University Communications » Internal Communications » MavWire » MavWire 07-07-2011

New leadership: Kelly Davis, left, and Maurice Leatherbury have been named University vice presidents after serving in interim roles.

Davis, Leatherbury named University vice presidents

President James D. Spaniolo has announced the appointment of Kelly Davis as vice president for business affairs and controller and Maurice Leatherbury as vice president for information technology and chief information officer. Both have served in interim roles.

"Kelly and Maurice have exhibited outstanding leadership qualities during their interim assignments this past year," President Spaniolo says. "Each brings a unique perspective and a wealth of knowledge that will serve our university well in the years ahead."

Davis has been with UT Arlington for 14 years and has served as interim vice president for business affairs and controller since September 2010. Prior to that she was assistant vice president for academic financial affairs in the Office of the Provost.

Dr. Leatherbury joined UT Arlington in November 2010 as senior adviser for technology and has served as interim vice president for information technology since December 2010. Prior to joining UT Arlington, he served for 17 years in senior positions at the University of North Texas, including vice president for information technology and chief information officer.

The appointments are effective immediately.

Dr. Qilian Liang

Two research projects aimed at providing soldiers with better information in the field

Qilian Liang, a professor of electrical engineering, has won two Department of Defense grants totaling nearly $600,000 to develop a radar sensor network that will help soldiers detect potential threats obscured by walls or foliage.

Current technology doesn’t link radar sensors in a network or allow for shared information in real time. Dr. Liang’s radar sensor network will be capable of providing military troops a web of information about large swaths of land, such as urban areas or a shoreline environment. The system, for example, will be able to provide soldiers information about an entire building rather than a smaller area within lines of sight.

"In an urban setting, man-made structures or foliage favor hidden threats because the soldier has a limited sensing capability,” he says. “We want to help those soldiers identify what it is they’re seeing through the network in the field. It’s very important they know who and where the threats are.”

The first grant is funded through the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program. It is the result of a merit competition conducted by the Army Research Office, Office of Naval Research, and Air Force Office of Scientific Research. According to a Defense Department news release, more than 800 proposals were submitted, and 165 were funded. The second grant is funded through the Office of Naval Research.

Read more about the research projects.

Annual Enrollment begins July 15, Benefits Fair set for July 20

Annual Enrollment for the 2011-12 benefit plan year is July 15-31 and will feature a Benefits Fair from noon-7 p.m. Wednesday, July 20, in the Bluebonnet Ballroom and Rosebud Theatre at the E.H. Hereford University Center. Stop by for information and giveaways.

During Annual Enrollment, you may enroll, change your group insurance benefit elections, and add or remove dependents from coverage.

For more information regarding Annual Enrollment and UT Arlington benefits for the 2011-12 plan year, see Annual Enrollment or contact Employee Benefits Services at 2-5558 or benefits@uta.edu.

Holiday schedule for 2011-12 includes 13 dates

The holiday schedule for 2011-12 includes 13 days off for faculty and staff. Anyone who wishes to observe a religious holiday(s) may do so in lieu of any holiday(s) for which the employee serves as a member of the skeleton workforce required by statute or by taking a vacation day.

The holiday schedule is:

Volunteers needed for Maverick Cookout

Join the fun of the annual Maverick Cookout and Activities Fair Day by volunteering. Sign up online by Friday, July 29, as a hamburger flipper, soda server, or other needed position.

The cookout and activities fair are 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, on the E.H. Hereford University Center mall. The event draws more than 3,000 students and allows faculty and staff a chance to interact with them.

More details are available from Molly Albart at molly@uta.edu or 2-1104.

Mavericks roll on The UT Arlington float in the 46th Annual Arlington 4th of July Parade depicts the theme of Let's Roll...America. The Deakyne family and friends sponsored the float. Other University entries in the parade included The Shorthorn, Student Congress, the Formula SAE race cars, UTA Ambassadors, Mr. and Ms. UTA, and the UTA Spirit Groups. Political science Associate Professor Allan Saxe served as the grand marshal. See a slideshow of the parade.

Mileage reimbursement rates revised

The standard mileage reimbursement rate has changed to 55.5 cents per mile for business miles driven, according to an Internal Revenue Service announcement issued June 23.

The new rate covers travel occurring July 1-Dec. 31. This modification is because of increases in fuel prices. The rate was 51 cents per mile for Jan. 1-June 30. Note that the rate of reimbursement is affected by the travel date, not the reimbursement date.

Business planning policy online

The Business Continuity Planning policy is now available in the Handbook of Operating Procedures.

Business Continuity Planning is controlled by the Office of Emergency Management and Business Continuity and directs a comprehensive disaster management program that incorporates elements of safety, security, emergency management, disaster preparedness, mutual aid agreements, administrative, recovery, and communication for all University entities.

Vote for Staff Advisory Council representatives through Monday

Vote for Staff Advisory Council representatives online through Monday, July 11.

If no one shows up in your district list, there was no one nominated. If you are willing to be a candidate or if you need more information, email staff_advisory_council@uta.edu.

Sign up for a 25-mile bicycle ride and camp out

The Office of Sustainability and the Maverick Bike Shop are hosting a 25-mile bicycle ride and overnight camp out Saturday-Sunday, July 9-10, at Murrell Park in Flower Mound on the north side of Lake Grapevine. Bring your own camping gear.

For more information and to sign up, contact Ellie Hernandez, bike shop manager, at 915-820-0639 or on Facebook at Maverick Bike Shop.

MyMav portal gets upgrade at noon Friday

The MyMav portal undergoes a scheduled upgrade from noon Friday, July 8, to approximately 8 a.m. Saturday, July 9.

During this outage the MyMav system will be unavailable to students, but faculty and staff will be able to access the system by logging directly into Campus Solutions. When the portal upgrade is completed, faculty and staff will notice a new look to their MyMav page and experience increased stability in the system.

Fresh Start from Tobacco: Sessions 1-4

Four one-hour sessions are designed to educate and assist individuals who are ready to make a fresh start from tobacco use. Facilitated by Health Services, the program addresses tobacco addiction and cessation topics. The sessions cover steps to understanding addiction, quitting and coping strategies, and receiving help. It is important to attend all four sessions. UT Arlington becomes a tobacco-free campus on Aug. 1. Free. See the schedule for times. Tuesday-Wednesday, July 19-20, Room B03, Health Center.

Access 2010 Level I: Tables/Queries

Learn to create an MS Access Database, make tables, import data, and execute queries. Free. 2-4 p.m., Monday, July 11, Room 123, Hammond Hall. See more about OIT training.

Continuing Education dancing classes

Register for one or all three. Country and Western Dancing, 6-7 p.m.; Basic Ballroom Dancing, 7:05-8:05 p.m.; Latin Dancing for Fun, 8:05-9:05 p.m. Call 2-2581 for faculty, staff discount fee of $50 each. All classes Mondays, July 11-Aug. 22, Swift Center. Continuing Education.

Mindful Moments

Take a break from stress with Mindful Moments. Free. 12:15-12:45 p.m. Wednesdays, Room 150, Business Building. Health Services, Marie Bannister, 2-2771.

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 email employment@uta.edu. The University of Texas at Arlington is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

Digital exhibit features photos from 1940s-50s For more than 40 years, W.D. Smith Commercial Photography studio documented the urban and commercial growth of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, and the Metroplex. Now some of the studio’s most fascinating work is available online in a digital exhibit created by the UT Arlington Library. The exhibit contains more than 150 photographic negatives taken by the studio during the 1940s-50s, demonstrating Fort Worth’s urban boom in the years following World War II. A 1953 photo above shows women sewing in a Fort Worth boot company. Noteworthy images in the exhibit include snapshots of the Fort Worth flood, an aerial view of Arlington State College (now UT Arlington), and several 19th century photographs of Texas Rangers collected by Smith during his lifetime. Learn more about Smith and view the digital exhibit online.

Thursday, July 7

Free Movie: Rango Rango, a sheltered chameleon living as an ordinary family pet, faces a major identity crisis. Rated PG. Bring lawn chairs and blankets. Refreshments at the concession stand. Beginning after dusk, approximately 9 p.m., lawn west of Maverick Activities Center. EXCEL Campus Activities.

Friday, July 8

$2 Movie: The Green Hornet Rich playboy and a resourceful employee become heroes by posing as villains. Rated PG-13. 5:30 p.m. Also 2:30 p.m. Saturday, July 9. Planetarium, 2-1183.

Wednesday, July 13

$2 Movie: Shrek Forever After Rumpelstiltskin tricks a mid-life crisis-burdened Shrek into allowing himself to be erased from existence. Rated PG-13. 5:30 p.m. Also 5:30 p.m. Friday, July 15, and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, July 16. Planetarium, 2-1183.

Thursday, July 14

Mavs Book Club House Rules by Jodi Picoult is the July selection. Free. 5 p.m. Starbucks, E.H. Hereford University Center. Mavs Book Club.

Free Movie: Source Code A decorated soldier is part of a program that enables him to cross over into another man's identity in the last eight minutes of his life. Rated PG-13. Bring lawn chairs and blankets. Refreshments at the concession stand. Beginning after dusk, approximately 9 p.m., lawn west of Maverick Activities Center. EXCEL Campus Activities.

Ongoing

897 Square Features contemporary art ranging from 2D and 3D to installation-type work. Free. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays; 2-6 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. Through July 30. Gallery 76102, Fort Worth Center.

Flow: Dalton Maroney 1982-2011 Exhibit is composed of 17 sculptures and six works on paper created by Maroney, an associate professor in the Department of Art and Art History. Free. 1-5 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays, 1-5 p.m. Sundays. Through July 31. Arlington Museum of Art, 201 W. Main St., Arlington.

Exposure: Photos from the Second Battle of Fallujah Photographs taken by UT Arlington student and Marine Corps veteran Joel Chaverri. Free. Through Aug. 6. Sixth floor parlor, Central Library.

Six Flags Over Texas Exhibit Celebrate 50 years of an Arlington landmark. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. Free. Through Aug. 13. Special Collections, sixth floor, Central Library.

Texas Rangers Baseball Get tickets for faculty, staff, students, alumni, family, and friends. Access texasrangers.com/uta and use the password rangers for designated games through Sept. 14.

Planetarium Cool off this summer and see how ice shapes the landscape in Ice Worlds. 1:30 p.m. Sunday. See the summer schedule. Planetarium, 2-1183.

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