27-16 new.qxp

OPINION
ON CAMPUS
COMMUNITY
The Math, Science, Literacy,
and Writing Centers, and other
places to go on campus., p. ii
More places to be familiar
with on campus, p. iii
Say hOLA! to your orientation
leaders, p. iv
The
Mesa Journal
... the Award-winning newspaper of The University of Texas of the Permian Basin...
Summer 2009
Orientation Special Issue
Volume 27~ Issue 16
THE PRESIDENT WANTS YOU
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS OF THE PERMIAN BASIN
Dear Prospective Student,
Welcome to The University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Quality matters to us and to you. Newsweek and U.S. News and
World Report have both recognized UTPB for the excellence of our students and our academic programs. Many of our very best
professional programs have received "Gold Standard" accreditation: art, business, education and social work have all been
accredited. Ninety-eight percent of our graduates pass the Texas teacher certification tests. Quality counts.
You get the very best in education but at a very reasonable price. Our scholarship and financial aid opportunities are
focused on making sure that you get a superb education at a reasonable price. For students who are Pell eligible and whose
families make less than $60,000 a year, UTPB offers the Falcon Promise which can cover your tuition and fees for up to four
years. This includes all students: new freshmen, transfers, and continuing students. Contact Financial Aid at 432-552-2620 for
more information or stop by in the Mesa Building Room 1225.
With our low faculty-student ratio, you are assured the opportunity to work with faculty on a personal basis. To
help you excel at the highest possible level, we offer the Writing Center, Math and Science Center, the Literacy Center
and Supplemental Instruction at no charge to students.
Falcon Athletics are becoming even more exciting. We participate in 11 intercollegiate sports, including soccer,
volleyball, cross country, swimming, basketball, softball and baseball. UTPB is a member of the NCAA II Heartland
Conference. Last year we won conference championships in volleyball and baseball.
There are lots of activities for students with Intramurals, in Housing, in the Student Union and with our Program
Board events. And there are plenty of clubs for students to join.
UT Permian Basin has some real advantages to offer students:
· We give personal attention to our students.
· Our faculty is excellent and cares about students.
· We have apartment-style housing.
· We provide a quality education experience.
Housing at UT Permian Basin is even more exciting. Our apartment-style housing promises students a really great home away from home. Every student can have
a private bedroom in an apartment with living room, full kitchen facilities, free utilities, cable and internet. Each building has laundry facilities. The Clubhouse has a
workout room, a video theater, study rooms and computers for students. At UT
Permian Basin Housing, you get your privacy, while living with other students in an
environment with lots of things to do. We also have housing for families, as well as single, older students.
We want you to come and be a part of UT Permian Basin. It's a great university in a great place to live.
Sincerely,
W. David Watts
UT Permian Basin President
Welcome from the
Mesa Journal staff
Welcome from Dr. Lara
Vice President of Student Services
Maybe you’re a first time freshman, or coming back to school
after a long time away. Either way, it’s easy to be overwhelmed
by entry into college life. So we here at the MJ thought we’d let
you know that you chose a good place to be.
UTPB doesn’t just have a reputation for excellence; it can be
a fun place to be, too! The last few years have produced new
clubs and organizations to join, our sports teams are recognized
by the NCAA Division II, and our students and faculty are
friendly and helpful. In addition, UTPB has a pretty awesome
newspaper, produced by college students like yourself.
Whenever you start getting lost or confused, look for The Mesa
Journal. Not only do we provide news on current events, but
we also cover issues that are important to college students. Our
paper is distributed every two weeks during the school year,
and once a month during the summer. And if you see any of
our happy faces on campus, don’t hesitate to come up to us and
tell us what’s going on in your life. We’re always looking for
news and stories, so don’t be afraid to tell us your triumphs,
your latest gripes, or just what you did last weekend. Hey, look
at you! You’ve already got 6 new friends at UTPB!
Best,
The Mesa Journal summer staff
The Mesa Journal
e-m
mail: [email protected]
Staff
Editor-iin-C
Chief: Kristen Gipson
Interim Assistant Editor: Renae Ludrick
Staff Writer: Kelly Wingert, Dianne Leyva
Layout & Design: Kristen Gipson
Photographer: Romelia Elguezabal
Business Manager: Kenneth Bitner
Advisor: Dr. Nichole Rougeau-Vanderford
General Information:
The Mesa Journal is a student publication that provides information, commentary, and entertainment for The University of
Texas of the Permian Basin community. Editorial statements
and advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of UT
Permian Basin adminstration.
ii
, The Mesa Journal
On Campus
Orientation 2009
Around Your Campus
The University Writing Center
By RENAE LUDRICK helping you get started on a
Interim Assistant Editor paper, if you have writer’s
The writing center is
here
for
students.
Whether you are working on a paper for ENGL
1301 or 1302 or preparing a speech, presentation, or paper in any
class, the writing center
can help. The center is
staffed with peer tutors
who can help students
with anything from
understanding a grammar rule to finding and
developing a thesis to
block. By using the writing
center, students can help
avoid the pitfalls of procrastination, the usual stress which
accompanies writing a paper,
and learn how to document
sources properly so as to
avoid plagiarism.
"When students come in
and use the writing center for
whatever reason they need to,
their essays are going to be
better when they leave.
Students can come in here
with any essay, any kind of
writing, personal, professional
or academic" said Kellye
Manning Writing Center
director.
The Writing Center is located on the second floor of the
Mesa Building, directly across
from the elevators. Though
walk-ins
are
welcome,
appointments are preferred,
especially closer to finals, or if
the student desires a regular
appointment time (weekly, for
example). Appointments can
be made in person or by
phone call (552-2659).
First-time students should
come with a copy of their
assignment and any rough
drafts or notes that they have
made.
photo by Romey Elguezabal
The Math and Science Center
By RENAE LUDRICK
Interim Assistant Editor
The Math and Science Center is specially designed to help students who
may need extra help in any math or science class. The center is staffed by peer
tutors who understand the material
being taught in any math or science class
and assist students in understanding
and retaining the material being taught.
The UMSC offers group or individualize
instructional services, and technical
materials to enhance students' knowledge and skills, test performance, and
course retention. The Fall semesters
hours for the UMSC are Monday Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Friday
8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00
a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Did You know?
The Mesa Building is abbreviated
MB, and you can find your classroom easily by looking at its number. For example, 3222 will be on
the third floor (3222), across the
breezeway from the elevators
(indicated by the second 2).
photo by Kristen Gipson
Jill Miller is the head of the Math/Science Center, locatedin MB 4180. The
UMSC is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00am to 8:00pm, Friday
8:00am to 1:00pm, and Saturday 10:00am to 2:00pm
The PASS Office
By KRISTEN GIPSON
Editor-in-Chief
The PASS Office is a center of oppportunities for
UTPB students. They offer
counseling, in addition to
tutoring
with
SI
(Supplemental Instruction)
tutors, and they even provide accomodations to students with disabilities.
The PASS Office is located
in the Courtyard, in MB
1160, and in the fall they are
open from 8:00 a.m.- 9:00
p.m., Monday through
Thursday, 8:00 a.m.- 5:00
p.m. on Fridays, and from
10:00-5:00 in the fall.
Counseling helps students
adjust to university life, as
well as teaching students to
take notes, study strategies,
and how to improve their
test-taking readiness.
photo by Romey Elguezabal
The Literacy Center
By RENAE LUDRICK
Interim Assistant Editor
The literacy center is designed
to help students get the most
from the material they are
reading. Offering a wide variety of sessions ranging from
note-taking strategies to time
management to vocabulary
development the literacy center can help students with
almost any class. The literacy
center
offers
assistance
through programs, and for
more information please visit
the center at room MB 4180.
photo by Kristen Gipson
Orientation 2009
On Campus
The Mesa Journal,
iii
Places To Know
Academic Advising
By KRISTEN GIPSON
Editor-in-Chief
Since the average college
student is said to switch
majors at least 1.5 times in
their academic career, the Arts
and
Sciences
Academic
Advising Center assigns a faculty advisor to each student in
the College of Arts and
Sciences. The student receives
this information in a letter,
and is then responsible for
contacting that advisor. The
two then work in tandem to
devise a career plan for the
student, making the whole
college experience easier to
deal with.
However, the Advising
Center does its job in advising
all students who have not yet
declared a major, and will
assist the student or faculty
advisor if any questions arise
that the pair do not know how
to answer without help.
Each advisor gives helpful,
courteous, and efficient advice
to students, to plan out their
educational objectives and fulfill their academic requirements in a timely manner.
The Advising Office is located
next to the UTPB bookstore.
photo by Romey Elguezabal
The Admissions Office
By KRISTEN GIPSON
Editor-in-Chief
The Admissions Office is
one of the first stops for any
UTPB student. The goal of the
office is to provide quick,
friendly, and efficient service
to incoming or transferring
students.
For more information, visit
the office in person.
Easy
parking can be found in the
Devonian Entrance Parking
Lot, adjacent to the library.
Financial Aid Office
By KRISTEN GIPSON
Editor-in-Chief
Did You Know?
While many classes are held in
the Mesa Building (MB), many
are also held in the Founder’s
Building (FB), and the Gym
Annex Building (GAB). Scout
your classes out ahead of time, so
you know which building they’re
in.
The goal of the
Financial Aid office is to
provide information and
opportunities to students
to make their college
career affordable. Their
staff is trained to answer
questions about the different types of financial
aid, how to apply, and
how to make the whole
process as quick and easy
as possible.
For more
information, visit the
office in person, at MB
1225.
photo by Romey Elguezabal
The J. Conrad Dunagan Library Registrar’s & Accounting
By KRISTEN GIPSON
Editor-in-Chief
By KRISTEN GIPSON
Editor-in-Chief
The J. Conrad Dunagan
Library opened in January
2001. A full-service library, the
building occupies over 65,000
square feet and has a seating
capacity for over 400 students.
The library features workstations, copy machines, microforms, and research stations,
the university has a large generally circulating collection, in
addition to a K-12 textbook
collection, a Youth Books section, and archives. There are
also study rooms, which are
available to any UTPB student
group to use.
In addition to these
resources, the library has two
large lectures halls, which are
used to house large classes
and to host events on the
UTPB campus, such as the JBS
Lecture Series.
The library is adjacent to the
Mesa Building, and has its
own parking lot.
The office of the registrar
and Accounting work together to help students get ready
for classes. The registrar’s
photo by Romey Elguezabal
office will allow students to
sign up for classes, and
accounting answers any questions about payment of tuition
and fees for the students.
Students can also register and
pay for classes online on
Campus Connect.
photo by Romey Elguezabal
iv
Community
,The Mesa Journal
Orientation, 2009
Get to Know Your
Orientation Leaders
Pauline Botchway
Classification:
Junior
Hometown:
Arlington, TX
Hobbies: Playing
sports, working out,
cooking, watching
Disney, dancing
Most Embarrassing Moment:
When I fell on the dance floor.
Erica S. Juarez
Classificaiton: Senior
Hometown, Jal, NM
Hobbies: Watching
reading about political news, watching
classic movies, reading drama mystery
novels and sleeping
Most Embarrassing Moment: I fell
going up the stairs at my high school
graduation!
Alek Estrada
Classification:
Sophomore
Hometown: San
Antonio
Hobbies: Eating txiw
Most Embarrassing
moment: got locked
out of my room with only a towel on
Brittany West
Classification:
Freshmen
Hometown:
Monahans
Hobbies: Anything
fun, listening to
music, dancing and
going to concerts
Most embarrassing moment: thinking
[my friend] was in the car behind
me...I almost got into a strangers car!
Mattie Cottrell
Classification:
Sophomore
Hometown: Seminole
Hobbies: facebooking,
myspacing and xboxing (yes, I did indeed
add "ing" to the things
I like).
Most embarrassing moment: I put on
my mom's lipstick thinking it was
Chapstick. Awkward.
Alozie Ujohtu
Classification:
Freshman
Hometown:
Sugarland, Houston
Hobbies: Soccer
Most embarrassing
moment: walked
down the runway in oversized
clothes, but I had no choice.
John Escontrias
Classification:
Sophomore
Hometown: Odessa,
TX
Hobbies: playing
music and sitting
down for countless
hours
Most embarrassing moment: broke
my wrist showing off to people.
Jazmin Sanchez
Classification: Junior
Hometown: Presidio
TX/Ojinaga Chih
Hobbies: Dance,
read, watch the
Disney channel,
myspace, and hang
with friends
Most embarrassing moment: everyday is an embarrassing moment
(too many).
Becky Gardner
Classification:
Junior
Hometown: Odessa
Hobbies: Anything
that gets me outdoors
Most embarrassing
moment: back my suburban into a
gas meter.
Ciclalik Delgado
Classification: Senior
Hometown: presidio,
TX / Ojinaga
Chihuahua
Hobbies: Dancing
Most embarrassing
moment: I fell in front
of a group of students while at a
ceremony.
Whitney Parks
Classification:
Sophomore
Hometown: Snyder
Hobbies: drawing,
painting, sewing
Most embarrassing
moment: Tripping up
the stairs between classes so everyone saw.
Ernest Amaya
Classification:
Sophomore
Hometown: Lubbock
Hobbies: music and
games
Most embarrassing
moment: losing my
keys only to find them in my ignition
Kelby Giesler
Classification: Senior
Hometown: Odessa
Hobbies: cheerleading, sports
Most embarrassing
moment: I was at
sonic and saw my
ex-bf, and tried to pull away smoothly... I stepped on the gas and my
side mirror hit the Sonic sign... and
broke my mirror and the sign.
Adri Andrade
Classification:
Sophomore
Hometown: Andrews,
TX
Hobbies: Shopping,
scrapbooking, having
fun!
Most embarrassing moment: Calling
the locksmith.... it ended up not
being my car and my keys were in
my purse!
ALL PHOTOS BY ROMEY ELGUEZABAL
Start Your College Career
with some free stuff!
1. What service provides a tutor to review your written essays?
2. What is your advisor’s name?
3. Get an orientation leader’s autograph.
4. What are the library’s hours on Saturdays?
5. Name the location (building and number) of one of the computer labs on campus.
6. What is UTPB’s mascot?
7. Where do you go to pay a parking ticket?
8. Who is the director of the PASS office?
9. Name one of the current UTPB construction projects.
10. How many bike racks are located on UTPB’s main campus?
Name
______________________
Phone Number_________________
Address ______________________
______________________
Answer the questions correctly and
you will be eligible for a drawing to win
a Jersey Girl gift card. Be sure to
include your name and contact
information. Drop your entry off at the
Mesa Journal office (MB 2138, in the
student union) by the last day of your
orientation.