What options do students have to address sexual assault? | March 7, 2022
Do you know how to report a sexual assault? If you don’t, you’re not alone. UTD has an array of resources for preventing and addressing sexual violence in students, staff and faculty, but they often slip under the radar. As campus reopens, UTD has many avenues available for addressing and preventing sexual assault. Someone who […]
Bike Thieves on campus kick into high gear | March 7, 2022
Theft is not uncommon on college campuses, but the number of bikes being stolen from UTD is increasing and their recovery rates are decreasing. Bike thefts are especially prevalent near the residence halls. Jack Sierputowski, a sophomore literature major, was fortunate enough to have his stolen bike found by UTDPD, who caught the thief attempting […]
What happened to the piano outside of SU Green? | March 7, 2022
Has something felt odd about Student Union Green these past couple of months? That’s right – the piano is missing! The Director of Student Union, Dan Goodwin, said the SU removed the piano over winter break because of the extensive damage it took during extreme weather events, as well as general wear and tear from […]
Presence is now absent, water update | March 7, 2022
Cometville moved again Cometville will now take place on March 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the SU Mall, alongside the SOC’s Spring “Fun” Raiser event. Nothing about the actual Cometville event has changed. If student organizations want to participate in the “Fun” Raiser event to raise money or promote their club they’ll […]
Comet baseball off to historic start | March 7, 2022
While the start of the MLB spring training remains in limbo due to the work stoppage, the 12-1 Comets Baseball squad is firing on all cylinders. Following ten straight wins to open the season, they’re focused on keeping their momentum through teamwork and a disciplined mindset. The defending ASC champions and No. 16 ranked Comets […]
UTD Rocket League team fighting for playoffs spot | March 7, 2022
Following their failure to directly qualify for league play in Collegiate Rocket League , the Comets are mounting a run through the College Carball Association Open tournaments to get a chance at making playoffs. Coming in second place, narrowly missing top-eight, and finishing in fifth on March 6, the team has been consistently placing high […]
OpTic hosts Optic Major 1 LAN for Call of Duty | March 7, 2022
Following their acquisition of Esports Stadium Arlington, OpTic Texas hosted the CDL Optic Major 1 with a sold-out arena as fans came to cheer on OpTic’s home team alongside the rest of the Call of Duty League. When they acquired Esports Stadium Arlington, OpTic Texas became the first major esports team to own a venue […]
Mudleaf Coffee | March 7, 2022
Across the street from a post office in Plano, there’s Mudleaf Coffee, a spacious coffee shop that just might be the next place for you to get your fix. Located on the intersection of Parker and Independence, Mudleaf stands out for how big it is on the inside. It feels like there’s enough space inside […]
Retrograde reads: P. Djèlí Clark’s novel ‘Ring shout’ | March 7, 2022
With a captivating cast and thrilling action, P. Djèlí Clark’s “Ring Shout”– alternately titled “Hunting Ku Kluxes in the End Times”– imagines the post-war American South as a place less haunted by its violent history and more actively brought to life. White mobs celebrate 1922’s re-release of “Birth of a Nation,” bootleggers stow whiskey in […]
‘Don’t Look Up,’ Comets! | March 7, 2022
With the Academy Awards coming up on March 27, one film in particular is worth revisiting: “Don’t Look Up,” which was nominated for four Oscars, including best picture. When Virgil wrote the “Aeneid,” he did not establish a case-by-case argument for why the Romans were superior to the Greeks. Instead, he created an artful parallel […]
National Women’s History Month | March 7, 2022
National Women’s History Month is a time for the people of the United States to recognize and honor women’s many accomplishments, at present and throughout history. So, The Mercury reached out to some of the dynamic leaders on campus to see what student organizations are doing to empower women. The American Medical Women’s Association is […]
Profiling Eating Disorder Awareness Week | March 7, 2022
UTD’s Student Wellness Center partnered with on-campus and national organizations to host National Eating Disorder Awareness Week at the end of February, reminding Comets that their wellbeing is not dictated by their weight. The Wellness Center kicked off their in-person events with “Mirrors on the Mall”, which—although moved inside by the weather—saw students writing body-positive […]
‘Bioshock’ film will leave both dedicated fans and new audiences en-Rapture-d | March 7, 2022
With Netflix announcing plans for a “Bioshock” feature film, I decided to revisit the legendary game series to remind myself of its industry-changing influence. And let me tell you — it’s worth getting into before the film releases. Netflix is promising to reimagine “Bioshock”as a feature film exploring the iconic seafloor city of Rapture, capturing […]
Robby Patty best Batty | March 7, 2022
While some Batman fans were left unsatisfied after viewing an angsty Robert Pattinson clad in a trenchcoat and greasy bangs, I left the theatre with the soundtrack, clang of armor, and roar of Gotham nightlife echoing in my ears. Despite some peoples’ distaste for Pattinson, I believe he gave one of the best performances in […]
‘Nimona’ illustrates villanous morals in heartwarming color | March 7, 2022
“Nimona” by ND Stevenson is a quirky comic book whose main characters are the villains, set inside a futuristic medieval world where magic and science coexist. Interestingly enough, Stevenson started “Nimona” as a webcomic, and it later became their senior thesis. “Nimona”centers around a devious shapeshifter named Nimona and surprisingly moral villain Lord Ballister Blackheart. […]
New esports coach hired | February 7, 2022
After a stint being student-run following Greg Adler’s departure, the UTD esports team has hired on a new head coach for the program. Drew Boehm is the newly hired head coach of the UTD esports team. A TCU alumni, Boehm was originally interested in law enforcement before a crop of collegiate esports jobs rose up […]
Poet speaks to UTD | February 7, 2022
In an honest, vulnerable and captivating virtual performance, Sabrina Benaim, one of the most viewed spoken word poets of all time, shared her poetry and heart with the UTD community at a virtual poetry slam hosted by SUAAB. On Feb. 3, 34-year-old Benaim from Toronto shared poems about love, depression and everything in-between, warming the […]
Oh ResNet, RestNet, where art thou today? | February 7, 2022
On the first day of online classes for the spring 2022 semester, countless Teams calls dropped midstream as Apogee’s MyResNet wifi disconnected throughout Canyon Creek, University Village and the Residence Halls. Students were left scrambling to get back to class, as the outage took several hours to resolve. As a Peer Advisor in Residence Hall […]
Comets looking to turn passion into execution in final stretch of the basketball season | February 7, 2022
UTD Men’s Basketball is entering a make-or-break stretch of the semester, coming off of several days of no practice due to inclement weather. I sat down with Head Coach Terry Butterfield to talk about this home sprint. Currently 8-5 in conference play, the Comets sit in fourth place in the ASC. While this would qualify […]
SGA meeting: 02/01 | February 7, 2022
Esports Lounge Interest Forum: To accommodate UTD’s large gaming community, the Student Affairs Office and the Student Union are tentatively planning to expand and renovate the Pub into an Esports Lounge. Student Affairs is hosting an open forum on Feb. 9 and Feb. 10 at 3 p.m. and 12 p.m.respectively to gauge student interest and […]
Retrograde Reads: ‘The Yiddish Policemen’s Union’ by Michael Chabon | February 7, 2022
No matter how often you’re warned not to judge a book by its cover, inevitably, you do. You are not immune to propaganda…propaganda being colorful graphics and a delightful decal edge. Fortunately, the beauty of “The Yiddish Policemen’s Union” continues far beyond its surface. In the 1940s, the United States Secretary of the Interior asked […]
The 1418 Coffeehouse | February 7, 2022
A large, refillable cold brew bottle just 15 minutes away. Do I have your attention? If so, the 1418 Coffeehouse might be the next spot for you to get your fix. Located in Historic Downtown Plano, 1418 is a lively spot with many options and amenities for the prospective coffee consumer. Refillable cold brew to-go, […]
Chess Team Can Compete Again | February 7, 2022
In a world filled with knights, rankings and timers, UTD’s chess team practices their game with excitement as tournaments start to reopen for in-person matches. For the 18th time, UTD’s chess team has qualified for the President’s Cup, also known as the Final Four of College Chess, where the top four college chess teams in the country compete […]
Toss More Coins to Your Witcher | February 7, 2022
“The Witcher” is not the next “Game of Thrones”, but the underlying reason may not be easily apparent: close analysis suggests this show is set to be far bigger than HBO’s flagship fantasy drama. Frankly, it’s exhausting and disrespectful to see many viewers make such a bland comparison between two legendary properties. Many viewers might […]
Halo on the sticks just feels sad | February 7, 2022
Do you remember the “Halo” twin-stick shooter? It’s ok if you don’t. But for $4.99, both “Halo: Spartan Assault” and “Halo: Spartan Strike” are available in a bundle on Steam right now, and upon hearing this you may consider it a good opportunity for some twin-stick shooter action. Classic guns, skull modifiers and an old […]
Explore AI creation with “Homunculus” | February 7, 2022
“Homunculus”by Joe Sparrow is a deceptively simple, tearjerking, page-turner of a comic about a scientist who unknowingly builds an AI towards the end of the world. It follows her 513-year story as she tries to meet the expectations of the world around her and is illustrated with a pastel color palette, friendly line art and […]