|
IN THIS ISSUE ...
|
||
|
Increase in enrollment, ACT scores |
|
|
Southeastern shows increase in enrollment, ACT scores
In spite of higher admission standards for new freshmen applying for the fall semester, overall enrollment at Southeastern increased 1.3 percent, while at the same time ACT scores reached a record high, university officials announced.
The total headcount for this fall, including all classifications, is 15,351 compared to last fall’s 15,160; the ACT composite scores for incoming freshmen averaged 22.1, higher than last year’s 21.7.
Southeastern President John L. Crain said while he is pleased to see enrollment remain strong despite higher admission standards, he is especially pleased to see an increase in the ACT composite scores as well as an increase in the number of freshmen with ACT scores of 24 and above. Southeastern had 737 incoming freshmen with scores of 24 and above compared to last year’s previous record of 696.
“The most powerful predictor of students’ potential success in college is their prior academic success,” said Crain. “Our incoming freshmen ACT scores have shown steady increases in the last several years. This is an important indicator of these students’ potential to succeed in college and graduate in a timely manner.”
While all University of Louisiana System institutions are mandated to implement higher admission standards in 2011, Southeastern officials decided to implement higher standards this year.
“This is our fourth increase in admission standards since initial adoption in 2000,” said Crain. “Although we evaluated this most recent increase for some time, it has always been part of our long-term strategic plan to continue to sharpen our focus on recruiting students who are better prepared to succeed at the university level.
“Good things continue to happen in our academic programs, despite budget cuts,” he added. “We are very pleased that potential students continue to recognize Southeastern as an attractive place to pursue their education. I attribute that entirely to the commitment and dedication of our faculty and staff to the success of our students.”
Increasing admission standards is also an expectation of the recently enacted La GRAD Act.
The top six feeder parishes to Southeastern this fall are St. Tammany, 3,527; Tangipahoa, 2,522; East Baton Rouge, 2,024; Livingston, 1,865; Jefferson, 1,097; and Ascension, 963.
William Robison to present Southeastern Constitution Day Lecture
Southeastern’s Department of History and Political Science will celebrate Constitution Day, Friday, Sept. 17, with a lecture by Department Head William Robison.
Scheduled for 11 a.m. in Southeastern’s Student Union Theatre, the lecture is free and open to the public.
A member of the Southeastern History and Political Science faculty since 1983 and department head since 1999, Robison will discuss “The English Bill of Rights and the American Constitution.”
Robison said the English Bill of Rights of 1689 is one of the fundamental documents guaranteeing British liberty and an important milestone on the road to democracy in the United Kingdom. Since most American colonists at the time of the American Revolution were of British extraction, it also had a profound influence on American ideas about liberty.
“When the colonies declared their independence from Great Britain in 1776, many of the 13 new states promulgated state constitutions that included bills or declarations of rights,” Robison said. “Many items in the state bills of rights came directly from the English Bill of Rights. In turn, many of the provisions in state bills of rights later appeared in the United States Constitution adopted in 1787 or in the American Bill of Rights, which provided its first 10 amendments in 1791.”
Robison will also give an encore lecture on Sept. 21 at the Christwood Retirement Community, 100 Christwood Boulevard in Covington, at 4 p.m. as part of the Christwood Arts and Lectures Series.
For more information about the lecture, contact Robison at (985) 549-2109.
Five new books published by Southeastern Police Detective
The past summer has been a prolific one for short story writer and novelist O’Neil De Noux, who by day is an investigator with the Southeastern Police Department.
Five new books by De Noux – including two short story collections, two novels and a how-to book on fiction writing – were published over the last three months. The stories draw on De Noux’s years of experience in law enforcement with the Jefferson Parish and St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s offices and his current work at Southeastern.
In addition, De Noux – a Vietnam-era Army photographer – shot the pictures and created the covers for four of the works.
His new work includes “Slick Time,” a fast-paced novel set in New Orleans and the Caribbean which involves kidnapping, extortion and the filming of a sexy movie, as well as a slate of unforgettable characters and a unique Caribbean sea monster; and “Mafia Aphrodite,” a strictly for adults erotic thriller involving a crime family heiress intent on bringing her sexual fantasies to life.
De Noux added two short story collections to his growing list of published books. “New Orleans Mysteries” is a collection of crime and detective stories set in the Crescent City between 1891 and 2027. “New Orleans Nocturnal” is his series of nine stories featuring one of his favorite characters, New Orleans Police homicide detective John Raven Beaux, the half-Cajun, half-Sioux pursuer of killers through the dark streets, swamps and wastelands of south Louisiana.
With 12 years of experience teaching fiction writing at Tulane University, the University of New Orleans and McNeese State University, De Noux compiled his step-by-step writing and publishing secrets in “A Short Guide to Writing and Selling Fiction” that includes a chapter of the professional side of selling stories and novels.
The books can be obtained through De Noux’s web site, www.oneildenoux.net. He recently received a career advancement grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts to work on a forthcoming historical novel set during the Battle of New Orleans.
Cell phone photography on display at Southeastern Art Gallery
Nearly everyone today has a cell phone, and many use the device’s built-in camera to capture their environment.
That’s what artist Dale Newkirk observed at last year’s Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans. And it gave Newkirk, who is the curator for Southeastern’s Contemporary Art Gallery, an idea for an exhibit: Why not display some of those images in the art gallery?
Newkirk solicited submissions from artists, photographers and the general public and received more than 350 images from 200 people around the country. The National Cell Phone Photography Exhibition opens in the Contemporary Art Gallery Thursday (Sept. 9) and runs through Sept. 25.
“It’s interesting to see what people choose to shoot,” said Newkirk. “The most popular images that were submitted were people’s cats and sunsets.”
He said he was somewhat surprised by the quality of some of the photos submitted.
“The new phones today are amazing and can capture some great images,” Newkirk said.
The better shots came from photographers and artists, he explained, a natural outcome since they tend to have an eye for image and content.
Newkirk chose to arrange the photos in a random pattern and deliberately kept the display very minimalistic. “I wanted it to be in a very casual setting,” he said.
The exhibition will be displayed in the gallery, 100 East Stadium, next to Clark Hall. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. with extended hours until 8 p.m. on Wednesday and 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Above: Dale Newkirk, curator for Southeastern’s Contemporary Art Gallery, hangs cell phone images in the gallery for the show exhibiting photography collected from more than 350 submissions. The show, which is free and open to the public, runs through Sept. 25. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. with extended hours until 8 p.m. on Wednesday and 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Iconic R&B group to perform at Columbia Theatre
Southeastern’s Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts is bringing Boyz II Men to the stage on Sept. 24. The 7:30 p.m. concert replaces the originally scheduled May 21 performance that the group had to postpone.
“We are excited to finally bring Boyz II Men to the Columbia stage,” said Interim Columbia Theatre Director Ken Boulton. “Their vocal talent and showmanship are unparalleled.”
Formed in Philadelphia in 1988, Boyz II Men has sold more that 60 million albums and recorded five number one hit songs, including “End of the Road,” “I’ll Make Love to You” and “On Bended Knee.” Hailed by the Recording Industry Association of America as the most commercially successful R&B group of all time, the trio has also won a host of awards, including four Grammys.
Known for their impressive vocal sound, synchronized dance routines and polished stage presence, Boyz II Men returns to the stage with their new album “Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA,” paying homage to such greats as Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and The Temptations.
Tickets for Boyz II Men are $58, Orchestra; $64, Loge; and $48, Balcony and are available at the Columbia box office, 220 East Thomas Street, 985-543-4371, or online at columbiatheatre.org.
Box office hours are 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and one hour before performance times. Southeastern students may purchase half-priced tickets, while supplies last, at the box office with university I.D.
For information about upcoming Columbia Theatre events, visit columbiatheatre.org or call (985) 543-4366.
Sponsored Research and Programs news
The Office of Sponsored Research and Programs (OSRP) will host an informational seminar to discuss the upcoming 2010-11 Board of Regents Enhancement funding opportunity. Special guest will be Bryan Jones, Board of Regents Enhancement Program Manager. Disciplines eligible to apply this funding cycle include Business, Chemistry, Education, Mathematics, and Physics/Astronomy.
The seminar will be held at the Mead Hall Conference Room (room 120) on Wednesday, Sept. 22, at 10 a.m. Reservations are not required, but suggested.
For more information, please contact the OSRP at 549-5312 or via email at orsc@selu.edu.
Annual Homecoming Door Decorating Contest announced
The Office of Leadership Development and Student Activities will once again join with the Alumni Association to co-sponsor the annual Homecoming Door Decoration Contest.
This year’s Homecoming theme is “Roomie to the Rescue.” It is a salute to heroes, real (police, firemen, etc.) or fictional (Superman, Spiderman, etc.).
Homecoming Week is Oct. 18-23. Doors must be completed by Monday, Oct. 18 for judging. Winners will be announced at Gumbo Ya-Ya on Wednesday, Oct. 20.
Prizes can be redeemed from Aramark or the Bookstore (winner’s choice). First prize is $100, second prize is $75, and third prize is $50. The contest is designed for departments only.
Registration forms are available in the Office of Leadership Development, Student Union room 110 or one can be mailed or faxed to your office. The deadline to register for the contest is Friday, Oct. 1, at 3 p.m. If you should choose to not participate after registering, we ask you to please call us by 8 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 18, so we will have time to take you off the judges’ list. For more information, call Jackie Dale Thomas at 549-2233.
Southeastern offering career enrichment programs as part of U.S. Department of Labor Grant
Southeastern is now offering free career enrichment programs to assist area businesses by training personnel in customer service, sales, safety and loss prevention.
The programs are also available at no charge for the unemployed, underemployed, or other individuals seeking the training.
The programs are being offered through a $190,000 U.S. Department of Labor Grant by the university’s Division of Extended Studies and the Southeast Louisiana Business Center. They are designed to meet a need for training in the business and community realm, according to Charlotte Collins, project manager in Extended Studies. There is no charge for an employer or an individual to participate.
“We do require that companies appoint a mentor who will follow up with the employees to ensure they complete all training and to monitor their progression for a short period,” Collins explained.
“In a number of cases, companies struggle to find the time, money and resources required to adequately and professionally train their employes in these areas,” said Joan Gunter, assistant vice-president for extended studies. “This program was developed to address some of the short-term training needs for incumbent workers and new hires, as well as unemployed, potential workers.”
Gunter said the program is available to qualified businesses in Southeastern’s region, including the parishes of Livingston, St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangiphoa and Washington. Individuals seeking to participate should contact the One Stop Career Resource Center in Hammond, which has agreed to mentor unemployed job-seekers.
Last month the university piloted its initial class in safety and loss prevention with Shaw Sunland, a pipe fabricating plant in Walker and a subsidiary of the Shaw Group of Baton Rouge. The business requested the program for a group of supervisors and team leaders; 38 participants from Shaw Sunland completed the 15-hour program.
Southeastern is also partnering with Northshore Technical College for customer service and sales training as part of this grant. Southeastern adjunct instructor Steve Pereira of Professional Safety Associates in Denham Springs will conduct the safety training, which has been offered in the past at the Livingston Parish Literacy and Technology Center.
“Most companies promote their best and brightest into supervision but unwittingly set them up to fail because they did not provide them with the necessary training,” Pereira said. “In their new positions, they need additional skills in the areas of effective communication, leadership, hazard recognition, evaluation and control and problems in performance. The safety training is conducted in a relaxed informal setting with numerous breakout and discussion sessions so participants can learn from each other. Individuals in the pilot program actively participated and had fun doing so.”
For information on the Career Enrichment Program, contact Collins at 1-800-256-2771 or through email at Charlotte.Collins@selu.edu.
Hammond
Basketball Officiating
Students will learn the basics of the game of basketball from rules and regulations to equipment, players, penalties and definitions. The course will be held Monday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. starting Sept. 20.
MandevilleACT Test Preparation
The five-week course is designed to help high school students develop the skills to improve ACT scores and will be held on Thursday evenings beginning Sept. 16.
Bicycle Safety for High School
Take a four-hour ride on the St. Tammany Trace and learn safety tips related to the Trace and street riding. Increase confidence in street safety and basic bicycle maintenance.
The two-week long course is offered from Sept. 16 - 23.
Medical Terminology for Non-Medical Professionals
The course will help non-medical professionals working in a medical environment better understand the terms they often hear. It will also help individuals considering a career in the medical profession. The course is offered Monday and Wednesday nights from 4 to 6 p.m. starting Sept. 20.
Medical Terminology for Seniors
The course is designed for seniors to better understand medical terminology when talking with physicians. Knowledge of the terminology increases confidence in dealing with medical issues. The two-day per week, two-week long course is offered Monday and Wednesday mornings from 9 to 11 a.m.
Acrylic Painting for Beginers
Students in this course will learn to create their own beautiful paintings! No prior art experience required. The class will be offered Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 1 to 3 p.m. starting Sept. 20.
WalkerACT Test Preparation
The course is designed to help high school students develop the skills to improve ACT scores. The five-week course will be held on Thursday evenings beginning Sept.16.
To register, or for further details on these or other courses that are available through Extended Studies please visit:
Hammond- www.selu.edu/es Mandeville- www.selu.edu/stc Walker- www.selu.edu/livingston
Workshops this week
The Center is offering Sympodium Training on Wednesday this week. Dr. Matt Rossano will continue his Science & Religion Brown Bag discussions on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. Bring lunch and a friend! Coming next Monday, Scannable Codes for Campus Use. Refer to the Center’s web calendar at www.selu.edu/center for more details.
Upcoming workshop series
Mark your calendars for the Center’s upcoming workshop series, Connecting Student Learning and Web 2.0. The series will begin on Sept. 29 at noon with a national webcast, followed by four in-house workshops presented by Heather O’Connell, Department of English. The workshops will be held in Tinsley 103, 11 a.m. -12:15 p.m.
Oct. 5--Skype Oct. 19-- Podcasting Nov. 2-- Wikis Nov. 16-- Social Networking
Faculty who attend all four workshops will earn a Certificate of University Teaching and Learning (CUTL). A CUTL is offered by the Center for Faculty Excellence to assist faculty in meeting and documenting professional goals. These certificates may be included in professional portfolios as evidence of continued professional growth.
See the Center’s calendar at www.selu.edu/center for more details.
Faculty contest
In celebration of Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, Sept. 17, the Center will sponsor a faculty contest for the most creative student-centered activity that increases knowledge of the Constitution and encourages civic engagement. Activities must be presented during the week of Sept. 17.
Entries are limited to one page and must include: 1) overview of the lesson in which the activity occurs or is tied; 2) objective(s) of the activity, and 3) detailed description of the activity including the date it occurred. Activities will be judged on: 1) creativity, 2) applicability to discipline, and 3) potential to increase citizenship and knowledge of the Constitution.
The author of winning entry will receive a $100 Enhancement Grant from the Center. Send entries to center@selu.edu by Sept. 22. The e-mail should contain contact information, course name and number, and the title of the activity. Attach the one-page activity to the e-mail as a Word document. The attachment should have no identifying information. The winner will be announced by Sept. 28.
This week in athletics
The Southeastern football, volleyball and women’s soccer teams will all be at home during this week in Southeastern Athletics.
The Lion football team (1-1) will host its second straight game on Saturday at 6 p.m., as Lamar (1-1) visits Strawberry Stadium. Southeastern picked up its first victory last Saturday, defeating Tennessee-Martin, 24-10, thanks to five turnovers forced by the defense, as well as 100-yard rushing performances by sophomore running backs Sam Fairley and Zeke Jones. Meanwhile, Lamar, which is fielding a football team for the first time since 1989, earned their first victory of the season with a 21-14 win over Webber International.
Saturday will be the Hall of Fame Game at Strawberry Stadium, as former Southeastern student-athletes Sarah Gascon (softball/volleyball), Andy Smith (men’s golf) and Bobby Hill (football) will be the newest inductees into the Southeastern Athletics Hall of Fame.
Saturday’s game will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the Internet at www.LionSports.net. Fans in the New Orleans area can also hear the game on WGSO-AM (990). The game will be televised on a tape-delay basis by the Southeastern Channel (Charter Channel 18).
After playing its first 12 matches on the road, the Lady Lion volleyball team (7-5) will open its home schedule this week. Southeastern will welcome South Alabama to the University Center on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. match, before Southern comes to town on Thursday for a 7 p.m. match.
The Lady Lions will compete in the Nicholls Challenge in Thibodaux later in the week, opening Southland Conference play with a 7 p.m. match versus the Colonels on Friday. On Saturday, Southeastern takes on Louisiana Tech at 10 a.m. and Houston at 2 p.m.
The undefeated Southeastern women’s soccer team (6-0-1) will look to continue its best-ever start to a season, hosting a pair of in-state non-conference rivals. Louisiana-Monroe comes to town for a 4:30 p.m. match on Friday, while Southeastern hosts Louisiana-Lafayette on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The men’s and women’s cross country teams will compete in their second meet of the season this week. The Lions and Lady Lions will be in Mobile, Ala. on Saturday to compete in the Azalea City Classic.
The defending Southland Conference champion men’s golf team will open its fall campaign this week. Head coach Tim Baldwin and the Lions will participate in the Sam Hall Intercollegiate in Hattiesburg, Miss. on Monday and Tuesday.
Monday, September 13Men’s Golf, at Sam Hall Intercollegiate, Hattiesburg, Miss., All Day
Tuesday, September 14Volleyball, vs. South Alabama, University Center, 7 p.m. Men’s Golf, at Sam Hall Intercollegiate, Hattiesburg, Miss., All Day
Thursday, September 16Volleyball, vs. Southern, University Center, 7 p.m.
Friday, September 17Women’s Soccer, vs. Louisiana-Monroe, Southeastern Soccer Complex, 4:30 p.m.Volleyball, at Nicholls (Nicholls Challenge), Thibodaux, 7 p.m.*
Saturday, September 18Football, vs. Lamar (Hall of Fame Game), Strawberry Stadium, 6 p.m. (KSLU) (WGSO) (SE Channel)Volleyball, vs. Louisiana Tech (Nicholls Challenge), Thibodaux, 10 a.m.Volleyball, vs. Houston (Nicholls Challenge), Thibodaux, 2 p.m.Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, at Azalea City Classic, Mobile, Ala., All Day
Sunday, September 19
Women’s Soccer, vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, Southeastern Soccer Complex, 1 p.m.
Southeastern home events in bold
* - Southland Conference match
Professional activities
Dr. Glen Hemberger (Music and Dramatic Arts) served as clinician and lecturer for the 2010 Music Teaching Institute at Loyola University in New Orleans. He has most recently been appointed to the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Northshore Advisory Board, a sixteen-member panel dedicated to the advancement of the LPO on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain.
Charles Elliott (History and Political Science) is leading the Reading in Literature and Culture (RELIC) program “Battlefield Louisiana: Civil War Events and Experiences” over the next six weeks at the Pointe Coupee Parish Library in New Roads. This community outreach reading and discussion project is funded by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and by Point Coupee Parish.
ByLion is published weekly online (bi-weekly during the summer session) for the faculty and staff of Southeastern Louisiana University. Send submissions to publicinfo@selu.edu, SLU 10880, fax 985-549-2061, or bring to Public Information Office in East Stadium. Submission deadline is 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Return to By-Lion directory