The Office of Development and Alumni Relations seeks volunteers to serve as digital ambassadors for Comets Giving Day, coming up Tuesday, April 3.

Digital ambassadors share messages, using hashtags #COMETogetherUTD and #UTDGivingDay to create interest about the event before and during the campaign. Last year, 29 ambassadors raised more than $18,000 from 219 gifts received.

Prizes will be awarded to the ambassadors who raise the most money and receive the largest number of donations.

Sign up on the website or email Brennae Wright, assistant director of annual giving, for more information.

The Office of Human Resources Benefits Services team would like to remind you that the UT System has five approved retirement providers with which you can invest your ORP, UTSaver TSA, and UTSaver DCP contributions. You may select one or all five, depending on your investment and service needs.

Representatives or agents of approved retirement vendors are required to sign and comply with the Retirement Program Sales Solicitation Agreement. Unapproved agents and providers should not be contacting you by email or phone at work. For more information, contact the HR-Benefits team at [email protected].

The Galerstein Gender Center invites the campus community to attend the following events celebrating Women’s History Month.

Dr. Alice Eagly, a psychology professor at Northwestern University, will present “Women as Leaders: Do They Make a Difference?” from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Monday, March 19, in MC 2.404.

The Women's History Month Luncheon at noon on Wednesday, March 21, in MC 4.4 features Dr. Juliet García, the first Mexican-American woman to serve as president of a U.S. college or university. Registration is required.

The CommuniTEA series continues at noon on Tuesday, March 27, with “An Unruly Lecture with Anne Helen Petersen” in JSOM 1.118. Petersen’s latest book will be discussed.

All departments are invited to participate in the sixth annual Raising Cans, a food drive and art competition that benefits the Comet Cupboard. The competition will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, April 6, in the Visitor Center and University Bookstore atrium.

Groups create sculptures with nonperishable food items they collected before the event. Participating teams will receive Comet Cupboard prizes and a free lunch.

Register by Friday, March 23. For questions about the event, email [email protected] or call Elissa Colich at 972-883-2950.

The Practice Tee will host UT Dallas Day from 5:15 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10. Students, faculty and staff are invited to enjoy free food, drinks and the use of the facility’s putting green, par-3 course and driving range. Golf clubs will be provided.

The Department of Environmental Health and Safety’s Records Management Program is partnering with a new shredding vendor, Corporate Records Management, to provide all secured shred bins on campus. The company will also collect the bins for the monthly Secured Shredding Service.

If your department is in need of a permanent or temporary shred bin, or if you have questions about this service, email Records Management or call 972-883-4111.

When it comes to record destruction, please remember:

The Office of Human Resources’ Employee Benefits Services team invites you to a Social Security Seminar by the Lincoln Financial Group from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 22, in Galaxy Rooms A and B (SU 2.602). E. Lawrence Smith, Lincoln Financial advisor, and Janet Mooney, Lincoln Financial retirement consultant, will discuss how Social Security works, benefit collection, retirement planning and more. Space is limited to 100 participants, so register online to reserve a spot. Email Nora Peña for more information.

The Office of Student Volunteerism and the Office of Sustainability will celebrate Earth Week (April 16-20) with interactive and educational events. All events are on campus and open to students, faculty and staff.

Highlights include a Sustainability in Research panel at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, in TI Auditorium (ECSS 2.102) and the Earth Fair at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 19, at the Plinth, featuring booths, giveaways and Dining Services’ Pop Up Farmers’ Market.

In recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness month, the Student Health Center and Turning Point Rape Crisis Center will host a viewing of “The Hunting Ground” at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10, in the SSA Auditorium (SSA 13.330). The viewing supports the launch of the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program, which will offer free sexual assault exams to faculty, staff and students. This program is the first of its kind on the campus of a North Texas college.

TIAA, a UT System retirement vendor, is offering free Financial Wellness Education Webinars to all employees through Thursday, March 15. Sign up for a session at www.tiaa.org/webinars.

The Office of Research Compliance will host a training session on “Consent Language and a Participant’s Perspective” at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 21, in the McDermott Library (MC 2.404). This IRB Protocol Assistance Workshop concerns researchers’ duty to confirm participants are well-informed about the purpose, procedures, and what is required of them when enrolling in a research study. Consent documents and procedures, the “reasonable person” standard, and effective communication about a study will be discussed. Register here.

The Office of Research Compliance is sponsoring an Institutional Review Board training presentation, “Best Practices For Success: A Research Coordinator's Perspective,” at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 28, in the McDermott Library (MC 2.404). Two research coordinators from the Center of Vital Longevity will share suggestions for day-to-day operations of a busy lab, and effectively organizing data and records to ensure compliance with federal regulations and institutional policy. Registration is required.

As part of the Employee Wellness stress-management series, join fitness instructors James Clark and Elaine Pendleton from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday, April 16, in Galaxy Rooms A and B (SU 2.602) for an hour of yoga and tai chi. Healthy snacks and refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP to [email protected] by Thursday, April 12.

March is National March Into Literacy Month, and the Office of Student Volunteerism is collecting new and gently used books for Friends of the Richardson Library, a local nonprofit. Books for any age reader will be accepted throughout March, including textbooks, comic books, graphic novels, audiobooks and foreign language material.

Donation boxes are in the OSV Office (SSA 14.431T), the Administration Building’s second-floor lobby near the elevators, the Student Union first-floor lobby, the Residence Hall North lobby and the ECS Student Services Office (ECSS 2.502).

Contact Risk Management to Report Campus Incidents
Environmental Health and Safety reminds staff and faculty members who are involved in an accident or incident on campus to report the information as soon as possible to Annette Rogers and David Liner in the Risk Management department. If an employee is injured during the course and scope of employment, they need to report it to Risk Management/EHS because it may result in a Workers’ Compensation claim.

Incidents in parking lots or property damage to objects, such as parked cars or light poles, also should be reported. Risk Management tracks and investigates all incidents on campus, so it can make recommendations to improve campus safety and ensure compliance with regulations.

Spirit Fridays, Eat for $5 at Dining Hall West
Faculty and staff members who wear orange, green or UT Dallas-branded clothing on Fridays can eat lunch at Dining Hall West (DHW) for just $5 plus tax from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Spirit shuttles are available from Lot R in front of the Administration Building to DHW during these times.

Nominate Peers for Spring 2018 CARE Awards
Staff Council is accepting nominations for its CARE Awards for the spring semester. The awards honor staff members whose commitment to quality work serves the University’s mission. To receive a nomination form, email [email protected]. Nominations will be open through Saturday, March 31.