What are your professors up to this summer? | July 15, 2024
Three UTD faculty members are researching abroad as Fulbright U.S. Scholars during the 2023-2024 academic year — the most sent abroad by the university since 1978 — pioneering new ideas and bringing back one-of-a-kind experiences for students come fall 2024. Assistant Professor of History Rosemary Admiral, visual arts lecturer Colette Copeland and Professor of Materials […]
DII: Coming to fields near you | July 15, 2024
UTD will begin competing in the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference this fall semester after 26 years in the Division III American Southwest Conference. As a Division II school, UTD is now eligible to offer athletic scholarships. The NCAA announced July 11 that UTD’s petition to move into Division II was approved on an […]
New BBS dean appointed | July 15, 2024
UTD selected Adam Woods as the next dean for the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. Woods’ term as Dean begins Aug. 15, 2024. Since fall 2023, BBS has operated without a dean, with Margaret Owen overseeing BBS as an interim dean. She will return to her position as faculty beginning fall 2024. Before coming […]
Letter to the Editor: State-sanctioned violence, a chilling message courtesy of UTD | July 15, 2024
To the current Editorial Board and readers of The Mercury, One thing is clear to me after reading The Mercury’s recent coverage of the Gaza Solidarity encampment: administrators’ horrifying response on May 1 was undoubtedly a show of power. The university tries to justify sending in the state troopers with assault rifles and riot gear […]
Campus construction update: projects ongoing | July 15, 2024
Several roads and pedestrian paths will be closed from the beginning of June 24 to Aug. 16 because of new developments in construction, altering the usual trajectory of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Major construction projects have been underway since fall 2023 such as the Performance Hall, SOM Phase III and the new Student Success […]
Opinion: ‘Inside Out 2’ delves into your deepest anxieties through film | July 15, 2024
Struggling with confidence and the crushing feeling of “I’m not good enough” is an all-too-common adolescent experience, perfectly portrayed and overcome in Pixar’s “Inside Out 2.” The original “Inside Out,” released in 2015, was one of the most loved animated films of the decade for its beautiful animation and complex story. With an audience rating […]
‘A giant among men’ | July 15, 2024
The weather on June 28 is bright and sunny, a perfect fit to commemorate former UTD alumnus and director of the Multicultural Center Bruce August Jr. through a new reflection space near the Sciences building. This wide-reaching community collaboration is a testament to how beloved August was to UTD administration and faculty. Multiple administrative offices […]
Dhunki: a ‘spellbound melody’ of a cappella | July 15, 2024
UTD students travel across the country from California to Atlanta, taking stages bathed in warm lights. This a cappella group, a self-identified found family, doesn’t just belt notes — they blend worlds, creating a fusion of South Asian rhythms and Western harmonies. Dhunki A Cappella, the premier competitive South Asian fusion a cappella team at […]
Editor’s Desk: critical journalism | July 15, 2024
In its 44 years of publication, The Mercury has typically focused on hyper-local journalism: things which affect the UTD community and local DFW area instead of state or national-level coverage. In the wake of student protests and the events of May 1, however, the scope of our coverage has had to expand to include global […]
The Mercury faces over $8,500 fee | July 15, 2024
At 4:30 a.m. May 1, student organizers created the “Gaza Liberation Plaza” encampment to protest UTD’s policy toward Palestine. Less than twelve hours later, UTDPD, Texas DPS officers and other local departments raided the encampment and arrested 21 students, faculty, alumni and community members. The Mercury has extensively investigated the aftermath of these arrests, covering […]
Editorial: Investigative journalism at stake — support The Mercury | July 15, 2024
UPDATE: As of July 22, The Mercury has raised $3,015 — enough to cover the $2,905 fee for reviewing the public records we requested as well as GoFundMe’s transaction fee. UTD’s Office of Legal Affairs said The Mercury is allowed to take photos and notes of the documents during the review process, which we will […]
73 Questions with your SG executives | July 15, 2024
As the newly elected 2024-2025 executive officers of Student Government, president and philosophy-computer science double major Devin Schwartz and vice president and sociology senior Debopreeta Bhattacharya sat down with The Mercury to shed light on who they are outside of their lofty titles, in the viral interview style of Vogue’s “73 Questions.” Q: How long […]
PHANTOMs mesmerizes with ephemeral performance | July 15, 2024
The ethereal realm of PHANTOMs, where reality and performance intertwine, leaves audiences questioning the nature of their own beliefs and perceptions. Art and performance group Therefore took the audience on an unforgettable journey through sound, movement and immersive visuals with a performance leaving the audience in a state of suspended curiosity and contemplation. Arts Mission […]
Opinion: University administration, police target Palestinian UTD alum | July 15, 2024
On June 26 at 2 p.m., a state trooper in Denton County targeted and arrested recent UTD graduate and former president of Students for Justice in Palestine, Mousa Najjar. UTDPD authorized his arrest with the backing of Dean of Students Amanda Smith and university administration for protesting the ongoing occupation of Palestine and genocide in […]
Empower: ticket of the hour | April 15, 2024
With the end of voting on April 5, Devin Schwartz and Debopreeta Bhattacharya were elected as Student Government president and vice president respectively. Schwartz, a computer science and philosophy junior, and Bhattacharya, a sociology junior, ran under the Empower Ticket with a campaign focused on three core principles: advocacy, engagement and solidarity. Schwartz and Bhattacharya […]
A Comet’s map of the stars | April 15, 2024
UTD Professor of Physics and Astrophysics Mustapha Ishak-Boushaki presented the largest 3D map of the universe and his research team’s findings from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument to the American Physical Society in Sacramento, California on April 4. Located at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) is capable […]
The TikTok ban is good, actually | April 15, 2024
The House of Representatives passed a bill on March 13 threatening to ban TikTok for cyber security breaches. Although this ban was done for security reasons, it will also help to control short form video content that has spread doom scrolling and caused attention spans to shorten. Students should advocate for local governments to regulate […]
Flooding in UV: UTD needs to do better | April 15, 2024
Any resident of UV knows that after a rainstorm, it’s best to take the long way around and avoid the sidewalks. Whenever there is even a small amount of rainfall, housing areas become impassable quagmires full of water and mud — but does it have to be that way? University Village’s foundational issues with the […]
Comets: Upcoming vote on ‘green’ service fee | April 15, 2024
All students will be able to vote on a fee referendum to support sustainable development and green projects on campus from April 24 to 26. The referendum proposes the addition of a $5 fee during fall and spring semesters and a $2.50 fee during summer semesters, which will last a maximum of five years and […]
‘Masters of the Air’ flies flat | April 15, 2024
Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks share a passion for exposing viewers to authentic and carefully crafted war stories, and both Hollywood icons came together in 2024 to produce their third World War II miniseries, “Masters of the Air.” The show had unlimited potential with a great cast and historical accuracy, but it ultimately flew too […]
Unicycle club wheels into the spotlight | April 15, 2024
Juggling life and school can be difficult for college students, but the UTD Unicycle Club members balance it all atop their single wheel. These unicyclers gather together to navigate the college experience and build a community characterized by laughter, members said. The Unicycle Club, an official student organization at UTD, meets on Thursdays from 7 […]
Comet Gala: A night among the stars | April 15, 2024
It’s Friday, and old-timey swing music plays from the speakers as the ATC building resembles a prom night, bustling with students dressed in gowns and suits. The AIGA club hosted its third annual Comet Gala, encouraging students to dress to the nines, and Comets did not disappoint. The Comet Gala’s theme this year was “A […]