Updates and news for the week of July 18 – 24, 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.

UTC News   |   Campus Updates

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A Farewell Celebration for Dr. Yancy Freeman

Last Friday, the UT System Board of Trustees approved the recommendation of Dr. Yancy Freeman as the next chancellor at UT Martin. His first day at UT Martin will be Aug. 9.

A farewell celebration honoring Dr. Freeman will take place from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Monday (July 24) in the University Center Tennessee Room. Light lunch will be provided, and remarks will occur from noon-12:15 p.m.

He began working for UTC in 1992 and is the recipient of a bachelor’s degree in political science, a master’s degree in public administration and a doctorate in learning and leadership from the University. 

Hoop Hoop Hurray

It’s never too early to think about Mocs basketball—and season ticket packages for the men’s and women’s teams are now available. Click here for more information.

Calling all Mocs: Submit your events for Welcome Week 2023

A message from Student and Family Engagement …

Our goal for Welcome Week 2023 is to offer a calendar full of fun and engaging events that welcome our students to the start of a new semester, and we need your help.

If you are hosting an event or program during the first week of classes (Aug. 20-26), please submit your event to the official Welcome Week calendar found on the Welcome Week website. Click here to access the event submission form.

• The priority deadline to submit events for the Welcome Week calendar is Friday (July 21).
• More information about submitting an event for the Welcome Week calendar can be found here.
• Contact laura-petrus@utc.edu with questions.

Volunteer for Operation Move In

Housing and Residence Life is seeking volunteers to assist with Operation Move In, which will take place on Aug. 16-17.

Volunteer assignments cover everything from greeting students and their families, parking and traffic, and unloading cars. This is a great way to welcome our incoming freshmen and transfer students to UTC and help them settle into their new homes on campus. Each faculty/staff volunteer will receive a free T-shirt and meal voucher that can be used at select campus dining locations.

The sign-up form can be found on the Operation Move In page or by clicking here.

The outstanding people of UTC

Dr. Ahad Nasab, center, speaks at the grand opening of the Robotics, Intelligent Systems and Control Lab.

Dr. Ahad Nasab has been appointed interim dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Nasab has been head of the Department of Engineering Management and Technology and Burkett Miller Chair of Excellence since coming to UTC in 2018.

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Chapel Cowden received the Librarian Recognition Award at the annual American Library Association conference in Chicago (photo credit: Victor Baeza).

Health and Science Librarian Chapel Cowden was selected as the recipient of the 2023 Library Instruction Round Table Librarian Recognition Award by the American Library Association. The Librarian Recognition Award was created to recognize an individual’s contribution to the development, advancement and support of information literacy and instruction.

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Check out these Mocs making a difference:

Mark your calendar for the next Brown Bag Lunch

The next UTC Research Institute brown bag lunch will take place from noon-1:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 27, in the UTC Library Southern Writers Room. Each brown bag lunch is designed to engage faculty and staff across campus in identifying opportunities for collaboration.

Campus Updates

To comply with security best practices and UTC’s new Google storage limits, Information Technology has been making several rounds of changes to MocsMail this year. The current round of changes this summer includes new account expiration dates for alumni and former student MocsMail (@mocs.utc.edu) accounts. For details on the account expiration changes, click here.

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This summer, UTC will be rolling out a new events calendar using software from Localist. The new UTC calendar will enable members of the campus community to easily share, manage and publicize events from a single, convenient platform. Event information shared via this platform also is accessible to the public.

In addition to enabling easily adding an event to the calendar, the platform will automatically incorporate events from other calendars—such as events hosted by Mocs Athletics, the UTC Library and more. The new calendar tool will offer:

• Ease of use
• Customizability
• Possibility of improved engagement/turnout at campus events

Teams involved with the project are in the final stages of development.

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Campus Recreation asks: Want to try the fastest-growing sport in the U.S.? Campus Rec is hosting a series of pickleball clinics this summer, and no experience is necessary for the beginner clinics. The clinics are free to those with active memberships to Campus Recreation. Participants should bring their tennis shoes and meet at the ARC’s north basketball court; Campus Rec will provide the paddles.

• Thursday (July 20): Beginner clinic, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Learn the basics and how to play.
• Monday (July 24): Advanced techniques and strategies, 4-6 p.m.
• Thursday, July 27: Beginner clinic, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Monday, July 31: Beginner clinic, 4-6 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 3: Advanced techniques and strategies, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Monday, Aug. 7: Advanced techniques and strategies, 4-6 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 10: Beginner clinic, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

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Do you know a young Mocs fan? Now is their chance to join our team and get in on all the fun-filled action that Mocs Athletics has to offer.

Scrappy’s Kids Club is the official kids club of Chattanooga Athletics and membership is open to all kids in eighth grade and under for only $15. Memberships include Mocs swag, free tickets to select home athletic events, exclusive events and opportunities, monthly emailed newsletters and more. Click here to purchase a membership.

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In order to provide new transfer students and their guests with the most information in a limited time frame, New Student and Family Programs is holding a UTC Student Services Fair from 8-9 a.m. on Aug. 1 in the University Center Tennessee Room during check-in for all in-person transfer orientation sessions.

If your office or area provides a service or program that would be beneficial to an incoming transfer student, please consider attending the Student Services Fair. Space is limited, so reserve your spot today by emailing your name and program and/or department to Carrie-Sherbesman@utc.edu.

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UTC Campus Recreation is hosting a series of family nights at the Aquatic and Recreation Center this summer open to all faculty and staff, with the next event taking place Aug. 11. Come on out for games in the gym and try out the pool and the rock-climbing wall.

• The cost for non-ARC members is $10 per person. Adult guests must show their UTC photo ID.
• Click here to learn about Campus Rec memberships.
• For more information, email colleen-houghton@utc.edu.

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Space is still available in International Business Experience: Portugal and Spain, a fall 2023 course open to all UTC students. This course, which is being led by Professor Bento Lobo, has no prerequisite and includes a 10-day study trip to Lisbon, Portugal, and Madrid, Spain.

Students earn three credit hours on the undergraduate level (MGT 4950) or graduate level (MGT 5950). Submit a course application as soon as possible to be considered. For more information, contact COBInternational@utc.edu or visit COB International Programs.

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The Institute of Internal Auditors Chattanooga chapter is hosting a networking event and student night from 5:30-8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 25, in 540 McCallie Ave. Building Room 104. The event is open to all business and computer science majors who are interested in learning about careers in internal audit. Dinner is provided and chapter members from several large employers will be in attendance, including those in the corporate, nonprofit and governmental spaces. This is a fantastic opportunity for students, particularly those majoring in accounting, finance or computer science, to learn about the industry and network with hiring managers in an informal setting. Seating is limited and registration is required. | Calendar Info

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“The First Amendment, the Academy, and the Media: Restoring a Marketplace of Ideas,” is the topic of the 13th Annual Dr. Richard Gruetzemacher Constitution Day Lecture Series, which takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 13, in the University Center Tennessee Room. The lecture series is presented by the UTC Center for Reflective Citizenship.

The featured speaker is Joshua Dunn, the inaugural executive director of the Institute of American Civics at the Howard H. Baker School for Public Policy and Public Affairs. For more information, contact the Center for Reflective Citizenship at crc@utc.edu or call 423-425-5603. | Calendar Info

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Mocs Card Services is issuing new ID cards to all faculty, staff, and students. As campus card readers are being replaced, this new card will be necessary for door access and use.

The ID Office summer hours of operation are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Please anticipate a higher-than-normal volume of customers on Orientation days.

What is the difference in the current Mocs Card and the NEW Mocs Card? The new Mocs Card is embedded with an RFID chip (tap technology) that will coincide with the installation of new card readers across campus.

• Bring your current Mocs Card to the ID Office in University Center Room 262 to exchange for the new card.
• If you do not bring your current ID, there is a $30 replacement fee. Replacement fees are processed in the Bursar’s Office (University Center Room 274).
• Contact Mocs Card Services (423-425-5819) or the ID Office (423-425-2218) with questions.

Music to Our Ears

Listen as pianist Alan Nichols performs Rabun Gap, composed by Ruth S. Holmberg Professor of American Music Jonathan McNair.

Looking back

With a passion for public service and a desire to make a positive impact on society, Rachel Gentry (above) chose the Master of Public Administration degree at UTC. She wanted to capitalize on her strengths in coordination, collaboration and managing teams of people and projects.

Here are some other recent UTC stories featured in the Newsroom:

• The extent and importance of Katherine Goforth Elverd’s accomplishments on and off the UTC campus is being noticed. Chattanooga’s Chatter magazine selected Elverd, professor and director of the music therapy degree program at UTC, to its 2023 “20 Under 40” list.
• While commencement typically sees most graduates leave campus for the last time in a long time, others find paths to their future that take them back to where their college journey started. This was the reality for Mackenzie Clark, Jawaad Sheikh and Scarlett Elliott, all recent UTC graduates who are continuing their experience at UTC in a different capacity—as full-time employees.
• This summer, four high school students are spending eight weeks at UTC as part of the American Chemical Society Summer Experiences for the Economically Disadvantaged (SEED) project.
• Eighteen UTC students from a variety of majors traveled to Greece, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania with faculty members Dr. Beni Asllani and Dr. Katherine Karl as part of the Gary W. Rollins College of Business International Business Course, “Doing Business in the Balkans.”
• From On Call, a publication of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga School of Nursing: “I went to Main Street Meats, and I’m talking to the guy behind the counter,” said Dr. Christi Denton, assistant professor in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga School of Nursing. “He said, ‘Are you looking for beef or pork ribs?’ and I said, ‘I don’t know. I’m a vegetarian. What’s more like human?’”

Tales from the UTC PodLab

Cindy Minter and Vance Spinks

“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 creative writing student Koy Skinner features a conversation between Cindy Minter and Vance Spinks.

You can subscribe to “Tennessee Valley Across the Table” on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

WUTC Spotlight: Moc Up

The Moc Up program is a multi-day experience designed to help students have a smooth transition from high school to college. Incoming freshmen are invited to come together to get excited about coming to UTC and become more familiar with the resources offered to students.

A recent segment of WUTC-FM’s Scenic Roots featured a discussion of Moc Up with Dr. Crystal Edenfield, director of student success programs, and rising junior Chris Kmetz, student coordinator for Moc Up.

UTC Student Lens: Heart of Jazz

From Rising Rock: Lisa Baker’s guitar is an extension of her own body. From the decorative swirls running along its length to the initial “L” sewn on the strap, it’s a tangible display of her love of jazz. And she’s rarely found without it.

“It kind of goes everywhere with me, period,” she laughed. “Going to the beach, take my guitar.”

Click here to see Rising Rock’s Heart of Jazz, filmed by Allie English and Taylor Carmody.

• Rising Rock features student-developed non-fiction stories about greater Chattanooga. The site is a combined effort of the Department of Communication and UTC student media—including The Echo (student newspaper), MocsNews (student video news program) and The Perch (student digital radio station).