Interview with Dr. Robin Johnson

 

As the infamous “Gamergate”continues into its fourth month of dominating video gaming news sources such as Kotaku and IGN, we take a step back to look at what exactly it is causing this dilemma.

In this edition of  Interviews and News I sit down and talk to Dr. Robin Johnson of Sam Houston State University. Dr. Johnson actively studies feminism not just video games but the video game industry as well.

Dr. Johnson has published a number of studies on gender and its relation to video games and television including, “Towards greater production diversity: Examining social boundaries at a video game studio.” (2013),  “Hiding in plain sight: Reproducing masculine culture at a video game studio.” (forthcoming), and “Temp cyborgs: Gender, technology and immaterial labor in popular science fiction television.” (2013).

Montgomery Road collision sends one to hospital

This occurred outside of my apartment last night.

SHSU pantry to become reality soon

Students and faculty members at Sam Houston State University expect to open a food pantry within the coming semester after years of questioning whether or not it could be done.

Three years ago, a group of SHSUcommunity members devised the idea to create a food pantry for students who need a little extra help. Despite having formed both a committee and advising board in place, the pantry failed to become a reality when space and budgeting problems halted the group’s progress, according to Candice Wilson, the current first-year experience program coordinator at SHSU.

However, progress has begun to pick up again for the group as more students have become interested in helping the program over the 2013-2014 school year.

“We have been meeting regularly for the past semester,” Wilson said. “At this point in time students have been applying to be declared a student run organization.”

The program will target the students at SHSU who suffer from food insecurity, a problem that affects students not only physically but mentally as well, according to Wilson.

“Not being able to eat can seriously affect student’s health and grades,” Wilson said. “If you are too busy focusing on being hungry, how can you pay attention to whatever homework or test you have in front of you?

The program was originally founded by former director of academic support Bernice Strauss, Ph.D., Lee Courtney, Ph.D., McNair Scholars program director Lydia Fox, Ph.D., Project CONNECT project coordinator Katie Flecther, assistant professor of mathematics Martin Malandro, junior mathematics major Amber Spell, Project CONNECT director Kelley Stuckey, and Wilson and has since gained several new members.

Students have reformed a committee for the pantry and with the help of several faculty members are on their way to finding a space for the coming semesters.

“This semester, students have been looking for an area for the food pantry,” Wilson said. “The biggest challenge at this time is finding a space to fill.”

The pantry is designed to be student run and controlled, according to Wilson. The next step in the process of opening the pantry is assessing the need at SHSU, which the group plans to do through a survey.

“We plan for [the survey] to go out before the end of the school year,” Wilson said. “This will give us some definite data on food insecurity on campus.”

To get involved with the food pantry, contact Wilson atc.wilson@shsu.edu.

Mass communication dept. recognizes students, faculty at banquet

As graduation quickly approaches at Sam Houston State University, graduating seniors and various students were honored at the Department of Mass Communication’s annual banquet Monday.

Courtesy of Brynn Castro| The Houstonian

The banquet hosted nearly 200 mass communication students, faculty and staff as they came together to pay tribute to the most distinguished members of the college. Thirty-five students received scholarships and awards from the university.

One senior from each mass communication concentration was recognized for their outstanding achievements.

The seniors recognized were Trent Scott with a broadcast journalism concentration, Stephen Green with a multiplatform journalism concentration, Gabriela Finney with a broadcast production concentration, Darian Fisher with a media management concentration, Molly Waddell with a print journalism concentration, Patricia Morales del Bostu with a public relations concentration and Taylor Blystone with a film concentration.

In addition, Global Center for Journalism and Democracy director Kelli Arena announced the winner of the Dan Rather Internship as junior mass communication major Alexis Bloomer.

The Dan Rather Internship takes one distinguished mass communications student from SHSU to New York for two months where they work hand-in-hand with Rather himself.

The internship receives dozens of applicants from juniors every year who are put through a series of rigorous tests and interviews, according to Arena.

“After we made the cut, they took the top five [finalists] into the process of interviews,” Bloomer said. “Supposedly, it was very close between two people. So what they did is they had us write a report about minimum wage, something we would hand over to Dan Rather himself.”

Bloomer has spent her past three years at SHSU working her way toward winning the internship.

“I came to college with that one goal,” Bloomer said. “I engaged myself in as many organizations as I could, got myself out there and really engaged myself within the media world to make it so I could be a better applicant.”

Along with the many honored students, a number of faculty members were also recognized for reaching milestones in their careers. The faculty members include Arena for five years of service, Janet Bridges for 10 years and Christopher White for 25 years.

 

Straus, Schwertner, Garza to speak at commencement

Sam Houston State University’s 2014 commencement speakers have been announced as two state senators and a Texas State University System regent.

The first of the speakers, Texas Rep. Joe Straus, will address graduates from the College of Criminal Justice on May 9. The following speaker, Texas Sen. Charles Schwertner, will address the College of Business Administration and College of Health Sciences later that evening.

The speeches will begin May 9 and continue through May 10 when more than 2,100 students are expected to graduate.

Regent Jaime Garza will deliver two speeches May 10. The first will address graduates from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Sciences at 9:30 a.m. He will also speak to the graduates of the College of Fine Arts and Mass Communications at 2:30 p.m.

Straus has served as the speaker of the Texas House of Representatives for the past three legislative sessions and has become known for encouraging working across party lines.

Schwertner has served in the Texas House of Representatives from 2010-2012 for district 20 of Texas. He also serves on the Senate committees for health and human services, government organization, criminal justice, agriculture, rural affairs and homeland security. In September 2013, he was appointed to the Sunset Advisory Commission, a 12-member legislative body in charge of periodically providing comprehensive reviews of more than 150 state agencies.

Garza holds doctorates in medicine and dental surgery from Louisiana State University. Gov. Rick Perry appointed him to the Board of Regents in 2011. He is president and chief executive officer of the Texas Plastic Surgery and Renew Center at Stadia. Garza also holds a patent on a protective facemask used by the NBA and NCAA, and he is a consultant for the New Orleans Saints and San Antonio Spurs.

 

Banishment

After the publication of a recent article I wrote the Houstonian received a complaint from a fairly prominent board of directors in Huntsville.

As a result I have basically been banished from writing anymore. My editor has removed me from all long form reporting. They have me only writing briefs, and short stories on small time local events.

HEART OFFICIALLY BROKEN.

Hospital to get assault nurse

Courtesy of Topix.com
Unknown contributor

NOTICE: This story has since been removed from Houstonianonline.com for review due to a complaint from the hospital. Edits may be made at a future point.

After years of being unable to properly address sexual assault in Walker County, Huntsville Memorial Hospital will be gaining a new sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE), according to hospital officials.

Huntsville Memorial Hospital’s formation of a sexual assault response team (SART) has reached a turning point after struggling to find a SANE nurse to complete it.

The hospital’s search for a sexual assault nurse examiner has set back the formation of a SART since 2013, according to Charmin White, assistant professor of nursing at Sam Houston State University.

Anne Stiles, Ph.D., director of the School of Nursing, said after finding a SANE nurse who then left Huntsville, the hospital’s SART hasn’t developed according to plan.

The lack of an in-city SART has led to many issues within the hospital as it has been forced to turn away any sexual assault victims coming to them for aid, according to HMH’s public relations officer Calli Dretke. Dretke added anyone who needs additional care that cannot be provided by the hospital is forced to go to another facility.

A Texas law passed in May 2013 says that all medical facilities with an emergency department must have a SANE nurse on staff. The law went into effect Sept. 1, 2013.

Prior to the passing of the bill, Walker County released a community plan in fall 2012detailing plans to have a sexual assault nurse examiner hired at both Sam Houston State University and at Huntsville Memorial.

“Photography equipment is needed for SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) program initiative due to the ever increasing number of sexual assault cases,” according to Walker County’s Community Plan. “We would also need training for SANEs in the hospital, the community and on campus at Sam Houston State University.”

Dretke said the hospital wants to have the completed SART available and fully operational within the next few months, with White as the SANE.

 “We recently offered the position to a local nurse practitioner,” Dretke said. “If they were to accept the position it would be a few weeks to months before they could start.”

According to White, in addition to being offered the position at the hospital she has also been helping Stiles form a SANE training program at SHSU.

The program would feature two different courses that address the treatment of adult and adolescent victims, and pediatric victims, respectively.

“We are offering a program unique in the state of Texas,” White said. “We are going to offer an option of a 40-hour didactic classroom. Nurses will register to take the course and receive that training or they can choose to select an option that will include the clinical practice.”

According to White, gaining the certification from the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) becomes much more difficult because of time constraints on the validity of certain courses.

“In the past the problem is not the lack of desire, but the problem is that once they have those 40 hours of didactic they seem to fall through the cracks when it comes to getting the clinical practice and court room observation,” White said.

The program is set to begin this summer with 25 open positions per session and two individual sessions available.

The first class will take place June 2-6 and will cover the aspects of treating adult and adolescent victims of sexual assault. The second session will take place July 14-18 and will address the treatment process for pediatric victims.

White and Stiles said they hope to see a rise in reported assaults within the coming months, proving that the practice of having a readily available SART will encourage more victims of sexual assault to seek out the help they need.

“We are hoping for an increase, and that is a good thing because sexual assault is the most under reported sex crime there is,” White said. “When you start offering these services to a community, especially a campus-based community, you are going to see the numbers increase.”

The formation of the program also will allow the victims who do come forward to exist in a safer and accepting environment.“Our long term vision for this program is the ability to create a long-term safe house for the victims of sexual assault or victims of human trafficking,” White said. “We want to create an environment where we can allow these victims a time where they can grow and to be rehabilitated, so that they can come back into society.”

SHSU student arrested for assault

 

Courtesy of Delta Tau Delta at SHSU

Edit: The article previously listed the Delta Tau Delta vice president Michael Rivera as the party that declined to comment. The actual party who declined to comment was Hunter McKee.

Six officers responded to a scene where a Sam Houston State University student attacked an unnamed individual Thursday evening.

Officer Kimberly Eikenburg took sophomore industrial technologies – construction management major Morgan McGee into custody for alleged aggravated assault, according to police logs. A call to emergency services was placed at 10:09 p.m. Thursday, requesting help at an apartment at the Villas on Sycamore.

McGee is a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and an active participant in the organization’s intramural sports teams, including their softball and football teams.

If the state files charges against McGee, he could be facing a chance of two to 10 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines in addition to any restitution awarded to the victim, according to the Texas Penal Code.

Delta Tau Delta president Hunter McKee declined to comment on the situation.

McGee said, “at this time, because this is a sensitive legal matter, I am unable to talk about details.”

The Houstonian will continue reporting on the story as new details emerge.

Appeals court gives students a taste of justice

Brynn Castro | The Houstonian

Aaron Pool (right) listens to conversations along with each justice the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals deliberated Wednesday.

_________________________________________

 

For the third time in three years, Sam Houston State University hosted Texas’s Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mike Yawn, of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and student fellows,After a three-year hiatus, Waco’s tenth circuit court of appeals has returned to Sam Houston State University to show students how appeals really work. welcomed the court Wednesday in the George J. Beto Court Room in the Criminal Justice Building. Since first coming to SHSU in 2012, the court has become renowned for traveling the state of Texas to educate the public.

One case that stood before the justices was that of former SHSU student and Airkat Bearkat Alexias Bell. In 2008 Bell was on a four-wheeler at a tailgate when the driver struck the opposing team’s coach. The coach, Kurt Nichols of Blinn College, then punched Bell resulting in her falling from the four-wheeler and being injured. The subsequent case has come full circle returning to SHSU for its most recent appeal.

The court came to session before a packed audience of both judges and students as Chief Justice Tom Gray addressed the court.

The court was scheduled to hear the appeals of four separate civil cases that had failed to come to a resolution in trial court.

Other cases heard were about a car accident resulting in a $294,000 settlement, a dispute between American Alternative Insurance Corp. and a client, and a suit filed against the city of Madisonville on behalf of two business owners.

According to Gray, the justices “carefully selected the batch of cases” to demonstrate the different processes and aspects of the appeals court.

While one case may relate more to the laws and policies surrounding insurance, another case would apply more to the procedural parts of personal injury. Each of the cases began with an explanation and introduction to the workings of the court.

The event also brought back two SHSU alumni acting in a professional capacity. Both the acting chief justice and attorney for the appellee in one case, Kevin Knight, were returning to SHSU as alumni.

For Knight, it was a moment he never would have expected when he was a student at SHSU.

“I never would have guessed that I would be back here when I was a student at Sam,” Knight said.

The arguments and discussions presented in yesterday’s court are intended to be an educational tool for the large number of criminal justice students that SHSU possesses.

According to junior criminal justice major Brandon Dotson, the experience was good but a tad confusing when it came down to the semantics and previously established situations.

“Our session was short,” Dotson said. “I feel like they could’ve explained the cases in greater detail.”

Nonetheless, Dotson found the overall experience to be a good one and interesting to say the least.

“I think it was a great way to see what we’ll be dealing with in the future,” Dotson said. “Especially for those going into law practice.”

 

Hooten to resign as VP of Finance and Operations

After nearly three years serving as vice president for finance and operations at Sam Houston State University, Al Hooten has announced his plans to retire from the position by Dec. 31.

Courtesy of Stephen Green | The Houstonian

During the next nine months Hooten will remain at SHSU as the executive vice president of administration where he will oversee nearly $100,000,000 in construction projects, according to the SHSUOffice of Communications.

Hooten was also instrumental in critical developments and updates around the SHSU campus, such as the updating of the campus master plan, implementation of the Talent Management program, and technological advancements in the University Police Department.

Hooten will continue his work over the completion of the Student Health and Counseling Center, planning of a new South Residential Complex on campus, the initiating of Frederick L. Pirkle Center for Industrial Technology and a Vivarium, and the master plan for a new criminal justice center on Highway 75.

The role of acting vice president for finance and operations is being filled by Carlos Hernandez, a veteran in higher education.

Hernandez has more than 26 years in higher education and most recently served as vice president of finance and administration for the University of North Texas in Dallas.