RESOLUTIONS
TEXAS SECTION, MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
APRIL 7, 2018
Oyez, Oyez, Oyez, Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Hear Ye, and gather round,
Whereas the Texas Section of the Mathematical Association of America has attained the venerable age of ninety-eight years, a most auspicious number:
But I digress. In its 98th year the section has been joyfully hosted with both dignity and graciousness by the revered El Centro College, which did bring honor and renown to itself by expending labors, long and hard, to provide the 237 students and 117 faculty in attendance, with ambiance of surroundings, nourishing and tasty snacks and meals, abundant cake, coffee and water, and most importantly, opportunities for conversations between friends, old and new;
And whereas the unflappable host and master of detail large and small, our Arrangements Chair Mike Panahi, was assisted and supported by Angela Perez Michaels and a Renaud renowned cast of faculty, staff, and students, and through their combined efforts have assisted invited guest, scheduled our presentations, assigned rooms in which to discourse, directed lost and wandering members toward sessions, and by the liberal application of commendable diligence, never failed to notice and see to the little things which increased the comfort and enjoyment of all; and whereas El Centro Vice President of Academic, Affairs C. Greg Morris did honor those of us assembled with warm welcome;
And whereas the Executive Committee of the Section, those worthies who guide our section, to wit: Chair Theresa Martines, Chair-Elect Clint Richardson, Jackie Jensen-Vallin, Section Representative to the MAA Congress, Immediate Past Chair Sarah Stovall, Secretary/Treasurer David Hendricks, Arrangements Chair-Elect Eileen Faulkenberry, Webmaster Brian Beavers, Student Activities Director Robert Vallin, Texas NExT Director Nick Long, Book Coordinator Keith Emmert, Photographer Angie Brown, and CAMT Exhibitor Deborah Koslover, and Directors Andrea Spalding, Meri Hughes, Joe Iala, and John Sieben have served us well as they devoted their time and talent to the operation of this section and blessed us all with the pleasure of their company;
And whereas our opening address was addressed by Kirk Trigsted who did venture lo these many miles from the great state of Idaho, home of Joe the Vandal, to be with us and to enlighten us as to the principles of the Emporium Model of developmental math,
And whereas a most outstanding student forum and reflection on life’s path from toddler to Ph.D, “Let’s get Knotty” was offered by Dr. Jackie Jensen-Vallin from Lamar University, where the sky may be stormy but the always smells like money,
And whereas invited speakers have lifted our minds and spirits to that interface between mathematics and life with talks exploring Math and Literature, Math and Art, Math and Recreation, and Math and Lego Blocks
Chip Galloway, Collin College, McKinney TX, did off a Short Course, Strange Attractors: Mathematics and Literature.
Oscan Levin, U of Northern Colorado, entertained us with Counting Knights and Knaves (a tale of recreational math)
Paul Sisson, The great state of Louisiana, so far from God so close to Texas, shared with us Mathematics and Art,
Scott Williams, U Central Oklahoma (whom we welcome even though he hails from the state with the temerity to refer to TEXAS as baja Oklahoma) PRIMES: The Legos of Mathematics,
And whereas the Resolutions Committee, enthralled with Lego Blocks, insist on sharing with you that LEGO is a corruption of “leg godt”, a Danish phrase meaning “play well,” leg godt made a corporate name by Ole Christansen (1891 – 1958), inventor of the Lego Block which can be purchased in bulk from Amazon dot Com, a five pound box of loose bricks and parts for $50, but I digress,
And whereas Brian Mercer did forbear to leave Parkland College, Champaign Illinois, which has been voted “The Greatest Midwest Food Town,” Brian did trek to Texas, wagering his nourishment survival on the promise of tacos and chicken fried steak, and did inform us of the quantitative reasoning model at Parkland;
And whereas Texas’s own Jane Long of Stephen F. Austin University, the venerable institution that friends at Sam Houston have been heard to refer to as “That School on the Other Side of the Trinity River”, reminded and enthused us concerning Math Circles, taking us well beyond Pie are Squared and Too Pie Are;
And whereas wood turner Neal Brand, 2017 Distinguished Teacher of Mathematics, did reward us with inspiring tales of projects mathematical, and projects groupie, that we can share with our own students,
And whereas our Texas Treasure of Teaching Talent, the perfect plan for professors in perpetuity, The Texas NExT fellows, were ably hosted and guided by Nick Long who did repeatedly caucus with, discourse with, dine with and enthuse our Texas NExT Fellows, and who did, with a degree of recklessness and abandon, steer toward these worthies such notorious characters as your resolutions chair, John T. Sieben, who advised engaging your students in projects real, and Dr. Jackie Jensen-Villain, who urged the assembled fellows on selling their teaching, though not for $10 per pound bulk!
And whereas Hristo Kohouharov (ko har off) and Robert Villain did, with skill and enthusiasm, provide for our student members the fun and frolic of the Calculus Bowl,
And whereas El Centro did provide a sumptuous banquet, attended by 121 members and friends, and at said banquet all assembled did politely listen John T. Sieben ramble on about the early days of technology in education and the need to direct technology to service of our craft,
And whereas the section did recognize the outstanding teaching of Bryant Wyatt, Tarleton State University by naming him as holder of the Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics Award, 2018;
And did present a Distinguished Service Award to David Hendricks, Abilene Christian University, recognizing David’s Outstanding, long and continuing service to the section,
And whereas the section did in recognition of his outstanding work with students, bestow the Ron Barnes Distinguished Service to Students Award to Jason Callahan, St. Edwards University,
And whereas the membership, student and faculty, did present eighty six papers, a most commendable scholarly outpouring of intellectual effort;
And whereas that count of papers, though not a prime number did represent, exactly 42 undergraduate student papers and 44 faculty and graduate student papers;
Be it resolved and recorded for history that this section acknowledges the efforts and successes of these and others who have most diligently labored to bring forth these notable proceedings, and that these many mathematicians have happily and honorably and profitably invested their time these early days of April, 2018.
Resolutions Committee
John T. Sieben, Chairman
April 7, 2018