University Communications » Internal Communications » MavWire » MavWire 03-08-2012

Coach of the Year: Scott Cross was named Southland Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Mavericks to a 15-1 conference record.

Mavericks ease into SLC semifinals

Bo Ingram poured in 21 points and LaMarcus Reed added 17 as UT Arlington rolled to a 96-48 win over Nicholls State in the opening round of the Southland Conference Men's Basketball Tournament on Wednesday.

The Mavericks face McNeese State in the semifinals at 8:30 p.m. today, Thursday, March 8, at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas. The game will be televised by the Southland Conference Television Network.

The championship game tips off at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 10, and will be televised by ESPN2. The conference tournament champion advances to the NCAA Tournament, which begins next week.

Coach Scott Cross's team is now 24-7 overall after finishing 15-1 in the Southland Conference and earning the tournament's top seed. By winning the regular season title, the Mavericks are guaranteed a berth in the NIT if they do not advance to the NCAA.

Cross was named Southland Conference Coach of the Year earlier this week. Reed earned first-team All-SLC honors, while Kevin Butler was selected Newcomer of the Year.

Session tickets are $18 for reserved seats and $13 for general admission. Championship game tickets are $15 for reserved and $10 for general admission. Buy tickets at Ticketmaster.

Coach Doug Garner

Movin' Mavs begin national wheelchair tournament action Friday in Illinois

Seeking their eighth national title and first since 2006, the Movin’ Mavs begin play in the National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament on Friday, March 9, at Huff Hall in Champaign, Ill.

"Our goal and our focus all year has been for us to be playing our best ball going into the national tournament," coach Doug Garner says. "We had a great weekend at the University of Alabama tournament and we want to build off of that. If we do that, then the results will be our best possible finish."

The Movin' Mavs, who are 15-3 in intercollegiate play and 29-4 overall, are seeded No. 1 in the tournament and receive a bye into Friday's semifinals. They play the winner of Thursday's game between Illinois and Missouri at 3 p.m. Friday.

The championship game is set for 2 p.m. Saturday, March 10. Games will be streamed at stickam.com/niwbt.

University to host White House LGBT conference March 20

The White House will partner with UT Arlington for an LGBT conference on safe schools and communities Tuesday, March 20. The event will feature remarks from U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to President Barack Obama.

The conference is one of a series of events the White House is coordinating this year to raise awareness of issues of interest to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.

“UT Arlington is pleased to be a partner in presenting this important conference focused on what educators, law enforcement officials, and others can do to curb bullying, harassment, and violence in our schools, neighborhoods, and communities,” President James D. Spaniolo says. “These issues relate to critical research and academic studies under way within our University, and we look forward to the awareness this event will help foster.”

The conference is co-hosted by the White House Office of Public Engagement and the U.S. Department of Justice in partnership with the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, a division of the College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Education and Health Professions.

Read more about the White House conference.

Submit feedback on strategic planning via new website

One way for faculty and staff to offer input and feedback on the strategic planning process currently under way is through the new strategic planning website.

A University-wide strategic planning committee, chaired by associate professor of sociology and former provost Dana Dunn, is moderating a series of campus strategic conversations this semester. The committee will use input from these discussions to develop goals, objectives, and strategies for a new over-arching strategic plan designed to carry the University forward through 2020.

The Achieving Recognition as a National Research University 2010-2020 plan, developed during the 2010-2011 academic year, guides the University toward its Tier One objectives, specifying strategies and action steps, along with metrics for measuring progress.  The Mavericks on the Move University-wide plan recently expired; however, the president has extended the timeframe for the Mavericks on the Move plan through 2012 to accommodate the current comprehensive strategic planning process.

Deep-sea adventure Oceanographer Robert Ballard discussed "Adventures in Deep-Sea Exploration" in his sold-out Maverick Speakers Series presentation Tuesday at Texas Hall. Dr. Ballard encouraged the audience to be scientists and to explore the unknown. He has led or participated in more than 65 underwater expeditions, some of them involving deep-diving submersibles he has designed. See the video.

Second of four library dean candidates makes presentation today

Faculty and staff are invited to attend an open forum for library dean candidate Grace Agnew, associate university librarian at Rutgers University, 9-10 a.m. today, Thursday, March 8, in Room 204 of Pickard Hall.

Rebecca Bichel, associate director for public services at Florida State University, made a presentation Wednesday, and forums for two other candidates will be scheduled following Spring Break.

Central Library closed Friday, March 16, with limited online access

The Central Library will close at midnight Thursday, March 15, and will remain closed Friday, March 16, because of power outage and water drainage correction projects. The library will reopen at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 17, but will close two hours early at 6 p.m.

The library website will be available Friday, March 16, but with limited access to library databases.

There will be no access to the Central Library basement on Saturday and Sunday due to replacement of electrical subpanels. Work will be completed during the weekend, and full access to the library resumes Monday, March 19.

The Science and Engineering Library and the Architecture and Fine Arts Library, along with the rest of the University, will be closed Friday, March 16, for Spring Break.

47th annual Webb Lecture Series reflects on Medieval Mediterranean today

The 47th Annual Walter Prescott Webb Memorial Lecture Series, "Muslims, Christians, and Jews in the Medieval Mediterranean" begins at 9:30 a.m. today, Thursday, March 8, with events in the Central Library and the E.H. Hereford University Center.

The lectures reflect on relations between the three major cultures in the Medieval Mediterranean; the movements of people, goods, and ideas across the region; and the theoretical concepts of intercultural communication and relationships in the pre-modern world.

Speakers include Travis Bruce, SUNY Binghamton; Robin Vose, St. Thomas University; and keynote speaker Paul M. Cobb, University of Pennsylvania. See the Webb Memorial Lecture Series schedule.

For more information, contact the History Department at 2-2861 or history@uta.edu.

Contagious energy Drake dazzled a screaming crowd and gave plenty of shout-outs to UT Arlington during his electric 90-minute performance Friday at College Park Center. The Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist's sold-out show was the first concert in the striking $78 million special events venue.

Concussion experts team up for safer play with summit this weekend

Brain injury and concussion experts from across the country will be on campus for the first UT Arlington Concussion Summit Friday-Saturday, March 9-10, in the Maverick Activities Center. Keynote speaker is former Dallas Cowboys fullback and current FOX Sports analyst Daryl Johnston.

Presented by the Department of Kinesiology, the event features the latest research on the biomechanics of concussions, testing methods, keys to making safe return-to-play decisions, and the long-term effects of sports-related brain injuries.

Read more information about the concussion summit.

Enjoy humanities, technology camp

All you have to do is show an interest in humanities and technology to attend THATCamp Texas 2012 Friday-Saturday, March 9-10. The Humanities and Technology Camp (THATCamp) starts with technology workshops Friday and an "unconference" Saturday at the Central Library.

Topics for the free camp include GIS for humanities, video creation and editing, teaching and using search tools in the classroom, open-source screencasting, XML and text encoding, and e-book creation.

For more details, go to the THATCamp blog or contact Cathy Corder at ccorder@uta.edu.

Register for Canon Print Center training Friday

Canon will be conducting an online WebX training for the Digital Storefront for your printing needs. This training will help you learn to register and order your printing through Canon Print Center.

Training is at 11 a.m. Friday, March 9. Contact Erin Cavazos at ecavazos@uta.edu to get log on information.

Ribbons for print From left, President James D. Spaniolo, Valerie Belli, vice president of the Canon business services division, and Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck, participated in the ribbon cutting for the Canon Print Center at the Arlington City Hall building on Tuesday. A collaboration among the University, the City of Arlington, and Canon Corporation, the center offers competitive pricing and convenient local access for ordering print services. University customers can access print center services through the campus walk-up storefront on the first floor of the E.H. Hereford University Center.

Volunteer for the Benefits Fair

Volunteers are needed for the seventh annual Celebrating Maverick Spirit Benefits Fair 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 14, in the Bluebonnet Ballroom at the E.H. Hereford University Center. The fair is hosted by the Staff Advisory Council.

Volunteers are needed during the fair, as well as for set up and clean up. Sign up at SAC Benefits Fair. For more information, contact Andy Herzog at amherzog@uta.edu.

The Big Event seeks site leaders

Site leaders are needed for The Big Event, a day of community service set for Saturday, April 21.

Applications are available until 5 p.m. Friday, March 9, on The Big Event website.

There are more than 40 project sites for volunteers to choose from on the website. Volunteer registration opens Monday, March 19.

For more information, email thebigevent@uta.edu or call 2-2963.

Submit nominations for 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award

The Alumni Association is accepting nominations for the 2012 UT Arlington Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest honor an alumna or alumnus can receive from UT Arlington.

Award criteria and the nomination form are on the Alumni Association website. Submit nominations by Friday, April 6. Awards will be presented at the 2012 Distinguished Alumni Gala on Saturday, Oct. 20.

For more information, contact Stephanie Thompson at 2-2594.

National Focus on Vision Screening and Eye Health

March is national "Save Your Vision" and "Workplace Eye Wellness" month. One way of protecting your vision now and in the future is to have an annual comprehensive eye exam by an ophthalmologist or optometrist. Of the 124,000 UT System employees, retirees, and dependents currently enrolled in the vision benefits plan, over 41,000 members had a comprehensive eye exam during the most recent plan year. Learn more about these resources in the March newsletter UT System Benefits.

Free Vacations and Make Money Traveling

Learn more than 40 different ways to make your vacations free in this fun, practical, and information-packed class. Many of these ideas will earn you extra income on vacation and may turn into new careers. This gives you more vacation time each year and may allow your vacation costs to be a tax deduction. $35. 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, March 10, Room E200F, Continuing Education and Workforce Building. Continuing Education.

Guitar Lessons for Adults: Level I

Learn the concepts of fretting and hand position, open chords and strum patterns, as well as basic theories as they are applied to the guitar. An acoustic guitar is required for class. Call 2-2581 for faculty/staff discount rate of $50. 7-8:30 p.m., Mondays, March 19-April 23, Room C100D, Continuing Education Workforce Building. 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 email employment@uta.edu. The University of Texas at Arlington is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

All in a Day's work: Senior pitcher Lance Day leads the baseball team with a 4-0 record and a 2.81 earned run average.

Baseball begins SLC play this weekend

Hoping to rebound following a short losing spin, the Maverick baseball team opens Southland Conference play with a three-game series against Texas State Friday-Sunday, March 9-11, at Clay Gould Ballpark.

The Mavericks, 9-5, lost two games at Wichita State this week after winning three of four in a weekend series with Houston Baptist and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

NCAA meet next for Martin, Vaughn

Romain Martin competes in the heptathlon for the second straight year at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship Friday-Saturday, March 9-10, in Nampa, Idaho. He finished third in the event last year.

Clayton Vaughn set a school record in the 60-meter dash last weekend with a first-place time of 6.66 seconds at the Alex Wilson Invitational in Notre Dame, Ind., and will also run in the national meet.

Softball opens conference action

Nicholls State provides the opposition as the Maverick softball team opens Southland Conference play this weekend. Games are at 6 p.m. Friday, March 9, and 2 p.m. Saturday, March 10, at Allan Saxe Field.

The Mavericks dropped four of five games in the Jeannine McHaney Memorial Classic in Lubbock last weekend, but still boast a 9-8 record for the season.

Women win final basketball game

Senior Bianca Sauls scored 24 points as the women’s basketball team closed out the season with a 75-65 win at UT San Antonio on Saturday.

Women's tennis off to good start in SLC

Victories over McNeese State and Lamar last weekend gave the women’s tennis team a 4-0 record in the Southland Conference.

Enter NCAA Tournament contests next week

Entries for the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament Pick 'em contests will be available next week at the Maverick Activities Center services and information desk and online. Entries for the men’s contest are due at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 15, and women’s entries are due at 5 p.m. Friday, March 16. See NCAA Tournament Pick 'em online.

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

Through Friday, March 9

Beauty Across Cultures Exhibit highlighting Women's History Month. Free. 8 a.m.-8 p.m., University Center Gallery, E.H. Hereford University Center. Multicultural Affairs.

Friday, March 9

Mavs Book Club The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman is this month's selection. Hoffman delivers a book that draws on her passion for mythology, magic, and archaeology and her inimitable understanding of women. Free and open to everyone. Noon, University Club, Davis Hall. Mavs Book Club.

$2 Movie: Cowboys and Aliens A spaceship arrives in 1873 Arizona to take over the earth, starting with the Wild West. Rated PG-13. 5:30 p.m.; also 2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 10. Planetarium.

Softball Mavericks vs. Nicholls State. $5. 6 p.m.; also 2 p.m. Saturday, March 10; Allan Saxe Field. Athletics.

Baseball Mavericks vs. Texas State. $5. 6:30 p.m.; also 2 p.m. Saturday, March 10, and 1 p.m. Sunday, March 11; Clay Gould Ballpark. Athletics.

Tuesday, March 13

Baseball Mavericks vs. Baylor. $5. 6:30 p.m., Clay Gould Ballpark. Athletics.

Wednesday, March 14

Celebrating Maverick Spirit Benefits Fair More than 65 vendors provide the opportunity for faculty and staff to learn about the benefits of being a Maverick. Lunch and backpacks are provided to the first 500 guests. Free. 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Bluebonnet Ballroom, E.H. Hereford University Center. Staff Advisory Council.

Men's Tennis Mavericks vs. Southern Miss. Free. 2 p.m., UTA Tennis Center. Athletics.

Softball Mavericks vs. North Dakota State, 2 games. $5. 5 p.m., Allan Saxe Field. Athletics.

Ongoing

Kana Harada and Ruben Nieto Exhibit A sculptural installation by Harada and oil on canvas paintings by Nieto. Free. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Mondays-Fridays; noon-5 p.m., Saturdays. Through Saturday, March 31. The Gallery at UTA, Fine Arts Building.

There's No Sun Shining Through Graduate student Corey Gossett ('06 BFA) explores personal disappointment, fear, dread, and despair. Free. 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays; 2-6 p.m., Wednesdays, Fridays. Through Saturday, March 31. Gallery 76102, Fort Worth Center.

Impressions of the West: Works of Art from Special Collections The American West comes alive in more than 30 paintings, sculptures, and prints. Includes bronze sculptures by Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell. Free. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Through Saturday, April 28. Special Collections, sixth floor, Central Library.

India Unveiled A collection of 35 images by photographer and author Robert Arnett. Free. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Through Saturday, May 26. Special Collections, sixth floor parlor, Central Library.

Planetarium Enjoy a '60s style laser light show, right, set to the music of Pink Floyd. 7 p.m. Saturdays. Planetarium.

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