Annual Service Awards Set for Nov. 17; Website Lists Honorees

Employees are invited to attend the Annual Service Awards presentation from 2 to 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17, in the Edith O’Donnell Arts and Technology Lecture Hall. The University will honor staff and faculty members who have reached service milestones of five, 10, 20, 30 and 40 years with the University during the 2017 fiscal year. In a separate event, employees who reach their 25-year service anniversary will be inducted into the Quarter Century Club.

To help further recognize them, the Employee Service Awards website lists this year’s recipients. For questions about the website, email [email protected].

Free Flu Shots Available Oct. 30-31

Flu shot clinics for faculty, staff and retirees will be held Oct. 30 and 31 on campus, as well as at Callier Center Dallas, the Center for Vital Longevity and the Center for BrainHealth. View the schedule and make an appointment online. Bring a valid Comet Card, driver’s license, insurance card and completed consent forms to the appointment. Flu shots are free for employees with or without the accepted insurance. Vitamin B12 shots, Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccines and tuberculosis skin tests will also be offered for additional fees. For more information, visit the Employee Wellness website.

Fall Commencement Volunteer Registration

Staff members interested in volunteering at the fall commencement ceremonies are invited to sign up online by Friday, Dec. 1. Shifts are available each day for commencement and Memories on the Mall duties:

  • Commencement shifts (Friday, Dec. 15, or Saturday, Dec. 16): 7:30 to 11:45 a.m., 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. or all day (7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.)
  • Memories on the Mall shifts (Friday, Dec. 15, or Saturday, Dec. 16): 9:45 to 11 a.m., 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. or 2:45 to 4 p.m.

Volunteers will be contacted to confirm shift scheduling after signing up.

OSV, Gender Center Sponsor Clothing Drive

Clothing Drive, Oct. 3-31

The Office of Student Volunteerism and the Galerstein Gender Center are collecting gently used clothing and shoes for Out of the Closet Retail, a thrift store that supports the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

Donations may be dropped off any time this month. Collection bins are in the OSV office (SSA 14.431T), the Gender Center (SSB 4.300), the ECSS Student Services office (ECSS 2.502), the Student Union first-floor lobby and the Administration Building second-floor lobby near the elevators.

Library Hosts Events for National Information Literacy Month

The Eugene McDermott Library will host a two-hour session on information literacy from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 25, as part of its Library Pop-Up series just outside the library.

Stop by the tent, meet the librarians and test your Eugene McDermott Library knowledge for a chance to win a prize.

For more information, call Loreen Henry at 972-883-2126, and visit the library events page for the full upcoming schedule.

Staff Council Fall Scholarship Fundraiser

The Staff Council is raising money for its scholarship fund that benefits UT Dallas employees. Use the fundraising code “2018” at Legends Express Car Wash (628 Coit Road, Plano) and 20 percent of the sale will benefit the UTD Staff Council Scholarship. Last year, 20 employees benefited from the scholarship.

A tax-deductible donation to the scholarship also can be made by clicking here. For more information, contact Anna LeBlanc, director of gift planning, at [email protected] or 972-883-6023.

CARE Award Nominations Due Oct. 31

Nominations are being accepted for CARE Awards, which honor outstanding staff members in the fall and spring.

The program recognizes staff members who have demonstrated superior performance, offered outstanding customer service and performed acts that have enhanced the image of the University. Fall nominations are due Tuesday, Oct. 31.

Comet Fest Chili and Craft Brew Festival

The Comet Fest Chili and Craft Brew Festival is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Northside complex at Synergy Park and Northside boulevards. The festival will feature a chili competition by the Texas Chefs Association and a cooking demonstration with Jennifer Bajsel from “Beat Bobby Flay and “Chopped Junior” winner Tara O'Donnell.

General admission is $15. VIP access is $30. Raffle proceeds will go to the Comet Cupboard. For more information, email Pam Stanley at [email protected].

Comet Cupboard to Hold Food Drive Challenge

The Comet Cupboard and Homecoming Committee have teamed up to challenge faculty and staff to compete by department to see who can collect the most nonperishable items. The Comets Can! Homecoming Challenge runs through November 9th. The department with the most donations will win a celebratory breakfast.

The Comet Cupboard is a student-run initiative that provides food and personal-care items to UT Dallas students in need. The cupboard has served more than 6,000 students since it opened. Last year, more than 200 student volunteers dedicated more than 1,600 service hours to the day-to-day operations of the cupboard. 

Needed items include canned vegetables and fruit, soups, beans, pre-packed meals, cereals, peanut butter, rice, pasta and personal care items. Volunteers will pick up items on Nov. 10th.
Register your department for the Comets Can! Homecoming Challenge today. For more information, contact Elissa Colich at 972-883-2950 or [email protected].

Additionally, the Office of Human Resources is collecting cereal, peanut butter and jelly for the Comet Cupboard during the month of November. Drop off items in the HR collection bins in AD 2.208 and SPN 1.127.

CTL Hosts Discussion on Meeting Diverse Learners’ Needs

The Center for Teaching and Learning presents “The Role of Universal Design in Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners,” a discussion of how accommodating students with disabilities can improve everyone’s learning experience, from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, in the McDermott Library (MC 2.410). Kerry Tate, director of the Office of AccessAbility, will share requirements, recommendations and case examples. RSVP by Wednesday, Oct. 18.

Reminders

Canyon Creek Heights Ribbon-Cutting
Student Affairs and the Office of Administration will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Canyon Creek Heights apartments at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 19. The event will be held in front of Canyon Creek South (CH6) off Waterview Parkway and Loop Road SW. Light refreshments will be served.

Brain Matters: How Cravings and Addiction Affect the Brain
Join Drs. Francesca Filbey and Sven Kroener from the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 24, in the Davidson Auditorium (JSOM 1.118) as they present their latest research on how addiction affects the brain. This event is free, and refreshments will be provided. To take part in the event, register online at the Brain Matters website. If you need assistance registering or have questions, contact Nancy Orlowski at 972-883-4845 or [email protected].

Institutional Review Board Fall Workshops
The Institutional Review Board continues its fall workshop series on applications or protocols for IRB review, amendments or annual renewals of their projects. The next workshop will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 30, in ATC 1.201. Check the Research events calendar for other dates. Call Mary Beth Goodnight at 972-883-4595 for more information.

UT FLEX Deadlines Approaching
The last day to spend your UT FLEX funds this year is Wednesday, Nov. 15, and the last day to submit claims for reimbursement is Thursday, Nov. 30. Learn more about your accounts, deadlines and available resources on the UT System website’s UT Flex Accounts page.

About This Newsletter

Intercom is the official University-wide newsletter for UT Dallas faculty and staff members. This periodic publication is designed to provide University employees with important information necessary for the workplace, as well as community news that supports the University's mission. Guidelines about content and submissions can be found here or contact Stephen Fontenot at [email protected] or ext. 4405.