"The granting of faculty development leave was just one of several West Texas A&M University agenda items approved by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents at its regular meeting Thursday, Aug. 16 in College Station.
The board approved the spring 2019 faculty development leave for three WTAMU faculty members. Dr. Shiquan Tao, associate professor of chemistry, will spend spring 2019 at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, where he will work with Dr. G. Cutter, an international leader in marine geo/environmental chemistry. Their work will look at developing a new simple and low-cost approach for analyzing chemical species’ spatial distribution in natural water systems.
Dr. Emily Kinsky, associate professor of communication and a member of the Fulbright Specialist Program List, will spend spring 2019 collaborating with Sarah Jones, head of the School of Media at Birmingham City University in the United Kingdom. She will learn about emerging technologies and specifically about immersive experiential films. Kinsky also will work with Routledge Publishing to produce an edited volume regarding media portrayals of public relations practitioners and will organize and publish an issue of the Journal of Public Relations Education.
Dr. Bonney MacDonald, professor of English, will spend her leave at the Huntington Manuscript Collection in San Marino, Calif., examining the papers of Frederick Jackson Turner. She will write the research and organize a panel presentation on Turner at the Western Literature Association, present a paper on Turner’s West at the 2020 Western History Association and submit a chapter for a proposed essay collection on Turner’s influences with Texas A&M University Press.
In other business, the board granted the title of emeritus to four faculty members. The title recognizes the long and distinguished service of Dr. Douglas P. Bingham, 46 years, Professor Emeritus of Biology; Dr. Gerald Schultz, 54 years, Professor Emeritus of Geology; Dr. B.A. Stewart, 25 years, Professor Emeritus of Agriculture; and Dr. Conn P. Thomas, 25 years, Professor Emeritus of Education.
The Board of Regents also approved several resolutions honoring various athletic organizations at WTAMU for accomplishments during the past season. Those receiving resolutions as an expression of appreciation include the the men’s basketball team, men’s baseball team, women’s basketball team, women’s track and field team and the WTAMU athletic department.
The board also approved the naming of various rooms and spaces as well as a building at WTAMU. The Commerce Building in downtown Amarillo is now the Harrington Academic Hall, and the board also approved the naming of several classrooms, labs and spaces in the new facility. The names of various classrooms and spaces were also approved in the University’s Classroom Center, Agricultural Sciences Complex, Happy State Bank Academic and Research Building and the Piehl-Schaeffer Pavilion."
-West Texas A&M University
