October 2007 Newsletter
A message from Dr. Lamas
Dear Friends, Colleagues, and Students,
The new academic year is well underway and it is evident that there is a sense of excitement surrounding the many campus life activities that have taken place so far. Our summer of Orientation came to a successful close. The new semester began with the Leadership Retreat, residence hall move-in, a flurry of welcome week activities, and more students than ever attending the MavsMeet convocation for new students. Also, music artist Rihanna performed in yet another great concert before a sold-out crowd in Texas Hall.
One very exciting student life milestone was reached at the University with the ribbon cutting and opening of Phase I of the $34.5 million Maverick Activities Center. This new campus landmark will be in full operation by early 2008.
Once again, Student Judicial Affairs has been ‘judicious’ in informing students about the critical need for academic integrity. Additionally, two hallmark campus traditions, Oozeball and the Bed Races, took place recently, both with greater participation than ever before.
Hispanic Heritage Month has included many great programs, and we’re currently in the midst of preparing for Parents Weekend on Oct. 26-28, which will offer students’ parents and families a chance to experience life on our campus firsthand. Also, the Office for Students with Disabilities hosted a speaker in conjunction with the OneBook Conversations program entitled Nazi Policies, the Holocaust, and People with Disabilities. As usual, our award-winning student newspaper, The Shorthorn, has given us great coverage of activities and news on campus.
Remember to keep an eye on our events calendar for a preview of great things to come. Campus life is vibrant this fall at UT Arlington, and we hope to have you join in with us in our upcoming events, programs, and services.
Best Regards,
Frank Lamas
Vice President for Student Affairs
MAC opens its doors
The ribbon cutting of the Maverick Activities Center took place Sept. 18. President James Spaniolo, Vice President Frank Lamas, Assistant Vice President Doug Kuykendall and Student Congress President Collins Watson along with three past Student Congress presidents spoke at the event.
The doors to the MAC were opened following the ribbon cutting with a celebration including refreshments and activities. A dunk contest, badminton, group exercise classes and more were offered as well as tours of the MAC, raffle drawings, blood pressure testing, body comps and giveaways were available for the opening hours until midnight. Phase II of the MAC is currently under construction and is scheduled to open in March 2008. Come enjoy the new MAC and all the amazing activities and programs.
See you at the MAC.
Mayor, council to visit campus Oct. 16
On Oct. 16, Student Congress will host Arlington’s mayor and city council for a day on campus.
An open council forum will take place where students, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to address the mayor and council. After the open council meeting, an invitation-only reception hosted by President Spaniolo will be held for the university community and the council.
Additionally, a campus tour will be provided for council members. This tour will focus on the explosion in the last 10 years of UT Arlington student housing. Student Affairs officials hope that this tour and visit will further enhance progress on redeveloping downtown with a “college town” focus.
New staff
Leticia Martinez joined the staff Aug. 22 as the new director of Multicultural Affairs. Leticia has worked at the University of Florida, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Texas at Austin, where she also completed her graduate work.
Sarah Naeem
Student Profile: In each issue of the newsletter, a student in one of the departments in Student Affairs will be highlighted to show the contribution students make in the division.
Sarah Naeem, who is in her senior year, has been a Resident Assistant in Arlington Hall for three years. It is amazing to witness just how much she has grown as a student and leader on campus.
When Sarah was first hired as a Resident Assistant, she was a sophomore and ready to conquer the world. She was outgoing and wanted to take on leadership roles and positions on campus, but still had a lot to learn.
She has transformed from that excited first-year Resident Assistant to a leader in Arlington Hall as well as on campus. Now staff, residents and other students look up to her. Sarah has always welcomed every challenge placed in front of her with open arms and continues to pursue new positions and opportunities on campus. She is determined to get the most out of her college experience, and that is exactly what she has done.
Sarah has always balanced her academics with her work in Arlington Hall well. She is not only an outstanding Resident Assistant but also holds a Student Congress executive position as well as being part of other organizations on campus.
It has been a true joy to see how far Sarah has come and how much impact she has had on her fellow students and the university as a whole.
New Maverick Orientation
Department Profile: In each issue of the newsletter, a different department within Student Affairs will be highlighted to show what it does and how it’s helping build better students.
New Maverick Orientation, or NMO, supports the mission of the university by helping new students and their families have a successful transition to college. Through NMO, the department introduces students to the academic and co-curricular communities at UT Arlington.
NMO involves faculty and staff from all areas of campus through different events and sessions throughout the two-day program. New students who attend will experience what it truly means to be a Maverick. Some of the events include an activities fair showcasing student organizations, campus departments and community businesses; presentations and interest sessions on available campus resources; and sessions on how to be a successful student. Students also have an opportunity to tour their academic school or college, meet with an advisor, and register for their courses.
Parents, families, and guests of students also have sessions specifically designed to help them in the transition. Guests are informed about the resources available through the Parent and Family Center and events such as Parents Weekend. College 101 is an intimate session in which parents and family members interact with one another and with counseling professionals to prepare for some of the common issues that arise when students head off to college for the first time.
At the heart of NMO are the Maverick Orientation Leaders, or Mav OLs, who are the most important part. These student leaders are recruited, hired and trained to work directly with new students throughout the summer. This includes facilitating small groups, leading interactive sessions, giving campus tours and helping students with the advising and registration process.
Recruiting for 2008 Mav OLs happens throughout the month of October with applications being available Oct. 15 in the New Maverick Orientation Office or online at www.uta.edu/orientation. Applications are due Oct. 31. Mav OLs will be trained throughout the spring semester in preparation for summer 2008. The training will include many opportunities for social interaction as well as personal and professional development. Please encourage students to apply and direct any interested students to the NMO professional staff.
Department News
Student Publications
The Shorthorn has been online for a decade now, but this semester TheShorthorn.com has received a serious makeover that we hope will appeal more to students.
First, it has a new look, including a rotation of the top stories in the paper, an easy-to-navigate front page and a clearer, easier organization of sections. It also allows you to register to make comments and suggestions.
Videos are now a regular feature on TheShorthorn.com. Our hard-working photo staff already has produced this semester video stories of the Smart Hospital opening, the Maverick Activities Center opening, the Rihanna concert, Oozeball and Bed Races.
The site also allows for breaking news to be put on the site faster. When tragedy and triumph have occurred this semester, the university community was able to connect through news posted first on the site.
Take a look at www.theshorthorn.com and tell us what you’d like to see.
Student Governance & Organizations
Please encourage students to make a difference by participating in campus elections. Applications for Homecoming Court (King/Queen), UTA Ambassador and Student Congress Senator can be found online or in the Student Governance Office. Filing dates are Oct. 3-26. Polling dates are Nov. 12-13 in the UC Palo Duro Lounge. Additional information and important dates can be found at http://www.uta.edu/studentgovernance.
Other highlights from this fall:
- Student Congress visited student organizations and manned booths on campus to pass out mail-in voter registration cards and provide information.
- The Graduate Student Senate held its fall faculty/student mixer. The main topic was the TAGGS Award, or Travel Award for the Graduate Student Senate, through which students can apply for travel awards ranging from $500 to $1,250.
- The Nursing Constituency Council held its annual Fall Festival, complete with Bed Pan Races and “Pin-the-Mask-on-the-Nurse.”
- The first Constituency Council Cup, won by the Science Constituency Council, was held Sept. 28.
- The Joint Council of Engineering Organizations is hosting World Space Week Oct. 4-10.
- More than 140 people attended the Education Constituency Council/College of Education Cookout Sept. 19.
- The Business Constituency Council is co-hosting with the College of Business and numerous business student organizations a career development workshop with Jeff Lewis and David Burnham of Fidelity Investments Oct. 10.
The Department is happy to welcome our 2007-2008 new members of Freshman Leaders on Campus, or FLOC. We also offer our congratulations to FLOC’s new officers: President Jason McDonald, Vice President Eleanor Khonje, Secretary Caitlin Wright, and Historian Sarah Richardson.
Relationship Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Program
The RVSP Program seeks to promote education and awareness of sexual assaults, dating violence and stalking on campus through prevention and intervention efforts.
The program provides confidential support, referral services and advocacy for students that have been impacted either directly or indirectly by sexual and/or relationship violence. A 24-hour hotline at 817-272-0260 is now available to assist students with sexual assault or dating violence issues.
Domestic Violence Awareness Day will take place Oct. 23 from noon-1:30 p.m. in the Palo Duro Lounge. Students have created and will display artwork depicting violence. Food and drinks will also be available, so please come and support the students.
Also, the Behavior Intervention Team, or BIT, will be sponsoring a Web seminar, titled “Coping with Misconduct in the College Classroom” on Oct. 24 from noon-2 p.m. in 101 College Hall. Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP to bit@uta.edu.
Multicultural Affairs
The office has begun a new initiative called “Multicultural Mavericks” (formerly the Multicultural Affairs Advisory Council), made up of energetic and creative students excited about designing activities to celebrate UT Arlington’s rich cultural diversity. The purpose is to allow students input into programs aimed at promoting multicultural awareness on campus. Planning committees are under way for Hispanic Heritage, Black History, Women’s History, Asian Awareness and more. Complete details and online registration at www.uta.edu/multicultural/multiculturalmavericks.htm.
To conclude Hispanic Heritage Month, the Multicultural Mavericks will host our first dance marathon called “Dancing with Mavericks” at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 15 in the Palo Duro Lounge. Teams made up of two organizations or one residence hall are eligible to compete. Enjoy activities including open dance, relay races, refreshments, and prizes including a $400 event grant from Multicultural Affairs. Complete details and online team registration at www.uta.edu/multicultural.
Leadership Center
The Leadership Center has had a successful start to the fall 2007 semester. We inducted 17 new members into the Leadership Academy at our annual Meet and Greet Induction Ceremony and Reception held Oct. 10 and was pleased to have Arlington Councilmember and alumnus Robert Rivera as our guest speaker.
Listed is a sample of programs and events the Leadership Center will be offering this fall:
- Oct. 17: Guest speaker Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez speaks on servant leadership
- Nov. 7: Field trip to J.C. Penney Corp. headquarters in Plano
Please contact program coordinator Cathy Souders at cvera@uta.edu if you would like more information about the Leadership Center and its programs or events.
Office of Student Judicial Affairs and Legal Services
The Office of Student Judicial Affairs recently concluded “Promoting Positive Traditions” National Hazing Prevention Week Sept. 24-28. The highlight of the week was an Emmy-award-winning film “Tell Me Something You Don’t Know…” along with a facilitated discussion by Josh Goldman.
In addition, a NASCAR-style DUI simulator was on campus to show students the effects of drinking and driving.
“Mavericks Use Their Own Minds” Academic Integrity Week began Oct. 8, and faculty, staff, and students attended events throughout the week. UT Arlington’s own Dr. Jim Quick from the College of Business and the Goolsby Academy was the featured speaker on Oct. 9.
During 2006-2007, Student Judicial Affairs had 540 referrals for alleged code violations.
Office for Students with Disabilities
Did you know that October is National Disability Awareness Month? Did you know that, according to the 2000 U.S. Census, one in five people in the United States have some type of disability?
The population of students at the University of Texas at Arlington is no exception. The beginning of the fall semester has been extremely busy for the office as we helped to register a record number of new students needing disability accommodations. Not only has the office been busy helping students obtain equal access in all of their classes, staff members are also doing outreach by providing walk-in hours for students and attending transitions fairs around North Texas. We are looking forward to a great academic year.
Campus Recreation
The introduction of UT Arlington’s basketball teams took place during “Maverick Madness” Oct. 12 at the MAC. The new mascot was revealed. There were contests among the players and giveaways, food and refreshments for the attendees.
Bring your lunch and learn about the hot topics in wellness at the upcoming FREE Lunch-N-Learns at noon in 315 Central Library. Please register online at www.uta.edu/HR for these classes:
- Nov. 14 Enjoying the Holidays
- Dec. 12 Office Workout
Campus Recreation’s fitness program is offering more than 50 classes a week. New classes this semester are Cycle and Zumba. Cycle allows you to get into great shape without any complicated moves to learn – just peddle. Zumba is the latest fitness craze sweeping the nation. With a mix of Latin and international music, this class will be a dynamic, fun and effective workout. Come see what all the talk is about!
Halloween Casino Night has been set for 8 p.m. to midnight Oct. 30 in the UC Bluebonnet Ballroom. Come play casino games, enter the costume contest and enjoy the karaoke and music, food, candy, drinks and fun prize giveaways.
Oozeball had a record-breaking 104 teams registered for this year. The 18th annual mud volleyball tournament hosted by Campus Recreation and the Alumni Association was held Sept. 21. Students, faculty and staff competed and were muddier than ever. Almost $10,000 in proceeds from the event will go to the Student Alumni Sophomore Scholarship fund.