Every weekday morning for the past six years, the good news about UTA has been delivered to nearly 2,000 electronic doorsteps in Texas, across the United States and in Europe, Asia and Africa. It arrives via UTA Today, an e-mail bulletin produced by the UTA Public Affairs Office.

The daily recap of milestones, campus events and the achievements of faculty, students and alumni is free and designed to be scanned in minutes.

We know it's a quick-read society and everyone already receives a lot of e-mail," said UTA Today editor Laura Hanna, "so we try to make sure it can be read over those first few sips of coffee."

The online publication includes three to five synopses of news releases recently sent out by Public Affairs and a calendar of campus happenings for the day it arrives and for the following day. It regularly includes news of alumni achievements and a section on faculty and staff quoted in major news media.

"Subscribers often tell us that UTA Today has even helped them find people they knew while attending UTA but haven't known their whereabouts in years," Hanna said. "Sponsors of campus events say it has helped increase their attendance and participation because it serves as a reminder."

UTA Today hits most subscribers' in boxes by 7:30 a.m. "We want the good news about UTA to be the first thing they read-before they get bogged down in the deluge of other daily e-mails," Hanna said.

Public Affairs Director Donna Darovich ('71 BA) developed the bulletin as a way to keep the university community and friends updated.

"The more constituents know about UTA, the more they appreciate and support the University," Darovich said, "so it is important we deliver this information as often as we can. And providing it in a format that can be read quickly makes it more likely to be read."

She says feedback about the bulletin has been positive. Subscriber and alumna Judy Varnell: "UTA has been a part of my life, either as a staff member or student, since 1973, so it's like my second family. I love reading good news about my university and finding out about what fun and exciting events are coming up. UTA Today really keeps me informed."

Subscribers include chief executive officers of major corporations, state legislators, movers and shakers of business and industry, news media, alumni and students. Many subscribers say they forward UTA Today to colleagues.

Many editors and reporters are also subscribers, and Hanna says they often publish or broadcast stories about items they read in the electronic bulletin.

The format is text only, a decision influenced by subscriber feedback, Darovich said. "We could add photos and graphics, but because of the wide range of computer capabilities of our subscribers, they tell us they prefer text only."

But each item includes a link to a Web site where the full story and photos are included.

For more information or to subscribe to UTA Today, go to
www.uta.edu/public-affairs and click on the subscribe online link.