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Updates and news for the week of January 31 – February 6, 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.
Campus Updates | University Events Master Calendar | UTC News
Keep spreading the news about “A Moc’s First Year,” QEP and the upcoming SACSCOC visit
More than one dozen Roadshow sessions have been scheduled over the next few weeks to educate everyone on campus about the UTC Quality Enhancement Plan called “A Moc’s First Year” and the upcoming SACSCOC On-Site Review Team visit.
Check here for upcoming UTC Library Southern Writers Room Roadshow sessions.
“A Moc’s First Year” is intended to increase retention and graduation of first-time, full-time freshmen and will connect a variety of current and new initiatives—culminating in a centralized learning community model. The approach is intended to increase student and faculty interaction, the sense of community on campus, new UTC students’ connection to Chattanooga, and overall UTC student success.
UTC to celebrate Black Renaissance during Black History Month
UTC’s celebration of Black History Month will include special events throughout February, beginning with a kickoff celebration from 3-5 p.m. on Wednesday (Feb. 1) in the University Center Chattanooga Room.
The opening event is a combination pep rally and the 2nd annual Taste of Black Chattanooga, hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Office of Student Success Programs.
Check the Black History Month events calendar for a complete listing of activities. Programming will be continually added throughout February.
Final call for nominations
Do you know a student worker who goes above and beyond in their role on campus? Has a faculty or staff member who supervises student workers contributed to the lives of their students in a positive way? If so, we want to know about them.
The second week of April is National Student Employment Week. UTC will be joining in the festivities this year with the inaugural Student Employee of the Year and Supervisor of the Year Awards.
Nominations are due in MocSync by 11:59 p.m. tonight (Jan. 31). Please direct all questions to Endia-Butler@utc.edu.
The outstanding people of UTC
 From left: Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Brent Goldberg, Angela Foster, Ann Laster, Sandra Cordell, Emily Rosenquist, Kimberly Thomas, Joseph McCauley and Chancellor Steven Angle Last Tuesday at a University Center reception, Chancellor Angle recognized the Chancellor’s Blue Ribbon Award recipients for the second half of 2022—Ann Laster (Department of Performing Arts), Joseph McCauley (academic advisor, Student Success Center), Sandra Cordell (project and program coordinator, Gary W. Rollins College of Business), Kimberly Thomas (Departments of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy), Angela Foster (University photographer) and Emily Rosenquist (assistant director, Center for Women and Gender Equity).
Check out these Mocs making a difference:
- A 24-year member of the Gary W. Rollins College of Business faculty, Arthur G. Vieth Professor of Business Finance Michael Long, was formally bestowed professor emeritus status.
- Dr. Angie To, head of the UTC Art Department, was one of six local artists receiving awards through ArtsBuild’s Racial Equity Grants for Individual Artists program.
- Dr. Felicia McGhee’s role as moderator for Dr. Angela Davis’ visit to campus for UTC MLK Day was featured as part of the Times Free Press’ coverage of the event.
- ABC 33/40 News in Birmingham traveled to Chattanooga to interview Laurie Allen and Bill Floyd for an extended segment about the UTC Challenger STEM Learning Center.
- Sgt. Ken Lloyd was interviewed by Local 3 News to promote the UTC Police Department’s electronic device donation drive.
UTC Symphony Orchestra to feature four concerto students
 Bassoonist Marlee Sanders The UTC Symphony Orchestra will present a free concerto concert, open to the public, at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12, at the Roland Hayes Concert Hall. The concert features four student concerto winners and will be available to watch via livestream.
The four featured students are:
- Senior trumpeter Meaghan Hibbs, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in humanities (international concentration) with a minor in music performance.
- Junior bassoonist Marlee Sanders, who is pursuing a biology degree with minors in music performance and chemistry.
- Junior percussionist Logan Brown, an instrumental music performance major.
- Sophomore mezzo-soprano Paige Bush, a vocal music performance major.
Music, Life, Legacy of Roland Hayes
 From left: Jackson Caesar (photo courtesy jacksoncaesar.com) and Roland Hayes (photo courtesy of UTC Special Collections). A renowned tenor is coming to UTC to perform a one-person show on the stage that bears the name of the musician who first presented the music.
Jackson Caesar will perform music by Roland Hayes in the style of Hayes in “Spirituals: Celebrating the Music, Life and Legacy of Roland Hayes” at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 13, on the Roland Hayes Concert Hall stage. The free concert, open to the public, is sponsored by the UTC Department of Music and the Division of Diversity and Engagement.
March Update: Parent and Family Newsletter
The March issue of the UTC Parent and Family Association newsletter will be emailed to members on March 1.
To share information with the families of UTC students—upcoming events, important deadlines, helpful suggestions and departmental news—email hannah-turcotte@utc.edu by Friday, Feb. 17. The monthly newsletter is distributed to more than 4,600 parents/family members.
- Keep info to one paragraph of 200 (or fewer) words.
- Images or logos to accompany the paragraph may be submitted.
Confianza Panel and Workshop
The Honors College and the Division of Diversity and Engagement are hosting Confianza, a professional skills opportunity for Latino students including a free workshop and a panel discussion, from 5:30-8 p.m. Wednesday (Feb. 1) in the Guerry Center Reading Room. Free local Latino food will be included for up to 80 participants.
For more information, email juan-alonso@utc.edu.
University Club Open House
 Patten House The University Club is hosting a combination open house/happy hour from 5-7 p.m. this Friday (Feb. 3) at the Patten House, located at the corner of Oak and Palmetto streets.
The University Club—a social club open to all UTC faculty, staff and retirees (as well as their families)—meets for informal socializing two Fridays a month. For questions or information, email Charlene-Simmons@utc.edu.
January is Radon Awareness Month
January is Radon Awareness Month. Radon, the second leading cause of lung cancer, is a naturally occurring radioactive gas emitted from the ground. Due to radon being colorless and odorless, the only way to detect it in your home or business is to test for it.
Free radon test kits are available from the state by scanning the QR code or clicking here. For more information, email employeewellness@utc.edu.
Getting Gritty Resiliency Program
Getting Gritty, UTC’s resiliency program, is a six-week, non-credit course offered through Canvas with weekly group sessions. Through cognitive reframing, mindful awareness of self, healthy coping skills and identified supports, it is possible to overcome stress, trauma and adversity. This does not mean the journey to overcome these barriers will be easy, but the tools learned in this course will assist in the healing process and get students closer to achieving their personal and professional goals.
Students in the course will meet together from 2-3 p.m. every Wednesday from Feb. 1-March 8 in the Center for Wellbeing (University Center Room 350) to take a deeper dive into that week’s topic. Participation in at least four of the six groups is a mandatory component of the program. Registration is now open through Feb. 8. For more information, email megan-mcknight@utc.edu.
Financial Wellness February
The UTC Financial Wellness Center is inviting campus to participate in a month-long savings challenge. To participate, please complete this survey.
- Once the survey is completed, participants will receive information about the challenge.
- Everyone who signs up will be entered to win Tiffany Aliche’s (The Budgetnista) Get Good with Money and One Week Budget workbook.
- Click here for more details.
On Thursday, Feb. 9, the SMILE Fund Investment Strategy Meeting (ISM), an update on the SMILE Fund’s performance and economy/markets, will take place from 10:50 a.m.-12:05 p.m. in the University Center Raccoon Mountain Room. Everyone who attends is invited to a free networking lunch at Universal Joint (532 Lookout St.) following the ISM. For questions or information, email Hunter-Holzhauer@utc.edu.
Fly for Researchers Pitch Competition
The 2nd Annual Fly for Researchers pitch competition for UTC faculty and graduate student innovators will be held from 3:30-5 p.m. on April 19 at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Mapp Building. This event will spotlight ideas that have the potential to be commercialized or licensed. Applicants must have a validated proof of concept, intend to pursue commercialization or licensing opportunities and have submitted an invention disclosure in IDEA.
Applications are being accepted through Feb. 24. For more information, email jennifer-skjellum@utc.edu.
Save the Date: UTC Spring Research and Arts Conference
ReSEARCH Dialogues has been renamed the UTC Spring Research and Arts Conference, with the event taking place April 12 in the University Center. This conference provides a place for students to showcase their academic and creative endeavors. The event will feature displays, presentations and posters from UTC undergrads, graduate students and faculty. Community college students and community partners are also invited to present.
- The submission deadline for poster/arts, oral and performing arts presentations or to convene a panel is 11 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 26.
- To learn more about the program and to register for the event, visit the UTC Spring Research and Arts Conference page.
A relaxing way to start your Wednesday
The Center for Wellbeing is offering a weekly faculty and staff meditation taking place from 8:30-9 a.m. on Wednesdays. The guided 30-minute meditation, led by Cassandra Riddle, is available both in person (University Center Suite 350) or via Zoom (Meeting ID: 719 0768 8114; Passcode: 1hN5dd).
For questions or additional information, email Cassandra-riddle@utc.edu.
Apply to the LEAD Doctoral Programs
Applications are currently being accepted for the summer 2023 cohorts of the Leadership and Instructional Practice (EdD) and Leadership and Decision-Making (Ph.D.) programs.
The EdD in Leadership and Instructional Practice and Ph.D. in Leadership and Decision-Making are both terminal, professional degrees with rigor and academic depth. Due to the cohort nature of the programs, new cohorts are only admitted in the summer.
- Minimum admission qualifications include a master’s degree (or equivalent) from a regionally accredited institution (in any discipline), a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on all prior graduate coursework and a minimum of two years of professional experience—preferably in a leadership role.
- The application deadline is Tuesday, Feb. 28. For details, visit www.utc.edu/lead.
Walk 30 Miles in 30 Days
The UTC Employee Step Challenge is taking place Jan. 23–Feb. 21. Everyone who signs up for the challenge and walks 30 miles in 30 days will be entered into a drawing for prizes. To sign up, visit this link or use the QR code above.
“Play4Kay” Campus Cancer Awareness Event
The UTC women’s basketball team will be sponsoring a “Play4Kay” game Feb. 16 against conference-foe Furman University. The “Play4Kay” initiative was started by former North Carolina State Head Women’s Basketball Coach Kay Yow to bring communities together and honor cancer fighters and survivors in the fight against all cancers affecting women.
Athletics invites all campus cancer warriors to come to the game to be recognized and honored at halftime. For free tickets, email Laura Herron at laura-herron@utc.edu. Please click here to learn about the Kay Yow Fund.
Saves the Dates: I Love UTC Week 2023
Mark your calendars now for I Love UTC Week 2023, taking place March 20-24. This is a time to celebrate all that makes UTC special. There will be a variety of activities and special events for all members of the Mocs family, whether faculty, staff, student, alumni or friend. The full calendar of events will be shared soon.
If your office is hosting a program during the week of March 20-24 that would be appropriate to include on the I Love UTC Week calendar, email laura-cagle@utc.edu.
Campus Updates
The International Symposium on Digital Forensics and Security—ISDFS 2023—will be held both online and in person at UTC on May 11-12. This symposium has been supported by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers since 2016. All papers approved by the referees and presented at the symposium will be sent for publication in the IEEE Xplore library. For information or questions, email Asaf-Varol@utc.edu.
The spring deadline applications for Experiential Learning Designation are February 24 and March 24. The growing list of over 200 designated classes and experiences can be found at www.utc.edu/beyond, along with more information about the designation process. Email bengt-carlson@utc.edu with questions or to discuss how to develop an experiential opportunity for students and the resources available here at UTC for doing so.
A Grant Writing Workshop set for this Thursday and Friday (Feb. 2-3) will provide individual, technical assistance consultation sessions. This workshop is highly encouraged for new faculty or faculty who are new to federal proposal development. Click here to register for the workshop and here to register for 1:1 consultations.
The Honors College invites faculty members from all colleges to submit proposals for special-topics general education seminars to be taught in the 2023-2024 academic year. The Honors College asks faculty to submit classes distinct from those taught in their home departments—classes faculty think would engage and transform students but might not fit easily into a specific degree program. The next deadline for proposals is Feb. 15. Though the application notes that this deadline is limited to Spring 2024 proposals, a few slots remain for Fall 2023 courses. Click here for the application and email William-Kuby@utc.edu with questions.
The School of Nursing will hold a free culturally inclusive care virtual conference titled “Reducing health disparities among indigenous communities, refugee populations, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and patients with disabilities,” from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7. Register for the virtual event by clicking here. For more information, click here.
Jeff Flowers, retirement plan advisor with Empower Retirement (aka Retire Ready Tennessee)—the 401k and 457 provider—will be on campus Feb. 23 and March 20 for in-person retirement planning meetings. Meetings will be held in UTC Library Room 429. Click here to schedule an appointment.
Registration now open for Campus Recreation Summer Youth Programs
UTC Campus Recreation has opened registration for its Mocs Adventure Summer Camp, Summer Pool Parties and Summer Youth Swim Lessons. Slots are expected to fill up quickly, so don’t delay in booking your child’s spots.
For questions or additional information, email CampusRec@utc.edu.
Marble Roller Coaster Competition 2023
The College of Engineering and Computer Science is hosting a Marble Roller Coaster engineering design competition for middle school and high school students on Friday, March 10. The event runs from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the University Center Tennessee Room.
Click here to register to attend. Email CECS-SuccessCenter@utc.edu for more information.
March Madness
March Madness is right around the corner, a time to support the Mocs women’s and men’s basketball teams as they pursue Southern Conference titles. The tournament will take place in Asheville, North Carolina, from March 2-6.
SoCon Tournament week has become an annual rite of spring in the Asheville community, and it’s never too early to start making plans for the conference tournament. Here are website links for which include SoCon hotel rates.
Looking ahead
Events posted to this week’s University master calendar include:
 Senior Jessie Young recently won Southern Conference Player of the Week honors to become the first Mocs women’s tennis player to earn the award since 2020 (photo courtesy of Dale Rutemeyer/GoMocs.com). This week’s Mocs Athletics calendar:
- Wednesday (2/1): Men’s Basketball at Furman (Greenville, S.C.), 7 p.m.
- Friday (2/3): Men’s Tennis at Lipscomb (Nashville, Tenn.), 7 p.m.
- Friday (2/3): Women’s Tennis at MTSU (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), 2 p.m.
- Saturday (2/4): Women’s Basketball vs. ETSU (McKenzie Arena), 2 p.m.
- Saturday (2/4): Men’s Basketball at Western Carolina (Cullowhee, N.C.), 2 p.m.
- Sunday (2/5): Men’s Golf at the Hayt Collegiate (Jacksonville, Fla.), All Day
- Sunday (2/5): Wrestling at Appalachian State (Boone, N.C.), 3 p.m.
- Sunday (2/5): Men’s Tennis at Belmont (Nashville, Tenn.), 4:30 p.m.
Looking back
Brock Scholar and political science major Lola Oke (pictured) became the first UTC student to be awarded a Charles B. Rangel Graduate Fellowship. The fellowship supports individuals who want to help formulate, represent and implement U.S. foreign policy through a career in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State.
Here are some other recent UTC stories featured in the Newsroom:
- Colorful fabrics. Playful designs. Saucy sayings such as “Spicy like Propofol,” an anesthesia drug that burns on injection. All part of the scrub cap collection created by Laura Moreland, a student in the UTC nurse anesthesia program.
- Several UTC students are part-time DJs, dropping beats without dropping classes. They play coffeehouses, clubs, house parties and on-campus events or sometimes just do it for themselves.
- The three-day Tri-State Honor Band Festival, attended by 125 high school students, brought prospective band members from as far away as Chester County in West Tennessee and Greeneville, South Carolina.
- At a University Center reception last Tuesday, Chancellor Angle recognized the Chancellor’s Blue Ribbon recipients from the second half of 2022.
- Prominent educator, author and lecturer Angela Davis highlighted UTC MLK Day 2023 festivities, speaking to a standing-room only crowd in the UTC Fine Arts Center’s Roland Hayes Concert Hall.
WUTC Spotlight: Live in the Library
For a recent edition of WUTC’s Live In The Library, host Richard Winham talked to Blue Cumberland—a group of friends from Signal Mountain who are also gifted musicians and singers. They term their musical approach “progressive grass-backwards bluegrass.”
Be Well Tip of the Week: National Stalking Awareness Month
UTC’s Title IX Policy defines stalking as, “…a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to (A) fear for his or her safety or the safety of others or (B) suffer substantial emotional distress.”
Stalking behaviors include: making unwanted contact (including through phone calls, texts, social media, and third parties), showing up unannounced, monitoring whereabouts or schedules, destroying property, giving unwanted gifts, engaging in surveillance of any kind, and making threats of harm.
If you or someone you know is experiencing stalking, there is help. Review our list of on-campus and off-campus resources.
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