University of Texas at Dallas
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University of Texas at Dallas |
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| Motto | Disciplina praesidium civitatis |
| Established | 1961 |
| Type | State university |
| President | Dr. David Daniel |
| Faculty | 696 (Fall 2005) |
| Undergraduates | 9,353 |
| Postgraduates | 5,068 |
| Location | Richardson, Texas, USA |
| Campus | Suburban, 455 acres (1.8 km²) |
| Endowment | $195.7 million |
| Colors | Green and orange |
| Mascot | Temoc |
| Website | www.utdallas.edu |
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 adjacent to the city of Dallas' northern 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 of the school sometimes exceed that of UT Austin[citation needed], the flagship university in the system (the average SAT score of incoming UTD fall 2005 freshmen was 1240). 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. [1] UTD is located in the heart of Telecom Corridor, and has its roots in the development of the Metroplex's high tech industry.
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[edit] 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) 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.
[edit] 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)
[edit] Campus
Although a relatively new campus, it has grown by leaps and bounds. Having more room than the UT System's flagship school[citation needed], University of Texas at Austin, there is plenty room for growth. 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.
[edit] 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. Three buildings have modern styling. They are the Engineering and Computer Science building, the School of Management, and the new Natural Science and Engineering Research 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 building, 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 have classrooms. The Jonsson building also featured unusual decor as recently as 2001, as the wallpaper in some offices and ampitheaters resembled a vellux blanket.
[edit] 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 tiles has been completed.
[edit] Residential housing
On-campus housing for students is provided in Waterview Park, generally referred to simply as Waterview, a complex of 1,297 apartments. 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 [2]. 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.
[edit] Building plans
- As of 2006, a state of the art $85 million Natural Science and Engineering Research Building is nearing completion 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
[edit] Additional information
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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.[1]
To support UTD teams and build school spirit, UTD has the Power Dancers and cheerleaders that are lovingly called "hale boppers".
[edit] 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.
[edit] Intramural sports
UTD has grown as a collegiate level flag football powerhouse. Its 2004 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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.
- Mehul Thakker - Green Party candidate for California State Treasurer 2006.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Unbeaten Comets Upset D1 UT-Arlington December 30, 2006. Retrieved January 10, 2007
Categories: Articles lacking sources from March 2007 | All articles lacking sources | Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | American Southwest Conference | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools | Universities and colleges in the Dallas-Fort Worth area | University of Texas System
