Eight SPSU professors awarded promotions
and/or tenure
Congratulations to the following recently promoted and/or tenured SPSU professors:

Promoted
• Pamela Frinzi, professor (Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology)
• Keith Hopper, professor (English, Technical Communication and Media Arts)
• Mark Nunes, professor (English, Technical Communication and Media Arts)

Tenured
• Mark Sugalski, associate professor (Biology, Chemistry and Physics)

Promoted and Tenured
• Thomas Nisley, associate professor (Social and International Studies)
• Ilseok Oh, associate professor (Civil Engineering)
• Ermal Shpuza, associate professor (Architecture)
• Rajnish Singh, associate professor (Biology, Chemistry
and Physics)

Women of SPSU taking the lead
SPSU President Lisa A. Rossbacher recently took part in a presidential panel discussion on leadership skills during the certificate program Executive Leadership for Women in Higher Education, which was sponsored by Kennesaw State University’s Coles College of Business. The panel also included presidents Martha T. Nesbitt (Gainesville State College), Betty L. Siegel (formerly of Kennesaw State University) and Beheruz N. Sethna (University of West Georgia).

SPSU administrators and faculty members participating in the three-day program in addition to Dr. Rossbacher were Dr. Becky Rutherfoord, professor of Information Technology and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools liaison; Dr. Julie Newell, chair of the Social and International Studies Department; Phyllis Weatherly, director of the SPSU Career and Counseling Center; and Kit Trensch, director of Development.

Lady Hornets have new assistant coach
Lady Hornets Head Coach Laquanda Dawkins recently appointed Stephon Seraile to serve as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator of the SPSU women’s basketball team.

Originally from Washington D.C., Seraile received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Morehouse College where he played both football and basketball. After graduation, he went on to coach for five years at Wootton High School in Rockville, Md. He also served as associate head varsity, head junior varsity boys basketball coach and head basketball coach of the Montgomery County (Md.) Select Amateur Athletic Union.

In addition to coordinating recruiting efforts, Seraile will assist Dawkins with training, skill development, academics and scheduling.

Dr. Chih-Cheng Hung to chair advisory board
The International Academy, Research and Industry Association (IARIA) has appointed Dr. Chih-Cheng Hung, professor of Computer Science and Software Engineering, to serve as advisory chair for the Fifth International Conference on Advanced Engineering Computing and Applications in Sciences (ADVCOMP 2011), to be held in Lisbon, Portugal,
Nov. 20-25.

Advisory chairs are responsible for promoting the event and evaluating conference research papers. Dr. Hung will also assist in arranging for keynote speeches, expert panels and tutorials for a companion event, NexTech 2011. Dr. Hung is one of four international advisory chairs for ADVCOMP 2011 and will represent the United States.

ADVCOMP brings together researchers from the academic and industrial sides of engineering computing and sciences.

SSAC to hold future major events, championships
in Montgomery, Ala.
The Southern States Athletics Conference (SSAC) has officially partnered with the City of Montgomery, Ala., and the Central Alabama Sports Commission (CASC) and will be holding many future competitions in this city.

This new partnership will have an enormous impact on the sports teams of 15 institutions, including SPSU. The new agreement calls for most major SSAC events and championships to take place in Montgomery for three academic years, starting in fall 2012. Previous events and championships have been held in a variety of locations throughout the Southeast.

The 176-mile trip from Marietta to Montgomery will take SPSU’s men’s and women’s basketball, soccer and baseball teams approximately three hours.

For more information about the SSAC and the partnership with Montgomery visit www.ssacsports.com.

Gear up for Jersey Day!
No, it’s got nothing to do with the state of New Jersey – SPSU’s annual Jersey Day is all about being a sports fan and a team supporter. Your chance to boldly show your true colors is Fri., Sept. 2.

Just in time for the start of football season, the Social and Community Building Committee is encouraging all SPSU students and faculty and staff members to wear the colors of whichever sports team they favor, whether it’s high school, college or professional, on Jersey Day.

Show your team spirit on Sept. 2, SPSU!

Have news to share?
If your department has an upcoming event or other news to share with the campus community, please send an e-mail with all the pertinent information to Diane Payne (dpayne@spsu.edu). To be considered for use in a specific issue of the SPSU Hornet’s Nest, a news item must be submitted no less than four weeks before the date of the issue.

Volume 4, Issue 31
Aug. 17, 2011