Crash course: trends in auto-mobile accidents | November 15, 2021
Anjali Singh spends an hour a day, five days a week, enjoying her commute from Plano to UTD. But after witnessing several recent car crashes along Waterview Parkway, the computer science freshman said that she has become much more vigilant while driving as her commute is starting to feel more dangerous. “There are a lot […]
UTD creates two new minors | November 15, 2021
Over a year after it was announced, one of the recommendations from the Living Our Values Task Force is now coming to fruition: UTD is getting two new minors. Formed in the summer of 2020 after calls from the Black Student Body for reform, the Task Force developed recommendations for administration to address racial equity […]
Comets can now report COVID-19 booster status | November 15, 2021
With COVID-19 booster shots now available, UTD is asking faculty, staff and students who have received boosters to update their vaccination status online. Comets can submit updates on the new Voluntary COVID-19 Booster Reporting Form. Similar to the original Voluntary Vaccine Reporting Form, it asks for the type of shot (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & […]
Hear no gender, read no gender | November 15, 2021
Yes, it’s true. Sexism still exists in this country; we have failed to stamp it out with our Birkenstocks-laden feet. The concept I’m here to discuss is Gender Neutrality in Language. The concept is a simple one. We should begin to alter our language to reflect the evolution of social graces and the progression of […]
Volleyball team wins ASC Championships | November 15, 2021
The volleyball team concludes their year with an 18-10 overall record, after winning the program’s record-setting seventh ASC Title and advancing to the second round in the NCAA D-III championships. After an injury-laden first half of the season, the Comets battled their way into the second seed for the Conference postseason with an 8-for-10 October. […]
The best and worst of esports today: 11/15/21 | November 15, 2021
Collegiate Smash Trophy is claimed yet again Some connection issues here, some close fights there, but in the end, the UTD Smash team proves once again that they stand on top of the collegiate crew battles smash scene. With the lack of an “official” crew scene from CSL this semester, the Collegiate Smash Brothers league […]
When in Rome, find a Dictionary | November 15, 2021
Remember your middle school edgelord phase? Imagine that, but in the context of rising political tensions and domestic terrorism in late 1970s Italy, and you’ve got the recipe for a fascinating novel. Recipes can only go so far, however, and the taste in my mouth after reading “Time on My Hands” leaves a lot to […]
“Darkest Dungeon 2” improves upon original | November 15, 2021
Ruin has found us all once again. The Darkest Dungeon 2 early access release invites players into a world that has already undergone the Lovecraftian apocalypse and demands that they make the journey to save it. The sequel differs from the original in a few key ways. While it is still a turn-based rogue-lite with […]
Edgar Wright’s latest film is exceptional | November 15, 2021
The elegance and mayhem of 1960s London come alive in Edgar Wright’s new film “Last Night in Soho” with a versatile cast, unexpected storylines and an immersive soundtrack. The film follows Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie), a country girl on her way to attend fashion school in London. Upon watching Eloise venture into the city with bright […]
Demon Slayer: Riding on the back of game | November 15, 2021
“Demon Slayer” is using its success to propel itself into the video game market to make as much profit as they can, and that’s maybe the best choice any anime series has ever made. While the new video game, “Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles,” is not expansive to the franchise or plot, it adds to […]
The Eugene McDermott Library needs beautification | November 15, 2021
UTD’s McDermott Library is one of the most popular places to study on campus. For incoming college freshmen, it is one of the highlights of the campus tour. Its four floors hold hundreds of students every week and serve not only as a place to study and do homework but as a space for students […]
Capitalism, ghosts and much more | November 15, 2021
We all have a complicated relationship with jobs—but no other story can capture this complexity in words and visuals like Aminder Dhaliwal’s comic “Dead End Jobs for Ghosts.” Some days work is the best thing ever; you’re being productive and building toward bigger goals. Other days it doesn’t seem so worth it, and maybe customers […]
Sensitive topics need a second take | February 15, 2021
Film production companies bank on compelling and entertaining storylines for high ratings that often don’t portray reality. Unfortunately, these bingeable plots are often written at the cost of romanticizing harmful issues that can negatively impact audiences and normalize unhealthy behaviors. For many of us, our first encounter with sensitive topics like drugs, abuse and suicide […]
Scrutiny of leaders is key | February 15, 2021
The Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot and its aftermath are a reminder that we must be critical of our political leaders – especially the ones we might favor – to avoid blind allegiance and knee-jerk reactions. Post-election and pre-Capitol riot, former president Donald Trump gave speeches on how the election was fraudulent, speeches that appealed […]
Editing with (more) care | February 15, 2021
Op-eds can be dicey, to say the least. Remember last summer when The New York Times published an incendiary editorial by Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton advocating military intervention to curb BLM protests? The decision to print that authoritarian garbage was so ill-advised that the newspaper’s opinion editor resigned and the outlet’s op-ed process was overhauled. […]
It’s time to stop crunch time | February 15, 2021
As students enter the game industry, it is important that they recognize their responsibility in advocating for more sustainable industry labor practices. Every year ATEC enrolls upwards of 1,800 students in its various undergraduate and post-graduate programs. In a technology hub like Dallas, it is not surprising that many ATEC students hope to break into […]
‘To the moon’ with a Comet | February 15, 2021
Bolstered by discussion within subreddit r/wallstreetbets, political science junior Eduardo Pasaret is one of a few UTD students who bought in early to the online insurgency against Wall Street. Pasaret sold the entirety of his $3000 stock market holdings in Tesla and other companies to invest in a declining GameStop stock. Consensus on the subreddit […]
Provost appoints new NSM dean | February 15, 2021
Following the departure of the former dean in January 2020, a new non-interim dean has been appointed to the school of Natural Sciences and Math. Appointed on Feb. 1, David Hyndman comes from Michigan State University, where he was a professor, academic advisor and hydrogeology researcher. Hyndman succeeds Associate Provost Bruce Novak, who was dean […]
And the band plays on…virtually | February 15, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic brought a variety of challenges to UTD’s art programs; however, the university’s band and orchestral ensembles – known collectively as the Comet Symfonique – have adapted and found a way to continue making music. The ensembles are among the few classes on campus continuing to regularly meet in person. Adron Ming, director […]
Campus land enhancement: how far it’s come, where it’s going | February 15, 2021
The UTD campus has had ongoing construction for over the past decade, and the pandemic has allowed the current construction to move at an accelerated pace – soon to result in the completed Rutford promenade and more newly-planted trees. The Campus Land Enhancement Project started in 2007 and is currently in Phase III. In Phase […]
The bobcat’s out of the bag | February 15, 2021
Two bobcats were spotted on campus in January, thought to be due in part to decreased traffic on campus and the biodiversity efforts of the Office of Sustainability. According to a photo posted on the Facilities & Economic Development website on Jan. 14, an adult bobcat and its kitten were seen in the middle of […]
Coping with solitude | February 15, 2021
Over the course of the past year, the majority of the population has dramatically increased leisure activities to cope with the pandemic. These trends relate to wider social issues amongst the populous and mental health problems in individuals. Google searches reveal what leisure activities have been on many people’s minds during the past year. Words […]
From team manager to team player | February 15, 2021
After serving as student manager on the men’s basketball team for the past three years, human resource management senior Donovan Williams was added to the roster as a guard in January. Williams tried out for the team during his freshman year, but due to the small size of the roster, there wasn’t a spot for […]
The COVID gambit | February 15, 2021
The UTD Chess team has been consistently ranking high during online tournaments this semester. Due to COVID-19, the Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship was held online for the first time ever from Jan. 3-6. Traditionally, this competition consists of six games with players allotted 90 minutes each, a format known as classical time control. This […]
Possible side effects include: misinformation | February 15, 2021
“Common side effects can include dizziness, fatigue, nausea, problems with memory and even death.” Statements like this are often attached to promotional ads for medicine and drugs on television. While marketing advantages exist for pharmaceuticals, their advertisements require more regulation and transparency to really benefit the public. Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) advertising is often used by pharmaceutical […]
UTD alum allegedly participated in Capitol riot | February 15, 2021
UTD alumnus and former military officer Chris Grider currently awaits his trial under federal custody after his alleged participation in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Grider graduated from UTD in 2012 with a master’s degree in fine arts. In 2014, he and his wife opened their own winery – the Kissing Tree Vineyard – in […]