Skyline News

A Publication of UHD Public Affairs

April 6, 2011

Submit news items to skylinenews@uhd.edu.

The UHD student and alumni in "You Can't Take It with You," the 1937 comedy by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, will give a matinee performance at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, in the O'Kane Theatre.

UHD's Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), an independent student organization, is hosting a panel discussion, "Face the Homeless," from 3 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, in room N-1099, One Main Building.

The Academic Technology Committee is holding its first Technology Learning Conference, TLC@UHD, April 6 and 7 in the Cullen Roberson Auditorium, Special Events Room and Coffeehouse.

Awards recipients from left, Timothy Redl, Michelle Moosally, Joseph Westfall, Barbara Canetti-Rios and Kate Pogue.
Recipients receive Faculty Awards, Faculty Development Leave Awards

The UHD Faculty Assembly and Awards Ceremony drew a large audience Tuesday to the Special Events Room in the Academic Building.

The Teaching Award was presented to Timothy Redl, Computer and Mathematical Sciences. Finalists were Christine Bachman, Social Sciences, and Mian Jiang, Natural Sciences.

The Service Award was presented to Michelle Moosally, English. Finalists were Maria Benavides, Natural Sciences, and Leigh Van Horn, Urban Education.

The Scholarship/Creative Activity Award was presented to Joseph Westfall, Social Sciences. Finalists were Cara Murray, English,and Plamen Simeonov, Computer and Mathematical Sciences.

Awards were presented in two new categories.

The first Lecturer Teaching Award was presented to Barbara Canetti-Rios, English. Finalists were Frankie Solomon, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, and Mary Sykes, Finance, Accounting and Computer Information Systems.

The first Adjunct Teaching Award was presented to Kate Pogue, Arts and Humanities. Finalists were Ben Aderholt, Management, Marketing and Business Administration, and Robert Wawee, Arts and Humanities.

Faculty Development Leave Awards were presented to Robin Davidson, English, who will work on two volumes of poems; Aaron Gillette, Social Sciences, who will work on a book examining American professors and students and the Nazi government's efforts to convert them to supporters; Hank Roubicek, Arts and Humanities, who will work on three instructional videos supporting online communications courses, and Plamen Simeonov, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, who will work in collaboration with a professor in Hong Kong on a monograph on Operator Calculus for Orthogonal Polynomials.

Psi Chi Chapter hosts mental health forum April 11

UHD's Psi Chi Chapter, international honor society in psychology, will be host a UHD Mental Health Forum from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, April 11, in room N-1099, One Main Building.

The panel will include Suzette Sova, Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority of Harris County (MHMRA); Natilea Henderson from IntraCare Behavioral Health; Scot Macomber of UHD's Student Counseling Services, and Rhonda Scherer, assistant director of UHD's Sports and Fitness.

The UHD Mental Health Forum is a free workshop and open to UHD students, faculty and staff. It is designed to provide helpful tips and information on such things as the warning signs for depression, anxiety disorders, trauma, psychotic disorders, eating disorders and substance use disorders. The workshop will present a five-step action plan to help an individual in crisis connect to professional care, as well as resources available to help someone with mental health problems, the benefits to exercise and more. One attendee will receive a free 45-minute massage offered by UHD's Sports and Fitness Center.

For more information contact Anna A. Weekes, Community Projects Officer, Psi Chi, at psichi.uhd.outreach@gmail.com.

Cultural Enrichment Center hosts documentary filmmaker Valadez

The Cultural Enrichment Center is hosting a free screening of the documentary "The Longoria Affair" with filmmaker, John J. Valadez, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, in the Cullen Robertson Auditorium, third floor, Academic Building.

Private Felix Longoria's life was cut short in the last days of World War II in the Pacific, but his place in history was only beginning. What happened next caused a state-wide scandal and national outrage. When his remains were returned to his hometown in South Texas, his wife asked the local funeral home to hold his wake. The funeral directors refused because they feared it would upset the Anglo community to hold a prayer vigil for a Mexican-American. A local Mexican-American civil rights association for veterans, the American G. I. Forum, got involved and contacted its new U.S. Senator, Lyndon B. Johnson.

Today, long after Felix Longoria's remains were laid to rest among the war heroes in Arlington National Cemetery, the wounds have not healed in his hometown. Filmmaker John J. Valadez's documentary "The Longoria Affair" captures the incident that sparked a civil rights campaign, brought national attention to discrimination and bigotry and revealed Johnson's concerns for civil rights that would mark his presidency.

For more than 16 years, writer, director and producer John J. Valadez has been making documentaries shown on PBS and CNN. His films include "The Chicano Wave," a history of Mexican-American music; "Passin' It On," about the false imprisonment of a former Black Panther Party leader; and "The Last Conquistador," about the artist who created a statue of Juan de Onate for the city of El Paso. He directed "Visiones: Latino Arts & Culture," and he produced "Beyond Brown," about the re-segregation of American schools.

He has been a Fellow of the New York Foundation for the Arts, a Rockefeller Fellow, and a PBS/CPB Producers Academy Fellow. He is a founding member of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) and graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts film program.

For more information, contact Gene Preuss, associate professor, Department of Social Sciences, at 713-222-5308 or PreussG@uhd.edu.

LGBTQ Safezone, Library present documentary 'The Celluloid Closet'

UHD's LGBTQ Safezone and the W.I. Dykes Library will present two screenings of the classic documentary, "The Celluloid Closet," on Thursday, April 14, in room N-420, One Main Building, in support of the National Day of Silence, when students across the country spotlight anti-lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender bullying and harassment with some form of silence.

The first showing will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with an introduction by Melinda Kanner, interim assistant vice president, Academic Affairs. The second screening will be from 1:15 5o 3:15 p.m. with an introduction by Caroline Kimberly, assistant professor of English.

With more than 100 clips from Hollywood feature films and interviews with actors, directors and screenwriters, "The Celluloid Closet," (1996) traces the history of gay and lesbian characters in 20^th century movies. Narrator Lily Tomlin introduces the film saying, "Hollywood, that great maker of myths, taught straight people what to think about gay people, and gay people what to think about themselves."

See a trailer for the film at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL_vrb4-6_0

IBA sponsors field trip to the Port of Houston on April 15

UHD's International Business Association is sponsoring a field trip to the Port of Houston from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 15.

The trip will include a management presentation and a boat tour of the Houston Ship Channel, which includes a meal. Registration is required for IBA members and non-members. The trip is free for IBA members and $15 for non-members if spots are available. Preference will be given to IBA members.

IBA members can register by emailing IBA Treasurer Jackie Noyola at jck_noyola@yahoo.com by 5 p.m. Friday, April 8.

Guests and non-members can sign up for a waiting list by emailing IBA faculty advisor Anisul Islam, professor, at islama@uhd.edu. Non-members will need to provide provide their last and first names, contact phone numbers and email addresses. Put contact information and registration fees in an envelope and turn it in at Islam's office room B-429 in the Shea Street Building by 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 12. The fees will be refunded if there is not enough space for non-members to participate.

Come out for chili cook-off Saturday; volunteers are still needed

The second annual UHD Chili Cook-off will be from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 9, on the South Deck.

Tickets for bowls to taste chili from 18 teams are $5 at the door. Adult beverages will be sold.

Cook-off judges will be President Bill Flores, Provost Brian Chapman, Houston City Councilmember and UHD Alumnus Ed Gonzalez, Student Government Association Representative Jimbo Herrera and UH System Aramark Representative Tammy Green.

The Cook-off Committee also needs volunteers for shifts from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to help with setting up, selling chili tasting bowls, serving as floaters and breaking down.

If you are a cash handler and want to volunteer to sell the tasting bowls, sign up here: https://volunteer.truist.com/uhd/user/events/project.aspx?listing_id=10453282767.

If you want to be a general volunteer, sign up here: https://volunteer.truist.com/uhd/user/events/project.aspx?listing_id=10453283419.

Come out and enjoy some food, fun and fellowship. A flier is available here. The teams are listed below.

Team Name	Team Captain	Affiliation
ACE (Alumni Campus Employee)	Tedra Alexander- Taylor	Alumni
Dead Man Cookers	Pedro Villanueva	Police
EEOC (Equally Enticing Opportunistic Chili)	Doug TeDuits	Employment Services
Gridiron Cookers	Gladis Navarro	Sports & Fitness
Pythagora's Bane	Jacob Reyna	Student Organization Team (Philosophy Club)
Slap Yo Mama Chili	Albert Alonzo	Alumni
Hot Cha Chas	Nikita Milton-Ross	Admissions
Chillademic Affairs	Louis Evans	Provost Office
Team Chill-E!	Diana Nguyen	Student
Texas Robust Chili	Raymond Jenkins	Police
The Chili Hazards	Eddie Arias	Risk Management & Compliance Dept (EHS)
The Duong and the Restless	Duong Tran	Public Affairs
Tiger Blood	Amy Birkhead	TTLC
Presidentchilli Approved	Kai Chen	President's Office
Red Hot Chili Peppers	Jorge Ruiz	UHD Alums
The Chillians	Dulce Gomez	UHD Alums & Friends
Scholars Academy	Rene Garcia	Scholars Academy
Chiles Picosos	Rene Salinas	UHD Staff & Friends

Stories from previous Skylines

Student group hosts panel discussion on homelessness April 6

UHD's Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), an independent student organization, is hosting a panel discussion, "Face the Homeless," from 3 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, in room N-1099, One Main Building.

PIRG invites students, faculty and staff to listen to the stories of formerly homeless individuals. Magdalena Hernandez, PIRG president, said the goal of the panel is to "break stereotypes, myths and misconceptions about homelessness."

For more information, email Hernandez at maggie.magda@hotmail.com.

Bayou Bash features crawfish and zydeco music on the North Deck April 6

The UHD Annual Bayou Bash will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, on the North Deck, One Main Building.

The event will feature a crawfish boil, cash bar and music by Step Rideau and the Zydeco Outlaws and is open to UHD faculty, staff, students, alumni and guests.

For more information, contact Student Activities and Events at 713-221-8573.

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Academic Technology Committee hosts first Technology Learning Conference

The Academic Technology Committee is holding its first Technology Learning Conference, TLC@UHD, April 6 and 7 in the Cullen Roberson Auditorium, Special Events Room and Coffeehouse.

The conference presenters will explore technology tools and best learning practices. Topics will include:

Online cheating and test integrity.
Service learning in online courses.
Teaching statistics online.
Copyright.
Quality Matters.
Mobile Learning.

To view the Conference Agenda: www.uhd.edu/tlcuhd

To register for the Conference: http://www.uhd.edu/computing/ttlc/tlcuhd/register.html

To submit a proposal for a presentation:

http://www.uhd.edu/computing/ttlc/tlcuhd/proposals.html

Faculty Electronic Poster Sessions will take place during the Meet & Greet event from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 6. The 20-minute presentations will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, April 7. If faculty members are using technology in creative ways, either in face-to-face, hybrid or online courses, conference planners would like them to share their know-how with the UHD community.

Some of the door prizes include:

an iPad
a Nook
a digital camera
many gift cards including an Apple gift card

For information, email atc@uhd.edu.

ESO sponsors second Work/Life Roundup on April 13

Employment Services and Operations is sponsoring its second annual Work/Life Roundup from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 13, in the Special Events Room, third floor, Academic Building.

Faculty and staff can visit with representatives from the University of Houston System retirement program carriers, financial institutions, Health Select, Liberty Mutual, MetLife, Aflac and the Houston Astros and Houston Dynamo organizations among others.

Complimentary snacks and drinks will be available. A light lunch will be available for the first 200 participants. Staff members who visit sponsors' tables will be eligible for door prizes.

Office of Academic Assessment offers two assessment workshops

The Office of Academic Assessment will offer two assessment workshops, "Closing the Loop" and "Culture of Assessment," during the next few weeks.

The workshops have been designed to assist faculty members in their continuing efforts toward authentic assessment. Both workshops will be offered in room N-1099.

"Culture of Assessment" will be offered from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, and Tuesday, April 12.

"Closing the Loop" will be offered from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 13, and Friday, April 15, and from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 3.

Closing the Loop

Collecting assessment data is not enough. Closing the loop refers to the practice of using assessment data to identify effective strategies for improving student learning and program effectiveness. This workshop will offer strategies and advice on what to do with your program's assessment results and teach the various ways of "closing the loop" to improve student learning and program effectiveness.

Culture of Assessment

Much has been written about establishing a culture of assessment but less information has been available in the literature about tools that might assess progress toward that goal or identify major milestones on the journey. Included in this short, interactive workshop will be a summary of the hallmarks of an established culture of assessment as reported in the literature. Participants can take a brief survey and benchmark the culture of assessment within their own programs or departments with responses from 65+ administrators from other institutions so they can begin answering questions like "Are we there yet?", "How much further?" and "Are we making ANY progress?".

To register for either workshop, please go here: http://tinyurl.com/Assess-Wkshps

Welcome Week coordinators plan table tennis tournament April 27-28

The coordinators of UHD's Welcome Week are hosting a table tennis tournament Wednesday, April 27, and Thursday, April 28, in room S-204, Student Activities, One Main Building.

The entry fee is $10 per person.

For more information and to reserve a place in the tournament, email welcomeweek@uhd.edu

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Spring production of 'You Can't Take It with You' continues through April 9

The UHD student and alumni production of "You Can't Take It with You," the 1937 comedy by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, will run through April 9 in the O'Kane Theatre.

This story about the Sycamore family and its unforgettable characters can be seen at 8 p.m. April 7, 8 and 9. The student matinees are 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, and Friday, April 8.

Tickets cost $3 and are available at the University cashier's office on the third floor during regular business hours and at the theater door 30 minutes before each performance. Come see the talents of UHD students and alumni as they bring to life this time-proven classic of the American theater.

UHD's Fine Arts Festival features visual and performing arts through April 10

The University of Houston-Downtown Department of Arts and Humanities' annual Fine Arts Festival includes theater productions, visual art, concerts, UHD alumni presentations, a film screening and a bilingual community story hour through April 10. (A flier is available here.)

The UHD student production of "You Can't Take It with You" has a nominal admission fee. All other events are free and open to the public. Event dates, times, and locations on UHD's campus, One Main St., follow. The Festival is sponsored by UHD's O'Kane Gallery, O'Kane Theatre, the Cultural Enrichment Center, and the Office of the President. Read more...

ERS dependent audit could impact insurance benefits for dependents

ERS is committed to ensure that Texas Employees Group Benefits Program (GBP) benefits only go to eligible individuals. ERS is working with the independent company Aon Hewitt to conduct a dependent verification audit in three phases through August 2011.

Each employee and retiree who covers a dependent in GBP health coverage must provide copies of documents proving the dependent is eligible. It's important to make sure that ERS has your correct mailing address. If you don't respond to the audit document requests, your dependents will be dropped from all coverage.

If you cover a dependent in the health insurance program, you will first receive an alert letter from ERS about the audit and Aon Hewitt. Next, you will receive a verification request letter from Aon Hewitt. If you have an email address on file with ERS, you will also receive a reminder email. The email will come from donotreply@plan-smart.com. Please do not email or respond to the reminder emails from donotreply@plan-smart.com.

Don't forget to send copies of your documents when you receive the letter from Aon Hewitt. Do not send originals; they will not be returned.

During the audit, call Aon Hewitt to drop ineligible dependents.

If you need to drop an ineligible dependent during the audit, call Aon Hewitt toll-free at 800-987-6605, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT Monday-Friday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. CTSaturday. Use ERS OnLine or contact your benefits coordinator to drop dependents only if you have a qualifying life event.