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Division of Student Affairs Newsletter

The University of Texas at Austin

, Filed Under: Summary

June Division Update

Summer’s here and school is right around the corner. Read how Division staff will showcase our purpose while welcoming 10,000 first-year and transfer students.

Gage Paine, Vice President for Student Affairs
Gage Paine, Vice President for Student Affairs

Message from Gage Paine

“The start of June marks a transition in our academic year. The past weeks of rain dampened, but didn’t stop our seniors from graduating in style and… .” READ ON.

 

Marla Craig at the student appreciation petting zoo
Marla Craig at the student appreciation petting zoo

Division News

Find out who extended support to students during finals with midnight meals, poolside study breaks and more.

Spring 2015 Housing and Food Service Leadership Institute graduates
Spring 2015 Housing and Food Service Leadership Institute graduates

Standouts

Discover how the Division is improving access to growth opportunities for emerging leaders, including staff who completed this program.

Longhorn State of Mind Texas 19Events

Know when UT Orientation kicks off? Find out about that and other events this month that help expand the visibility of our work.

True Colors® facilitators Marian Trattner, Dylan Smith & Elisa Ramos
True Colors® facilitators Marian Trattner, Dylan Smith & Elisa Ramos

True Colors Tips

Dylan Smith shares information on using a technique that helps build a better working relationship with your supervisor.

NEW-HIRES-GRAPHICNew Hires & Promotions

Partner with these new colleagues as we continue to work toward Division excellence.

David Vander Straten (UHS) speaking on KXAN
David Vander Straten (UHS) speaking on KXAN

In The News

From educating students about mumps to increasing sustainability on campus, read how we’re making headlines.

 

, Filed Under: Message from Gage Paine

Message from Gage Paine

“It’s summertime, summertime, sum-sum-summertime” (The Jamies)

Gage Paine, Vice President for Student Affairs
Gage Paine, Vice President for Student Affairs

Songs are running through my head. Some are about summer and some just remind me of summer. I love all of the 60’s California beach music even though, or perhaps because, I lived in Oklahoma in the 60’s. The all time best summer song has to be “Summertime” from George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess.” “Summertime and the livin’ is easy.” Just the melody speaks of hot, slow days and time to wander and daydream. It makes me think of those summers as a kid when it was just too hot to do anything and that was okay.

Of course, those days are long gone. Even so, the start of June marks a transition in our academic year. The past weeks of rain dampened, but didn’t stop our seniors from graduating in style and we send them off on their next adventures with good wishes. Many of our current students are traveling or serving as interns in far away places. Some have headed home to work and some are here for the summer.

As I once told someone who wondered what I could possibly find to do on campus during the summer, there are still 10,000 students here and some people think that’s a full campus. We know that our university never really shuts down for long. This week about 50 students and staff are participating in Sorority and Fraternity Life’s first ever LeaderShape® program. Orientation and Family Orientation student employees begin their training; those orientation programs start in less than a week. Leaders from many campus organizations will also be on campus as they wrap up one year and prepare for the next. So, summertime isn’t all that “easy.”

However, it is different. The pace of the campus is different. The number of cars and students is down. There are fewer events even with UT Orientation happening. There really is some time for most of us to take a bit of a breath. I encourage everyone to take that breath in your own way. Before you jump right into planning the next thing, please take a moment to celebrate the successes of this past academic year. Don’t forget all you have accomplished in the rush to keep moving. We’ve had a great year in the Division of Student Affairs and every member of this Division has had an important part in that success. So, take a moment and pat yourself on the back, pat your colleague on the back and take pride in what you have done.

After all, it’s only “sum-sum-summertime” for a few short months. Even if they are busy months, let’s take a moment to bask in the glow of our good work as well as the “Warmth of the Sun” (Beach Boys).

All the best,

Gage

, Filed Under: Latest News

Division News

Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC)

  • CMHC staff prepare for their improv skit on Division excellence
    CMHC staff prepare for their improv skit on Division excellence

    CMHC staff participated in a staff activity that highlighted the Division’s excellence model. Staff members were invited to think about their work model by participating in one of four activities: an art-based collage, an improv skit, a writing activity or a photography project. Check out the results in this video.

  • Marla Craig at the student appreciation petting zoo
    Marla Craig at the student appreciation petting zoo

    CMHC Prevention and Outreach staff honored student volunteers and staff members by hosting a student appreciation event. This year‘s event included a tiny animal petting zoo for students. The opportunity allowed students to relax, socialize and spend some down time in the middle of their day before finals. Take a look at the photos.

Housing and Food Service (DHFS)

Housing

  • Hemlata Jhaveri will become the executive director of Housing and Food Service on June 3. Floyd Hoelting will officially retire this August after 20 years. Jhaveri previously served as the director of administrative services and the director of residence life at DHFS.
  • DHFS is welcoming over 100 different conferences to campus this summer. The conferences, co-sponsored by university departments, will be staying in various residence halls, including Duren, Kinsolving, Whitis Court, Jester East and Jester West. UT Orientation will be housed in both Jester East and Kinsolving.
  • Students have already moved into the residence halls for summer housing. This year, students living on campus during the summer are being housed in Brackenridge, Roberts, Prather and San Jacinto.
  • The WiFi network utexas is now active on-campus and has officially replaced restricted.utexas.edu. DHFS is continuing to upgrade the wireless infrastructure in our residence halls to better meet the needs of students.

Food Service

  • Hemlata Jhaveri, Rick Early & Melanie Grice at the URHA and Vegetarian Focus Group end of year celebration
    Hemlata Jhaveri, Rick Early & Melanie Grice at the URHA and Vegetarian Focus Group end of year celebration

    Food Service hosted the DHFS End-of-Year Celebration on the Kinsolving patio to honor the University Residence Hall Association (URHA) Food Committee and Vegetarian Focus Group. Chef Robert Mayberry grilled fresh local vegetables for a fully vegan taco bar prepared by Kinsolving staff. Hunter Mangrum served his vegan coconut ice cream with grilled apples.

  • Food Service celebrated the end of the 2014–15 school year with its annual team day hosted by Jester City Limits (JCL). An inspirational drummer led employees in teambuilding and chants. Employees also participated in trainings and games and received awards.

New Student Services (NSS)

  • Due to increased enrollment numbers for the Class of 2019, additional spaces have been added to Freshman Orientation sessions four and five. Students will be housed in Jester and Kinsolving residence halls during sessions two, three, four and five.
  • So far, 7,203 students have registered for orientation, including freshman, transfer and PACE students.
  • Pre-orientation modules went live on May 5 and students received an email notifying them.
  • New Student Services staff presented to the Academic Counselors Association on May 6 about orientation.
  • Esmer Bedia and Kim Heilbrun at the Horns Helping Horns end-of-year dinner
    Esmer Bedia & Kim Heilbrun at the Horns Helping Horns end-of-year dinner

    Students and staff gathered in the President’s Office on May 12 for the annual Horns Helping Horns end-of-year dinner. Take a look at the photos.

  • On May 26, NSS set up its summer satellite office in Jester.
  • Orientation Advisors (OA) and staff are convening through June 5 for “Workshop,” during which OAs rehearsed shows for orientation, heard presentations from various campus partners and completed final preparations for orientation.
  • A panel of OAs hosted “OAs on Air” on May 29, where they answered questions from incoming students in a live YouTube broadcast.
  • NSS distributed the #UTOrientation Communication Guide with information on social media accounts, hashtags and graphics. Communicators are encouraged to cobrand collateral with the Longhorn State of Mind initiative.

Office of the Dean of Students (DoS)

  • Vietnam veterans Alan Teal, Robert Jimenez & Walter William Ivie; President Bill Powers; Vietnam veteran Gary Taylor; & Jeremiah Gunderson at the Veteran Commencement Ceremony
    Vietnam veterans
    Alan Teal, Robert Jimenez & Walter William Ivie; President Bill Powers; Vietnam veteran
    Gary Taylor; &
    Jeremiah Gunderson at the Veteran Commencement Ceremony

    Student Veteran Services in the Office of the Dean of Students was proud to host the 2015 Veterans Commencement Reception honoring the achievements and sacrifices of student veterans both past and present, and paying special tribute to those who were unable to participate in Commencement because they were called into service in Vietnam. The reception also celebrated the Veteran Academic Leadership Award recipients.

Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA)

  • March True Colors® Communication workshop
    March True Colors® Communication workshop

    The Division will offer two upcoming True Colors® Communication workshops for summer. The first is Thursday, June 18 from 2:30–4:30 p.m. The second is Thursday, July 23, from 2–4 p.m. Learn more information and register here.

  • Three small group, hands-on photography and multimedia production workshops are being made available this summer to professional and student staff in the Division tasked with communication duties. Workshops topics include Smartphone Photography and Multimedia on June 18, DSLR Photography Basics on June 25 and Video Production Basics on July 23. Space is limited to 10 participants for each session.
  • Work has begun on the 2014–15 Division Impact Report in cooperation with assessment and communication representatives across the Division. Check out last year’s report to learn about the important work happening to support students.

Recreational Sports (RecSports)

  • Staff checking in at this year's Poker Walk
    Staff checking in at this year’s Poker Walk

    Torrential rain failed to dampen the spirits of faculty and staff who participated in the RecSports Poker Walk. Although the walk itself was canceled, participants still gathered at the Gregory Gym Arena for poker, lunch, a free T-shirt and to display their creative costumes. The top poker hand winner was Alicia DeLacerda from Housing and Food Service. Check out the photos.

  • The Splash Bash Study Break poolside event was also brought inside Gregory Gym. Special thanks to our colleagues who tabled at the event: Counseling and Mental Health Center, Housing and Food Service, Texas Parents and University Health Services. See the photos.
  • Full-time professional staff hosted a student staff appreciation event featuring finger food, casino games and a tribute to 2015 graduates. Here are the photos.
  • Facility Operations staff worked tirelessly to facilitate seven convocations in Gregory Gym. Ceremonies were held for the Departments of Government, Psychology and Economics; the College of Education; Master of Professional Accounting and Master of Business Administration; and the School of Human Ecology.
  • Housing and Food Service's Green Lightening softball team
    Housing and Food Service’s Green Lightening softball team

    The James Vick Championship Trophy was awarded to the Housing and Food Service’s Green Lightning after defeating the Dean of Students’ Amigos 12–4 in the Student Affairs and Friends softball championship game.

Texas Parents

  • Texas Parents mailed the New Parent Guide to 8,500 freshman families, including Path to Admission through Co-Enrollment (PACE) students. This magazine is designed to be a resource to introduce parents to university resources and policies.
  • Planning for Family Orientation continues as Texas Parents prepares for the six, one-day sessions conducted for family members of incoming freshman. Sessions are held on the first day of each freshman orientation and have a separate agenda from the students’ program. Family Orientation will take place on June 8, 15, 22 and 29 as well as on July 6 and 13.
  • Texas Parents will also facilitate Transfer Family Welcome Sessions on June 25, July 9 and 16 to welcome the families of incoming transfer students and inform them about resources available to support their student’s transition to UT Austin.
  • Texas Parents has hired 34 Family Orientation student staff to play a crucial role in facilitating Family Orientation and Texas Parents membership sales this summer.
  • Texas Parents is developing the Next Steps eNewsletter to provide incoming freshman families with helpful information leading up to their students’ arrival to campus in August. Distribution dates will be July 17 and 31 as well as August 14.

The Center for Students in Recovery (CSR)

  • Weekly recovery meetings continue through the summer at CSR. Check out the meeting schedule for details.

University Health Services (UHS)

  • UHS responded to the recent mumps outbreak with patient care and expedited lab testing, reporting data to the local health department, working with mumps patients and their close contacts, and keeping the campus informed.
  • Debbie Riggs & Cynthia Brotzman at the ice cream social
    Debbie Riggs & Cynthia Brotzman at the ice cream social

    For National Nurses Week, UHS nursing staff enjoyed an ice cream social. Nurses build great sundaes.

  • In a UHS tradition, the medical staff served breakfast to staff on May 22 in appreciation of their support all year.
  • UHS staff gathered May 21 for updates and service awards and to bid nine-month colleagues farewell. Staff especially appreciated the presentation by Lauren Kinast, associate director for Services for Students with Disabilities on working with students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
  • Carmen Reyes, Katherine Green, Luisa Gutierrez & Deepika Modali at the Taste the World Party
    Carmen Reyes, Katherine Green, Luisa Gutierrez & Deepika Modali at the Taste the World Party

    UHS staff sampled cuisines and grooved to tunes from across the globe in the third annual Taste the World potluck May 11 to celebrate the many cultures represented among the staff.

  • At the annual volunteer appreciation party on May 8, UHS presented the Outstanding Student Health Leadership Award to Nicolet Finger for her substantial contributions to the well-being of UT Austin students.
  • In a limited 10-day pilot, UHS diverted 22 pounds of waste per day to compost instead of trash. Watch for more composting at UHS.

University Unions

  • Staff serving students at the Midnight Pancakes Breakfast
    Staff serving students at the Midnight Pancakes Breakfast

    For finals, the Student Activity Center hosted Finals, Finals, Finals, Fest! Midnight Pancake Breakfast. The SAC staff served just over 600 students at midnight, an almost 10 percent jump from spring 2014. Check out the photos.

  • During finals week, the Texas Union staffed the “Texas Union Pit Crew,” hand delivering a variety of study snacks to students studying throughout the building.
  • Hogg Memorial Auditorium is now back online with new technological upgrades. Hogg welcomed students and visitors for finals week and commencement events.
  • On May 30, the University Unions began hosting “Public Service Saturdays.” The event kicked off in Houston and will also be held in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio for students, staff and alumni. The initiative encourages students to become more involved in their hometowns. This creates networking opportunities for alumni and students in those cities, and enhances the sense of community among University Unions alumni.