The College of Humanities and Social Sciences Study Abroad Program this year is to London and Dublin and information sessions will be at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 5, and 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, in Room N-420, the Library Special Event Room.

The Study Abroad Program includes seven nights in London and four nights in Dublin.

For information contact Sandra Dahlberg, professor of English and program coordinator, at dahlbergs@uhd.edu or phone 713-221-8949. A flyer is available here. Information is also available at the website, http://www.uhd.edu/academic/colleges/humanities/chsssummerabroad/index.htm

The UHD community can join the Service Jam, an online event, that will engage non-profit organizations, corporations, academic institutions, and government agencies in a discussion Oct. 10-12 on how social innovation can help solve world problems.

The event brings together prominent leaders, professionals, and passionate individuals, to generate breakthrough ideas that will redefine service and social innovation. Sponsored by IBM, participants can collaborate virtually and have the flexibility to log into the Jam from anywhere in the world at anytime during the three-day event. Eight discussion forums will occur at the same time.

To register for the jam, go to this website: https://www.collaborationjam.com/minijam3/service.

Contact Jean DeWitt, UHD director of community engagement,  for more information.  

A  new report is available on the Office of Institutional Research's website.

The Fall 2010 20th Day Fact Sheet is available here: http://www.uhd.edu/about/irp/sheet.html  It includes information on UHD students broken down by ethnicity, gender, student type, classification, and majors. It also includes information on the breakdown of semester credit hours our students are taking this semester.

The UHD Veterans Services Office has scheduled its official opening from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 5, with refreshments in Room S-244, One Main Building.

The new office offers veteran students the assistance and support of a full-time staff who can provide them with educational benefits information and guide them through the enrollment process. Staff members can also certify their benefits and serve as their advocate at UHD. The office includes a computer lab.  

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. A flyer is available here.

UHD Powerlifting Head Coach and Assistant English Professor John Hudson welcomed his first official recruiting class to UHD at the start of this semester. 

The emphasis in recruiting for this year was on strengthening the women's lineup, and Coach Hudson said he has achieved that by bringing in four outstanding women. To read more....

The Criminal Justice Speaker Series will feature Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia who will provide an Overview of Harris County and Crime from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 13, in Room C-100, first floor, in the Commerce Street Building.

The free event is open to UHD faculty, staff and students. The doors open at 5:30 p.m. for seating. A coffee reception will follow the presentation.

The Speaker Series is sponsored by the Department of Criminal Justice in the College of Public Service.

UHD Police Lt. Fred Varela is planning to step off the roof of the Intercontinental Hotel-Galleria in October, and he'd appreciate your support.

Varela will rappel down the hotel's 23 floors Oct. 30 to raise funds for Special Olympics. The rappelling event is open to anyone willing to commit to raising $1,000, but a special contingent of Houston area law enforcement officers, including Varela, has agreed to participate.  "Go Over the Edge" is one of several Special Olympics fund-raising events the policing community participates in throughout the year, Varela said.

Varela has a goal of raising $2,000, but "I have a ways to go in raising funds," he said. The effort has special meaning for Varela.

"I've been blessed with a 12-year-old son who is autistic. He is high functioning and interacts with regular kids. I see kids not as fortunate and it is heartbreaking," Varela said. "Special Olympics gives everybody a chance. Everybody can participate and everybody gets something at the end of the day."

Varela said, "Something exciting like this with an adrenaline rush is right up my alley. I haven't done any rappelling since I got out of the military (U.S.Coast Guard) where we rappelled from a helicopter onto the deck of a ship."

He encourages people to support the effort and to come out and watch the event. "We have to learn to help one another. If you lend a hand to help people, somewhere down the line, somebody will help you," Varela said. "I have a lot of faith. You have to in this kind of job (law enforcement)."

To support Varela's effort, visit the website, http://www.firstgiving.com/frederickvarela.

The Center for Public Deliberation is sponsoring a the public discussion, "Religion and the Public Sphere," from, 8 to 9:45 a.m. Oct. 12 in room N-420, the Library Special Events Room, One Main Building.

The discussion will focus on religion and the First Amendement of the U.S. Constitution.

Students will address a set of questions about how religion fits and does not fit in public spaces like universities, government, courts, and the media. The discussion will focus on the document, "God and the Commons," produced by the Kettering Foundation. Snacks and beverages will be provided for participants. A flyer is available here.

The College of Public Service will host an Information Session from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Thursday, Oc.7, in the Commerce Building, Room C100, for UHD students interested in pursuing degrees in education or criminal justice.

The event will provide information on declaring a major, THEA and TExES exams, internships, and scholarships.  CPS advisors and faculty will be available to answer questions and meet informally with students.

An additional information session will be at 4:30 p.m. for Urban Education candidates on Oct. 7 in Room C100.

Refreshments will be served. For more information, please contact the CPS Advising Office at 713-221-8906.

Career Services has information about several job and internship possibilities as well as special recruitment events on campus.

·Reynolds & Reynolds will be holding an Informational Seminar on Oct. 12 - this is open to all majors. See job#1825 for details and to RSVP.

Remember - this is just a partial list of openings.  To see all active job listings, or to apply, please visit www.uhd.edu/jobs4gators. Over 180 jobs/internships  are listed.

* Employers will be attending Career Expo. A complete list will be on jobs4gators.

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

Monday, Oct. 4

2 - 3 p.m. - Turnitin

Tuesday, Oct. 5

10-11 a.m.- Blackboard Vista: Gradebook Set-up

Wednesday, Oct. 6

10 - 11 a.m. - Blackboard Vista: Assessments

Wednesday, Oct. 13

1 - 2 p.m. - Blackboard Vista: Communication Tools

Thursday, Oct. 14

2 - 4 p.m. - Respondus Open Lab

Friday, Oct. 15 
10 - 11 a.m. - Blackboard Vista: Assignments

Classroom Tools

Tuesday, Oct. 12 
1-2:30 p.m. - Useful Classroom Gadgets

e-Portfolio

Monday, Oct. 11
2 - 3:30 p.m. - TaskStream e-Portfolio

Internet Applications

Friday, Oct. 1 
10 - 11 a.m. - SurveyMonkey

Microsoft Office

Thursday, Oct. 7 

2 - 3:30 p.m. - Excel: Formulas

See all current IT training available