University Communications » Internal Communications » TrailBlazer » TrailBlazer 01-26-2010

Legislators visit campus: Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, left, and Smart Hospital Director Tiffany Holmes, center, listen as College of Nursing Associate Dean Carolyn Cason explains how nursing students learn by using manikin patients at the Smart Hospital. Dewhurst and state Sen. Chris Harris toured the facility Thursday before announcing state job creation efforts that emphasize health care professions.

School of Nursing changes name to the College of Nursing

The nursing school at UT Arlington received a name change Friday and will now be known as the College of Nursing. The UT System and the Higher Education Coordinating Board have approved the status of college, effective immediately.

UT Arlington Provost Donald R. Bobbitt says that when a school grows to the point that it has multiple departments and grants several different degrees, the school can apply to the Coordinating Board to be designated as a college.

"It was a logical progression for nursing," Dr. Bobbitt says. "Their growth over the past few years has been simply phenomenal."

The College of Nursing enrollment has climbed by 79 percent since 2004 to more than 3,100 students in 2010. That enrollment places it among the 10 largest schools of nursing in the United States and makes it the largest in Texas. The College of Nursing offers programs ranging from the bachelor's degree through the doctoral level.

For more information, see the College of Nursing news release.

Sign up here: ASI contractors take a sign off their truck Thursday before placing it near Texas Hall.

New signs make finding campus, buildings easier for visitors

You've probably noticed the new signs that began appearing around campus in the fall. They are part of the Exterior Wayfinding Project that will continue through the summer.

More than 400 signs will be placed across campus when the project is completed. They range from directional signs to building signs.

"The existing signage and wayfinding system was not effective, as many visitors to our campus found it difficult to find their destination," says John Hall, vice president for administration and campus operations. "It was apparent that a new system was needed, one that would be more welcoming and effective. It was also an opportunity to further promote the brand of the University."

Other signage has been added near major freeways and city streets directing people to the campus.

Fault prediction: Science Dean Pamela Jansma and fellow researchers warned of Caribbean earthquake risks in a 2008 paper.

Science dean, researchers evaluated Haiti earthquake risk in 2008

Pamela Jansma, dean of the College of Science, co-authored a paper published in 2008 that warned of an imminent earthquake in Haiti.

"The statement was basically that the fault was capable of producing an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude at any time," says Dr. Jansma, an expert on the active tectonics of the northeastern Caribbean, particularly Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and the Lesser Antilles.

The earthquake that hit Haiti on Jan. 12 had a magnitude of 7.

"This event was not unexpected, given what geoscientists understand about the tectonics of the northeastern Caribbean and also based on historical records," Jansma says.

Read more about Jansma's research.

Career Month kickoff highlights preparations for job fair

Career Month has an official kickoff date: Wednesday, Feb. 3.

Career Services staff members will be on hand 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Palo Duro Lounge of the E.H. Hereford University Center. They will offer information about Career Month's classes, services and grand finale: the Employer Showcase on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at the Maverick Activities Center.

More Career Month details are available by calling 817-272-2932 or at careers.uta.edu or the Career Services' Facebook page.

Find more job-search advice on the Hire A Maverick Blog.

Helping hand Nursing student Foluke Okolo accepts a donation from Drew Barfield, assistant director of intramural sports for Campus Recreation, to aid earthquake victims in Haiti. The African Student Organization sold blue ribbons Thursday and Friday on the Central Library and the E.H. Hereford University Center malls. Proceeds will go to the American Red Cross.

Black History Month events announced

Art, jazz, poetry, displays and discussions fill February for the annual Black History Month celebration on campus.

One event, The Evolution of Hip Hop, has been postponed because it conflicted with the Feb. 11 appearance of Magic Johnson at Texas Hall.

Hosts for the month's events are the Office of Multicultural Affairs, African Student Association, African-American Faculty and Staff Association, Black Student Association and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Black History Month activities include:

• Night at the Gallery. Enjoy art, jazz and poetry. 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1, Carlisle Suite, E.H. Hereford University Center.

• A Crystal Stair: Journey Through Oppression. Walk through this exhibit for a perspective on history. 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 4, Bluebonnet Ballroom, E.H. Hereford University Center.

• A Place at the Table for Minority Students at Traditionally White Institutions. Dr. Kimberly L. King-Jupiter of Lewis University is guest speaker. Noon, Friday, Feb. 12, sixth floor, Central Library.

• African-American Experience Panel. Faculty and students continue the dialogue started by Dr. King-Jupiter on Friday. Noon, Wednesday, Feb. 17, Concho Room, E.H. Hereford University Center.

• Empowering Our Future: College Day for Dunbar Middle School. Volunteers should sign up by Friday, Jan. 29. 8 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Feb. 20, Concho Room, E.H. Hereford University Center.

Tuition raffle a good bet for your future

Feel lucky? The annual tuition raffle may be your game for a financially free semester, at least tuitionwise. The Student Alumni Association sponsors the program to raise money for the sophomore scholarship fund.

Tickets are $5 each or six for $25. Parents, grandparents, friends or complete strangers can purchase tickets in your name.

Go online to find the Tuition Raffle purchase form. Call 800-687-8855 for more details.

'A Journal for Jordan' named OneBook choice for 2010-11

The OneBook/Conversations committee has announced A Journal for Jordan: A Story of Love and Honor by Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Dana Canedy as the book for the 2010-11 academic year.

Canedy tells the story of her relationship with her fiancé, U.S. Army First Sergeant Charles Monroe King, who died in Iraq in October 2006. The poignant memoir seeks to preserve his memory for his son, Jordan, who was a baby when his father died. King kept a journal for his son while in Iraq. Canedy intersperses numerous excerpts from King's journal, alongside her own stories about family life, her work as a journalist, her relationship with King and the challenges of motherhood on the home front.

"Remembrance" will be the theme for 2010-11, fostering interdisciplinary conversations on writing and memory, African-American history and culture, September 11, women and war, geopolitics, the biology of memory, digital media, veterans, and popular culture.

UT Arlington's OneBook program was created to foster critical thinking and to promote a sense of community among first-year students and the entire campus. Each year the OneBook program selects a book for all incoming freshmen to explore in their English Composition classes.

Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future by Bill McKibben is the 2009-10 OneBook, with sustainability as the year's theme.

More details on the OneBook program are at www.uta.edu/onebook or onebook@uta.edu.

Kickin' it at auditions Danielle Georgiou, center, in the blue shirt, runs UT Arlington Dance Ensemble hopefuls through a routine during auditions Thursday. Another audition is at 6 p.m. today at the Swift Center. Georgiou is assistant director of the performance group.

Women's self-defense class shows secrets to staying safe

Learn the 10 basic principles of self-defense, risk avoidance and more at the RAD Women's Self-Defense course 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30, at the Maverick Activities Center. The day-long class is free for female students, faculty and staff.

Register at www.uta.edu/police under Crime Prevention. Contact Ron Cook at 817-272-3902 or rwcook@uta.edu for details.

Proposals for ACES research symposium accepted

Proposals for presentations are being accepted for the Annual Celebration of Excellence by Students (ACES), a university-wide symposium that showcases the best of UT Arlington's undergraduate and graduate students' research and creativity.

Winners receive monetary prizes as well as recognition at the ACES awards ceremony and during Academic Excellence Week. Presentations and posters relevant to sustainability will be eligible to win sustainability awards.

Abstracts are due Thursday, Feb. 11. Jeffrey Toobin, a CNN political analyst, will give the ACES keynote speech on Wednesday, March 24. The research symposium is Thursday, March 25.

For more information, e-mail aces@uta.edu or go to www.uta.edu/aces.

Decor decisions Mario Aldrete, left, a criminal justice freshman, and Jonathan Alvarado, an undeclared freshman, sort through posters on the Central Library mall. EXCEL Campus Activities sponsored the sale last week to give students some decorating options for their residence hall and apartment walls.

Health Services sponsors upcoming awareness events

Health Services reaches out to students concerning two important health topics in the next two weeks. To learn more, call 817-272-2771 or go to www.uta.edu/health.

A Cervical Cancer Awareness event is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28, in the Palo Duro Lounge of the E.H. Hereford University Center. Wear teal for the cure. Health Services offers Gardasil, the vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cervical cancer and genital warts.

Go Red Heart Awareness kicks off Heart Disease Awareness Month. Information on this common, and often preventable, disease will be offered from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, in the Palo Duro Lounge of the E.H. Hereford University Center.

Free vaccinations offered at drive-thru clinic Saturday

Free vaccinations for seasonal flu and hepatitis A will be available 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30, at Six Flags Over Texas, 2201 Road to Six Flags.

The Tarrant County Public Health Service sponsors the clinic. Shots are on a first-come, first-serve basis to people age 19 years and older. Consent forms can be filled out in advance to expedite the process.

Two doses of the hepatitis A vaccine are recommended, with the second dose given no sooner than six months after the first.

Consent forms and more information are online.

Sex, love, relationships counseling group starts Feb. 4

Women and professional therapists will explore the role of sex, relationships and love in a counseling group that starts Thursday, Feb. 4. Group members will be encouraged to reflect on and share personal life experiences and to give and receive interpersonal feedback. These activities are to increase self-awareness and build new relational skills.

Meetings will be 11 a.m.-12:20 p.m. Thursdays, Feb. 4-April 29. Space is limited to 12. Contact Claudia Thompson or Amy Zavada at 817-272-3671 to register.

Proudly he waves Thomas Deak, a sociology graduate student from Toronto, sets a friendly pace to the day recently as he waves to everyone while he crosses campus.

New management course teaches 'emotional leadership' skills

Equipping tomorrow's business leaders with the tools needed to be successful involves conveying the emotional leadership skills that can be practically applied to all kinds of business situations, management experts say.

James Campbell "Jim" Quick, the John and Judy Goolsby Distinguished Professor at UT Arlington, is teaming up with Prashant Ranade, a former Siemens senior executive, to teach a new master's level course this semester that aims to provide students with emotional leadership proficiencies. They believe that knowledge of emotional leadership translates into effective leadership.

"It isn't a one-size-fits-all business world," says Dr. Quick, who is using Ranade's Web-based platform and modules to help teach the class. "Future leaders need to be able to adapt. Part of that is becoming a resonant and emotional leader."

Quick and Ranade say the course will graft the best worlds of classroom learning and business experience with Web-based instruction. They also say the course will develop leaders specific to each student's need within their organizations.

For more information, see management course.

Orientation leaders needed to help new students

The New Maverick Orientation office is recruiting for 2010 Maverick Orientation Leaders, who assist incoming students and their families in their transition to college life. Eligible applicants must be full-time undergraduate students in the spring 2010 and fall 2010 semesters, with a minimum of a 2.25 GPA, a positive attitude, and an enthusiasm and passion for UT Arlington. Applications are due by Thursday, Jan. 28.

Learn more about the New Maverick Orientation program online or visit the NMO office in Room B160 of the E.H. Hereford University Center.

City seeks input for hike-and-bike plan

Put in your two-cents for the City of Arlington's Hike and Bike System Master Plan. A public open house is set for 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27, at Arlington City Hall, 101 W. Abram St.

Dropping or withdrawing after late registration

To drop or withdraw from classes, students must meet with an academic adviser in their major department. The adviser will require completion of an "Undergraduate Course Drop or Withdrawal Request," which is available in the advising center or office. The request form must have signatures from the faculty member teaching the courses being dropped.

A $25 fee will be assessed for dropping one or more classes after the late registration period, which ended Sunday, Jan. 24.

Check the list of all advising offices.

If you drop or withdraw on or before the Census Date (Feb. 3), no grade will be recorded on your transcript to reflect the drop. Courses dropped by the Census Date also will not be counted toward the six-course drop limit, which affects students who entered a Texas public college or university in fall 2007 or later, or the excessive hours tuition laws, which affect students who have more than 45 hours in excess of the hours required for a degree plan.

Spring graduation deadline

The deadline for undergraduate students to apply for graduation for spring is Monday, Feb. 1. While the graduation application may be accepted after this date, the candidate's name will not appear in the program, nor will the candidate receive commencement ceremony tickets from the respective college or school. The application form is available online.

Six-course drop alert

All students who entered a Texas public college or university in fall 2007 or later are limited to dropping six courses during their undergraduate career. If you drop after the Census Date (Feb. 3), the withdrawal will count toward the six-course drop limit.

Read more about the UT Arlington's policies and procedures for implementing this statute.

Art professors show works of illusion, typography Art faculty members Robert Hower and Robert Grame show their works through March 6 at The Gallery at UTA, Room 169, Fine Arts Building. Hower displays his interest in "the careful placement of performing objects and the organization of illusionistic optical relationships." He is chair of the Department of Art and Art History and a professor of visual communication. Grame demonstrates the transformative power of typography through examples of his published work and three digital projections. He is an associate professor of visual communication. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and noon- 5 p.m., Saturday. An opening reception is at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29, in the gallery.

Tuesday-Thursday, Jan. 26-28

Blood Drive 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Central Library mall and E.H. Hereford University Center mall.

Wednesday, Jan. 27

Activities Fair Be active on campus by learning more about student organizations. 11 a.m.-1 p.m., E.H. Hereford University Center mall.

Saturday, Jan. 30

Women's Basketball UT Arlington vs. Texas State. Free with student ID. 4 p.m., Texas Hall.

Through Saturday, Jan. 30

PHC Recruitment Social sororities in the Panhellenic Council host various events to recruit new members. Greek Life, 817-272-2963, greeklife@uta.edu, www.utagreeks.com.

Monday-Saturday-Feb. 1-6

IFC Recruitment Social fraternities in the Interfraternity Council host events for potential members. Greek Life, 817-272-2963, greeklife@uta.edu, www.utagreeks.com.

Wednesday, Feb. 3

Men's Basketball UT Arlington vs. Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Free with student ID. 7 p.m., Texas Hall.

MGC Meet and Greet Organizations in the Multicultural Greek Council share information for anyone interested in joining. $5. 7 p.m., Rio Grande Ballroom, E.H. Hereford University Center. Greek Life, 817-272-2963, greeklife@uta.edu, www.utagreeks.com.

Thursday, Feb. 4

NPHC Meet the Greeks Organizations in the National Pan-Hellenic Council host potential new members. $5. 7 p.m., Rio Grande Ballroom, E.H. Hereford University Center. Greek Life, 817-272-2963, greeklife@uta.edu, www.utagreeks.com.

Saturday, Feb. 6

Men's Basketball UT Arlington vs. Northwestern State. Free with student ID. 7 p.m., Texas Hall.

Wednesday, Feb. 10

Women's Basketball UT Arlington vs. McNeese State. Free with student ID. 7 p.m., Texas Hall.

Ongoing

UT Arlington Planetarium programs Witness the forces that hold the universe together and occasionally try to rip it apart in "Violent Universe," one of the new features this spring. Planetarium. 817-272-1183, planetarium@uta.edu, www.utaplanetarium.com.

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

On a roll: Senior David Wilkes (00) led the scoring for the Movin’ Mavs in the Missouri tournament with 17.5 points per game.

Movin' Mavs win three at Missouri tourney

The Movin' Mavs wheelchair basketball team won two games from Missouri and split a pair with Alabama at the University of Missouri Intercollegiate Tournament last weekend in Columbia, Mo.

Coach Doug Garner's club is now 7-2 in collegiate competition this season and second in the league standings behind the University of Illinois. Next action will be Feb. 12-13 at the University of Alabama tournament.

(See more at utamovinmavs.com)

Twenty student-athletes named to fall SLC honor roll

UT Arlington athletic teams had 20 student-athletes named to the fall Capital One Bank/Southland Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll.

Three UT Arlington athletic programs had student-athletes eligible to receive recognition with volleyball and men's and women's cross country competing during the fall.

The volleyball program had 10 of its 12 team members named to the honor roll, including three with 4.0 grade point averages. The Maverick women's cross country team had seven on the list while the men's cross country squad had three representatives.

Presented by Capital One Bank, the honor roll recognizes student-athletes who have earned a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher and have been eligible to compete in their sport during the 2009 fall semester.

Basketball teams try to get back on the winning track Saturday

Women's and men's basketball teams will be trying to boost their Southland Conference record when they return to action Saturday, Jan. 30.

The women (2-3 in SLC) will host Texas State University at 4 p.m. at Texas Hall while the men (1-4 in SLC) will be on the road, also facing Texas State, with tipoff set for 2 p.m. in San Marcos.

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