UHD"s Student Life Center has Houston Dynamo tickets on sale for the College Night Out for the match between the Dynamo and Toronto at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, at UH's Robertson Stadium.

The Student Life Center has a limited number of tickets available for $10 for college students with a valid student ID card. Each student is limited to four tickets.A flyer is available here.

Additional tickets are available by calling 713-276-7500 or visiting the website, www.houstondynammo.com/college.

Adjunct professor David Rainey will perform in the reading of "South Bridge", a new play by Reginald Edmund, for Wordsmyth Theater Company's Fall New Play Reading Series at 7 p.m. today at Main Street Theater-Chelsea Market.

South Bridge is set in Athens, Ohio, 1881, and a white woman has been assaulted. The play's character, Christopher C. Davis, the accused, sits in his cell listening to the angry mob, and begins to think back...to peer into the souls of those around him to untangle the truth.

The reading series is free to the public and will be followed by a talk back with the writer, actors and director.

The Facilities Management Department is requesting all UHD faculty and staff members take a brief customer service survey.

The survey will give Facilities Management insight on how to improve its operation in servicing the university. Respondents' answers will be completely anonymous. The link directs you to the survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FMcustomerservicesurvey

Leonardo A. Villalón, associate professor of Political Science and director of the Center for African Studies at the University of Florida, will present "Debating Islam and Democracy: West African Experiences," from 10 to 11:15 a.m. Monday, Sept. 20, in the Cullen Robertson Auditorium, third floor, Academic Building.

Villalón is the author of Islamic Society and State Power in Senegal (Cambridge University Press, 1995), and co-editor of The African State at a Critical Juncture: Between Disintegration and Reconfiguration (Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1998), and The Fate of Africa's Democratic Experiments: Elites and Institutions (Indiana University Press, 2005), as well as of numerous articles and book chapters on politics and religion in West Africa.

Villalón taught for two years as a Fulbright senior scholar at the Université Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar, Senegal. He has also taught at the Université Gaston Berger in St. Louis, Senegal, and has lectured and directed seminars and workshops at universities and other institutions in numerous West African countries. These have included seminars on civic education and democracy for teachers in rural Mali, workshops on democracy and the role of legislatures for the national parliaments of Chad and of Burkina Faso, and a seminar on consensus building for all parties to the conflict in Côte d'Ivoire.

From 2001-05 Villalón served as president of the West African Research Association (WARA), the only sub-Saharan African member institution of the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC), based at the Smithsonian Institution.

UHD Veterans Services is starting a support group for veterans in partnership with the Employee Assistance Program conducted through the University of Texas Health Science Center (UT EAP).

Start-up sessions will meet from 3 to 4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 22 and 23, in Room N-420, the Library Special Event Room. Sessions will continue on Wednesdays and Thursdays through October.

"Please attend one of the start-up sessions and hear what we have to offer," said Michael Records, UHD Veterans Services manager. "Sometimes all you need is someone to talk to and listen."

Veterans can have difficulty readjusting to civilian life and dealing with a variety of issues including the federal Veterans Affairs Department.

The support group will address such topics as marital and family problems, post traumatic stress disorder, transitioning to civilian life, addictions and traumatic brain injuries. The group can also serve as an information resource to help veterans and their families, Records said.

For more information, contact Records at 713-226-5581 or email him at recordsm@uhd.edu or contact Delphi Medina, LMSW, LCDC, at 713-500-3156, medinad@uh.edu.

UHD has launched a new search for its next Senior Vice President and Provost.  Don Bates, dean of the College of Business, chairs the search committee.

"We have already advertised the position and are also sending out letters to higher education leaders to encourage applications and nominations," Bates said.  R. William Funk & Associates, a higher-education executive search firm, is handling the search for the University.

Others appointed to the committee are:

Ed Apodaca, Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management; Elaine Pearson, Division Business Administrator III, Academic Affairs; David Ryden, Associate Professor, Social Sciences; Phil Lyons, Associate Professor, Natural Sciences; Ermelinda Delavina, Associate Professor, Computer and Mathematical Sciences; Barbara Belbot, Associate Professor, Criminal Justice; Lucille Pointer, Associate Professor, Management, Marketing, and Business Administration; and Ali Abedi, Student Government Association, President.

UHD's newest major, the BAAS in Applied Administration opened its doors this fall to 23 students.

Karen Kaser, who coordinates the program, said the new degree builds on associate degrees in applied administration. "Our market research shows many individuals who already have an associate degree will need a bachelor's degree as they move to supervisory and administrative roles," she said. "We will see a significant demand for this degree as Baby Boomers retire."

Students who choose UHD's program can build on their associate degrees instead of starting a new bachelor's degree at the beginning. UHD is working with Lone Star College System, Houston Community College, San Jacinto College and others to make transferring to UHD as seamless as possible.

Students who are interested in the new major can drop by the program's office in One Main Building, Suite 400-South, or call 713-223-7992. Email inquiries should be sent to advisor_baasaa@uhd.edu.

Smart Financial Credit Union will present a Lunch and Learn session, Recycle Your Dollars the Smart Way, from noon to 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 20, in the Buffalo Bayou Room, Special Events Center, third floor, Academic Building.

The session will cover such information as what is a credit union, what are the benefits of joining a credit union, how can I budget and save more and how do I save for retirement. Advance registration is highly recommended to assure enough materials and lunches are available. The course code is UHD 803, session 0001. A flyer is available here.

To register, click here.

UHD employees can purchase  tickets to the Texas Renaissance Festival at the 'Group Ticket" discounted rate of $15 for adults and $6 for children ages 5 to 12.

The festival will be from 9 a.m. to dusk Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 9 - Nov. 28, and the Friday after Thanksgiving.

To receive the 'Group Ticket' rate, you must use the discount code UHS-1488 and must purchase tickets in advance via credit card by phone or fax. The ticket handling fee of $1 per ticket will be waived. To place an order by phone, call 1-800-458-3435. To place an order by fax, use the attached form and fax to 1-936-894-2391. Orders are accepted 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Visit www.texrenfest.com for festival information.

If you have any questions, please contact Bobbie Horack, Work/Life Coordinator, at horackb@uhd.edu or 713-222-5318.

The Scholars Academy office has made arrangements with Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions to have free practice tests for the GRE, LSAT, NCLEX, MCAT, DAT, OAT, PCAT* available on-campus Friday, Sept. 17. 

Students need to register online with Kaplan for the free practice tests. Kaplan will also provide a detailed score analysis and strategies to help students prepare for test day. The MCAT, GRE, and LSAT tests begin at 10 a.m. while the NCLEX, DAT/OAT, and PCAT tests begin at 10:30 a.m.

To sign up call 1-800-KAP-TEST or visit www.kaptest.com/practice. A flyer is available here.

*Test names are registered trademarks of their respective owners.

UHD employees can now safe with the new State of Texas Discount Purchase Program at www.discountprogramERS.com.

UHD employees, retirees and their families are eligible for discounts on a variety of products and services from cars to theme parks to sporting events. The Discount Purchase Program is provided at no cost. Just go to the website, click on the category or company that appeals to you, and start saving. Discounts will change and new products and services will be added, so check back often. Contact the customer service line at 1-800-683-2886 if you have questions.

Individuals who take the training for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) use are more likely to use the training on someone they know versus a complete stranger. Take advantage of this opportunity to learn what to do in case of an emergency situation.

CPR/AED Certification        

Oct. 14-15, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Nov. 11-12, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

First Aid Certification

Oct. 29, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Dec. 3, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.                                           

The class fee is $5 for UHD students, faculty and staff members and $10 for others. The sessions are limited to the first 15 people who prepay for the class. The certification is valid for one year.

To reserve a spot for this training, stop by the Student Life Center. For more information call 713-221-8225. A flyer is available here.

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

Wednesday, Sept. 15
1-3 p.m. - Open Lab: Shea Building

Thursday, Sept. 16

2-3 p.m. - Blackboard Vista: Assignments

Friday, Sept. 17
               10-11:30 a. m. -Softchalk Lesson Builder

Monday, Sept. 20
1-2 p.m. - Blackboard: Assessments

Tuesday, Sept. 21
               9-11 a.m. - Open Lab: Commerce Building

Wednesday, Sept. 22
               10-11:30 a.m. - Respondus Open Lab

Thursday, Sept. 23
11-12 p.m. - Blackboard: Mail, Calendar & Who's Online

Monday, Sept. 27
1-2 p.m. - Blackboard: Communication Tools

Wednesday, Sept.. 29
               10-11:30 a.m. - Respondus: StudyMate 

e-Portfolio

Tuesday, Sept. 28 
1-2:30 p.m. - TaskStream e-Portfolio

Microsoft Office

Wednesday, Sept. 15
                  1-3 p.m. - Open Lab: Shea Building

Tuesday, Sept. 21
                   9-11 a.m. - Open Lab: Commerce Building

Tuesday, Sept. 21 

10-11:30 a.m. - Access Basics

Friday, Sept. 24

10-11:30 a.m. - Excel Macros 

See all current IT training available