Published: Feb. 1, 2022
Division News
Center for Students in Recovery
- We are hosting a new student-led Midday Meditation group on Mondays at noon in Bellmont Hall 222. This group is open to all UT Austin students, faculty and staff, both in recovery and those who support people in recovery.
- In December, we awarded nearly $7,000 in scholarship funding to six students in recovery who demonstrated leadership, service, and dedication to their academic and recovery journey.
Counseling and Mental Health Center
- We launched eight new support groups for students this semester.
- Our Longhorn Wellness Center team is working with Moody College of Communication’s Center for Health Communication to distribute information on alcohol and consent to student groups this spring. They also created a new Mindfulness Activities Calendar.
- The SHIFT team will host SHIFT Talk: Conversations on Counterfeit Rx Drugs and Fentanyl on Feb. 22, 5:30-7 p.m., online.
- Get KINetic, a partnership between the Longhorn Wellness Center, Recreational Sports and University Housing and Dining, starts on Feb. 14.
- Longhorn Wellness Center Peer Educator Recruitment opens on Feb. 7.
- Applications for student participation in the UT Body Project are open.
Counseling and Mental Health Center staff at the virtual Organizational Day
- Our team gathered for an organizational day on Jan. 12 to hear departmental updates.
- We launched a new URL for our website, NewStudentServices.utexas.edu, and departmental Instagram and Twitter accounts (@UTAustinNSS). These new accounts will promote our office’s services and programs, while the @UTOrientation Instagram and Twitter will continue to share orientation-specific information.
Kyle St. Nicholas (New Student Services) at Spring Orientation
- We hosted Spring Orientation Jan. 10-11 online due to the university’s modified semester start. Students were able to pick up their t-shirts and take campus tours in person on Jan. 19 and 27.
Elizabeth Doyle (University Housing and Dining) and Kayleigh Damphousse (New Student Services) at Welcome Bash on Jan. 31
- Our team shifted Spring Welcome to Jan. 31-Feb. 6 so that events could be held in person following the university’s return to in-person instruction on Jan. 31.
- We partnered with the Senate of College Councils to host the 7th Annual RISE (Reflect, Inspire, Surpass, Emerge) Summit for 40 first-year students on Jan. 13. The one-day conference strengthened their leadership skills and helped them develop strategies for academic success.
Students and staff at An Evening with Haley Moss
- Our Longhorn TIES (Transition, Inclusion, Empower, Success) team partnered with the University of North Texas to host “An Evening with Haley Moss” on Nov. 18, giving students the ability to hear from this autistic attorney and author about her experiences.
Valeria Martin (Office of the Dean of Students), Paige Muehlenkamp-McHorse (New Student Services), Kara Hartzell, Katharine Sucher and Ashley Richardson-Minnitt (New Student Services) at UT Outpost
- On Nov. 6, Kara Hartzell, President Hartzell’s wife, joined students and staff from our Horns Helping Horns and Longhorn TIES programs at the UT Outpost for a fall semester service project.
Office of the Dean of Students
- Four registered or sponsored student organizations won the Student Organization Proactive Community Testing Competition for the fall semester, and their members will go on a dinner cruise. The competition awards the groups that have the most members take a COVID-19 test on campus.
- Our Student Activities team is partnering with Texas Student Media to host UT Marketplace, Feb. 23, 11 a.m.-3 p.m, Speedway Plaza.
- The team is also partnering with University Unions to host the Spring Student Organization Fair, Feb. 9, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Speedway Plaza and East Mall (weather permitting). The 125 student organizations participating will receive a thank-you gift bag. If you have promotional or educational materials to include, please email Sade Dawson-Love by Feb. 7.
- Applications for Texas Leadership Education and Development’s Summer Internship Program are due Feb. 20.
Katie McGee (Office of the Dean of Students) and Charlotte Canning (Vice President for Student Affairs Office/College of Fine Arts) at the November 2021 Student Affairs Leadership Team meeting
- Our Student Conduct and Academic Integrity team, with the support of Faculty Consultant Charlotte Canning and Deputy to the Vice President Carol Longoria launched the Academic Integrity Working Group on Jan. 13. The group will work with academic partners to expand knowledge of academic integrity and determine how the university community can collaborate to support a culture of integrity.
- We have reopened Caven-Clark Field after it underwent renovations during winter break. The field now has a new turf surface with cooling technology and the track features a brand-new textured surface for optimal performance.
- Registration for Longhorn Run 2022 opens on Feb. 2, 10 a.m. This year’s event on April 23 will be in person, although a virtual option will be offered to allow anyone, wherever they are located, to join this campus tradition.
- The Fitness & Wellness team is offering two new programs this semester: Intro to Meditation and Weight Training Basics.
- Senior Assistant Director for Intramural Sports Joe Wise served on the host committee for the NIRSA National Flag Football Championships Jan. 7-9. The event partnered with Special Olympics and offered their teams the opportunity to compete in their own division.
- Our Sport Clubs won the annual #BeatHunger #BeatTAMU Sport Clubs Canned Food Drive in November. We collected 100,408 ounces of food for the UT Outpost versus Texas A&M University’s 56,113 ounces.
- Our Brick Paver campaign is open until Feb. 11. Parents can purchase a brick that will be laid in front of the Student Services Building to honor their students before commencement.
- Nominations for the 2021-22 Outstanding Student Award are due Feb. 8. We give this award annually to two senior students who demonstrate exceptional leadership, scholarship, character and service.
Jess Cybulski (Vice President for Student Affairs Office), Marcus Mayes and Kelly Soucy (Office of the Dean of Students)
- On Jan. 26, we celebrated the 24th Annual Texas Parents Staff Merit Award recipients at the Division-wide meeting. We recognized Jess Cybulski, Marcus Mayes and Kelly Soucy for going above and beyond to influence the Longhorn life. Learn how these three team members support student success, strengthen student services and inspire their colleagues to seek excellence.
- We hosted Spring Online Family Orientation Jan. 10-11 for 128 families of incoming freshmen and transfer students.
- We are hosting convenient COVID-19 booster shot pop-up clinics Feb. 1, 3, 8 and 10, 5-8 p.m., Governor’s Room, Texas Union.
- If you have been exposed to COVID-19 or tested positive, follow the steps on our exposure action chart.
- We recommend students, faculty and staff who are asymptomatic get a weekly COVID-19 test through Proactive Community Testing.
- Students who have COVID-19 symptoms should book a test through the University Health Services Symptomatic Testing Center. Faculty and staff can test through UT Health Austin.
- During the COVID-19 omicron variant surge in January, our staff opened our Symptomatic Testing Center to faculty and staff who would typically test through UT Health Austin. This made more testing available and served the campus community.
- Students can enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan until Feb. 9.
University Health Services staff at the virtual Organizational Day
- Our team gathered for an organizational day on Jan. 13 to hear COVID-19 updates.
- Our team officially took over management of Dobie Twenty21, a 27-story residence hall on 21st and Guadalupe.
- Our residence halls reopened on Jan. 14 for the spring semester. Residents show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result at their residence hall desk the day they return. Residents in 2400 Nueces and Dobie Twenty21 are also required to test.
- Due to the university’s modified semester start, all dining operations were takeout only during January. The Eco2Go program relaunched on Jan. 31. Check out our home page for current hours of operation.
- Check out the upgraded coffee bar, bistro-style dining, and grab-and-go options at Littlefield Patio Café next time you are on campus. The outdoor patio renovations will be completed this spring.
Meredith Theroux at Friendsgiving dinner
- Through our Give Thanks program in November, our department donated 500 $10 meal cards to UT Outpost.
- Our dining team held a popcorn bar (Nov. 8), steak night (Nov. 9), Friendsgiving Dinner (Nov. 16), Winter Wonderland (Dec. 2), and Cookies and Caffeine (Dec. 6 and 7) for residents.
Staff at the Hispanic Faculty Staff Association’s John Trevino Jr. Holiday Assistance Program
- Our residence life team co-sponsored the John Trevino Jr. Holiday Assistance Program with the Hispanic Faculty/Staff Association on Dec. 3.
- Make plans to see a show at the iconic Cactus Café. Concerts featuring local and national artists are free and open to the Austin community.
- We’re continuing to open new Longhorn Hospitality on-campus dining options through our collaboration with University Housing and Dining. One Two Three Sushi and Pop Up Kitchen: Sub Sandwiches are now open at the William C. Powers, Jr. Student Activity Center. A Philly cheesesteak food trailer is also open outside near the intersection of Speedway and East Mall.
- Campus Events+Entertainment is gearing up for Texas Revue, the university’s largest and most diverse talent show, on April 23. The group held auditions last month and the top 10 acts will compete at the show.
- Students, faculty and staff are invited to join a Union Underground bowling league starting back up on Feb. 7.
Vice President for Student Affairs
- Vice President for Student Affairs office hours start back up on Feb. 7 and will be held monthly this semester.
(Top) Kelly Soucy (Office of the Dean of Students), Jess Cybulski (Vice President for Student Affairs Office), Marcus Mayes (Office of the Dean of Students); (Bottom) VP for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Soncia Reagins-Lilly, Susie Smith (Texas Parents) and Alma Garcia (Vice President for Student Affairs Office) at the Team Appreciation and Celebration on Jan. 26
- The Division team gathered on Jan. 26 for the Team Appreciation and Celebration honoring the Texas Parents Staff Merit Awards recipients. Stay tuned for Living the Longhorn Life Podcast interviews with each recipient and students from the award committee.
- Dr. Lilly kicked off the semester with this email to Division staff on Jan. 11.
- Listen now to our fall semester milestones and achievements podcast.
- Take a look at our Semester in Review video to see how we safely connected with our students and each other at fun, on-campus events.
- Our team marked the end of the fall semester with the Division Holiday Gathering on Dec. 8.
Staff Standouts
The Division of Student Affairs honored Jess Cybulski (Vice President for Student Affairs Office), Marcus Mayes and Kelly Soucy (Office of the Dean of Students) with Texas Parents Staff Merit Awards on Jan. 26. Texas Parents created this award in 1997 to reflect the appreciation parents and families have for the work that is done in the Division day in and day out, honoring outstanding Division staff members. It is the highest honor the Division bestows on its team members.
Susan Buckenmeyer (Office of the Dean of Students) with Kellie Sullivan (Texas Development) at the Fundraising for Student Organizations Panel
Susan Buckenmeyer, Office of the Dean of Students, was a panelist with Kellie Sullivan, Texas Development, at the Fundraising for Student Organizations Panel hosted by the Student Foundation on Nov. 17.
Kate Lower, Counseling and Mental Health Center and University Health Services, gave a presentation on SHIFT at the NASPA Strategies Conference Jan. 13-15.
Virginia Luehrsen, Office of the Dean of Students, presented “Student Organization Travel: Where Do We Go from Here?” and “Self-paced Workshops for Co-Curricular Learning” at the Student Organization Summit on Dec. 10.
Staff Shoutouts
Julie Newton and Sherry Bell (Counseling and Mental Health Center and University Health Services), and Kathy Mosteller (University Health Services) at Bell's retirement celebration
The Healthyhorns team celebrated the retirements of Sherry Bell, Counseling and Mental Health Center and University Health Services (38 years), Kathy Mosteller, University Health Services (18 years), and Julie Newton, Counseling and Mental Health Center and University Health Services (31 years) in December. Bell coordinated media relations and programs, Mosteller led the nursing team and clinical operations, and Newton managed the Longhorn Wellness Center front desk.
Rene Rodriguez and Erich Geiger (University Housing and Dining) at Rodriguez's retirement celebration
The University Housing and Dining team celebrated the retirement of Rene Rodriguez (22 years) on Jan. 28. Rodriguez managed dining hall operations in J2 and Kins Dining.