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SFA Board of Regents approves faculty, staff changes


NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Three faculty members were appointed to new leadership positions at Stephen F. Austin State University by the Board of Regents Tuesday.

Dr. Marc Guidry, associate professor of English, has been promoted to associate dean of the College of Liberal and Applied Arts. Guidry's research interests include Chaucer, medieval and renaissance British literature, and medieval political history. He recently collaborated with retired Professor of Art Charles Jones to publish a book titled "The Knight's Tale: An Illustrated Edition" through SFA's LaNana Creek Press. Guidry holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Loyola University New Orleans and both a Master of Arts and Ph.D. in English from Louisiana State University.

Christopher Talbot, associate professor of art, has been named director of the SFA School of Art. Talbot, a photographer who works mostly in digital processes, previously served as interim director of the school. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in photography from Brigham Young University and a Master of Fine Arts in photography and digital media from the University of Houston. Some of his panoramic photographs are in the permanent collection at The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston.

Dr. Todd Brown has been promoted to associate professor and chair of the SFA Department of Economics and Finance. Brown directs SFA's financial planning program, which recently was registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, as well as the Mast Student Investment Roundtable. The roundtable provides students real-world experience investing in the stock market. Brown holds a Bachelor of Science in finance from Kansas State University and both a Master of Science in actuarial science and a Ph.D. in finance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The Board of Regents also approved numerous additional faculty and staff appointments, changes of status, promotions and retirements at the meeting Tuesday. Faculty appointments include Clive Muir, associate professor of business communication and legal studies; Martha Gail Weatherly, assistant professor of general business; Elizabeth M. Bellows and Brandon Fox, assistant professors of elementary education; Lorna Sheriff, visiting professor of human sciences; Todd Whitehead, assistant professor of kinesiology and health science; Richard Ellis and Zachary Hanks, visiting assistant professors of theatre; Candace Hicks, assistant professor of art; and Laura Rikard, assistant professor of theatre.

In addition, numerous new faculty members were appointed in the College of Liberal and Applied Arts: Paul Bellinger, assistant professor of government; Carlos Cuadra, visiting assistant professor of Spanish; Steven Estrada, assistant professor of psychology; Milton Hill, instructor of government; Robert Polewan, visiting assistant professor of psychology; Brook Poston, assistant professor of history; and Latoya Wesley, visiting assistant professor of psychology.

The following mathematics faculty members were promoted to the rank of associate professor: Brian Beavers, Jeremy Becnel and Kent Riggs.

Staff appointments approved by the board were: Brittany Minchew, admissions counselor; Robert Kuykendall, coordinator of intramurals; Kati Van Dunk, coordinator of promotions and sponsorships for campus recreation; Robertha Frazier, project director of Deep East Texas P-16 Regional Council; Ann Drayman, physician assistant; Penny Jeffery, director of health services; and Elijah Genskow and Josh Radnitzer, programmers/analysts I for Information Technology Services.

The following staff appointments were approved for the Department of Athletics: Andrew Collins, athletic video production coordinator; Devin Ducote, assistant football coach; Kendal Harper, assistant softball coach; Talvin Hester, assistant men's basketball coach; Mark Mitchell, athletic strength and conditioning assistant; and Jeffrey Smith, head athletic trainer.

Numerous changes of status also were approved by the regents. They include: Eric Ashworth, from accountant II to accountant III; Tristan Adams, from programmer/analyst II to programmer/analyst III in Information Technology Services; Troy Davis, from professor and chair of the Department of History to professor of history; Jerry Williams, from professor and chair of the Department of Social and Cultural Analysis to professor of social and cultural analysis and interim chair of the Department of Psychology; Jennifer Davis, from assistant director of career services to research development specialist in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs; Lurah Bryant, from coordinator to assistant director of AHEC; Kenneth Farrish from professor of forestry to professor of forestry and interim chair of the Department of Geology; Russell Nielson, from professor and chair of the Department of Geology to professor of geology; and Jill Still, from director of development to vice president for university advancement.

The following retirements were accepted by the Board of Regents: Frances Beth Anson, assistant professor of psychology; Joseph McWilliams, professor of mathematics and statistics; John H. Miller, director of health services; Sanford Miller, assistant director of athletics-sports medicine; and William Wilson, project coordinator for advance technical credit.