Mar 28, 2024  
2020-21 Graduate Bulletin 
    
2020-21 Graduate Bulletin ARCHIVED

Administration


Administration and Accreditation

By legislative act, a nine-member Board of Regents, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Texas Senate, governs Stephen F. Austin State University. Each member serves a six-year term with three new appointments every two years. Each year, the governor also appoints an SFA student as a non-voting member of the Board of Regents to serve a one-year term. This board elects all members of the administration, faculty and professional staff, and sets general policies for the university’s programs.

Stephen F. Austin State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degrees. Contact the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, or call (404) 679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of SFA.​

  Board of Regents
David R. Alders 2025 Nacogdoches
Dr. Scott H. Coleman 2021 Houston
Alton L. Frailey 2021 Katy
Karen G. Gantt 2023 McKinney
Brigettee C. Henderson 2023 Lufkin
M. Thomas Mason 2023 Dallas
Judy Larson Olson 2025 The Woodlands
Jennifer Wade Winston 2025 Lufkin
Zoé Smiley, Student Regent 2020 Corrigan

 

  Officers of the Board
Alton L. Frailey Chair
Karen Gantt Vice Chair
M. Thomas Mason Secretary

 

  Officers of Administration
Scott Gordon, Ph.D. President
Stephen Bullard, Ph.D. Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs
Marc S. Guidry, Ph.D. Associate Provost
Danny R. Gallant, Ph.D. Vice President for Finance and Administration
Steven B. Westbrook, Ed.D. Vice President for University Affairs
Jill Still, M.B.A., CFRE Vice President for University Advancement

 

  Alumni Association
Craig Turnage Executive Director of Alumni Affairs

 

  Ralph W. Steen Library
Jonathan Helmke Director of the Library

 

  Deans of Colleges
Timothy Bisping, Ph.D. Dean, Nelson Rusche College of Business
Judy A. Abbott, Ph.D. Dean, James I. Perkins College of Education
A.C. Himes, Ph.D. Dean, College of Fine Arts
Hans Williams, Ph.D. Dean, Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture
Brian M. Murphy, Ph.D. Dean, College of Liberal and Applied Arts
Kimberly M. Childs, Ph.D. Dean, College of Sciences and Mathematics
Pauline M. Sampson, Ph.D. Dean, Office of Research and Graduate Studies

Graduate Council

The principal advisory body for graduate education at Stephen F. Austin State University is the Graduate Council, chaired by the dean of the Office of Research and Graduate Studies.

The Graduate Council shall consist of six elected, three appointed and four ex-officio members of the graduate faculty. Each college shall elect one representative from the regular members of the graduate faculty in that college. Three members shall be appointed by the dean of Research and Graduate Studies, subject to the principle of proportionate representation from each college on the basis of regular members of the graduate faculty in the respective colleges, and subject further to the approval of the provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Both elected and appointed members of the council shall serve three-year terms. The terms shall be staggered in order to ensure that only one-third of the terms expire each year. Should there be over- representation of any one-term year, an adjustment will be made through the designation of two-year term elections. Should such an adjustment be necessary, the membership will be surveyed to identify those members whose term will be adjusted. Upon the expiration of a term, the council member is ineligible for re-election or reappointment for three years.

A vacancy on the council shall be filled by election or appointment, whichever is applicable to the position vacated. Should a vacancy occur at such a time when the unfilled portion of a member’s term is one academic year or less, the chair of the University Graduate Council may appoint a regular member of the graduate faculty from the appropriate college to fill the partial term. Under these circumstances, the person appointed to fill the partial term shall be eligible for re-election or reappointment.

The registrar, the director of libraries, a representative of the faculty senate and a graduate student shall be ex-officio, non-voting members of the council. Other ex-officio, non-voting members may be appointed to the council as determined by the dean of Research and Graduate Studies with the approval of the provost and vice president for academic affairs.

  Graduate Council  
Pauline M. Sampson, Ph.D. Dean of Research and Graduate Studies Chair
Samantha Inman, Ph.D. Fine Arts Elected
Adam Akerson, Ph.D. Education Elected
Kevin Stafford, Ph.D. Sciences and Mathematics Elected
Joyce Johnston, Ph.D. Liberal and Applied Arts Appointed
Mitch Crocker, Ph.D. Business Elected
Jared Barnes, Ph.D. Forestry and Agriculture Elected
Jillian Dawes, Ph.D. Education Appointed
Juan Carlos Urena, Ph.D. Liberal and Applied Arts Elected
Roy Joe Harris, Ph.D. Sciences and Mathematics Appointed
Lynda Langham, M.B.A. Registrar Ex Officio
Jonathan Helmke, Ed.D. Library Director Ex Officio
Andrew Lannen, Ph.D. Faculty Senate Representative Ex Officio
Cutler Ruby Graduate Student Representative Appointed

 

University Mission

Stephen F. Austin State University is a comprehensive institution dedicated to excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, creative work and service. Through the personal attention of our faculty and staff, we engage our students in a learner-centered environment and offer opportunities to prepare for the challenges of living in the global community.