Month: August 2018

CONTINUING ED OPENS NEW BUILDING

August 31, 2018

The University of Utah celebrates the opening of its new Continuing Education and Community Engagement building, which houses more than 20 classrooms, on Thursday, Sept. 6, 12-1 p.m. at 540 Arapeen Drive, at the second floor entrance. All are invited to attend the ribbon-cutting and tour the facility.

The building houses the U’s Continuing Education and Community Engagement division, which provides a variety of programs designed for all members of the community, including children, working professionals, non-native English speakers and more. During the last academic year, Continuing Education offered nearly 3,000 classes to more than 14,500 students.

The program offers both for-credit and noncredit academic programs; the English Language Institute; the Go Learn program, which combines education with a vacation to facilitate deeper connections between travelers and the communities they visit; Lifelong Learning, which offers classes on topics ranging from gardening to photography to cooking; the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, which provides educational courses and activities to those 50 years or older; Professional Education, test preparation courses; and youth summer camps.

In addition to administrative space, the new building has a variety of student workspaces, a café, classrooms, art rooms and computer labs, which are used by all of Continuing Education and Community Engagement’s programs.

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

When:            Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018, 12-1 p.m.   

Where:           540 Arapeen Drive, second-floor entrance

Note:               Parking at the building is free

TITLE IX AND THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH

August 31, 2018

While news of changes to the Title IX policy at the federal level is drawing attention, no official updates have yet been shared with college campuses. The University of Utah remains committed to the safety of its students, faculty and staff and ensuring a system that protects the rights of its community to pursue their educational and professional endeavors free from sexual misconduct while also protecting due process.

We constantly strive to improve and encourage an environment that supports individuals in reporting, addressing and remedying the effects of sexual violence on our campus. We will continue to provide victim advocate and counseling services, protective measures, bystander intervention trainings and other awareness programs.

To read more about the University of Utah’s services and policies related to Title IX, click here.

HUMANS OF THE U: KYLE ETHELBAH

August 28, 2018

“When my mother passed from domestic violence at the hands of my father when I was three years old, it had a dramatic impact on me and my older brother. My father was in prison until I was 25 and died from alcoholism, and my brother eventually committed suicide. Of that union, I am the last one left. The only thing that was different for me was that I was given the opportunity to go to school—this is what truly allowed me to be where I am today.

I was always told that my mother was smart—she was the valedictorian of her high school. I clung to the idea that academics were important. Nonetheless, my family had a history of veterans and I was also military-bound my senior year of high school. When my uncle found out I was one step away from finalizing entrance into the Army, he told me, ‘We have plenty of vets in the family. We have no college graduates.’ That made the decision for me.

I went to the University of Arizona and later completed a master’s at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I participated in TRIO while in my undergraduate years, which provided me with an amazing life. Today, there are a few college graduates in my family, but I was the very first one because of TRIO and other college support programs.”

—Kyle Ethelbah, TRIO director

The U will celebrate National First-Generation Student Week the first week of November. Look for more details in the coming weeks.

Continue reading →

GAME DAY: TOP 5 TIPS FOR FANS

August 28, 2018

By Amy McIff, Auxiliary Services

Get ready Utah fans, it’s almost game day.

To help you have the best season ever, we’ve put together our top five tips for making the most of game day, starting with getting to the stadium for free with no traffic or parking hassles. 

Ticket to ride

Did you know that your game ticket is also good for free rides on all UTA transit vehicles on game day? Take TRAX or the bus from anywhere in the valley and arrive at Rice-Eccles relaxed and ready to rumble. “The Ute Train” has become a fun tradition in recent years, where riders cheer and sing “A Utah Man Am I” as it’s played over the train’s loudspeaker. And what is more, the Game Day Ticket Program is not just for football, it’s in effect year-round. You can present any valid ticket, whether for gymnastics, basketball, volleyball or any other event, to ride to campus for free that day. Other campus events like concerts and arts performances are not part of the ticket program.

Get your red on 

Freshen up your fan gear at the Red Zone tent in the tailgate lot or at the game. There are two Red Zone trailers in the tailgate lot—one at the main corner of Guardsman and 5th South and one at the southern end of the lot near the Salt Lake City Sports Complex. In addition to apparel and the latest Under Armour sideline gear, you can also get those last-minute necessities like hats, gloves, rain ponchos and other branded items to complete your look. Inside Rice-Eccles Stadium, the Red Zone is located at the southwest corner of the concourse. If you can’t wait until game day, you can get all things Utah any day, any time, at URedZone.com.

Bring it, clearly

Beginning this year, Rice-Eccles Stadium will maintain a clear bag policy, which asks that you bring only one bag that is transparent and not exceeding 12 inches x 12 inches x 6 inches. The bag can be any style, even a 1-gallon sealable bag, it just can’t be any larger than those dimensions. Ladies may also bring a small clutch or purse for privacy. Diaper bags are also allowed if you have a baby with you. Utah-branded bags will be available on game day outside of the stadium, at the tailgate lot Red Zones and at the Campus Store. Or, if you want to come prepared, get yours now at URedZone.com.

Food, and lots of it

This season, the stadium is rolling out its most robust food lineup ever, from campus favorite, The Pie Pizzeria, to Sub Zero ice cream, frozen right before your eyes. Gates open two hours before kickoff, so come early, get settled, make some new friends and nosh on some yummy food and treats from the classic concessions menu or a number of unique food truck offerings. This year, we welcome J-Dawgs, Jersey Mike’s, Iceberg and Salt City Taco.

Find a full list of food items here. Come and get it, fans!

Get your patch, show your spirit

This year marks 125 seasons of Utah Football and to celebrate, the University Campus Store is offering a limited-edition commemorative patch with purchase of any hat from the Utah Red Zone. Patches will only be available on game days and for seven select days online, according to the schedule above. Note that on OCt. 12 and Nov. 10, patches will be available only at the Sandy Campus Store, so swing by before you head up to campus and get your 125 Years of Utah Football patch while supplies last. Also, make sure to note each game’s theme so you can dress accordingly. True to form, this season will feature a throwback game, a veteran’s appreciation game and a Ute Proud game, among others. So, be an insider and show your spirit by getting the right gear for the game.

And there you have it—all you need to know to make every game day this season a great one.

We’ll see you there!

For a comprehensive guide to Rice-Eccles Stadium, visit stadium.utah.edu.

BLOCK U CLASS PHOTOS

August 27, 2018

Freshmen closing out their first week of college in the formation of a Block U is a relatively new tradition at the University of Utah. The Friday afternoon affair began back in 2014 when the Class of 2018 made its way onto the Rice-Eccles Stadium turf. Sponsored by the University's Office of Orientation and Transition (OOT), the photo shoot is a nice opportunity to meet other first-year students, get an up-close-and-personal feel of the football field, and nab a free tee-shirt. And it caps a week's worth of welcome events also sponsored by OOT.

For high-resolution versions of all of the past Block U photos, click here.

Class of 2021

Class of 2020

Class of 2019

Class of 2018

Class of 2017

Save the date: Presidential inauguration

August 24, 2018

By Annalisa Purser, associate director, University of Utah Communications

The inauguration for Ruth V. Watkins, the 16th president of the University of Utah, will be held Friday, Sept. 21, 3 p.m. in Kingsbury Hall on the U campus, 1395 Presidents Circle. The event is free and open to the public.

Because seating in Kingsbury Hall is limited, it is recommended that guests arrive early. Guests may form a line outside Kingsbury Hall beginning at 2 p.m. In the event the venue reaches capacity, overflow seating will be available in Gardner Hall, which is next door to Kingsbury Hall. The inauguration will also be live streamed at president.utah.edu/inauguration.

This historic tradition officially marks the beginning of a new leader’s administration. The ceremony will include congratulatory messages from state officials and campus community members, presentation of the presidential medallion, the official charge from the chair of the Utah State Board of Regents and a keynote address by President Watkins recognizing the university’s rich history and outlining the vision for its strong and vibrant future.

The Utah State Board of Regents selected President Watkins to lead the state’s flagship institution in January 2018. Her tenure began in April. Prior to this role, Watkins served as senior vice president for Academic Affairs at the U for five years. Before that, she spent 20 years at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she held faculty and leadership roles, including associate provost for Undergraduate Education, vice provost and chief of staff, and dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

“I am honored to have the privilege to lead at this time of great acceleration at the University of Utah,” Watkins said. “As a research university with an academic medical center located on a single campus, we are uniquely positioned to leverage our tradition of collaborative and innovative work in a way that impacts Utah, the nation and the world for good.”

Prior to the inauguration ceremony, the U will hold an inauguration symposium on Thursday, Sept. 20, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. focused on public universities and America’s future. The symposium will bring together thought leaders from across the country to explore some of the most pressing issues facing higher education today, including the role of universities in preparing students for the workforce in the 21st century, collaboration in research and innovation and its economic impact, and ways in which universities and communities can be partners for change. The symposium will be live streamed at president.utah.edu/inauguration.

In the months leading to inauguration, Watkins installed a new leadership team. Daniel A. Reed was appointed senior vice president for Academic Affairs in April; in June, Mark Harlan was selected to be the school’s athletic director; and, most recently, Michael L. Good was named senior vice president for Health Sciences, CEO of University of Utah Health and executive dean of the School of Medicine. Additionally, Watkins has spent time meeting with various campus groups and departments, as well as community and business leaders and alumni from around the state.

“Since taking the helm of the university in April, President Watkins has continued to emphasize the strength of the university, its responsibility to be the university for Utah and a place that strives to be welcoming and inclusive for people from all backgrounds, and its focus on providing an exceptional educational experience to students while maintaining the value they have come to expect,” said David Burton, chair of the University of Utah Board of Trustees. “I am looking forward to celebrating this momentous occasion with her and the rest of the university.”

In addition to the symposium, a series of related events will take place in the weeks surrounding the inauguration. Details of those events are forthcoming.

The inauguration event is designed to be accessible for all guests. Live closed captioning will be used during the event, American Sign Language interpreters will be on site and ADA seating is available. To request any of these accommodations, please contact Keven Myhre, Kingsbury Hall operations director, at keven.myhre@utah.edu.

The U takes on TED

August 24, 2018

By Lisa Potter, science writer, University of Utah Communications

U faculty and undergrad are among the local luminaries who will present their ideas, stories and creative solutions at the 2018 TEDXSaltLakeCity. The event takes place on Sept. 8, 2018 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Kingsbury Hall at the University of Utah. This year’s theme, “At the Edge,” brings together speakers and performers who will urge us to think beyond our comfort zones to explore new ways of engaging with the world.

TEDX conferences are independently-organized events that carry the spirit of the TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Conferences, which aim to share “ideas worth spreading.” There are still tickets available at tedxsaltlakecity.com/tickets. The ticket includes a day of talk, performances and your choice of lunch from various food trucks.

Lisa M. Diamond, professor, Department of Psychology, Division of Gender Studies

Lisa M. Diamond studies how people express sexual attraction and sexual identity at different stages in their lives. She is renowned for her work on sexual fluidity, which describes a person’s ability to experience shifts in their same-sex and other-sex attraction over time. Diamond is co-editor of the American Psychological Association (APA) Handbook of Sexuality and Psychology, the first, most comprehensive overview of the science that examines human sexuality from a psychological perspective. She has written more than 100 scholarly publications and book chapters, has presented her research all over the world and won multiple awards from myriad professional organizations.

In Diamond’s talk, she will argue that although it’s become common to promote LGBT equality by arguing that LGBT individuals are “born that way,” there are three major problems with this approach: It’s not scientifically accurate, it’s not legally necessary and it’s unjust. As Diamond argues in her talk, “How and why and when individuals become LGBT may be fascinating to scientists like me, but it should have no bearing on whether their parents accept and embrace them and it certainly should have no bearing on public policy.” 

Mohan Sudabattula, undergraduate, Founder and Executive Director of Project Embrace 

U undergraduate Mohan Sudabattula is founder and executive director of Project Embrace, an international medical nonprofit that aims to reduce global health disparities and promote sustainable healthcare. Project Embrace does this through the reuse and repurposing of previously owned medical equipment from the U.S. to meet the need of patients worldwide. 

“Ten years ago, I visited an orphanage in India where children suffered from these exact same diseases (of U.S. patients), but didn’t have access to the medical devices needed to treat them. Those images stuck with me. So, I started Project Embrace, a non-profit that repurposes unwanted medical devices for patients-in-need abroad. Right from the beginning, I knew I wanted to partner with that orphanage,” Sudabattula, who triples majors in biology, philosophy and health & society, told @theU in November.

Since their launch last year, Project Embrace has successfully completed two donation campaigns in Swaziland and India. Sudabattula has also been invited to present about Project Embrace on stages across the United States and England at universities such as Stanford, John Hopkins, and Oxford. Sudabattula is the first ever U student to present on the TEDx stage and his talk will focus on social innovation in healthcare through simple solutions and community empowerment.

WORK-STUDY FUNDING

August 24, 2018

By Hilerie Harris, assistant director, marketing and communications, University Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid

Need additional funding for school this year? There is work-study funding available through the University Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (UOSFA). Work-study is a need-based federal financial aid program that allows students to work part-time on campus while attending school.

“The Federal Work-Study program is a great way for students to work on campus in areas that interest them,” UOSFA Executive Director Brenda Burke said. “There are a variety of positions available and there is flexibility in scheduling the hours they work around their class schedule.”

If you are interested in work-study funding, complete a 2018-19 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and indicate interest in work-study on the FAFSA. If you did not indicate interest in work-study on the FAFSA or were not initially awarded, you can complete the Federal Work-Study Request Form on the UOSFA website.

Students must follow these eligibility requirements to receive work-study funding:

  • Eligible to receive financial aid
  • Demonstrate financial need
  • Enrolled at least half-time (6 credit hours)
  • Eligible to legally work in the United States
  • Not a University of Utah benefits eligible employee (except for health insurance provided under the Affordable Care Act)

If you were awarded work-study and would like to receive the funding, you must accept the award on your financial aid award letter in Campus Information Services (CIS). Once the award is accepted, apply for a work-study job through Human Resources. Complete a job application and submit any additional documentation required, such as a resume. Potential employers will reach out to you for an interview if they are interested. The hiring process will be conducted through Human Resources and the hiring department.

If you have any questions about the work-study program, contact the Federal Work-Study coordinator in the University Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.

financialaid.utah.edu
faws@sa.utah.edu
801-581-6581
Student Services Building, Room 105

NEVER AGAIN IS NOW

August 24, 2018

By Brooke Adams, communications specialist, University Communications

Ann Burroughs, who grew up in South Africa, was 22 when she was arrested and jailed as a political prisoner because of her opposition to apartheid. She was released after Amnesty International took up her case.

It was an early lesson in what it means to stand up for racial and social justice and set Burroughs on a lifelong effort to promote understanding, acceptance and appreciation for ethnic and cultural diversity. Today, Burroughs is the president and CEO of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles and the newly elected chair of the Global Council of Amnesty International.

Burroughs will visit the University of Utah on Thursday, Aug. 30, as the keynote speaker of the Tanner Center for Human Rights lecture series. The lecture, “Never Again is Now: Remembering and Reaffirming Our Collective Commitment to Protecting Civil Rights,” begins at 7 p.m. at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. It is free and open to the public.

Ann Burroughs is the president and CEO of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles and the newly elected chair of the Global Council of Amnesty International.

The museum is currently featuring an exhibit of Chiura Obata’s art work, drawn from his experiences in the Japanese internment period during World War II. Obata was a founding director of art schools at the Tanforan Assembly Center in California and the Topaz Relocation Center in Utah during the Japanese American interment (1942-45). He emerged as a leading figure in Northern California’s art scene, serving as an influential art professor at UC Berkeley for 22 years.

In her public lectures, Burroughs has urged listeners to remember history in order to “stand guard” against current events that threaten liberty and equality, particularly access to immigration. The internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II shows how easily “a climate of hatred and fear can be created,” Burroughs has said, “how easily rhetoric can normalize division and exclusion and how easily that same rhetoric can drive acceptance and submissiveness.”

The order that led to the detention of Japanese Americans—Executive Order 9066 signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942—was “unbelievably stark in its ordinariness, a banal government document” that had devastating consequences for Japanese Americans, Burroughs has noted.

This unfortunate chapter of American history risks being replayed today, most recently with exclusion of migrants from certain nations and the detention of undocumented immigrants—and separation of families—at the U.S.’s southern border.

“The lecture will examine lessons to be drawn from the Japanese internment experience to inform today’s debates over the discriminatory treatment of racial and religious minorities in the  immigration system including the recent categorical exclusion of certain classes of migrants and the troubling treatment of asylum seekers by the United States,” said Erika George, interim director of the Tanner Center for Human Rights and the Samuel D. Thurman Professor of Law at the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah.

NEED STUDENT WORKERS?

August 24, 2018

By Hilerie Harris, assistant director, marketing and communications, University Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid

Do you need student staffing in your office? There is work-study funding available through the University Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (UOSFA). Work-study is a need-based federal financial aid program that allows students to work part-time on campus while attending school.

“The Federal Work-Study program is a wonderful way for departments on campus to connect with students in positions that are related to their career interests,” UOSFA Executive Director Brenda Burke said.  “It is also a great way to establish mentor/mentee relationships between FWS students and campus employers.”

Departments interested in posting a work-study position must follow the requirements listed on the UOSFA website. If all listed criteria are met, the position can be posted through the University of Utah Division of Human Resources. Human Resources handles all aspects of hiring, not the UOSFA. A student’s work-study eligibility is confirmed by submitting a Job Referral Notice (JRN) to the UOSFA. A valid JRN must be submitted before a student begins working in the Federal Work-Study Program.

Visit the Employer Work-Study Handbook for more information about the program.

If you have any questions about the work-study program, contact the Federal Work-Study coordinator in the University Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.

financialaid.utah.edu
faws@sa.utah.edu
801-581-6581
Student Services Building, Room 105