Musselman Named Provost, VP for Academic Affairs

Inga Musselman

Dr. Inga Musselman, professor of chemistry at UT Dallas, has been named provost and vice president for academic affairs for the University. She has been the interim provost since 2015.

UT Dallas President Richard C. Benson said the choice for the University’s chief academic officer was made after a national search and an extensive interview process involving top candidates. The appointment was effective Dec. 1.

“Dr. Musselman emerged from an extraordinarily strong pool of candidates. She has a stellar record as an educator, researcher and administrator, along with a deep understanding of UT Dallas,” Benson said. “She has served with distinction during her time as interim provost, and I am delighted to continue working with her in leading our University.”

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University Recognizes CARE Award Winners for Fall 2017

Care Award Winners

President Richard C. Benson recently presented the Celebrate Achievement and Reward Excellence Awards — or CARE Awards — established by the Staff Council to honor staff members whose commitment to quality work serves the University’s mission.

This fall’s recipients were Michele Brown (Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science — material sciences), Celeste Burnett (Human Resources), Chaz Lilly (Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science — marketing), Morgan Shockey (Office of Information Technology), Mac Siner (Activity Center) and Monica Williamson (Multicultural Center).

Faculty, staff, students, visitors and customers may nominate staff for the honor. The deadline for the spring awards is March 31.

Campus Prepares for Winter Break

Map of Synergy Park North

The University will be closed for winter break Thursday, Dec. 21, through Tuesday, Jan. 2.

Holiday hours for Dining Services, the Comet Cruiser, Comet Cabs, the McDermott Library, the Activity Center, Rec Center West and the SPN Wellness Center are available on their respective websites.

Additionally, the top levels of Parking Structures 1, 3 and 4 are closed. Vehicles with green permits can park in gold spaces until the top levels reopen Wednesday, Jan. 3, weather permitting. Any vehicles left on those levels will remain there until at least Jan. 3.

Facilities Management has scheduled campus utility outages during winter break to conduct annual maintenance and inspections. The Central Energy Plant, which affects heating and air conditioning only, will shut down from 5 p.m. Wednesday Dec. 20, through Saturday, Dec. 23. Power to a significant portion of campus will shut down from approximately 7 a.m. on Dec. 22 until 7 p.m. on Dec. 23. Please check the Pardon Our Progress website for more information.

Before leaving for winter break, remember to take these steps to conserve energy and protect equipment and data:

  • Turn off and/or unplug all computer equipment and small appliances.
  • Power down lab spaces by closing fume hood sashes and unplugging unused equipment.
  • Clean out refrigerators.
  • Close windows and blinds.
  • Turn off lights.

For more information about construction and maintenance projects on campus, please see the recent News Center story. Also, remember to follow University procedures to stay informed if inclement weather or other events require changes to campus schedules.

Sign Up to Receive Your W-2 Electronically

The Payroll Office will issue W-2s in January to employees who had wages in calendar year 2017. To receive your W-2 electronically, follow these steps by Dec. 31:

Log in to Galaxy, and find “Payroll and Compensation” under “Staff Tools” in the bottom of the center column. Click “W-2/W-2c Consent” on the next page, then check the box that says “Check here to indicate your consent to receive electronic W-2 and W-2c forms.” Then click “Submit.”

Electronic W-2 distribution allows earlier access to and reprinting of W-2 forms from anywhere with internet access.

For more information, email [email protected].

Departments Relocating to Synergy Park North 2

UTD carved in a block of snow

Renovations on Synergy Park North 2 (SP2) are complete, and several departments will move there now through Monday, Jan. 22.

The 79,000 square-foot space will be home to a new student testing facility, aviation archives and most of the Office of Budget and Finance departments. The Bursar Office and the Office of the Vice President for Budget and Finance will remain in the SSB and AD buildings, respectively.

Starting today, paper checks from Payroll or Procurement will be available for pickup at SP2. There will be one scheduled time, from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Jan. 2, when paper checks can be picked up at the old Administration Building payroll office.

Please note these new mailstops, effective Monday, Jan. 1:

  • Budget and Resource Planning / Central Business Office: SP2 21
  • Contract Administration / HUB Program: SP2 22
  • Information Security Office: SP2 23
  • Procurement Management: SP2 24
  • Financial Management Services: SP2 25
  • Payroll: SP2 26
  • Accounting and Financial Reporting: SP2 27

While the postal address is 3020 Waterview Parkway, the building is accessed via Stewart Drive. Additional parking and a staff entrance are at the back of the building.

Winter Break Coding Camps

The Center for Computer Science Education and Outreach will offer multiple weeks of coding camps during winter break. Four levels of camps will be offered, from simple drag-and-drop tools for elementary students to advanced programming in Java for high school students. Immediate families of faculty, staff and students qualify for a 40 percent discount on registration using promotional code UTDFAMILY.

For more information, email Jey Veerasamy at [email protected].

Employee Wellness Lunch-and-Learn on Kidney Health

The Employee Wellness team will host a lunch-and-learn from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17, in Galaxy Rooms A and B (SU 2.602). Vanessa Garnica from the National Kidney Foundation will discuss why your kidneys are so important, and what you can do to protect them. To reserve your lunch, RSVP to [email protected] by Wednesday, Jan. 10.

Medical District Route Approved for Spring 2018

The Office of the Provost and Parking and Transportation will continue the Comet Cruiser Medical District Express Pilot Route in the spring semester beginning Monday, Jan. 8. This shuttle provides service to and from the main UT Dallas campus and the Center for BrainHealth, the Center for Vital Longevity, UT Southwestern, Parkland Hospital and Callier Center Dallas.

The route will operate Monday through Friday, with buses departing from the bus stop at Callier Center Dallas beginning at 7 a.m. each day. A full schedule, detailed route map and bus stop information are available online.

The shuttles are equipped with Wi-Fi as well as GPS tracking to allow riders to locate where each shuttle is on the route. The route will run through the spring semester, at which time it will be re-evaluated.

Human Resources Thanks Comet Cupboard Supporters

The Office of Human Resources extends a special thanks to faculty and staff for their generous support of the November food drive benefiting the Comet Cupboard. A total of 686 donations were collected to benefit students in need. To learn how your department can become a food drive sponsor, visit the Comet Cupboard website or call 972-883-2950.

Reminders

Volunteers Needed to Welcome Students on Jan. 8
The Office of Administration is seeking staff and faculty volunteers for the annual Student Welcome on Monday, Jan. 8. Volunteers inside the Student Union and the Naveen Jindal School of Management will interact with students, answer questions and hand out maps and giveaways. To volunteer, email [email protected] or call 972-883-2213 by Thursday, Dec. 21.

University Co-Hosts Neuroimaging Symposium at UTSW
The Center for Vital Longevity will hold its biennial Science Symposium, “Neuroimaging Is a Team Sport: The Promise of Multimodal Imaging and Cross-Institutional Collaborations,” in conjunction with UT Southwestern Medical Center. The symposium is Friday, Jan. 26, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at T. Boone Pickens Auditorium at UT Southwestern, 6001 Forest Park Road, Dallas.

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.