Ukraine-Russia conflict impacts several Comets | March 28, 2022
While Ukraine is physically distant from UTD, Russia’s continued invasion hits close to home for some Comets. Computer science sophomore Tayisiya Chernenko, who emigrated with her parents in 2007, fears for family members who have stayed in the country. “My parents, uncles and almost all of my extended family is still there,” she said. “My […]
Athenaeum approved | March 28, 2022
After receiving approval from the University of Texas System Board of Regents, UTD is looking to move forward with construction on the Athenaeum project. Projected to be built in three phases, the Atheneum is an expansive undertaking for the predominantly STEM-focused university, which University president Richard Benson said is much-needed to better integrate the arts […]
Comet Con ’22 | March 28, 2022
Comet Con just celebrated 10 years of student passion and nerd culture with one of their biggest events yet, bringing in students from all backgrounds to admire colorful art, fantastic cosplays and big guest speakers. Students were welcomed by SUAAB on March 23in a series of events throughout the convention. From the free arcade games, […]
Where did the statue outside the ECS complex come from? | March 28, 2022
Walking past ECS North’s courtyard, you might have noticed a new monument – one that seems to have shown up overnight. What is it and where did it come from? This new structure, introduced on Feb. 11, 2022, belongs to UTD’s recently-created chapter of Tau Beta Pi, a prestigious national engineering honors society. Associate Professor […]
Finding something in common to ‘taco’bout | March 28, 2022
Walking across campus a few weeks ago, you might’ve seen flyers posted here and there about the ”UTD Taco Bell Club.” This club – in the process of getting SOC approval – is no joke. UTD Taco Bell Club’s founder, marketing freshman Aidan Hawkins, said he originally made a Taco Bell club at his high […]
Warning: Scholarship Recipients may owe IRS | March 28, 2022
From The Mercury Archives: March 28, 1994 What do you mean I owe the IRS? It may be news to many on scholarship that certain scholarship benefits are viewed as taxable income. The freshmen on the UTD Academic Achievement Scholarship were mailed a statement breaking down the amount of rent, tuition, and the living expenses […]
Overwatch team prepares for playoffs in the game’s last season | March 28, 2022
After finishing the Swiss stage of the Overwatch Collegiate Championship 7-1, the Comets have their sights set on the last “Overwatch” trophy there will ever be. The spring 2021 semester is expected to be the last semester of competitive collegiate “Overwatch” play as its sequel, “Overwatch 2,” is anticipated to come by the end of […]
SOC policies hinder student organizations rather than helping | March 28, 2022
Dance club Contra Corners had followed all the rules. Forms submitted on time, a vendor account set up with the university and all costs accounted for. So why did it take the club over three months to be reimbursed over $300? The delay was due, in part, to the multi-step, recently adjusted reimbursement policy set […]
Multi-campus survey reveals Honorlock remains unpopular | March 28, 2022
Classes at UTD have returned to their normal modalities, but some still retain a vestige of pandemic-era instruction: Honorlock. Some instructors have chosen to keep their exams virtual for scheduling flexibility or to set exam lengths that are not limited by 50- or 75-minute class periods. An online survey of four universities – UTD, the […]
Exploring the weird world of meme UTD Instagram accounts | March 28, 2022
@utd_dwaynation: ‘I’m always happy to answer fan questions. Feel free to disclose my name, Dwayne Johnson.’ From statues to squirrels, from parking blunders to “Bruh Moments,” Instagram is filled with UTD-specific accounts dedicated to covering various aspects of the Comet experience. Despite their differences in content, they share a sense of community that goes beyond […]
Q&A: Addressing self harm in college student population | March 28, 2022
March is dedicated to self-harm awareness, or non-suicidal self-injury, a behavior that is particularly common among college students. The Mercury spoke with Regina Ybarra, a professor who has done research on self-injurious behavior among college students, and Jenna Temkin, head of the Student Counseling Center to explore the issue. Q: Can you start by giving […]
Student Government Updates 3/22/2022 | March 28, 2022
Out of Darkness Campus Walk UTD is hosting an “Out of Darkness Campus Walk” in conjunction with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The University is recruiting walkers and asking student organizations to create teams; the walk is open to both students and the general community. The goal is to raise $5,000 toward North Texas […]
skate fast, have a blast | March 28, 2022
Computer science senior Nathan Breen glides past blossoming trees behind Green Hall, grinding a bench and trey-flipping the deck of his board as he rolls across smooth concrete. Now that spring is here, he and many other students have come out to get back into their favorite hobby: skating. Breen has been rolling for 12 […]
This is the only food website you’ll ever need | March 28, 2022
If you had to recommend places to eat around Richardson to a friend, what would you send to them? A texted list? A spreadsheet? How about an entire website? That’s what user experience designer Stephen Edmondson did when he heard one of his friends was moving to Richardson. Simply called richardsoneats.com, the website has a […]
Retrograde Reads: Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars | March 28, 2022
Running away from home, reinventing yourself and encountering roadblocks along the way – it’s a typical structure for a typical coming-of-age novel. However, “Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl’s Confabulous Memoir” is far from a typical story. “Fierce Femmes” follows a young, first-generation Chinese-American girl’s journey of self-discovery and recovery with glittering […]
Adam Melchor takes audiences on a ’Joyride’ throughout the US | March 28, 2022
Indie folk-pop musician Adam Melchor opened for Chelsea Cutler’s “When I Close My Eyes” tour along with ROSIE at the House of Blues Dallas. “Melchor Lullaby Hotline Vol. 1,” Melchor’s latest album, was inspired by his ”Lullaby Hotline” (973-264-4172) project, which was intended to connect with fans and test-drive new music by sharing a new […]
Comets Cosplay at SUAAB Con | March 28, 2022
Stunning, confident and bold, UTD students from all different walks of life participated in SUAAB’s entertaining cosplay competition on March 23. The cosplay competition, which was only one of several different events featured during Comet Con—UTD’s take on Comic-Con—allowed Comets to bring or watch their favorite anime, video game or movie characters come to life. […]
Giving Comets keys to the keyboard | March 28, 2022
The single piano in the Student Union is not enough for an entire college campus. UTD needs to prioritize creating an efficient and equitable system ensuring access to music spaces for all students. Like many others here at UTD, I have a strong passion for music, even though I myself am not enrolled in music […]
UREC Activity Center should open earlier | March 28, 2022
The Activity Center should open at 6 a.m. in order to be more inclusive of students with early morning classes and help ease gym traffic. The gym currently opens at 7 a.m. on weekdays. If students arrive as soon as it opens, they can get through an hour-long workout by 8 a.m. Allowing a few […]
Lights, Camera, Play: Overcooked! | March 28, 2022
“Overcooked” deserves a movie. Unlike the the odd projects currently aiming to make live adaptations of “Tetris,” “Just Dance” and even “Raving Rabbids,” “Overcooked” provides compelling potential to be a unique entry into the video game movie catalog, one that could challenge the formula and rekindle interest in the game. The last three decades of […]
Students should play intramurals | March 28, 2022
Whether you are a graduating senior or a freshman looking to find your place within the UTD community, it remains important for everyone to possess and embrace a certain level of competitiveness. Intramurals are an excellent way to do that. With a constantly-growing campus, UTD has countless sources of competitive activities, from hack-a-thons to business […]
Jen Lee’s comic encapsulates the nuance of change | March 28, 2022
As cliché as it sounds, a breakup is just one of those falling outs that hit differently, and no other work captures the awkward transition of moving on from that person and that life you had together like Jen Lee’s “At The Edge Of The Stream At Dust.” To summarize, “At the Edge of the […]