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Updates and news for the week of November 21 – 27, 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.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving holiday break to all of our UTC students, staff and faculty!
Thanks to the holiday break, please submit all items for next Tuesday’s edition of the Campus Weekly newsletter no later than 10 a.m. on Monday (Nov. 27).
Last chance to register for commencement tickets!
UTC is excited to host fall 2023 commencement to celebrate graduates’ achievements, with ceremonies taking place over two days Dec. 15-16.
Due to McKenzie Arena construction limiting attendance capacity, students must register in advance to get tickets for themselves, family and friends. Please complete the survey from the Registrar’s Office to walk at commencement and request tickets to enter McKenzie Arena. The survey, emailed by the Registrar’s Office earlier this month, is available until Monday (Nov. 27).
Please click here for additional graduation ceremony information.
Attention graduates: Scrappy’s Cupboard Cap and Gown Loan Program Available
Graduates, Scrappy’s Cupboard is happy to offer cap and gown (academic regalia) loans to any undergraduate or graduate student who has been approved to participate in a UTC graduation ceremony and cannot afford to purchase the regalia required to participate. Academic Regalia is available for loan up to five days prior to the graduation ceremony and must be returned no later than five days after the ceremony.
To request a cap and gown loan for fall 2023 graduation ceremonies, please complete this request form no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 12.
If you have questions, contact the Office of Student Outreach and Support at 423-425-2299 or e-mail scrappyscupboard@utc.edu.
FCS Playoffs: Mocs heading to postseason
 Photo courtesy of Ray Soldano/GoMocs.com The 16th-ranked Mocs football team is headed to Clarksville, Tennessee, on Saturday (Nov. 25) to face No. 12 Austin Peay State University in the first round of the 2023 FCS playoffs. The 3 p.m. ET contest will be televised on ESPN+.
This will be the fifth FCS playoff appearance for UTC and just the seventh time the Mocs will face Austin Peay.
Tickets in the “Mocs Block” go on sale on GoMocs.com at 10 a.m. today (Nov. 21). Seats will be allocated based on the Mocs Club priority point system. The deadline to purchase is 3 p.m. on Wednesday (Nov. 22).
Submit Your Events for the Winter Welcome Calendar
The Office of Student and Family Engagement is excited to announce the dates for our Spring Welcome Week: Jan. 8-12, 2024.
During the week, we offer a wide variety of events for our students. If you are hosting an event or program during the first week of classes, please consider submitting your event to the official calendar found on the Winter Welcome website.
- To submit an event, please complete this form.
- The priority deadline for the Winter Welcome calendar is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 2. The final deadline to submit events is 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 5.
Email kidron-bullock@utc.edu with questions.
The outstanding people of UTC
 From left: Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council Board President Steve Seifried of Ameresco, Dr. Mina Sartipi and Thomas Ballard. Photo courtesy of Piper Communications. Dr. Mina Sartipi was the recipient of the 2023 Thomas B. Ballard Advanced Energy Leadership Award presented by the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council.
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Dr. Stephanie Philipp (right), assistant professor of education and interim director of UTC’s STEM Education Program, was a recent guest on Tennessee STEM Explorers, a TV program produced for elementary and middle school students.
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Check out these Mocs making a difference:
- Senior Brock Scholar and elementary education major Rebekah Cahill recently placed second in the 2023 Sloane Prize for Undergraduate Research poster competition at the national meeting of the National Collegiate Honors Council in Chicago.
- Dr. Allen Pratt was interviewed by the Times Free Press and Local 3 News about the National Forum to Advance Rural Education and the new UTC Center of Excellence and Innovation in Education.
- Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Rick Dierenfeldt was featured for his expertise in a NewsChannel 9 special report.
- Dr. Kristi Wick’s work was featured in a UM News story titled “Engaging in ministry with older adults.”
- Professor of Criminal Justice Tammy Garland was interviewed by NewsChannel 9 about a legal case in Dade County, Georgia.
- A recent episode of the Tamron Hall Show featured an extended segment with Ruben Studdard, including tributes from students Bella Lam, Katie Fair and Rose Carroll.
Mark your calendar
UTC is sponsoring Ice on the Landing in the open air at First Horizon Pavilion, home to the Chattanooga Market. Ice on the Landing is open most days from Nov. 24 through Jan. 28. Click here to learn more.
On Tuesday, Dec. 5, students, faculty, staff and alumni receive an exclusive $2 discount on tickets. Use the code blueandgold at checkout to get your discounted tickets.
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The Center for Wellbeing is holding a Medication Take Back Event from 10 a.m.-noon on Tuesday, Nov. 28, in the University Center Lobby. Stop by their table to drop off unused or expired medication and let them dispose it for you. They will also be providing Deterra medication disposal packs for home disposal and free prescription lockboxes—which keep your medications safe and ensures only the person prescribed the medication has access to it.
Bring expired or unused prescription, over-the-counter, or pet meds to be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card.
Why should you participate?
- Flushing and throwing away medication pollutes our water system.
- Leaving unused medications around provides an opportunity for misuse by others.
- Sharing prescribed medication is illegal and dangerous.
- It keeps you organized and frees space in your cabinets.
The collection process:
- Please bring prescriptions in the original containers with your personal information crossed out.
- Bring prescription, over-the-counter and even pet medication.
- DO NOT bring needles, IV bags or radioactive medications. Contact your health care provider for information regarding disposal of these items.
This initiative is aimed at providing our community with a safe way to dispose of expired or unused medication. UTC also has a permanent disposal box located at the UTC Police Department.
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The UTC Department of Political Science and Public Service will be hosting a November PSPS Sweet Research series, where PSPS faculty share their research and favorite desserts. Everyone is welcome to bring a lunch. All Sweet Research events take place from noon-12:50 p.m. in the 540 McCallie Building Room 462D. Upcoming events include:
- Wednesday, Nov. 29: Dr. Michelle Deardorff, “Rethinking Political Science Education: American Political Science Association’s Presidential Taskforce Preliminary Report”
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Please join Accounting Services in celebrating Maggie Hall’s 35 years of service to UTC and sending best wishes for a happy retirement!
The party will take place from 2-4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 30, in the University Center Chickamauga Room. We would love to see you all stop by to wish her well on her next adventure.
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The Office of Planning, Evaluation and Institutional Research (OPEIR) is hosting a series of workshops for faculty to learn about and be guided through the policy for proposing a new academic degree program at UTC. These workshops will cover the various stages of the process and feature guest speakers from departments on campus as well as the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). RSVP is not required but will help with planning and communication of events.
Upcoming sessions:
- Thursday, Nov. 30: Allison Evans (Budget and Finance), Joel Wells (University Registrar) and Rebecca Dragoo (Associate Registrar), UTC Library Room 118A, 2:30 p.m. | Calendar
- Thursday, Dec. 14: General information and assistance workshop, UTC Library Room 118A, 2:30 p.m. | Calendar
For further information, email kelli-baker@utc.edu, program coordinator for OPEIR, or call 423- 425-2216.
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Meet-up for Researchers is an opportunity to share research interests and projects with other faculty, staff, and graduate students and learn more about research and innovation happening at UTC.
The next event takes place from 11 a.m.-noon on Friday, Dec.1, in the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Mapp Building, 2nd floor). Dr. Lisa Piazza will briefly overview the 2024 UTC Spring Research and Arts Conference and answer questions. In addition, the CIE team has several new initiatives and seed funding opportunities for faculty and staff that we are excited to share. Lunch will be provided. Contact jennifer-skjellum@utc.edu with questions. Register here to attend. | Calendar
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 The Clarence T. Jones Observatory is located at 10 N. Tuxedo Ave. in Chattanooga. The Clarence T. Jones Observatory will re-open on Sunday, Dec. 3, for its final Star Party of the semester. The evening’s topic will be extraterrestrial life and the featured constellation is Orion.
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.
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.
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The Center for Women and Gender Equity will be conducting Safe Zone Aspiring Ally training sessions on the following dates:
- Tuesday, Dec. 5: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Monday, Dec. 18: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
A Safe Zone is a space in which anyone in the LGBTQ+ community will be supported and affirmed. Safe Zone training will help participants learn to create a supportive environment for LGBTQ+ members of campus by providing education, resources and advocacy. The training includes small group activities, an information session and large group discussions. Participants will then be able to display a UTC Safe Zone Aspiring Ally sticker in their office to demonstrate their commitment to the LGBTQ+ community.
Space is limited, so please click here to register.
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Hunter Hayes’ Flying Solo Tour is coming to the Walker Theatre (located inside the Memorial Auditorium) for an 8 p.m. show on Tuesday, Dec. 12. UTC students, faculty and staff have been offered a 25% off discount for the show.
To purchase tickets, click on this link, then enter the code 25STUDENT in the “unlock” button in the upper right-hand corner of the screen for the discount price.
For more information, visit TivoliChattanooga.com.
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 an advanced degree candidate.
Campus Updates
Math Kangaroo, an international mathematics competition, is returning to UTC.
Math Kangaroo 2024, open to students in grades 1-12, will be held at UTC at 5:30 p.m. on March 21, 2024. Information about the competition and registration can be found on the Math Kangaroo website.
The deadline for registration is Friday, Dec. 15. The registration fee is $21 per student, and financial assistance is available.
Please share this message, the event PDF and the registration information PDF with anyone who might be interested in participating. For more information, click here. If you are new to this program, please read Math Kangaroo History.
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Free short-term physical therapy services are available for UTC students, faculty and staff.
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
 Honor Huff (photo courtesy of Cindy Rice Shelton/GoMocs.com) This week’s Mocs home athletics calendar:
- Friday (Nov. 24): Men’s basketball vs. Evansville (Coke Zero Sugar Classic), McKenzie Arena, 2 p.m.
- Saturday (Nov. 25): Evansville vs. Southeast Missouri State (Coke Zero Sugar Classic), McKenzie Arena, 2 p.m.
- Sunday (Nov. 26): Men’s basketball vs. Southeast Missouri State (Coke Zero Sugar Classic), McKenzie Arena, 2 p.m.
Looking back
For the fifth consecutive year, the Rocket Mocs have qualified for the NASA United Student Launch Initiative Challenge. The team has to build a rocket that can reach an altitude of at least 4,000 feet—but no higher than 6,000 feet—for their competition launch.
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 Zibin Guo teaches Tai Chi, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, in Roland Hayes Concert Hall. Dr. Zibin Guo began the Wheelchair/Adaptive Tai Chi program in 2016 to train health care workers to teach the smooth, fluid movements of the martial art to veterans with disabilities. The program showed the veterans that, although they might feel powerless and weak, that was never the case, whether they were wheelchair-bound or suffered from PTSD, anxiety or other conditions that veterans sometimes experience.
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Here are some other recent UTC stories featured in the Newsroom:
Tales from the UTC PodLab
 Kim White, left, and Amy Donahue “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 psychology student Marissa Lott features a conversation between Kim White and Amy Donahue.
You can subscribe to “Tennessee Valley Across the Table” on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
WUTC Spotlight: Priorities for Rural Education
 Dr. Allen Pratt Dr. Allen Pratt, interim co-director of the UTC School of Education and executive director of the National Rural Education Association, brought the NREA’s 2023 Convention and Research Symposium to Chattanooga last week. Ensuring that current and future teachers are ready to meet the needs of rural schools is vital; case in point, Chattanooga’s surrounding community includes 17 rural districts.
Pratt recently appeared on WUTC-FM’s Scenic Roots to talk about priorities for rural education.
Student Lens: Smashing Pumpkins
It wouldn’t be fall without the smashing pumpkins of Compost-O-Ween, as seen through the lens of Mocs News producer Katie Stevenson, a UTC senior communication major.
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