Dear Alum,

There is so much to share with you this month. I am particularly excited to announce the appointment of our founding dean for the College of Engineering, Oscar Garcia. Garcia founded the engineering college at Old Dominion University and, most recently, led Wright State University’s Department of Computer Science and Engineering for eight years. He begins his duties at UNT July 1.

Our UNT Dallas Campus (also known as the System Center), an extension of UNT at Denton, is building momentum, too. The Dallas Campus is experiencing solid growth and attracting a diverse group of students. Spring semester enrollment is nearly 1,000 students -- an increase of 19 percent over fall -- half of which are African American and Hispanic students. The state has given us permission to open a new university in Dallas when we reach 2,500 full-time equivalent students. UNT at Dallas will become the first public university within the Dallas city limits.

Challenges with state revenues lie ahead as you’ll soon read, but I am committed to advancing UNT while preserving high-quality education and student services.

Until next time,
Norval

February 2003
STORIES BELOW

Pick-a-theme for Homecoming

Budget crunch

Golf course redevelopment

Alumni career services

Library outreach
to Thailand

UNT cool link
of the month:
Love connection

UNTrivia: Which alumni received 2003 Grammy
nods?

Hear it for spirit
You don’t have to wait until fall to be a part of Homecoming. UNT already is making plans for the biggest alumni event of the year, and I want you to help us select the 2003 theme. Take a look at the top five suggestions and vote for your favorite before March 14.
www.unt.edu/president/insider/feb2003/vote.htm

Belt tightening
You’ve read it in the papers. You’ve heard it on the news. Across the nation, states are asking universities and colleges to reduce their budgets. UNT faces at least $6.6 million in cutbacks for the remainder of this fiscal year. It won’t be easy. And, unfortunately, it's only the beginning. The Texas Legislature will grapple with a $9.9 billion shortfall over the next two fiscal years and its impact on higher education. For more information about how UNT is tightening its belt, click the link below.
www.unt.edu/newuntfeatures/untbudgetupdate/
pohlmessagefeb0609.htm

Rethinking Eagle Point Golf Course
A land-locked UNT is reaching across I-35 to develop its functionally obsolete golf course property as a site for new student housing and athletic facilities. Building non-academic facilities on the 158-acre property will permit UNT to maintain its main campus for academic purposes. I'm personally meeting with a representative group of nearby residents to discuss the impact this will have on the neighborhood. For instance, a green space is planned between homes and UNT's development. My plan is outlined at the link below.
www.unt.edu/golfcourseplans/

Career search
Did you know that UNT Career Services is not just for students? It’s for alumni, too. You can register for services online. Then, post your resume, view job opportunities, sign up for on-campus interviews and mark your calendar for upcoming career development workshops or fairs. Whether you graduated two years ago or 25 years ago, you can turn to UNT for help.
www.unt.edu/secs/cs_home.htm

Thailand book drive
Books provide mental journeys for readers. But, this summer, readers will provide a physical journey for books. Faculty and students from library and information sciences are accepting English-language publications in science, history, fiction and nonfiction for a small agricultural village in Thailand. Their goal is to build a library collection to teach townspeople English, helping them move into trades more lucrative than farming.
web2.unt.edu/news/index.cfm?id=1521

Cool link: Love connects UNT alumni
Many couples meet their soulmates while in college. That’s how I met Barbikay, my wife of 32 years. In celebration of Valentine’s Day, UNT has set up a web site for you to share your love stories of how handheld walks across the Denton campus led to a trip down the aisle. Please consider sharing your college sweetheart romances at the link below.
www.unt.edu/president/insider/feb2003/vday.htm

UNTrivia: Which of the following performers who received 2003 Grammy nominations are UNT alumni?

a. Dixie Chicks
b. Norah Jones
c. Bowling for Soup

Answer

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