MavWire 2015 Archive » MavWire — Thursday, July 16, 2015

School of Social Work online MSW program ranked among nation's best

The School of Social Work is among the nation’s top schools for those who want to earn a degree through an online MSW program, according to Social Work Degree Guide.

UT Arlington’s online program ranked No. 12 out of 25 online MSW programs that are accredited through the Council on Social Work Education. The CSWE is the only organization that provides accreditation for all 254 Master’s in Social Work programs.

Of the School of Social Work’s more than 1,100 graduate students, 380 are enrolled in the online program.

Read more about the School of Social Work's honor.

Air of discovery: Dr. Andrew Makeev, right, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and director of the UT Arlington Advanced Materials and Structures Lab, points out research details to Dr. Erian Armanios, chair of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department.

Aerospace engineer working on improving advanced composite materials for aircraft applications

Andrew Makeev, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and director of UTA's Advanced Materials and Structures Lab, is collaborating with Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. through a $1.35 million grant to design more durable materials and accelerate their implementation in composite aircraft.

Dr. Makeev received the grant from the Army National Rotorcraft Technology Center to build stronger and more durable composite materials for aircraft. Sikorsky is a world leader in the design, manufacture, and service of military and commercial helicopters.

The effort continues a successful Vertical Lift Consortium Program, Advanced Materials Technology, a multi-year joint effort of UT Arlington, Bell Helicopter, Boeing, Sikorsky, and Penn State University, also under Makeev’s leadership.

Read more about the aircraft composite materials project.

Dr. Carolyn Cason and Dr. Joy Don Baker

Cason, Baker named fellows

Carolyn Cason, professor of nursing, and Joy Don Baker, clinical associate professor of nursing, have been selected as fellows of the American Academy of Nursing.

Fellows are chosen for their significant contributions to nursing and health care, and must be sponsored by two current academy fellows. They and 161 other nurse leaders will be inducted Oct. 17 in Washington, D.C.

Read more about Dr. Cason's and Dr. Baker's honor.

Tuition, fees charged separately starting in fall

Effective this fall semester, UT Arlington will begin charging students tuition and fees separately. Previously, the charges had been combined into one comprehensive billing.

The University is improving its billing services in this regard to increase transparency so students and parents can see clearly what they are paying.

Most students will not be affected by this change.

Students who receive a tuition exemption and/or waiver or whose tuition is paid by a third party organization may see a change in charges. Review the program coverage at the View Waivers and Exemptions website. Sponsored students should contact their sponsor to confirm their exact coverage under their specific program guidelines.

For questions concerning the new presentation of tuition and fee charges, contact the Office of Student Accounts (formerly Bursar Services) at 2-2172 or studentaccounts@uta.edu.

Benefits Fair covers enrollment details Friday at MAC

Learn about changes for 2015-16 at the Benefits Fair 9 a.m.-noon Friday, July 17, in the second-floor lounge of the Maverick Activities Center.

Both insurance and retirement plan providers will be available to answer questions as well as conduct presentations throughout the day. Representatives from the Office of Employee Benefits with the UT System also will be at the fair. Sign up for the door prizes.

Annual enrollment is your opportunity to enroll or make changes to your current insurance coverage without a family status change. The enrollment period runs through Friday, July 31.

Read more about the benefits overview, premium rates, and other topics for the 2015-16 year. Changes in benefit programs will be effective Sept. 1.

For more information regarding annual enrollment and UT Arlington benefits for the 2015-16 plan year, see Employee Benefits Services, call 2-5554, or email benefits@uta.edu.

Forums set for ELI director candidates

Forums with two candidates for the director of the English Language Institute are set in Room 200 of Trimble Hall. Candidates and forums are Khalid Ibrahim at 9:30 a.m. today, Thursday, July 16, and Josie Sambolin at 11:30 a.m. Friday, July 17. A session with Andrea Patterson was Wednesday.

Purchasing year-end deadlines next week

The deadline for purchase orders with the 2014-15 fiscal year is Friday, July 24, for all departments and all requirements.

All Requisitions and associated UTAFlow approval forms received in the Office of Procurement after 5 p.m. July 24 will be processed and encumbered against fiscal year 2015-16 funds.

Student engineers to host 15th annual Texas Autocross Weekend July 17-19

The UTA student Formula SAE racing team will host at least a dozen teams from across North America for the 15th Annual Texas Autocross Weekend Friday-Sunday, July 17-19, on the UT Arlington campus.

Bob Woods, adviser to the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers student racing team and professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, says this year’s event features about 30 student-built race cars.

Each year, students from across campus converge in Woolf Hall to design and build a formula race car from scratch. Most students are from the College of Engineering, but some have hailed from architecture, liberal arts, and other schools and colleges at UTA.

The UT Arlington team previously has been ranked No. 5 in the world and No. 1 in the United States.

The UTA team will host an open house at 3 p.m. Friday, July 17, at the Arnold E. Petsche Center for Automotive Engineering in Woolf Hall's southeast corner. Competition starts at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 18, and 10 a.m. Sunday, July 19, both on Lot 49.

Read more about the Texas Autocross Weekend.

Parking regulations change Aug. 1

Changes in parking permits and regulations begin Saturday, Aug. 1.

Faculty and staff parking permits will be $200 per year. Reserved parking will be $600 and limited to those who qualify.

The hourly meter rate will be set at $2.50.

Read more about the 2015-16 parking permits and regulations.

Suspended in time Karen Callas, exercise science senior, demonstrates a movement in the TRX suspension training class she teaches at the Maverick Activities Center. The program leverages gravity and the user's body weight to develop strength, balance, flexibility, and core stability. TRX is a free group exercise class this summer.

Apply for Professional Learning Community groups

Faculty and staff can apply to participate in the 2015-16 Professional Learning Community (PLC), sponsored by the divisions of Digital Teaching and Learning and Faculty Affairs.

The PLC includes software experimentation, course redesign, group conference attendance, informal learning, and a project based on the theme of the group. Collaboration will take place through on-campus and online sessions among the group members and with national and international leaders in educational technology.

Groups for 2015-16 are Blended Learning and Synchronous Learning in a Digital Environment.

Applications are due Monday, Aug. 3.

Give feedback on University Club

The University Club is seeking feedback regarding its summer menu. Take the five-minute survey on the menu, say what items you'd like added, and rate your satisfaction of food and service.

Fulbright program seeks faculty for SubSahara program

Faculty members can apply for the Fulbright SubSahara program by Monday, Aug. 3.

Scholars can teach and conduct research at educational institutions and nonprofit organizations in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Madagascar, Rwanda, and Zambia.

All disciplines are needed in some areas, while others focus on business administration, economics, and finance; journalism and broadcasting; engineering and environmental sciences; and AIDS and AIDS-related research.

For more details, contact the Office of International Education at 2-2355.

Paint horse Moises Moura, left, and Elena Chudoba, visual communication seniors, paint the Maverick spirit horse. Their design for the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) was selected for the 2015-16 design, which will be unveiled at the MavsMeet AfterParty on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

Presenters needed for student leadership retreat

Share your insight on leadership and resilience at the student Fall Leadership Retreat on Friday, Sept. 11. The annual program is sponsored by the Leadership Center and Student Affairs.

More than 200 UT Arlington students participate in leadership development through educational sessions and experiential learning activities.

Apply online by Friday, July 31.

Law enforcement competition to include real-life scenarios

More than 600 participants, judges, and law enforcement officers from around Texas will be on campus Thursday-Sunday, July 30-Aug. 2. 

The Texas Law Enforcement Explorer Advisors Association's State Explorer Competition features teams of youth and adults competing in 20 different “real-life” law enforcement scenarios over a two-day period.

The scenarios will take place in various campus locations including parking lots, classroom buildings, the University Center, and residence halls.

Questions? Contact the UTA Police Department at 2-3381.

Share UT Arlington's stories

University Communications wants to hear your ideas for stories that illustrate the excellence that is UT Arlington.

Submit your ideas for stories for University publications, websites, social media, and external media through a new form available on the UT Arlington News Center.

Use contracted vendors for your department's office supplies

The University has two exclusive office supply companies: Today's Business Solutions, an OfficeMax partner, and Summus Industries, which partners with Staples. Use of these office supply vendors is mandatory.

Both vendors provide UT Arlington with excellent customer service and significant savings on a wide variety of products.

Procurement Services has information on these exclusive office supply providers.

Purchase beverages directly from Pepsi

UT Arlington has an exclusive-rights contract with Pepsi that all soft drinks and bottled water purchased with University funds be Pepsi-branded products.

See a list of Pepsi beverages. Departments may purchase directly from Pepsi, but the minimum delivery order is 15 cases. 

To set up a department account with Pepsi, contact Julia Cornwell at cornwell@uta.edu or 2-3002.

Thursday, July 16

Writing Effective Email Register online. 9-11 a.m., Room 200, J.D. Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

Wednesday, July 22

Research and Strategic Plan 2020 Learn about the guiding themes of the Strategic Plan 2020 and how UTA can be more competitive for major research awards and grants. Rachel Croson, right, dean of the College of Business, and Krish Prabhu of AT&T present "Data-Driven Discovery and Knowledge Management." Register online. 2-4:30 p.m., Rio Grande Ballroom, E.H. Hereford University Center. Also, 2-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 28, and 9-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5. Office of Research Administration.

Author's Rights Part of a series of workshops to assist faculty with grants, publishing, impact analysis, and curriculum building. 2 p.m., Room 315A, Central Library. Also, "Copyright and Blackboard," July 29. UT Arlington Libraries, Faculty Affairs.

Thursday, July 23

Dealing Effectively with Conflict and Confrontation Register online. 9-11 a.m., Room 200, J.D. Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

Friday, July 24

UTARI Seminar Susan Juarez, right, UTARI grant writer, discusses Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer funding mechanics. Register online. Shuttle available. Lunch provided. Noon, UTARI, 7300 Jack Newell Blvd. S. UT Arlington Research Institute.

Tuesday, July 28

Coaching Skills for Supervisors Register online. 9-11 a.m., Room 200, J.D. Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

Wednesday, July 29

Peer Observation of Teaching Training Learn about this powerful tool for professional growth, documenting great teaching, and sharing new ideas. Register online. 1-4 p.m. Also 9 a.m.-noon Monday, Aug. 17, and 1-4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11. All in Room 415, Central Library. Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, Faculty Affairs.

Wednesday, Aug. 5

Arlington Technology Association Shih-Ho "Simon" Chao, right, associate professor of civil engineering, provides a brief history of concrete, describes factors contributing to its strengths and weaknesses, and reviews recent developments in improved concrete composites. Light breakfast provided. RSVP. Free. 7-8 a.m., Room 100, Nedderman Hall. Arlington Technology Association.

(For an expanded list of events, see the UTA calendar.)

Golf tournament fundraiser gets new name

The Maverick Open, formerly the Chip-N-Classic, will take place Sept. 10 at Texas Star Golf Course in Euless.

Sponsored by the UTA Maverick Club, the tournament raises money for all 14 of the University’s NCAA Division I athletics programs and will help launch the women's golf program for the 2017-18 season.

For more information and to reserve your place in the Maverick Open, contact Kris Wood at kriswood@uta.edu or 2-9613.

Sports Shorts

• Movin' Mavs track and field athlete Daniel Velasquez won a silver medal in the 100-meter dash and a bronze in the 200 meters at the International Wheelchair and Ambulatory Sports' World Junior Games in Stadskanaal, The Netherlands. Velasquez finished fourth in the shot put and set a personal record.

Summer intramural sports available

Upcoming deadlines are poker, Thursday, July 23, and MavStrong competition, Thursday, Aug. 6.

See the intramural sports schedule. Pick up entry forms at the Services and Information Desk of the Maverick Activities Center. For questions, call 2-3277 or email imsports@uta.edu.

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

Thursday, July 16

Free Outdoor Movie: 'The Breakfast Club' (1985) Bring a chair or a blanket, a picnic, and friends for outdoor movies each Thursday. Free popcorn. The next movie is Pitch Perfect 2, July 23; Dirty Dancing (1987), July 30; and Tomorrowland, Aug. 6. Free. 9 p.m., lawn behind the Maverick Activities Center. EXCEL Campus Activities.

Monday-Thursday, July 27-30

Discount Rangers Tickets Texas Rangers vs. New York Yankees. Visit texasrangers.com/grouptickets, click on University of Texas at Arlington, and use the password GOMAVS to get your discounted tickets. Various times, Globe Life Park. Upcoming games are Houston Astros, Aug. 3-5; Tampa Bay Rays, Aug. 14-16; Seattle Mariners, Aug. 17-18; Toronto Blue Jays, Aug. 25-27; Baltimore Orioles, Aug. 28-30. Texas Rangers.

Ongoing

Special Collections: !Viva Mexico! A Comic Book History of Mexico A rare look inside the rise of comic books in 20th century Mexico, their literary, cultural, and entertainment value, and influence by the Mexican government. Hours 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, sixth floor, Central Library. Through Aug. 8. UT Arlington Libraries Special Collections.

Juneteenth in Texas: 150 Years of Freedom More than 60 photographs explore issues of Texas African-Americans from Emancipation to the Civil Rights era. Hours 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Through Aug. 9. Sixth floor, Central Library. Center for Greater Southwestern Studies.

Ornament and Adornment: The Decoration and Application Techniques of African Masks Examine the design and style of decorations on African masks from the Dowdey-Campbell and Brodie African Art Collections. Gallery hours 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Through Aug. 31. Visual Resources Commons, Room 2109 of the Fine Arts Building. Art and Art History.

Planetarium The summer schedule includes Texas Stargazing; Stars of the Pharaohs; One World, One Sky; Cosmic Color; Dynamic Earth; Pink Floyd; Secret of the Cardboard Rocket; and Spacepark 360: Infinity. Planetarium.

(For an expanded list of events, see the UTA calendar.)