For the first time in its history, SFA has received over 20,000 undergraduate applications for a fall semester, marking a 17% increase over fall 2024 applications and a 67% rise since 2019.

Faculty and staff are invited to join President Neal Weaver at the 2025 Fall Welcome Meeting at 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 18, in Turner Auditorium, Griffith Fine Arts Building.

Lunch will be provided. Those interested in attending should RSVP. For information on attending virtually, visit the president's webpage.

Faculty and staff are invited to welcome SFA’s newest faculty members at the New Faculty Orientation Social from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19, at The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

Enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres while viewing an exhibit featuring works by School of Art faculty members.

Faculty, staff, students and Nacogdoches community members are invited to the grand opening ceremony of the new Pineywoods Dining Hall at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow at the dining hall’s Wilson Drive entrance. Parking is available in Lot 21 off Wilson Drive.

Lunch will be available to those attending until 1 p.m. In addition, Chartwells, SFA’s food provider, will offer opportunities for a faculty or staff member to win a meal plan to use during fiscal year 2026.

To learn about the new facility, visit the Pineywoods Dining Hall webpage. For more information on the grand opening ceremony, email April Smith at alsmith@sfasu.edu.

Faculty members are invited to attend the next two Faculty Senate meetings from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 20 and Aug. 27 in McGee Business Building, Room 133, or via Zoom (passcode: SENATE).

Aug. 20 meeting Zoom link (Meeting ID: 985 0011 3192)

Aug. 27 meeting Zoom link (Meeting ID: 975 4122 1313)

For more information, visit the Faculty Senate website.

If you haven't purchased your faculty/staff parking permit for the 2025-26 academic year, log in to mySFA, select the "Employee" tab and click on "Parking" to access the parking portal. Have your car's license plate number, make and model ready if your car isn't in the system already.

Permits must be picked up at the Parking Services office, open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, on the first floor of the Wilson Parking Garage. Permits for the 2024-25 academic year expire Aug. 23.

Motorized utility vehicle training is mandatory for all faculty, staff and students who drive MUVs on campus. These vehicles include electric, gas and diesel-powered carts, mules and gators or golf carts.

To complete the training, visit the Environmental Health, Safety and Risk Management Department website and select “MUV Training” under “Emergency Resources & Quick Links.”

• Read the entire page carefully, including all safety requirements for operating an MUV on campus.

• Note the consequences of noncompliance.

• Complete the highlighted area at the end of the training program and click “Next Page.”

• Fill out all fields on the following page and select “Submit.”

Documentation of your training program completion will be sent to the Safety Department, and an MUV driver carrying card, which is valid for three years, will be issued to you within three to five business days upon completion. Print a copy of the training acknowledgment to carry with you until you receive the carrying card.

For more information, contact the Safety Department at ext. 4514 or safety@sfasu.edu.

SFA’s Center for Career and Professional Development has officially changed its name to the Career Center. This name change is intended to clarify the area’s mission and increase engagement. The Career Center will continue to operate on the third floor of the Baker Pattillo Student Center, but note its new email address: careercenter@sfasu.edu.

In addition, as you develop your syllabi, consider the following Career Center programming resources for your coursework to enhance student engagement and career readiness.

Presentation and assignment requests: Submit your request as early as possible to improve scheduling availability. Topics include career exploration, professional documents and interviewing.

Career fairs, workshops and internship support: Require your students to attend these events or offer bonus points for attendance; the Career Center tracks attendance for you. The fall 2025 career fair dates have been finalized, and the workshop schedule will be posted soon.

Career Champions workshops: Gain the skills and knowledge you need to enhance students' professional development in these workshops designed for faculty and staff.

For more information, view the faculty and staff resources on the Career Center website or contact careercenter@sfasu.edu or ext. 3305.

All heroes, novices and veterans alike, are invited to join "Scholars and Scrolls: A Quest for Knowledge" today through Tuesday, Aug. 19, as part of the Center for Teaching and Learning's CampCTL. All sessions are offered via Zoom; some sessions are also offered in person at CTL's location on the second floor of Steen Library.

Sharpen your pencils and venture forth to the realm of CTL, where each session is a chance to level up your skills and gain treasures for your teaching toolkit.

• View the full event schedule and locations.

• Register for sessions and lunch.

For more information, visit the center's website.

As SFA prepares to welcome thousands of new and returning Lumberjacks to campus this fall, the Office of Student Involvement invites you to be part of the most exciting time of the year — move-in week!

Faculty and staff volunteers are needed to help make move-in week, Aug. 20-23, welcoming and memorable for our students and their families. Whether it’s greeting new students, assisting with check-in or simply offering a warm smile and directions, your presence matters more than you know.

Those interested should complete the volunteer form by Friday, Aug. 15. All details, shift times and instructions are included in the form. Assignments will be emailed Monday, Aug. 18. For more information, email shelby.winthrop@sfasu.edu.

Ajero was a featured presenter at The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 in Lombard, Illinois.

As part of the preconference Innovation Summit, Ajero was one of 11 speakers selected to share a conceptual future headline news story related to the field of piano pedagogy on how artificial intelligence may be used by teachers in the year 2035.

During the conference, Ajero was part of a panel of piano professors from around the country who shared videos of their teaching and discussed effective strategies to aid students' long-term growth as musicians.

SFA Athletics is offering complimentary admission to all regular season home games to faculty, staff and their immediate family members.

To redeem your tickets:

• Visit the ticket window on game day.

• Show your valid SFA faculty/staff ID.

• Receive complimentary tickets for you and your immediate family members.

For home game dates and times, visit the SFA Athletics calendar.