Category: News
-
‘I credit everything that I have in my life to chess’
From recruiter to chief science officer and from player to self-founded academy president, UTD’s chess program has taken Comets to places they never imagined possible. In commemoration of the program, on Oct. 7, staff and student alumni gathered to recount how UTD chess has led them to personal and professional highs. At the Chess Alumni…
-
Sex offenders on campus: what do students need to know?
The UTD student body currently includes seven registered sex offenders. The Mercury decided to take a deep dive into their presence at UTD, what this means for student safety, campus affairs and criminal background’s impact on education as a whole. Texas is the state with the highest number of registered sex offenders at a total…
-
Nightmare on Rutford Avenue
On the night of Thursday, Oct. 26, Residential Life dressed up Residence Hall South with decorations, food and activities for Halloween. On the first floor, PA’s served popcorn and desserts, which students decorated with special seasonal toppings. The second floor was the main attraction, where an entire classroom was converted into a haunted house. Students…
-
The emotional challenge of emotional support animals
Emotional support animals, or ESAs, are accommodations offered to UTD students who rely on their pets to help them function due to issues stemming from mental health or disabilities, though the process of registering an animal on campus can sometimes be difficult. Legally registering a pet as an ESA on campus requires documentation of a…
-
ROTC program expanded to better serve Comets
As of Oct. 13, UTD has been certified as a Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps Provisional Extension Unit, which will make ROTC membership easier and more fulfilling for Comets. In the past, Comets interested in pursuing a military career would have to rely on UTD’s partnership with UT Arlington or the University of North Texas…
-
Mental health text line to debut
“Comet Support,” a mental health text line developed as a partnership between UTD’s Office of Information Technology, the Wellness Center and the Student Counseling Center, is set to provide students with preliminary mental health help and connect them to campus-specific resources. Newly redesigned since The Mercury’s coverage of the app in 2022, Comet Support will…
-
Tuition insurance now available to UTD students
UTD has partnered with GradGuard since fall 2022 to offer students tuition insurance that entitles them to a refund in case they must withdraw completely due to chronic illness, unforeseen injury or mental health conditions. Students interested in registering for insurance for the spring 2024 semester must do so before the first day of classes,…
-
The Mercury retracts article about overcrowding
The Mercury has retracted an article published on Oct. 2 in light of new information regarding false statements in the piece. The story was about overcrowding in classrooms and the potential reasons for overcrowding. Following publication, a staff member and member of administration raised concerns of falsified statements and misattributions about Andrea Croasdale Woudwyck, Ingrid…
-
Benson responds to SG resolution to amend statement about Israel-Hamas war
On Oct. 24, 2023, Student Government passed S.R. 2023-06, a resolution calling on President Richard Benson to amend his Oct. 16 statement and acknowledge the suffering of both Israeli and Palestinian students. The following is the letter that Benson sent to SG President Srivani Edupuganti on Oct. 25. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS OFFICE…