University Communications » Internal Communications » MavWire » MavWire 08-26-2010

University to provide lump-sum merit payments

President James D. Spaniolo has informed vice presidents and deans that, despite one of the most challenging budget seasons in recent history, UT Arlington will allocate a 2 percent merit pool for the upcoming fiscal year.

"We have exercised an abundance of caution in making this decision, pending the results of the Voluntary Separation Incentive Program, the state-mandated budget reductions, and fall enrollment numbers," President Spaniolo says. "At this point, we are comfortable that we can absorb the impact of funding a merit pool."

The format for merit increases will be different this year as a matter of budget prudence and as a hedge against the uncertainty of the upcoming legislative session.

Instead of adding merit increases to an employee's base pay, merit increases for FY 2011 will be awarded in a lump sum in a separate check this November. Merit increases, therefore, will be accomplished in a one-time payment for the fiscal year and will not become part of the budget base for subsequent years.

As in the past, merit payments will be allocated through a merit pool. The lump-sum payments will be based on merit, recognizing outstanding individual performance.

Physics solution: Dr. Ramon Lopez explains computer simulation results to physics senior Robert Allen.

Professor honored for achievements, work with minority students

Ramon Lopez, professor of physics, will receive the 2010 Distinguished Scientist Award from the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). He was one of five honorees in the country recognized for exemplary scientific achievement, teaching, and mentorship of underrepresented minority students. The awards will be presented Sept. 30 at the SACNAS national conference in Anaheim, Calif.

Dr. Lopez leads a research group in the College of Science that focuses on both space physics and science education. He has long worked to draw more students into science and technology fields, with a particular connection to Hispanic American youth.

"That community is underrepresented in science for a whole host of reasons," Lopez says. "If the United States as a country is going to maintain a strong technology-based society, we are going to have to, in the future, draw from groups that have not traditionally gone on to science careers."

Among his many activities, Lopez is co-principal investigator for Arlington Undergraduate Research-based Achievement (AURA) for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). That program, which is funded by nearly $2 million from the National Science Foundation, has teamed faculty from the colleges of Engineering and Science to address retention rates for first- and second-year students.

Adonis Rose Quintet concert supports scholarships

The Adonis Rose Quintet will perform a benefit concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9, in the Lone Star Auditorium at the Maverick Activities Center.

An Evening with Adonis Rose, jazz artist-in-residence at UT Arlington, will benefit the Phi Kappa Phi honor society and the Adonis Rose Scholarship Endowments.

The jazz performance is free, but a ticket is required and can be obtained at utatickets.com.

Suggested donations for the scholarship fundraiser are $50 per attendee or $15 for students. Donations in amounts other than $50 or $15 increments can be made online.

If you prefer to make your credit card gift by phone, call the Development Office at 2-2584.

Brave Combo

Brave Combo opens fall season of free concerts at the Levitt Pavilion

The fall Levitt Pavilion Arlington concert series begins Thursday, Sept. 2, featuring Brave Combo, a nuclear, mosh-pit polka band. The pavilion is located in downtown Arlington at 100 W. Abram St.

Ray Wylie Hubbard, the legendary Texas troubadour and master storyteller, will perform Saturday, Sept. 4. The month-long series wraps up with the nine-time Grammy-winning group Asleep at the Wheel on Saturday, Oct. 2.

Bob Mintzer and the UTA Jazz Orchestra play Sunday, Sept. 26. Other artists include Arlington native and rising star Bobby Duncan, Texas' own Marcia Ball, electrified rocker Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights, tribal funk musicians Katsuk, flamenco jazz fusion band Incendio, and Big Sam's Funk Nation.

All concerts are free and begin at 7:30 p.m., except for two shows for EcoFest on Saturday, Sept. 18. See the Levitt Pavilion Arlington fall schedule online.

Diversity cornerstone: Dr. Beverly Malone was named one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare for 2010 by Modern Healthcare.

Beverly Malone to speak at Center for Hispanic Studies in Nursing and Health lecture series

One of health care's pre-eminent leaders, Beverly Malone, chief executive officer of the National League for Nursing, is the keynote speaker for the Center for Hispanic Studies in Nursing and Health's Endowed Lecture Series on Friday, Oct. 15.

Dr. Malone will lecture on "Diversity: The Cornerstone of Health" at 4:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Arlington. Eduardo J. Sanchez, vice president and chief medical officer for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, will be the respondent. A reception will follow at 6 p.m.

The event, which is free and open to the public, is presented by the Center for Hispanic Studies in Nursing and Health through the College of Nursing and is part of Sigma Theta Tau's International Leadership Summit on Nursing Leadership, Collaboration, and Diversity.

"UT Arlington has been presented with an outstanding opportunity to bring one of today's foremost leaders in nursing education to the campus and the community," says Mary Lou Bond, who serves as co-director for the center along with Wendy Barr. "She will bring a global perspective to the challenges of meeting the health needs of an increasingly multicultural society."

In addition to her current position with NLN, Malone has served as secretary of the Royal College of Nursing and president of the American Nurses Association. Modern Healthcare this week placed her 29th on the list of the 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare for 2010.

MavsMeet, MavsParty Keynote speaker and physics Professor Kaushik De, second from left, visits with Student Congress President Aaron Resendez, left, prior to the MavsMeet Convocation at Texas Hall on Wednesday. Also pictured are, from left, College of Science Dean Pamela Jansma, School of Architecture Dean Donald Gatzke, and Graduate Studies Dean Philip Cohen. MavsMeet commemorates the beginning of the academic year and was followed by a faculty/staff reception in the University Club and an AfterParty for students on the Central Library mall.

Print quota changes for Library and OIT computing labs

Effective fall 2010, the print quota for faculty and staff at campus Library and Office of Information Technology computing labs will change from unlimited printing to $100 per year, the same quota as students. The cost-savings effort supports the University's sustainability initiatives by reducing print consumption.

These changes will impact only those faculty, staff, and graduate teaching assistants/graduate research assistants who use OIT labs and/or Library printers. The change in no way impacts the printing being supported in other departments across campus.

For more information, see print quotas.

Got an idea? Share it online

Visit Maverick Ideas to share your suggestions on making UT Arlington even better. More than 70 ideas have been posted along with more than 250 comments and 2,000 votes.

Maverick Ideas provides a venue for faculty and staff to share and express suggestions to potentially help cut costs, reduce waste, enhance learning, work smarter, and increase the University's impact.

The website is simple to navigate and easy to use. Instructions and guidelines for submitting ideas are posted on the site, as is the process for review and evaluation of ideas.

Plaza Food Court hours extended

Dining Services has extended the hours of the Plaza Food Court in the E.H. Hereford University Center. It will be open from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday.

The Plaza Food Court features brands such as Chick-fil-A, Panda Express, Subway, Pizza Hut, and Sushic. Cash, credit, and meal plan dining dollars are accepted. Stop by for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Movin' on up Welcome Week started Monday as approximately 300 volunteers assisted students with their belongings and helped them find their rooms for the 11th annual Residence Hall Move-in Event. President James D. Spaniolo, Vice President of Student Affairs Frank Lamas and Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck joined in as they visited several residence halls. Click above to watch the video or see the slide show.

Fall group exercise classes free through Wednesday at MAC

Fall group exercises at the Maverick Activities Center are free through Wednesday, Sept. 1. Classes are available in pilates, yoga, kickboxing, Latin Fusion, and more. See the Campus Recreation fall class schedule as classes continue through Dec. 8.

Participants must have an activated ID and will only be granted access to class up to five minutes after the posted class time. For more information, contact Campus Recreation at 2-3277.

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 Wednesday

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.

Team Building for Supervisors

As a manager, what kind of relationship would you like to have with your employees? This team-building seminar is designed to teach you powerful employee coaching methods to turn even problem employees into super productive, motivated winners. The team-building training shows you how to pull everyone together with a shared drive and purpose. 9-11 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 31, Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. See a complete listing of HR training classes.

Introduction to SAS

This course is an introduction to the basics of the SAS statistical software package. It will include basic data set creation, data set manipulation, and use of some of the more common procedures. Learn more about Statistical Services. No registration required. 9-11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 4, Room 004, University Hall. oit-training@uta.edu.

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.

Seasoned starters: Six starters return for the 2010-11 Maverick volleyball team, which starts play this weekend in the Nike Invitational at the University of Oklahoma.

Volleyball Mavs open season this weekend

All six starters return this year as UT Arlington opens the volleyball season Friday in the Nike Invitational at the University of Oklahoma.

The Mavericks face Miami at 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 27. On Saturday, Aug. 28, coach Diane Seymour's squad faces Oklahoma at noon, followed by Wichita State at 5 p.m. All matches will be played at McCasland Field House on the OU campus.

First home action for the Mavericks is Friday-Saturday, Sept. 3-4, when they host the UT Arlington Maverick Classic at Texas Hall.

Three players were selected to the All-Southland Conference pre-season volleyball team. Tara Frantz and Emily Shearin earned spots on the first team, and Bianca Sauls made the second team.

Movin' Mavs alumni game Saturday

David Wilkes and James Patin are the top returning scorers for the Movin' Mavs, who will hold their annual Blue/White intrasquad wheelchair basketball game at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, in Texas Hall. Admission is free.

Alumni from previous teams will serve as coaches. Jay Helms will coach the Blue team, while Aaron Gouge and Tyler Garner will coach the White team.

Hall of Honor class includes three individuals, 1998-2001 tennis teams

Former basketball forward Tracy Burr-Lemonia (1985-88), tennis standout Christian Jaeger (1995-99), football defensive back Jim Marcum (1967-69), and the 1998-2001 men's tennis championship teams will be inducted into the Department of Athletics Hall of Honor on Saturday, Sept. 11, at the Arlington Hilton Hotel Grand Ballroom.

(For more sports news, go to utamavs.com, utamovinmavs.com, or uta.edu/campusrec.)

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.

Friday, Aug. 27

African American Faculty and Staff Association Luncheon New faculty and staff welcome. RSVP to Nadine Douditski at 2-0101 or nadine@uta.edu. 1-3 p.m. Spring Creek Barbeque, 3608 S. Cooper St.

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.

Monday-Friday, Aug. 30-Sept. 3

Carter BloodCare Blood Drive 9 a.m., Central Library mall, E.H. Hereford University Center mall. UTA Volunteers. 2-2963.

Tuesday, Aug. 31

MFA Summer Exhibition Reception Closing reception for the third annual summer exhibition by 16 Master of Fine Arts students, representing the Department of Art and Art History graduate program in intermedia studio, glass, visual communication, and film and video. Free. The Gallery at UTA, Fine Arts Building. 2-2891.

Wednesday, Sept. 1

Maverick Cookout and Activities Fair Day Learn about activities and organizations. Burgers, veggie burgers, chips, and drinks available for $2. 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. E.H. Hereford University Center mall. Office of Student Affairs, 2-6080.

Thursday, Sept. 2

University College Dedication Ceremony Open to everyone. In case of rain, the ceremony will be held in the Palo Duro Lounge in the E.H. Hereford University Center. 2 p.m. Ransom Hall. University College.

Ongoing

Planetarium Programs The fall schedule begins Saturday, Aug. 28, with Wonders of the Universe; Stars of the Pharaohs; One World, One Sky; Time Space; Secret of the Cardboard Rocket; and $2 Movie. Spacepark 360 starts in October. Planetarium schedule. 2-1183.

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 select 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. 817-633-2332.

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