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Updates and news for the week of January 16-22, 2024
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.
Watching the weather
A decision regarding the status of campus operations for Wednesday (Jan. 17) will be communicated this afternoon. More information and details regarding closures, cancellations, on-campus services and communication channels can be found here.
A reminder that updates and other information related to campus operations is shared via UTC-ALERT, as well as posted to www.utc.edu and on the University’s official social media accounts (@UTChattanooga): X/Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. If you do not already receive UTC-ALERT, sign up at getrave.com/login/utc.
Please note: All of the information in today’s UTC Campus Weekly is as of the close of the day on Monday; events scheduled to take place today have been removed from the newsletter. If other events scheduled to take place on campus are cancelled, organizers will communicate if they are going to be rescheduled.
Stay safe, Mocs!
This snow is beautiful and peaceful, and can make moving around difficult. If you get into an emergency situation, call 9-1-1. Know that emergency responders will be driving slow on the snowy and icy roads.
If you must go outside, UTC Public Safety recommends the followsing to be Safe Mocs:
- Walk like a Moc in the snow and take it SLOW.
- Wear good footwear.
- Slightly point your feet outward.
- Extend your arms for balance
- Bend knees, walk flat-footed in small steps or shuffle.
UTC MLK Day Discussion and Q&A with Dr. Bernice King and Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz
UTC will host its 11th annual MLK Day celebration on Friday (Jan. 19) at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium—a discussion and Q&A with Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, and Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz, chairperson of the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center.
Faculty, staff and students should click here to register for the event.
New FAFSA now available 24/7
Starting in February, UTC will hold FAFSA Fridays—a series of in-person and online workshops to assist current and prospective students and their families with filling out the form. Exact times and locations will be announced soon. Click here to learn more.
Send in your Information for the UTC Parent and Family Association Newsletter
It is again time to recruit campus partners to send in information for the UTC Parent and Family Association newsletter, a monthly roundup distributed to more than 5,400 parents/family members. The February newsletter will be emailed to members Wednesday, Feb. 7. Click here to see the November newsletter.
To share information with the families of UTC students—upcoming events, important deadlines, helpful suggestions and departmental news—email hannah-turcotte@utc.edu by Monday, Jan. 29.
- Please keep info to one paragraph of 200 (or fewer) words.
- Images or logos to accompany the paragraph may be submitted.
Calling all students interested in being an orientation leader
The Office of New Student and Family Programs is hosting two meetings this week for current students interested in being orientation leaders for the upcoming 2024 orientation season. Please join us at 3 p.m. on Wednesday (Jan. 17) or Thursday (Jan. 18) in the Admissions Tour Center, located on the second floor of the University Center. We will discuss the importance of the orientation leader position, requirements needed to apply, application/interview process, benefits and more.
Interested but can’t attend one of the sessions? Email katelynn-buchanan@utc.edu to receive more information.
Submit your Alumni Award Nominations
 Kim White, 2023 honoree David Wade and Chancellor Angle Do you know an alumnus/a who is exemplary in their field, someone who champions UTC with their time and talents or a newer graduate making early strides in their career? The online nomination forms for the 2024 Distinguished Alumni, Outstanding Service and GOLD Excellence Awards are open through Wednesday, Feb.14. Nominate the outstanding alumni and supporters in your area at alumni.utc.edu/awards.
The outstanding people of UTC
 Dr. Liz Hathaway, left, and Theresa Blackman Two members of the UTC family—UC Foundation Associate Professor Liz Hathaway and Theresa Blackman, assistant director of pre-health student services and an advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences—have been selected to the 2023-2024 All-Southern Conference Faculty and Staff Team. They will each receive an engraved plaque presented by Southern Conference Commissioner Michael Cross at the Mocs men’s basketball game on Feb. 28 at McKenzie Arena.
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Associate General Counsel Yousef Hamadeh, Deputy Athletic Director-External Operations Andrew Horton, Vice Provost for Academic Outreach and Professional Development Shewanee Howard-Baptiste, Associate Vice Chancellor of IT and Associate CIO Tony Parsley and Senior Associate Vice Chancellor of Development Erica Siemers have been selected for the fifth cohort of the UT System Executive Leadership Institute. The institute, which is operated by the UT Institute for Public Service’s Naifeh Center for Effective Leadership, develops executive leaders for the needs of the UT System.
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Check out these Mocs making a difference:
- Dr. Hamdy Ibrahim, assistant professor in mechanical engineering, has secured a National Science Foundation CAREER award for the project titled “Hybrid Surface Coating Toward Corrosion-Controlled Magnesium-Based Implants.” The project will be funded through the NSF’s Faculty Early Career Development Program.
- UTC was well-represented on the set of NewsChannel 9’s The Daily Refresh last week, with in-studio appearances from Chris Stokes to talk about MLK Day of Service, Megan McKnight and Jami Hargrove sharing news about the Mocs Recovery Program, and Dr. Jonathan McNair promoting the upcoming “O King” event.
- NewsChannel 9 came to campus for a series of live shots about the Marching Mocs’ trip to the London New Year’s Day Parade, talking to sophomore tuba player Collin Sutton and Dr. Kenyon Wilson, head of the Department of Music.
- Criminal Justice adjunct faculty member Gary Behler, a two-time UTC alumnus and member of the Alumni Board of Directors, has been selected as the Court Clerk of the Year for Tennessee.
- Molly Cress, a biology pre-professional major and volunteer in the Children’s Hospital at Erlanger Emergency Department, was the recipient of a Ruby Falls John Thomas Steiner Sr. Memorial Scholarship. She has been a Ruby Falls team member since July 2022.
- Two members of the football team, defensive back Reuben Lowery III and center Reid Williams, were named to the Football Championship Subdivision Athletic Directors Association’s Academic All-Star Team for 2023.
Mark your calendar
The UTC Research Institute is bringing prominent Quantum experts to campus in January for a series of talks. All events are free and open to campus. This week’s events:
- Wednesday (Jan. 17): S. Ali Hassani Gangaraj, optical scientist Quantum technology research at Corning Research and Development, will present “Nonreciprocal Photonics: A New Paradigm for Quantum Optics and Computing,” ECS 426 (Maytag Room), 1:30 p.m.
- Friday (Jan. 19): Yue (Joyce) Jiang, postdoctoral research associate at JILA (formerly known as the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics), will present “Quantum-Enhanced Sensing for Axion Dark Matter, ECS 426 (Maytag Room), 1:30 p.m.
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 Ebony Embers On Friday, Feb. 16, UTC LIVE! will present Ebony Embers, a chamber music theater work for actor and trio (cello, piano and percussion). The presentation celebrates the lives of the great African American poets Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen and Claude McKay as seen through the eyes of muralist/painter Aaron Douglas. The following week, from Feb. 22-24, the College of Arts and Sciences will present “Baldwin vs. Buckley” as performed by the New York-based american vicarious theatre group. The troupe will restage the historic debate between James Baldwin and William F. Buckley Jr.
In preparation for these events, Professors Aaron Shaheen, Hannah Wakefield, Chris Stuart and Earl Braggs will each teach a weekly 50-minute session leading up to the UTC LIVE! events. The sessions will meet at noon on the following Wednesdays in Lupton Hall Room 393:
- Wednesday (Jan. 17): Aaron Shaheen (Introduction to Harlem Renaissance)
- Wednesday, Jan. 24: Earl Braggs (The Blues I’m Playing knows My Name: Harlem Renaissance Poets Speak)
- Wednesday, Jan. 31: Hannah Wakefield (The work of Zora Neale Hurston: Their Eyes Were Watching God)
- Wednesday, Feb. 7: Chris Stuart (James Baldwin)
These CAS-led sessions are a professional development opportunity for lifelong learning for faculty and staff. Please register at this link and plan on attending all four sessions. Class materials will be made available and attendees will receive a ticket to the Ebony Embers event.
For ticket information, visit the Fine Arts Center website.
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The Gary W. Rollins College of Business will hold virtual information sessions about UTC’s Master of Business Administration, MS Data Analytics, Business Analytics Certificate, MS Management and Master of Accountancy graduate programs. The Rollins College of Business graduate degree programs provide flexible course options and career advancement resources to elevate your education and propel your career.
MBA (Master of Business Administration)
MSDA (MS Data Analytics)
Business Analytics Certificate
MSM (MS Management)
MAcc (Master of Accountancy)
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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.
Click here for the fall 2024 orientation “Save the Date” PDF. Orientation dates are as follows:
- Freshman sessions: May 22-Wednesday … June 6-Thursday … June 7-Friday … June 17-Monday … June 18-Tuesday … July 15-Monday … July 16-Tuesday … July 25-Thursday … July 26-Friday
- Transfer sessions: April 23-Tuesday (Reading Day) … June 4-Tuesday … June 21-Friday … June 27-Thursday (Online) … July 18-Thursday … July 23-Tuesday (Online) … Aug. 1-Thursday
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. For more information, click here.
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An award-winning novel is the inspiration for an art exhibition that the Institute of Contemporary Art at UTC is bringing to campus. A solo exhibition of new paintings by Becky Suss, inspired by Pulitzer Prize-finalist Ann Patchett’s 2019 novel “The Dutch House,” will be held through March 16 in the ICA gallery, accessed through the lobby of the Fine Arts Center.
As part of the show, an opening conversation featuring Suss and Patchett will take place from 2-3 p.m. on Saturday (Jan. 20) in the Engineering and Computer Science Building’s Benwood Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public, and no registration is required. The auditorium seats 300 people. An official exhibition opening reception will follow in the ICA and Fine Arts Center lobby until 5 p.m., with Patchett and Suss in attendance.
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 The Clarence T. Jones Observatory is located at 10 N. Tuxedo Ave. in Chattanooga. The Clarence T. Jones Observatory will host its first Star Party of the semester on Sunday (Jan. 21). The evening’s topic will be the moons of Jupiter and the featured constellation is Taurus. | Calendar
The observatory, owned and operated by UTC, is free and open to the public. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., with a lecture and Planetarium show beginning at 6 p.m. and telescope viewing until 8 p.m.
Come on out and look through Chattanooga’s historic 20.5-inch telescope, view a show with the new planetarium projector, learn about the latest astronomical research and meet members of the Chemistry and Physics department and the Barnard Astronomical Society.
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Sponsored by the George C. Connor Professorship of American Literature and the UTC Department of English, Take Five 2024 commences this month with a five-book lineup that explores what it means to be educated in the modern world.
Take Five sessions occur Tuesday nights at 6 p.m. in the University Center Chattanooga Room. Each session will offer a light dinner, and no RSVP is necessary. This spring’s lineup:
- Tuesday, Jan. 23: Dr. Aaron Shaheen presents Robert Penn Warren’s “All the King’s Men”
- Tuesday, Feb. 13: Dr. Verbie Prevost presents “Dai Sijie’s Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress”
- Tuesday, Feb. 27: Dr. David Pleins presents Emma Smith’s “Portable Magic: A History of Books and Their Readers”
- Tuesday, March 19: Dr. Victoria Bryan presents R.F. Kuang’s “Babel, or the Necessity of Violence”
- Tuesday, April 9: Dr. Bryan Hampton presents Julie Schumacher’s “Dear Committee Members”
All books are available through online retailers and at the UTC Bookstore (423-425-4107). Contact Aaron-Shaheen@utc.edu with questions.
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 Portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. by Chattanooga artist Jerry Allen. The portrait was commissioned by the Bessie Smith Cultural Center. On Thursday, Jan. 25, the UTC Department of Music, the Ruth Holmberg Professor of American Music, the Vice Chancellor for Access and Engagement and the Office of Multicultural Affairs will partner with the Bessie Smith Cultural Center to present “O King.”
The free concert, open to the public, will begin at 7 p.m. in the Bessie Smith Cultural Center performance hall (200 E. M.L. King Blvd.). The venue is accessible.
Musical performances will include the Singing Mocs, a Pentatonix-style a cappella vocal group; a UTC Music faculty trio; vocalists from Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts, including Ella Hill and JerRod Taylor; and local professional musicians. Additionally, spoken word artist Erika Roberts will perform a newly created work.
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Do you know students who are looking to connect with others? To enhance their capacity to lead friends, teams and organizations? Encourage them to invest in their intentions with Moc LEAD Leading Teams, an interactive 10-week perk-filled cohort certificate program.
These weekly one-hour sessions, led by community leaders, will help active participants recognize how they show up in groups; to discover and market the uniqueness of their organizations; and to identify next steps. This experience is intended to further grow the competencies of establishing priorities, critical thinking, management, conflict resolution and motivation.
- Sessions take place from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays from Feb. 6 through April 16.
- Applications close at 4 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 5.
- More information, including the application, academic data and pictures can be found at utc.edu/moclead.
- Email Daniel-Grzesik@utc.eduif you have questions. Class promotional visits are available.
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In the fast-paced world of work, it’s crucial to gain skills that are not only relevant to today’s current needs but also prepare professionals to tackle emerging challenges.
In the UTC Center for Professional Education’s Project Management Fundamentals Workshop, gain foundational project management skills that help you save time, increase productivity, improve collaboration, mitigate challenges and risks, and gain adaptability.
CPE will hold a virtual workshop from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Feb. 7-8 for administrative professionals, program managers and individuals involved in project delivery. Transfer vouchers are accepted for the workshop. Click here to learn more about the workshop.
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The UTC Counseling Center will be hosting a series of weekly therapy and support groups throughout this semester. Group counseling sessions include:
- Depression Group Counseling (Feb. 1-March 28): Thursdays from 3-4 p.m. in the University Center Sequoyah Room (third floor)
- Student of Color Support Group (Jan. 26-April 26): Fridays from noon-1 p.m. in the Multicultural Center
- Self-Care in College (Feb. 7-April 3): Wednesdays from 3-4 p.m. in the University Center Sequoyah Room (third floor)
- Grief Support Group (Jan. 31-April 24): Wednesdays from 3-4 p.m. in the University Center Ocoee Room (third floor)
Please email counselingcenter@utc.edu for more information.
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On Thursday, April 11, the College of Arts and Sciences will be co-hosting Pulitzer-Prize-winning author and sociologist Matthew Desmond in collaboration with the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga. Desmond’s latest book, “Poverty, By America,” reached #1 on the New York Times best sellers list shortly after its release; his book “Evicted” won a Pulitzer Prize.
Dr. Zack Simoni in Social, Cultural and Justice Studies will lead a CAS faculty/staff book club on “Poverty, By America” leading up to Desmond’s visit. The six-week discussion group will meet at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays from Feb. 21 through April 3 in the University Center Chickamauga Room. A copy of the book will be provided.
This CAS-led session is a professional development opportunity for lifelong learning for faculty and staff. To reserve your spot in the class, please register at this link.
Campus Updates
 Dr. Kristi Wick is a UC Foundation assistant professor and Vicky B. Gregg Chair in Gerontology. The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) provided its second-quarter report for the 2024 fiscal year, including a downloadable PDF: Q2 FY24 Report.
Among those receiving awards was Dr. Kristi Wick, who led an interprofessional health care group in landing a $2.6-million award from the Tennessee Department of Health for ROAD MAP, an acronym for Rural Health and Older ADult Interprofessional Mobile HeAlth Program.
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The Office of the University Registrar provided a list of important registration dates and deadlines for the spring semester. Please click here for the Campus Updates post.
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Ensure you’ve always got your Mocs Card handy … Get the new Mocs Card mobile ID today. You can use the Mocs Card on iPhone, Apple Watch and Android devices to get into residence halls, campus facilities, meal plan usage and print documents at the library.
You can also use the Mocs Card mobile student ID to access your Scrappy Cash account to make purchases at the bookstore, campus dining, vending machines and other convenient locations on and around campus.
To use your Mocs Card and Scrappy Cash, simply tap your iPhone, Apple Watch or Android device against the reader and you’re done. For more information, click here.
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Announcing the Harris Chair Innovation Mini-Grant Program, a new opportunity for all faculty and staff at UTC to support innovative ideas and solutions. Applicants must have the intention to pursue commercialization of their work through licensing or entrepreneurship. Proposals for funding up to $5,000 will be considered. Click here to apply.
Who is eligible?: UTC faculty and staff from all colleges whose innovative ideas have the potential for commercialization or entrepreneurial endeavors. Early-stage innovations are eligible.
Application process: Interested researchers must apply by Wednesday, Jan. 31, for up to $5,000 in internal grant funding. Please note that direct compensation to the awardee is unallowable. Awardees can use these funds for supplies, travel or other reasonable and allowable expenses under UT policy to accelerate the success of their ideas, innovations and commercialization objectives. Awardees will be announced by Feb. 20.
Contact Thomas-Lyons@utc.edu or Jennifer-Skjellum@utc.edu with questions.
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The UT Alliance of Women Philanthropists is now accepting applications from UT faculty, staff, departments, students and student organizations for the 2024-2025 Circle of Giving Grants Cycle. Proposals can be for a new project or program that benefits the campus or an expansion of an existing program.
Competitive proposals will provide opportunities that inspire leadership and collaboration within the UT Community and leverage support from outside the UT Community.
- The grant request may range from $2,500 to $25,000, but cannot include faculty salaries or overhead.
- Please notify Lindsey-Nabors@utc.edu by Monday, Feb. 12, if you intend to apply for this grant cycle. We can help you prepare the required budget and ensure all application materials are in compliance with the guidelines.
- Applications must be submitted in Cayuse SP by Feb. 19.
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Over the holiday break, the UTC Math Plaza moved to its new location in Lupton Hall Room 114.
The UTC Math Plaza offers free walk-in math help for students taking the following courses: MATH 1010, MATH 1130, MATH 1730, MATH 1799, MATH 1830, MATH 1950 and MATH 2100. The room is set up to seat 75, and the new setup is intentionally designed to facilitate group work.
- Math Plaza hours of operation during the spring semester are Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
- For more information, call 423-425-5697.
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Injured in intramurals? Tweaked something in the gym? Back and neck soreness from hours of studying? Just need guidance getting back to your favorite activities? Check out UTC’s free physical therapy clinic.
The Pro Bono Physical Therapy clinic, located in the Mapp Building, is staffed by UTC Doctor of Physical Therapy students and professors and is 100% free. Clinic hours are 8 a.m.-noon on Tuesdays and 1-5 p.m. on Thursdays. Call University Health Services at 423-425-2266 or email ptclinic@utc.edu for more information.
Looking ahead
 Photo credit: Khamani Dillard/GoMocs.com This week’s Mocs home athletics calendar:
- Saturday (Jan. 20): Women’s basketball vs. ETSU, McKenzie Arena, 2 p.m.
- Saturday (Jan. 20): Women’s tennis vs. MTSU, Strang-Voges Tennis Center (McCallie), 2 p.m.
Looking back
Dr. Ignatius Fomunung (pictured) has been working with a group of industry experts to inform and advise on ways to improve the Tennessee Valley. Think of tech innovation, smart cars and lower emissions, energy delivery and environmental stewardship.
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Why major in math? For UTC senior Dahlen Elstran (pictured), it’s pure passion. “I decided to major in math in 7th grade,” said Elstran, who is also majoring in computer science. “I realized that it was the only homework I enjoyed. So that was a sign.”
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Here are some other recent UTC stories featured in the Newsroom:
WUTC Spotlight: Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.’s Life and Legacy
 Photo credit: City of Chattanooga On a recent episode of “Scenic Roots” on WUTC-FM, Multicultural Affairs Assistant Director Chris Stokes and Vanessa Jackson, program coordinator for the City of Chattanooga’s Department of Equity and Community Engagement, talked about the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Be Well Tip: Introducing the “All Movement is Movement Series”
Did you know that every step you take or move you make contributes to a healthier you? It’s easy to underestimate the power of everyday movement and the impact it has on our physical and mental wellbeing.
We encourage you to shift your perspective on fitness this year. Exercise isn’t just about hitting the gym or going for a run; it’s about celebrating the joy of movement in all its forms. Whether it’s walking your dog along the riverwalk, carrying your groceries up two flights of stairs, or dancing around your kitchen while you cook dinner, all movement counts as exercise. Find what movement feels fun for you.
The Center for Wellbeing is excited to launch the “All Movement is Movement Series,” a monthly workshop series celebrating the belief that movement is for everyone and that all movement contributes to wellness. We’ll kick it off with pickleball at 12:05 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23, in the ARC (Court 2). Follow us at @utc_cw to learn more.
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