V. Lane Rawlins

Dear Alum,

I am happy I made the decision to stay on at UNT because it's an honor to lead this great university and to collaborate with those in our UNT family.

Part of my decision to stay was to ensure stability for UNT through what will be a difficult time for Texas higher education and other state-funded entities in the next biennium. With the 82nd legislative session under way, I’m sure many of you are aware that legislators are determining how best to help the state deal with budget shortfalls. The first rounds of budget proposals are projecting severe reductions for higher education, which we believe are based on the worst-case scenario. It is still early in the budget-writing process and we hope to see improvements in funding as our legislators work through this session.

Although we face reductions in our budget that will cause hardships, especially for our students, we are taking steps to assure that we maintain our momentum in our quest to be a stronger and more recognized research university. While potential changes in funding and policy may affect how fast we accomplish this, they won't derail us.

We will continue to focus on our priorities:

• Educating our students and providing them with the best opportunities and experiences for learning and growth
• Growing our research strengths
• Supporting our traditional areas of excellence

These commitments are at the very heart of our mission as a public university that provides students of all backgrounds access to the best possible education.

Our ultimate message to legislators is to preserve funding for higher education and for college students as much as possible because a college-educated work force will help the state and the nation remain strong and competitive in the long run. With three-fourths of college students attending public universities, institutions like UNT do much of the heavy lifting in higher education. Yet 75 percent of our more than 36,000 students need some kind of financial aid or scholarship to attend college. Having the motivation to attend college isn't always enough for students. They also must have the means.

In this tough fiscal climate, the support of our alumni and friends is more important than ever. And it makes a difference. We graduated more than 7,800 students last year. Many will join the nearly 93,000 UNT alumni who work in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. We want to ensure that our students now and in the future continue to have the opportunity to change their lives through higher education.

Sincerely,
V. Lane Rawlins
President

Features

2010 Sun Belt Conference Champions

Cheer on the Mean Green basketball teams, win free tickets

The Mean Green men's basketball team -- the 2010 Sun Belt Conference Tournament champions -- and the women's basketball team are going for more victories on the court this season. To get you in the spirit, I'm giving away two Family Fun Packs to any men's basketball game. E-mail me at president@unt.edu by 5 p.m. Feb. 4 with the words "Men's Basketball" in the subject line to be entered into the random drawing. I'm also giving away two Family Fun Packs to any women's basketball game. E-mail me at president@unt.edu by 5 p.m. Feb. 4 with the words "Women's Basketball" in the subject line to be entered into the second random drawing.

Moving Forward: UNT expands research cluster program

Supporting collaborations with researchers around the globe and hiring premier faculty researchers are the cornerstones to UNT's growth as a major research university. The university has launched four new collaborative research clusters as part of its innovative initiative to support cutting-edge research. UNT now has 11 clusters that will lead to advances in medicine, health, agriculture and other fields. The new clusters are:

• Computational Chemical Biology
• Knowledge Discovery from Digital Information Sources
• Multi-scale Surface Science and Engineering
• Renewable Energy and Conservation

We also have launched five new strategic areas that have the potential to expand UNT's research efforts. The areas are:

• STEM Research and Education
• Forensic and Investigative Science and Technology
• Advanced Bio-Sensor Technology
• Computational Life Sciences and Complex Bio-Environmental Systems
• Logistics

Library Education for U.S.-Affiliated Pacific

UNT will train new librarians in Pacific islands through distance education

Part of UNT's mission is to ensure education is accessible to students of all backgrounds. With a $1 million grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, UNT's College of Information will provide scholarships to 23 residents of the Pacific islands. Each will enroll in the online master's degree program in library and information science. The goal of UNT's Library Education for U.S.-Affiliated Pacific, or LEAP, program is to increase the number and diversity of degreed library professionals for the islands. UNT libraries staff will serve as mentors to students in the program through videoconferencing and online communication.

(shown left to right)
Lyndal Bullock, Amy Murrell, Adriel Boals

UNT researchers receive grants to bolster behavioral research

UNT researchers are helping to improve treatments for behavioral and emotional disorders. Lyndal Bullock, Regents Professor of educational psychology, received a $1.2 million grant from a federal initiative to support graduate students aspiring to work with adolescents with emotional and behavioral difficulties. His grant was the largest of three awarded in Texas. Amy Murrell, assistant professor of clinical psychology, and Adriel Boals, assistant professor of experimental psychology, have been awarded a $15,000 grant from the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health to study post-traumatic stress disorder and whether acceptance and commitment therapy can be used in its treatment.

Cheng Yu

Faculty Focus: Cheng Yu

Cheng Yu, assistant professor of engineering technology, earned a National Science Foundation CAREER award, which is among the NSF’s most prestigious awards for young investigators. Dr. Yu will use a $400,000 grant to study the behavior and performance of cold-formed steel shear walls and to develop a reliable engineering design approach. He also is working on an innovative testing method to measure how metal-framed walls are able to withstand realistic loading conditions in mid- to low-rise buildings. As a CAREER award winner, Dr. Yu can be nominated by the NSF for the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed on young scientists and engineers in the U.S. Dr. Yu is one of six UNT faculty to win an NSF CAREER award since 2003.

Teach North Texas December 2010 graduates are pictured with future graduates and program coordinators.

Traditions: Teach North Texas program

UNT's Teach North Texas program reached a big milestone in December, when its first five graduates received their degrees only two years after the program began. The program is helping to increase the number of qualified mathematics and science teachers by giving students the opportunity to interact with experienced high school teachers and explore the teaching profession. Since it launched in 2008, UNT's program -- run collaboratively by the College of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences -- has exceeded expectations for enrollment growth. About 200 students are currently enrolled and are pursuing degrees in math and science, along with teaching certificates. The program was initiated with $2.4 million in grants from the Greater Texas Foundation and the National Mathematics and Science Initiative.

Featured Link: Learn how UNT faculty are working to change the world in UNT Research magazine

UNT faculty are conducting groundbreaking work in the sciences, fashion and human rights while advancing technology. You can read about their innovations in the 2011 issue of UNT Research, which showcases our advances as a public research university. You also can watch videos about UNT's plant research and fashion design program.

UNT Alumni Association

Join fellow alumni and fans to cheer on the Mean Green at the 2011 Sun Belt Conference Basketball Tournament in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The UNT Alumni Association and Mean Green Athletics have scheduled a special lineup of activities March 4-8. You can start making your preparations now to gather with alumni and fans for pre- and post-game gatherings by buying tickets online or calling 800-UNT-2366. To learn more about the UNT Alumni Association, visit www.UNTalumni.com or contact the alumni association at alumni@unt.edu or at 940-565-2834 or 800-UNT-1153.