University Communications » Internal Communications » TrailBlazer » TrailBlazer 03-27-2012

James Franco

Franco headlines Graduation Celebration

Noted actor, artist, and filmmaker James Franco will deliver keynote remarks at the University's Graduation Celebration on Friday, May 11, at the Levitt Pavilion. The annual bash features music, food, and a fireworks extravaganza and begins at 7:30 p.m. at 100 W. Abram St. in downtown Arlington. The event is open to the public.

Other speakers include President James D. Spaniolo and Melissa Sepulveda Tran, a nursing graduate student who will represent the Class of 2012.

Franco, an Oscar-nominated actor and Golden Globe winner, is best known for his role as Harry Osborn in the globally popular Spider-Man trilogy. He also is known for his appreciation of the college experience.

Franco returned to UCLA in fall 2006, at age 28, cramming as many courses as he could into each quarter. He received a bachelor’s degree in English, with a creative writing concentration in 2008, at which point he headed for New York and enrolled in three schools: Columbia University’s M.F.A. writing program; Brooklyn College for creative writing; and New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts for directing.

His scholarly quest was the subject of a Washington Post article, “James Franco’s unusual education,” which noted that the actor earned a master’s degree from Columbia and then moved on to Yale to study for a doctorate in English.

Oozeball registration begins

Get ready to sling some mud this spring, but register your team first. Oozeball registration continues through April 24. Register by April 10 to guarantee T-shirt sizes.

Oozeball is a friendly and sloppy competition of volleyball on dirt courts turned into swamps from thousands of gallons of water. Teams of five or six members, including at least two females, battle it out to be the last team standing.

The 22nd annual event starts at 1 p.m. April 27 at the corner of Summit Avenue and West Fourth Street, just south of Greek Row.

The tournament benefits the Student Alumni Association Sophomore Scholarship. Call 817-272-2594 for more details.

Oozeball is sponsored by the Alumni Association Maverick Marauders and Campus Recreation.

Larry O'Donnell

Business Week features an 'Undercover Boss'

Business Week 2012—March 26-30—features leaders, innovators, and professionals from a wide spectrum of enterprises and industries, and includes an Undercover Boss as keynote speaker.

Larry O'Donnell, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Rockwater Energy Solutions, is the keynote speaker for the Business Week Executive Dinner on Wednesday, March 28, in College Park Center.

O'Donnell was featured on the CBS TV show Undercover Boss in 2010 when he was president and chief operating officer of Waste Management, Inc.

For tickets to the Executive Dinner, download the ticket form.

Paying tribute UT Arlington students participated in a "hoodies march" on campus Monday to honor Trayvon Martin, the Florida teen who was wearing a hoodie sweatshirt when he was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch captain in February.

Registration open for The Big Event

Registration is open for The Big Event, a day of community service set for Saturday, April 21.

Choose from The Big Event project list for a variety of indoor and outdoor tasks, including a few that are both. This year, more than 1,200 opportunities are available at more than 47 sites.

Site leaders are still needed. The next training is Wednesday, March 28.

Email thebigevent@uta.edu or call 817-272-2963 for more information or for special accommodations. For relay calls, dial 1-800-RELAYTX.

'The Shorthorn' wins national awards

The Shorthorn, UT Arlington's student newspaper, received recognition for its print and online news products from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association on March 18. The awards are among the most prestigious in collegiate journalism.

The newspaper received a Gold Crown, the competition's highest award, for its daily newspaper product. The online edition, theshorthorn.com, was recognized with a Silver Crown. The Shorthorn is the only Texas college newspaper to receive the Gold Crown honor.

Attending the awards event in New York City were Sam Morton, journalism senior and spring 2012 editor in chief; Dustin Dangli, journalism senior, former editor, and current social media manager; and Student Publications Director Lloyd Goodman.

Excellence in education Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush discussed education reform Friday in the first Maverick Speakers Series presentation at College Park Center. Founder and chairman of the board of the Foundation for Excellence in Education, Bush served as governor of Florida 1999-2007. His appearance coincided with the Annual Celebration of Excellence by Students Symposium.

Mavs Got Talent auditions Wednesday

Got talent? Audition for Mavs Got Talent 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, March 28, in the Palo Duro Lounge of the E.H. Hereford University Center.

Individuals or group acts in song, dance, or other performances will have two minutes in front of a panel of judges. The top 10 acts will compete at the Mavs Got Talent show April 12 in the Rosebud Theatre for a chance to win prizes valued at $150, $100, and $50.

Walk-up auditions will be allowed as time permits.

For more information, contact EXCEL Campus Activities at 817-272-2963 or excel-traditions@uta.edu.

Dining Etiquette 101 teaches manners to seniors, grad students

Have you ever been nervous about attending a dinner, banquet, or mixer because you didn’t know what to wear, say, or do? Then come to the Career Center’s Mixing and Dining Etiquette 101.

The dinner is at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 3, in the Carlisle Suite of the E.H. Hereford University Center. Tickets to attend are free and available through noon Monday, April 2, in the Career Center in Room 216 of Davis Hall.

The program is for seniors and graduate students only. Business professional dress is required.

For questions, call 817-272-2932 or email cliffg@uta.edu.

Holocaust Cantata performance Thursday

Music composed from the writings of Polish prisoners during the Holocaust make up the Holocaust Cantata at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 29, in Irons Recital Hall at the Fine Arts Building.

The performance features the A Cappella Choir and University Singers, along with Elizabeth Morrow on the cello, David Grogan singing baritone, and Young Llerena on the piano. Karen Kenaston-French, director of choral activities, directs the performance.

“As I have studied and rehearsed the Holocaust Cantata with the choir, I have begun to realize what a profound effect our performance can have on the student performers and the audience,” Dr. Kenaston-French says. “It is an extremely difficult subject, and the composer has done a wonderful job of setting these powerful, personal texts and tunes to music so that we hear the human beings behind them.”

Admission is $3 for students and $5 for the public. Tickets can be purchased through the Department of Music website.

Read more about the Holocaust Cantata.

PASS Time James Yates, geology sophomore, acts out the consequences for drinking and driving at the Department of Public Safety's PASS event last week on the Engineering Research Building quad. PASS stands for Person Appointed to Stay Sober.

Order invitations, rings, regalia in time for May commencement

Order graduation invitations and the Official Maverick Ring at the Grad Finale event at the UTA Bookstore.

The event is 3-7 p.m. today, Tuesday, March 27, and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, March 28-29.

Jostens will take orders for gradutation invitations and announcements. Balfour will have the Official Maverick Ring for 2012. Also check out commencement regalia and graduation gifts.

Flash Photography will take cap-and-gown photographs Tuesday and Wednesday. There is no sitting fee. Men should wear a collared shirt.

The bookstore is at 400 S. Pecan St. Call 817-272-2785 or email uta@bkstr.com for more information.

Get tickets for UT Arlington Night with the Rangers

Join the gang for UT Arlington Night with the Rangers when the Texas Rangers play the Seattle Mariners on Monday, April 9, at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Block seating is available for the UT Arlington community at $5 per ticket at utatickets.com. Exchange the printed tickets for actual ones by noon April 9 at the College Park Center box office or the Alumni Office at 841 W. Mitchell St.

Pre-game festivities start at approximately 6:45 p.m. when a UT Arlington representative throws out the first pitch. Game time is 7:05 p.m.

Crash course Octavia Pinckney, architecture freshman, watches the Jenga tower fall after making a wrong move at Game Day at the Maverick Activities Center last week.

Friday deadline to register for philosophy contest

Students of all majors are encouraged to compete in an essay contest hosted by the Department of Philosophy and Humanities for the conference "19th-20th Century Austrian Thought. A Chapter in Academic Freedom." The department will host the event in fall 2012 on campus.

The central theme is the freedom in any of the subjects developed at this time, such as ethics, economics, value, intentionality, art theory, literary theory, phenomenology, and innovative psychological research such as Gestalt theory, psychoanalysis, and Hayek’s theory of mind.

The top essay winners will receive either $200, $100, or $50.

Deadline to register is Friday, March 30, and for submissions is June 18. Registering does not commit students to writing an essay but will provide students with the basic guidance if they decide to submit an essay.

For more information, visit the department's office at Room 305 in Carlisle Hall or email Gloria Zúñiga y Postigo at gloria.zunigaypostigo@uta.edu.

Student veterans can learn more about benefits April 4

Student veterans can find answers about their veterans benefits noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 4, in Room 303 of the Chemistry and Physics Building.

A panel discussion and a quesation-and-answer session include representatives from Veterans’ Administration departments for disability claims, the VA hospital, education, and vocational rehabilitation as well as officials from the Vet Center and Tarrant County Veterans Services.

Bring a brown bag lunch. Drinks and cookies provided. The event is sponsored by the Student Veterans Advisory Council.

For questions, contact Anita Perez at va@uta.edu or 817-272-3373.

International Week kicks off Saturday

The 35th annual International Week kicks off with a soccer tournament Saturday and fills the next week with educational and entertaining events. The International Student Organization hosts the festivities.

Approximately 20 different student-led nationality organizations participate in this week-long celebration, which includes a banner parade led by the UTA Samba Band, a Food Fair, a fashion show, and a talent show.

The soccer tournament runs 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, March 31, in the indoor soccer field at the Maverick Activities Center.

At noon Monday, April 2, students bearing banners from more than 130 countries will wind through campus from Nedderman Hall to the Central Library for an opening speech. The groups then head to the Bluebonnet Ballroom in the E.H. Hereford University Center for refreshments and student performances.

The popular International Food Fair is 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday, April 3, on the University Center mall.

See the International Week schedule for more details.

On-campus job opportunities available

Looking for an on-campus job. Apply through SNAP Jobs, UT Arlington's on-campus job site.

University Tutorial and Supplemental Instruction is hiring peer educators for the fall. Summer positions include one-on-one tutoring, small group tutoring/mentoring, and peer-facilitated study sessions. See details on the tutoring jobs. Visit UTSI in Room 205 of Ransom Hall or call 817-272-2617.

Apartment and Residence Life has positions open for resident assistants and Work-Study office assistants for the 2012-13 academic year. Summer positions are for office assistants and conference assistants. Check out the Housing jobs' details.

For off-campus jobs, go to HireAMaverick, the Career Center website.

Safeguarding our schools U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder spoke last Tuesday in the Bluebonnet Ballroom at the White House LGBT Conference on Safe Schools and Communities, one of a series of events to raise awareness of issues of interest to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. The conference was co-hosted by the White House Office of Public Engagement and the U.S. Department of Justice in partnership with the UT Arlington Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, a division of the College of Liberal Arts, and the UT Arlington College of Education and Health Professions.

Fitness classes shape up at MAC

Get in shape with two fitness programs at the Maverick Activities Center. Sign up today at the MAC information desk.

Maverick Bootcamp is an intense, exciting one-hour workout sure to get your heart racing and your muscles burning. This class meets twice per week for four weeks. Bootbamp is 6:30-7:30 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, April 2-25. Cost is $50.

Beach Body Blast offers training and nutrition tips to prepare for swimsuit season. This fun-filled class caters to all fitness levels and meets twice per week for six weeks. The class is 5:30-6:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, April 2-May 7. Cost is $30.

Parking lots affected by campus events

Lot F13 will close at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 28, for the College of Business Executive Dinner at College Park Center. Faculty and staff may use Lot F10 instead.

Lot 39 will close at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 29, for a College of Science event at College Park Center.

Portion of Davis Drive closed April 2-10

A construction project will result in the closing of Davis Drive from Greek Row to Abram Street Monday, April 2-Tuesday, April 10. Traffic will detour onto Summitt Avenue.

Facilities Management is working in conjunction with the City of Arlington to replace a section of the water line that runs under Davis Drive.

Apply for sustainability awards

Applications are available for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education's 2012 awards, as AASHE honors campuses and students in advancing sustainability research and leadership.

The four categories are campus sustainability case studies, faculty sustainability leadership, student sustainability leadership, and student research on campus sustainability.

All University departments and schools are eligible to participate. For more information, contact Meghna Tare at mtare@uta.edu.

Gen. Rick Lynch

Retired Army general to lead robotics institute

Rick Lynch, a recently retired Army lieutenant general with a background in robotics research, has been named executive director of the UT Arlington Automation and Robotics Research Institute in Fort Worth.

Gen. Lynch will oversee the robotics institute, the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (TMAC), Cross Timbers Procurement Center, and the Small Business Development Center for Enterprise Excellence. The institute manages and directs microrobotics, nanorobotics, and medical device technology.

Lynch, who will start April 2, also will serve as a special adviser to President James D. Spaniolo.

Read more about the new executive director of ARRI.

Registration begins for summer and fall 2012 on April 2

Advising for summer and fall terms is now open. MyMav is your gateway to the Schedule of Classes and the Registration Timetable for making registration plans for the summer and fall terms. Priority registration opens Monday, April 2.

The schedules of classes available in MyMav now are not final and are for planning purposes only. You’ll need to validate your course selections when registration opens Monday, April 2.

A list of academic advising offices is online.

Think before you drop; last drop date is March 30

The last day to drop courses for both undergraduate and graduate students is 5 p.m. Friday, March 30. Undergraduate students who entered college for the first time in fall 2007 are limited to a total of six dropped courses during their undergraduate career. Discuss the impact of this when you meet with your adviser about dropping a course. Read more about this state law and procedures for its implementation at UT Arlington.

A list of academic advising offices is online.

Check on the impact of dropping if you receive financial aid by going to uta.edu/fao or emailing fao@uta.edu.

Apply now for next year's financial aid; complete the FAFSA for grants, loans

Students applying for financial aid for the summer and fall 2012, and spring 2013 terms should complete the 2012-13 Free Application for Federal Student Aid. FAFSA will help UT Arlington determine your eligibility for traditional financial aid programs.

Students and their parents who have already filed their 2011 federal income tax returns may use the IRS Data Retrieval function available online through FAFSA. The tax returns must have been filed with the IRS electronically two weeks before they are available through the IRS Data Retrieval process.

The U.S. Department of Education selects a certain number of applications for a verification process. This means UT Arlington will be required to collect some additional information to compare to the data reported on the FAFSA. These documents will include the 2012-13 Verification Worksheet. If the IRS Data Retrieval process was not used during the initial application process, UT Arlington will need to collect copies of the 2011 IRS tax transcripts for students and parents, if parent information was used to complete the FAFSA.

Signed photocopies of federal tax returns are no longer acceptable for documentation. This is a change from prior years.

Grade exclusion request site closes March 30

UT Arlington will process grade exclusion requests submitted online by 5 p.m. on the last day to drop—Friday, March 30—as part of the grading and academic standing process for the spring 2012 term. The grade exclusion site will be unavailable March 31-June 3. It will reopen on the first day of classes for the summer term and be available through last drop date for summer II. For a grade to be excluded, students must be registered on the census date for the term in which their grade exclusion request is processed.

World-class glass sale offers beautiful objects, bargain prices, silent auction Beautifully crafted works of glass art will go on sale to the public Friday, March 30, at the annual World-Class Glass Art Show and Sale at the Studio Arts Center, 810 S. Davis Drive. The event includes collector art pieces, vases, paperweights, platters, bowls, small sculptures, and other items for sale. Graduate students, faculty, and staff in the renowned glass art program craft most of the work. A number of pieces have been donated by visiting glass artists who have lectured and blown glass in the campus studio during the past year. The sale runs 9 a.m.-5 p.m. with silent auction bids accepted 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Glass-blowing demonstrations are part of the show. Half of the proceeds from student work go to the student artists. The rest benefits the glass art program and will be used to purchase or build equipment and to repair existing equipment. Faculty and staff build and maintain all of the program’s state-of-the art equipment. Read more about the glass art sale.

Tuesday, March 27

Softball Mavericks vs. Texas State in a Southland Conference doubleheader. Free with student ID. 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., Allan Saxe Field. Athletics.

Baseball Mavericks vs. TCU. First of two meetings this season. Free with student ID. 6:30 p.m., Clay Gould Ballpark. Athletics.

Clavier Series Piano Recital Features UT Arlington piano students. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Wednesday, March 28

Men's Tennis Mavericks vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a Southland Conference match. Free. 2 p.m., UTA Tennis Center. Athletics.

$2 Movie: Contagion Rated PG-13. 5:30 p.m.; also 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 30, and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 31. Planetarium.

Movie: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol Rated PG-13. $1. 8 p.m., Rosebud Theatre, E.H. Hereford University Center. EXCEL Campus Activities.

Friday, March 30

Game Night: Supporting Kids with Cancer Unlimited bowling, billiards, video games, raffle, food. Proceeds go to Camp Esperanza to support children who survived or have cancer. $7. 6-10 p.m., Bowling and Billiards, E.H. Hereford University Center. Rotaract at UTA.

Baseball Mavericks vs. Central Arkansas in a Southland Conference series. Free with student ID. 6:30 p.m.; also 2 p.m. Saturday, March 31, and 1 p.m. Sunday, April 1, Clay Gould Ballpark. Athletics.

Faculty Flute Recital Features Sarah Frisof, right, assistant professor of flute. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Saturday, March 31

Run for Zero 5K Run/Walk Part of Tap Water Week. Run and donate for zero to be the number of children who die every day from preventable causes. Register. Mavs for UNICEF.

Monday, April 2

Faculty Voice Recital Jing Ling-Tam, professor of vocal studies, performs. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Tuesday, April 3

International Food Fair Ethnic foods of different nationalities for sale. Part of International Week. 11 a.m.-2 p.m., University Center mall.

Baseball Mavericks vs. University of Dallas. Free with student ID. 6:30 p.m., Clay Gould Ballpark. Athletics.

Wednesday, April 4

$2 Movie: Extremely Loud, Incredibly Close Rated PG-13. 5:30 p.m.; also 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 6, and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 7. Planetarium.

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 Exhibit by graduate student Corey Gossett ('06 BFA), whose works explore 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. 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 Take an adventure along the spectrum and discover the world of color. 1:30 p.m. Sundays. Planetarium.

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

Through Friday, March 30	Tap Water Week Learn about the 783 million people in the world who lack access to clean water. Free. 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Central Library mall. Mavs for UNICEF. Business Week Features leaders, innovators, and professionals from a wide spectrum of enterprises and industries. Keynote speaker is Larry O'Donnell, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Rockwater Energy Solutions, and a former Undercover Boss on the TV show. Executive Dinner, 7 p.m., Wednesday, March 28, College Park Center. College of Business.
Tuesday, March 27	College of Engineering Distinguished Speaker Series G. Don Taylor, head of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech, discusses "Current Issues and the State of Knowledge in Supply Chain Logistics." Reception, 5 p.m., Room 601, Nedderman Hall. Free. Lecture 6 p.m., Room 100, Nedderman Hall. Engineering. 'Iron Jawed Angels' Film follows defiant young activists who take the women's suffrage movement by storm, putting their lives at risk to help American women win the right to vote. Part of Women's History Month. Free. 6 p.m., Concho Room, E.H. Hereford University Center. Multicultural Affairs.
Wednesday, March 28	Promoting Girls and Women in STEM: A Roundtable Discussion Moderated by Dana Dunn, associate professor of sociology. Panelists include Pamela Jansma, dean of the College of Science; Carter Tiernan, associate dean in the College of Engineering; and Lynn Mortenson from Raytheon Corp. Free. Noon, sixth floor parlor, Central Library. Women's and Gender Studies. Major Exploration Free. Noon-1 p.m., Room 303, Ransom Hall. University College, Success Series. Employability and Resume Building Free. Noon-1 p.m., Room 101, College Hall. University College, Success Series. Exhibiting Artist Talk Kana Harada, featured in a two-person exhibit in The Gallery at UTA, discusses her artistic process with an illustrated lecture. Free. 12:30 p.m., Room 148, Fine Arts Building. GIS Workshop: Smokestacks and Runoff: Pollutant Sources in Your Watershed Use Geographic Information Systems hydrology tools to measure the watershed around your home and then determine which facilities report various toxins and pollutants. Free. 3:30-5 p.m., Room B20, Central Library. GIS Workshops. Architecture Lecture Series Steve Galbreath discusses "Understanding Architecture: A Look at the Design Process in Current Architectural Works." Free. 4 p.m., Room 204, Architecture Building. Architecture. Physics Colloquium Delores Knipp of Colorado is guest speaker. Free. 4 p.m., Room 101, Science Hall. Physics. Graduate Business Studies Information Forum An information seminar designed for individuals interested in pursuing a graduate business degree. RSVP required. Free. 6 p.m., Room 609, Business Building. Business, reserve@uta.edu, 817-272-3005. Student Veterans Workshop Managing stress. Free. 6-7 p.m., Room 303, Ransom Hall. University College.
Thursday, March 29	Health Professionals Day Texas schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, optometry, physician assisting, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and nursing present their programs to interested students. Free. Noon-2 p.m., College Park Center. Safe Zone Ally Training Learn about heterosexual privilege, campus and community resources, and how to be supportive to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. Register. Free. 1-4 p.m., Room 303, Ransom Hall. University College. Biology Colloquium Series Robert Baker, Horn Professor and director of the Natural Science Research Laboratory at Texas Tech University, discusses "Speciation Patterns in Bats: The Genetic Species Concept and Importance to Genomics." Free. 4 p.m., Room 124, Life Science Building. Biology. Fair Play: The Moral Dilemmas of Spying Former chief of CIA counter intelligence James M. Olson, right, a senior lecturer in the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University, discusses controversial practices of assassination, torture, and rendition. Free. 7 p.m., Rosebud Theatre, E.H. Hereford University Center. One Book, Freshmen Leaders on Campus. Termini Distinguished Anthropologist Lecture Cynthia Robin, professor of anthropology at Northwestern University, discusses "A Good Society: Sustainability Among the Ancient Maya" in the annual Ben and Trudy Termini Distinguished Anthropologist Lecture. Free. 7 p.m., Room 204, Architecture Building. Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
Friday, March 30	Hermanns Symposium Distinguished scholars discuss "Animal Studies and Posthumanism." New art works, including videos and photographs, provide challenges to see nonhuman animals differently. Snakes with female faces, cross-species affinities, and nonhuman animal bodies will provoke significant questions and discussions regarding culture, sympathy, ethics, and biopolitics. Free. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. sixth floor parlor, Central Library. Hermanns Symposium.
Tuesday, April 3	Managing the Stress of the First Year Free. Noon-1 p.m., Room 118, Life Science Building. University College, Success Series.
Wednesday, April 4	Homerathon A day-long oral recitation of Homer's rousing epic poem, the Odyssey. Readers/performers are needed; register online. Texts in English translation are available in the office of the Philosophy and Humanities Department, Room 305, Carlisle Hall. Recitation in Greek and other arcane languages is encouraged. Free. 7 a.m.-10:30 p.m, University Center mall. University Classics Club, chiasson@uta,edu, 817-272-3216. Smart Skin Zeynep Celik-Butler, director of UT Arlington's Nanotechnology Research and Teaching Facility, describes the work conducted there on "smart skin," a flexible array of microsensors making it possible to mimic bodily senses such as touch and smell. Light breakfast provided. Register. Free with student ID. 7 a.m., Room 601, Nedderman Hall. Engineering. Student Veterans Workshop Test-taking techniques. Free. Noon-1 p.m., Room 303, Ransom Hall. Also 6-7 p.m., Wednesday, April 11. University College. Major Exploration Free. Noon-1 p.m., Room 303, Ransom Hall. University College, Success Series. 'NoBody's Perfect' This Niko von Glasow film follows him as he looks for 11 people who, like him, were born disabled because of the disastrous side effects of Thalidomide, a sedative drug introduced in the late 1950s that was used to treat morning sickness. The drug was sold from 1957 until 1961, when it was withdrawn after being found to cause birth defects. Discussion follows. Refreshments provided. Free. 3-5 p.m., Room 108, University Hall. History, Office for Students with Disabilities. Architecture Lecture Series Petra Kempf of Columbia University is guest speaker. Free. 4 p.m., Room 204, Architecture Building. Architecture.
(For an expanded list of events, see the UT Arlington Calendar.)

Leap to win: Emil Blomberg, 1, hurdles part of the 3000-meter steeplechase, which he won, at the Bobby Lane Invitational last weekend at Maverick Stadium.

Rodriguez sets pole vault record

Jeff Rodriguez set a school record at the Bobby Lane Invitational as he won the pole vault with a mark of 5.40 meters Saturday at Maverick Stadium.

Other winners for the men’s team were Emil Blomberg in the 3000-meter steeplechase and the 4x100-meter relay team of Quentin Butler, Andrew Pettis, Kemarki Absalom, and Clayton Vaughn.

For the women, Jennifer Brown was second in the triple jump and third in the long jump.

Next competition for the Mavericks is Wednesday-Saturday, March 28-31, at the Texas Relays in Austin.

Coach, players earn basketball honors; Cross finalist for national award

Men's basketball coach Scott Cross was named District 23 Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and seniors LaMarcus Reed and Bo Ingram were named to the NABC All-District team. Reed was included on the first team, and Ingram on the second team.

Cross is a finalist for the 2012 Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year award, which is given annually to the nation's top mid-major coach.

Softball splits SLC opener, hosts Texas State today

After splitting a pair of Southland Conference games with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi this past weekend, the Maverick softball team hosts Texas State in a doubleheader, starting at 3 p.m. today, Tuesday, March 27, at Allan Saxe Field.

Callie Collins pitched a four-hit shutout in Saturday’s win over Texas A&M-CC as the Mavericks evened their SLC record at 1-1.

Baseball hosts TCU tonight

Returning home from a six-game road trip, the baseball Mavericks host TCU at 6:30 p.m. today, Tuesday, March 27, at Clay Gould Ballpark.

After being rained out at Dallas Baptist last Tuesday, the Mavericks lost three games at Southeastern Louisiana over the weekend. They host Central Arkansas in a Southland Conference series this weekend.

Celedinas wins men's tennis honor

Mindaugas Celedinas was named Southland Conference Men’s Tennis Player of the Week last week after winning three singles matches and teaming with Soren Goritzka to go 3-0 in doubles competition.

The men host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a Southland Conference match at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 28, at the UTA Tennis Center.

Texas State handed the women’s tennis team its first Southland Conference loss of the season 4-3 Saturday at San Marcos. The women, now 4-1 in the SLC, play at Northwestern State on Wednesday, March 28.

Sand Volleyball entries due Wednesday

Intramural entries for sand volleyball are due by 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 28, at the Maverick Activities Center.

See intramural schedules and standings for all sports.

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