Shambhu Sharan

Arlington High School senior Winston Triolo performs at the Earth Day celebaration Wednesday on the University Center mall. Triolo will join the ranks of incoming freshmen this fall. (The Shorthorn: Stephanie Goddard)

Free plants, massages and Christian rap music drew a crowd of more than 500 Wednesday to celebrate Earth Day one day early.

The Sustainability Office and the President’s Sustainability Committee members distributed 500 types of herbal plants like basil, rosemary, mint and parsley – a sight that drew lines.

Metroplex’s other sustainability and environmentally-conscious groups also handed out fliers, bags and more recyclable materials.

Advertising junior Vidwan Raghavan said he learned about food sustainability and wants to reduce his carbon footprint.

“Since I am vegetarian, the Fort Worth Vegetarian Society was very helpful to give information about vegetarian restaurants,” Raghavan said.

“It is important to protect the earth. I want to stay healthy by eating vegetarian food and have smaller footprints.”

Cindy Hader, the society’s vice president, said she passed out about 400 non-dairy ice cream bars to attendees.

“According to the United Nations 2006 report, raising animals for food has a bigger impact on global warming than all transportation,” she said. “I think a vegetarian diet is the most important thing people can do to save the environment.”

Patty Taylor, Dallas Environmental Protection Agency team leader, showcased the agency’s work and handed out reusable bags. She gave tips on how to minimize one’s impact on the environment.

“It is a great opportunity to remind everybody of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day,” Taylor said.

Lydia Miller, Residential Sales Manager for Diez Energy Solutions, talks with Assistant Kinesiology Professor Rhonda Prisby at the Earth Day celebration Wednessday afternoon on the Central Library mall. (The Shorthorn: Stephanie Goddard)

Advertising junior Alex Medlock said the festivities were great events because it brought awareness.

“If we have things like that, it will give better understanding of the environment,” Medlock said.

Sociology junior Zetria Kneeland got a plant, seeds, pencils and recyclable bags.

“I enjoyed being here,” Kneeland said.

Film/video freshman Jenna Nothnagle said she liked the music and food at the festival.

“Every day is good for the environment and planet,” she said.

Lorrie Anderle, city of Arlington’s environmental services recycling coordinator, discussed recycling and prevention of water pollution. She also gave out T-shirts, key chains, pencils and reusable bags to those who played recycling games.

“I got the chance to meet with students and taught recycling,” Anderle said. “It is a good opportunity to see people face to face and talk about the environment.”

This week and next week new Pepsi bottle recycling bins will be placed around the university. Plastic and aluminum can be recycled in the bins.

The Office of Sustainability received 35 Pepsi bottle recycling bins and placed nine in the Maverick Parking Garage to promote the university’s going green efforts, and that’s only the start.

This week and next, the office will be placing more bins to recycle plastic and aluminum at university residence halls, apartments and the University Center after getting confirmation.

Apartment Life director Molly Albart confirmed nine bins, which will be placed in university apartments. The bins will be placed near pool and mail areas.

“By adding additional recycling bins in our apartment communities, we hope to make recycling more convenient for our residents, which will hopefully increase the amount of recycling in our communities,” Albart said in an e-mail.

Recycling coordinator Becky Valentich said that the recycling bins will bring more awareness to the university with a more visible presence.

She said the bins are part of Pepsi’s contract with the university. Pepsi also gave the university another 35 bins at the start of this semester.

Rusty Franklyn, Maverick Parking Garage manager, said she supports the efforts being made to reduce waste.

One recycling container is kept on each floor next to the elevator. There is also one on each landing in the northeast stairwell and one at the bottom of the southwest stairwell, so users can throw their recyclables in there rather than in garbage cans.

“I am interested in doing our part to green the university,” Franklyn said. “I am much more interested on a global scale. Whatever we can do to leave our children and grandchildren a world where there are still trees, plants, flowers and the ability to live above ground and not beneath domes, we should be doing.”

Franklyn said she was inspired to add the bins during Earth Day.

“When Earth Day came around and I was looking for a way that the Maverick Parking Garage could contribute, I decided that asking the university to place recycling bins here would be a good place to start,” she said.

Valentich said the office is waiting for a response from Residence Life before adding bins to the residence halls.

Nursing freshman Brianda Diaz de Leon said she has recycling bins in her room and recycles materials.

“If I am studying in the study lounge of Brazos House and there are recycling bins, I can recycle papers and cans there,” she said. “I don’t have to go far. I think a lot more people will recycle. Many of us are lazy, but if we have recycling bins close by we will go ahead and recycle.”

Political science freshman Mark Priebe said getting more recycling bins in Arlington Hall will be very cool.

“There will be more incentive to recycle,” he said. “It reduces waste that would go otherwise to landfills. Recycled products can be reused by companies instead of creating new ones. I do recycling because it is not hard to do. Society as a whole saves money by recycling.”

Written by Shambhu Sharan, The Shorthorn staff   

Thursday, 29 April 2010 01:23 PM

A false alarm forced people to evacuate the University Center this afternoon.

The alarm went off at 1:13 p.m. and the police checked it on arrival.

Assistant Police Chief Rick Gomez said at 1:28 p.m. he and his staff checked and cleared the building for reentry. He reset a fire panel, he said.

“It was a false alarm,” he said. “It was unknown. As soon as we got there we turned off the alarm.”

Jeff Howard, School of Urban and Public Affairs assistant professor, said the Undergraduate Assembly approved the minor in environmental and sustainability studies earlier this month, and he received word Wednesday from the Provost’s Office that the program can be launched this fall.

More Information

Those interested in the sustainability minor should contact interdisciplinary studies adviser, Denise Longgrear.

E-mail:
longgrea@uta.edu
Phone: 817-272-0416

Students need to complete 18 credit hours to receive the sustainability minor. For the minor, students must take a 3-hour core course and 15 credit hours of courses from three groups — liberal arts, social and cultural studies; natural sciences and engineering; and urban and public affairs and architecture.

Sustainability director Meghna Tare said she is excited to start the minor program this fall.

“It is a good foundation for a major program in the future,” she said. “It will give students an opportunity to learn the principles of sustainability and generate interest to pursue a career in the area of sustainability.

Sustainability director Meghna Tare

The faculty teaching these courses are very engaging and will make the sessions very interactive.”

The School of Urban and Public Affairs, along with the Working Group on Curriculum, Research and Community Engagement, will administer the minor. The latter is part of the President’s Sustainability Committee.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to teach the minor’s core course, which will be called introduction to environmental and sustainability studies,” Howard said. “It will be a sophomore-level course and is likely to be offered for the first time next spring. Although designed primarily for students in the minor, it will be open to anyone.”

This is one of several environmental courses he has developed at UTA and the first undergraduate environmental course, he said.

“It will offer a broad overview of issues and perspectives from the field of environmental studies,” he said. “The field involves people in a wide range of disciplines, from history, political science and rhetoric to anthropology, literature and marketing.”

Howard said the courses introduce students to faculty members addressing environment and sustainability issues in their own research. It will directly involve students in some of the environmental issues of North Texas, like prairie preservation and natural gas development.

Learn More

George Mason University – Sustainability Studies options

Art Institute of Portland – Sustainability Studies Minor

In York – York College adds new minor in environmental studies

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth – Sustainability Studies Minor Program

Biology professor James Grover said faculty members around the campus are already teaching similar courses, but they are spread out in different departments and degree programs.

This initiative will help coordinate people with similar interests and put the university on the map as a place where education and sustainability research are available, he said.

“It will enable students to identify and take courses related to sustainability to strengthen their major degree program and get recognition for doing so when they apply for jobs,” Grover said. “I think it will go part of the way to provide for the desires of students who want education in sustainability and environmental issues.”

Students cannot yet register for the minor because it needs to be included in MyMav, but students interested should contact the interdisciplinary studies adviser, Denise Longgrear, Howard said.

Originally published in The Shorthorn:

http://www.theshorthorn.com/content/view/19541/265/

Written by Shambhu Sharan, The Shorthorn staff   

Tuesday, 04 May 2010 10:32 AM

Mechanical engineering sophomore Jeremy Cowlishaw tosses rings at Tailgate Tuesday in front of Clay Gould Ballpark. The event was sponsored by UTA Athletics and Student Affairs. (The Shorthorn: Sara Pintilie)

Students, faculty and staff gathered with their family to support the baseball team at Tailgate Tuesday.

The new event, hosted by Student Affairs and UTA Athletics brought 15 organizations — and more than 200 people — together for food, games and a race featuring breakfast foods, all at Clay Gould Ballpark.

Frank Lamas, Students Affairs vice president, came with his wife and son, David Lamas.

Lamas said he had a great time.

“I think it was a great event,” he said. “It was a great time for everybody to get away from the stresses of final exams and papers.”

There were several yard games at the event like a bean-bag toss and washer toss. But most people spent time conversing with one another.

Marketing junior Taylor Brewerton said the event was cool.

“It helps the baseball team,” he said. “It is a good time for mingling. Everybody loves free food.”

The hosts served free cookout food with chips and drinks.

Political science junior Darius Valentine said he had good time with the Greek community and he got to meet people.

“It allows us to have food together and enjoy beautiful weather,” he said.

Cheyenne Hernandez, Parent and Family Center coordinator, volunteered at the event.

“Tuesday was a perfect day to spend outside at the ballpark with friends,” she said.

Laura Kinch, Student Affairs marketing and communication assistant director, organized the event and said she was happy with the turnout.

The main draw was the Late Night Breakfast Race. Attendees placed bets on who they thought would win the race between a costumed chef, eggs or bacon, and those who won received a voucher for next week’s Late Night Breakfast. The bi-annual breakfasts aims to give students a break from finals by offering a breakfast meal from 9:30 to 11 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at the Connection Cafe.

Athletics marketing coordinator Rachel Freeman said the chef won the race and there were 65 who betted correctly.

http://www.theshorthorn.com/content/view/19621/265/

Written by Shambhu Sharan, The Shorthorn staff   

Thursday, 06 May 2010 08:43 PM

Professional architects and educators nationwide critiqued architecture students’ portfolios and gave expert advice for improvement on Thursday.

The School of Architecture held its Super Review on Thursday in the Architecture Building. It will continue on Friday at 9 a.m. and will end at 6 p.m. with a reception in the Architecture courtyard where students, faculty and staff will gather to eat.

Architecture Dean Donald Gatzke said Super Reviews are important in a number of ways. It’s a way of marking the end of the academic year and celebrating all the work of the students and design studio faculty, he said.

“It’s also a way of evaluating how we’re doing as far as the goals of the curriculum,” he said. “And it’s a way to show off the work to the visiting critics who we hope go back home and tell others how good the work is here.”

Gatzke said the school brings in outside professionals and academics to broaden the commentary and bring in fresh influences. 

“For the faculty, it’s a way to talk about architecture and design with professionals,” Gatzke said. “It’s a terrific way to end a year of very hard, intense work.”

Architecture program director Bijan Youssefzadeh said the reviewers bring a wealth of knowledge to the studios by giving their professional inputs.
 
“Students get reviewed by nationally exceptional architects and educators during the Super Reviews,” Youssefzadeh said. “They see wonderful projects done by students.”

Chad Little, architecture graduate student, said he designed a video art gallery in Los Angeles, Calif., for his final class project for the Super Review.

“It was informative,” he said. “They had good insight for us.”

He said it was a learning process where reviewers gave them feedback to improve his project.

“The project was a daily struggle, but at the end it was extremely rewarding,” he said.

Architecture graduate students Brandon Smith, Kim Tran and Ramon Cavazos designed an elementary school for the reviews. The students worked most of the semester to complete the project.

“I had a lot of good feedback,” Tran said. “Now, I have more experience about presenting my project.”

Architecture graduate student Phillip Colwell said he designed a teahouse with other classmates. Youssefzadeh’s students designed housing projects, proscenium walls and cubes.

Douglas Oliver, Rice University architecture professor, reviewed the architecture students’ projects. Compared to Rice, UTA has a more in-depth program, he said.

“There is consistency in quality and thoroughness in students’ work,” Oliver said. “It has very dedicated faculty, which is reason of very good consistent work. The work was very good and unique.”

Written by Shambhu Sharan, The Shorthorn staff   

Thursday, 18 February 2010 09:44 PM

Interior design junior Timothy Ballard measures the doorway Thursday at the Magnolia Lounge in Fair Park. The History of Interior Design and Interior Materials classes take measurements as part of the weekly hands-on study with 15 different buildings throughout the metroplex. (The Shorthorn: Rasy Ran)

Interior design students are stepping out of the traditional classroom environment for a different take on hands-on learning.

In the history of interior design and interior materials classes, one architecture and two interior design professors take students on a field trip to historical buildings. The class spends the first half of the week in a lecture and reading, and the second half is devoted to a field trip to a building in the Metroplex.

Architecture assistant professor Douglas Klahr, interior design interim director Rebecca Boles and interior design assistant professor Susan Appleton teach the combined classes this semester. Students look at historical residences, courthouses, churches and museums to learn about local history and interior design.

Interior design junior Julie Berkes said she enjoys the class because it’s unlike any other class she has taken at the university.

“Slide shows and books are great ways of learning, but being able to actually go and see the building styles we are studying really makes it sink in,” she said. “And because I grew up in the area, it is nice to learn more about the buildings I have seen all my life.”

The Magnolia Lounge in Fair Park was designed by Swiss-American architect William Lescaze in 1936. The dates of the 15 buildings the two classes are studying range from 1899 to 2009. (The Shorthorn: Rasy Ran)

The class visits buildings built from 1899 to 2009 to learn about technologies that were available during different time periods. During the field trips, students spend three hours documenting what they see and drawing sections of the buildings they explore each week.

“The different building styles I have studied are interesting, but I have also gotten a lot of drawing experience,” Berkes said. “It’s good to be able to draw something just by being inside the space.”

On Thursday, the class studied Fair Park’s Magnolia Lounge, built by the Swiss-born American architect William Lescaze in 1936.

The class divided into five groups, measured walls and studied characteristics of the international-style building.

Interior design junior Timothy Ballard studied the stylish material of doors and windows and documented it through photos and drawings.

“Being here gives clear understanding of the design,” Ballard said. “This building looks different than pictures, so I am getting a practical experience. No class offers this many field trips.”

The professors collaborate by teaching different aspects of interior design. Klahr teaches styles around the world, Appleton about Metroplex buildings and Boles about building materials.

Interior design junior Stephen Norsworth maps out part of the Magnolia Lounge on Thursday in Fair Park. Norsworth sketched out the interior and exterior front of the building as part of his group’s assigned section. (The Shorthorn: Rasy Ran)

“I think the more students travel and see, the better they understand places,” Boles said. “They absorb more information and know how to describe it after looking at buildings.”

The professors decided to teach differently because students complained that the history of interior design class was boring when taught solely in a classroom.

“The field trips help students to understand the city in a new way,” Klahr said.

Boles said students can become better designers and get more visual vocabulary by seeing the buildings first hand.

“The class is different because we actually get to see and touch what we are learning about,” Berkes said.