Student Life Center begins summer hours  

The Student Life Center begins summer hours of operation on Monday, June 6.

Student Life Center Summer Semester Hours

Monday - Thursday: 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Friday:  7 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday: Closed

Appointments for personal training and massage sessions are available. 

Also, registration is open for "The Biggest Loser" competition to UHD students and employees. There are individual and team categories. The program runs from June 6 - Aug. 12. Prizes will be awarded to the top individual winners (losers?) and departments. Registration is $5 per person.

Aerobics, boot camp and zumba classes will resume for the summer on June 6. 

Please go to www.uhd.edu./sports&fitness  for the summer fitness class schedule and for The Biggest Loser registration forms.

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UHD student wins state social work award  

UHD's Bachelor of Social Work Program faculty announced Wednesday that Damaris Cortez, a second year student in the program, has received the National Association of Social Workers/Texas Undergraduate Social Work Student of the Year Award, 2011 for the state of Texas.

Cortez also received the National Association of Social Workers - Houston Branch award for Undergraduate Social Work Student of the Year, 2011 and the UHD BSW Program Community Action Award in 2011.

Cortez has volunteered for many years and has made contributions on a number of issues in different communities, here and abroad. For several years, she has been involved with a local food cooperative, helping in the community garden and raising public awareness about the environmental and health benefits of local food production. Last summer, while on a research trip to explore women's empowerment in indigenous communities, she taught children in Chiapas, Mexico. For several months, she has been involved in helping members of a Guatemalan community in Houston effectively organize and connect to resources. 

"We have been especially impressed by her deep commitment to understanding and undertaking empowering strategies for marginalized peoples," said Jo Bailey, associate professor of sociology and social work.

Cortez has overcome many obstacles while accomplishing her achievements. She grew up in poverty following the civil war in El Salvador. She adjusted to widely different cultures before settling in the United States to pursue her education.

"These experiences seemed to have informed Damaris of not only the importance, but the urgency of social work, and she approaches her studies, her work in the community, and her relationships with others with attentiveness, diligence and respect," said Dawn McCarty, assistant professor of social work. 

"We congratulate Damaris on her great accomplishments and are honored to have her in our program," Bailey said.

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Criminal justice students, faculty return from trip to Ireland, England and Scotland   

UHD students in the International Criminal Justice class along with faculty members have returned from their trip to Ireland, England and Scotland.

"In addition to seeing some incredible sights, we had the opportunity to visit Wormwood Scrubbs Prison in London, sit in on two murder trials in Ireland and spend an evening with officers of Scotland's Northern Police Constabulary," said Mark Kellar, trip leader and associate professor of criminal justice. "The students had a truly great experience that they will always remember. The students represented our school well and gave a very favorable impression." 

Other criminal justice faculty who participated are Lance Hignite, assistant professor, and Judith Harris, lecturer, who helped plan the visits. "I want to express sincere thanks to everyone who helped in this project, especially Ginger Miller and Paulette Purdy, who really helped us in setting up the trip," Kellar said. In the College of Public Service, Miller is administrative assistant ll, and Purdy is college business administrator ll.

Preparation for the trip started last February when students met Saturdays through April, studying international criminal justice issues they would encounter during the trip.

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Visitors Parking Garage closes June 6 for construction 

(Ed. Note: This communication came from David Bradley, Vice President for Administration and Finance.)

This is a reminder that the Visitors' Parking Lot (located beneath the Academic Building) will be closing effective Monday, June 6^th, for construction. The project will bring inconvenience, but when completed will result in the addition of over 100 close-in parking spaces that will provide more visitor capacity but also more spaces for faculty and staff.

Tomorrow, June 1st, a contractor will be on-site to pour a concrete pad for a gate to be placed at the ramp that goes up to the second floor. Beginning June 6th, all faculty and staff must park on the second level and above. While we'll try to be accommodating as everyone adjusts to this change, fairly soon we'll have to enforce through the issuance of university parking tickets. To read more... 

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Staff council winners Cherilyn Pearson, Linda Trimble and Michelle Falcon.

Staff Council names award winners    

Staff Excellence Awards 

Office and Clerical - Linda Trimble Davidson
Technical Services and Crafts  - Cherilyn Pearson
Professional - Michelle Falcon
President Award - Michelle Falcon  

Fun Awards
Rookie of the Year - Linh Tran
Whistle While You Work - Victoria Saucedo
Extra Mile - Courtney Lundgren
Best Boss - Jose Cantu
Rising Star - Josh Wood

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Scholars Academy volunteers help nonprofit win Art festival award    

UHD Scholars Academy students volunteered at the Bayou City Art Festival in March on behalf of Fotofest, a frequent UHD community partner, and Fotofest received special recognition from the Art Colony Association and Capital One Bank thanks to its large volunteer turnout.

Proceeds of $135,000 from the Memorial Park festival were presented to 17 nonprofit organizations who participated in the 2011 Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park. Fotofest and the Museum of Cultural Arts Houston (MOCAH) shared the "Most Outstanding Nonprofit Partner Award" and each received an additional $2,000 donation.

The Art Colony announcement said, "While all of the nonprofit partners make a tremendous difference in our community and are instrumental to the festival, Fotofest and MOCAH stood out due to their volunteer recruiting efforts. Both organizations had the highest number of volunteers and showed overall exceptional participation in the volunteer program this year."   

UHD was recently named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for its ongoing community service and the volunteer activities of its students. 

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IT training for Faculty/Staff/Alumni 

Blackboard Vista

Tuesday, June 7 

1-2 p.m. - SoftChalk Lesson Builder

Thursday, June 9

10-11 a.m. - Blackboard Vista: Managing Course Content

Monday, June 13  

3-4 p.m.- Blackboard Vista: Grade Book Set-up

Wednesday, June 15  

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

Blackboard Learn

Today   

10-11 a.m. - Blackboard Learn - Getting Started

Monday, June 6

3-4 p.m. - Adopters Converting Early (A.C.E.)

Wednesday, June 8

10-11 a.m. - Adopters Converting Early (A.C.E.)

Thursday, June 9 

1-2 p.m. - Blackboard Learn - Getting Started

Tuesday, June 14

2-3 p.m. - Adopters Converting Early (A.C.E.)

Thursday, June 16 

11-12 p.m. - Adopters Converting Early (A.C.E.)

Friday, June 17 

11-12 p.m. - Blackboard Learn - Getting Started

Microsoft Office

Tuesday, June 7 

10-11 a.m. - Transitioning to Office 2010

Photoshop

Friday, June 10 

11-12 a.m. - Photoshop:  Retouching

Windows 7

Wednesday, June 15  

10-11 a.m. - Transitioning to Windows 7

See all current IT training available

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