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Updates and news for the week of December 5 – 11, 2023
The UTC Campus Weekly newsletter is distributed every Tuesday morning. If you have news, events or announcements you would like shared with campus, please submit your information to chuck-wasserstrom@utc.edu in the Division of Communications and Marketing by 3 p.m. on Friday for placement in the following Tuesday’s newsletter.
Welcome to Reading Day!
The UTC Library offers extended hours through the end of finals. The building will be staffed 7:30 a.m.-2 a.m. weekdays, 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m. on Friday (Dec. 8), 9 a.m.-8 p.m. on Saturday (Dec. 9) and noon-2 a.m. on Sunday (Dec. 10).
- As part of Reading Day today (Dec. 5), the library is hosting an arts and crafts (all supplies provided) room for creative expression during study breaks. Research consistently shows that taking meaningful breaks can improve studying effectiveness, so all Mocs are invited to drop into Room 101 anytime between 11 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information, click here.
- For another type of creative study break today, the Library’s Studio (Room 305) will host a hand sewing workshop from 3-4 p.m. This study break provides a refreshing brain reset while also providing attendees with a practical skill. Click here for more info.
At various times during finals week, library personnel will convert a book cart into a snack cart and wheel it throughout the library to bring students a tasty treat.
Scrappy’s Cupboard Cap and Gown Loan Program Available
Graduates, Scrappy’s Cupboard is happy to offer cap and gown (academic regalia) loans to any undergraduate or graduate student who has been approved to participate in a UTC graduation ceremony and cannot afford to purchase the regalia required to participate. Academic Regalia is available for loan up to five days prior to the graduation ceremony and must be returned no later than five days after the ceremony.
To request a cap and gown loan for fall 2023 graduation ceremonies, please complete this request form no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 12.
If you have questions, contact the Office of Student Outreach and Support at 423-425-2299 or e-mail scrappyscupboard@utc.edu.
Submit Your Events for the Winter Welcome Calendar
The Office of Student and Family Engagement is excited to announce the dates for our Spring Welcome Week: Jan. 8-12, 2024.
During the week, we offer a wide variety of events for our students. If you are hosting an event or program during the first week of classes, please consider submitting your event to the official calendar found on the Winter Welcome website.
- To submit an event, please complete this form.
- The priority deadline for the Winter Welcome calendar is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 2. The final deadline to submit events is 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 5.
Email kidron-bullock@utc.edu with questions.
Save the Date: March 23, 2024
The Undergraduate Admissions Office will be hosting the annual Blue and Gold Preview Day- Spring Edition for prospective students and their families on Saturday, March 23. Blue and Gold Preview Day includes a tour of campus, an academic department fair, a student organization showcase and a residence hall open house.
Save the Dates: Fall 2024 Orientation
The New Student and Family Programs Office is excited to offer several orientation sessions next summer for new students starting in fall 2024. In addition to multiple in-person orientations, we will offer two online sessions that will be open to transfer students, adult students (23 years of age or older) and freshmen by exception. Registration for fall 2024 orientation will begin Saturday, Jan. 20, and can be found here.
If you are talking with students and/or parents and they have questions about orientation and enrollment, please direct them to call 423-425-5220 or email Orientation@utc.edu.
Freshman sessions:
- Wednesday, May 22 … Thursday, June 6 … Friday, June 7 … Monday, June 17 … Tuesday, June 18 … Monday, July 15 … Tuesday, July 16 … Thursday, July 25 … Friday, July 26
Transfer sessions:
- Tuesday, April 23 (Reading Day) … Tuesday, June 4 … Friday, June 21 … Thursday, June 27—online … Thursday, July 18 … Tuesday, July 23—online … Thursday, August 1
The outstanding people of UTC
Brock Scholar and elementary education major Rebekah Cahill (pictured), who will be graduating from UTC this month, placed second in the 2023 Sloane Prize for Undergraduate Research poster competition at the 58th annual National Collegiate Honors Council conference in Chicago.
Check out these Mocs making a difference:
- When it comes to leading the future generation of leaders, innovators and thinkers, how do you inspire and teach them? Chancellor Angle was a recent guest on the Startup Station podcast to offer his perspective and experience.
- Two UTC political science and public service majors, sophomores Taylor Nelson and Carmen Witt, won top honors at the recent Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature mock government competition involving delegations from nearly 30 colleges and universities across Tennessee. Other UTC students honored included Hunter Fowler (elected Supreme Court Justice), Susanne Cooper (elected Speaker Pro Tem of the House), Ashley Ogletree (won Outstanding Lobbyist award) and Elias Griffin (won Outstanding Lobbyist Award).
- A trio of UTC faculty/staff members have recently been featured in Times Free Press stories: Mike Bradshaw, Marcus Mauldin and Ryan Russell.
Mark your calendar
The Manage My Housing portal will be open Dec. 6-Jan. 1 for students to change their spring 2024 residential meal plans. Meal plan eligibility is based on earned credit hours. If your fall 2023 credits will change your student classification, please wait until final grades are submitted before you attempt to make a change.
The University classifies undergraduate students as freshmen, sophomores, juniors or seniors according to the number of credit hours completed:
- Freshman: 0-29 semester hours
- Sophomore: 30-59 semester hours
- Junior: 60-89 semester hours
- Senior: 90 or more semester hours
The meal plans are listed by student classification. Please click here for more information.
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UTC is sponsoring Ice on the Landing in the open air at First Horizon Pavilion, home to the Chattanooga Market. Ice on the Landing is open most days from Nov. 24 through Jan. 28. Click here to learn more.
Don’t forget: Today (Dec. 5), students, faculty, staff and alumni receive an exclusive $2 discount on tickets. Use the code blueandgold at checkout to get your discounted tickets.
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The Office of Multicultural Affairs seeks the submission of engaging and collaborative programs for UTC Black History Month 2024. Click here to apply. The proposals should provide the UTC community with knowledge, resources and experiences that can apply to their everyday lives. We strongly encourage these events to be educational as well as engaging, interactive and creative. We encourage programs that foster collaboration with two or more faculty, staff or university departments in planning the event.
All program proposals are due by 5 p.m. today (Dec. 5).
This year, the Office of Multicultural Affairs has selected the theme of “African Americans and the Arts.” There will be emphasis on the transformative experiences created by African Americans past, present and future pertaining to the artistic expression. This month will showcase the intellectual and collective impact of African Americans in music, dance, art, fashion, literature, theater, film, storytelling, spoken word, poetry, song, entertainment, innovation, arts education and more. For additional information, click here for the Campus Updates post.
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The Prism Center will be conducting Safe Zone Aspiring Ally training sessions on the following dates:
- Today (Dec. 5): 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Monday, Dec. 18: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
A Safe Zone is a space in which anyone in the LGBTQ+ community will be supported and affirmed. Safe Zone training will help participants learn to create a supportive environment for LGBTQ+ members of campus by providing education, resources and advocacy. The training includes small group activities, an information session and large group discussions. Participants will then be able to display a UTC Safe Zone Aspiring Ally sticker in their office to demonstrate their commitment to the LGBTQ+ community.
Space is limited, so please click here to register.
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Staff from Fleet Feet’s Chattanooga store will be in UTC Library Room 209 at 11:30 a.m. today (Dec. 5) to provide their expertise about how to find the right shoe for walking, running and just spending a lot of time on your feet. Join the Department of Health and Human Performance to learn about the difference between various shoe types and how to find your best fit. Plus, everyone has a chance to win prizes from Fleet Feet.
Contact Karissa-peyer@utc.edu with any questions.
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Information sessions are taking place this week for a spring 2024 study abroad course titled “Doing Business in the Balkans,” which is open to all UTC students. The course has no prerequisites and includes a two-week international study trip to the Balkan countries of Albania, Greece and North Macedonia (May 5-19, 2024). The course is led by UTC Gary W. Rollins College of Business faculty member Beni Asllani, a native of Albania.
This week’s information sessions:
Students earn three credit hours on the undergraduate level (MGT 4950) or graduate level (MGT 5950). For more information, contact COBInternational@utc.edu or visit COB International Programs.
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Human Resources provided a series of December staff development opportunities, including an online seminar from 3-4 p.m. on Thursday (Dec. 7) titled “Making the Holidays Happier.” Register here for the session.
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Hunter Hayes’ Flying Solo Tour is coming to the Walker Theatre (located inside the Memorial Auditorium) for an 8 p.m. show on Tuesday, Dec. 12. UTC students, faculty and staff have been offered a 25% discount for the show.
To purchase tickets, click on this link, then enter the code 25STUDENT in the “unlock” button in the upper right-hand corner of the screen for the discount price.
For more information, visit TivoliChattanooga.com.
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A message from the Office of the Bursar:
Spring 2024 is around the corner. If you are an eligible employee who is registered or plan to register for the spring semester and have not completed your employee fee waiver form, please submit your form to Human Resources for processing. The fee payment deadline for spring 2024 is Thursday, Dec. 14.
- Cancellation is an automatic process, and you must submit the required documents each semester to take advantage of your fee waiver benefit.
- If your eligible dependent or spouse is registered for classes and has a balance after processing their discount, the remaining balance must be paid to the Bursar’s Office by Thursday, Dec 14.
- The Tuition Installment Payment Plan is also available.
If you have questions or need assistance, contact the Bursar’s Office directly at 423-425-4781.
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The Office of Planning, Evaluation and Institutional Research (OPEIR) is hosting a series of workshops for faculty to learn about and be guided through the policy for proposing a new academic degree program at UTC. These workshops will cover the various stages of the process and feature guest speakers from departments on campus as well as the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). RSVP is not required but will help with planning and communication of events. Information about the next session:
- Thursday, Dec. 14: General information and assistance workshop, UTC Library Room 118A, 2:30 p.m. | Calendar
For further information, email kelli-baker@utc.edu, program coordinator for OPEIR, or call 423- 425-2216.
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The Vice Chancellor for Research and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs invite you to participate in an upcoming site visit to Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The purpose of the trip is to increase awareness of ORNL’s facilities, equipment and resources to enhance collaboration between UTC faculty and researchers at ORNL.
The trip is scheduled for a full day (including travel time) on Feb. 23, 2024, and transportation will be provided. Any UTC faculty member or researcher is eligible to participate; however, because ORNL is a Department of Energy-funded laboratory, additional information will be required from non-U.S. citizens to complete the badging process.
Please direct questions about InfoReady Review to ashley-ledford@utc.edu. Quick guides on how to set up a profile and how to apply are available on ORSP’s webpage.
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Math Kangaroo, an international mathematics competition, is returning to UTC.
Math Kangaroo 2024, open to students in grades 1-12, will be held at UTC at 5:30 p.m. on March 21, 2024. Information about the competition and registration can be found on the Math Kangaroo website.
The deadline for registration is Friday, Dec. 15. The registration fee is $21 per student, and financial assistance is available.
Please share this message, the event PDF and the registration information PDF with anyone who might be interested in participating. For more information, click here. If you are new to this program, please read Math Kangaroo History.
Campus Updates
To all our graduating Mocs, congratulations from UTC Advancement. As your status advances from student to alumnus, you have the opportunity to create a lasting impact here at UTC. By donating just $5 or more, you can receive an exclusive gold cord to wear at commencement that signifies your commitment to future Mocs. This small donation can go a long way in helping to fund scholarships and enhance academic programs all over campus. Plus, wearing the gold cord at commencement will set you apart as a proud UTC supporter. Donate today and leave a legacy for future students at your alma mater.
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Graduates and families can download the Safe Mocs App and get all the information needed for fall 2023 commencement.
The commencement page has information for graduates, including getting tickets for their family and friends and how to order diplomas and transcripts. It also has information for families, such as commencement schedule, parking and getting into McKenzie Arena. For those who can’t make it to the ceremony, there is information on viewing the livestream.
Go to the Apple or Google Play app stores and search for “Safe Mocs.”
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It’s never too early to think about summer camp! Mocs basketball is hosting a kids camp for girls and boys ages 7-14 on June 24-27, 2024. Camp sessions will run from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. daily.
The cost is $260, including T-shirt and meals, and discounts are available for early bird signups, siblings and UTC employees. To register, visit chattanoogawomensbasketballcamps.com.
For questions, email tyler-r-clark@utc.edu.
Looking ahead
 Photo credit: Dale Rutemeyer/GoMocs.com This week’s Mocs home athletics calendar:
- Saturday (Dec. 9): Women’s basketball vs. North Alabama, McKenzie Arena, 2 p.m.
- Sunday (Dec. 10): Men’s basketball vs. Tennessee Wesleyan, McKenzie Arena, 2 p.m.
Looking back
 Lucy Schultz and Catherine Meeks Quinlan Associate lecturers Lucy Schultz and Catherine Meeks Quinlan are two driving forces behind UTC’s growing environmental studies minor, an interdisciplinary field that examines human interactions and the environment. These include the effects of human societies on the natural world and the role that environments—both natural and built—have played in shaping human cultures.
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Here are some other recent UTC stories featured in the Newsroom:
Tales from the UTC PodLab
 Bob Corker and Joda Thongnopnua “Tennessee Valley Across the Table” is a student-led podcast that brings locals, often strangers with different views, together to learn who we are as people. It is inspired by StoryCorps’ One Small Step program.
In 2022, community members came to the UTC PodLab and opened their lives with stories about their families, their politics and their hopes for the future. This year, UTC Honors students, under the direction of Will Davis, studied the recordings and chose the material that most resonated with them. This episode by UTC political science student Daley Culberson features a conversation between Bob Corker and Joda Thongnopnua.
You can subscribe to “Tennessee Valley Across the Table” on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
WUTC Spotlight: The Haley Solomon Show
 Comedian James “Murr” Murray (photo courtesy of Murr) James “Murr” Murray is one of four comedians behind the hidden-camera reality show “Impractical Jokers.” The show follows four lifelong friends who compete to publicly embarrass each other in front of unsuspecting strangers.
This Saturday (Dec. 9), Murray brings elements of “Impractical Jokers” to Chattanooga’s Walker Theatre with his live standup comedy tour “Murr Live!” The show will feature at least one challenge where a random audience member, armed with a hidden camera and earpiece, is sent onto the streets of Chattanooga to interact with strangers at Murray’s command, all while the audience watches in suspense.
WUTC-FM’s Haley Solomon recently spoke with Murray about the origin of “Impractical Jokers” and the experience of “Murr Live!”
Be Well Tip: Happy Reading Day!
As we gear up for finals, remember that stress is normal. Here are a few tips to ensure stress stays in check and doesn’t become overwhelming:
- Prioritize the magic of sleep: All-nighters often end up hurting more than helping. Your brain and body deserve and need rest. Aim for a solid seven-plus hours of sleep each night to let your mind process the information you’ve learned, then wake up ready to conquer.
- Become a master of planning and time management: Create a list of all your tasks for Finals Week, then break them down into manageable chunks. Make a plan to study in 25-minute power sprints with mini-breaks in between and allow yourself longer breaks every few hours.
- Take care of yourself to take care of those tests: Stress-proof your immune system by giving it some love. Nourish your body with full, nutrient-rich meals, stay hydrated, take study breaks to do things that you enjoy, get some sunshine, move your body in a way that feels good, and remember that breathing is your best friend.
The Center for Wellbeing is here to support you during finals. Check out our Instagram page for a lineup of events happening in our space all week: There will be dogs and naps and massages.
Here’s to finishing the semester strong. You’ve got this!
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