‘Hookup Scene’ Lecture to Kick Off Gender Series
Sept. 9, 2009
An examination of “Gender and the College Hookup Scene” will get this year's Gender Studies Lecture Series off to a start.
The Carolyn Lipshy Galerstein Women’s Center presents the lectures, which are organized by Dr. Karen Prager in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies.
Co-sponsored by the Gender Studies program, the series invites speakers from around the country to address gender issues.
“Our focus for the series this year is on gender and sexuality,” said Lauren DeCillis, Director of the Women’s Center. “The lectures are free to students, faculty, staff and community members.”
The School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences is also a sponsor.
First up in the series is Dr. Paula England from Stanford University, who will provide a detailed description and analysis of today’s college “hookup” culture.
“It seems that the sexual revolution didn’t produce much of a gender revolution in the bedroom,” said England. “Among the parents of today’s college students, it became common to have sex with their boyfriends or girlfriends.”
According to England, today’s hookup culture has taken this one step further — some sexual contact often precedes any interest in a relationship. “Some parts of this scene remain surprisingly governed by old-fashioned gender ideas,” said England, “like the double standard, in which sexually active women are ‘sluts’ while active guys are ‘players.’”
Dr. England, a professor of sociology and an affiliate of the Clayman Institute for Gender Research, is a former editor of the American Sociological Review. Her research focuses on gender inequality in labor markets and the effect of gender and class systems on family life. She is the author of Comparable Worth (1992) and has co-authored Households, Employment and Gender (1986) with George Farkas.
The second lecturer in the series is Dr. Ron Smyth from the University of Toronto, who will discuss the diversity of both straight and gay/lesbian speakers’ phonetic output and how “verbal gaydar” skills are lacking among both male and female speakers.
Dr. Smyth is associate professor in the Department of Humanities (Linguistics) and the Department of Life Sciences (Psychology). He is also an adjunct professor in speech-language pathology. His research interests and expertise include psycholinguistics, sociophonetics and graduate supervision/funding.
Would-be Teachers Woo Employers at Annual Expo
March 30, 2009
Approximately 180 current and former Teacher Development Center students, UT Dallas students and interested persons from the surrounding community met March 11 in the Student Union hallway outside the Galaxy Rooms, and they were on a mission.
They were out to meet the recruiters from 41 Texas public and private schools and make a favorable first impression that would lead to a job.
Meanwhile, the recruiters were on the other side of the doors hurriedly making last-minute preparations to their booths. When the clock struck 1, the would-be teachers flooded the hall to speak with school representatives.
Everett Brunson, headmaster at Longview ISD’s Longview Global High School, made his first trip to the UT Dallas Teacher Expo because he needed to hire four science and three math teachers for his STEM academy. Longview ISD has previously participated in the job fair; the district also sought teachers for English and social studies.
“When you want quality math and science teachers, you come to UT Dallas,” said Brunson.
About 100 student teachers finish preparations each semester through the University’s Teacher Development Center, meaning that they’ve completed student teaching requirements and have earned their degrees. Most are undergraduates.
“As I walked around the room, I was so proud of our students,” said Scherry Johnson, director of the Teacher Development Center. “They were well prepared to ask and answer the right questions – and they looked and acted very professionally. I am confident that most, if not all of the 180-plus attendees, will find good teaching jobs. That is no small accomplishment for any college graduate in this economy.”
Sponsored by the UT Dallas Career Center, the Teacher Expo is held each March and attracts spring as well as fall graduates.
“The job outlook remains strong for teachers at the K-12 level,” said Karen Baynham, Career Center career programs coordinator. “Even when there have been reports of districts laying off people, some continue to hire.”
The University has held a career fair for teachers for more than 20 years. Priority is given to UT Dallas students, but other interested applicants are also welcome.
Reminiscences, Diversity Awards Honor MLK’s Legacy
Interdisciplinary Studies Dean George Fair Lauded for Dedication to University
Jan. 16, 2009
On what would have been his 80th birthday, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was honored Thursday in speech and in spirit during the University’s seventh annual breakfast and diversity award ceremony held in his honor.
A keynote speech by Xernona Clayton, founder of the Trumpet Awards Foundation, an organization that annually recognizes the accomplishments and contributions of top African Americans, kicked off the morning.
In a moving and often humorous talk, Clayton offered reflections about the fallen civil rights leader — whom she knew — and encouraged the students in attendance to work hard and focus on their goals.
“Dr. Martin Luther King wanted us all to enjoy the fruits that were granted to us,” Clayton reflected. “I encourage you to go to school and to prepare for something, but don’t ever pass up an opportunity. Dr. King was a man with a mission who took the time to occupy his life, to save the world of its ills, and to make it a better place for all.”
New this year, the Office of Diversity and Community Engagement gave its first Faculty Diversity Award, which was accompanied by a $2,500 stipend.
Dr. George Fair, recipient of the award and dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies, was praised for his leadership within the school and at the University, as well as for his values and dedication to community service throughout the North Texas region.
Fair has served as dean since 1994. In 1999, he initiated the University’s widely praised Academic Bridge Program (ABP). The ABP seeks to attract, support and retain students with high class rankings but who may not have completed the full university-track curriculum or met all the University’s rigorous entrance requirements.
The ABP advocates smaller classes for its members, with 20 or fewer students per instructor. It also provides tutoring and supplemental instruction, campus orientation activities, extracurricular activities and field trips. Students enrolled in the program receive academic and social support throughout their tenure at UT Dallas.
In addition to his duties as dean, Fair conducts research about homeless youth. In fact, in the Dallas area alone, he has helped raised more than $4 million over the last 10 years to assist with the education of children and youth from local homeless families.
Along those lines, Fair coordinates an annual Kids University program at UT Dallas in partnership with Rainbow Days Inc. Held each summer, the weeklong program provides children the opportunity to learn about the importance of a college education.
In accepting the award, Fair offered congratulations and praise to those in the audience and beyond.
“This is not just an award for me — it goes to the entire University — and I thank my staff and students for their dedication to the cause of diversity,” Fair said.
During the breakfast, the Office of Diversity and Community Engagement also gave two Corporate Diversity awards. Texas Instruments was recognized for the company’s creation of the Diversity Graduate Fellowship, and Ericsson was praised for its contributions to the Academic Bridge Program and the School of Management via the Ericsson Academic Scholarship.
The Office of Diversity and Community Engagement devotes itself to embracing, enhancing and celebrating diversity at all levels of the University and the community through the efforts of faculty, staff, students, the executive leadership and community partnerships.
The theme for this year’s celebration was “He Had a Dream.” The Office of Diversity and Community Engagement, the Multicultural Center and a host of student organizations sponsored Clayton’s talk.
King’s birthday was Jan. 15. The MLK holiday for staff and students will be observed Jan. 19, the same day as the federal holiday.
Program Helps Little Ones Get a Jump on Education
School of Interdisciplinary Studies Partners with National Preschool Organization
Sept. 5, 2008
The School of Interdisciplinary Studies is helping to rewrite the story on child literacy problems by working with a national organization to shore up skills among Dallas-area preschool kids.
The school has become an affiliate of the national nonprofit organization Jumpstart. Since its inception at Yale University in 1993, Jumpstart has been pairing at-risk preschool children with adult volunteers in intensive, year-long relationships to build the literacy, social and emotional skills children need to thrive.
UT Dallas and eight other prestigious universities across the country are partnering with Jumpstart for the first time this school year. The expansion will allow Jumpstart to serve nearly 15,000 preschool children around the country.
“It was extremely important to us to bring the Jumpstart program to the Dallas area,” said George Fair, dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies. “This is a new tool for UT Dallas to serve the community in a very measurable and impactful way.”
The program’s Read for the Record initiative also hosts book drives for partner daycare centers. According to Jumpstart, more than 80 percent of preschool and after-school programs serving children from low-income families have no age-appropriate books for their children.
The organization’s research also indicates that although only one book is available per 300 children in low-income areas, the statistic is much higher for more affluent neighborhoods: An average of 13 book titles is available to each child in middle-income neighborhoods. Jumpstart asserts that the number of books in a child’s home is the only measure that significantly impacts a child’s reading scores.
The program delivers a research-based, best practice curriculum to preschoolers in nearly 70 communities in 20 states across America. During the eight-month Jumpstart school year, program members serve 10-12 hours each week through a mix of assistance during regular daycare hours and structured supplemental classroom sessions.
“The time commitment on the part of the college students is an investment in each child’s future,” said Bellatin. “The ripple effect for each child and their family is huge.”
The preschool children aren’t the only ones who benefit from the program. Jumpstart imbues college students with the value of community service.
“Seeing the children’s excitement at being able to read when they start kindergarten was incredible,” said UT Dallas Jumpstart team leader Olivia Myles, who previously volunteered with the Jumpstart program at San Francisco State University.
“My desire to be involved in the Dallas community and to help children be prepared for kindergarten prompted me to sign up for the new program here,” said Myles. “Knowing the program works makes me feel very satisfied about giving my time to the organization.”
The other new universities to the program are Boston College, Rutgers University, Catholic University, Emory University, North Park University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Seattle University and Whittier College.
Jumpstart is a volunteer program; however, UT Dallas participants who complete the service term may be eligible for work/study assistance, course credit or an AmeriCorps education award of up to $1,000 to use towards tuition, loans or books.
Alternative Summer Means an Easier Transition
Academic Bridge Program Gives Participating Freshmen Advanced Experience
Aug. 26, 2008
Forty-two UT Dallas students have a jump on freshman year, thanks to their decision to forgo a traditional summer break in favor of participation in the UT Dallas Academic Bridge Program.
The Academic Bridge Program (ABP), housed in the School of General Studies, provides a college “incubator” for students who graduate from Dallas-area urban high schools with high class rankings but who have not completed a full college prep curriculum. This summer scholarship program is offered to select entering freshmen and gives them the opportunity to begin their university education immediately after high school graduation.
Neha Nalam, a Plano ISD graduate who is interested in software engineering and business, discovered ABP at Scholar’s Day. She spent her summer immersed in the college environment.
“ABP was a good introduction to college life; every day we go play volleyball, participate in a study group, go swimming or go to the gym,” said Nalam. “When I came to the ABP, it was hard because no one knew anyone else. After a couple of weeks, I started meeting people and it was a lot of fun. I’m kind of sad that it’s over.”
Accumulating course credits is one way the Academic Bridge Program helps students get ahead; a maximum of nine credit hours may be earned in the two-month program. All students take the same classes – math, rhetoric and orientation; students who intend to major in engineering or computer science take Introduction to Engineering and Computer Science for an additional credit hour.
ABP students benefit from small class sizes of 20 or fewer students, tutoring and campus orientation activities. Additionally, the best students of each class are eligible for the Bridge Builders Award, a $1,000 scholarship given to outstanding ABP students.
But perhaps equally significant is the way students are introduced to the social aspects of college life. ABP students live in University dorms, associate with current UT Dallas upperclassmen and experience Metroplex attractions with their peers, all while having the resources of the ABP staff to help ease the transition to life away from home.
“I got to experience true college life through ABP; the classes are fast-paced and the teachers are the same instructors other UT Dallas students would take classes from throughout the school year,” said Thai Cao, Dallas ISD graduate and ABP student interested in biology. “I also got to improve my oral presentation skills this summer. We had to present information about campus resources in the rhetoric class to the other ABP members, which also allowed me to share information with my ABP classmates.”
And the ABP experience doesn’t end when fall classes begin. ABP students have the supportive resources of the School of General Studies for the duration of their UT Dallas academic career.
“The School of General Studies faculty supports the Academic Bridge students with advising, internships and community work opportunities,” said Dr. George Fair, dean of the School of General Studies. “We believe in providing them with an appropriate level of individualized support as they move toward their goal of earning an undergraduate degree.”
At 68 percent, the Academic Bridge Program boasts a graduation rate higher than that of the University overall. Financial support for the ABP comes from the Texas Legislature, UT Dallas and private donations.
“Because we provide full scholarships for the students in Academic Bridge, including funds for tuition, books, housing and meals, sustaining the program is a challenge,” said Fair. “We couldn’t deliver the level of excellence that we do without the support of our public and private funding.”
Isaac Miller, a Garland ISD graduate interested in computer science, believes ABP gave him the head start he was looking for before entering college.
“The ABP program met and rose above my expectations. I knew I wanted to do summer school to get an idea of what college would be like before the fall, but the ABP also gave away a lot of scholarships and gave us the opportunity to do community service,” said Miller. “I made a lot of friends who I now consider a second family. This is the best thing to do if you’re an incoming freshman.”
Students are selected via written application and personal interview each spring. For more information on the Academic Bridge Program or the School of General Studies, call (972) 883-2655 or visit http://www.utdallas.edu/is/.
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