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'The University of Texas at Dallas', often called 'UT Dallas' or 'UTD', is a university in the University of Texas System. Despite its name, the UTD main campus is located in the Dallas suburb of Richardson, Texas, just north of the Dallas city limits. However, a satellite location (the Callier Center for Communication Disorders) of UT Dallas is located adjacent to the UT Southwestern campus, in central Dallas. Known for its computer science, engineering, management, and behavioral/brain sciences programs among others, the average SAT scores are the highest of any public university in the state[4]. It ranks third among public universities in Texas in the percentage of National Merit Scholars in its freshman class. UTD also is known for its graduate programs in international management, economics and political economy, which offer both masters and doctoral programs. [5] UTD is located in the heart of Telecom Corridor, and has its roots in the development of the Metroplex's high tech industry.

Contents

History

University presidents

Traditions

Campus

Typical architecture

Landscaping

Residential housing

Building plans

Additional information

UTD in popular culture

Athletics

Intramural sports

Football team

Debate Team

Chess team

Academic programs

Industrial Practice Program

Notable alumni

External links

References

History

The university was originally started as a research arm of Texas Instruments as the Graduate Research Center of the Southwest in 1961. The institute (by then renamed the Southwest Center for Advanced Studies) which at the time was located at Southern Methodist University(SMU) was later donated to the University of Texas system by its founders Eugene McDermott, Cecil Howard Green and J. Erik Jonsson. By law, UTD conferred only graduate degrees until 1975. Upper-division undergraduate students were allowed to start enrolling in UTD starting in 1974. Eventually freshmen and sophomores were allowed by legislative decree in 1990.

University presidents

★ Francis S. Johnson, interim (1969-1971)

★ Bryce Jordan (1971-1981)

★ Alexander L. Clark, interim (1981-1982)

★ Robert Rutford (1982-1994)

★ Franklyn Jenifer (1994-2005)

★ David E. Daniel (2005-present)

Traditions

Some of the traditions that give UT Dallas its distinctive flavor are:

★ Alma Mater

★ Temoc

★ Homecoming

★ Annual Oozeball Tournament

★ Ceremonial Mace

★ Legacy Lane

★ Welcome Week

★ Sounds of Class

★ Family Day

Campus

Although a relatively new campus, it has grown by leaps and bounds. Having more room than the UT System's flagship school, University of Texas at Austin, there is plenty room for growth^[1]. Future development for the land can be found in UTD's Master Plan as created in 2003. The area controlled by UTD totals 866 acres (3.5 km²), with half of that (460 acres or 1.9 km²) designated as the real limit to "campus" development. The remainder is held and strategically subdivided and sold over time to increase the University's endowment.

Typical architecture

There are three distinct styles on the university's campus. Many of the buildings are a dull off-white precast concrete with bronze glass and bronze aluminum frames. There are also two prefabricated storage units that serve as classrooms for many of the advanced math and science courses. Examples of modern styling on campus are the Engineering and Computer Science building, the School of Management, the activities center, Cecil and Ida Green Center, the administration building and the new Natural Science and Engineering Research Lab building. These are unique in appearance, with marbled floors, large glass windows, unorthodox layouts, and in the case of the Natural Science and Engineering Research Lab, rather colorful.
There are several features of the buildings worth noting. Many of the buildings are connected by a series of aerial walkways, so it is possible to walk from one side of campus to the other without exiting the buildings. The layout of the Jonsson building is particularly unusual, as its first and second floors are split by the Jonsson Performance Hall, the location of all University theatrical performances until the recent addition of the University Theater. The first floor of the Jonsson building holds a computer lab on the east side, and practice rooms on the west side. The second floor on both sides has classrooms. The Jonsson building also featured unusual decor as recently as 2001, as the wallpaper in some offices and amphitheaters resembled a vellux blanket.

Landscaping

Starting the weekend of Sept. 23, the 10 million dollar The UTD Campus Landscape Enhancement Project, largely funded by the wife of founder Eugene McDermott, is meant to enhance the current feel of campus. The project will encompass all aspects of landscaping on the 500 acre campus.
The first of several enhancements to be made will involve UTD’s campus perimeter and entrance roads, as well as the central plaza, where the major north-south and east-west pedestrian routes meet. Additions to the campus perimeter and entrance roads could include planting, fencing, landscaping, lighting and signage.
World-renowned landscaping firm Peter Walker and Partners is spearheading the project. PWP is also known for creating the 1000 acre Millennium Park in Sydney, Australia for the 2000 summer Olympics. They are also in charge of the World Trade Center Memorial Park. Other projects include the Nasher Sculpture Garden at the Dallas Museum of Arts.
Since the beginning of Daniel's tenure at UTD, a new fence has been erected (which was razed at the start of the Spring 2007 semester) around the back of the Visual Arts building, picnic tables erected near the Multi Purpose building, new campus signs have begun construction at both Waterview Pkwy. and Floyd Rd. intersecting with Campbell Rd, and repair to the walkway tile has been completed.

Residential housing

On-campus housing for students is provided in Waterview Park, generally referred to simply as Waterview, a complex of 1,297 apartments spread across 9 phases. Phase VIII houses all freshmen who choose to live on campus. Apartments are shared by up to four students, and have individual hygiene and cooking facilities, as well as wireless network access. Leisure facilities, including clubhouses and pools, are shared between the residents of each building.
Waterview has attracted a certain amount of controversy, being dubbed "the Dorm from Hell" in an April 2005 article in ''The Dallas Observer'' [6]. The article criticised the apartment complex as poorly designed, poorly maintained, and a hotbed of violent crime. ''The Dallas Observer's cover showed a man smothering a woman with chloroform, a reference to a rape that occurred in the apartment complex. The accuracy of the article has been called into question, since it was written by an investigative journalism class at nearby Southern Methodist University. University authorities took the allegations seriously enough to institute an internal inquiry. Recently $826,000 dollars in repairs were recommended by an inspection agency that was hired in response to this article. These repairs included things as simple as replacing bad smoke alarms and many other general repairs.

Building plans

★ In 2007, a state of the art $85 million Natural Science and Engineering Research Building was opened on the northern end of campus.

★ In August 2006, the UT System Board of Regents allocated $27 million for the construction of a new facility that will focus on research-based education in mathematics, science and engineering

★ A Greek Village; consisting of a Greek center to house offices, meeting rooms, guest quarters and study rooms, and Greek Lodgings

★ A cluster of modern dormitories, which would resemble suites

★ A new administration building

★ Expansion of classrooms and offices

★ The construction of a new visual and performing arts center

★ 6,000 additional parking spaces

Additional information

★ UTD's Master Plan (2003)

★ UTD's Master Plan as per the UTSystem

★ UTD's Strategic Plan

UTD in popular culture

The independent movie ''Primer'' was partially filmed at the University of Texas at Dallas in 2004 by Shane Carruth. The film went on to win the Grand Jury and the Alfred P. Sloan awards at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival.

Athletics

The University of Texas at Dallas athletics program started when UTD provisionally joined the NCAA Division III and the American Southwest Conference in 1998. UTD was granted full membership in the ASC in 2002, and since then the Comets have become perennial title contenders in several sports including men's and women's soccer, baseball, softball, men's basketball and most recently volleyball. Additionally, athletes from several individual sports have made their mark on conference competition.
During the 2002 inaugural season, the men's and women's soccer teams competed for conference championships. The women won the 2002 ASC title and UTD ended up hosting the conference tournament as well as the first round of NCAA playoffs in UTD's first year as active members. The success continued in 2003-04 when men's and women's soccer, men's basketball, baseball and softball all advanced to the post-season.
In 2005, the UTD Athletic Program claimed three ASC Championships: men's soccer and men's basketball as well as a co-championship in women's soccer. The men's soccer and basketball teams advanced to the NCAA Division III national playoffs in their sports. Baseball and softball also made its third consecutive appearance in the ASC post-season tournament.
In 2006, the Comets women's volleyball team claimed an ASC East Division regular season co-championship (shared with East Texas Baptist University). On 20 December, the Comets men's basketball team upset the University of Texas at Arlington Mavericks 78-76 at UT Arlington's Texas Hall and became the first Division III team to defeat a Division I basketball team during the 2006-2007 season.^[2]
To support UTD teams and build school spirit, UTD has the Power Dancers and cheerleaders that are lovingly called "hale boppers".

Intramural sports

The Overall Intramural Championship Award dubbed the Comet Cup, has been won by the Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity every year since its inception in 2002.
UTD has grown as a collegiate level flag football powerhouse. Its 2004 Women's intramural flag football champs, the Killer Bees, went on to defeat many NCAA Division I schools at the Texas regional tournament, including UT Austin (in a shut-out win) where they were crowned regional champs. They progressed to the national championships where they finished third at the National Tournament in New Orleans, beating college football powerhouses Nebraska and North Carolina State along the way.
UTD played host to the 2005 Texas Regional Flag Football Tournament Nov. 11-13.
UTD played host to the 2007 National Flag Football Tournament. UTD teams placed in the Top 8 in the Men's and Co-Rec Division and again defeated the University of Texas at Austin, maintaining dominance in the UT System.

Football team

The school has never participated in NCAA football. It is a running joke with students and alumni that their football team remains "undefeated". T-shirts featuring the school logo, a football, and the words "Still Undefeated" are sold at the campus bookstore.

Debate Team

Operating under the auspices of the the Office of Undergraduate Education, the UTD Debate Team is creating a tradition of success and excellence in college debate. The UTD debate team won the Cross Examination Debate Association's "Brady Lee Garrison Newcomer Sweepstakes Award" in Spring 1997. It has continued to grow into a nationally known and respected college debate team ever since then. The team hosted its first annual 'Fear and Loathing in Dallas' tournament in January 2004. It is now the largest annual regular season college tournament in the region with over 325 participants, coaches, and judges in attendance. UTD first qualified a team for the National Debate Tournament in 2004 and has qualified each year since. Members of UTD debate team come from across the country and most receive some level of merit-based scholarship.

Chess team

Nearly a decade ago, the university launched a chess program that quickly became a perennial contender for national championships. UTD's chess players have won or tied for the Pan American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship title, emblematic of the top college chess team in the Western Hemisphere, four out of the last five years. The university recruits worldwide for its chess team, and has been able to attract International Grandmaster level players.
In addition, students from UTD have enjoyed success in Destination ImagiNation, an international creative problem solving competition – including two first-place finishes in a global tournament held in June 2006.

Academic programs

UTD offers seven different academic programs with various specific and interdisciplinary concentrations, granting bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees:

School of Arts and Humanities				School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Arts and Humanities	BA			Psychology	BA
Arts and Performance	BA			Child and Learning Development	BS
Historical Studies	BA			Cognitive Science	BS
Literary Studies	BA			Neuroscience	BS
Arts and Technology	BA	MA, MFA		Speech Language Pathology and Audiology	BS
History		MA		Applied Cognition and Neurosciences		MS
Humanities		MA, MAT	PhD	Communication Disorders		MS
Aesthetic Studies		MA, MAT	PhD	Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders		MS
History of Ideas		MA, MAT	PhD	Psychological Sciences		MS	PhD
Studies in Literature		MA, MAT	PhD	Audiology			PhD
School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences				Cognition and Neuroscience			PhD
Criminology	BA	MA	PhD	Communication Sciences and Disorders			PhD
Economics	BA, BS		PhD	Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Sciences
Geography	BA			Computer Engineering	BS	MS	PhD
Political Science	BA		PhD	Computer Science	BS	MS	PhD
Sociology	BA			Electrical Engineering	BS	MS	PhD
Public Affairs	BS	MPA	PhD	Software Engineering	BS	MS	PhD
Applied Economics		MS		Telecommunications Engineering	BS	MS	PhD
Applied Sociology		MS		Microelectronics		MS	PhD
Geographic Information Systems		MS		Material Science and Engineering		MS	PhD
Geospatial Information Systems			PhD	School of General Studies
Public Policy and Political Economy			PhD	American Studies	BA
School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics				Gender Studies	BA
Biology	BA, BS			Interdisciplinary Studies	BA, BS	MA
Chemistry	BA, BS	MS	PhD	Teacher Certification
Geosciences	BA, BS	MS	PhD	School of Management
Physics	BA, BS	MS	PhD	Accounting and Information Management	BS	MS
Biochemistry	BS			Business Administration	BS	MBA
Mathematical Sciences	BS	MS		Finance	BS
Applied Mathematics	BS	MS	PhD	Healthcare Management		MS	PhD
Engineering Mathematics	BS	MS	PhD	Information Technology Management		MS
Statistics	BS	MS	PhD	Management and Administrative Sciences		MS
Mathematics Education		MAT		International Management Studies		MA	PhD
Science Education		MAT		Management Sciences			PhD
Biotechnology		MS
Molecular and Cell Biology		MS	PhD
Science Education			PhD

According to its own rankings, the School of Management ranks among the top 40 in the world in research (Study). Also, Financial Times ranks UTD's Executive MBA (EMBA) Program among the top 25 in the U.S. and the top 46 in the world.
The School of Economic, Political & Policy Sciences received approval for their M.A. and PhD Criminology Program October 26, 2006. This makes UTD the first university in Texas to implement a PhD Criminology program. Students are expected to begin classes January 2007.

Industrial Practice Program

UTD's Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science provides students with an internship/co-op program called the Industrial Practice Programs, or IPP. Employers registered with IPP send internship/co-op requests to the program. IPP then compiles a list of students whose skill sets match those required by the employer and sends the list to the employer for review.

Notable alumni

★ Harry D. Foster - Author of Assertion-Based Design and four other technical books; recipient of 2006 Accellera Technical Excellence Award; inventor of OVL (a form of assertion based verification); Chief Engineer for Mentor Graphics' Design Verification & Test Division; and serves as chair of the IEEE 1850 Property Specification Language (PSL) working group

★ Sam Gilliland - director, chairman, and CEO of Sabre Holdings Corporation; president and CEO of Travelocity

★ Alan Halliburton - president of Halliburton Investor Relations

★ David Hanson - robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) researcher; created the world's first expressive walking humanoid robot

★ Shannon Hughes - Runner-Up Finalist Cover Model on "SI Swimsuit Model Search" on NBC | UTD Mercury Article

★ Dipak C. Jain - dean of the Kellogg School of Management and professor of marketing

★ Melendy Lovett - president of Texas Instruments (TI) Educational & Productivity Solutions and senior vice president of TI

★ Richard D. McCullough - dean of the Mellon College of Science at Carnegie Mellon University

★ James F. Reilly - NASA astronaut, Geosciences PhD, MS, & BS from UTD

★ Molly Louise Shepard - American Playwright, B.A. Theatre, 1982, Dean's List.

★ Yury Shulman - Chess Grandmaster.

★ Mehul Thakker - Green Party candidate for California State Treasurer 2006.

External links

★ The University of Texas at Dallas

★ UTD Comets Athletics Home

★ ''The UTD Mercury''

★ UTD Callier Center

★ A Modest Proposal

★ UTD Debate Team Website

References

1. US News and World Report, "America's Best Colleges 2007"
2. Unbeaten Comets Upset D1 UT-Arlington December 30, 2006. Retrieved January 10, 2007