University Communications » Internal Communications » MavWire » MavWire 08-23-2010

Welcome Week signals Move-in, MavsMeet, start of classes

Welcome Week, also known as Maverick Stampede, starts today, Monday, Aug. 23, with the 11th annual Residence Hall Move-in Event as approximately 300 volunteers assist students with their belongings and help them find their rooms.

President James D. Spaniolo, Vice President for Student Affairs Frank R. Lamas, and Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck will be among the volunteers. The event is sponsored by Apartment and Residence Life.

The MavsMeet Convocation will take place at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 25, in Texas Hall. This year's guest faculty speaker is physics Professor Kaushik De. Other speakers include President Spaniolo, Provost Donald R. Bobbitt, Vice President Lamas, and Student Congress President Aaron Resendez.

The kickoff ceremony also includes a spirited performance by the UT Arlington Marching Band and a musical offering by the UT Arlington Jazz Ensemble featuring Tim Ishii.

A reception for faculty and staff follows the MavsMeet Convocation at 5 p.m. in the University Club. Refreshments and door prizes will be available.

Classes begin Thursday, Aug. 26, and with freshman applications up 28 percent this year, enrollment could be the largest ever.

See a list of Welcome Week events.

Sustainability office, Hertz offer transportation options on campus

The Office of Sustainability and Hertz are providing an Earth-friendly option for getting around this fall by becoming part of a unique nationwide car-sharing program.

Connect by Hertz is a pay-as-you-go car membership club. Faculty, staff, or students will pay as little as $8 an hour or $62 a day to use one of two cars parked at conveniently located lots on campus. The cost includes gas, insurance, 24-hour roadside assistance, GPS navigation, and other features.

The result will be less pressure on students to have cars on campus, says Meghna Tare, director of the Office of Sustainability. Fewer cars on the road means less carbon dioxide emissions.

"This program fits in well with the sustainability goals and initiatives of the University. It reduces congestion on campus and gives faculty and students a cost-effective alternative," Tare says. "We are striving to become a sustainable campus, and this appeals not only to existing students, but prospective students as well."

Faculty and staff can join free until Oct. 31. After that, there is a $25 membership fee. After joining, go online at connectbyhertz.com or call 1-877-654-4400 to reserve a time to use a vehicle.

See more about the Connect by Hertz program.

Currie represents UT Arlington on insurance committee

Eunice Currie, assistant vice president for human resources management and development, was elected to serve as UT Arlington's voting representative on the UT System-Wide Insurance Advisory Committee. Robert James, associate director for human resources, will serve as the non-voting/alternate representative. Their two-year terms begin Oct. 1. To offer suggestions and ideas, call 2-5554 or e-mail currie@uta.edu or rdjames@uta.edu.

A look to the future These renderings show how Center Street Green, College Park, and the special events center will blend together on the east side of the campus. Renderings provided by Schrickel, Rollins and Associates, Inc. in Arlington.

Free financial counseling available

University College now has a financial counselor available to faculty, staff, alumni, and students. Lori Gunn, a certified consumer credit counselor from Money Management International, will be available starting Thursday, Aug. 26, to help individuals analyze their financial situations and provide them with multiple options to better manage their finances.

Gunn will provide financial counseling on debt and budget, pre-filing bankruptcy, reverse mortgage, first-time homebuyer issues, understanding and building credit, loans, and credit cards.

The sessions will be in Room 206H in Ransom Hall. Gunn will be available for appointments 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursdays. To schedule an appointment, call 2-3684 or visit Suite 206 in Ransom Hall.

30-second spot puts UTARadio.com as finalist in national competition

UTARadio.com has been named a finalist in the category of Best Public Service Announcement by College Broadcasters, Inc.

The entry "Be Safe Texting" was produced by sophomore broadcast major Perry Kemp for his radio production class last year.

"The piece was exactly what you want in radio," says faculty adviser Lance Liguez. "Probably the hardest part was recording the sound of texting so it would be instantly recognizable. Perry pulled it off."

The 30-second PSA follows a person texting a friend while driving, with disastrous results. The entry is one of four finalists in CBI's National Student Production Awards Best PSA category.

College Broadcasters, Inc. is a national organization that seeks to ensure a commitment to education and the student pursuit of excellence through active involvement in electronic media. Category winners will be announced in October at CBI's National Student Media Convention in Louisville, Ky.

Arlington Reads needs volunteers for various programs

Volunteers are needed for Arlington Reads, a literacy program offered by the Arlington public library. Opportunities include after-school homework help, English conversation partners for adults, one-on-one or small group tutoring for adults, early childhood literacy, GED preparation, and computer classes.

Volunteer orientations are 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, and noon-2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18. Learn more about Arlington Reads at arlingtonreads.org or call 817-275-3321.

Hike and bike open house set for Sept. 1

Faculty and staff are invited to attend a public open house concerning the Arlington Hike and Bike System Master Plan from 6:30-9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1, at the Bob Duncan Center, 2800 S. Center St. in Vandergriff Park. See the latest draft of the proposed hike and bike network maps.

Managing Stress in the Workplace

Is stress affecting how you function at work or at home? Stress is normal and sometimes even necessary. How you handle stress makes all the difference. Learn what stress is, how to identify and understand it, and how to recognize the sources of your stress. 9-11 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 24, Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. See a complete listing of HR training classes.

Excel: How to Create Your Own Budget

Learn how to format a spreadsheet to meet your personal needs. Create formulas to help plan your financial future or finance a car, a home, or college. Additional topics as time allows. Basic familiarity with Excel recommended. Bring a flash drive to class. Register online. $115. 6-10 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 14, Location TBA. Continuing Education.

Employment Information

Check out employment opportunities at 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, Aug. 27

NASA's Approach to Aeronautics and Space Technology Challenges Damodar Ambur, director of the Ground Facilities and Testing Directorate at the NASA Langley Research Center, reviews some of NASA's exploration programs and discusses challenges in achieving NASA's mission. Free. 1:30-2:30 p.m., Room 105, Nedderman Hall. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Debi Barton, dbarton@uta.edu, 2-2500.

Wednesday, Sept. 1

Petroleum Refining 101: Processing Crude Oil into Everyday Products Anthony Nagy, a retired chemical engineer, answers what processes change petroleum products into usable materials. Light breakfast provided. Free for students and first-time guests; $5 others. Register online. 7-8 a.m., Room 601, Nedderman Hall. College of Engineering and the Arlington Technology Association. 2-3682.

Friday, Sept. 3

Whose Story Is It Anyway? Peggy Kulesz, professor of English, provides an overview of how to think about this year's OneBook selection, A Journal for Jordan: A Story of Love and Honor by Dana Canedy. Dr. Kulesz's talk frames the book with the history and the contemporary expressions of life narrative. Free. Noon, Rosebud Theater. OneBook, Leigh Young, leiyoung@uta.edu, 2-0777.

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

Monday, Aug. 23

Volleyball Annual intrasquad pre-season Blue/White scrimmage. Free. 6:30 p.m., Texas Hall. utamavs.com.

Monday-Wednesday, Aug. 23-25

Second Life Open House See what is happening with higher education in virtual worlds and find out how the Second Life program can benefit your students. Sign up and get an avatar. Free. 1-3 p.m., Room B29, Digital Media Studio, Central Library. Sarah Jones, sjones@uta.edu.

Tuesday, Aug. 24

University College Open House Take a tour of the new University College, participate in activities, and enter the drawing for a new laptop computer. Free. 2-4 p.m., Ransom Hall. Matt Hendricks, hendricks@uta.edu, 2-6107.

Wednesday, Aug. 25

MavsMeet Faculty/Staff Reception Join faculty and staff for a reception with refreshments and music after the convocation. Free. 5 p.m., University Club.

Thursday, Aug. 26

EXCEL Welcome Back Movie: Iron Man 2 Tony Stark is asked to give up his Iron Man suit. Rated PG-13. Free. 8:30 p.m., West Lawn, Maverick Activities Center. EXCEL Campus Activities.

Saturday, Aug. 28

Movin' Mavs Alumni Game Watch UT Arlington's wheelchair basketball athletes, past and present. Free. 1 p.m., Texas Hall. Movin' Mavs, coach Doug Garner, 2-3410.

Ongoing

MFA Summer Exhibition The third annual summer exhibition by 16 Master of Fine Arts students represents the Department of Art and Art History graduate program in intermedia studio, glass, visual communication, and film and video. Free. Summer hours 1:30-3:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays. Closing reception and new student welcome 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 31. The Gallery at UTA, Fine Arts Building. 2-2891.

Fort Worth Abstract Fort Worth artists Jane Helslander, Winter Rusiloski, and Cecil Touchon display their abstracts with various media, including paint, collage, photographs, and found images. Free. Gallery hours are 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and 2-6 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. Through Sept. 30. Gallery 76102, Fort Worth Center, 1401 Jones St., Fort Worth.

Texas Rangers Baseball The Texas Rangers offer discounted tickets to selected games for faculty, staff, students, alumni, family, and friends. Access texasrangers.com/uta and use the password rangers to purchase tickets for designated games through Oct. 3.

Downtown Farmers Market Arlington's downtown farmers market features locally grown produce and locally made baked goods, arts, and crafts. Co-sponsored by UT Arlington Dining Services. Free. 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Fridays-Saturdays, 215 E. Front St.

Planetarium Programs The fall schedule includes Wonders of the Universe and Stars of the Pharaohs. Planetarium schedule. 2-1183.

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