News

There is something fishy at the University, and several students are hooked on the idea. It’s the Bass Club.

“It’s called a bass club because that’s what the tournaments are. But on our own, we fish for anything from catfish to crappie,” club secretary Jeremy Sowell said.

Formed last summer, the club has 12 members with open membership to students, staff and faculty.

“Normally the anglers interested in joining the club have their own equipment,” club president Kasey Calbow said.

“However, we have sponsors that help significantly with equipment and boats.”

The University implemented PatriotALERT so students can stay informed about campus emergencies such as severe weather, active shooters, or other situations that require immediate action.

When activated, PatriotALERT, a mass emergency communications system, can send e-mail, voice and text messages to the campus community within minutes, but only to those who update their contact information.

Nearly 60 percent of juniors who fail to take the required ETS Proficiency Profile test may be barred from registering for fall classes.

Currently only 479 of the 1,200 or 40 percent of eligible juniors meet the requirement, according to information released by program coordinator Dr. Lou Ann Berman.

University officials may place an “administrative hold” preventing these students from registering for more classes.

The requirement affects all juniors with less than 90 credit hours.

The University of Texas at Tyler Students in Free Enterprise members advance to the 2010 SIFE USA National Exposition May 11-13 in Minneapolis, Minn.

SIFE won the regional championship at the USA Regional Competition in Dallas. The event is one of the 12 competitions being held across the United States this spring.

The culmination of the SIFE program is an annual series of competitions that provide a forum for teams to present the results of their projects and to be evaluated by business leaders serving as judges.

When members of the Patriot Paintball Club needed money for outings, they turned to the Student Government Appropriations Committee for help.

Getting funds didn’t cost club president Chaffe Riley a dime, just some time.

He filled out a request, pleaded his cause during a hearing and secured the funds members needed for games fees.

“It’s free money that I can use to get people playing,” the senior history major said.

“We give a lot of people their first experience with the sport, and it might be something they end up falling in love with.”

Junior Kortlan Porter’s campaign for a leading position with the Student Government Association is simple: He wants to help students.

He has served as a senator for the College of Engineering and Computer Science and now wants the responsibility of being vice president.

Porter, a computer science major, is running unopposed for the seat during this week’s election and could be a shoe-in to win barring any write-in challenges.

Students head to the polls this week to choose among three candidates vying to lead the Student Government Association.

Candidates Sara Khalifa, Rusty Kuciemba and Jamie Newburn agree more can be done to ensure the student voice is being heard about student activities, concerns and needs.

Students can cast their votes Wednesday and Thursday at ballot boxes located in the University Center and the Herrington Patriot Center or on Blackboard.

Senior Allie Abel, managing editor of the Patriot Talon, won first place March 27 in a statewide journalism competition conducted by the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association in Kerrville.

Abel’s award for press-release writing – on-site competition – is one of 16 honors Talon staff members earned at the annual convention.
“I’m proud our students are being recognized as some of the best in the state,” Talon adviser Vanessa Curry said. “I’m extremely proud of Allie, who is the first student with a public-relations emphasis to lead the student newspaper.”

The University of Houston edged out the Patriots in their attempt to defend a regional-conference championship title this past weekend.

Ten civil engineering students headed to Austin on Thursday to compete in the 2010 Texas-Mexico Regional Concrete Canoe Competition in Austin.
Of 11 teams competing, the Patriots finished second overall just ahead of the University of Texas at El Paso.

“Out of the UT system schools we came out on top,” Professor Ronald Welch said. “We are extremely excited. Our team preformed very well, and we hope to meet new goals for the future.”