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Early Spring Issue - February/March 2012
From the Desk of the President Dear parents,
College is a journey, and as we all know, it is an arduous and expensive odyssey. The topic in many recent newspaper headlines has been "is college too expensive?" As someone who put himself through college and law school, graduated with a substantial amount of debt, and who is currently putting two children through college, I am keenly aware of the cost. I suggest, though, that we are asking the wrong question. We should be asking, "Are we getting our money's worth?" Read more...
Howdy! While Spring has not quite sprung at UD, we are certainly enjoying the mild days winter has given us. This spring semester offers many fun and exciting events -- one just for you - the families of UD students. On March 23-25, 2012, we will host Family Weekend and we look forward to welcoming you back to campus. It is a great way for the entire family to share in your student's UD odyssey and experience what it means to be part of the UD Crusader Family. Check out the Family Weekend webpage for more information and to RSVP.
Sincerely,
Valerie Landrum
Assistant Director of Student and Parent Services
Academic Success Office 
The Academic Success Office, a department established in August 2011, is arguably the University’s best-kept secret. It was the brainchild of a committee whose focus was on increasing the retention rate.
Brandon Jones, academic success advisor, helps students with their time management and study skills, and emphasizes that he is here to help everyone. Read more...
Admissions Aspiring Scholars Preview
In February, the Office of Admission will host a major visit event for high school juniors and their families. Aspiring Scholars Preview will take place February 24-25 and will  include the opportunity for these visitors to see what UD has to offer while learning key lessons about the college admission process. Visiting students will be exposed to a day in the life of a UD student by being given the opportunity to sit in real UD classes, attend mass, eat lunch in Haggar Café, walk campus with a student tour guide, meet professors, and even stay overnight in a freshman residence hall. They will also have a chance to compete for the Aspiring Scholars Award Program scholarship by taking a two-hour exam based on the Core curriculum. The Admission and Financial Aid staff, student workers, and Freshman Admission Volunteers are looking forward to hosting these students for an insightful, fun, and memorable event. You can sign up and read more about it here. Athletics  The University of Dallas is a first-year member of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC).
Click here for important dates for spring sports.
Additional information can be found on the UD Athletic social media sites:
Facebook : University of Dallas Athletics (Official)
Twitter : UDallasSports
Campus Ministry Crusader Awakening
Campus Ministry is very excited to host Crusader Awakening #4, March 16th-18th. Crusader Awakening is a peer-led retreat that focuses on creating a greater awareness of the Mystical Body of Christ. The retreat's theme this year is Matthew 5:14, "you are the light of the world." On the retreat we will be spending some time off campus, reflecting upon this verse and its importance in our lives. Crusader Awakening is a weekend to pray, receive the Sacraments, and reinvigorate our spiritual lives in community with fellow UD students. More information can be found here.
Men's & Women's Groups
Undergraduate men and women gather weekly to share and further their faith life. Read more....
Career Services Update The Spring 2012 semester is off to a flying start in Career Services. Many of our students, graduating seniors, and recent graduates are finding tremendous success in their job and internship searches! University of Dallas candidates have recently accepted positions at Ogilvy and Mather in New York, GE Capital Finance, Accenture, the Fort Worth Modern Museum of Art, Aberg Center for Literacy, and others. Others have recently interviewed or will be interviewing with the FBI, the CIA, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, and more. Read more...
Counseling Corner Why Counseling? 
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3:1) Read more...
Countdown to Commencement  If your student is a graduating senior, he/she will need to start thinking about preparations for commencement. With coursework and extracurricular activities keeping them busy, May 13th will sneak up on them in a hurry. Your student will need to order a cap and gown (February 28-29 - no additional cost). Information will be available then about the purchase of graduation announcements. They will also need to check with the Registrar's Office to make sure they are on the graduation list, and complete Exit Counseling if they have borrowed federal loans (see the Financial Aid section). Read more...
Financial Aid Office The Office of Financial Aid would like to remind all parents that the Priority Deadline for submitting your FAFSA ( http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ ) is March 1st. If you have not yet completed your 2011 taxes, you can submit your FAFSA using estimates (based on your 2010 taxes). Two weeks after you have filed your 2011 taxes, your can make corrections to the FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval tool to bring in information directly from your tax return. Those students who submit their FAFSA prior to March 1st are much more likely to be considered for need based funds like work study which tend to run out quickly.
If you are the parent of a graduating senior who has borrowed federal loans during their time at UD, the Office of Financial Aid will contact your student prior to graduation asking them to complete Exit Counseling. Exit Counseling can be completed at www.nslds.ed.gov. This website also provides a great resource for students to see an overview of the federal loans they have borrowed while at UD. Students who have borrowed federal loans must complete Exit Counseling to receive their diploma and official transcripts. Midterm Exams Midterm exams are the week of February 27 - March 3. Students should remember to attend tutoring when needed and always speak to their professors when help is needed. You can also advise your student to contact Brandon Jones, Academic Success Advisor, for help with time management and study techniques. UD Rec and Sports UD Rec and Sports is offering a wide variety of new and exciting recreational classes and sports to help your student have fun and stay active this spring! In addition to the  popular Zumba and boxing classes, we have added P90X, Yoga and sailing! Whether it is dodge ball, basketball, soccer or tennis, we have something to suit everyone's recreational needs. We've also partnered with UT Southwestern Medical Center to present Fit Fridays, a weekly lecture series that focuses on nutrition. Check out the rec program website for more information on all the upcoming classes, intramural sports and activities. Rome  The spring 2012 Rome class is packing its bags for their first educational trip of the semester. This is one of three extended trips scheduled for the months ahead, and its destination is Umbria, the virtual heart of Italy. The Umbrian cities of Orvieto and Assisi - two of Italy's most charming, historic and beloved cities - are on the itinerary. Read more...
Spring Drama Production March 22-April 1, the Drama Department will present Arcadia by Tom Stoppard and directed by Stefan Novinski. 
This brilliant play moves smoothly between the centuries and explores the nature of truth and time, the difference between classical and romantic temperaments, and the disruptive influence of sex on our life orbits the attraction Newton left out. Arcadia was the winner of the 1995 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play and the 1994 Olivier Award.
For reservations click here. Student Account Services Payment plan is due on the 15th of each month. A $30 late payment fee will be assessed after the 15th of each month. 1098T tax forms have been mailed. They are also available on CASHNET and BannerWeb. Questions?...contact bursar@udallas.edu . Student Activities 
Student Clubs & Orgs have hit the ground running this spring semester! One of our largest and most active organizations is Crusaders for Life. You can read more about CFL below and find out more information about our current clubs and organizations by visiting udallas.edu/clubsandorgs.
Read more about Crusaders for Life
Student Health @ UD Take care of your heart this Valentine's Day. While Valentine's Day is all about hearts, it does not have to be just about the 'lovey-dovey' kind. Valentine's Day can also be about taking care of your own heart.
Here are a couple of ways you can encourage your student to focus on loving his/her heart this Valentine's Day.
Groundhog Day Celebration  More than 1,000 students and alum attended the 'Party in the Park' Groundhog celebration. The festivities began Thursday evening with Groundhog TGIT. The following morning students woke up early to partake in the free breakfast. The 5K run on Saturday morning drew huge crowds. The upperclassmen were defeated by underclassmen in the Powder Puff football game. Click here to view slideshow
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Important Dates February 15
Payment Plan Due
February 24-25
Aspiring Scholars Weekend
February 27-March 3
Midterm Exam Period
February 28-29
Senior Cap & Gown Measuring
March 5-9
Spring Break
Residence Halls close March 3 at 10:00 a.m. and DO NOT reopen until 8 a.m. March 11
Alternative Spring Break
March 15
Payment Plan Due
March 16-18
Crusader Awakening
March 23-25
Family Weekend
Meet Us @ the Tower I
March 30
Last Day to Withdraw
April 2-17
Class Registration for Fall & Summer
April 6-9
Easter Break
Halls open - food service ends with lunch on April 5 and resumes with dinner on April 9
April 10
Classes resume
April 10-13
Fall Housing Registration Week
April 13-14
Meet Us @ the Tower II
April 15
Payment Plan Due
May 3
Last day of class
May 5
Final exams begin
May 10
Final exams end
Food service ends with dinner
May 11
Residential areas close at 10 am
May 13
Commencement
Family Weekend Make your plans now to attend Family Weekend, March 23 - 25, 2012. The weekend will be full of great events showcasing the many talents and wonderful contributions of our students and faculty.
Click here to view the schedule
Click here to RSVPStudent Spotlight  Senior education major Patricia Russo comes to UD from Cleveland, Ohio. Her family is related to the legendary Tom Braniff, who was her grandfather’s uncle. It is because of this connection that Patricia’s mother decided to come to UD and in turn that Patricia herself ended up here. Read more...
Alumni Spotlight The Museum of Nature & Science has named HR veteran Mike Costello to serve in the newly formed position of vice president of human resources. Costello, who reports to Museum CEO Nicole G. Small, assumed his duties on October 25, 2011. Read more... Faculty Spotlight  Professor Charles Sullivan: 2012 King Fellow
Sullivan recalls his journey to UD, and why being named the King Fellow is another challenge for him to improve and do his best. "I greatly appreciate my time at UD. It has offered a good environment." Read more...
Noteworthy News The Haggar Cafe to undergo major renovations this summer - Read more...
Did you know that textbooks and course materials may be tax credits you can claim? Read more...
Has your student's permanent address or contact information changed? If so, please have him/her login to BannerWeb and update the information. For instructions on updating contact information click here. New Student Orientation 2012 Orientation Leader Applications Now Available
Would your student make a good Orientation Leader (OL)?
These positions are critical to retention, the transition from the Admission Office to the student body, and building the community and pride for UD in the freshman class. Therefore, these positions will be highly competitive and selective. This position will be as beneficial to OLs as it is to the incoming students. We have some exciting new benefits and opportunities for those who are chosen to be an OL: - A one hour internship credit will be available for the OL positions through Career Services. - In an effort to help students build up their resumes and gain the most experience they can from this position, we’ll be doing some leadership training as part of the OL training the week of orientation. We will be developing skills that future employers will be looking for on a resume. - OLs get to know key staff on campus that can lead to recommendation letters and references for future jobs/graduate schools. - This position is a great stepping stone for future opportunities on campus (SPUD, SG, tour guides/Student Ambassador, RA, etc).
Please encourage your student to check out the Orientation Leader application webpage for more information. Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission The Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission created several videos to assist with community and law enforcement education related to alcohol and why it is important to pay attention to what is being consumed. The short educational videos can be viewed here.   Question of the Month
Would you prefer Family Weekend for the 2012-2013 academic year to take place in the fall or spring? Click here to respond. |
