University Communications » Internal Communications » TrailBlazer » TrailBlazer 05-29-2012

Sun Belt bound: Jim Baker, left, director of intercollegiate athletics, talks about the Mavericks joining the Sun Belt Conference at a news conference Thursday. At right is Samantha Morrow, women's basketball coach.

UT Arlington to join Sun Belt Conference for 2013-14 season

UT Arlington has accepted an invitation to join the Sun Belt Conference beginning July 1, 2013, with conference play starting in the 2013-14 academic year.

The Mavericks will play in the Western Athletic Conference for the 2012-13 academic year.

“This move to the Sun Belt will allow us to continue to showcase our athletics program on a national level and create further awareness for our University,” says Jim Baker, director of intercollegiate athletics.

President James D. Spaniolo says the Sun Belt move will continue the University’s goals of becoming a first tier institution.

“We are honored to join the Sun Belt Conference,” Spaniolo says. “Along with the opening of College Park Center just a few short months ago, this move to the Sun Belt is another clear sign of the growth not only of the UT Arlington athletics program but of our entire University.”

Read more about UT Arlington joining the Sun Belt Conference and the Maverick coaches' response.

Rebecca Bichel

Rebecca Bichel named dean of the Library

Rebecca Bichel, a senior Florida State University library administrator with expertise in academic services, organizational redesign, and facility development, has been appointed dean of the Library. She joins UT Arlington on July 16 after serving as FSU’s associate dean for public services since 2005.

“Rebecca Bichel’s extensive record of library experience and leadership at top-tier institutions has prepared her well as the new dean,” says Ron Elsenbaumer, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “She is the right person at the right time to advance our library and information services to the highest levels for our students, faculty, and community scholars.”

Before her appointment at FSU, Bichel served in multiple roles at Pennsylvania State University, including social sciences and information literacy librarian. She also held various positions at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville and at the University of Hawaii.

Read more about the new dean of the Library.

MyMav upgrade changes design, improves usability

The MyMav portal received an upgrade and cosmetic changes from the Office of Information Technology last week.

Users will notice that the large enterprise menu on the left side of the web page has been removed.

The menu was replaced with a drop-down style with bread-crumb navigation immediately under the orange bar in the website’s header. Bread-crumb navigation shows where you've been so you can go back to a previous page, such as Home page > Section page > Subsection page.

All pages, including News Notices, the Student Center, Academic Resources, and other items remain in the same position on the screen.

Users also will notice cosmetic changes to the website’s header and footer designed to improve the layout and usability. These changes will not impact functionality.

Users should clear their browser’s cache before logging in for the first time after the upgrade. See instructions on how to clear your cache. If you experience difficulties with the portal after clearing your browser cache, contact the OIT HelpDesk at helpdesk@uta.edu or 817-272-2208.

Celebrating the Class of 2012 Unparalleled excitement enveloped Graduation Celebration and Commencement ceremonies as the spring Class of 2012 became the first to walk across the stage at College Park Center earlier this month.

Input needed on transportation survey

Provide feedback on how you get around campus through a transportation survey from the Office of Sustainability.

For more information, contact Becky Valentich at becky@uta.edu.

Sign up for summer bootcamp

Maverick bootcamp is back for the summer. This intense one-hour workout is sure to get your heart racing and your muscles burning.

Each session will meet twice per week for four weeks. A minimum of 20 participants will be required for the class to make. A maximum of 30 participants can register for the class.

Session I is 6:30-7:30 a.m. June 11-July 6. Session II is 5:30-6:30 p.m. June 12-July 5. Both meet on the west lawn of the Maverick Activities Center, with an indoor location of Room 133 in the MAC. The cost is $50 per session.

Other summer group exercises at the MAC include zumba, pilates, and more. Click and scroll down to see the summer schedule. Classes begin Monday, June 4.

For more information, see Campus Recreation.

Engineering professor appointed to national transportation research group

The Transportation Research Board, an arm of the National Academies, has named Anand Puppala to its Design and Construction Group.

Dr. Puppala, a distinguished teaching professor of civil engineering and interim associate dean for research in the College of Engineering, joins 16 leading U.S. engineers and scientists who will set the agenda for design and construction practices in transportation-related research.

The Design and Construction Group oversees eight sections including design, pavement management, structures, asphalt materials, concrete materials, geology and properties of earth materials, and soil mechanics as well as 57 national committees and two task forces.

“I look forward to working with the group, which is very important in guiding and shaping research directions in today’s and tomorrow’s transportation-related design and construction issues,” Puppala says. He has served several years as chair of the committee on soils and rock instrumentation of the Transportation Research Board.

Read more about Puppala's appointment.

Energized marketing The Maverick team of 360 Local placed third in the America's Natural Gas Alliance Collegiate Energy Challenge Scholastic Achievement competition in Washington, D.C. last week. Communication students participating included, from left, Katie Kiger, Candace Brown, and Kameshia Massey. Not pictured is Gabrielle Rhodes. Accompanying the group were Dr. Tom Christie, associate professor of public relations, and Melinda Long, undergraduate adviser in the Department of Communication.

Summer programs available

There is still time to sign up for some academic and athletic camps at UT Arlington this summer.

The University has added Fitness Adventures 101 to its summer camp lineup for the first time. The day camp for children ages 6-12 will combine interactive instruction with high-energy fitness activities to enhance campers’ knowledge of health, wellness, and nutrition.

See a complete schedule of summer camps, including athletics, band, cheerleading, engineering, science, and more.

Special served up for UT Arlington license plates

A buy-one-get-one-free deal is available for the official UT Arlington license plate. The bargain is offered through June 30. Go to myplates.com/go/uta. For assistance, call 888-7MY-PLATES.

Discount tickets available for selected Texas Rangers' home games

To claim discount tickets for selected Texas Rangers' home games, visit texasrangers.com/uta, click on The University of Texas at Arlington, and use the password MAVS12.

Enjoy Maverick discounts

The Maverick Discount Program offers a minimum 10 percent discount on products and services categories—from automotive to entertainment, from personal care to restaurants and retail—to students, faculty, staff, and members of the Parent and Family Association.

Discounts are added regularly, so visit the Maverick Discount Program website often for new businesses and limited time offers.

Registration continues for summer; summer I classes start June 4

Registration timetables are online for summer terms. Late registration for the 11-week and the first five-week session is Monday-Tuesday, June 4-5. The first day of class is Monday, June 4.

To determine if you need adviser clearance, check your portal page at MyMav and click on Student Center. You will see a section on the right titled Holds. Click the details link for specific hold information. If your academic department requires advising, you will see an academic department service indicator (hold).

A list of advising offices is online. The schedule of classes is at uta.edu/mymav.

Meningitis vaccination documentation required

All new students and those who were not enrolled in the spring term will not be able to register for summer II session Friday, June 1-Tuesday, June 12, if they have not filed proof of meningitis vaccination. Other registration blackout periods are scheduled July 9-19.

As of January 1, 2012, incoming Texas college students and students returning after an absence of at least one fall or spring semester who are under 30 years old must submit documentation of immunization against bacterial meningitis.

You must have received the vaccine within the past five years and no less than 10 days before the start of your first session at UT Arlington. Students who fail to meet this requirement will be dropped from courses and will not be able to register during the blackout periods listed above.

UT Arlington has contracted with Magnus Health SMR to collect student vaccination records, verify the documents, and maintain the records in compliance with federal privacy laws. You will receive your Magnus Health SMR username and password via your UT Arlington email address.

To be able to register, send vaccination documentation to Magnus at service@magnushealthportal.com or call 1-877-461-6831. The hold will be released approximately one day later.

The deadline to receive the vaccine for summer I or summer 11-week terms was Friday, May 25. Submit documentation by Thursday, May 31.

For summer II term, the vaccine deadline is Saturday, June 30, and the documentation deadline is Monday, July 9.

Free outdoor movies start next week Free outdoor movies are on the summer calendar starting with Dr. Seuss' The Lorax on June 7. See the flicks at dusk (about 8 p.m.) Thursdays on the west lawn of the Maverick Activities Center. Enjoy free popcorn, or buy soft drinks and snacks at the concession stand. Bring a blanket or chair for the lawn seating. Children under 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Other movies include Mirror, Mirror, June 14; 21 Jump Street, June 21; Wrath of the Titans, June 28; American Reunion, July 5; The Hunger Games, July 12; Think Like a Man, July 19; The Pirates! Band of Misfits, July 26; and The Avengers, Aug. 2. EXCEL Campus Activities sponsors the summer films.

Wednesday, May 30

$2 Movie: Happy Feet Rated PG. 5:30 p.m.; also 5:30 p.m. Friday, June 1, and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 2. Planetarium.

Thursday, May 31

World No Tobacco Day Celebrate a day of "no tobacco" around the world. Held in conjunction with other organizations. Free. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., in front of the Health Services Center. Health Promotion and Substance Abuse Prevention. Health Services.

Ongoing

Novus Ordo Seclorum Anthony Thompson Shumate uses the design that appears on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States in his works. Free. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays; 2-6 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays. Through Thursday, May 31. Gallery 76102, Fort Worth Center.

Planetarium We Are Astronomers reveals the global collaboration, technology, and dedication required to answer the unresolved questions of the universe. 6 p.m. Thursdays, 5:30 p.m. Saturdays. Planetarium.

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

Diamond leader: Preston Beck had two home runs and 10 runs batted in to lead the Mavericks at the Southland Conference Tournament last weekend. See photos from the SLC tournament.

Baseball Mavs win SLC title, NCAA next

UT Arlington nailed down an NCAA Regional berth by downing Southeastern Louisiana 13-4 in the championship game of the Southland Conference Baseball Tournament Saturday in San Marcos.

It is the fifth SLC baseball title for the Mavericks and the first since 2006. They will face Dallas Baptist in an NCAA regional game at 1 p.m. Friday, June 1, in Waco. Baylor and Oral Roberts are the other teams in the regional.

The Mavericks, seeded fourth in the SLC, notched wins over McNeese State, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and top-seeded Sam Houston State en route to the title game. Southeastern Louisiana was seeded second.

Travis Sibley was named tournament MVP and was joined on the All-Tournament team by Greg McCall, Michael Guerra, Preston Beck, and Lance Day.

Earlier in the week, Beck earned first-team All-Southland Conference honors while Day and Ryan Walker were named to the second team. Guerra and Preston Morrow received honorable mention.

Martin to represent Mavs in NCAA track

Decathlete Romain Martin will be the lone UT Arlington representative at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship June 6-9 in Des Moines, Iowa.

The Mavericks came close but failed to qualify anyone else for the national meet in competition at the NCAA West Preliminary Round last weekend in Austin. 

Martin, who ranks third in the nation in the decathlon, had qualified earlier for the national meet.

Golfers finish 12th at NCAA Regional

The men's golf team finished 12th at the NCAA Regional, hosted by the University of Georgia May 17-19.

Paul McConnell paced the Maverick contingent with a three-round, two-over-par score of 215 as he tied for 15th in the individual standings.

Summer intramurals include softball, sand volleyball, tennis

Entries open Wednesday, May 30, for summer intramurals in softball, sand volleyball, and tennis.

Last day for entries is Wednesday, June 13. Entry fee for softball and sand volleyball is $20. Tennis is free.

See intramural sports for more information.

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