Skyline News - Convocation time change

A Publication of UHD Public Affairs

Aug. 27, 2010

Submit news items to skylinenews@uhd.edu.

The Sports & Fitness Center fall fitness classes begin Aug. 30 with opportunities ranging from dance and yoga to aerobics and martial arts.

Alternative Certification Program-Master of Arts in Teaching with Certification (ACT-MAT) Information Session will be from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 30, in Rooom C-100, Commerce Street Building.

The University Theatre will present, 'Oleanna' in the O'Kane Theatre at 8 p.m., Aug. 26, 27 and 28 and at 3 p.m. Aug. 29.

Beginning Monday, Aug. 30, faculty, staff and students will be required to use stronger password characteristics when changing their network passwords.

The National Family Strengths Symposium is free for UHD faculty and students Sept. 7-9 in the UHD Coffee House, third floor Academic Building.

Renew your parking permits. See story below.

Convocation set for 2:30 p.m. Sept. 1

President Bill Flores invites faculty and staff to attend the President's Fall Convocation at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1, in the Academic Building, Cullen Robertson Auditorium.

Cake and coffee will be served following the Convocation in the

Special Events Center.

'Houston City University' tops list
in Name Change Straw Poll results

UHD will take the results of the spring semester Name Change Straw Poll and move forward with further developing "Houston City University" recognizing that the final decision on the name and the name change lies with the UH System Board of Regents.

As part of the process, Public Affairs will put together a group of individuals from across the university to work with Stamats to refine logo, logo type and nameplate treatments for "Houston City University." The process will involve faculty staff and students, and will build on previous work completed by Stamats. Stamats, based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, specializes in higher education marketing and branding.

At the end of the spring semester, UHD conducted a Name Change Straw Poll that was open to students, alumni, staff and faculty. Participants were asked to choose "City University" or "Houston City University" and a free-form comment block followed the two names The non-binding vote totals were 1,702 for "Houston City University," 401 for "City University," and 404 for neither option for a total number of respondents of 2,507.

The university has approximately 13,000 students, 1,100 staff and faculty members and 28,000 alumni. The poll was promoted with email, electronic newsletters, printed newsletters, direct mail, flyers on campus, roundtable discussions and references on the university's website home page.
As part of the poll, people could indicate pros and cons and suggest alternatives.

Here is the summary of pros, cons and alternative names that were suggested.

First ACP-MAT information session is Aug. 30 in Commerce Street Building

The Department of Urban Education in the College of Public Service is sponsoring Alternative Certification Program-Master of Arts in Teaching with Certification (ACT-MAT) Information Sessions from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on three Mondays, Aug. 30, Sept. 13 and Sept. 22, in Room C-100 in the Commerce Street Building.

This program is designed for individuals who would like to earn a teaching certificate or a master's degree. This program would be of particular interest to substitute teachers or paraprofessionals who already have undergraduate degrees. A flyer and directions to the information session are available here.

For more information call 713-221-8194 or visit the website http://www.uhd.edu/academic/colleges/publicservice/urbaned/acp.htm

UHD hosts National Family Strengths Symposium Sept. 7-9 in Coffee House

The National Family Strengths Symposium is free for UHD faculty and students, so be sure to register soon at www.uhd.edu/cfs and attend any or all workshops and keynote sessions Sept. 7-9 in the UHD Coffee House, third floor Academic Building.

Families often have complications such as substance abuse, disabilities, mental illness, violence, crime, and bullying. The National UHD Symposium on "Family Strengths and Diversity: Power, Promise, Practice" will address these topics and many more. Lead by nationally known experts, 50 presentations will provide hands-on solutions for current and future human service workers, educators, corrections staff and other helping professionals and for families.

Scholarships are available for all UHD faculty and students to attend for free; go to www.uhd.edu/cfs to register. For questions contact cfs@uhd.edu or call 713-221-2737.

Stories from previous Skylines

'Oleanna' opens in the O'Kane Thursday

The University Theatre will present, 'Oleanna' in the O'Kane Theatre at 8 p.m., Aug. 26, 27 and 28 and at 3 p.m. Aug. 29. Admission is free and seats are available on a first-come, first-seated basis. The play, by David Mamet, revolves around a student and a professor caught in a compelling drama of power and betrayal.

Password characteristics change Aug. 30

Beginning Monday, Aug. 30, faculty, staff and students will be required to use stronger password characteristics when changing their network passwords. This change is necessary to comply with UH System audit requirements and meet industry best practices.

System policies require all new or changed passwords to meet the following standards:

include a minimum of eight (8) characters; and

contain a character from at least three (3) out of the following four (4) character sets:

1) capital letter (A - Z)

2) lower case letter (a - z)

3) digit (0 - 9)

4) special character (such as !, $, #, %)

Most of you will not be affected by this change immediately, since your current password will remain valid until you elect to change your password or are systematically required to do so based on the age of your current password. Also, please note that as part of the new password requirements,users will be required to change their passwords at least once every 90 days rather than the 120 days previously required.

If you have any questions or need more information, please feel free to contact Said Fattouh, director of User Support Services, Information Technology, at 713-221-8059, or via email at fattouhs@uhd.edu.

Americorps' Students in Service program receives grant; open for new proposals

UHD faculty and staff members interested in collaborating in preparing a Students in Service proposal, contact Jean DeWitt, director of Community Engagement, at dewittj@uhd.edu.

The Texas Campus Compact has received a grant to support the Students in Service program (www.studentsinservice.org).

Students in Service is an AmeriCorps program that encourages and supports college and university students to enroll as part-time AmeriCorps members who provide service in their communities. SIS members make a difference in their communities, gain civic and workforce skills, and upon completion of their term of service, earn an education award.

Astros host last College Night Sept. 17

The Houston Astros will host the final College Night of the season on Sept. 17.

Discounted tickets can be purchased online at www.astros.com/college. Arrive early for $3.75 drink specials and stay after the game for a postgame concert with Robert Ellis and the Boys! Please see the attached flyer for more information.

The Sports & Fitness Center fall classes begin Aug. 30 with opportunities ranging from dance and yoga to aerobics and martial arts.

Contact Rhonda Scherer at schererr@uhd.edu or sports&fitness@uhd.edu for more information. A schedule of activities is available here.

Soldier-Poet will read at UHD on Oct. 7

Soldier-Poet Brian Turner will read his poetry from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7, in the Cullen Robertson Auditorium, third floor, Academic Building.

Tuner is regularly referenced in the New York Times as a veteran/poet spokesperson for his generation. His debut book of poems, Here, Bullet, won the 2005 Beatrice Hawley Award, the New York Times "Editor's Choice" selection, the 2006 Pen Center USA "Best in the West" award, and the 2007 Poets Prize, among others.

His second poetry book, Phantom Noise, was released by Alice James in the spring of 2010. Turner has recently been selected as one of 50 United States Artists Fellows for 2009.

For information contact Jane Creighton, associate professor of English and Cultural Enrichment Center director, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, at 713-221-8295 or creightonj@uhd.edu.

The Sports and Fitness Center is sponsoring a workshop called "MyPyramid Tracker" to help people analyze their nutritional and physical activity from noon to 1 p.m. Sept. 8 in Room 998-South in the One Main Building.

Studies show that people who write down or log what they eat and their physical activity are more successful at losing weight and maintaining their weight than people who don't keep such records. "MyPyramid Tracker" is an online activity log and at the workshop participants will learn how to create their own MyPyramid account and more about the benefits the service offers.

Snacks and appreciation gifts will be provided. For more information and a link to reserve a spot is available on the attached flyer.

Fall Hispanic Film Series begins Sept. 9

The Fall 2010 Hispanic Film Series begins Thursday, Sept. 9, with a screening of "Cronicas:Ecuador" at 6:30 p.m. in Room 405-A in the Academic Building.

The 2004 film is directed by Sebastian Cordero and follows a television journalist as he investigates crimes against children in rural Ecuador. The series is sponsored by the Department of Arts and Humanities in UHD's College of Humanities and Social Sciences. For information contact Ana-Maria Medina, visiting assistant professor, at medina@uhd.edu. A flyer is available here.

Other films are:

Rosario Tijeras: Columdia - Sept. 23

Virgen de los Sicarios: Columbia - Oct. 7

Bombon: El Perro: Argentina - Oct. 14

Intacto: Spain - Nov. 4

Fall Blood Drive set for Sept. 21 and 22

The Fall Blood Drive will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 21 and 22, in the third floor Coffee House area (next to Smoothie King).

How can you sign up to donate blood?
· Visit www.eblooddrive.org

· Enter your Log-In ID or create an ID if you are a new user
· Follow the instructions to schedule an appointment (Enter Sponsor Code 3731)
What do you do if you don't know what time you will have available until the day of the Blood Drive?
· Go to the donation center at the Coffee House to sign-up.

Visit the website www.giveblood.org for information about donating blood. If you have any questions or problems scheduling an appointment, contact Liza Alonzo at AlonzoL@uhd.edu.

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Vendors, exhibitors needed for Fall Family Festival Arts and Craft Show

The Fall Family Festival Arts and Craft Show sponsors are seeking exhibitors and vendors for the event which is scheduled for noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, on the UHD Portico, (the covered area between the North and South Decks. Note the date is incorrect in yesterday's edition).

The rental fee is $20 and vendors/exhibitors also have the use of a 6-foot table and two chairs for the day. Deadline to register is Sept. 3.

Event sponsors are seeking vendors selling candles, jewelry, Tupperware, handmade crafts, home designs, and holiday items.

For registration information contact AlonzoL@uhd.edu.

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Peak flu season is around the corner, protect yourself and your family

Universal flu shots will be available at the UHD Student Health Services, Room 320N, for $20 starting in September.

The vaccination will be given for the 2010-2011 Flu Season and will be the H1N1 and the Seasonal Flu Vaccine in one shot. Separate vaccine will not be needed nor given.

NO APPOINTMENTS WILL BE REQUIRED. Shots will be given on a walk-in basis. Specific times and dates will be provided at a later date.

Flu vaccines are currently NOT available at this time. We will update everyone when they become available.

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Renew parking permits online by Sept. 7

Renewal of Faculty/Staff parking permits for FY10-11 will begin Wednesday, August 4, 2010.

All current permit holders, full or part-time, are eligible to renew their permit online. Those choosing to use the on-line option will be asked to verify mailing address information via PeopleSoft Advantage Self Service (PASS). Permits will be mailed, via US postal services within 3-5-business days, to the address specified.

To avoid deactivation of proximity cards, employees must purchase their permit by Tuesday, Sept. 7.

To register for parking using the on-line option, go to www.uhd.edu

 Select (Register & Pay here)

 Select Faculty/staff eServices

 Go to My Online Transactions

 Select My Payment

 Select Parking

The payment options offered are payroll deduction (three monthly deductions), credit card (AMEX, Visa, MasterCard, Discover), and eCheck. Customers are encouraged to purchase permits online, as only cash and check transactions can be accepted in the Parking and Transportation Service office.

An added benefit of the monthly payroll deduction plan is that when full-time faculty or staff members purchase their permit in this manner, the deductions are made on a pre-tax basis. For monthly employees, deductions will be taken equally for three months starting on October 1^st, which is actually the September paycheck. Employees paid on a bi-weekly basis will see the deduction on the first paycheck of each month. Permits ordered online between Aug. 4^th and Sept. 10^th will have deductions of three installments beginning with the first paycheck in October. After Sept. 10^th, payroll deductions will be taken out in two equal installments only.

The breakdown by permit type is shown below.

Permit Type	Oct	Nov	Dec
Tier I (formerly 'Gold') - $190	$63.33	$63.33	$63.34
Tier II (Reserved - Commerce Bldg Only) - $135	$45.00	$45.00	$45.00
Regular Faculty/Staff - $85	$28.33	$28.33	$28.34
Buddy Parking - $85	$28.33	$28.33	$28.34
Disabled Parking - $50	$16.66	$16.67	$16.67

Adjunct professors and part-time employees will be able to request parking online and pay in full with credit card or eCheck. Employee classification is obtained through PeopleSoft HR, which is maintained by Employment Services and Operations (ESO). If an employee has questions about their employee classification, please contact your unit business administrator or ESO.

Disabled parking privileges are for the benefit of the registered permit holder only. UHD requires that a UHD disabled parking permit be displayed along with a valid state issued disabled parking placard or state license plate whenever a vehicle is parked in a disabled parking space in any faculty/staff or student lot.

Motorcycle permits must be purchased in the Parking and Transportation Services Office. Motorcycle permits allow parking only in designated motorcycle areas and the permit holder is subject to the same parking regulations as motor vehicles.

As always, employees are asked to report lost, stolen, or damaged hang-tags/permits or proximity cards immediately to Parking and Transportation Services. The owner may obtain a replacement permit or proximity card for a fee of $10.00.

The mission of Parking and Transportation Services is to provide the highest possible level of service and convenience to the campus community - students, faculty and staff. Please feel free to contact Parking and Transportation Services with any questions or comments by e-mailing us at parking@uhd.edu or by calling ext. 8127.

Click here to register now!  https://global.dt.uh.edu:8585/eservices/es/login.asp?MySelection=F

For more information, contact Vanessa Turner, Manager, Parking and transportation Services, at 713-221-8947 or turnerv@uhd.edu

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Eastbound San Jacinto Entrance on I-10 Closed through Oct. 20

The Eastbound Entrance Ramp from San Jacinto Street will be closed continuously for construction until 5 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 20. The detour route is to turn right on Rothwell and follow the curve, turn left on Nance, right on Jensen and left to Interstate-10 eastbound.

The San Jacinto exit ramp from I-10 westbound will be closed continuously for construction until 5 a.m. Oct. 20. The detour route is to take U.S. 59 south to the Jackson Street exit and go west on Commerce Street to San Jacinto. Note this is a change from earlier editions. Franklin Street is one-way eastbound in that area.

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IT Training for Faculty/Staff/Alumni

Register for IT training opportunities at the links below. To schedule

a one-on-one appointment or other assistance, please call 713-221-8200.

Blackboard Vista

Tuesday, Aug. 31

1-2 p.m. -Turnitin

See all current IT training available