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Wednesday, March 20, 2024
News for the staff and faculty of The University of Texas at Dallas
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Spring 2024 CARE Awards Nominations are Open
The Staff Council CARE Awards — short for Celebrate Achievement, Reward Excellence — acknowledge and honor the exceptional contributions of staff members at the University. Awards are given to individuals who have exhibited outstanding performance, provided excellent customer service and undertaken actions that have positively impacted the University’s reputation. If you know a staff member who has demonstrated excellence and deserves recognition, you can nominate them for a CARE Award (pdf). Nominations must be submitted by Sunday, March 31 by midnight.
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Staff Polo Shirts Available
UT Dallas staff polo shirts are available for purchase as part of a Staff Council fundraiser for staff scholarships. Orders will be taken through Wednesday, March 27, with pickups arranged individually. The shirts are available in most sizes and cost $25. Email the Staff Council Fundraising Committee with any questions.
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Walk to Support Suicide Prevention
The UT Dallas Student Wellness Center is collaborating with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to hold the Out of the Darkness Campus Walk on Tuesday, April 2. The goal of the event is to advocate for mental health programs and to offer support to individuals and families affected by suicide, which is the second-leading cause of death for college students.
You can register online for Campus Walk or on-site at 5 p.m. The walk kicks off at 6 p.m. at the Margaret McDermott Trellis Plaza. Faculty, students and staff are invited to join the walk to show their support. Volunteers also are needed. Email the Student Wellness Center to get involved.
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Register To Serve as a Commencement Volunteer
Staff members are invited to sign up as volunteers for the Spring 2024 Commencement Ceremonies. Volunteers assist with guest management and customer service during the ceremonies. The shifts are:
Monday, May 13
- 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
- Noon to 3 p.m.
- 3 to 6 p.m.
Tuesday, May 14
- 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
- Noon to 3 p.m.
- 3 to 6 p.m.
Wednesday, May 15
The deadline to sign up to volunteer is Monday, April 29.
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New AI Chat Solution Offered for UT Dallas Community
The Office of Information Technology (OIT) has introduced a new artificial intelligence (AI) chat solution for staff and faculty that can help productivity while allowing a higher level of security. Copilot is the approved AI chat solution because it offers the power of GPT-4 with commercial data protection from Microsoft. It generates custom answers using current web data, and you can ask follow-up questions to get the answer you need. Using Copilot prevents leaking University information, whereas using AI tools on the web may expose private data to the public. UTD’s recommendation is to only use Copilot with commercial data protection for AI-powered chat.
Check the OIT site for more information about Copilot and how to log in to it.
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Provost’s Office Offers Faculty Mentoring Workshops
The UT Dallas faculty mentoring program, operated by the Office of the Provost, will host workshops April 5 and 12. Both events will be from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the CTL classroom, MC 2.404. Lunch will be provided.
- Friday, April 5 — Workshop: Tenure and Promotion Strategies for Tenure-Track Faculty
RSVP by March 27.
- Friday, April 12 — Workshop: Promotion Strategies for Non-Tenure Track Faculty
RSVP by April 3.
The faculty mentoring program offers guidance to faculty on research, teaching, and service. The program includes facilitated networking opportunities, the sharing of best practices, and outlets for peer support.
For more information, email Provost Faculty Mentoring or join Faculty Mentoring on Microsoft Teams.
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RSVP for Leadership Trailblazers Honoree Luncheon on April 18
Faculty and staff are invited to attend the new Leadership Trailblazers Honoree Luncheon.
The event, which will recognize UT Dallas faculty, staff and students who have made significant leadership contributions in supporting the participation and success of women at UT Dallas, will be Thursday, April 18 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center (DGA).
The event is hosted by the Office of Campus Support and Resources and the UT Dallas Women Employee Resources Group, comprised of dedicated University leaders committed to promoting the advancement of women at all levels of service at UT Dallas and beyond. The program will commence with remarks by Dr. Inga Musselman, UT Dallas vice president for academic affairs and provost, professor of chemistry and Cecil H. Green Distinguished Chair of Academic Leadership.
Register for the luncheon.
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Tax Assistance for Noncitizens Available
Noncitizens employed by UT Dallas — including staff, faculty and students — can receive help with their U.S. tax filing through a partnership between UT Dallas and the Dallas Community Tax Centers (DCTC), a reputable nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the community through tax assistance. If you have received any U.S. source income in 2023, it is crucial that you file a U.S. tax return with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). U.S. source income includes wages, taxable scholarships, housing stipends, cash awards, etc.
DCTC has designated a site specifically for noncitizens: Fretz Park Library, 6990 Belt Line Road in Dallas. This site is minutes away from UTD and is equipped to assist individuals with their international/NR returns for free. To access this assistance, please visit the site or the DCTC website.
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Registration Open for UNITE Conference
Register to attend the second UNITE (Uniting Networks for Institutional Transformation and Education) professional development mini-conference hosted by Training & Education Programs, a division of the Office of Campus Resources and Support. The conference will be Thursday, March 28, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center (DGA).
This year’s theme, Transformational Practices and Continuing to Inspire, will encapsulate the essence of what lies ahead: a convergence of ideas, strategies and success stories that will elevate your professional journey to unprecedented heights. For more information, email Klarissa Y. Perez.
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Porter Assumes New Assistant Dean Role
Benjamin Porter MS’08, PhD’11 has been named assistant dean for effective teaching in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. This new position, which will partner with the University’s Center for Teaching and Learning, was created to reinforce one of the University’s core functions ― teaching ― as well as fortify a culture within the Jonsson School prioritizing student success, looking beyond GPA as the lone metric for achievement and rewarding creative, innovative teaching methods in curricula and class design.
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OBF Offers Professional Development Workshops
The Office of Budget and Finance is offering a series of professional development workshops Thursday, March 21-22.
Practical Uses of AI, Thursday, March 21, 10 to 11:30 a.m., presented by Orkun Toros. Unlock the power of AI with ChatGPT, unravel new insights and connections using data analysis, and explore creative possibilities with crafting unique audio and video media.
Excel 101, Thursday March 21, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., presented by Oz du Soleil. Master basic formulas, proper layout, and how to sort and filter, analyze ways to simplify and organize your workbooks, and discover how to effectively utilize PivotTable.
May TRUST Be With You! Friday, March 22, 10 to 11:30 a.m., presented by Yoram Solomon. Ponder a new definition of trust and the impacts it has on life, gain insight into how trust affects all interactions, and reframe your understanding of trust to benefit all aspects of your relationships — both personal and professional.
Tell a Clear Technical Story, Friday, March 22, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., presented by Melissa Marshall. Develop an audience-centric speaking approach to conveying data, adapt complex content in a meaningful way to audience members of different backgrounds, and enhance clarity and engagement to create convincing recommendations.
Find more information and registration links on the OBF training website.
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Wellness Events
Catapult Health Virtual Checkup
Getting a health checkup has never been easier. VirtualCheckup is a fully covered health benefit. No deductible. No co-pay. No out-of-pocket expense. Sign up for a Catapult Health home kit and virtual visit on the VirtualCheckup site. For more information, download the VirtualCheckup flyer (pdf).
EAP Stress Management Webinar Series
Deer Oaks EAP Services is offering the Stress Management quarterly webinar series designed to provide employees with the knowledge and skills necessary to cope more effectively with stress so they can live healthier and more productive lives. Download the attached webinar series flyer (pdf) for information and to join the live sessions. Employees also will have unlimited access to the session recordings.
How To Change Your Perspective To Better Cope with Stress
Monday, March 25 from 1 to 2 p.m. This practical session will discuss strategies for managing the way we look at and think about the stressful situations in our lives to improve our stress management capabilities and coping skills. Register for stress management.
Well-Being Videos
Deer Oaks EAP Services also offers well-being videos produced by an award-winning well-being company, Caravan Wellness, as part of your EAP + Work-Life Benefit. The wellness series (pdf) provides a wealth of information on areas that might be of interest to employees and household members. Log on to the EAP member site — enter utdallas for the username and password — and look for the well-being videos tile on the homepage.
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Center for Teaching and Learning Events
Office Hours: Introduction to Microsoft Copilot-Enterprise Edition, 4 to 5 p.m., Thursday, April 4, Microsoft Teams — Faculty, staff and PhD students are invited to learn about the enterprise edition of Microsoft Copilot, which offers a secure way to use generative AI on campus. Kishore Thakur, assistant vice president of enterprise technology and innovation services in the Office of Information Technology, and Dr. Sarah Moore, director of the Business Communication Center and associate professor in the Naveen Jindal School of Management, will answer questions about this new tool. Moore also is facilitating a Faculty Learning Community on Generative AI and Instruction. RSVP by April 2 for a calendar invite.
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Office of Research and Innovation Events
Richardson Rotary Club @ the IQ, 5 p.m., Wednesday, March 20, Richardson Innovation Quarter Headquarters — Please join the Office of Research and Innovation as it continues a three-part series where community members will learn about prominent research at UTD. During this session, Dr. Rym Zalila-Wenkstern, professor of computer science at the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, will highlight the Center for Smart Mobility. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in a Q&A session with Zalila-Wenkstern and learn more about the center. A light dinner will be served. Presentations begin at 5:30 p.m. Registration is required. For more information, contact Arietha Lafayette.
RCR Professional Series Training, noon to 1 p.m., Thursday, March 21, Tuesday, March 26 and Thursday, March 28 — To earn a Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Professional Series certification, students, postdocs, and staff must complete the RCR Foundations training and RCR Development Series plus two elective in-person seminars. Elective seminars are presented by prominent university researchers in their fields of expertise. For more information, contact Arietha Lafayette.
Research Security Series – Managing Research Guests, noon to 1 p.m., Wednesday, March 27 — The Office of Research and Innovation and the International Students and Scholars Office will introduce researchers and administrators to good practices for inviting and hosting research guests. Collaborating with scientists, faculty, and researchers from other institutions creates unique and exciting opportunities for UTD researchers. However, it also creates obligations that can be challenging to navigate. The presenters will cover how research visitors can trigger risks for access management, export controls, data, and intellectual property, and externally funded research, and share practices and procedures UTD employees can follow to reduce or remove those risks. For more information, contact Arietha Lafayette.
REDCap: Practical Project Creation (OHSP Training), 10 to 11 a.m., Thursday, March 28 — Join the Office of Human Subjects Protections (OHSP) for a virtual meeting centered around practical project creation on REDCap. In this session, you will have the unique opportunity to witness Justin Mpanga, a clinical data specialist III, as he carefully constructs a research project from the ground up. With a focus on maintaining data integrity, Mpanga will guide you through the process, sharing invaluable insights and best practices along the way. Don’t miss this chance to gain practical experience and deepen your understanding of project creation. Please join us and bring your questions about REDCap. For more information, contact Arietha Lafayette.
Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Development Series Spring 2024, noon to 1 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 2 to 25 — The Responsible Conduct of Research Development Series is a multi-session series designed to engage the UT Dallas research community in contemporary issues in research ethics and scientific integrity. Workshops provide instruction commensurate with grant funding requirements for NIH and NSF. For more information, contact Arietha Lafayette.
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Notice of Title IX Policy and Resources
The University of Texas at Dallas is committed to maintaining a learning and working environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based on sex in accordance with federal and state laws, including Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972. The University’s Sexual Misconduct Policy prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, which includes discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.
UT Dallas also prohibits retaliation against any person opposing discrimination or participating in any discrimination investigation or complaint process internal or external to the institution. Sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, and stalking are forms of sex discrimination, which are prohibited under Title IX and by UT Dallas policy.
To report prohibited conduct, complete the secure online form on the Title IX website, or contact:
Marco Mendoza
Title IX Coordinator
Office of Institutional Compliance
TitleIXCoordinator@utdallas.edu
972-883-5202
AD 3.108
Crimes should be reported to the UT Dallas Police Department by calling 972-883-2222 or dial 911 in an emergency.
A person may also file a complaint with the appropriate federal, state, or local agency within the time required by law. Depending upon the nature of the complaint, the appropriate agency may be the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Education, or the Texas Workforce Commission, Civil Rights Division.
Confidential Resources and Support
Pursuant to Texas Education Code, Subchapter E-2, an employee of a postsecondary educational institution who, in the course and scope of employment, witnesses or receives information regarding the occurrence of an incident that the employee thinks constitutes sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking and is alleged to have been committed by or against a person who was a student enrolled at or an employee of the institution at the time of the incident shall promptly report the incident to the institution’s Title IX coordinator. UT Dallas policy extends this reporting requirement to resident life directors and advisors, and graduate teaching assistants.
Students and employees may share information confidentially with licensed counselors and health care professionals at the Student Counseling Center, Student Health Center, and Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
The Title IX Resources webpage lists additional resources for counseling, health care, survivor advocacy, legal assistance and other survivor services.
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Chess Assistant Director Passes Away
Luis Salinas, the assistant director of the UT Dallas chess program from 2002 to 2020, passed away March 11 at age 67. Salinas supervised more than 2,500 U.S. Chess-rated tournaments between 1991 and 2023. He was also the president of the Dallas Chess Club.
“For two decades, Luis Salinas was the indispensable person in managing the myriad details for the chess team,” said Jim Stallings, director of the UT Dallas chess program. “His never-ending work kept the chess program and chess team functioning at a high level of excellence. Without his work, the team would have gone nowhere.”
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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 valuable information necessary for the workplace, as well as community news that supports the University’s mission. Visit the Intercom website for guidelines about content and submissions.
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