College of Engineering authorized

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board voted unanimously in April to authorize the establishment of a college of engineering at UNT.

The first phase of UNT's plans calls for launching the new engineering college by transferring three departments from the College of Arts and Sciences.

The Department of Engineering Technology; the Department of Computer Sciences, renamed the Department of Computer Science and Engineering; and the Department of Materials Science, renamed the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, will form the foundation of the UNT College of Engineering.

When it begins operations, the college will administer two new degrees — bachelor of science and master of science degrees in computer engineering — along with existing degrees in the transferred and renamed departments. The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology must accredit the new degrees by 2009.

Current plans are to admit the first UNT College of Engineering students in the 2003-04 academic year. UNT is expecting to have 650 engineering students by 2007 and 1,250 engineering students by 2010.

The engineering school will occupy approximately 180,000 square feet of the 550,000 square feet available at the UNT Research Park (the former Texas Instruments property), located four miles from the main Denton campus near the juncture of U.S. Highway 77 and Loop 288, just east of I-35.

The university's long-term planning calls for developing complementary new programs in electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.

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New regents appointed

E. Waxahachie Mayor Charles "Chuck" Beatty ('76) and Plano business leader C. Dan Smith ('62) joined the UNT System Board of Regents following announcement of their appointments in February by Gov. Rick Perry. Both will serve terms that expire May 22, 2005.

Beatty, who has served in his mayoral post since 1997, was first elected to the Waxahachie City Council in 1995. During his college days, he played for the Mean Green football team. After his graduation, he played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the St. Louis Cardinals in the National Football League.

Smith is president and owner of CDS Capital Group. He graduated from UNT with a bachelor of business administration degree. He is currently the chair of the athletics division of UNT's capital campaign.

Beatty and Smith will fill the unexpired terms of Roy Gene Evans ('69) and Richard Knight Jr. of Dallas, who resigned from the board.

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Owning a piece of campus

Have you ever wanted your very own piece of UNT? How about owning the Administration Building?

The Residence Hall Association is offering students, alumni, faculty and staff the chance to own a wood miniature of the campus' centerpiece structure.

The replica, made by Cat's Meow, depicts the front of the Administration Building. On the back is a brief note about the building and its McConnell Memorial Tower, which is lighted green after UNT athletics victories.

Next year, the group will offer replicas of a different distinctive building on campus. People buying the Administration Building replica are voting on which building or landmark is commemorated next.

The cost of each replica is $20, which goes to the RHA Scholarship Fund. To order, send a check made payable to the RHA to the attention of Maureen Clouse, University of North Texas, Department of Housing, P.O. Box 311310, Denton, Texas 76203-1310.

For more information, call Clouse at (940) 565-2897 or send her e-mail at moe@hsl.admin.unt.edu.

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Cheerleaders take first

The UNT cheerleaders won their second national Division I-A championship in three years at the 2002 National Cheerleaders Association's competition April 7 in Daytona Beach, Fla. The team competed against squads from Georgia Tech, Clemson, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Kansas and Louisville.

The UNT team placed fourth last year and won the national championship in 2000. Only one other team, the squad from the University of Louisville, has repeat national titles. This year Purdue placed second and Louisville placed third.

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SOVA to celebrate 10 years

Fall 2002 marks the 10th anniversary of the School of Visual Arts, and Raymond D. Nasher, Dallas businessman, internationally known sculpture collector and chair of the School of Visual Arts Advisory Board, is opening his private sculpture garden for a gala celebration Sept. 15.

In addition, the school will mark the anniversary of its creation with a comprehensive exhibition of Jean Andrews' work. Andrews ('76 Ph.D.), a painter, researcher and collector, is a distinguished alumna from UNT.

The exhibition opens Sept. 12 in the UNT Art Gallery. Gallery hours are Monday and Tuesday, noon to 8 p.m., and Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m.

For more information about the school's anniversary or the exhibition, call (940) 565-4005.

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Twenty-four sign letters of intent

With the return of 20 of 22 starters on the defending Sun Belt Conference champion Mean Green football team, head coach Darrell Dickey and his coaching staff are viewing this year's recruiting class a little differently than in the past.

"We have a lot of starters returning next year, so we thought it was important to add depth at a lot of positions," said Dickey after announcing the group that signed National Letters of Intent to play football at North Texas on recruiting day in February.

"I don't think these guys will have a big role as fast as some of our classes have had in the past, but that is because we have so much talent coming back," Dickey says.

This year's recruiting class includes 22 high school seniors and two junior college transfers. And while Dickey and his staff continue to focus their recruiting in state, four of the high school prospects are from out of state, hailing from Florida, Idaho, Missouri and Oklahoma.

Among the high school standouts are Dallas Lincoln High School running back Michael Ruff, named first team all-state after rushing for 2,385 yards and 29 touchdowns; Hutto running back Philip Graves, selected the Class 2A Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 2,173 yards and 30 TDs last season; and lineman Sky Pruitt, a two-time all-state offensive pick from Lakeland High School in Hayden Lake, Idaho.

UNT's recruiting class includes:

• Nick Bazaldua, K/P, 5-10, 164, DeSoto
  
• David Blevins, OL, 6-7, 290, Muskogee, Okla.
  
• Jesse Brown, OL, 6-3, 270, Hughes Springs
  
• Shawn Early, LB, 6-0, 210, Jacksonville, Fla.
  
• Joel Foster, TE, 6-4, 240, Austin
  
• Kurk Francis, DL, 5-11, 287, Mesquite
  
• Philip Graves, RB, 6-2, 205, Hutto
  
• Robert Harmon, TE, 6-4, 255, Houston
  
• LeMario Hollis, CB, 6-0, 170, Longview
  
• Brandon Hooks, OL, 6-3, 300, Colleyville (Blinn Junior College)
  
• Ronnie Hull, DE, 6-3, 220, Sugar Land
  
• Steve Ingram, OL, 6-2, 270, San Antonio
  
• Dylan Lineberry, OL, 6-3, 310, Houston
  
• Cullen Mills, QB, 6-3, 227, Killeen
  
• James Mitchell, RB, 5-9, 191, Aubrey
  
• Kevin Moore, RB, 5-9, 195, Houston
  
• Chris Nevins, LB/P, 6-3, 215, St. Charles, Mo.
  
• Joel Nwigwe, WR, 5-11, 170, Alief
  
• Sky Pruitt, DL, 6-2, 295, Hayden Lake, Idaho
  
• Johnny Quinn, WR, 6-0, 181, McKinney
  
• Michael Ruff, RB, 5-11, 190, Dallas
  
• Ricardo Smith, RB, 6-1, 190, Fort Worth
  
• Cass Starks, DB, 6-1, 198, Denton
  
• Koryee Wyatt, LB, 6-1, 216, Oklahoma City (Northeastern Oklahoma A&M)
  

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