University Communications » Internal Communications » MavWire » MavWire 11-17-2011

Team leader: Dr. Rhonda Prisby collaborated with French and Canadian scientists on a study of treatment for osteoporosis.

UT Arlington leads international team on advances in bone health

Rhonda Prisby, an assistant professor of kinesiology in the College of Education and Health Professions, is the lead author on an article that could one day influence the treatment of patients with difficult to heal bone fractures and diseases like arthritis.

The article was published in the November issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, the official publication of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Dr. Prisby collaborated with French and Canadian scientists on a study of parathyroid hormone or PTH, which is used as a treatment for osteoporosis.

“When we administered PTH intermittently for 15 and 30 days, we saw increases in bone mass just as we expected,” Prisby says. “But bone blood vessel numbers were decreased with PTH. That was the opposite of what we expected.”

Read more about the PTH study.

Pete Carlon

Leadership transition announced for Intercollegiate Athletics

President James D. Spaniolo announced Wednesday that there will be a transition in leadership in the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. He and Pete Carlon have agreed that Carlon will step down as athletics director to assume a new senior leadership role.

“Pete is a great asset and resource for the University, and his contributions have been many,” says President Spaniolo. “Under his leadership, our student-athletes have enjoyed outstanding academic achievement, and our athletics program has been typified by impeccable NCAA compliance.”

Carlon joined UT Arlington in 1981 as the head athletics trainer. He served as assistant and associate athletics director from 1984 until being named director of intercollegiate athletics in 1996. Most recently, he played a crucial role in the University’s decision to move to the Western Athletic Conference.

“The timing is right for a change in leadership in the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics,” says Carlon. “I will be forever grateful for the opportunity, the privilege, and the honor of leading our athletics department for the past 16 years. I want to thank President Spaniolo for his support of our department and for me personally.”

The search for a new director of intercollegiate athletics will commence immediately. President Spaniolo expects to have the position filled before the end of December in advance of the first basketball games in College Park Center on Feb. 1.

Carlon will continue to serve as athletics director until a successor is appointed.

Dr. Kim Ruebel

College, professor receive national honors for teacher preparation excellence

The National Professors of Middle Level Education has named the College of Education and Health Professions as an Outstanding Middle Level Education program. NaPOMLE is an affiliate of the Association for Middle Level Education, formerly the National Middle School Association.

The organization designated Kim Ruebel, associate professor and associate chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, as its sole Outstanding Professor of Middle Level Education for 2011.

“These awards confirm what we already know: Our mid-level faculty are creative and innovative and are preparing our mid-level candidates to enter the teaching field fully equipped to be teachers of tomorrow,” says Jeanne Gerlach, associate vice president for K-16 Initiatives and dean of the College of Education and Health Professions.

The Outstanding Middle Level Education program distinction is shared with Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, Ga.

Read more about College of Education and Health Professions honors.

Get the scoop on Ben & Jerry tonight; first 1,000 receive free ice cream

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, founders of Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc., discuss "Entrepreneurial Spirit, Social Responsibility, and Radical Business Philosophy" as part of the Maverick Speakers Series at 7:30 p.m. today, Thursday, Nov. 17, in Texas Hall.

Cohen and Greenfield are the men behind one of the most talked about and least conventional success stories in American business. They built a storefront venture into a $300 million ice cream empire by harnessing the power of social responsibility and creative management.

The first 1,000 attendees receive free ice cream. A question-and-answer session follows the presentation.

Free general admission tickets to the event are sold out. A few $25 Preferred Package seats are still available at utatickets.com.

Guests without tickets will be seated as space permits. Arrive at Texas Hall by 6:30 p.m. and check in at the Guest Relations window.

Faculty Profile System seeks feedback with survey

Help to improve the Faculty Profile System by answering a few questions in an online survey. The goal is to increase the system's usability and acceptance.

Participating in the Profile System survey is voluntary. The survey, which takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete, is available until Wednesday, Nov. 30.

Town talk Ron Elsenbaumer, provost and vice president for academic affairs, talks with faculty and staff who attended Tuesday's town hall meeting in the Maverick Activities Center. Dr. Elsenbaumer and President James D. Spaniolo answered questions about the University's recently announced tuition freeze, progress toward Tier One status, and ongoing funding challenges.

College Park Center has gone social

College Park Center now has a Facebook page and Twitter feed. Between now and the spring opening of the center, these social media tools will feature information about opening events, construction updates, and other tidbits to help build excitement.

Help students by ordering a MavPack

Order a MavPack for your favorite students and give them a boost prior to final exams.

MavPacks are packed with school supplies, spirit items, and study tips. The packs are $25 and should be ordered by Sunday, Nov. 27, at utaalumni.org/mavpack. Upgrade the MavPack for a graduating senior for $50 to include a one-year membership in the Alumni Association and an alumni T-shirt.

A portion of the proceeds benefits Apartment and Residence Life community events and the Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.

For more information, contact the Student Alumni Association at saa@uta.edu or call at 2-2594.

Donations help Tarrant Area Food Bank and Mission Arlington

Donate non-perishable food items and help those in need through the Tarrant Area Food Bank and Mission Arlington.

Collection boxes are located in the Central Library, Davis Hall, E.H. Hereford University Center, Engineering Research Building, Fort Worth Center, Health Center, Maverick Activities Center, University Hall, Watson Building, Wetsel Service Center, and Arlington Regional Distribution Center.

The food drive runs through Monday, Nov. 28, and is coordinated by the Staff Advisory Council and Golden Key International Honour Society. For more information, contact Angela Ezell at ezell@uta.edu or 2-5667.

Lighting the way Holiday lights transform the Central Library mall into a wonderland of colors. The lights were turned on Tuesday night at the Deck the Mall tradition, sponsored by Student Affairs. Participants enjoyed arts and crafts and refreshments during the evening activities.

AAFSA reception set for Nov. 29

The African American Faculty and Staff Association’s annual reception is 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, in the University Club at Davis Hall, with remarks at 6 p.m.

RSVP to Cindy Francis at special events@uta.edu or 2-5300 by Tuesday, Nov. 22.

For more information, contact Eddie Freeman at efreeman@uta.edu.

Volunteers needed for work day in Community Garden

Volunteers are needed for a work day in the Community Garden 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2.

Help is needed in clearing beds of plant material, spreading mulch and crushed granite, updating bed numbers, and general cleanup. Gloves and lunch will be provided.

To volunteer, contact Becky Valentich in the Sustainability Office at becky@uta.edu.

Faculty urged to submit community service information by Dec. 2

Faculty members should submit data for the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by Friday, Dec. 2.

The honor roll increases the public's awareness of the contributions that colleges and their students make to local communities and the nation. Community service data should be from projects completed between July 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011.

Submit projects via the Community Engagement section in each faculty member’s Research Online Profile. This new system takes 5-10 minutes and will allow faculty to simply update the community engagement data each year.

For more information, contact Shirley Theriot, director of the Center for Community Service Learning, at 2-2124 or theriot@uta.edu.

Nursing instructor puts 'Blaze' in glass Patti Plumer, clinical instructor in the College of Nursing, created a glass mosaic of Blaze, the University mascot, and presented it to the college. It now hangs in the sixth floor lobby at Pickard Hall. Q. What inspired you to compile the glass mosaic of Blaze? A. During graduation last spring, the keynote speaker talked about our nursing students being Mavericks in the field of nursing. I realized that we didn’t have much in the College of Nursing to support school spirit and being Mavericks, so I decided my summer project would be to create Blaze in glass and donate him to the college. Q. How did you get started in glass work? A. I learned to do stained glass in my 20s. When I had my son, I put working with glass away since shards of glass and toddlers don’t mix well. When he was in high school, I found a shop in Fort Worth that offered classes and decided it was time to start again. Mosaics are fun because it is like working a puzzle. It just seems to work well with my schedule of teaching and seeing my nursing home residents as a nurse practitioner. Q. What other types of glass pieces have you put together? A. I have a house full of pieces as well as one in my office. I’ve done several flowers; my favorite is my sunflower. I have fish, a cat, and the Texas flag as well as some abstract things. I’ve also done a couple of small table tops. Q. How does your glass work tie in with nursing? A. I tell my students that to take care of others, especially as a nurse, you have to take care of yourself and find time to recharge your batteries. I have found that in my hobbies, and glass is an amazing medium. Glass is my escape from teaching and nursing. It is my time to take care of me and not worry about either of my jobs. Q. What nursing courses do you teach? A. I teach Clinical Nursing Foundations, which is the first semester that students have contact with real patients. It is great because I think you see the most growth this semester. You start the semester with students being afraid to go into the rooms, and by the end of the semester they are asking to do all the skills they have learned on real people rather than manikins. I love it.

Blackboard Workshops

Comprehensive Workshop, Part 1 of 4. See the class schedule. 2-4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29. Contact cdetraining@uta.edu for location. Center for Distance Education, 2-5727.

Introduction to Adobe Photoshop

Bring an image into Photoshop and be amazed how you turned a dull photo into a masterpiece. Free. Register. 2-4 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 1, Digital Media Studio, Central Library. Technoscholar Workshops.

Art of Candy Making

Learn about chocolate melting techniques, filled candies, clusters, layered candy, marbelizing, dipped fruit, and more. It's a whole new way to add excitement to parties and create gifts that everyone will love. Call 2-2581 to receive a faculty/staff discount fee of $50. 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 3. Room A101, Continuing Education Workforce Building. Continuing Education.

Discovering Purpose

Having a clear purpose helps guide your decisions and empowers you to act in a clear and focused manner. This class offers participants the tools for discovering purpose and keys to putting the purpose into your every action and response. Free. Register. 9-11 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 6, Room 200, Wetsel Service Center.

Coaching Skills for Supervisors

Great coaches inspire great achievement, expect sacrifice, demand excellence, inspire victory, and garner respect. This top-level course gives you the essential coaching skills to immediately improve your day-to-day and long-term performance as a manager. The benefits of coaching you'll find in this class will change the way you work and lead. Free. Register. 2-4 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 8, Room 200, Wetsel Service Center.

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.

On target: Senior Eld-hah Kaswatuka posted a career-high 20 kills in a 3-2 road victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi last week.

Volleyball prepares for conference tourney

The Maverick volleyball team is seeded sixth in the Southland Conference Tournament, which begins Friday, Nov. 18, in Conway, Ark.

Coach Diane Seymour’s team faces No. 3 seed Sam Houston State at 1:30 p.m. Friday in the first round. Semifinals are Saturday, with the championship match set for 2 p.m. Sunday.

The Mavericks downed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi before losing to UT San Antonio in the final regular season matches last week.

Men's basketball hosts La. Tech

After starting the season with a 99-64 win over East Texas Baptist on Monday, the men’s basketball team entertains Louisiana Tech at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, in Texas Hall.

Next week the Mavericks host North Texas on Tuesday, Nov. 22, before going to Baylor on Wednesday, Nov. 23. Both games start at 7 p.m.

Women's basketball at Oklahoma State

Seeking a turnaround after losses in the first three games, the women’s basketball team travels to Oklahoma State on Sunday, Nov. 20.

The Mavericks fell to North Texas, George Washington, and Arkansas to open the season. Next home game for the Mavericks is against McMurry at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, in Texas Hall.

Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day is Nov. 26

It's Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day at the men's basketball game Saturday, Nov. 26, with free admission for all faculty and staff and members of their families.

Join in for some family fun games and face painting for the kids. Game time is 7 p.m. as the Mavericks meet Samford University at Texas Hall.

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

Thursday, Nov. 17

Great American Smoke Out Learn tips to quit smoking and the latest tobacco facts. Turkey sandwiches on first-come, first-served basis. Free dental oral screenings, massages, games, and more. Free. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Palo Duro Lounge, E.H. Hereford University Center. Health Services, 2-2771.

30th Annual Fall Percussion Ensemble Concert Features the Percussion Ensemble and the African World Music Ensemble. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music, 2-3471.

The School for Scandal This classic comedy-of-manners gets a modern day update. $7 faculty, staff, students with ID, and seniors; $10 general public. 8 p.m.; 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Nov. 18-19, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20; Mainstage Theatre, Fine Arts Building. Theatre Arts, 2-2669.

Friday, Nov. 18

Mini Relay for Life Starts at the Health Services Center. Design a luminary in honor of survivors or lost loved ones for a vigil following the walk. 2-3 p.m. Donielle Smith, Health Services, dnsmith@uta.edu.

Friends of the Library Featured speaker is David Stokes, author of The Shooting Salvationist: J. Frank Norris and the Murder Trial that Captivated America. McNair Scholarship Awards will also be presented. Free. 7:30 p.m., sixth floor parlor, Central Library. Tommie Wingfield, 2-2658.

Saturday, Nov. 19

Benefit Car Show Benefits Cook Children's Medical Center. Entries accepted. Entries 1:30 p.m., show 2-5 p.m. $1 admission. Lot 49. Kappa Delta Pi education honor society.

Men's Basketball Mavericks vs. Louisiana Tech. Tickets $8. 7 p.m., Texas Hall. Athletics, 2-2261.

Monday, Nov. 21

Voice Division Recital Features performances by UT Arlington vocal students. Free. Noon-1 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music, 2-3471.

Fall Jazz Concert Arrangements by Radiohead performed by the Jazz Orchestra directed by Tim Ishii, the Jazz Ensemble directed by Dan Cavanagh, and guest artist Chris McGuire on saxophone. Tickets $5, 7:30 p.m., Texas Hall. Music, 2-3471.

Ongoing

Faculty Biennial XIII A showcase for recent work created by the Department of Art and Art History faculty. Free. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, noon-5 p.m. Saturdays. Through Saturday, Nov. 19. The Gallery at UTA, Fine Arts Building.

Planetarium The holiday schedule begins Tuesday, Nov. 29. It includes Season of Light, Holiday Music Magic, and One World, One Sky. Planetarium, 2-1183.

Searching from Memory Photography exhibit features artists Caleb Dulock and Jessica Fuentes. Free. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays; 2-6 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays. Through Wednesday, Nov. 30. Gallery 76102, Fort Worth Center.

Life and Death in the Northern Pass Photojournalist Dominic Bracco II ('08 BA) provides a view of drug violence in Ciudad Juarez. Free. Through Jan. 14. Sixth floor parlor, Central Library.

Impressions of the West: Works of Art from Special Collections The American West comes alive in more than 30 paintings, sculptures, and prints. Free. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Through Jan. 14. Special Collections, sixth floor, Central Library, 2-3393.

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