UTD alum allegedly participated in Capitol riot
Class of 2012 Chris Grider has been in federal custody since Jan. 21
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. Chris Grider graduated from UTD in 2012 with a master’s degree in fine arts. In 2014, he and his wife opened their own winery –...
Testing Testing – for COVID-19
Breakdown of COVID testing results on campus at start of semester
As North Texas sees more than 2,000 new cases of COVID-19 per day in the DFW metroplex, the results of UTD’s proactive testing program are encouraging. Vice President and Chief of Staff Rafael Martín – head of the COVID-19 Task Force at UTD – said that while testing capabilities were...
Springing into in-person events
Plans for student clubs to host their own events this spring
UTD’s decision to relax restrictions on in-person gatherings this spring may influence some students’ choice to stay on campus. Vice President of Student Affairs Gene Fitch said that UTD is expecting more students on campus in the spring than there were in the fall. “We’re expecting 3,200,” Fitch said. “We’ve...
“We do not conduct campus celebrations of one of these state-mandated holidays: Confederate Heroes’ Day”
UTD Vice President Rafael Martín clarifies controversy surrounding holiday
Confederate Heroes’ Day – a state-mandated holiday that is incorporated into UTD’s winter break – is not celebrated by the university in any way. Questions were raised after the Presidential Town Hall last June when University President Richard Benson was asked why UTD students and staff aren’t given a holiday...
Comparing COVID vaccines
What storage, distribution look likes for Pfizer, Moderna vaccines
As the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines increase in distribution, possible side effects and storage obstacles raise potential concerns. On Dec. 11, 2020, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was approved and became the first vaccine administered to prevent COVID-19. Just seven days later, the U.S Food and Drug Administration approved the second vaccine,...
UTD works with UT Southwestern to vaccinate priority populations
Vaccines will not be mandated unless specified by state legislature
Although UTD has not received COVID-19 vaccine doses from the state of Texas, the university and UT Southwestern Medical Clinic have been able to work together to vaccinate UTD employees that fall under Phase 1A and Phase 1B vaccine priority. According to the Texas Department of State Health, individuals prioritized...
UTD Moot Court teams make nationals
Team member ranks twelfth orator out of 200 competitors
For the first time in the club’s history, five of UTD’s Moot Court teams advanced to the American Moot Court National Competition this month. The three-day competition consisted of students from universities across the nation receiving a hypothetical case and using current U.S. case law to argue for one side...
Academic senate approves credit/no credit options for fall, spring
This post will be updated as more information is gathered The Academic Senate voted today to approve credit/no credit and pass/fail grading options for Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. Student Government president Sara Brennan said that the Senate approved UTD President Richard Benson’s recommendations for grading option changes, which are...
‘Employees are struggling. Residents are struggling.’
Northside residents, employees cite issues with housing development, Northside spokesperson responds
Residents of the off-campus apartments at Northside have expressed concerns with facility maintenance, both before and after the pandemic. In a survey conducted by The Mercury, Northside residents responded with feedback they had regarding the housing facility. “The noise levels are very high because walls are thin,” one survey respondent...
Vending machines offer disposable face masks
UTD joins other universities selling PPE to students
Vending machines across UTD are now selling disposable surgical face masks to help students safely return to life on campus. As schools and businesses begin to reopen amidst mounting safety concerns, they’re implementing a variety of strategies to keep people safe. One method of increasing the accessibility of personal protective...