Campus Facility Growth

One of the most exciting things about serving as president of Sam Houston State University for the past four and a half years has been watching the physical changes that have taken place on campus. One of the most recent was the almost $6 million baseball/softball complex. Watching games on those fields is more fun for me than driving to Houston to watch the Astros, and way more fun than watching a sports event on television. I encourage each of you to give it a try.

Another facility that is most exciting and has been well received by our students and employees is the Health and Kinesiology Center addition. Its usage has been great and will get even better with the opening of the new pool later this spring. In a recent one-month period, use of the entire facility was up 22 percent over last year, and the new weight room was up 46 percent.

There are other master plan and construction projects that you may have heard about, and I would like to give you an update on the status of several of these.

The Visitor and Alumni Center project is progressing well, with completion scheduled for early summer. This facility will be a great first stop for our campus visitors and provide an appropriate home for our Alumni Relations staff and activities.

The new Raven Village housing project is also proceeding toward its expected completion date of late July. That name was suggested by student input and approved at the recent board of regents meeting on our campus.

We are also working closely with internal staff, planners, and the regents on additional projects that are badly needed for practical as well as aesthetic reasons.

The regents have already given us the approval to remove the Frels and Wilson complex, which is being used for offices, and the Smith-Kirkley residence hall. When we decide to do so, it will be the first step in a series of moves that will give us additional office and classroom space.

The Frels-Wilson removal will allow us to expand and consolidate the present mall/commons area, which will greatly add to the beauty of our already-magnificent campus.

A key element in that series of steps will be construction of an estimated $30 million Academic Building V. It is currently planned for the area south of the Smith-Hutson addition and east of the Lee Drain Building.

While the timelines for these projects have not been set, we hope to have sufficient planning completed to present the ABV project for board approval at their May board meeting, and to proceed with first approval for a new dining facility in August or November.

As with any construction project, and especially with ones of this magnitude, schedules could change.

Finkelman is Spring Distinguished Lecturer

The Faculty Distinguished Lecturer Series, which has included such noteworthy figures as former president George Bush, Poland's president and Communism foe Lech Walesa, George Kenneth Galbraith, and many others, will have an interesting speaker this spring.

Paul Finkelman, Chapman Distinguished Professor at the University of Tulsa College of Law, will speak on the topic: "Are the Ten Commandments the Basis of American Law: Ten Commandments and Public Space." His presentation is scheduled for 11 a.m. April 11 in Olson Auditorium in Academic Building IV.

Among his many accomplishments, Dr. Finkelman was an expert witness in the Alabama Ten Commandments Monument Case. His versatility is also evident in the fact that he had a similar involvement in a lawsuit over the ownership of Barry Bonds' 73rd home run ball.

I am sure that his discussion on the issue of separation of church and state will be educational and entertaining.

Be Safe on Spring Break

While it may seem obvious, it cannot be said often enough. To all Sam Houston State students, faculty and staff, no matter if you are hitting the beach, or cleaning out the gutters, please be safe. We want you back healthy for the remainder of the Spring Semester.

Let's Jam Johnson

Whether we call it Pack the House, Axe the Jacks, or Jam Johnson, Thursday night's game against Stephen F. Austin in the semi-final round of the Southland Conference basketball tournament should be one of the most exciting athletic contests ever on our campus.

Game time is 7 p.m., but I expect that Johnson Coliseum will be rocking long before that.

This year's men's basketball team has some big upsets, a great 21-8 record, and finished second in the regular season conference standings. Another two wins will mean our second-ever trip to the NCAA March Madness tournament. Coach Bob Marlin and his scrappy team deserve our congratulations and support.

Future Master Plan/Construction Projects

In our somewhat more distant facility plans are projects that will be of great benefit to our academic capability.

We are continuing to work toward a new performing arts building to provide space and facilities for music, theater, and dance. These programs have been attracting national attention and credit, and as a result are of interest to a growing number of area, state, and national students.

This facility will include classrooms, practice rooms, and recital and concert halls. The discussions of what we would like in such a facility, and what we can realistically afford, are continuing.

Another project that we are planning will be an expansion of the Criminal Justice Center, which was built by inmate labor some 30 years ago at a bargain price to the state and nation, but which is now operating at full capacity.

The Criminal Justice program has brought more national and international attention to Sam Houston State University in its relatively short period of existence than any other on our campus. We are committed to maintaining its reputation for service and preeminence in its field, and having a quality facility is a key to that goal.

Astros Owner is President's Speaker

Drayton McLane, chairman of the McLane Group and chairman and chief executive officer of the Houston Astros Baseball Club, will be this spring's President's Speaker Series guest. He will speak at 11 a.m. April 24 in the Beto Criminal Justice Center's Killinger Auditorium.

I believe this selection is in accordance with this program's goal of presenting individuals with interesting stories, who have had successful and principled careers. The story of the entire McLane family for that matter is inspirational, as they came to the Cameron area of Texas from South Carolina, worked as farm laborers, and got into the grocery business in a small way at first.

After earning his business degree at Baylor, and working in what had grown into a family wholesale grocery business, Drayton merged the McLane Company with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. He has been involved in numerous civic and service activities, including serving as chairman of the board of regents of Baylor, and has won a number of awards.

He is best known, of course, as the Houston Astros owner, and I hope he will make some interesting comments about that role in his presentation.

A Sam Star is Born

Many of you already know the story of Katie Clark, our recent musical theatre graduate who is now starring in the Broadway play The Light in the Piazza. While Sam Houston State has many talented graduates, none that I know of has risen to the top of her profession as quickly as has Katie.

Nancy and I, along with Frank and Maria Holmes, were in New York for an alumni reception the weekend of Katie's opening performance, and we were able to see her in her second performance and to meet with her backstage.

We had just seen her in costume, but when we got backstage she already had on blue jeans and a sweatshirt. She was very friendly and seemed to be somewhat overwhelmed with all that was happening to her. We were taken with the fact that she was concerned about finishing her semester exams at Sam Houston, which she did successfully.

She also seemed to be very pleased to see "friends" from her university. We were obviously very proud of her, not only for her wonderful performance, but for the manner in which she is processing this grand accomplishment. She is as delightful a young lady as she is talented.