Campus

For any students deciding to attend SI sessions, some of the overall benefits are that they become more learned in the subject they are attending sessions for, said Krystal Martin. Martin is the Studen Development Specialist for Supplemental Instruction.

The Supplemental Instruction program consists of a series of weekly peer-assisted study sessions to “enhance student knowledge and understanding,” as well as to improve the study skills.

These sessions have shown to improve the grades of the students who attend.

Amid growing concerns of a debt crisis across America, Students in Free Enterprise leaders are looking to expand their financial preparation course to a more diverse audience.

SIFE President Brian Zemer, senior finance major, said the organization has provided financial tips and money-management tactics to incoming freshmen for years through the Financial Literacy Project.

But when Zemer began to reevaluate the program during the summer, he decided to take the presentation a step further.

Worrying about where to go in case of an emergency is rarely on the mind of a typical college student when going about their daily routine, according to several students. Often, it seems emergency evacuation routes and natural disaster protocol are not considered by students until it is too late.

For more than 800 on-campus residents, programs, such as the PatriotALERT text message and email system, provide a means of communication in case of an emergency.

With the fall semester came 15 new bicycles, implementing a community bike program through the University’s recreational sports department and promoting alternative transportation around campus.

The program began with a local student, David Herb, who contacted Chauncey Deller, the head of the Outdoor Adventures club, proposing a solution to enable the project.

Herb arranged the bike donations with Spokes for Folks, a non-profit charity organization based in Dallas.

The University’s bass club team snagged a seventh-place finish at the 2011 National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship held April 7-9 on Kentucky Lake in Kentucky, with Murray State University serving as its host.

Senior management major Tyler Fisher of Flint and senior kinesiology major Matthew McClellan of Tyler surpassed teams from Texas A&M University, Lamar University, Auburn University and Virginia Tech University, among others.

The University’s Spirit Squad needs new recruits to join next year’s cheerleading and dancing squads.

Carla Turner, the cheerleaders’ coach, and Natalie Spurr, the dancers’ coach, have scheduled tryouts for students interested in joining the squad for April 16 in the Herrington Patriot Center.

Katy Cline, Student Life and Leadership administrative associate, said the Spirit Squad has two parts: the Patriot Cheerleaders and the Patriot Dancers.

After about a year of building from the ground up, the Patriot Orchestra is ready to take on the spring semester with high hopes.

“Last spring, the Patriot Orchestra was just a club,” violinist Robin Ragland, a senior math major, said. “We just started meeting once or twice a week and continued into the summer, and we had guest directors come in and work with us.”

Senior Ciera Ward, a chemistry major, planted the seed for this growing organization and serves as its current president.

There are a few college myths and legends floating around campuses disguised as university policies and common college facts.

One morbid rumor traveling the hallways is if your roommate dies, you automatically get As for the semester.

“I believe it’s true,” Lee Radley, a civil engineering major, said. “You have to fill out an application, but you will get As.”

Radley also said he didn’t know where he had heard it or where to find the application, but he was sure it was valid.

UT Tyler Game Club gives students time to socialize, relax

Michael Hale loves to play games, and he's not alone.

Hale established a new student organization, the UT Tyler Game Club, to satisfy his insatiable desire to conquer dragons on a weekly basis. More than 30 members of the club meet every Thursday at 5 p.m. in the UC. According to Hale's records, the number of members grows regularly.