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T'was the ... : President James D. Spaniolo will read a holiday story about UT Arlington at Tuesday's Faculty/Staff Holiday Reception. Above, he donned a Santa hat for his recitation at last year's party.

Faculty/Staff Holiday Reception features food, music, festivities

The annual Faculty/Staff Holiday Reception celebrates the season from 3-5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, in the Bluebonnet Ballroom at the E.H. Hereford University Center.

All faculty and staff are invited to enjoy songs of the season performed by faculty and students from the Department of Music. A festive buffet with a variety of food and drinks is planned.

The University's recently unveiled video holiday greeting will be played outside the ballroom.

President James D. Spaniolo is the host and featured speaker, delivering his Maverick interpretation of a traditional holiday reading.

Free H1N1 influenza vaccination available

Tarrant and Dallas county health officials have begun making free H1N1 shots available at area public health clinics. The Arlington Public Health Center, 536 W. Randol Mill Road, near North Cooper Street, is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. A store-front clinic at 5415 S. Cooper St. #125, south of campus, is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

UT Arlington Health Services Center is offering free H1N1 flu shots to students at the campus clinic, 605 S. West St. Faculty and staff will be notified as soon as doses are available for them.

The University encourages students, faculty and staff to remain vigilant in taking precautions to fight the spread of flu, including frequent hand-washing, staying home or getting a ride home from campus if you are ill and considering getting the H1N1 vaccine.

Health officials have said that pregnant women, very young children, those with chronic health conditions and those 24 and younger are particularly at risk of contracting the H1N1 flu strain.

For other locations, call 2-1-1 or go online to:

• Tarrant County Public Health

• Dallas County Public Health

• Participating pharmacies in Dallas County

• Texas Department of Health

More information is available on the University's H1N1 Web site.

Office holiday decoration sign-up deadline Wednesday

Sign-up deadline for the office holiday decoration contest is 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9. Judging will be Friday, Dec. 11. Register your office by contacting Kala Ellison at 2‑3277 or kala@uta.edu.

Awards will be given for top tree, best theme, most creative, tastiest treats and overall winner. All departments will receive a list of judging times Thursday, Dec. 10.

Winners will be announced at a holiday reception at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17, at the Maverick Activities Center. Refreshments will be provided along with a visual presentation of all entries.

Commencement ceremonies begin Thursday

Graduates cross the stage to receive their hard-earned diplomas at commencement exercises, which start Thursday at Texas Hall. More commencement details are at www.uta.edu/commencement. The ceremony schedule is:

Thursday, December 10

Friday, December 11

Saturday, December 12

Sunday, December 13

Monday, December 14

Mission Arlington needs toys, volunteers

Toys and volunteers are on the gift list for Mission Arlington during the holiday season.

New and unwrapped toys are being collected by the Staff Advisory Council Outreach Committee through Friday, Dec. 18. The Christmas Store at Mission Arlington assists families in providing toys for their children. Visit www.uta.edu/sac for a list of secure collection locations on campus.

Light, bright holidays The UT Arlington Choir, above, braved the cold Wednesday and led Deck the Mall guests from the E.H. Hereford University Center to the Central Library mall. Santa's helper, Allan Saxe, provided funds for more lights and decorations for the mall, which included a Christmas tree. Dr. Saxe is an associate professor of political science.

Volunteers would assist families in the store and wrap gifts beginning Saturday, Dec. 12. Teenagers and children who do not require supervision can volunteer.

E-mail questions to Staff_Advisory_Council@uta.edu.

Food donations result in ticket
discounts at Planetarium

Visit the Planetarium and help a family in need by donating a non-perishable food item and receiving a special discount through Wednesday, Dec. 30.

The Planetarium will give a $1 discount to one ticket when a food item is donated. Bring a canned or boxed donation for each member of the family for discounts for everyone.

Six Flags Holiday in the Park
discounted tickets available

The Alumni Association has discounted tickets for the Six Flags Over Texas Holiday in the Park, which features more than one million lights, holiday-themed shows, amusement rides and toasty seasonal treats.

• Single park tickets are available for $29.99 (regularly $34.99).

• Package includes a single park ticket and a meal coupon for $39.99 (regularly $47.98).

• Parking passes are available for $10 (regularly $15).

Tickets are valid through Sunday, Jan. 3. To purchase tickets, contact the Alumni Association at 2‑2594 or uta_alumni@uta.edu.

Ransom Hall renovations to begin over winter break

UT Arlington will begin a $2.3 million renovation of Ransom Hall over the winter break to remake the three-story building in the heart of campus into a one-stop service center for retention efforts, academic advising, counseling, tutoring and other essential academic support services.

The project is expected to be complete by mid-summer.

The goal is to concentrate academic services for freshman and first-time UT Arlington students in a way that improves student retention and ultimately helps more students earn their college degrees in a timely fashion.

Get Organized: Keys to Everyday Office Success

If your office is a mess and you are drowning in your to-do list, then this class is for you. Participants will learn how backlogs happen, how to manage paperwork, how to eliminate clutter and discover the benefits of organization. 2-4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10, Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. Shawn DuMond, 2‑5518, dumond@uta.edu.

OIT offering training this week

A few more training classes are scheduled this semester with the Office of Information Technology.

• Web Development I: Introduction to HTML The first of a two-part introduction to Web design and publishing covers basic HTML. 2-4 p.m., Monday, Dec. 7, Room 311A, Ransom Hall.

• Web Development II: Style Sheets This second of a two-part introduction to Web design and publishing covers more advanced HTML by incorporating tables, style sheets and more. 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, Room 311A, Ransom Hall.

• Introduction to MavSpace You will learn how to use MavSpace to manage your documents and grant permission for others to view or update your documents. You will learn how MavSpace can allow you to collaborate with others, including how to use versioning and comments. 2-4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, Room 311A, Ransom Hall.

Register online for these classes.

Mindful Moments

Take a break from the stress of your day with Mindful Moments at 12:15 p.m. Wednesdays in Room 235 of the Business Building. Free. Health Services, 2‑2626.

Employment information

Check out UT Arlington employment opportunities at www.uta.edu/jobs. Have questions? Call Human Resources/Employment Services at 2‑3461 or TDD 2‑8139 or e-mail employment@uta.edu. The University of Texas at Arlington is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

Friday, Dec. 11 Engineering Lecture Series Peter C. Searson, professor of materials science and engineering at Johns Hopkins University, and J.W. Morris, professor of metallurgy, materials science and mineral engineering at the University of California-Berkeley, are guest speakers. Reservations required. Free. 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., Room 100, Nedderman Hall. Amber DeGelia, 2‑0074, adegelia@uta.edu.

(For an expanded list of events, see the UT Arlington Calendar)

Wednesday, Dec. 9 UT Arlington Bookstore Holiday Open House Refreshments, discounts and more are planned. 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. open house, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. refreshments. UT Arlington Bookstore, 400 S. Pecan St., 2‑2785.

Through Dec. 12 Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition Showcase for recent work created by the graduating seniors of Art and Art History. Free. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturday, Gallery at UTA, Fine Arts Building.

Through Dec. 22 Selected 2D Works Five accomplished artists from the Fort Worth area share their works. Free. 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays; 2-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Fridays. Gallery 76102, Fort Worth Center.

Through Dec. 31 Planetarium programs Check the Planetarium Web site for the schedule, which includes Season of Light and Holiday Music Magic. Contact the Planetarium at 2‑1183 or planetarium@uta.edu for tickets.

Through Jan. 9 Everything Is Interrelated Special Collections' fall exhibit features "Alexander von Humboldt and Our Nineteenth-Century German Connections." Free. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, sixth floor, Central Library. See Special Collections.

(For an expanded list of events, see the UT Arlington Calendar)

Editors: Jim Patterson, Teresa Newton Web Developer: James Barberousse Photographers: Beth McHenry, Robert Crosby Executive Director for University Publications: Mark Permenter Associate Vice President for Communications and Marketing: David Johnson Vice President for Communications: Jerry Lewis Published by University Communications © 2009 The University of Texas at Arlington

MavWire is published by the Department of University Communications on Mondays and Thursdays (except for holidays) during the fall and spring semesters, and on Wednesdays during the summer. To submit items for possible inclusion in MavWire, e-mail mavwire@uta.edu. Items must be received three working days before distribution. Inclusion of events and activities in MavWire does not necessarily constitute an endorsement by the University. Read the MavWire Guidelines. MavWire welcomes any non-employees of UT Arlington who would like to subscribe.