Author: The UTD Mercury
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An open response to ‘I Hate Me’ from Mercury staffers
On March 9, The Mercury published an article that was offensive and harmful to the Transgender community. Michael Lockwood’s “I Hate Me” piece compared gender transitions to mental disorders and gave the appearance of an endorsement from the organization as it ran unopposed. As employees of The Mercury, we wanted to make it clear that…
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‘Feel that celebration with them even though they’re not physically present with us’
Students discuss changes to their religious celebrations as a result of quarantine Students across campus are celebrating Passover, Easter and Ramadan without some of the traditions central to their faith as the spread of coronavirus and stay-at-home orders prevent gatherings. These holidays share themes of heightened devotion, personal reflection and restrictive eating. The Jewish Passover,…
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My daughter, the healthcare worker
What it’s like to live with someone on the front lines My daughter is a healthcare worker at Parkland. She runs – actually runs – through most of her 12-hour shifts. I envision her shifts like marathon trials – wearing the mask she had on yesterday (they get three for the week due to shortages),…
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COVID-19 at UTD by the Numbers
Survey conducted, student discusses her experience with coronavirus After UTD’s campus closed and students left to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, a Mercury survey found that some members of the UTD community went on to test positive. The survey, which received 103 responses, showed that four respondents tested positive or displayed the symptoms…
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Volunteering under quarantine
OSV provides list of remote volunteer opportunities Though in-person volunteer opportunities have been dwindling with the rise of COVID-19, the number of remote volunteer opportunities have expanded. Even before COVID-19, there existed remote volunteering opportunities such as translating for Translators Without Borders and being an online emotional support listener for 7 Cups. Now, virtual volunteering…
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SUAAB holds virtual events for rest of semester
Following UTD’s transition to online classes, the Student Union & Activities Advisory Board canceled all of their remaining in-person spring semester events. Responsible for various campus events, including live shows featuring musical artists and comedians on-campus, SUAAB is now hoping to bring the same experiences to the student body through digital means. Upon receiving…
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Undergraduate lab courses mitigate online shift
Virtual simulations, data analysis help instructors with web-based teaching Laboratory coordinators are using various methods to transition traditionally in-person lab courses to an online format. A bioengineering major takes about four to six lab courses in their undergraduate career. Shalini Prasad, professor and department head for bioengineering, said she and her colleagues worked over spring…
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Gunman dead after hijacking DART bus in Richardson, wounding three officers
At about 11 a.m. today, a gunman boarded a DART bus in Richardson, opened fire and led police on a multi-city chase. Three officers were wounded and the gunman was killed. The driver of the bus was ordered at gunpoint to drive to an undetermined location. According to a report by NBC, there was only…
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Students face monetary losses after study abroad cancellations
University officials recently made the decision to suspend all international travel through the calendar year due to the coronavirus pandemic. This policy change cancelled all summer, fall and winter 2020 study abroad programs, according to a university-wide email sent by the Education Abroad Office to all prospective students traveling internationally. “We understand that this may…
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Dead economy
How the COVID-19 response prioritizes corporations over individuals In the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. has seen a sharp increase in unemployment claims, with nearly 17 million filings in the last three weeks. Experts say that social distancing and isolation is likely to last through May and businesses have had to furlough…