Division Update October 2020

UNIVERSITY CENTER & SPECIAL EVENTS (UCEN)

Congratulations to our Rudder Theatre Complex staff on recent promotions: Sean Barbeau to theatrical electrician III and Corey Klinger to theatrical electrician II.

Members of the UCEN team were responsible for supporting World Teachers’ Day by lighting four buildings on main campus and two buildings at the Health Science Center blue in support of teachers worldwide.

Did you know if you're registered in Brazos County you can vote early in the MSC and on Election Day in the Rudder Exhibit Hall? Follow us on Instagram and Twitter for voting dates and times, including live updates of wait times!

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service created a video highlighting their experiences with UCEN in creating the first-ever all-virtual Beef Cattle Short Course.

MULTICULTURAL SERVICES

We're proud to welcome Briana Nelson as a new student development specialist III. She will oversee the Black Student Alliance Council and Excellence uniting Culture, Education, and Leadership. Read the full story here.

SBSLC Week, which wrapped up last week, gave students the opportunity to network and to learn more about the conference and ways to get involved. The 2021 Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference will be held Jan. 22–23, 2021. Early bird registration for both individuals and groups is open and will end Dec. 1.

November is Native American Heritage Month. Join us for the final CommUnity Conversations of the semester as we welcome guest speakers Tristan Ahtone (a member of the Kiowa Tribe and editor-in-chief at the Texas Observer) and Dr. Robert Lee (lecturer from the University of Cambridge). Register now.

COUNSELING & PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES

We have concluded our first Suicide Awareness Month! Through our four-week walk challenge, we walked approximately 25,000 miles to raise awareness about suicide prevention. Thank you to our 530 participants!

Congratulations GeNaé Welch for her promotion to business coordinator.

Kognito, a health simulation with virtual humans, is now in the TrainTraq system. Supervisors may search for "Kognito" and assign employees to take this training, which helps to educate faculty, staff, and students about mental health and suicide prevention. When training is complete, Kognito provides participants with a certificate of completion. Check out Kognito training and refer it to any departments or organizations as a resource.

We're excited to share news of two independent partnerships with the University of Texas Houston nursing program and Texas A&M College of Medicine in which professional students may complete mental health training rotations.

MUSIC ACTIVITIES

The University Bands and Orchestras successfully completed their first round of fall virtual concerts, which streamed live with viewership near the same as our live concert attendance.

The Aggie Band has completed four of the five drill recordings to be featured during the halftime of each home game this season.

The jazz ensembles recently premiered their first virtual streamed concert of the semester. Following enhanced safety protocols for the students, the ensemble performed a diverse program of jazz music including several selections representing historically significant African American artists and composers.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DoIT)

DSA workstations and mobile devices will be scanned weekly for protected information (e.g., Social Security numbers) following the university security practices. The Spirion scanning agent will operate in a passive mode and should not affect computer performance. Learn more about Spirion.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. If you are interested in free training, our partners with Global Knowledge have provided a free course to sharpen your skills. Access the training here.

Help us recognize a DoIT student employee or staff member for outstanding service! Submit a nomination today.

MEMORIAL STUDENT CENTER

The MSC Jordan Institute hosts the Many Aggies, One World podcast, which features Texas A&M students, staff and faculty as they reflect on their international experiences and lessons learned. Listeners, through an educational atmosphere, may examine the diverse perspectives of accomplished professionals. Find the podcast on Spotify, iTunes and SoundCloud by searching for “Many Aggies, One World.”

The MSC Visual Arts Committee features Color Theory: Elements of Perception in the Reynolds Gallery. The exhibit explores the scientific and visual aspect of how color is understood by the human eye, featuring artwork by Texas A&M faculty, graduate students and former students from the College of Architecture. View the exhibit online.

MSC FLI (Freshman Leadership International) will be accepting donations of gift cards Oct. 26-Nov. 16 at the MSC Box Office for SHAREs, a service and education project benefitting the Las Americas Newcomer School for refugee children in Houston.

MSC Hospitality will host its annual Halloween Party on Oct. 27 with games and activities. Join the party via Facebook live stream.

The MSC DEIA team was featured in Texas A&M Today for its work in creating a common language for the MSC. The 10-week common language project featured 41 terms from the Office of Diversity’s online glossary. For details, visit Texas A&M Today.

OFFICES OF THE DEAN OF STUDENT LIFE

Health Promotion welcomes Jon Hill to the team! Originally from California, Jon will be working on prevention programming related to alcohol and other drugs as well as general wellness programming. Welcome Jon!

New Student & Family Programs welcomes Alex Hersperger to the team! Alex will oversee Online Orientation, Howdy Week, and co-supervise the orientation team. Alex brings first-year programming experience from her time at Houston Baptist University. Welcome Alex!

Director of Health Promotio Lauren Dorsett completed the American College Health Association's College Health and Wellness Professional certificate, a program that brings together college health and wellness professionals in the areas of administration, clinical services, health promotion and wellness, and mental health. Congratulations, Lauren!

The Battalion and the Aggieland yearbook are finalists for a total of nine national Pinnacle and Pacemaker awards that will be announced at the College Media Association/Associated Collegiate Press national convention in October. The Battalion is a Pinnacle Award finalist for Best Sports Section for the fifth straight year and the 2020 Aggieland is a Pacemaker finalist for Best Cover. Whoop!

On Oct. 6, Jazmin Jones from Health Promotion and Frances Jackson from the LGBTQ+ Pride Center, along with staff from International Student Services and Immigration Advising, and Education Abroad, presented "Student Resources Through a Cross-Cultural Lens" at the NAFSA Region III Conference. In February, their presentation was voted best presentation out of 22 concurrent sessions at the NASFA Texas State Conference.

RESIDENCE LIFE

Last weekend the Residential Housing Association hosted its annual leadership retreat Camp F.I.R.E., with 20 student leaders from the Residential Community Councils.

This weekend the Residential Housing Association & the National Residence Hall Honorary, Dan Mizer Chapter will be participating in Southwestern Association of College & University Residence Halls virtual regional conference hosted by Texas State University.

Residence Hall Staff Council is sponsoring Boogie Bash in place of October’s general assembly meeting, encouraging participants to wear costumes and offering Piada for dinner, hanging out on Zoom with Halloween games and fellowship. The council is sponsoring E-sports intramural teams and the semester banquet is being reworked in celebration of graduating resident advisers.

Aggie Eco Reps are participating in Trick or Trash, collecting candy wrappers (not usually recyclable) so they can be recycled, sponsored by Rubicon and the National Wildlife Federation. Bins will be at Commons, Hullabaloo Hall and White Creek Apartments service desks.

Join Residence Life’s Fill It Forward Campaign! Students, faculty, and staff are able to give clean water to those in need and track their positive environmental footprint just by using a reusable water bottle. Learn more about the campaign. .

BECKY GATES CHILDREN'S CENTER

All Aggies are invited to travel to the past, present, and future by reading! The Scholastic Book Fair is a great way to support us and encourage literacy among all ages. The virtual fair began on Oct. 19 and closes Nov. 1. Catch a ride on the BGCC Scholastic Book Fair time machine!

On Oct. 9, our teachers presented a poster session on classroom community cultural events. Twelve posters were presented in all using information gathered from families about cultural celebrations.

We still have a few openings left for the fall semester for children ages 18 months to 5 years. Call us at (979) 458-5437 if you are interested in enrolling your child now. Children enrolled in the fall semester get priority for the spring semester. Visit our website to learn more.

STUDENT LIFE STUDIES

Check out this month's blog: Active Assessment in a Virtual Environment for tips on using the Zoom polling function.

If you would like to know more about Texas A&M student characteristics, go to the University accountability page. The interactive dashboards allow you to filter variables based on your interest. If you think you have an assessment project that would benefit from a dashboard, email Eric Webb.

Qualtrics users: At the end of the fall semester, you will use SSO to log in with your NetID. This change will enhance security and allow the Division of IT to better manage the life cycle of Qualtrics account holders. As we prepare for the transition, all Qualtrics users who log in with an email other than NetID@tamu.edu will have their accounts updated. Questions? Email Barb Schumacher.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

The Big Event at Texas A&M, in partnership with The Big Event at Chadron State College in Nebraska, is hosting the annual "One Big Thanks" conference virtually for 2020. This conference is open to all groups that operate or wish to operate a Big Event program. This year's conference, sponsored by Phillips 66 with more that 230 registered participants, is the largest attendance in the history of the conference.

Fish Camp namesake nominations are open. This is a great opportunity to recognize individuals who have made or are making a difference in student experiences at Texas A&M. Nominations are due Nov. 9 at 5 p.m.. Nominate an individual and learn about eligibility requirements.

New students can wind down their fall 2020 semester with Venture Camp, an outdoor extended orientation experience in which they may choose a three-day backpacking trip to Lake Georgetown or a three-day multisport trip to the Texas Hill Country. Sudents will build relationships with other new Aggies while getting to experience the Texas outdoors. Learn about Venture Camp.

Student Activities has launched a podcast on Spotify, Apple, and Google called "Keep Leading with Student Activities" as part of the A&M Podcast Network. Episodes showcase the stories behind great student leadership in student organizations and provide advice to help make our student organizations more impactful. These podcasts offer an inside glimpse into the great work of student leaders across campus.

RECREATIONAL SPORTS

Rec Sports is hosting a Schwinn Cycle Certification on Nov. 8 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Become a Schwinn cycle coach in this interactive training taught by Lucy Waite, Schwinn master trainer. The class covers bike fit, cycling science, physiology and biomechanics, and proper riding technique. To register, contact Anna Taggart at 979-845-4792 or ataggart@rec.tamu.edu.

Intramural Sports is SAFELY returning to more regular programming, following all available guidelines, In-person programs recently started include 3v3 basketball, 4v4 outdoor soccer, kickball, and ultimate. Learn more about Intramural Sports.

Our marcomm team is happy to welcome two new social media/events employees to the team: Aidan Skinner and Megan Ging!

Group RecXercise all access passes go on sale for $30 starting Oct. 26! To purchase, go to recconnect.tamu.edu (select “Passes”) and begin participating in both in-person and virtual class options.

As temperatures begin to drop, now is a great time to experience the great outdoors! Outdoor Adventures offers a full line of camping gear including tents, sleeping bags and cooking supplies. In addition, we rent outdoor sports equipment and watercraft including canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. Email us or call 979-845-7035 if you have any questions.

VETERAN RESOURCE & SUPPORT CENTER

The Office of Veteran Services and National Laboratories Office of The Texas A&M University System are co-hosting a Nuclear Security Enterprise virtual career fair for careers in defense, STEM and many more fields on Oct. 30 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Register here.

We're pleased to announce a partnership with the Career Center at Texas A&M. Susan Keough, assistant director, will hold hours weekly to provide convenient, personalized career readiness support to student veterans. Fall 2020 hours are Wednesdays between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Schedule appointments here.

DISABILITY RESOURCES

The Disability Resources Testing Center is making a number of spaces available to all Aggies who need a quiet testing location for non-proctored exams. Students may request space as available in two-hour blocks using the sign-up form.

Kristie Orr is serving on the Testing Agencies Disability Forum on the impact and response to COVID-19 in disability resource offices across the country.

Kristie Orr and Justin Romack presented on disability and universal design for learning during a one-hour training on Oct. 21 for the Academy for Future Faculty.

Kegan Clark and Justin Romack discussed the accommodations request process, resources for disabled students and shifting to a more inclusive, social constructivist understanding of disability during the annual UAC Symposium.

UNIVERSITY ART GALLERIES (UART)

Let’s get crafty! Fall craft classes will show you how to create fun and easy DIY crafts online. Register here.

Oct. 27: Spooky Collage
Nov. 3: DIY Gallery
Nov. 10: Rock Painting

Texas A&M employees are invited to join the University Art Galleries and Flourish for six weeks of mixed media classes. Art supply kits are available from Flourish, while supplies last. Register here.

“Vedute e Visioni” details the beautiful landscapes, scenes, and architecture of Italy from the brush and lens of former Architecture faculty Dick Davison and Terry Larsen. (Miss Reveille, pictured, brought her handlers to see the exhibition!) View this exhibition in the Stark Galleries from now until Dec. 13, 2020, or see 360° views online.

“Pressing Matters” explores the many techniques that have been used over the years to produce enduring prints in the Texas A&M University permanent collection. View this exhibition in the Stark Galleries from now until Dec. 13, 2020, or see 360° views online.

“A Tale of Two Collections” explores the surprising similarities and remarkable differences found in the holdings of the Stark and Forsyth Galleries. View this exhibition in the Forsyth Galleries from now until Dec. 13, 2020, or see 360° views online.

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Our photographers Olivia Garza and Corey Khanhkham have been busy! Take a look at our new images of Reveille, Midnight Yell Practice, Yell Leaders, Active Minds, HelpLine, and the ODSL Street Team on Flickr, and feel free to download those you might need for your programs, marketing, or events.

Watch our new video short, part of our COVID-19 Moving Forward series, about treating everyone with the Aggie core value of respect. Thanks to Sergio Garcia, Kamrey Mantz, Kelly Vondrehle, and Kelly Jo Eblen for their work on our COVID-related videos this fall, and watch for more to come!

We're sending a weekly email called Aggie Update to all Texas A&M students on the College Station campus (and DSA staff) that includes a list of virtual and in-person activities available through the division and other Texas A&M entities. The email is designed to encourage participation and engagement, which has been a challenge for many students during the pandemic. We send the call for submissions every Monday morning, and submissions are due Tuesdays at 5 p.m. We plan to continue sending the email weekly using TAMU bulk mail through Nov. 23. Thanks to all the departments who are sending us content!

We're making final touches to our first Student Affairs Insider e-newsletter for donors, prospective donors, and other constituents of the Division of Student Affairs. The newsletter, which will go out this month, includes highlights of campus activities and stories about new gifts to our DSA programs. All DSA staff will receive a courtesy copy, and the next newsletter is planned for March 2021. If your department would like to highlight a giving opportunity or donor, please email Megan Pulliam.

Thank you for continuing to help the Division of Student Affairs keep its COVID-19 resource page updated on the web. Email Veronica Hoff with updates.

STAFF WELLBEING AND APPRECIATION COMMITTEE

Welcome to our two new committee members, Melissa Pérez Figueroa representing Disability Resources and Miranda Price representing Recreational Sports!

Want to appreciate another DSA staff member for helping out or going out their way to serve others? Consider nominating that staff member for the DSA Thanks and Gig ‘Em Award! This is a fun award and way to show appreciation to others throughout the division. Nominate here.

Wellness Grants are still available to support your pursuit of wellness education, knowledge, and practice. Apply here!

The Show Must Go On . . . Safely! Aggieland during the COVID-19 pandemic is a surprising blend of creative virtual experiences and carefully planned in-person programs.

Watch the Student Affairs Montage Movie!

OCTOBER NEWS FROM OUR DEPARTMENTS