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Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023
News for the staff and faculty of The University of Texas at Dallas
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Commencement Ambassadors Needed Dec. 18-19
Staff members are invited to sign up as Commencement Ambassadors for the Fall 2023 Commencement Ceremonies. Commencement Ambassadors are volunteers who assist with guest management and customer service during the commencement ceremonies and Grads on the Green.
The deadline to register is Monday, Dec. 4. The shifts for Commencement Ambassadors are:
Monday, Dec. 18: Activity Center
- 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
- noon to 4 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 18: ATC Lecture Hall
- 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
- noon to 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 19: Activity Center
- 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
- noon to 4 p.m.
- 3:34 to 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 19: ATC Lecture Hall
If your school has sent out a request for staff to help with commencement and you have signed up with them, please do not sign up for that shift using this form.
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Cast Texas Constitutional Amendment Ballots on Campus
Voters will decide on 14 Texas constitutional amendments (pdf) on Tuesday, Nov. 7.
UT Dallas is a countywide vote center, which means Dallas County and Collin County registered voters may cast their ballots at their respective campus polling locations regardless of home address.
Dallas County registered voters may vote at the University Bookstore and Visitor Center (VCB) in the atrium between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Parking for visiting voters will be available in Lot F. For more information, visit the Dallas County Elections Department website.
Collin County registered voters may vote on campus at Callier Center Richardson (CR) between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Parking for visiting voters will be available in Lot N. For more information, visit the Collin County website.
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HR Forum Scheduled for Nov. 1
The Office of Human Resources will host its next HR Forum from 10 to 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 1, as a Microsoft Teams live event. Closed captioning is available, and there will be a moderated Q&A forum.
Please refer to the agenda:
- Welcome
- Guest presentations
- Comet Cupboard updates
- First-Generation Celebration Week 2023
- Benefits Flash: Lincoln Financial
- HR updates
- Benefits reminders and wellness events
- March 1 salary changes
- RA/TA spring hiring reminders
- Temporary employees
- Fall employment deadlines
- Annual appraisals
- HR Food Drive in November
- Nonexempt employees and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
- Staff compensation study
- Bright Leaders Program
- Forum feedback survey responses
- Q&A and Closing comments
Join the HR Forum and share this link with your colleagues. If you have questions for the HR Forum, send them to hrforum@utdallas.edu.
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Attend Next Staff Council Meeting on Nov. 8
Staff Council holds regular meetings on the second Wednesday of each month. These meetings serve as a platform to discuss council-related matters and University initiatives. Staff, faculty and students are encouraged to attend. The next meeting will be at 9 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 8. For additional information, including meeting agendas and minutes, visit the Staff Council Meetings page.
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Wellness News
Seasonal Affective Disorder, November EAP Newsletter
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs at a certain time of the year, usually in winter. People who live in places with long winter nights are at elevated risk of developing SAD. Symptoms build slowly in the late-autumn and winter months. SAD can become long-term depression. Deer Oaks EAP can help you or a loved one cope with seasonal depression or manage depression symptoms.
The topics in this month’s EAP Newsletter (pdf) include:
- On-Demand seminar: Caring for the Caregiver — Available starting Tuesday, Nov. 21.
- Support for caregivers.
- International Stress Awareness Day is Nov. 1.
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
- Planning for the winter holidays season.
Visit Deer Oaks EAP and enter “utdallas” for the username and password to access the online seminar.
November Is National Diabetes Month
BlueCross BlueShield of Texas will host a webinar to discuss Omada: Healthy Is for Everyone (pdf). Learn about foods that fuel immunity and understand prediabetes and diabetes. Omada may help you reach your health goals. The webinar will be at noon, Wednesday, Nov. 8. Register for Healthy Is for Everyone.
TIAA Financial Wellness Webinars
Learn how you can act for a more secure future. These webinars are part of your retirement plan benefits. Register for TIAA’s live webinars.
- Wednesday, Nov. 1, 11 a.m. — Woman to Woman: Guide to Savings and Investing
- Thursday, Nov. 2, 2 p.m. — Gifts from the Heart: A Charitable Road Map
- Wednesday, Nov. 8, 1 p.m. — Take Control of Your Life
- Wednesday, Nov. 15, 11 a.m. — Fine-Tuning Your Retirement Strategy
Learn more about TIAA and the UT Retirement Program.
Mobile Mammography
The UT Southwestern Medical Center mobile mammography unit will visit the loading zone north of the Activity Center (AB) from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, Dec. 8. Call 214-645-2560 or 866-277-0710 with your health insurance information to schedule an appointment. 3D scans will be available, and most insurance plans are accepted. CDC safety precautions will be followed. For more information, download the flyer (pdf).
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BrainHealth Best Talks: 25th Anniversary Voting
Over the past 25 years, the Center for BrainHealth has invited top brain health scientists, thinkers and changemakers to help expand public understanding of the rapidly advancing field of brain health — and the many ways in which we are all the architects of our own brain’s health and performance.
To celebrate, the center invites you to enjoy highlights from inspiring talks and vote for your favorites in four categories: Future Impact; Healthy Lifestyle; Mental Health; and Mindset.
The deadline to vote is 5 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 30.
Next Center for BrainHealth Events
Frontiers of BrainHealth – Bridging the Gap: Science Advancement and the Medical Need, noon to 1 p.m., Friday, Nov. 3, Center for BrainHealth — Dr. Iftach Dolev, CEO and founder of QuantalX Neuroscience, established the medical device company to unite scientific progress with medical necessity, create tools for early and objective detection of functional brain disorders, and bring the world of neuroscience to clinical applications. Lunch will be served. Register for Bridging the Gap.
Resilience Is No Coincidence: Lessons from a Trailblazing Life, 7 to 8:15 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 9 — Hear the story of the first Black woman to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy. A lieutenant and one of the first women to serve on a Navy ship, Janie Mines went on to earn an MBA as a Sloan Fellow at MIT and develop deep expertise in change management. She will share insights and stories about overcoming challenges with perseverance and resilience. Series sponsor KERA. Register for virtual No Coincidence or register for in-person No Coincidence.
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Center for Vital Longevity Event
Jean & Bill Booziotis Distinguished Lecture, 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 1, Communities Foundation of Texas — Dr. Ralph Adolphs will present “Social Cognition, Autism, and the Human Brain” during this year’s Jean and Bill Booziotis Distinguished Lecture. Adolphs is a world-renowned social neuroscientist and professor of psychology, neuroscience, and biology at Caltech. This event is free. Register for the lecture.
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BBS Research Program Seeks Applicants
Faculty are encouraged to invite undergraduate and graduate students to submit their posters for the Supporting Outstanding Academic Research (SOAR) Mini-symposium held by the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences.
The goal of the SOAR program is to recognize outstanding young scholars who have identities or perspectives that are underrepresented in science and/or have research interests in diversity-related issues in brain or behavioral sciences; and it aims to create a lasting school climate that supports and retains scholars with diverse perspectives and equity-focused research programs.
There will be a $500 award for the best poster. The deadline to submit a poster is Thursday, Nov. 16. The mini-symposium will be from 1 to 2 p.m., Friday, Dec. 1, at Callier Center Richardson (CR).
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Center for Teaching and Learning Events
CTL Office Hours: Interpreting Student Ratings of their Learning Experience, 4 to 5 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 2, Microsoft Teams — Dr. Karen Huxtable-Jester, CTL director, will lead this open discussion of the benefits student ratings can provide as well as the angst they can sometimes generate. You also will learn strategies for making the most of the feedback you receive. Faculty, staff and graduate students are welcome to join the session. Register for CTL Office Hours.
CTL Webinar Tuesday: Finishing Strong – Making the Most of the Final Stretch of the Semester, 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 7, Microsoft Teams — Join CTL Assistant Director Carol Cirulli Lanham for this workshop on finishing the semester strong. From highlighting the importance of revisiting the syllabus on the last day (or week) of class to harnessing valuable insights from student evaluations, this session will provide you with practical tips to leave a lasting impression on your students. Register for CTL Webinar Tuesday.
Teaching as Well-Being Miniseries – Nurturing Growth: The Healing Impact of Learning, 1 to 3 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 9, Microsoft Teams — The UT System Academy of Distinguished Teachers, in collaboration with UT System Faculty Developers, invites all instructors and graduate students to join a series of presentations and conversations about the relationships between teaching, learning, and well-being. Dr. L. Claudia Arcolin, executive director of teaching and learning experiences at UT San Antonio, will be the speaker. Register for Teaching as Well-Being.
Virtual Exchange/COIL Faculty Showcase: Connecting Classrooms Around the World, 4 to 5 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 14, Microsoft Teams — Virtual exchange is an innovative pedagogy that allows professors and students to use technology to engage with their peers at universities around the globe. UT Dallas faculty will showcase their collaborative online international learning (COIL) projects along with students who will be sharing views of their experiences. Attend the Faculty Showcase.
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McDermott Library Events
Research Party! 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 1, Instruction Atrium (MC 1.2) — Meet the librarians who can help you navigate the library’s website, demonstrate how to use databases and show how to refine keywords to do research more effectively. They can show you resources for creating accurate citations and some tools for creating a works cited list. Bring your device to learn how to access LinkedIn Learning, Libby, The New York Times and other library resources. Light refreshments will be provided.
Measuring Your Scholarly Impact with H-Index, 2 to 3 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 2, Microsoft Teams — The Eugene McDermott Library will present a how-to workshop on the h-index, a metric commonly used to ascertain an author’s or a researcher’s publishing impact. Learn what an h-index is, explore its pros and cons, and find out how to calculate it using library resources and Google Scholar. Register for this library event.
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Office of Research and Innovation Events
Responsible Conduct of Research Professional Series Training: Mentor/Mentee Responsibilities and Relationships, noon to 1 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 7, MC 2.404 — Dr. Catherine Thorn, assistant professor in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, will share mentorship best practices including clear communication, expectations and mutual respect in the lab environment and on research projects. For more information, email Arietha Lafayette.
Richardson Rotary Club @ the IQ, 5 to 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 8, IQ Headquarters — Join the Office of Research and Innovation and the Richardson Rotary Club for a three-part series at the Richardson Innovation Quarter (IQ). Dr. Baowei Fei, professor of bioengineering and computer science at UT Dallas, will share details about the Center for Imaging & Surgical Innovation. A light dinner will be served. Presentations will begin at 5:30 p.m. For more information, email Arietha Lafayette.
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Richardson Seeks Feedback for Comprehensive Plan
The City of Richardson wants your input as part of its Envision Richardson Comprehensive Plan Update.
The plan reflects the community’s vision for the future and will serve as a guiding document for land use, property development and future zoning decisions. It also will inform choices regarding public investments in transportation and other infrastructure enhancements required to support future growth.
Take the Envision Richardson survey.
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Reminder
First-Generation Celebration Week 2023
The Office of Undergraduate Education invites the UT Dallas community and guests to participate in First-Generation Celebration Week.
This year’s events are:
- First-Generation Visibility Walk, noon, Monday, Nov. 6, the Plinth.
- Using Pop Culture to Engage First-Generation Students, noon to 1 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 8, GR 2.302.
Resource Fair, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Friday, Nov. 10, VCB Atrium.
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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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