New VP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | July 26, 2021
After nearly a decade of service, Vice President for Diversity and Community Engagement George Fair will be replaced by a new Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) this fall. Set for induction on Aug. 23, Yvette Pearson comes from Rice University where she served as Associate Dean of Engineering. While at Rice, Pearson […]
Comet Cab Comeback | July 26, 2021
Following an extended suspension of regular campus transportation, the Parking and Transportation Office is preparing for Comet Cabs to return to full functionality by the end of the upcoming semester. Assistant Director of UTD Parking and Transportation Elena Galli Grant, one of the administrators in charge of this process, said that the plan currently is […]
Sensory overload | July 26, 2021
A UTD professor created low-cost air sensors that track pollutant levels in local communities and detect increases in air pollution in real-time. Physics professor David Lary aspired to conduct a project that would make a mark on the world. 10 years ago, he established the Multi-Scale Integrated Interactive Intelligent Sensing (MINTS) initiative: a set of […]
Easing into intramurals | July 26, 2021
As Comets return to the reality of in-person schooling, a plethora of other opportunities present themselves – including the potential for in-person sports. In the words of Assistant Director of Competitive Sports Chris Gormley, “We’re back!” As with just about any post-COVID program, the intramurals will not look identical to their pre-pandemic counterparts. However, Gormley […]
Credit hour limit extended | July 26, 2021
Starting this fall, UTD undergraduates will be allowed to take a maximum of 19 credit hours in a long semester without special permission. In previous semesters, students who wished to take more than 18 hours had to obtain permission from the Associate Dean of their school. After reviewing the student’s academic record and intended course […]
Update: Housing’s COVID protocols | July 26, 2021
UTD’s proactive testing and isolation programs will continue this fall, but on a reduced scale, as the University plans to rely on vaccinations to drive down case count. Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Matt Grief, who oversaw University Housing’s COVID testing and response program last year, said that due to CDC restrictions on international […]
Cafe Review | July 26, 2021
Opening the doors to La Casita Bakeshop, a gentle aroma of freshly baked delicacies and warm smiles greet visitors as they peruse through the shop. Only open on the weekends, La Casita is run by Marisca Tresco and Alex Henderson in an old plaza located off of Arapaho and Custer. The bakery’s name derives from […]
Rewriting the book on religion | July 26, 2021
As a Muslim growing up in the United States, UTD alumnus Badees Nouiouat often found himself frustrated at the lack of an authentic representation of his faith in children’s books. At school, the history he was taught was extremely Western-centric, and it was difficult to find literature and media that didn’t vilify Muslim characters. As […]
Student debt mural | July 26, 2021
ATEC senior Erin Bray kneels on the Texas Instruments Plaza pavement, etching a chalk outline of America onto the concrete while grabbing stacks of Maruchan ramen to assemble. They stand there for hours talking to passersby about the 250 packages of chicken, shrimp and beef ramen they’ve dumped onto America to represent the country’s $1.7 […]
The SCC needs to do better | July 26, 2021
Due to visible understaffing issues, the UTD Student Counseling Center (SCC) is unequipped to address mental health in a personalized manner that acknowledges individual identities and situations. While stress has been a prevailing problem on many college campuses for years, the pandemic has made it more important now than ever for students struggling with anxiety […]
Too many esports not enough vods | July 26, 2021
Following collegiate esports is often much more difficult than it should be due to a lack of video footage and coinciding broadcast times with esports leagues around the world. For nearly all of UTD’s esports, from Overwatch to League of Legends, games are broadcast on a platform, sometimes on UTD esports’ Twitch, and they’re normally […]