3XNTGRAD

My name is Lee Hughes. Graduated from NT three times (hence the screen name) -- BA English in 1987, MS Biology in 1994 and PhD Microbiology in 1998. Since they couldn't get rid of me, they had to hire me. I teach in the Biology department. Football is my sport (though I've made a number of basketball games over the last two years). Made it to UT, TCU, all home games, and the New Orleans bowl this year. My two sons (2 and 5 years old) have been fully indoctrinated (my wife says brainwashed) into Mean Green fan life and love to go to all the games. I'm on my 2nd consecutive year as a football season ticket holder (I was a student for so long that I didn't need them until recently) and in my first year as a Mean Green Club member. Looking forward to buying my season tickets for next year soon and probably moving up a notch on the Mean Green Club levels.

The location is not as important as having the connection to a law school. Graduate students (and professional students) are generally less connected to the general campus activities than are undergraduates anyway. They are too focused on their program. That doesn't mean they won't be connected to their graduate alma mater. They will be. But more importantly for UNT, we gain the access to a law school and the prestige associated with it. I hope it all works out for us. BTW, I mentioned this scenario to a friend of mine on campus over 6 weeks ago -- it was just wishful thinking at the time but I'm glad it is going that direction. Also -- anybody remember that the original name of that law school was "North Texas School of Law". We went to court to make them change it! Ironic -- isn't it.

Maybe -- at one of their myriad parties -- they could actually design a GREEN t-shirt that at least contained the school's name on it. Then, they could wear their greek letters AND support their school at the same time. But -- at least they did show up. I hope the guys in the earlier post (I saw the same ones) are not representative of the whole, but my years at UNT give me doubts about that. Since I'm sure this thread will result in loud protestations from the Greek system -- let's keep this in mind. WHEN the greek system turns out consistently (not just at homecoming and TV games), then I'll believe that they really do care about supporting UNT Athletics. SEE YOU ON OCT. 5TH!

$$$$$$$ - the current garage doesn't even pay for itself, so we can't afford to put up other ones. Garage construction is expensive. Parking is more of a convenience issue (of which I am also guilty) rather than a need issue. There is parking (Fouts, with shuttle service), but that isn't where people want to go.

System Center students are considered UNT students, so I think they are definitely in on the admission to UNT games. I believe that UNTHSC students are even given this benefit. And -- I thought that we had an agreement to also let NCTC students into the games (am I dreaming on this one?).

Last year, UH had about 33,000. There was an article in the DMN last week about Tech trying to reach 27,000 (for the record, UNT passed Tech in total enrollment back in 1988 and never looked back).

The EESAT and Murchison were both constructed at the same time (same construction company, as a matter of fact).

Official numbers will be based on 12th class day enrollment. There is always some slide back down as drops are cleaned up and certain types of students are removed (for some reason Texas doesn't count students that are 100% distance learners in the official headcount). I believe last year that we were a couple of hundred over 28,000 at this time, and then ended up at just under 28,000 when the numbers were final. Could happen here with 30,000 or just under this time around.

There is more than one kind of Ambassador at UNT. If she was asked by Honors -- then I am assuming she has been asked to be a College of Arts and Sciences Ambassador. I happen to be one of the faculty advisors for that group. There is not a huge time committment -- but there are a few important dates. The CAS Ambassadors meet about 3 times a semester as a group (the first one is an induction ceremony and short meeting). Each department may have their ambassadors do other activities, but the main activity each semester is NT Preview Day. The CAS ambassadors work that saturday (one in the fall and one in the spring) to help the departments welcome potential students who are visiting campus. I don't have the dates for Preview yet, but the fall one is usually in mid to late November and the Spring one is sometime in April. E-mail me at lhughes@unt.edu if you or your daughter have more questions. It is an honor to be selected by a department since each can only select 3 students a year.

Late registration has ended on Wed. of the first week of school for many years now.

Classes start Monday, Aug. 26th, with late registration continuing until Wed. No enrollment projections are available yet -- but I think there is a good possibility that expectations will be met or exceeded.

I was at the Faculty Convocation when he gave this talk yesterday. He did mention that Athletics was one of his favorite topics, but he didn't get to spend much time on that. He had to cover an awful lot of information in a little over an hour, so no topic received too much time (except the new College of Engineering).

It's Chestnut Street.

I believe TWU enrollment is at around 8500 (I don't know if that is Denton only, or also includes their Dallas and Houston allied health programs).

Chestnut St., as I understand it, will be reopened. It is currently being rerouted past the new Rec Center to get rid of the strange curve at the intersection in front of the PEB. Along the ideas for making the campus look nicer for those who drive by, I would think that landscaping between Eagle Dr. and the residence hall parking lots (Kerr, Maple, Clark) would go a long way to making the edge of campus look better to the casual observer. The campus itself is nice, but you've got to pass these paved monsters on every side to get there.

The tower cupola was not made of copper, but some other sort of metal. It had an old, gray stained appearance before they painted it the current green. I was in graduate school at the time they painted it. I thought it looked cheap in the first place (shiny green just didn't go with the rest of the building) and would look bad later (ergo the faded green we now have). I complained to the administration about it at the time. My first choice for a redo of the tower cupola would be to "paint" with a stone mix that makes it look like it is made of stone. That would tie it in well with the rest of the building and look good for a very long time. My second choice would be a true copper cover. It wouldn't end up "North Texas" green, but it would still be green eventually. Elsewhere on campus, an updated Fouts would be great. I'd also love to see some of the huge parking lots replaced with parking garages that are well integrated architecturally with the campus -- with some of the remaining old streets removed in the process (such as on the north and south of Bruce Hall) to create more greenspace. While we are on this subject, I must point out that the campus has increase 1000% in overall condition since I started at North Texas in 1983.

I've always been inclined to think that needing a ticket actually would increase student participation. Just going to the gate and flashing an ID sounds simple -- and it is. But saying instead that you need to plan ahead and pick up a ticket (or get one at the ticket window before the game) does add some "value" to the ticket. The idea is not to create a hassle (it doesn't have to be hard if it is done correctly and is available at places like the Union), but to get people to commit. It is just too easy to NOT go to the game at the last minute -- but there is something about already having a ticket in hand (even a free one) that will probably get people to go. Personally, I'd also like to see students walk away from Freshman Orientation with their first football ticket already in hand. What a way to get them on the right path!

The commons would be a planned building-lined mall that connects the Gateway center to the central campus (cutting straight across the area where the Sig Ep house was and between the Music Building and the Willis Library). The master plan has an illustration of this: Link to UNT Master Plan The plan is a little out of date, because the Gateway Center is not two separate buildings like shown in the drawing.

You are right, the new academic calender does show the university closed on MLK day for the coming year -- but that will be the first time (classes were out last January, but not staff). I don't have to work if classes are out -- so it's hard for me to keep up.

The University lumps its holidays for staff into two timeperiods -- Christmas Break and Spring Break. This allows for closing the university for extended days and saving on utilities. That doesn't leave many other holidays due to the number of days allowed for state employees. As a result, there are only a few more days to choose. I guess they are spread out on purpose. Note also that the university is not closed on Labor Day or MLK Day, but no classes are held. Many staff members work those days, and others have to take vacation days if they want off.

The 3-5% growth number is probably the most realistic for fall enrollment. However, as an aside, I've been seeing HUGE numbers of freshman in advising. We might add 1000-1500 to our total enrollment this fall, but I swear that 1/2 of them are trying to be Biology majors!!!!!