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Spring 2008, Vol. 3
In This Issue:
Alternative Spring Break
John Frederick appointed as Provost and Vice
President of Academic Affairs
A new service is set to launch for the entire UTSA community, as the Office of Business Contingency and Emergency Management and the UTSA Police Department are proud to announce its latest alert system. Reverse 911, a new emergency notification system, was activated on January 30th for the all areas of the UTSA Tri-Campus. In the event of a campus emergency, UTSA students, faculty and staff can be contacted by telephone, text message and e-mail. To be notified, users must be registered. Currently, more than 90 percent of UTSA students have already registered via the ASAP information system. Once registered, participants are immediately active in the system. Messages will include pertinent emergency information and protective actions. The Reverse 911 system was selected after a search to find the best system for the university’s needs. In November 2007, the city of San Diego, CA and county officials used the system to alert citizens to evacuate during California wildfires. Other universities using Reverse 911 include Michigan State University, University of Connecticut and Yale University. Please visit the Reverse 911 website for more information.
General Scholarship deadline fast
approaching!
All UTSA students are encouraged to apply for
financial assistance by completing the UTSA General Scholarship application.
As an annual deadline, applications are to be received, not postmarked, by
February 15th of every year. For 2008, the General Scholarship application
can be used in order to apply for over 50 eligible scholarships. Scholarship
recipients can be based on a number of criteria, including academics and
financial need. In order to determine financial need, a FAFSA is required to
be completed by the priority deadline of March 31st.
Encourage your student to take on a worthwhile, service oriented project during their spring vacation! University sponsored Spring Break trips give students an outlet to volunteer and work on service projects, while offering an alternative to traditional activities. The Volunteer Organization Involving Community Education and Service (VOICES) and the UTSA Inclusion and Community Engagement Center will host two alternative Spring Break trips in March. One group will travel to Piedra Negras, Mexico (located across the U.S. border from Eagle Pass, TX) from Saturday, March 15 to Wednesday, March 19. Participants will work with children and help improve the playground at the Casa de Nazareth orphanage. Participants will stay at a hotel near the orphanage. A second group will head to Big Bend, Texas, from Sunday, March 16 to Thursday, March 20 to work on a grasslands restoration project. The ongoing project involves clearing brush, planting seeds and restoring vegetation. Participants and advisers will camp in the park near the project site. All UTSA students are eligible to apply. UTSA employees serve as trip advisers, and will chaperone and overall see all project related activities. Students are encouraged to download an application from the UTSA Volunteer Services website. Applications are due Feb. 5 at the Inclusion and Community Engagement Center, located in the University Center Room 2.01.04, 1604 Campus.
UTSA Homecoming 2008 & Spring Family Weekend Pride. Spirit. Basketball. These are just a few words that come to mind as UTSA once again celebrates its annual Homecoming festivities. The events of the week have become more and more popular throughout the years, as current students, families, faculty, staff and UTSA alumni all come together to show their pride for UTSA and cheer on the Roadrunners! Homecoming events for 2008 will last from February 27-March 1. Here is a listing of events for the week! Wednesday, February 27th 4th Annual UTSA Jazz in the Plaza Time: 5pm-7pm Location: Bill Miller Plaza, Downtown Campus Description: Performances include the Highlands High School Jazz Band, UTSA student members of The Alex Sutherlin Project and the headlining act: The Joe Posada Jazz Quartet! Cost: Free and open to the Community!  Ladies Softball Game: UTSA vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Time: 1pm (Doubleheader) Location: Softball field, 1604 Campus Cost: UTSA students: free, juniors (3-18): $3, adults: $5 Men’s Basketball Game: UTSA vs. McNesse State Time: 7pm Location: Convocation Center, 1604 Campus Cost: UTSA students: free, juniors (3-18): $6, adults: $8 Friday, February 29th Event: Alumni Link Up! Golf Outing Time: 12pm Location: The Quarry Golf Club, 444 E. Basse Rd. Description: Join alumni for an afternoon of good friends, good times, and great golf! Cost: $100 per person. Includes green fee, cart fee, unlimited practice balls. Registration required: Click here to register Event: Homecoming Golf Cart Parade and Rowdy Rampage Time: 6pm Location: Track field, 1604 Campus Description: This annual tradition features 40 golf carts, each decorated and driven by members of UTSA student organizations. This promises to be an exciting event, as it brings out the best in our students creativity. Join us for the parade unique carts! Austin band, Alpha Rev, is scheduled to perform after the golf cart parade. Cost: Free and open to the public! Event: UTSA Uncovered-A Midnight Tour Time: 9pm Location: Departing from track field, 1604 campus Description: This evening tour promises to deliver thrills and chills, as James Pinkard, author of UTSA Uncovered, explains unique stories of the 1604 campus. Bring your imagination and walking shoes! Cost: Free and open to the public! Saturday, March 1st Event: 24th Annual Diploma Dash 5K Run/Fitness Walk Time: 9am Location: Parking Lot 5, 1604 Campus Description: On your mark, get set, dash! This event allows participants to experience a course that will lead them throughout all areas of the 1604 campus. Proceeds benefit the UTSA alumni scholarship program, UTSA track athletic scholarships, and alumni programs and services. Cost: Early Entry: $20 (until February 27th), Race Day Entry: $30, Corporate Team Challenge: $250, UTSA students $10 (until February 27th). Event: Homecoming and UTSA Family Association Tailgate Party Time: 5pm Location: Parking Lot 5, 1604 Campus Description: Bring the entire family out to this pre-game event! Free food, drinks, games and entertainment will be provided to get the crowd ready to rock the birdcage! The UTSA Family Association and the Orientation Leaders Association will be tailgating and barbequing for guests! Please RSVP from Feb 5th- Feb 27th in order to reserve a free plate of food for you and your family. It promises to be a great time as families of current students and UTSA Alumni come together to celebrate UTSA Homecoming 2008! RSVP from Feb 5th- Feb 27th: Call (210) 458-4724 or email your guests names to orientation@utsa.edu Event: Mens Basketball Game: UTSA vs. Texas A&M Corpus Christi Time: 7 pm Location: Convocation Center, 1604 campus Description: It all leads up to this…the big basketball game! Grab your discounted tickets by using the order form designed exclusively for members of the UTSA Family Association. It promises to be a night of big crowds, big cheers and big shots! Cost: $5 – discounted tickets available through UTSA Family Association (until Feb.26th); Students- free
UTSA Family of the Year Contest
All UTSA students and their families are eligible for the
contest! Download a
nomination form here, or pick one up at
Orientation and Transition Services, UC 1.00.40, (210) 458-4724. The
deadline for entry is February 20th.
UTSA Family Listserv up and
running!
The Family Discussion Board is an electronic mailing list, or listserv, in which subscribers can choose to receive email messages as they are posted to the board. Subscribers to the listserv all contribute to the content of the message board. Have a question about a UTSA service? Wondering where your student should go to get help they need? Want to organize a meeting with other parents in the area? Post any type of question to the listserv! As the subscribers list continues to grow, the quality and camaraderie of our UTSA parent interaction will be beneficial to those who choose to post and stay active.
Users can choose to receive messages in real time, or they can choose to receive a daily digest. The daily digest option will send one email to the subscriber, which lists all topics posted that day. The user can then view all messages in one email. Verification of student enrollment is required and can be completed through the UTSA Family website. This step will insure that listserv members are associated with a UTSA student.
Register your email for the UTSA Family Discussion Listserv!
Laurel Village- Completion on the latest residence hall is near! During this semester, Laurel Village currently has 200 residents. With a completion date scheduled for June 2008, it will be home to 700 students. Living options include 2 and 4 bedroom suite style rooms. Every student living in Laurel Village is expected to purchase a meal plan.
Starbucks Coffee- This coffeehouse is the newest franchise to hit the UTSA campus. It will be located in the University Center, taking the place of the Roadrunner Roast. The full service shop has the amenities and ambience of a traditional Starbucks, complete with a cozy lounge. It is scheduled to open February 11th.
Some material in The Family Connection is compiled from sources, including UTSA Today and UTSA websites. Have a question, comment, or idea for a write up? Please contact Julio J. Ramos at julio.ramos2@utsa.edu |
UTSA
recently appointed John Frederick as the Provost and Vice President of
Academic Affairs. The UTSA provost, who reports to the president, is
responsible for academic leadership in ensuring curricula, teaching and
research of superior quality; working with Faculty on matters of
welfare for the university; building and overseeing the university budget;
advising the president on plans, policies and operations; and representing
the university in the president's absence. Additionally, the provost oversees all aspects of the
professional and academic accreditation of academic programs, academic
space, faculty development and academic personnel, including coordination
within the University of Texas System and with the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board.
