SFA will launch the College of Health Professions effective July 1, positioning the university as a regional leader in rural health workforce development and innovation.

The new college, which is part of a broader academic reorganization, reflects SFA’s continued commitment to meeting evolving needs of students, employers and the East Texas region. The changes were officially approved by The University of Texas System Board of Regents during the November regularly scheduled meeting.

The Office of Research and Graduate Studies announced a spring 2026 pilot partnership with UT Tyler’s Research Design and Data Analysis Lab. This collaboration expands research support for SFA faculty, staff and students, offering expert guidance for research projects — from study design to advanced data analysis.

Services include:

• One-on-one consulting for research design, methodology and analytic strategies

• Online workshops on academic writing, data science, machine learning and more

• Access to a repository of tutorials, guides and reference materials

Benefits to our campus:

• Stronger support for proposals, publications and rigorous research

• Enhanced capacity for data-informed planning and evaluation

• Valuable assistance for student research projects

• Opportunities for interuniversity collaboration

How to get started: Appointments can be scheduled through UT Tyler’s Research Design and Data Analysis Lab website. For more information, contact ORGS at ORGS@sfasu.edu.

The Department of Allied Health Studies will host the Allied Health Professionals Conference from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 6 in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Twilight Ballroom.

This one-day conference features interactive, expert-led workshops that highlight modern, team-based patient care. Expect hands-on activities, real-world scenarios and opportunities to connect with professionals from across allied health fields.

Registered dietitians and speech-language pathologists can register early for $65 through tomorrow, with standard registration available for $75 through Feb. 4. Faculty members and professionals not receiving continuing professional education credits may register for a half day at $25, or a full day for $35.

To register, visit the registration page. For more information, visit the conference website or contact Sarah Drake, clinical instructor in the Department of Allied Health Studies, at drakes@sfasu.edu.

The Undergraduate Research Conference committee asks faculty and staff to encourage students to submit their papers and projects composed or performed as students at SFA for this year’s URC by Feb. 9.

Eligible works include independent research, group papers or projects, creative artwork, and visual or oral performances. Students selected as top scholars can win up to $500.

The URC is scheduled for April 7. For more information, visit the URC website.

Calling all educators! Do you have innovative teaching strategies, research or insights to share with K-12 teachers? Submit your proposals for the third annual Lifelong Learning Conference, designed by educators for educators. Planned for June 26 at the Janice A. Pattillo Early Childhood Research Center, this event is a great opportunity to connect, collaborate and inspire.

The conference’s call for proposals is open to anyone — graduate students, undergraduate students, faculty, staff, in-service teachers and alumni — who has insights relevant to K-12 teachers.

Submit your proposal by March 13 to the Lifelong Learning Conference webpage.

The proposal submission deadline for the Gateways, Not Gatekeepers: Empowering Faculty Access and Growth event has been extended to Jan. 23.

This professional development event is designed to highlight innovative practices, share valuable resources and foster meaningful dialogue across our academic community. The event is from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 27 in Baker Pattillo Student Center Regents' Suite A.

Share your expertise in a 20-minute “speed learning” roundtable session focused on making SFA’s professional, research and development opportunities more accessible. Topics may include grants and awards, student research, study abroad, policies and procedures, leadership opportunities, faculty development, and teaching and learning innovations. Those interested should submit proposals using the submission form.

For more information, visit the event website.

SFA’s Department of Education Studies, in partnership with the National Constitution Center, will host “Past as Prologue: Teaching the Civic Story of the United States” from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Early Childhood Laboratory. This professional learning event is designed for preservice and in-service educators who are passionate about civic education, storytelling and social studies teaching.

SFA Faculty Forum and Ale in Favor? Faculty Discussion Group will kick off Jan. 21 and take place on the second and fourth Wednesdays through May 6. The forum will meet from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the McGee Business Building, Room 133, and Ale in Favor? from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Fredonia Brewery. Both also will be available via Zoom.

Meeting ID: 925 4007 1340

Passcode: FORUM

The University of Texas System Police Department at SFA is accepting applications for the Citizens' Police Academy.

Open to students, faculty, staff and Nacogdoches community members, this hands-on program offers a behind-the-scenes look at law enforcement through interactive activities such as handcuffing techniques, building clearing, mock traffic stops, Stop the Bleed training, networking with partner agencies and much more.

Space is limited. Those interested can register at the Citizens' Police Academy webpage.

Dr. Hunter Hampton, associate professor in SFA’s Department of History, authored and is set to publish the book, “The Gridiron Gospel: Faith and College Football in Twentieth-Century America.” The book will be published Dec. 23 by the University of Illinois Press.

Applications for the SFA Charter School 2026-27 school year are now available. The enrollment period will end Jan. 30. For more information, visit the school's website.

Per HOP Policy 05-705, faculty and staff are required to use the designated email signature provided by UMC. The UMC Brand Toolkit website offers an easy-to-use email signature generator where you can create your personalized signature.

Njororai published the article "Soccer, women, society: contextualizing women’s football growth in East Africa," about socio-cultural and sporting analysis of women’s football growth in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

The article uses the theory of patriarchy to contextualize women’s football growth in East Africa. It examines the introduction of football as a colonial and male-dominated sport in the East African countries by analyzing the intersection of soccer, women and culture; the cultural constraints to women’s participation; and the relevance of patriarchal theory. This study highlights the resilience of female athletes in overcoming societal barriers and contributing to the burgeoning landscape of women’s football in the region. The article concludes by highlighting the challenges and opportunities for fostering a more equitable and inclusive footballing environment.

Thornley’s article, “America’s ‘Kia Boys’: The Problem, Responses, and Recommendations,” was cited in an opinion from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit for Qualitee Moshi v. Kia America Inc. and Donald Strench v. Hyundai Motor America Corporation Service Company. Judge Eric E. Murphy cited Thornley’s article in his opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part.

Read will present "That is one big pile of $#!?: Paleontological Inaccuracy of 'Jurassic Park'" during Fred Talks at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18, at the Fredonia Brewery.

When "Jurassic Park" debuted in 1993, it changed how the public viewed dinosaurs and inspired generations of future geoscientists. But how scientifically accurate was it really? In this talk, Read digs into the myths, misconceptions and movie magic behind Hollywood’s most famous dinosaurs — from the film’s misleading title to the real challenges of resurrecting extinct species. Expect laughs, learning and a few “bones to pick” along the way.

Fred Talks are free and open to the public. For more information, visit the website.

Ashley Chandler, AARC science program director, and Citori Helveston, AARC math and business program director, presented "Lost in the In-between: What to do When Neither SI nor Walk-in fit the need" at the International College Learning Center Association Conference.

The presentation discussed the current landscape of higher education and how learning assistance centers like AARC adapt conventional modalities to fit the needs of the university and students. Chandler and Helveston shared how AARC has adapted by occasionally substituting a Supplemental Instruction Group for Power Hours, or a combination of walk-in service and SI and appointments. Support for core writing courses can be served by both the walk-in table, the Online Writing Lab and embedded tutoring. Further tutoring is often customized to suit specific departments, courses and professors.

Bruck, who also serves as principal investigator of the dolphin drone-development project PHASM, or Passive Health Assessment in Sea Mammals, received a $50,000 grant from Dolphin Quest to refine a drone system capable of collecting dolphin breath samples at the surface for non-invasive health assessments.

PHASM is currently the only drone in the world that can perform this task, and the work is being conducted in partnership with Oklahoma State University’s Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education, the Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program and Bruck Lab. Bruck also published an article examining the applications and limitations of artificial intelligence in decoding whale and dolphin communication in the journal, Learning and Behavior.