SAU Guide to Resources 2021

 Use the information below as needed.

REMEMBER: You may always contact Ed Kardas (epkardas@saumag.edu or 870 904-8897) or David Wingfield (dlwingfield@saumag.edu) when you have any problems.

Student Emergencies

• SAU Foundation (SAUF) has emergency assistance resources; call (870) 235-4078 for information.

• An emergency loan fund is available through the office of Financial Aid; call (870) 235-4023 for information.

Scholarships

• SAUF offers a variety of scholarships, including summer school and fifth year/retention scholarships. Visit www.saufoundation.org/ scholarships to apply or call (870) 235-4078 for information.

• Arkansas’s Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) Program assists students with financial need in continuing their education. For more information, call (870) 234-4030.

• Through Central Arkansas Development Council (CADC), single-parent scholarships are available for single-parent students. These scholarships can be used for household, daycare, and commuting expenses while in school. For more information, please visit https:// www.cadc.com/single-parent-scholarship.

  Textbooks/Resources for Classes/Testing/Proctoring Fees

  • SAUF may assist students with the purchase of textbooks as well as other items needed for classes. Funds to support certification and examination fees are also available through SAUF and some academic departments; call (870) 235-4078 to learn more.

• Magale Library offers textbooks for general classes for students’ use. Testing resources are also available to help students prepare for licensure and graduate exams; visit the library to learn more.

• Mulerider Market provides basic classroom supplies to students; visit https://web.saumag.edu/mulerider-market/ for more information.

• Waivers are available through some testing companies for students with financial need for testing fees. Students are encouraged to apply through the testing companies for this assistance.

  Food/Hygiene/Misc. Items

  • Mulerider Market offers food and/or personal hygiene items; visit https://web.saumag.edu/mulerider-market/ for more information. SAU VISTAs may aid students in enrolling in programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Contact SAU VISTAS at sauvista@saumag.edu.

• The Stewpot provides free hot meals every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Location: First United Methodist Church - 320 West Main Street, Magnolia.

• Body and Soul Cupboard Food Pantry distributes food monthly on the 2nd and 4th Thursday at 1:00 p.m. Location: Asbury United Methodist Church – 1300 East University, Magnolia.

• University Housing may assist students that live on-campus with basic necessities. Contact University Housing at (870) 235-4047 for details.

  Medical Visits/Medical Referrals/Medication Assistance

  • SAU VISTAs may aid students in enrolling in programs such as Medicaid. Contact SAU VISTAS at sauvista@saumag.edu.

• University Health Services offers a variety of services to meet the mental, emotional, and physical needs. Visit https://web.saumag.edu/ health or call (870) 235-5237 for additional information.

• University Health Services also works with local medical providers that provide reduced or no cost appointments and assist in acquiring medications, etc., when necessary. Visit Reynolds Center 215 or call (870) 235-5237 to learn more.

• Interfaith Clinic provides low-cost medical care and medication assistance to residents of Union County, Arkansas. The clinic is located in El Dorado; contact the clinic by calling (870) 864-8010.

• The Counseling Center provides a wide-range of counseling services. For more information, please visit https://web.saumag.edu/ counseling/, call (870) 235-4911, or visit Reynolds Center 211.

• South Arkansas Regional Health Center offers mental health treatment and services. Fees are based on an income-based sliding fee schedule. Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. call (870) 234-7500 or 1 (800) 825-1554 after hours.

  Transportation

  • International Student Services provides a local shuttle. For more information, call (870) 235-4245.

  Pregnancy

  • Pregnancy resources are available through Hannah Pregnancy Resource Center. Hannah provides support every step of the way, with guidance and information on parenting, adoption, abortion and abortion alternatives to help you make the best decision for yourself. Call (870) 234-8070 to learn more about this free, confidential service.

• University Health Services provides pregnancy testing. Call (870) 235-5237 for details. A Pregnancy Resource Guide is available from the Counseling Center and University Health.

Childcare

• Magnolia Early Head Start provides comprehensive early childhood education and high-quality services for children. For more information, call (870) 234-3447.

Coats/Professional and Job Interview Clothing

• The Career Closet provides professional attire for interviews, internships, career fairs, presentations or employment. Men’s and women’s clothing is available free of charge. Complete the appointment request form https://web.saumag.edu/business/career-closet-appointment- request-form/ to select items.

Employment

• Career Services connects students to on-campus and off-campus job opportunities, career fairs, and internships. Resume development and feedback is also available. Call (870) 235-4357 or visit https://web.saumag.edu/career-services/ to learn more.

 

Honors Arkansas 2021 Minutes

The meeting was held at Mt. Magazine Lodge in Paris, AR.

Honors Arkansas July 30, 2021

Morning Session

1. I  Welcome and Introductions of New Members. Lynda Coon (UAF)

2. II  Dissent Recap Whitney and Patricia Smith (UCA)
   Taught by Whitney Barringer (UCA) Retooled a Power and Resistance class, truncated to post 1960. There were 26 students, 7 from outside of UCA. One and three hour credit structure. One hour for the community college partners. Syllabus shared with group (copy will be placed in Honors Arkansas Annual Meeting Folder on Sharepoint).

3. III  Governor’s Research Scholars Course – Jennie Popp (UAF) and Louise Hancox (UAF)
   The governor’s research scholars course will focus on food insecurity in the state. All schools are welcome to participate. There is still time to develop project plans. Course will meet this fall Tuesdays 5:00-6:15 as a group for lectures and discussions. Individual institutions will meet another time during the week to work on projects.

4. IV  Joint Workshops Experience and Tailgate Plan Annette Williams Fields (UAPB) and Reynelda Augustine Robinson (UAF)

   A couple of collaborative efforts between UAPB and UAF. First effort: session called “Talking White” where students had a safe space (virtually) to discuss what they are experiencing to help close the gaps of division. Second effort: tailgate and events at the UAF-UAPB football game in Little Rock, October 23. All schools welcome. Will also do a community service project- Feed the Funnel party in the morning, create a competition across schools. Even if you don’t participate in the game can do community service project. There will also be a design the t-shirt contest with a deadline in September, winner will get a prize.

5. V  NCHC 2020 Recap Xochitl Delgado Solorzano (UAF)
   UAF had two sessions at NCHC : 1) Path Program – overview and how our management of the program has changed since we have received funding, a reassessment of needs and wants of the students; 2) Purposefully addressing DEI in the UAF Honors College – we formed committees associated with our priority areas in honors and looked how we can be more inclusive. Information learned was used to inform our strategic plan to purposefully address DEI in UAF honors. UAF hopes to present an update (how things are going) at the National Society for Minorities in Honors conference in a couple of years with an update.

   UCA also presented at NCHC. Leah Horton partnered with a historian (Dr. Smith) on zine making. UCA uses zines to reflect on experiences at the end of Challenge Week...UCA also had a presentation at the National Society for Minorities in Honors conference – three parts: 1) Introduction to Standpoint theory and Social location. 2) Racism in medicine and 3) What we can do in Honors to be more inclusive in Stem.

6. VI  Honors Arkansas Classes at Community Colleges

   Mountain Home has set up honors courses being taught through Honors Arkansas so they count as honors for 1 credit hour (keeps students from getting too many credit hours and allows them to pay for 1 hour in summer when scholarships are rare). Also helps for transfer into four year institutions.

   National Park – Honors shows up as zero credits so students can have it on their transcripts but then step away from other classes and examine an issue (with no tuition cost) in a relaxing environment.

7. VII  Institutional Updates
   UAF – has new Path cohort coming in under a new NSF grant. Partnership with college of engineering. Goal is to expose them to innovation and the creative process. UAF will hold a bridge program where students will visit the McMillion Innovation Studio and The Brewer Hub for Social Innovation and get introduced to project development. Then students will take a three credit hour course in fall and spring where engineering and business students will work on projects and get prepared to do internships and work in industry.... UAF has also reorganized many of its student success efforts under the GREAT – Global, Research, Engagement, Academic, Trajectory – framework.

   UCA – This is the 39th year of UCA Honors College. They are now prepping 40 yr celebration. They are creating a historical documentary and Whit Barringer will run an Oral History class to capture the stories from alumni of the early days.... UCA is also in the process of investigating a new academic space.

   Williams – Is experimenting with the idea of updating their scholarship plan to not front load money but will give more money each year to students who remain in honors. Reward those who they retain.

   Harding – Is under new leadership and are in the process of cultivating change throughout the college as well as improving faculty mentoring. Some of the things undertaken in the new leadership: 1) HURC - Harding Undergraduate Research Conference; 2) strengthening the quality of capstone projects. Started an honors thesis program. Had their first three completed honors thesis. Ten more in process; 3) Introduced engagement requirements, involved through coursework in leadership or service. “Engage units” include a list of possible activities but students can also do other equivalent things for approval (e.g., peer mentoring program; Honors Council; leadership in social clubs; discipline specific organizations). Students write up experience. One leadership/service academic unit a semester.

   JBU – Shared one challenge and one success. Challenge: university reorganization from mix of divisions/colleges to colleges only. Honors is a “program”. As such JBU has no direct representation in higher level decision making. Has been unsuccessful in creating a true Honors College but now has a seat on the dean’s council. Success: JBU has enhanced DEI focus on their program. Honors Exec council (students) have developed partnerships with international student groups and progress in highlighting diversity on campus. Student from Honduras translated all of their recruitment materials into Spanish. Honors students, who are native Spanish speakers, have been hired into admissions and give tours in Spanish.

   UAPB – shared the lack of honors scholarships makes it a challenge to recruit Honors students. Students do receive a cord at graduation. Therefore, starting this fall, a new policy is being put into place that requires students to be actively engaged in honors throughout the years in order to get the cord at commencement. They are trying to engage students in things they want to do, such as a virtual book club with student facilitators. Efforts now are focused also on encouraging study abroad (Ghana and Costa Rica) by sharing experiences, helping students become more competitive for national study abroad scholarships.

Honors Arkansas Forums

Afternoon Sessions Recap of Breakout Sessions

Looking towards May 2022 with a topic of Ethics in STEM. Feature talent from across the state. There will be 11 to 15 sessions and possible topics include (but not limited to): Gene editing; Transplants; Reproductive technologies; Health care/disparities; Ethics of space exploration; Ethics of triage in medicine (UAMS);Industrial Farming; Patents in agriculture; Immigration law and credentials; Land soil water conservation – land use issues; Good science/bad science scary science; Ethics of nuclear energy, plastics ; Artificial intelligence ; Chemical cocktails that put people to death; Zoos and animals in captivity, etc. For one credit hour students participate in the lectures. For three hours, students also participate in breakout sessions to discussion. Next step, make a proposal and then will send out to everyone with a call for faculty experts. A volunteer to serve as the institutional host is needed.

Food Insecurity Class

The planning group finalized the nine lecture topics and course schedule. All-institution group sessions will be Tuesdays at 5:00-6:15. Institutions will also meet individually to work on projects (Thursdays at 5:00-6:15 or another time of their choice). The Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance has offered to help institutions find projects if they don’t have one yet. We hope to have students present their work at NCHC and have instructors publish the work through NCHC or other higher ed journals. Join us on Wednesdays at 4:00pm in early August to learn more. Please see materials and zoom links send to all HA members. Everyone is welcome to participate.

Multi Institutional Workshops and Events

The group explored lots of ways that students/faculty/staff from all HA could interact. These include: Research symposium where students could present together (invite parents and families); Leadership conference – virtually or in person in summer where they stay in dorms to reduce costs; Networking and goal setting workshops; Honors Fair for high school honors students; Undergraduate fellowships opportunities. UAC is doing some things already that might fit into this. They will share with the group.

Future National Presentations

The group talked about different topics that may be suited for presentation at NCHC and/or the National Society for Minorities in Honors. Some presentation ideas: mission of Honors Arkansas; Statewide forums; Food Insecurity class; Holistic Admissions. While the Great Plains group is really student focused (no presentations for faculty staff), JBU will share information about HA in the business meeting. Also discussed a possible faculty mentorship program match across institutions.

Next steps

Session leaders will reach out to the entire HA membership with more information and call for participants.

Meeting adjourned.

 

May 2021 Honors College Graduates

 After a trying year, our 23 honors students graduated. We congratulate them.

They are:

• Mackenzie Driscoll
• Joanna Graham
• Jackson Hill
• Isabella Munson
• Hannah Campbell
• Megan Humphrey
• Madison Byrd
• Hannah Dunacusky
• Katherine Pletcher
• Kristopher Johnson
• William Lacalle
• Aryan Shrestha
• Brooke Shipp
• Anna Corbitt
• Aidan Brown
• Sarah Campbell
• Whitney Goff
• Melanie Martin
• Matthew Gustafson
• Almalkhon Ziyokhonov
• Makenzi Cross
• Brianna Davis
• Kaisi Ochs

We hope you had a good four years with us and we wish you the best for the future.

I Feel Like a Silent Movie Actor

 

I Feel Like a Silent Movie Actor

 

In 1929 a minor disaster occurred, the birth of talkies, or movies as we now know them. It was not a disaster for the general public but it was for many silent movie stars. Some were unable to perform in the talkies because of their accents, others disdained the new medium entirely, while others could not cope with the new requirements for sound: microphones or directors not being able to shout instructions while filming. Even Variety, Hollywood’s journal, argued that “movie stars should be screened and not heard.” Famous actors lost their fame and fortune nearly overnight. I’m sure you have not heard of John Gilbert, Norma Talmadge, Mary Pickford, Lillian Gish, Pola Negri, Vilma Bánky, or Clara Bow. All of them either failed to make the transition to talkies or refused to do so. Bánky’s Hungarian accent ended her career. (see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynnM8xgb3ew). Greta Garbo and Charlie Chaplin did make the transition successfully. MGM even advertised Garbo’s talkie debut writing “Garbo talks.” (see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46ybS7cebuU)

            So why would I feel like a silent movie actor? It’s long past 1929. Why does Covid play a role in my case? Think about it. Since I began teaching I have stood in front of a class and talked. Sure, the props have changed. It has been many a year since I scratched out words on a blackboard using chalk. No more chalk dust on my clothes either. Now the boards are white and I use markers instead. Projection, however, has been the major change. I have gone from overhead projectors, to LCD panels on top of those overhead projectors, to projecting from a web page to my laptop in class. Yet, even with all of those differing methods I was still standing in front of the class talking and sometimes answering questions.

            Last March everything changed and today those changes are still evident. Who would have imagined wearing masks and a whole industry emerging selling them in all kinds of colors and patterns? Plexiglass, too, now it’s everywhere. Zoom? Who had ever heard of Zoom? Dr. Berry and I were chatting the other day. He called our situation a “new normal.” He’s correct. I cannot imagine SAU taking down the plexiglass it has installed. We may need it still and may need it again, I’m sorry to say. There will be another virus. Online classes have been around for a while now. In 1992 I even chaired SAU’s first online committee; that’s when I first began to write web pages. Those early plans for online education at SAU were shelved. The connection speeds were still too slow, the computer memories were too small, and our classrooms were not yet ready. Slowly, though, online education did creep in using various forms and mediums. Dr. Rankin, for instance, gave live lectures from a TV studio on campus. Before Covid  online courses and programs already existed at SAU. I even heard some students say they liked to take the online courses because it meant they could stay in their rooms and in their pajamas! Other students, however, found that the online experience was not for them because it demanded too much self-discipline or because there were still too many glitches in the network and the computers attached to it. Me, I liked teaching the way I had all my career. In fact, I even vowed never to teach an online course before I retired.

            As you might imagine, I broke my vow. I had to. It was either adapt or retire. I chose the former. SAU gave us faculty a few days to convert our classes to an online format. The Task Force was formed to provide direction about how we should respond to Covid. We wore our masks, we washed our hands, we stayed home, and recently we got vaccinated. We had no choice. Covid is that dangerous.

            Adapting was not easy and it was work. I had to write down the words I used to speak in class. That took time. I had to learn to use BlackBoard. Before that I even used SurveyMonkey to give tests. I like Blackboard better for testing and all of its classroom management capabilities although I’m still not taking advantage of many of those. I discovered that there were aspects of teaching online that I liked or even enjoyed. One was being able to communicate directly with students after grading their tests. I could easily send them an e-mail encouraging them for their performance or urging them to study harder and better. One thing I really liked about being online was being home and not having to get dressed and drive to work. On a two-hour trip to Texarkana with a fellow faculty member I noticed my voice was giving out. That, too, was a consequence of being online. I was no longer used to talking for long periods. When I taught in the classroom that happened too but after a week or so my voice would adapt and get stronger. So, the short story is I adapted to a serious historical situation.

            You were forced to adapt too. Many had to go home and had to learn online. Once you returned in the spring you had to accommodate to hybrid, online, or face-to-face classes. Masks had to worn always and personal distance had to be respected. But here you are: SAU Honors College graduates. You made it. Now what?

            We don’t call graduation commencement for no reason. You may see your college years ending but in reality it’s the rest of your life that’s beginning; that’s commencing. Some of you have jobs already, some of you are still looking and deciding, some of you will pursue more education either here or elsewhere. What all of you will find, though, is a different world than you imagined four years ago when you first came to SAU and the Honors College. Like the silent movie stars or the grizzled college professors you too will have to adapt to that changed world. On April 15^th I made my first move back into that changed world. I spoke in public at SAU for the first time since March 2020. I spoke to high school students who may someday attend SAU and join the Honors College. We met in Grand Hall. There was around 20 of them and they were appropriately socially distanced and masked. I had my mask on too. Dr. Berry had addressed the group a few minutes earlier and had taken off his mask to talk to them, so I did the same once I began to speak. I was very mindful, however, of keeping my distance from them. I quickly fell into my usual patter, you have all heard parts of it before: Why are manhole covers round?, What is honors?, What GPA you need to stay in the Honors College, What are the benefits? And so on…

            Although my spiel was familiar and practiced, it still felt strange. At the end. I automatically masked up. As I left, I had trouble recognizing students who greeted me because I could only see their eyes. I knew not to shake hands or get too close to anyone. While speaking to the high schoolers, I made sure to wear a Hawaiian shirt, shorts, and Birkenstocks. When I went home those came off and I went back to my gym shorts and t-shirts. I have only worn a Hawaiian shirt twice since March! Now I live in t-shirts all day long and walk around barefooted most of the time.

            Yet, there are bigger and more serious changes ahead and some have already taken place while others still await us. Travel, what’s that? David and I worked hard to increase student travel and the educational opportunities it provides. Now, travel is almost completely out of the question. I will miss attending NCHC for the first time since I became honors director. I don’t wish to risk flying to Orlando and it’s 14 hours by car. You may have or will soon have experienced something similar. Maybe your job interview took place remotely. Maybe that campus visit to a grad school could not take place. Maybe you zoomed in instead.

            Notice that none of us anticipated these changes. No one did, really. Yet, here we all are in a new world, a lethal one at that. Like the silent movie stars we will either adapt or fail. I expect all of you to adapt. That’s why you chose to attend SAU. Education is not so much the learning of facts and figures, it’s learning how to cope with change. It’s possessing the tools and the mental wherewithal to assess the new environment and then thrive in it. You now have those tools, use them.

            Now think about the honors students who enrolled in 2020. Unlike you, they were forced to take Honors Seminar online. They and I did not meet three times a week in Honors Hall. They were not exposed to my limited sartorial choices. I did not get the chance to interact with them as I did with you. You might remember me telling you that the bulk of our interactions over four years would take place that first semester in Honors Seminar. This class and I missed that opportunity. So, that’s the main reason I want to meet the next class of honors students face-to-face in Honors Seminar. We will not meet in that small classroom in Honors Hall. Anyone can see why not; it’s too small an area. Instead, the class has been moved to Overstreet 302, a much larger room. I’m sure we will still be wearing masks and practicing social distancing.

            So, your class had to face a drastic change late in your tenure at SAU. The 2020 entering class was hit with the same problem at the outset of their time at SAU. Their honors experience will be much different than yours, to be sure. The 2021 entering class will have their own unique set of experiences as well. Things change, and we either change with them or we fail. I’m sure, however, that all of you will adapt. I’m also sure that the visions you had about your futures when you first set foot at SAU are different now. Recalibrate, deal with the changes that come without you intending them to. The old silent movie stars that succeeded learned to deal with being in the talkies, your 72 year-old honors director did not take the easy way out and retire. Instead, he broke his vow, put his shoulder to the task, learned to use new tools, and, remarkably, discovered that teaching online was not so bad.

            David and I apologize to you for having to cancel the annual senior recognition reception and for having to leave the honors office unmanned. Nevertheless, we congratulate you on your achievements. We feel you are among the best SAU has to offer the world. Commence again now and expect that you will again face surprise challenges. You adapted to this one, we’re sure you can now adapt to any.

            Finally, do try to keep in touch with us and we’ll try to do the same. Good luck and good fortune in the future. We’ll miss you but that’s part of our job, to send you off to your futures, even if those were not what any of us expected they would be.

 

Spring 2021 Honors Enrollment

 

 

Me, on the day I got my first Moderna vaccine. Stay healthy!

 

Here are some data regarding Honors College enrollment in Spring 2021

90 students are enrolled in honors classes

58 honors classes are being offered

46 faculty are teaching an honors course

52 separate course topics are being offered

In terms of SAU College the breakdown is a follows:

• The College of Business is offering 7 courses to 7 students
• The College of Education is offering 5 courses to 10 students
• The College of Liberal and Performing Arts is offering 23 courses to 39 students
• The College of Science and Engineering is offering 23 classes to 33 students
• The Honors College is offering 1 class to 1 student
  

 

Austin McDonald Breaks Record

 

 

As a freshman, Austin told himself, "Don't sweat the small stuff." Looks like he took his own advice.

 

Like many students he switched majors along the way from Animal Science to History.

 

 

Recent Honors College graduate just broke the record number of honors hours taken with 60 honors hours.

SAU Honors College students are required to take 24 honors hours.

Austin is from Pine Bluff, Arkansas and graduated with a degree in History.

Way to go Austin.

 

Bucket List: Megan Green

 

Bucket lists are windows into the minds and hearts of others. Knowing what is on someone's bucket list is telling of where their priorities truly lie. I have many items on my list, most of which are extreme sports, but the important items are more long term.

Before I die, I want to go skydiving. While this is very basic and unoriginal, it’s very important to me to be able to experience this. It’s all about the mindset of conquering fears. I have so much that I’m afraid of and not being in control of what happens to me is one fear. By going skydiving I would be putting my life in the hands of the skydiving instructor. But, I expect it would be a very fun experience.

A more long-term item on my bucket list is being accepted into the FBI Academy and ultimately working for the FBI either as a STEM professional or a special agent. I intend to apply for the special agent position as soon as I am eligible. Everything I do now is working towards this one goal. I want to be accepted into two different programs the FBI offers to college students and graduate students. They are both summer internships that would help me to get my foot in the door with the Bureau.

I also do not always want to live in Arkansas. Being accepted into the FBI would mean that I would move to Quantico, Virginia to attend the FBI Academy. After graduating I’m not certain where I will end up but it’s not my intention to return to Arkansas.

My bucket list mostly consists of things that will help me grow as a person, and I’m excited to see where my life will take me.