Updates and news for the week of June 20 – 26, 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  |  UTC News

Summer Solstice

The Clarence T. Jones Observatory is located at 10 N. Tuxedo Ave. in Chattanooga. Parking is available behind the Brainerd United Methodist Church.

The UTC Chemistry and Physics department invites the campus community to the Summer Solstice Science Seminar at the historic Clarence T. Jones Observatory from 9-11 a.m. on Wednesday (June 21).

View Chattanooga’s 20.5-inch telescope, built in 1938. Learn the science of the solstice. View the sun through a solar telescope. Learn about dark skies. Try a demonstration of less-polluting light fixtures. Meet members of the UTC Chemistry and Physics department and the Barnard Astronomical Society. The event is free and open to the public. | Calendar Info

Chattanooga’s Labor History Added to UTC Library Digital Collections

Dixie Mercerizing Company employees group portrait, 1922. Courtesy of the Chattanooga Public Library and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Special Collections.

The UTC Library’s Special Collections department recently announced the publishing of two digital collections of photographs and documents detailing the labor and manufacturing history of Chattanooga.

Made possible by a $3,630 grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission distributed by the Tennessee Historical Records Advisory Board, the two digitized collections—available to researchers and the public—are housed on the Special Collections website.

• The Wheland Foundry and United States Pipe and Foundry photographs digital collection contains 189 items.
• The Dixie Mercerizing Company photographs digital collection contains 26 items.

UTC Director of Special Collections Carolyn Runyon, Processing Archivist Erin Ryan and student assistant Jane Dodge—who, thanks to the grant, was hired for the spring 2023 semester to scan and write metadata for the materials—collaborated on the project. Dodge, a rising senior majoring in English and a Brock Scholar, spent 242 hours on the endeavor.

The outstanding people of UTC

Congratulations to UTC faculty and staff who received awards or submitted proposals for sponsored programs in May. The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs announced that faculty and staff attracted $763,934 in external grant and contract awards during the month and submitted proposals for the potential to generate over $3,892,574 in external funding, if awarded.

Among those receiving awards in May was Dr. Belinda Lee (pictured) from the Center for Community Career Education, who received $374,217 from the U.S. Department of Education for the project titled, “University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Upward Bound Program.”

Check out these Mocs making a difference:

• Dr. Kristina Wick, the Vicky B. Gregg Chair of Gerontology and UC Foundation assistant professor in the School of Nursing, has been recognized by Women of Distinction of Greater Chattanooga as one of its 2023 honorees.
• Dr. Michelle Deardorff was featured as part of the Political Science Now American Political Science Association member spotlight series.
• Three UTC music students were recently recognized in National Association of Teachers of Singing competitions. Emily Waddell and Abby Cunningham were selected as NATS national semifinalists, and Paige Bush reached the quarterfinals.
• In an extensive Day Fire Podcast conversation that covered a variety of topics, counselor Cassandra Riddle discussed everything from her past as an opera singer to her path toward earning a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling.
• Incoming freshman Adia Musana, a recent graduate of Antioch (Tennessee) High School, is the 2023 recipient of the Chaput-Avery Family Foundation Scholarship through the Nashville YWCA’s Girls, Inc. program. She will be pursuing a degree in marketing at UTC.
• The UTC Athletics Department was recognized by the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators, taking home the Silver Award in Single Game Attendance and Bronze Award in Game Day Promotion at the 2022-23 NACMA “Best Of” Awards. Initiated in 2003, the NACMA “Best Of” Awards program honors outstanding achievement in marketing and promotions. UTC has won 20 NACMA “Best Of” Awards since 2010.

This Week’s Calendar

Have you wanted to learn basic Spanish? Here is your chance to jumpstart your learning in a low-pressure, social setting.

This summer, the College of Arts and Sciences is offering UTC faculty and staff a free, Beginning Conversational Spanish six-week course. The class will meet from noon-1:30 p.m. on Thursdays from July 6 until Aug. 10 in Lupton Hall. Participants should plan to bring their lunch to class; drinks and dessert will be provided.

Course materials and participation are free, but the program has only 20 spots available. The registration deadline is today (June 20), so click here to complete the registration form.

UC Foundation Professor of Spanish Lynn Purkey will be your course instructor. The primary language curriculum will focus on conversational skills, including: greetings/personal introductions and courtesy expressions; university life; family; talking about yourself and others; discussing work and careers; and food.

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UTC Accounting Services/Travel is offering a series of June Concur travel training courses via Zoom. Topics include:

• Today (June 20): Traveling for the University, 10 a.m.
• Today (June 20): Resolving Alerts: Travel Allowance Itineraries and Per Diem, 3 p.m.
• Wednesday (June 21): Domestic Travel, 10 a.m.
• Wednesday (June 21): International Travel, 3 p.m.
• Thursday (June 22): Conference Travel, 10 a.m.
• Thursday (June 22): Requesting and Managing Cash Advances, 3 p.m.
• Friday (June 23): Exceptions to Policy, What They Are and Are Not, 10 a.m.

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The UTC women’s basketball program is holding a series of camps this summer, starting this week.

• Team Camp: Saturday and Sunday (June 24-25), open to junior varsity and varsity teams. There is availability for on-campus housing, if needed.
• Elite Camp: Saturday (June 24), for rising 9th- through 12th-graders. The camp offers players the ability to see what a day in the life of Chattanooga women’s basketball looks like while getting to play in the same facilities the Mocs train and compete in.
• Kids Camp: July 17-20, open to boys and girls 7-14 years old. Kids will get an opportunity to enhance offensive and defensive fundamental skills while learning from the 2023 Southern Conference women’s basketball champions.

Click here to register online. For more information, contact tyler-r-clark@utc.edu. Please note: Medical forms are required for all camps and can be found via the registration link.

Notice of Final Defense: Upcoming Research Presentations

The UTC Graduate School announced that the following students will be presenting their final works of research as advanced degree candidates. Everyone is invited to attend.

• Today (June 20): Anna Pusser will present master’s research titled, “The Ecological Validity of Prospective Memory Experimentation,” 540 McCallie Ave. Room 357, 3 p.m. | Calendar Info
• Wednesday (June 21): Savannah Woods will present master’s research titled, “The Role of Shame in the Relationships among Childhood Maltreatment, Fears of Evaluation, and Associated Submissive Behaviors,” via Zoom, 11 a.m. | Calendar Info
• Wednesday (June 21): Kendall Jackson will present master’s research titled, “Suspicious of Autistic? Evaluating Responses to a Behavioral Analysis Interview,” via Zoom, 2 p.m. | Calendar Info
• Wednesday (June 21): Ahmed Korra will present master’s research titled, “Effect of Heat Treatment on the Mechanical and Corrosion Properties of the CoCrNiFeAl High Entropy Alloy,” ECS Room 415, 2 p.m. | Calendar Info
• Thursday (June 22): Viet Toan Tran will present master’s research titled, “Improving Traffic Management Efficiency through Reinforcement Learning-based Traffic Signal Control and Citywide Transit Simulation,” via Zoom, 9:30 a.m. | Calendar Info
• Thursday (June 22): Ryan Limpus will present master’s research titled, “The Impact of Interdepartmental Psychological Safety on Interdepartmental Conflict Management Styles,” via Zoom, 10:30 a.m. | Calendar Info
• Friday (June 23): James Carpenter will present master’s research titled, “Analysis of Single Event Transients in Arbitrary Waveforms using Statistical Window Analysis,” ECS Room 231, 1 p.m. | Calendar Info
• Friday (June 23): Audrey Darnbush will present master’s research titled, “Emotion Recognition in Individuals with Social Anxiety: Loving-Kindness as an Intervention,” 540 McCallie Ave. Room 357, 2 p.m. | Calendar Info

Come by and say “Goodbye”

Dr. Felicia McGhee, associate professor and head of the Department of Communication, is leaving UTC after 23 years to become associate dean of the Florida A&M University School of Journalism and Graphic Communication.

To celebrate her time at UTC and her future endeavors, the Department of Communication and the College of Arts and Sciences will throw a “bittersweet” going-away party from 3-4 p.m. on Thursday, June 29, at Lupton Hall (first floor). Come by, say “goodbye” and grab a sweet treat.

New UTC Events Calendar Coming Soon

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.

Job Scams Circulating Campus

“Companies” or individuals will offer internships or jobs as an assistant in order to make money. The subjects are initially asking their intended targets to price a computer, a printer, and a scanner and purchase quality paper. The accountant emails them a check with instructions on how to mobile deposit the check to their bank. The victim is then instructed to deposit the check into their personal account.

Potential victims are then asked to purchase gift cards with a portion of the money, take photos of the cards to verify the check has been deposited, and keep part of the money for themselves for the first week’s pay.

The checks are fraudulent, and these scammers immediately delete all funds on the gift cards from the victim’s account.

Click here to learn more and avoid falling victim to these scams.

Campus Updates

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. in the University Center Tennessee Room during check-in for all in-person transfer orientation sessions on July 13 and Aug. 1.

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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The UTC Volleyball program is offering a 10% discount to all faculty, staff and students for the following volleyball summer camps:

• Positional Camp: June 28-29
• Middle School Day Camp: July 19-20
• High School Advanced Camp: July 19

Click here to register online. For more information, contact julie-torbettthomas@utc.edu.

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Are you interested in a career where the health and wellbeing of others are at the forefront? If so, the UTC Master of Public Health in Chronic Disease Prevention and Control program is for you.

Apply now at utc.edu/mph. For information, email emma-sampson@utc.edu or call (423) 425-4196.

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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 even 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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The Testing Center is looking for individuals interested in helping with the administration of the ACT on UTC’s campus. This is a paid position, and proctors and room supervisors are needed for the July 15 test. If you are interested in working, email cathy-jackson@utc.edu.

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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.

Looking back

Dr. Chandra Ward (pictured), assistant professor of sociology at UTC, teaches urban sociology with the mission to amplify traditionally marginalized voices. She has researched public housing residents and written a textbook, “From the Margins: Fresh Perspectives on an Introduction to Sociology.”

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

• UTC Library Dean Theresa Liedtka will transition out of her position to take on other responsibilities on campus. Liedtka, who has served as dean for 19 years, will remain in that role until a successor is named—with a national search scheduled to begin during the fall semester.
• “When I first got connected with the DRC and began working with the people there,” said Hayleigh Weissenbach, “they were like, ‘You should become a mentor for Mosaic.’ I was immediately hooked.” An initiative she began during her undergraduate days as a Mocs softball player changed her career path.
• The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is a finalist for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Team of the Year in the Triple E Awards, which focus on university programs that involve and benefit students and the local community.
• The purpose of a recent workshop organized by Dr. Zibin Guo was to provide healthcare providers with an opportunity to advance their knowledge and ability to apply the principles of the Wheelchair/Inclusive Tai Chi Chuan program to empower veterans with psychological and physical challenges.
• Slade McGuire, a 2019 UTC construction management graduate, is the site superintendent of the Walker Apartments renovations. He is overseeing work that includes the student apartment he lived in as a UTC freshman.
• UTC celebrated Juneteenth on June 16 with an on-campus event at Lupton Hall. Sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Black Faculty and Staff Association, the event brought together faculty, staff and students from across campus—including students participating in several UTC summer experiences.

WUTC Spotlight: Riverbend 2023

Amanda Shires performing at Riverbend 2023. Photo by Nessa Parrish/WUTC.

WUTC-FM’s Nessa Parrish recently journeyed into Riverbend’s 40th-anniversary celebration to set the scene with her camera for those who could not attend the festival.

UTC Student Lens: Movements of the Mill

The skeletal remains of the Standard-Coosa-Thatcher mill complex glow as if they were on fire. Inside, the Pop-up Project is going through the final rehearsal for “If These Walls Could Talk,” an immersive dance performance that seeks to tell the history of the mill before it is lost to the collective memory of Chattanooga. “It’s just such a beautiful space,” says Jules Downum, director and co-founder of the Pop-up Project. “It didn’t take a lot of work on our part to make the space impactful. And the stories were already here.”

Click here to see Rising Rock’s Movements of the Mill, written by Jules Jackson.

• 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).