Welcome to Comet Families
Dear UT Dallas Parents and Families,
Dr. Darrelene Rachavong
VP for Student Affairs
On behalf of the entire Student Affairs team, I am extremely proud to welcome you and your student to the UT Dallas family. The Comet Families newsletter is just one of the many resources available to help keep you informed about things happening on campus and ways to help your student stay engaged during their time at the University.
As vice president for Student Affairs, you have my personal commitment to providing opportunities for your student that will make his or her experience here a positive and meaningful one. I also believe parental involvement is an important component to your student's success, so I encourage you to become familiar with the University's resources so that you can direct your student to the appropriate office or department as needed.
I am happy to report that while UT Dallas has experienced consistent growth over the past several years, this fall we topped out at just over 19,000 students, setting a new record. We enrolled 52 National Merit Scholars, also setting a record, and our average freshman SAT score is 1248, up three points from last year. Needless to say, we are immensely proud of all of our students.
To accommodate this growth, we opened our second residence hall this fall, and we have already started work on a third hall, which we expect to open in fall 2012. Additionally, a new Visitor Center and University Bookstore has opened, and we have begun construction on a four-story Arts and Technology complex. In addition, we opened three new outdoor basketball courts midsummer and have started construction on four soccer fields scheduled to open during summer 2012.
Students at UT Dallas like to be involved, and one of the more fun projects they took part in—from decision making to design—was the renovated first floor of our Student Union. The revamped area houses our student media groups and fraternity and sorority life. Students wanted it to be an edgy, fun, creative space, and on a daily basis they tell me it is the most amazing area they have seen on a campus. If you are visiting, make plans to stop by for a tour.
One more request: please encourage your student to get involved and participate in campus life. Students who become connected to their university and take advantage of the programs and services offered are more likely to succeed in their college careers. We offer a range of activities, including student government, volunteer opportunities, Greek life, athletics, intramural and club sports, performances and more than 150 student organizations, to name a few.
I welcome your thoughts, ideas and concerns on how we, as partners, can help your student succeed at UT Dallas. Feel free to contact my office at (972) 883-6236 or email me at dar@utdallas.edu.
Sincerely,
Darrelene Rachavong
Vice President for Student Affairs
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