UTA’S E‑NEWSLETTER FOR FACULTY AND STAFF

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2024

UTA Police Department accepts accreditation with excellence award

UTA PD awarded CALEA accreditation with excellence

For the sixth time, the UTA Police Department received recognition from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), the gold standard in public safety. On Monday, Feb. 12, the department was presented with its first certificate for advanced CALEA accreditation with excellence, an honor that UTA PD earned by maintaining compliance with the 480-plus eligibility standards. The designation acknowledges the department’s commitment to go above and beyond in serving UTA students, faculty, staff, and visitors every day.

The science of gift giving

New research from Traci Freling, professor of marketing at UTA, describes the disappointment of spending weeks searching for the perfect gift and still missing the mark. Her new research explores ways to avoid this so-called “gift gap.”

UTA contributes to The Conversation

Daniel Robinson, professor in the College of Education, published a piece in The Conversation about the mayor of Philidelphia’s proposal to keep public school buildings open for longer hours during the week, from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., as well as over the summer. Kathy Lee, assistant professor in the School of Social Work, also published a piece in The Conversation. Her article details the challenges family caregivers face and how to improve quality of life for that growing population.

Thursday Think Tank

Today, Thursday, Feb. 15 , from 6 to 7:30 p.m., the UTA Veterans Business Outreach Center is hosting its Third Thursday Think Tank event that is open to the community, UTA employees, and students interested in entrepreneurship and business ownership. Guest speaker Tim Ackermann will discuss intellectual property basics for business owners. The workshop will be held at the UTA College of Business, Room 609, and virtually via Microsoft Teams. Registration is required.

UTA Maverick VS. UTRGV, basketball swishes through hoop

A different way to watch a UTA basketball game

Watch the UTA men’s basketball game live on TV Saturday, Feb. 17 , at 6:30 p.m. as the Mavericks shoot and score their way to victory at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The game will be available on Space City Channel and ESPN+. View stations that will broadcast the game.

Registration extended for eclipse panel discussion

You still have a chance to RSVP for a panel discussion about the total solar eclipse, moderated by Adithi Ramakrishnan, science reporting fellow at The Dallas Morning News. “Exploring the Eclipse,” set for 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 19, will feature faculty members from the College of Science, College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Nursing and Health Innovation, along with Levent Gurdemir, Planetarium director. Remaining space is limited; RSVP for the event today.

Cheryl Nifong receives her award at Dallas CISO ORBIE Awards

Congratulations to Cheryl Nifong

Cheryl Nifong, UTA’s chief information security officer (CISO), earned the 2024 Dallas CISO corporate ORBIE award for organizations with up to $1 billion in annual revenue. The Dallas CISO ORBIE Awards is a prestigious program that celebrates the achievements of chief information security officers driving digital transformation. Winners are selected based upon leadership and management effectiveness, business value created by enterprise security, and engagement in industry and community endeavors. Nifong has more than 20 years of experience in information security and has worked at UTA since March of 2018.

Laboratory safety week

It is Laboratory Safety Week, and this year, the Environmental Health and Safety Department is highlighting the importance of maintaining an accurate chemical inventory. This article discusses a few of the guidelines that UTA follows regarding this important aspect of laboratory safety.

Mac and Cheese Bread Bowl from Panera Bread

Love at first bite

Enjoy 15% off Panera Bread gift cards now through Sunday, Feb. 18. This offer is valid online only.

Photo of UTA Campus, Employee Emergency Fund

Emergency assistance

The Office of Talent, Culture, and Engagement has created the Employee Emergency Fund (EEF) to provide short-term assistance for employees experiencing significant temporary financial hardship. This fund will help eligible employees cover basic needs. If you would like to make a contribution to the EEF, donations can be made through automatic payroll deduction or online through the EEF giving website.

Wellness Wednesday, physical Wellness Lunch and Learn, February 21, 12 p.m. The Commons, Nueces A

Wellness Wednesday next week

Join your fellow Mavericks for a lunch-and-learn to gain hands-on tools for improving your holistic health on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at noon on the second floor of The Commons, Room Nueces A. To register, visit UTA Forms.

Cheer on the Mavericks

There are eight home sporting events this week. Faculty and staff can get two free tickets to any UTA regular season home sporting event (excluding men’s and women’s basketball games). To claim your free tickets, simply present your staff ID to the box office for the sport of your choice, and you are good to go! Visit utamavs.com for a full list of UTA Athletics events.

Workers’ compensation program overview

RSVP for an overview of the Workers' Compensation Program that will be presented on Thursday, Feb. 29, 10:30-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-2:30 p.m. in Trinity Hall, Room 104 W. Learn about supervisor and employee responsibilities, required forms, medical treatment, and more. Representatives from the UT System Office of Risk Management and Cannon Cochran Management Systems will lead the presentation. All are invited. Refreshments will be served.

Learn the ins and outs of work study, UTA Career Development Center division of studet affairs

Work-study workshop

Do you want to hire work-study students, but are confused on how the process works and what is entailed? To learn everything you need to know about the federal work-study program and how it can benefit your department, join this Microsoft Teams informational session on Friday, Feb. 23, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. For more information, contact offcampusworkstudy@uta.edu.

Indian Corner Restaurant, Quality products, Flavors of India

Indian Corner deals throughout February

All month long, Indian Corner's Chicken Biryani is $9.99. The College Park District restaurant's wraps, gyros, chicken haleem, and momos are all $8.99.