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August commencement ceremonies to be discontinued

Starting in 2010 UT Arlington will discontinue its August commencement ceremonies and will move to two commencement seasons per year—in December and May.

This decision will have no impact on a student's ability to complete all academic coursework in August and earn a degree. All students who complete their degree requirements in August will be invited to participate in December commencement ceremonies.

The decision to eliminate August commencement ceremonies was based on several factors. Overall, participation in August ceremonies is low. Of the total number of students completing their degree requirements in August, many choose not to participate in the summer commencement. Of those that do, many register to attend but then are a "no show" to their ceremony as are their ticketed guests. Under those circumstances, it is impossible to deliver the same level of quality for the commencement ceremonies scheduled in August as it is for those held in May and December.

By eliminating August commencement ceremonies, the May and December commencement experience can be further enhanced for students, their families and guests. The resources used to implement August commencement—including staff, facilities, record-keeping and programming—are the same resources engaged in gearing up for the start of the academic year. With enrollment on the rise at UT Arlington, a fixed number of resources, and without an August ceremony, those University resources can be fully engaged in welcoming a new class of students to campus.

For more information, visit www.uta.edu/commencement.

Become a member of the Nedderman Society

There's a hamburger with your name on it at the annual Nedderman Society Cookout. Along with burgers for faculty and staff, the Nedderman Society will serve up information on the organization from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, at the Central Library mall. In case of rain, the cookout will be held in the Palo Duro Lounge of the E.H. Hereford University Center.

The Nedderman Society recognizes faculty, staff and retirees who make a gift of any amount in support of any area of the University. Society members know that private support to UT Arlington is increasingly vital to provide unique opportunities to students, faculty and staff.

The Nedderman Society Cookout is presented by the Office of Development and helps honor society members and provides information for future members.

Planetarium to re-open Monday
with new Digistar 4 system

The stars at night are bigger and brighter—even during the daytime—thanks to upgrades and the new Digistar 4 technology at The Planetarium, which re-opens Monday, Oct. 12.

Digistar 4 is the newest planetarium software and allows audiences to see the far side of the moon, a distant star, the surface of the sun and various programs in 3-D. The Planetarium has the only such system in Texas.

The two-week renovation also included new signs on the Chemistry and Physics Building, brighter and more efficient projectors, and seating and lighting repairs.

The fall schedule will include four new shows. See the complete schedule at www.utaplanetarium.com.

Last chance for Outstanding Employee Award nominations

Nominate a co-worker, colleague or boss for the Outstanding Employee Award by Friday, Oct. 9. Nominees must be regular full-time and part-time employees with a minimum of two years' service.

Sustainability strategies Jeff Howard (center), assistant professor of urban and public affairs, talks with social work/urban and public affairs major Laura Kunkel and environmental science major Vinodh Valluri after his lecture on "Sustainability and the Crisis of Expertise" Wednesday in the Focus on Faculty series. Dr. Howard discussed the issues of climate change and other global environmental problems in the Central Library sixth floor parlor.

Two awards will be presented in each of four categories: (1) Professional, Para-Professional and Technical; (2) Administrative Support; (3) Service and Maintenance; and (4) Administrative and Professional. Each award winner will receive $1,000 and a plaque at a dinner honoring the recipients.

Nomination forms are available online for printed submission (mail to box 19176 or fax to 2-3361) or electronic submission.

If you have questions or concerns, contact Linda Snowden in Human Resources at 2-7091.

McNair Scholars Program
hosts open house

Faculty, staff and students can learn more about the McNair Scholars Program at its open house 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday, October 12, Room 122 in Hammond Hall.

The federal program works with eligible UT Arlington undergraduates to prepare them for a successful transition to graduate school and a teaching career on the university level.

For details and applications, see www.uta.edu/soar or contact SOAR (Students Obtaining Academic Readiness) at 2-3715 or mcnair@uta.edu.

Campus Safety Report for 2009 now available

The 2009 Campus Safety Report includes crime statistics for the previous three years. These crimes occurred on campus, in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by UT Arlington, and on public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus. The report also includes institutional policies about campus security.

Excelling on and off the court Stephen Bardo talks with members of the women's basketball team before speaking on "Transferring Leadership off the Court" at the Anderson Sport Performance Lecture on Wednesday in the Rosebud Theatre. A former player at the University of Illinois and in the National Basketball Association, he is currently a color analyst for ESPN college basketball.

You may obtain a copy of the report by contacting Melissa Mais, UT Arlington Police Department, 700 S. Davis, Arlington, TX 76019 or via e-mail at campus_safety_report@uta.edu.

The report is accessible online at policy.uta.edu/police/safetyreport.

Audio version of
Deep Economy available

Recorded copies of the OneBook reading selection, Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future by Bill McKibben, are available for faculty, staff and students with disabilities.

The non-profit group Reading Resource has provided 15 recorded copies of the book to UT Arlington. The recordings are not available for the general public. The books will be distributed on campus by the Office for Students with Disabilities. Contact the office at 2-3364 or osd@uta.edu.

MyMav will be down Oct. 23-25

Academic advisers will not have access to MyMav Oct. 23-25 because of a scheduled upgrade. Schedule of classes and student or financial records that may be needed to plan for the next term will be unavailable during this time.

Most advising offices across campus will not be accepting advising appointments Friday, Oct. 23, and will be severely limited in their ability to help students. Advisers will not be able to clear advising holds, access the schedule of classes, give class permissions or drop students from classes.

North bridge, lot F-7 will be affected Friday

The north bridge over Cooper Street will be closed from 6 a.m. to approximately 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 9, and the first row of reserved spaces in lot F-7 will also be temporarily moved to the second row behind the current spaces during that same time. A crane will be brought in that morning to install a generator on the northeast corner of the Fine Arts Building and to deter damage to vehicles, those spaces will be blocked at 5 a.m., but will be opened when the crane is moved.

Self-defense course set for Saturday

A self-defense course for female faculty, staff and students is offered by UT Arlington Police. Register online at www.uta.edu/police and scroll down to crime prevention. Free. 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 10, Maverick Activities Center. 2-3902, reynolds@uta.edu.

Professionalism in the Workplace

No matter what your title, you must be able to present yourself and your ideas with professionalism. This course is designed to help you identify and develop those needed skills for projecting and maintaining professional work relationships and confidence in the workplace. 9-11 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 13, Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. See the complete list of training classes.

Introduction to Adobe Illustrator CS4

Learn the basic differences and advantages of creating with Adobe Illustrator instead of bitmap graphic programs. Create an eye-popping graphic that can be printed at any size at the highest quality. Register to attend. 2-4 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 14, Room 311A, Ransom Hall. See the complete list of OIT training classes.

Fort Worth Center helps preparation for SAT math test

Faculty and staff members with high school students can find math help for the SAT. Free classes are offered in Tarrant and Dallas counties. Classes are Saturdays, Oct. 10 and 24, and Nov. 7 and 14. No pre-registration is needed. Students should bring a pencil and a graphing calculator, if available. A limited number of graphing calculators will be on site. Students also should bring snacks or money for snacks to purchase on campus. Free. 9 a.m.-noon, UT Arlington Fort Worth Center, 1401 Jones St., Fort Worth, and Conrad High School, 7502 Fair Oaks Ave., Dallas.

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.

Catch this: Outfielder Michael Choice hit .413 with 11 home runs and 52 RBI in 2009 for the Mavericks.

Choice selected for collegiate podcast

Collegebaseball360.com recently developed a new look to its Web site and featured UT Arlington's Michael Choice as the first podcast. Choice, a junior centerfielder, discusses his experiences with Team USA over the summer and talks about his current Mavericks team along with teammate Rett Varner and head coach Darin Thomas.

To listen to Choice's podcast interview, see www.collegebaseball360.com where you can link to the interview under College Baseball News or Podcast.

Volleyballers lose two, go back on the road

After opening Southland Conference play with two wins, the Mavericks suffered two losses on the road last week, falling to Lamar and Sam Houston State.

The Mavericks will play at Texas State on Friday before returning home Wednesday, Oct. 14, to take on Northwestern State.

Golfers finish fourth at Notre Dame

The Mavericks fired a five-over 285 in Tuesday's final round at the Fighting Irish Gridiron Classic in Notre Dame, Ind., to propel them to a fourth-place finish in the 15-team field.

The Mavericks outplayed two top 35 schools, No. 23 Brigham Young and No. 32 Iowa, while finishing just behind third place Arkansas, which is ranked 20th.

See athletics.

Thursday, Oct. 8 Opening Reception for Selected 2D Works Five accomplished artists from the Fort Worth area share their works at Gallery 76102. Featured artists are Marianna Alfaro, Lucille Oppermann, Gloria Sepp, Dolly Valdez and Soon Warren. The exhibition runs through Dec. 22. Free. 6-8 p.m., Gallery 76102, Fort Worth Center.

Thursday, Oct. 8 29th Annual Bed Races Rescheduled for this week, the Bed Races are one of the oldest traditions on campus. Awards will be given for the fastest times, most creative costume and team wearing costumes showing the most school spirit. Participants can take part in a pillow fight, field goal kicking contest, bungee and mechanical bull riding. See more on Bed Races. Free admission. 7 p.m., Maverick Stadium.

Thursday, Oct. 8 Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band Concert The first concert of the 2009-10 season features the Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band, conducted by Douglas Stotter and Matthew Luttrell. The program includes band classics and two new works for winds. $5 adults, $3 seniors. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Room 105, Fine Arts Building.

Saturday, Oct. 10 The Artist's Eye Nancy Palmeri, associate professor in art and art history in the College of Liberal Arts, will present a gallery talk. Free. 11 a.m., Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth.

Through Oct. 10 Art Exhibition: Geometry in Reflection Two internationally recognized artists, Tommy Fitzpatrick and Margo Sawyer, address architectonic forms and color relationships through their work. Free. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, noon-5 p.m. Saturdays. Patricia Healy, 2-5658, phealy@uta.edu.

Monday, Oct. 12 UTA/Jim Reeves Competitors Challenge Golf Sign up at www.utamavs.com for the 15th annual tournament. Shotgun start at 8 a.m. Team and individual registration available. Waterchase Golf Club, Fort Worth.

Monday, Oct. 12 Save a Life Tour Think before you drink and drive. Sponsored by Health Services, Campus Police, Upward Bound. Contact Health Services 2-2771 or see www.savealifetour.net. Free. 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Nedderman Hall.

Monday, Oct. 12 2nd Annual Latino Soul Night Part of Hispanic Heritage Month. Free. 7 p.m., Rio Grande A, E.H. Hereford University Center. 2-2099, multicultural_affairs@uta.edu.

Monday, Oct. 12 Guest Piano Recital Jeremy Samolesky of Auburn University performs. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. 2-3471, music@uta.edu.

Tuesday, Oct. 13 Coaching the Best Out of Yourself and Others Alumnus Mike Hawkins ('83 BSME), an executive coach and self-improvement expert, will speak on his book Activating Your Ambition: A Guide to Coaching the Best Out of Yourself and Others. A book signing follows. Free. 11 a.m.-1 p.m., UT Arlington Bookstore.

Tuesday, Oct. 13 National Night Out Join in for a crime-free campus, food, prizes and entertainment. Free. 6 p.m., mall, E.H. Hereford University Center. 817-272-3902, rwcook@uta.edu.

Tuesday, Oct. 13 Music Honors Recital Music faculty members and outstanding students perform in solo and chamber music settings. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. 2-3471, music@uta.edu.

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.