SFA is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Dr. William R. Johnson, the university’s fourth president, who passed away Wednesday, Oct. 23. Johnson’s leadership, vision and dedication shaped SFA’s trajectory during his 14 years as president, from 1976 to 1990, making him one of the university’s longest-serving presidents.

A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at First United Methodist Church in Nacogdoches with Dr. Jeff McDonald officiating and a reception to follow.

Registration for spring 2025 classes (full spring, spring I and spring II) begins today. Registration will open based on the priority registration schedule.

Students must consult with their academic advisor and have their advising holds (and any other registration holds) cleared prior to registering for classes.

For more information, visit sfasu.edu/registrar or email registrar@sfasu.edu. For general spring 2025 information, view the spring 2025 guide.

The Office of Admissions is looking for volunteers for the Nov. 2 Showcase Saturday. The shift options are 9 a.m. to noon, noon to 3 p.m. or for the entire event. This is an excellent opportunity to be visible to future Lumberjacks, their families and the campus community. Those interested can sign up using the volunteer form.

Jacktacular begins at 5:30 p.m. and ends when the candy runs out Thursday, Oct. 31, at Johnson Coliseum.

Held by the Student Athlete Advisory Council in collaboration with The Big Event, this free indoor Halloween party features student organizations handing out candy to community members while SFA student-athletes host activities on the basketball court.

Weather permitting, a new addition to this year's festivities is the outdoor fun zone provided by Party 'N Things. Costumes are encouraged.

Allen received the Bravo Award from the Academic Assistance and Resource Center for his outstanding support as a supplemental instruction professor for over 20 years.

"He often offers an SI group for each of his core history courses, and his SI groups are successful because he takes the time to collaborate with the SI leaders and build their confidence," said M.E. McWilliams, AARC director. "The outcomes of that mentorship contribute to the academic success of the students who attend these SI groups."

Pelham worked with two students from his "Community Nutrition" course — Dekedryn Butler and Jordan Crysup — to prepare beef stew ingredients for the East Texas Adventurers program, which is funded by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Community Outdoor Outreach Program grant.

Using scaling and food safety protocols, they assembled the ingredients so that McMichael Middle School students could easily cook beef stew with Dutch ovens while camping at Cooper Lake State Park.

Thank you, Justin, for your hard work and dedication to SFA.

The annual 12 X 12 Scholarship Fundraiser hosted by the Friends of the Visual Arts at SFA is slated from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Nov. 9 at The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House.

A silent auction for all 12-by-12-inch pieces begins today and runs through the event Nov. 9, when auction winners will be revealed. Each item will have a starting bid of $250. At 3 p.m. Nov. 9, any unsold pieces will be available for bidding starting at $100, and those remaining without bids will be raffled off.

Nacogdoches found-object artist Wally Knight will be the fundraiser’s featured artist. His 12 X 12 piece, fittingly titled “Now Showing at the Cole,” will be showcased.

Visitors to all Texas state parks get free day-use entry Sunday, Nov. 3, in celebration of State Parks Day, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

For a full list of parks, amenities, events and day-use reservations, visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website. Don't forget to fall back an hour to Central Standard Time before heading for the parks.