Grad School Classes

My two grad classes are both on-line. So I have been spending this past week trying to keep up with the Black Board and have been trying to remember when which assignment is due. These are my first on-line classes ever, so it feels as if it is taking me awhile to get used to how they work.
Now, I've participated with Black Board plenty of times. But, I am used to going to class every day and sitting around a group of students and listen to the professor. I've done this for the past 16 years of my life since I've been in school. So, the on-line class thing is taking awhile to get the hang of. I think the most important thing for me to remember is that I have to keep checking my patriot e-mail and logging into Black Board to see if there are any updates, messages, or open assignments to work on.
Since my classes are in education, I think I get the opportunity to student teach this semester and collect 30 observation hours. I wonder what that will be like. I hope it's as awesome as I think it might be. We shall see.

Greek Life Here at UT Tyler!!!!

Students in the Delta Gamma Eta Xi Chapter pose for a photo in the University Center.

UT Tyler is home to six national Greek-letter fraternities and sororities. The mission of the UT Tyler Office of Greek Life is to promote excellence in leadership, scholarship and service while challenging members to live and lead according to the principles outlined by their own organization.

For more information, visit the Greek life home page.

Second Week!!!!

The first week of school has now passed by and the second week is now upon us. Last week was filled with the typical handing out of the syllabus, going over rules and regulations, and testing to see what information us students’ retained after the summer break and overall, over our academic lifetime. This week classes will start to pick up and many professors will start to begin lecturing and preaching over some information most students might not have any interest in but we will find a way to manage for 50 min(M,W,F) and/or 1 hour and 15 min(T,Th) without pulling all of our hair out. With that said, good luck to everyone this semester!!! Some will need it more than others, but here’s to having a great semester…TTYL!!!

Got my fitness tested

At my gym today, you know heart rate, body fat percentage, anaerobic threshold, flexibility, strength, that sorta stuff. And I am.... average in all areas, except for strength, I dominated that one. But I can't help but feel a little gipped by the tests, after all I've had like a 2 week layoff due to some kid almost crushing my windpipe in my Brazilian jiu jitsu class resulting in my neck being unable to bend, and also school started. So 2 weeks of relative inactivity, and also I went crazy this weekend had two pizzas and some ice cream from Andy's so yeah.... give me a few weeks and lets do this test right how aboot that, by the way, I know that isn't the correct way to spell about, but I always say it like a Canadian, so it's aboot for me.... that's right, I'm drawing a line in the sand... I love ellipses

Tai chi Thursdays

Today I successfully made it to the free tai chi lesson held at the Herrington Patriot Center. The lesson begins promptly at 11:30 in the room in front of the treadmills. This room is full of mirrors, so you can see what the instructor in front of you is doing and you can then mimic their movements.

I showed up and was greeted by the instructor. He's taught tai chi for 3 years now, and teaches here at the university two times a week: Tues & Thurs 11:30-12:30. He also teaches a tai chi sessions down the road at the Fairwood United Methodist Church, which is located North on Old Omen rd. These are held for free every Mon, Wed, and Fri at noon. So, that being said, I can attend sessions everyday ^_^

The lesson lasts an hour and is very relaxing and slow moving. This will be a great class to attend during finals. I enjoyed the class very much & hope to attend another session.

fall classes have begun

Well fall classes have started and it looks like it will be a busy semester. It seems like the University is pretty full since parking is awful, even the streets are full. Hopefully people will stop attending classes so much and the parking lots will open up a bit. Oh well time to get back to the daily grind.

Upcoming Events here at UT Tyler!!!

Feel free to come out and enjoy yourself with fellow student and peers at the following upcoming events:
*Aug. 25, 2011
IM Softball, Flag Football Registration Begins
GATE Kick-Off Event 3 – 5 p.m. UC Theater
SGA General Assembly 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. BRB 1025
CAB Water Balloon Wars 5 p.m. UC Patio
The Blend Welcome Party 6 p.m. BSM
Ice Cream-a-Palooza 6:30 p.m. UC Patio
CAB Info Meeting 8 – 9 p.m. UC 3422
*Aug. 26, 2011
Freshman Day of Service 2 – 5 p.m. TBA
Beginner Mountain Bike Ride 3:30 – 6 p.m. Start - HPC
SGA Welcome Back Pool Party 5 – 10 p.m. HPC Pool
*Aug. 27, 2011
Men’s Soccer Alumni Game TBA Soccer Field
*Aug. 28, 2011
M Soccer vs. Austin College 3 p.m. Sherman, Tx
Volleyball Alumni Game 3 p.m. HPC Gym
*Aug. 29, 2011
Textbook Refund Deadline
Rec Sports: IM No Limit Poker Tournament TBA On Campus
*Aug. 31, 2011
SOAR Meeting Noon UC Ballroom
*Sept. 2, 2011
Student Organization Orientation 2 p.m. UC Theater
Outdoor Adventures: Beginner Mountain Bike Rides 3:30 p.m. HPC
W Soccer vs. Fredonia State 7 p.m. Home
*Sept. 3, 2011
Outdoor Adventures: Triathlon Clinic TBA
M Soccer vs. Southwestern 5 p.m. Georgetown, Tx
*Sept. 4, 2011
W Soccer vs. Texas College 2 p.m. Home
*Sept. 5, 2011
Labor Day Holiday (All Offices Closed, No Classes Held)

Night classes

Are a buuuuuummer! Psychology of love for 2 hours and 45 minutes..... with a 40 minute long group presentation due later in the semester, thats going to be pretty tough. But it seems to be a pretty interesting class, all my classes seem interesting, its just finding the motivation to continue. Have a year left and this is like my 5th year of college, so if I have one word of advice, is don't be a slacker like me, take more than the minimum, try to take some summer classes, go above and beyond so you can get it done and get out in the world, don't wait and put it off like Ely did.

Yoga, Tai chi, Tae Kwon Do, and the Fitness Center

On Monday night, I attended a free yoga class that took place at the Herrington Patriot Fitness Center. I had a lot of fun for that hour I was in the yoga session. We did a lot of stretches, and a lot of breathing. The class was taught by a new teacher named Laura. She was really nice & I loved her class. The Monday night yoga classes meet from 6:15-7:15 p.m.

Tuesday I was all ready to go to the new tai chi class & then possibly attend the power yoga class that meets after words. Well, the hot water heater has gone out at my house & Mom needed me to stay home because the plumbers needed to come in & out of the house. So I had to miss the 11:30-12:30 tai chi class. Then I had a scheduled doctors appointment with the on campus health clinic at 2 P.M., so I didn't go to power yoga either, which is from 12:30-1:30.

& here I was at the beginning of the week planning on attending all these awesome exercise sessions at the fitness center, & I am having to remain at home & miss the exercises. Funny how life will work that way sometimes....that & it seems that my family's 60 year old house keeps having major problems.

Oh well, the good news is that these exercise sessions will continue on through the semester. If you have to miss an exercise session, it's not a big deal. They are not like regular classes you pay to take, you won't fall behind in these, I hope.

For more classes & times, check out the HPC's fitness schedual hand out. I keep it as the front cover of my school binder so I can see which classes are being held and the times offered. You can also check the daily schedule at the fitness center written on the white board or ask the desk attendant.

My Grad Classes

Well, here it is Wednesday on the first week of school starting. Thus far with my 2 classes being on-line, I have ordered my text books, completed a few h.w. assignments, paid for 2 education modules, gone to a yoga class at the HP center, read a full chapter out of one of my textbooks, and have participated in my classes' Blackboard portal.
Since I am a grad student in an education program, I am only taking two on-line classes this semester. I already feel busy, but not as busy as some of my undergrad work was.

UT Tyler Welcomes 37 New Faculty for 2011 – 12 Academic Year

The University of Texas at Tyler officials introduced new faculty members at the 2011 – 12 Opening Convocation Aug. 19.
New faculty members, listed by college, are:

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

*Joshua Banta, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology
Ph.D. – Stony Brook University
Former Position: Post-Doctoral Research Associate, New York University
*Amy Berrier, Visiting Lecturer and Writing Center Assistant Director, Department of Literature and Languages
M.A. – UT Tyler
Former Position: Adjunct Professor, UT Tyler
*Sean Butler, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry
Ph.D. – Ohio State University
Former Position: Research Associate, Ohio State University
*Melissa Dotson, Lecturer, Department of History
M.A. – UT Tyler
Former Position: Adjunct Instructor, UT Tyler and Kilgore College
*Luke Goebel, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Literature and Languages
M.F.A. – University of Massachusetts
Former Position: Adjunct Professor of English, Mountain View Community College
*Kyle Gullings, Assistant Professor, School of Performing Arts
D.M.A. – Catholic University of America
Former Position: Adjunct Instructor, Catholic University of America
*Srinivas Kambhampati, Professor of Biology and Department Chair
Ph.D. – Simon Fraser University
Former Position: Professor, Kansas State University
*Mickie Koster, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science
Ph.D. – Rice University
Former Position: Instructor, Lone Star College
*Allison Perricone, Lecturer, Department of Chemistry
M.A. – UT Dallas
Former Position: Lab Instructor, Collin College
*Letha Clair Robertson, Assistant Professor, Department of Art and Art History
Ph.D. – University of Kansas
Former Position: Adjunct Professor, UT Arlington
*Bridget Sandhoff, Assistant Professor, Department of Art and Art History
Ph.D. – University of Iowa
Former Position: Assistant Professor of Art, University of Missouri-Saint Louis
*Martin Slann, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences and Professor, Department of Political Science and History
Ph.D. – University of Georgia
Former Position: Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, University of North Carolina –Pembroke
*Kristen Stagg, Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics
Ph.D. – North Carolina State University
Former Position: Graduate Teaching Assistant, North Carolina State University
*Emily Standridge, Visiting Assistant Professor and Writing Center Interim Director, Department of Literature and Languages
Ph.D. – Ball State University
Former Position: Assistant Director of the Writing Center, Ball State University
*Matthew Stith, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and History
Ph.D. – University of Arkansas
Former Position: Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas – Fort Smith
Justin Velten, Lecturer, Department of Communication
M.A. – Abilene Christian University
Former Position: Assistant Professor, Faulkner University
*Shudong Zhang, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences
Ph.D. – University of Missouri – Columbia
Former Position: Assistant Professor, Texas A&M International University
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY
*Kerri Keech, Assistant Professor, Department of Management and Marketing
Ph.D. – Texas Tech University
Former Position: Senior Lecturer, UT Tyler
*Jennifer Martinez, Lecturer, Department of Management and Marketing
M.A. – UT Tyler
Former Position: Teaching Assistant, UT Tyler
*Rochelle McWhorter, Assistant Professor, Department of Human Resource Management and Technology
Ph.D. - Texas A&M University
Former Position: Senior Lecturer, UT Tyler
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND PSYCHOLOGY
*Jacqueline Evans, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology and Counseling
Ph.D. – Florida International University
Former Position: Assistant Research Professor, UT El Paso
*Ji-Yeon Lee, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology and Counseling
Ph.D. – Purdue University
Former Position: Pre Doctoral Intern in University Counseling & Consulting Services, University of Minnesota
*Kouider Mokhtari, Professor and Anderson-Vukelja-Wright Endowed Chair in Education, College of Education
Ph.D. – Ohio University
Former Position: Professor, Iowa State University
*Joanna Neel, Assistant Professor, School of Education
Ed.D. – Texas A&M University – Commerce
Former Position: Visiting Assistant Professor, UT Tyler
*Dung Ngo, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology and Counseling
Ph.D. – Saint Louis University
Former Position: Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE
*Nelson Fumo, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Ph.D. – Mississippi State University
Former Position: Assistant Research Professor, Mississippi State University
COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCES
*Carol Andersen, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing
M.S.N. – University of Iowa
Former Position: Director, Governance and Program Development, National Student Nurses Association
*Jessica Bass, Clinical Instructor, College of Nursing
M.S.N. – UT Tyler
Former Position: Registered Nurse, Trinity Mother Frances Hospital
*Rebecca Fountain, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing
Ph.D. – Texas Woman’s University – Denton
Former Position: Clinical Instructor, UT Tyler
*Danice Greer, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing
Ph.D. – UT Health Science Center – Houston
Former Position: Clinical Instructor, UT Tyler
*Colleen Harris, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing
DNP – University of Tennessee Health Science Center at Memphis
Former Position: Clinical Instructor, UT Tyler
*NaRisa Holt-Waldo, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing
Ph.D. – Capella University
Former Position: Clinical Instructor, UT Tyler
*Cindy James, Clinical Instructor, College of Nursing
M.S.N. – UT Tyler
Former Position: R.N., Long Term Care
*Vicki Jowell, Clinical Instructor, College of Nursing
M.S.N. – UT Tyler
Former Position: Director of Education, East Texas Medical Center
*Autumn Ladd, Clinical Instructor, College of Nursing
B.S.N. – Stephen F. Austin State University
Former Position: Certified Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nurse Consultant for Pediatrics, At Home Healthcare
*Julie Leming, Clinical Instructor, College of Nursing
B.S.N. – UT Tyler
Former Position: Nurse, Good Shepherd Home Care
*Shirley Ann Levenson Visiting Assistant Professor, College of Nursing
Ph.D. – Texas Woman’s University – Houston
Former Position: FNP-CNO, Clinicia de la Familia

Annnnd classes start

...not for me of course, mine start tomorrow, but a lot of other peoples started. I hope you all had a great first day and you found all of your classes with little to no difficulty. I'm having a few problems with mine, I had dropped one of my classes and re-added it at a different time so I think I'm just set up for an earlier time than what it really is, hopefully that won't be too confusing and sorts itself out with no problems. It looks like enrollment for new students is up which is awesome, and we have a lower drop rating, hopefully because of myself and my fellow comm team workers calling all the students that hadn't registered, and also because of the enrollment services emergency operators, working so many hours answering phones so the enrollment service people can focus on students that much more. I can't imagine how stressful that could be, so the best I can do is write a thank you blog to you, thank you all of admissions and all people that help us students with our many many problems.

The day has come!

There are two things UT Tyler students are saying right now; "Yay! I am so happy school has started!" and "Why oh why has summer ended!". For whichever student you are, just stay positive and work hard because school HAS started and it is INEVITABLE that the semester will be stressful.

One thing is for sure, Patriot Palooza has started!

Palooza 2011 Logo">

Fall Emergency Loans

As I'm sure you all know tuition is due by Friday, August 19. If you are still waiting on your financial aid to be processed I would suggest enrolling in an emergency loan. Here is some information on what it will cover and how to enroll in one:

Fall and Spring Semester Installment Plans

Students may enroll in one of the three installment plans: 5 installments payment plan, 4 installments payment plan or 3 installments payment plan.  Installment plans cover the expenses for tuition and fees as well as housing and meal plans paid to UT Tyler.  Tests, books, supplies, insurance or other expenses are not covered by payment plans. 

Students may sign up in the myUTTyler Student Center choosing ‘Finances’ and ‘Enroll in a Payment Plan.’

There is a per semester enrollment fee for enrolling in any of the three installment plans.  Dropping classes does not cancel the obligation to repay an installment plan.  The fees are listed below next to each installment plan.

Once you have signed up for an installment plan, proceed to make the payments that are due.  Please make sure to pay only the installments that are currently due and not installment balances due in the future. 

Fall 2011 3 Payment Installment Due Dates (installment fee $25):
August 19, 2011; 5:00 p.m.
September 19, 2011; 5:00 p.m.
October 19, 2011; 5:00 p.m.

Fall 2011 4 Payment Installment Due Dates (installment fee $35):
August 19, 2011; 5:00 p.m.
September 19, 2011; 5:00 p.m.
October 19, 2011; 5:00 p.m.
November 19, 2011; 5:00 p.m.

Fall 2011 5 Payment Installment Due Dates (installment fee $45):August 19, 2011; 5:00 p.m.
September 19, 2011; 5:00 p.m.
October 20, 2011; 5:00p.m.
November 19, 2011; 5:00 p.m.
December 20, 2011; 5:00 p.m. 

Emergency Loans

Emergency loans are available to any student.  Emergency loans cover the expenses for tuition and fees as well as Orne;as Hall housing, Patriot Village Apartments housing, and meal plans paid to UT Tyler.  Tests, books, supplies, insurance or other expenses are not covered by the emergency loan.

Students may sign up in the myUTTyler Student Center by choosing ‘Finances’ and ‘Enroll in a Payment Plan.’

An origination fee of 1.25% is charged on all emergency loans and the loan must be repaid in full by October 31, 2011.  Dropping classes does not cancel the obligation to repay an emergency loan. 

The skinny on financial aid

How do Financial Aid & Scholarship awards work?

Disbursements of grants, loans, and scholarship funds that are accepted on myUTTyler, in your Student Center (and are completed with any additional requirements such as entrance loan counseling or master promissory notes) will BEGIN on August 15 and will be applied to your student account in myUTTyler, provided you are meeting the enrollment requirements for the awards at that time. The funds will not reflect any payment to your tuition & fee charges for the semester until they are DISBURSED.

Financial Aid Disbursement Information

Disbursements of financial aid funds for enrolled students will begin on Monday, August 15^th.  These funds will be applied to any current semester charges. Loan refunds begin on Tuesday, August 16^th. Grant and scholarship refunds begin on September 22^nd.

IMPORTANT POINTS TO CONSIDER:

1)      1. Original awards were based on anticipated full-time enrollment. If you are now less than full-time, your cost of attendance (COA) will be adjusted, thus reducing your eligibility.

2)      2. September 14^th is Financial Aid Census date. After this date, enrollment will be confirmed and COA will again be adjusted, if necessary. This may cause you to now have a balance due.

3)      3. If you drop below half-time prior to census (September 14), all financial aid that requires at least half-time enrollment will be cancelled. If you have already received a refund of your student loan, you must return those funds immediately. 

4)      4. Spring COA is also based on anticipated full-time enrollment. When the assessment of Spring enrollment occurs— if you are not full-time—your Spring COA will adjust. This may result in a reduction of your Spring awards and possibly your Fall.

5)      5. If you were awarded for both Fall and Spring, but are either not enrolled Fall or are less than half-time, ALL of your awards will be cancelled for BOTH Fall and Spring. If you plan to be enrolled at least half-time in the Spring semester, please complete the Reinstatement Request form and submit it to Enrollment Services Center (enroll@uttyler.edu or fax to 903-566-7183)

6)      6. Completely withdrawing from all classes will require you to repay some of your awards. Please read the information on our website regarding the Return of Title IV funds.

Visit our website for the most current information on program requirements.

Back To School Assistance

Where to ask a question
If you have any financial aid, registrar, or admissions questions the best place to ask them is online. These offices have answered over 4,000 phone calls last week alone. There are several students who have questions and they are being answered in the order they are received. The best way to ask these questions is by going to the UT Tyler web site and filling out a form. The form is located toward the bottom right of the UT Tyler main page. There should be a picture that says "Have a Question?" if you click on that picture it will take you directly to a form that you can fill out with any UT Tyler questions. If your questions involve your personal information then all communications will be done through your Patriot E-mail account. You can also get to that page by clicking on the picture included in this blog.

End of Summer clip show

Transferable parking stickers

For the 2011-12 academic year, the UT Tyler Police Department will issue new, static vinyl parking permits for students, faculty and staff, Mike Medders, chief of police, announced.

To be considered valid, the new permits must now be placed inside the vehicle – on the front, lower passenger-side windshield. Because they are transferable, only one will be issued per person. Cost remains the same.

Medders said he expects the changes to be positive.

“Due to decals being transferable, it will no longer be necessary to obtain a temporary parking permit when driving another vehicle. Also, the new decals will be placed on the inside windshield making them less vulnerable to theft,” he said.

Parking permits will be issued to students, faculty and staff in the University Center foyer at the following times:

•8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Aug. 15 – 19; Aug. 22

•10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Aug. 20

•8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Aug. 23 – 24

Students must bring their university ID and have paid for their decal prior to issuance.

Employees must bring a photo ID and completed payroll deduction form or have purchased a decal from the cashier’s office and bring their receipt prior to issuance.

Full price will be charged for additional or replacement decals, Medders added.

“Replacement permits will be issued at no charge if for some reason it fails to adhere to the windshield. However, you must turn in the defective permit prior to being issued a new one,” he said. “If your second vehicle is a motorcycle, there is no charge for that permit, assuming you have already purchased a permit for your primary vehicle.”

Permits also will be available at the University Police Department, located in the University Services Center, room 125.

Permits must be properly displayed on motor vehicles and motorcycles no later than the 11th class day of the semester, after which time citations will be issued.

The was written by the University and can be seen here at http://www.uttyler.edu/news/announcements/2011/08122011.php

College of Arts and Sciences

Paula Hibbert serves as the administrative assistant within the UT Tyler Department of Biology, which is in the College of Arts and Sciences.

The UT Tyler College of Arts and Sciences offers 16 baccalaureate majors, ranging from traditional humanities and sciences to the social sciences, fine arts and communication.

In addition to undergraduate majors, the college offers 11 discipline-based master's degrees, as well as an interdisciplinary studies master's degree that allows students to create a personalized program incorporating an interdisciplinary blend of graduate courses from the college. For more information, visit the College of Arts and Sciences home page.

Fall Chipotle

So... fall is about to start. Yay? I'm glad summer is pretty much over. I have one more test to take tonight and then I'll have some time off for summer. I fear looking up my book costs for the fall, they are always so high. There's a new eatery in Tyler, seems like Tyler finally got a Chipotle. It's not open yet, they are still doing some burrito education. Chipotle is generally pretty good I used to eat it in Houston quite a bit. Their guacamole is actually real so it's better than that green wet soup goo they call guacamole at Salsarita's.

Went swimming today

For the first time in like a decade, and it was.... good? The thing about swimming is, I get bored with it very quickly. What do you do in it? Float around, did that, go underwater, did that *my sinuses suck so that's not fun* annnnd baboom? What else? I ended up standing there making swooshing noises and moving water side to side pretending I was the avatar and that I could bend water... except it's cooler than it sounds. With school practically here I need to get out a little more and live just a little itty bit more. Because right now the only thing I can say that I did for the summer was... oh I went swimming :P

UT Tyler Announces First GATE Cohort, Kick-off Celebration

The University of Texas at Tyler has admitted 26 freshmen into its Global Awareness Through Education program for the 2011 – 12 academic year, Dr. Jill Blondin, director of the Center for Global Education, announced.

Under the newly-created UT Tyler Center for Global Education, GATE is a two-year residential learning program designed for incoming freshmen where students live together, take enhanced core curriculum classes and participate in on- and off-campus activities that are globally engaging and culturally diverse.

The first GATE cohort will be recognized during a kick-off celebration 3 – 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25 in the University Center theater.

“This exciting event will introduce our first class of GATE students, and it will showcase UT Tyler’s efforts to ‘internationalize’ the campus,” said Blondin.

GATE students are listed by hometown.

ALLEN – Gabrielle Cruz.
ARLINGTON – Betty Mutai.
CARROLLTON – Sarah Meisenheimer.
DENTON – Dyani Heltzey and Bianca Lopez.
DESOTO – Gabrielle Lawson.
IRVING – Sara Nguyen.
MCALLEN –Miguel Zuniga.
MISSOURI CITY – Jelissa Lair.
NORTH RICHLAND HILLS – Ashley Ellison and Megan Lord.
OAK LEAF – Laura Vogler.
PLANO – Elisa Vazquez.
ROUND ROCK – Yavanese Holloway.
SPRING – Emily Main.
THE COLONY –Vincent Nguyen.
TYLER – Karina Barrera, Kerrin Dewet, Jocelyn Felix, Alberto Hernandez, Uroosa Khald, Laura Myrick, Roberto Vazquez and Miles Zeorlin.
LOUISIANA – Kacie Tewell.
BRAZIL – Matheus Schneider do Canto.

Aside from the GATE program, the center coordinates all student international travel, provides assistance to foreign faculty and students and helps create cultural diversity in Tyler and East Texas, Blondin added.

For more information, visit http://www.uttyler.edu/gate/.

14 days away

You heard me right, 2 weeks from now and Fall 2011 semester begins, and I am ecstatic! I'm really excited for my classes, I like meeting new folks and new teachers, because everything is so unknown. During summer basically is just drifting around finding odd things to do, or doing the same things over and over all day for months on end while insanity teeters on your mind and all things talk to you and your hand goes bad and you have to chop it off and you have to destroy a book and... oh I think my mind went to Evil Dead 2, forget everything I said except for the monotony of summer living. But yeah... fall semester... cool

Enrollment Services

UT Tyler now has a "one stop shop". This is the Enrollment Services Center and here you can ask all kinds of questions and get most everything completed in one spot. What if you are not able to get to the school to get your question answered and you do not want to wait on the phone forever. Well, now you can get it all done online! Check out https://www.uttyler.edu/helpme/

UT Teacher Certification Program

I am in the process of being admitted to UT Tyler's new teacher certification program designed for graduate students. It is called the Step Program. I have learned that the program is a year long, and you are able to become certified at the end. You pick a route, such as grade levels you wish to teach, and for highschool certification, you pick which subject you want to be certified in. I am pursuing the Speech 7-12 grades because Speech was my minor. For this I will have to be admitted, and register for the TExES test for Speech. If I pass this test, then I become eligeble to student teach for the Spring semester of the Step Program.
The program requires a few education courses during the year long program that will count towards graduate hours for a master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction. In my case, I will need 3 classes. There are 5 Moduels the program requires. 4 are taken in the fall semester and the 5th one is next summer.
It's going to be expensive, but I think at the end of the year it will be worth it to become a certified teacher...

So soooore

Been going to the new gym, XTC Fitness, and boy howdy, they will certainly give you your moneys worth. I've been to two classes so far and hoping to go to one tonight if I find the motivation, and I'm definitely seeing an improvement.... maybe? Too soon to tell? I don't know but I was able to do all the running portions from the last one that I couldn't do the first time so who knows. Summer is coming to and end and the looming dread of a classes comes before us once again. Heat is getting crazy so I'll be glad for a little cooler weather, if nothing but to help kill all the fleas that are bothering my pup.

Summer is almost over!

Well next week is finals for my summer classes so I'm pretty excited. I won't have much of a break before school starts back for the fall, but I'll take what I can get.

Registration

If you haven't registered for classes yet, you might want to. You can do it through myuttyler.

3 weeks away!

Almost time for school to start, should be an interesting semester without monday or friday classes, leaves me extra time to do homework and things of the academic nature... or more video games... maybe? I am excited though, I always love meeting new people so hopefully I'll have great people in my classes.

Time to register!!!

"Avoid the frustration and register for classes NOW before they are full!" This is the theme UT Tyler has been trying to get across since registration has opened. It is not crunch time people!!! Classes are filling up and some of them are even CLOSED now because they are FULL. Three weeks are left until classes start, so do yourself a favor and register!

REGISTER, REGISTER, REGISTER!!!!!

REGISTER, REGISTER, REGISTER!!!!! Help me, by helping yourself, by registering for the upcoming fall semester. The semester is just 3 weeks away and classes are filling up at a rapid pace. In order for you to have the opportunity to register into the classes of your choice and your liking, register NOW instead of later. Hope to see all of you bright and early on August 22, 2011, REGISTER, REGISTER, REGISTER!!!!!

You should register

We've been doing a campaign of calling current students to remind them they can register early for their classes so they wont have the fear of being locked out of an already full class for about a month now. So hopefully posting this will help even more students, so yeah, if you can, you should really think about registering, it doesn't hurt any and really helps you and the school out!