas Bache, the director of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. The exhibit also features a variety of the types of artifacts and tools used by Emory and the other surveyors, their methods of surveying, and the documents, artwork and official reports which came out from the survey.

For more information, contact Francell, (432) 837-8145 or francell@sulross.edu.

SUL ROSS GRAD CYNTHIA STROMAN HONORED AT TEXAS A&M

Sul Ross State University graduate Cynthia (Wyche) Stroman, Sweetwater, was one of two Texas teachers who were honored by Texas A&M University for outstanding secondary education.

Stroman, who teaches English at Highland High School near Roscoe, received the Texas A&M University Inspiration Award for Exceptional Secondary Education during May 11 commencement exercises. She and John Jackson, Copperas CoveHigh School, each received $2,000 checks. Their respective schools each received $1,000.

The award, established in 2006, honors Texas high school teachers who have made lifetime impacts on their students. Stroman and Jackson were chosen on the basis of nominations submitted by graduating A&M students. Stroman was nominated by Jake Fullwood, who received a Master of Business Administration degree from the Mays Business School.

Fullwood had received a traumatic brain injury while skiing in Angel Fire, N.M. in 1996. "I was told I would have learning disabilities the rest of my life," Fullwood's nomination stated.

"Ms. Stroman went above and beyond the classroom setting to help me get back the intellect, ability and activeness that I once enjoyed. She pushed and encouraged me and gave me the confidence I needed to overcome and cope with my injury. She inspired me to accomplish things beyond what I thought was possible."

Stroman, is a 1970 Sul Ross graduate (B.A., English) and received her Master's degree in 1996. She is the mother of Laren Bridges, an Alpine resident. Laren's husband, Drew, is a Sul Ross lecturer in physical education and assistant football coach.

Four Positions Open on Alumni Association Board

As a member of the Sul Ross Alumni Association (SRAA), you have the privilege of electing members to the SRAA Board of Directors. There are four two-year terms to be filled at this time. You may vote for the nominees presented or you may write in a candidate for any of the four positions. The new board members will take office on Homecoming, October 27, 2007.

Selection of candidates are nominated by an appointed Nominating Committee comprised of four (4) persons, one person from each of the four Schools of the University, for purpose of compiling a group of proposed candidates from which the above parties might be elected. Those persons confirmed who desire to run for Board positions must be a member in good standing of the Alumni Association. The election of the parties is by written ballot prepared by the Executive Director of the Association and transmitted to the Active members of the Association. Results of the election are made known at the annual (Homecoming) meeting of the general membership of the Association. Each of these Board members is elected for a two (2) year term and may be re-elected See Alumni Association Board.

Please return submit your name to be posted on ballot by September 1, 2007 to Sul Ross Alumni Association, C-187, Alpine, Texas 79832 or fax to 432-837-8017

TIAA 1996 Baseball Champs

Led by infielders Isaac Beard and Alan Chase, Sul Ross won the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association (TIAA) baseball championship with a 23-13 record, 9-3 in loop play. Beard was named the TIAA's most valuable player and earned NAIA All-America honorable mention. Lobo players and coaches on that team will be honored during the All-Alumni reunion July 20-22 at Sul Ross.