Updates and news for the week of June 6 – 12, 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

“Tennessee Valley Across the Table” Debuts on WUTC

Will Davis, who teaches podcasting and is outreach manager for the UTC PodLab, and the “Storytelling with Podcasts” class that produced the “Tennessee Valley Across the Table” series.

“Tennessee Valley Across the Table,” a series of recorded conversations that debuts on WUTC-FM 88.1 today (June 6), consists of dialogue between two people whose ideas—be they political, social, religious or otherwise—suggest the pair have diametrically opposed viewpoints. The only rule for participation was that conversation must remain civil.

UTC students in Will Davis’ “Storytelling with Podcasts” course were given 22 hours of conversations and edited them into a series of 22, four-minute segments that will air—one each week—on WUTC-FM on Tuesdays at 7:45 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. during “Morning Edition” and at 4:30 p.m. during “All Things Considered.”

It’s Orientation Season

Starting this week, New Student and Family Programs is hosting multiple orientation sessions for all new students entering UTC during the fall semester. On average, more than 6,000 new students and their guests will be on campus throughout the summer for orientation.

Freshman orientation sessions take place on the following dates: June 5-6, June 12-13, June 15-16, June 20-21, July 10-11, July 20-21 and July 27-28.

If you see students, parents or guests who may appear to be lost or have questions, please direct them to the Orientation Information Desk located in the University Center.

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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. in the University Center Tennessee Room during check-in for all in-person transfer orientation sessions on Thursday (June 8), 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.

The outstanding people of UTC

From left: Chris Acuff, Julia Cummiskey, Vahid Disfani, Kevin Doyle, Nilesh Sah, Morgan Smith

The UC Foundation has approved the latest UC Foundation professorships for the faculty at UTC. This year’s recipients are:

• Chris Acuff–assistant professor, Department of Political Science and Public Service
• Julia Cummiskey–assistant professor, Department of History
• Vahid Disfani–assistant professor, Department of Electrical Engineering
• Kevin Doyle–assistant professor, School of Professional Studies, Division of Counselor Education
• Nilesh Sah–assistant professor, Department of Finance and Economics
• Morgan Smith–assistant professor, Department of Social, Cultural and Justice Studies

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Three UTC students are recent recipients of the Gilman Scholarship, a highly competitive national scholarship for Pell Grant-eligible university students to study abroad.

• Political Science and Public Service: Public Law major Grace Bowden, a sophomore from Cordova, Tennessee, was awarded a Gilman Scholarship to study in the United Kingdom.
• Sophomore Brock Scholar Sabrina Pham, a Health and Human Performance: Sport, Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management major from Hialeah, Florida, has been awarded a Gilman to study in Costa Rica.
• Psychology major Chelcy Deslorges, a junior from La Vergne, Tennessee, was awarded a Gilman to study in the United Kingdom.

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The Center for Career and Leadership Development invites campus to celebrate Donna Cooper’s retirement after 33 years of service to UTC. An “English Tea Party” will take place from 2-3 p.m. on Monday, July 31, in the University Center Chattanooga Rooms A-B. Refreshments will be served, so please RSVP here for the event.

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Check out these Mocs making a difference:

• Juniors Paul Conroy and John Houk were named to the 2023 NCAA Division I PING All-East Region team, becoming the first members of the men’s golf team to receive that honor since 2013.
• Mocs volleyball middle blocker Marcelle Baez-Carlo, playing for her home country of Puerto Rico, earned second-best blocker honors at the U-21 Women’s Pan American Cup.
• Charlie Mix, UTC’s geographic information system director, was interviewed for a Times Free Press story about tree coverage in disadvantaged parts of Chattanooga.
• Sgt. John West and officer Dakota Johnson of the UTC Police Department were photographed as part of a Times Free Press gallery by 2021 UTC graduate Olivia Ross.
• Amy Rutherford, director of the Mosaic program, was interviewed for a U.S. News and World Report story with college transition tips for students with ADHD.
• Dr. Dawn Ford was interviewed by the Times Free Press for a story about tick-borne diseases being on the rise in Tennessee.
• Incoming freshman and Rhea County High School graduate Alyssa Barnes, who plans to major in electrical engineering, was selected as a 2023 Nokian Tyres Scholar.
• Freshman business communications major Reese Skiles and junior mechanical engineering major Garren Lockhart were recipients of Walden Security Employee Family Scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic year.

UTC Student Lens: Beyond the Ring

When Jaden Newman was seven years old, he discovered a DVD at a flea market that would eventually ignite his passion for professional wrestling. The 1997 match between Rey Misterio and Eddie Guerrero revealed to Newman that his love for wrestling was more than a fandom; it was something he wanted to do forever. Click here to see Rising Rock’s Beyond the Ring, written by Caroline Colvin and filmed by Cassandra Castillo and Madison Van Horn.

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

This Week’s Calendar

As part of the introduction of the UTC Research Institute, a brown bag lunch is taking place from noon-1:30 p.m. on Thursday (June 8) in the UTC Library Southern Writers Room.

The brown bag lunch is designed to engage faculty and staff across campus in identifying opportunities for collaboration.

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Information sessions are taking place for International Business Experience: Europe (Portugal & 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.

• Tuesday (6/6): Zoom, noon
• Thursday (6/8): Zoom, 1:00 p.m.
• Wednesday (6/14), Zoom, noon

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 is providing a series of June staff development opportunities, including a Zoom seminar from 2-3:30 p.m. on Thursday (June 8) for new leaders titled “Dignity: A Key to Effective Conflict Management.

Register here for the session.

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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 following summer dates: Saturday (June 10) and July 15. If you are interested in working one session or both, email cathy-jackson@utc.edu.

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 6): Darwin Galloway will present doctoral research titled, “Secondary Teachers’ Perceptions on Their Competency and Self-Efficacy Levels Associated with an Integrated Professional Development Approach to Teaching United States History,” via Zoom, 10 a.m. | Localist Calendar Info
• Tuesday (June 13): Jacquelyn Johnson will present doctoral research titled, “A Study of Higher Education Alumni Perceptions of Digital or In-Person Engagement,” via Zoom, 9 a.m. | Localist Calendar Info
• Wednesday (June 14): Kali Worley will present doctoral research titled, “A Qualitative Methodology To Designing A Quantitative Assessment For The Construct Of Scholar-Practitioner Using Grounded Theory,” via Zoom, 9 a.m. | Localist Calendar Info
• Friday (June 16): Peter O’Brien will present doctoral research titled, “The Impact of Focused Advising on Retention and Completion in the Community College Setting,” via Zoom, 3:15 p.m. | Localist Calendar Info

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.

New UTC Calendar Coming This Summer

This summer, UTC will roll 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 and expect to share this resource later this summer.

Campus Updates

The University of Tennessee System Office of Finance and Administration has announced significant modifications to the systemwide travel policy that will greatly benefit the faculty and staff who utilize it, providing a more streamlined and user-friendly experience. Please take a moment to view the revisions, as well as information and training opportunities located on Concur. To learn more about the travel policy update, please click here for the Campus Updates post.

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

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

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A reminder from the Office of the University Registrar …

As you work with students, please keep in mind these important registration dates for Part of Term 1 and Full Term:

• Wednesday, June 14—Part of Term 1: Last day to withdraw on a course-by-course basis with a grade of W (one or more courses).
• Tuesday, June 27—Part of Term 1: Last day to withdraw from the university (i.e. all courses) with grades of W in all Part of Term courses.
• Monday, July 10—Full Term: Last day to withdraw on a course-by-course basis with a grade of W (one or more courses).
• Tuesday, Aug. 8—Full Term: Last day to withdraw from the university (i.e. all courses) with grades of W in all PT2 and Full Term courses.

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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. | Localist Calendar Info

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UTC Campus Recreation will be hosting a series of family nights at the Aquatic and Recreation Center this summer open to all faculty and staff, with upcoming events taking place June 16 and 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 UTC Volleyball program is offering a 10% discount to all faculty, staff and students for the following volleyball summer camps:

• Scrappy’s Boys and Girls Camp: June 14-15
• Father/Daughter Clinic: June 18
• Middle School Day Camp: June 14-15, July 19-20
• High School Advanced Camp: June 14, July 19
• Positional Camp: June 28-29

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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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

For students of UTC Assistant Professor and Athletic Training Clinical Education Coordinator Lynette Carlson (pictured), the proverbial picture is worth a thousand words. Or many more. Two years ago amid the pandemic, Carlson hatched the idea of single-slide graphic novels—four-panel comic strips drawn by a now-former student—to teach cultural competencies such as ethics, compassion and humility.

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

• Dr. Rachael Davis and Dr. Jason Gordon, members of the School of Education faculty, recently served as chaperones for six local high school students at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Dallas.
• Robyn Berry, who participated in May 5 UTC commencement ceremonies, completed her bachelor’s degree 45 years after she began college.
• Hamilton County Schools Future Ready Students Director Olivia Bagby, who earned her doctorate from the UTC School Leadership program in 2020, is using that degree to enhance career education for local students.

WUTC Spotlight: “Tennessee Valley Across the Table”

Ray Bassett, host and producer of “Scenic Roots” on WUTC-FM 88.1, sat down with Will Davis—who teaches podcasting and is outreach manager for the UTC PodLab—to talk about the launch of “Tennessee Valley Across the Table.”