| Content provided by the award-winning student newspaper of UT Dallas - The Mercury. INDEX: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A Freshmen are required to visit their advisors to sign up for classes. Advisors are available for all schools of study and are essential in charting your course toward your degree at UT Dallas. Advisors plan out coursework and answer questions such as, “What electives should I take?” and “What courses do I need to graduate?” Make sure you know who your advisor is and visit him or her often. To find out who your advisor is, see the undergraduate or the graduate advisor listing. The Activity Center — located just south of the Engineering & Computer Science Building — houses a workout gym, four racquetball courts, two squash courts, four basketball gyms and a 25-yard swimming pool. The Activity Center maintains convenient hours and is open seven days a week. In addition, activities such as intramural sports take place at the Activity Center. UT Dallas students may bring a friend for a $2 fee. B The Bookstore — located on campus just south of the McDermott Library — stocks all required textbooks, software, school supplies and UT Dallas gear. The Bookstore also buys back used books after you’re done with them. The Bookstore also sells class rings, houses a copy center and a computer lab. The Bookstore can be reached at 972-883-2665. Located on the bottom floor of the McDermott Library, the Bursar’s Office is where you pay tuition and other fees assessed by the university. The Bursar’s Office only accepts payment for tuition and fees by cash or check. Payment by credit card can be made online for an additional charge of 1.90 percent. Students may also cash personal checks — up to $25 — at the Bursar’s Office for a 25-cent charge. The Parking Office is also located at the Bursar’s Office. Students can buy parking tags and pay tickets at the location. C For career advice, planning and counseling, there is no better place to go than the UT Dallas Career Center. The Career Center provides many important student services such as resume and cover letter reviews, career workshops and an online job search database. The Career Center can also assist students in finding internships for summer or during the school year. Remember, it’s never too early to start planning your career. The Career Center is located in the bottom floor of the McDermott Library and can be reached at (972) 883-2943 The Club Sports Program consists of recognized student organizations that are established to promote and develop common sports and/or recreation-related interests. Each club has been founded, organized, managed, and maintained by volunteer student leaders. Club members are actively involved in the leadership and decision-making process of all club activities with assistance provided by the Department of Recreational Sports. For more information about Club Sports or to start a new club, please contact Megan Greene, coordinator of club sports, at 972-883-2096. Collegium V is the UT Dallas honors program, designed to enhance the quality of education among the students. Honors classes, available to honors students only, are smaller (capped at 20 students per class) and encourage more discussion and interaction among the students and faculty. Freshmen with a 3.6 or higher high school GPA and a 1300+ SAT score should consider applying at the Collegium V website. This university calendar includes a growing list of athletic and student life events as well as important academic dates. All events can be downloaded to your personal calendar and emailed to friends. The Comet Card is UT Dallas’ student ID. All students are required to have one and it can be picked up at the Info Depot (see Info Depot) with proof of ID and UT Dallas registration. All students are issued a Comet Card free, but replacements are $25 each. Students can put money on their Comet Card to pay for food and money on the chip — called E-bucks — for printing. A minimum of $20 can be put on the card. The card can also be linked to a Wells Fargo account and used as a PIN-based debit card. UT Dallas provides several computer labs on campus for student use and students must have a NetID to log on. A variety of software is available such as Microsoft Office, Matlab and Microsoft Visual Studio.NET. Using E-Bucks on your Comet Card, students can print for 6 cents a page. Students must use their Comet Card to print — cash is not accepted! The Counseling Center is located in the Student Union, 1.608, and is free to all registered students for individual counseling, group counseling, alcohol/drug counseling and more. All counseling is done by licensed psychologists and counselors and is completely confidential. Make an appointment at 972-883-2575. D David E. Daniel is the fourth President of The University of Texas at Dallas. He received his bachelors, masters, and Ph.D. degrees in engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, and served on the faculty at U. T. Austin from 1980 to 1996. In 1996, he moved to the University of Illinois, finishing his service there as Dean of Engineering before joining UTD as its president in 2005. Vision and Goals The Dean of Students’ office, located in Student Union 1.602, provides leadership in the development, overall management and supervision of student services and programs. The office also serves as a information/referral source for students needing assistance with any situation. The Dean of Students is Donna Rogers and she may be reached at (972) 883-6391. The Office of Disability Services is firmly committed to ensuring that qualified students with documented disabilities are provided with an equal opportunity to participate in the variety of educational, recreational and social opportunities at UT Dallas Discover UT Dallas is a program hosted in cities across Texas. Enrollment Service Advisors from The University of Texas at Dallas will answer questions and provide detailed information regarding admissions, scholarships, financial aid, academic programs, and campus life.
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eLearning is a web-based student service that allows students to communicate with instructors and classmates. eLearning can be accessed through the Current Students link on the UT Dallas web page and a NetID is required. eLearning will list all classes the student is enrolled in, and depending on the professor, eLearning will include the class’ syllabus, grades, class notes and post questions between classmates.
For those seeking work, UT Dallas has a Career Center (located in the basement of library) that will help with all your employment needs. The Career Center professionals can help you build resumes, give mock interviews, and find you a suitable job. You must register with the Career Center to receive these benefits. If you have received work-study then you must also register to get a position. However, many of the on-campus facilities or organizations offer employment opportunities. The Student Union has many employment possibilities, like the Comet Café or The Pub. F The financial aid office — located in McDermott Library — coordinates all of the assistance programs designed to help defray the costs of college. If you are in need of grants, loans, scholarships or work-study opportunities, the financial aid counselors help you through the process. They can be reached at 972-883-2941. G Galaxy is the university intranet that provides access to your personal records, course registration, grades, account payment, e-mail, WebCT and content for students. Its home address is galaxy.utdallas.edu. A fraternity or sorority can help you throughout your years at UT Dallas and beyond. These organizations seek to provide you with friendship and guidance that will follow you far beyond your college years. There are currently 11 chartered Greek groups. Visit the Greek Life website for recruitment and group information. H UT Dallas is concerned with the well being of all its students, so the Student Health Center is provided to treat and care for minor illnesses. The Health Center — located in Student Union 1.606 — also provides health education and preventative medicine. The licensed staff is ready to help with any health-related problems you may face. The University of Texas at Dallas Student Health Insurance Office provides unique and confidential health insurance advising services for UT Dallas students. Health insurance is available to all students at UT Dallas, domestic and international. Homecoming is a UT Dallas tradition that promotes Comet pride. This year's homecoming will happen October 16 - 21. I The Info Depot is located on the upper level of the Student Union next to the Comet Café. At the Info Depot students can pick up their Comet Card, receive discounted passes to events, free notarization, purchase stamps and put money on their Comet Card or E-bucks. The Office of International Education helps those students who want to study abroad. OIE can tell you about the numerous programs, scholarships and places where you can study. You can earn credit hours while learning in a unique environment and get the chance to absorb a culture that inspires you. Get more information in the McDermott Library 1.206. ISS helps all of UT Dallas’ international students. They provide international student programs, international student health insurance services and advising. It also gives support services, resources and educational programs for the international students. One of the main services is providing immigration information through seminars and individual consultations. ISS — located in McDermott Library 1.310 — offers international students a chance to take part in a variety of U.S. cultural experiences. The intramural sports program is set up to provide all students at UT Dallas with a chance to participate in sports. Every student is given an opportunity to be a part of this program. Flag football is the most popular, but others include: basketball, mini golf, 8-on-8 soccer, racquetball, bowling, and more. Contact Intramurals at 972-883-4087 to learn how you can get involved. J Jenifer, Franklyn The recent president of the university served from 1994 to 2005. L The McDermott Library houses many different offices. In the basement you will find the Bursar’s office, Career Center, Office of International Education, International Student Services and Office of the Registrar. A copy center, media labs and math labs are also located here. You may check out a computer or go to the computer lab. Your Comet Card serves as your library card. The library has videos, DVDs and other CD materials for viewing. The library website contains numerous databases and catalogs. Love Jack In front of the Jonsson Center is a sculpture titled “Jack.” This giant red jack was created by artist Jim Love in 1971. In 1976, the artwork was presented to UT Dallas as a gift from Mrs. Margaret McDermott, the wife of UT Dallas co-founder Eugene McDermott. M The award-winning student newspaper of UT Dallas, The Mercury, publishes bi-weekly on Mondays throughout the school year. Covering issues from the presidential search to the latest UT Dallas sports, The UTD Mercury keeps students informed. For more information on writing, advertising sales, photography, editing, web design and page design, visit the newsroom in the Student Union 2.416 or call 972-883-2286. The Multicultural Center at UT Dallas celebrates diversity through its mission to provide quality cultural programs, educational resources and support services to the multicultural community. Some of the events throughout the year include Juneteenth, Asian-American Heritage Series, Hispanic Heritage Month and Passport to the World, allowing students to “travel the world” from booth to booth experiencing foods and customs. To become involved with the Multicultural Center or for more information, visit the Conference Center 1.126 or call 972-883-6390. N The NanoTech Institute at UT Dallas - located in Berkner - was created in 2001 by Jim Von Ehr, president and CEO of Zyvex Corporation, and Da Hsuan Feng, former UT Dallas vice president of research and graduate education. Since its inception, the UT Dallas NanoTech Institute has attracted scientists - including a Nobel laureate - from around the world, and has become a center of interdisciplinary research within UT Dallas. Every student needs a NetID to access university email, Web CT, UNIX and CAMPUS servers. Each student can obtain a NetID by accessing the UT Dallas website and selecting ‘Current Students’ from the front page. From there, select ‘Retrieve NetID’ under ‘Electronic Resources’ subhead. O The Orientation Team Members (OTMs) are UT Dallas students selected to work at freshman orientations, Comet Camp and various conferences and help incoming students become acclimated to university life. They are also available to answer questions concerning personal or academic issues. To contact the OTMs, visit SU 1.810 or call 972-883-6171.
Orion is the official student information system and provides students a centralized source for reviewing their schedule and grades, registering for classes, and monitoring their financial aid.
P Parking passes can be obtained from the Bursar Office on campus. Students may purchase five levels of parking — Waterview, $34; Green, $85; Gold, $142; Waterview Green, $119.00; and Waterview Gold, $176.00. Students with a Waterview Only permit can only park within the apartment complex. Students with a green or gold pass are not permitted to park in the apartments without a visitor’s pass. A green parking pass allows for parking only at green parking markers, and a gold parking pass allows for closer parking, marked yellow, and also green parking. Students who park outside their parking pass level will be fined. PEA A Personalized Email Account (PEA) is given to every student at UT Dallas. To access the email account, students must first apply for a NetID. After receiving a NetID, students can access their email through Galaxy or forward their campus email to another personal email box. UT Dallas has an 18-member campus police force that patrols the university 24 hours a day. UT Dallas Police offer services such as bicycle engraving, R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense) classes and escort students needing transport to their cars. They also offer informational seminars on alcohol and drug safety for student organizations. To request escort service, report any activity or for more information call 972-883-2331. Preview Fridays provide an opportunity for transfer students to learn more about UT Dallas. Enrollment Service Advisors will provide detailed information about admissions, financial aid and scholarships, as well as campus life. An information session will be provided by academic advisors in each school. Participants will have their $50 application fee waived with a submitted application. The Pub is a UT Dallas-run restaurant on campus located on the upper level of the Student Union. Resembling a sports bar, you can have a burger, play some pool, watch TV and even get Starbucks. The Pub also hosts a variety of events, such as SUAAB’s Underground Poetry Circus and late-night movies. The Pub also has an outdoor patio. R Looking for music that you never hear on commercial radio? UT Dallas’ student-run radio station Radio UTD is broadcast nightly over the internet from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Visit the Radio UTD website to listen in at either low or high bandwidth. The programming schedule and DJ applications are also available on the site. Requires a streaming media player such as iTunes or Windows Media Player. The Department of Recreational Sports encourages students, faculty, and staff to get involved and interact with several different recreation programs. Recreational Sports provides UT Dallas with a quality facility and diverse recreational programs to enhance the overall educational experience. Our goal is to expand the knowledge of and participation in recreational activities in order to foster healthy lifestyles, sportsmanship, teamwork, and leadership. The Activity Center is managed by the Department of Recreational Sports and contains a state of the art fitness center, 4 racquetball courts, 2 squash courts, 4 basketball courts, a multi purpose room, and a 25-yard indoor swimming pool. In addition to the Activity Center, Recreational Sports oversees the outdoor basketball courts, sand volleyball courts, soccer fields, tennis courts, softball fields, and baseball fields. For more information, please contact Rec Sports at 972-883-2096 or visit online at www.utdallas.edu/recsports.
S Scholars' Day allows high school and community college students along with their families to get a feel for UT Dallas. Until students visit a college campus, they might not know if it will be right for them. Students who attend a Scholars Day open house event leave knowing that UT Dallas is the right choice and it makes their college decision much easier.
This event is held in November and February of each school year. Student Government is the official representative body and voice of UT Dallas students. Students have the opportunity to participate in SG through committee appointments, running for office or by voting in elections. Student Government provides many free services for students including legal counsel services, an online book exchange and a Student Business Alliance that offers discounts for students at participating area businesses.
See Orion The Student Patrol is a group of students organized by the UT Dallas police department. The patrol is made up of students with an interest in law enforcement careers. They patrol the campus each night from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., also working the information booth so that visitors can receive information and temporary parking passes on weekends. The Student Union (SU) is the place for students to hang out, grab a bite to eat, relax and houses most of the student service offices. The Union is open seven days a week. It includes a TV lounge, study lounge, six pool tables, two ping pong tables, a video arcade, the Comet Café, The Pub and an array of rooms that can be reserved for organization meetings. The Health Center, the Counseling Center and SGA are some of the student services housed in the Union. The Student Union and Activities Advisory Board (SUAAB) hosts a large portion of student activities on campus. Among their many events of the past year, SUAAB showcased B.J. Novak for a comedy show last spring and hosted Taking Back Sunday for the rock concert in the Activity Center last spring. SUAAB also hosts the homecoming dance and a variety of seasonal events free to students. The SUAAB office is located in SU 2.402. T Pronounced TEE-mock, the official name of UT Dallas’s fiery-headed mascot was adopted by SGA in Fall 2002 after the original name ‘Blaze’ was discovered to have been copyrighted by another organization. If you’re wondering about the inspiration for the mysterious moniker, it’s Comet spelled backwards. DART travels through campus and picks up in front of the Activity Center and in front of the University Village apartments information office on Drive A. Students can take bus route 362 east to the Arapaho Center light rail station or west to the Addison Bus Transit Center. For more information on pricing and connecting routes visit dart.org. V Violations The speed limit is 20 mph on most roads within campus. Speeding tickets are issued by campus police and can be appealed through the police website. All cars must either obtain a visitor’s pass from the information booth on University Pkwy or obtain a parking pass through the Bursar Office. W The Women’s Center has events and programs throughout the year that include Tai chi and relaxation techniques, financial planning, dating etiquette, date rape and abusive relationships. The Center is designed to provide an open and encouraging environment for women, provides counseling and has book and videos available for rent. But don’t be fooled, this isn’t just for women. Men are also invited to attend events and stop by the Center’s office in the McDermott Library, 1.204 for dating tips and counseling. Z Catching Zs Sometimes sleep is the first thing to be sacrificed when mid-terms or finals roll around, but if you’re enterprising you can find a few comfortable spots to snooze on campus. There are lounges on the first and second floors of the Student Union that are generally quiet and comfortable. | 
