Southern Arkansas University News

MAGNOLIA – Southern Arkansas University and the Center for Teaching Excellence in Math and Science will co-sponsor the Southwest Arkansas Regional Science Fair from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., Friday, March 12, on the SAU campus.

The 29^th annual regional science fair for 3-12 graders will host as many as 600 students from local and area schools.

Elementary projects will be in the W.T. Watson Gymnasium with awards announced in Harton Theatre at 1 p.m. Junior high and high school projects will be in the Arkansas National Guard Armory with awards in the Grand Hall of the Donald W. Reynolds Campus and Community Center at 1 p.m. Judging is from 9 a.m. until noon and no one is allowed to view the projects during this time.

For more information, call (870) 235-5174.

MAGNOLIA – Dr. Jamie Brandon, research station archeologist and assistant professor of anthropology at Southern Arkansas University will be featured in an upcoming program on the Arkansas Educational Television Network. “Silent Storytellers,” an original documentary produced by AETN, will premiere on the network at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 11.

“Like many others, I used to drive by cemeteries and not give them a second thought, but by becoming aware of some the people who are passionate about preserving cemeteries and listening to their stories, I have had a true awakening,” Hop Litzwire, who co-produced, directed, edited and filmed the documentary, said. “I now realize that without an appreciation of our cemeteries, we disconnect ourselves, historically and culturally, from our communities and ultimately from our society as a whole.”

Filmed over two years and co-produced by AETN’s Casey Sanders, “Silent Storytellers” explores the cultural, artistic and personal stories cemeteries provide to the surrounding communities. Guided by author and cemetery researcher Abby Burnett, “Silent Storytellers” visits cemeteries in Boone, Crawford, Franklin, Hempstead, Johnson, Lawrence, Newton, Pulaski, Searcy and Sevier counties and features tombstones with tales of murder, family heirlooms and folk-art inspired carvings.

“The number one thing that interests me in cemeteries is the sense that you’re walking into an area filled with stories if you can just extract them,” Burnett said.

“Silent Storytellers” also features information about the best techniques for preserving, repairing and maintaining tombstones, presented by Elizabeth Norton of Norton Fine Arts Conservation.

Along with Brandon, several others will be featured in the documentary. They include Mica Balcom, Stone Preservation Specialist, Norton Fine Arts Conservation; Dr. Juliet Morrow, Arkansas State University Jonesboro; Dr. Jami Lockhart, University of Arkansas, Archeogeophysical Research, Arkansas Archeological Survey; Fayth Hill Washington, Scott Cemetery Preservationist; Norman Johnson and Phyllis Rogers, Paraloma Cemetery Association Volunteer; Randy Smith, liaison for Fairview Cemetery; and Tamela Tenpenny-Lewis and Carla Coleman, Preservation of African American Cemeteries.

“In my 20 years as executive producer at AETN, I have no hesitation in saying that ‘Silent Storytellers’ is one of the most unique, creative and beautiful films we’ve ever produced,” AETN Director of Production Carole Adornetto said.

Visit www.aetn.org/silentstorytellers for behind-the-scenes clips, additional interviews and downloadable information about tombstone cleaning.

“Silent Storytellers” will repeat on AETN Saturday, March 13, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 14, at noon, and on AETN-2 Sunday, March 21, at 6:30 a.m.

Funding for “Silent Storytellers” is provided by the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, a division of the Arkansas Department of Heritage.

MAGNOLIA – Southern Arkansas University will become “smoke free” on Aug. 1, and a task force charged with educating the University community about the new policy is seeking input from students, faculty and staff. The task force began its work Monday and hopes to begin its campaign this spring.

The Arkansas General Assembly adopted the Arkansas Clean Air Act during its 2009 regular session. The law requires all state-supported institutions of higher education to become smoke free campuses by Aug. 1. Current laws ban smoking inside the University’s buildings, but the new law will ban smoking on any property owned or operated by the University – even outdoors. The law does not address smokeless tobacco products, but current SAU policy bans its use inside buildings.

Vice President for Administration and General Counsel Roger Giles is leading SAU’s Smoke Free Campus Task Force. He said the group hopes to begin educating the University community in April to ensure those who smoke have ample time to find alternatives to smoking on campus. Permanent signs designating the campus as smoke free will be in place by July 1.

Members of the campus community may submit ideas on implementing the policy to the task force by contacting the Office of Human Resources at (870) 235-4008 or by contacting their representatives in the Student Government Association, Residence Hall Association, Faculty Senate or Staff Senate.

MAGNOLIA – Officers from the Southern Arkansas University Police Department will be among several groups plunging into the National Guard Armory pond on Friday, Feb. 26, as part of the Area 15 Special Olympics “Polar Bear Plunge” fundraiser. The plunge will be the first of its kind in Magnolia.

Sponsored by Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority and Magnolia Specialized Services, the plunge is a fund raiser for Area 15 Special Olympics. University Police Chief Eric Plummer is calling for back-up from the campus and community to ensure that his officers make the plunge. To qualify for the plunge, each officer must raise at least $50 to be donated to Special Olympics. A Web site has been set up for donations, and Plummer hopes that this will help the group reach its goal.

Other groups on campus will also be participating, and Dr. Sheri Baggett-McMinn, associate professor of health, kinesiology and recreation and sponsor of the HKR Club, said the goal of the event is to raise $2,000 for Area 15 Special Olympics. Similar events in other parts of the state take place on Saturday, but Baggett-McMinn said that the Magnolia event is being held on Friday in an effort to attract students.

Although the event is dubbed a “plunge,” Baggett-McMinn said participants only have to go as far as they are comfortable. “They just have to get wet,” she said.

For more information on participating in the Polar Bear Plunge, contact Baggett-McMinn at (870) 235-4138. To donate to the University Police Department’s team, visit the Web site, http://www.firstgiving.com/saupd.

MAGNOLIA – Gary Baseman, a renowned artist, designer and animator, will appear for the opening of an exhibition of his selected works at Southern Arkansas University’s Brinson Fine Art Gallery on Tuesday, March 9. A reception will begin at 4 p.m. in the gallery, and a lecture will follow at 7 p.m. in Foundation Hall of the Donald W. Reynolds Campus and Community Center. The lecture is open to the public.

During his talk, Baseman will offer insight into his creative process. Besides his vast catalog of paintings, sculpture and drawings which are exhibited worldwide, he is widely known for his Disney animated feature “Teacher’s Pet” as well as his work on the board game “Cranium.”

Baseman’s appearance at SAU is co-sponsored by Magnolia Arts and the University’s Artist in Residence fund. His exhibition will continue on display in the Brinson Fine Art Gallery through March 31. For more information on the exhibit or lecture, contact Dan May, assistant professor of art and design, at (870) 235-4242.