Maverick Mojo Creators to Speak on Campus

Ervin & Smith Advertising and Public Relations has developed a new advertising campaign aimed at educating college-bound high school students about the benefits of attending UNO. 

Ervin & Smith created the "Maverick Mojo" campaign to promote school pride and reinforce the message that UNO is a traditional university offering students a complete college experience in the heart of Omaha.

The UNO campus community – students, faculty and staff – is invited to learn more about the campaign and meet the creators at two events set for Monday, Oct. 2, and Wednesday, Oct. 4. The locations and times are as follows:

Monday, Oct. 2
Milo Bail Student Center Fireside Lounge
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 4
The University of Nebraska Peter Kiewit Institute Atrium
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

"Maverick Mojo" can be described as school spirit that cannot be contained - a confident attitude and the true essence of what it means to love your school. The Maverick Mojo ads feature college students in typical college situations exhibiting extraordinary school pride. The campaign appeals to teens by using irreverent humor and real UNO students.

"We used the lives of UNO students as the basis for the Maverick Mojo campaign because we felt it was important that kids be able to relate to the students in the ads," said Bill Ervin, creative director at Ervin & Smith Advertising and Public Relations. "We're also incorporating non-traditional advertising vehicles to reach teens, including online marketing, text messaging and guerilla tactics."

Ervin & Smith created a Web site specifically for the university's recruiting efforts. The Web site (http://www.beamav.com) features interactive chats, photo galleries and video biographies of real UNO students having real college experiences. The campaign also includes radio, print ads, billboards, direct mail and television.

"Maverick Mojo was created to connect with high school students in the college selection process," said David Cicotello, director of UNO Recruitment Services. "But we believe it will also resonate with current UNO students, alumni and the entire community of Maverick supporters."

For more information, contact Marian McDonald at 554.3674 or mmcdonald@mail.unomaha.edu.

Tuition and Fees Billing and Due Dates Reminder

Billing statements for the second half of tuition and fees for the fall 2006 term were generated Sept. 12. Unless students requested a paper billing, their E-Bill notification was sent to their UNO e-mail accounts. The due date for that remaining balance will be Tuesday, Oct. 3. Amounts not paid by the appropriate due date are subject to late payment fees.

For students' convenience, the UNO Cashiering/Student Accounts Office will remain open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 3. To avoid waiting in line on the due date, payments may be made through the following options:

- Mail to the address listed on the payment stub (Allow a few business days for mailing time, as payments must be in the Cashiering/Student Accounts Office on or before the due date to avoid late payment fees.);

- Deposit in the drop-box located at the north end of the Cashiering/Student Accounts Office (drop-box can be accessed from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.); or

- Pay by credit card on the Web at http://cashiering.unomaha.edu.

Information on billing and refund policies, along with information on other services of the Cashiering/Student Accounts Office, can be found on the Web at http://cashiering.unomaha.edu. For more information, call 554.2324.

UNO Television to Broadcast Oct. 2 Gubernatorial Debate

Who will be sitting in the Nebraska Governor's chair in January 2007?

Voters will gain insight to help them make their decision about who to vote for in the November election as gubernatorial candidates Gov. Dave Heineman, R-Neb.; David Hahn, D-Neb.; and Nebraska Party candidate Barry Richards face off Monday, Oct. 2, in a live debate broadcast across the state.

Sponsored by Omaha radio station KKAR (1290 AM), the hour-long debate will be broadcast from the studios of UNO Television at 7 p.m. on NET1 and KKAR. NET Radio will broadcast the debate in its entirety beginning at 7:30 p.m.

"We're excited about this broadcast from the UNO Television studio. This will be a great opportunity for our student crew to be a part of this campaign's only live, statewide broadcast debate," said Jim Adams, assistant general manager at UNO Television. 

The debate will also air on NET2 (Cox 16) at the following times:

- Wednesday, Oct. 4
11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

- Saturday, Oct. 7
6 p.m.

- Sunday, Oct. 8
2 p.m.

- Monday, Oct. 9
8 p.m.

The debate can also be seen live via the Internet at http://www.unotv.unomaha.edu and will be archived online at http://www.netNebraska.org.  

The debate on NET Television is being broadcast in partnership with KKAR and is produced by UNO Television.

Annual Policies and Crime Statistics Report Available

The annual Campus Security Policies and Crime Statistics Report has been mailed to all currently enrolled students, faculty and staff at UNO.

This information is also available on the Web at http://www.unomaha.edu/security/campus.htm.

For additional copies of the report, contact Campus Security at 554.2648, or stop by 100 Eppley Administration Building.

Latino Heritage Month Celebration Continues This Week

A month-long celebration is under way at UNO to celebrate Latino heritage and culture. Events continue through Tuesday, Nov. 2, and are free and open to the public.

This week's schedule of events is listed below. All activities will take place on campus.

Tuesday, Oct. 3 
"Vygotsky and Funds of Knowledge: Appropriating Cultural Resources for Teaching and Learning"  
Luis Moll
4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
William H. and Dorothy Thompson Alumni Center Bootstrapper Hall
(Sponsored by UNO College of Education and the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies)

Wednesday, Oct. 4
"I Love America," Lydia Ramirez's one-woman play 
Noon to 1 p.m. 
Milo Bail Student Center Nebraska Room
(Sponsored by UNO Student Programming Organization)

Friday, Oct. 6
OLLAS Charla/Film Series: "Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada"  
6 p.m. 
Eppley Administration Building Auditorium
(Sponsored by UNO Office of Latino/Latin American Studies, and Student Organizations and Leadership Programs)

For more information, call 554.2711.

Actress Lidia Ramirez to Present "I Love America" Oct. 4

"I Love America," a one-woman show that tells the story of immigrants at sea, will be held Wednesday, Oct. 4, at UNO. The event, which is free and open to the public, will begin at noon in the Milo Bail Student Center Nebraska Room.

Each year, hundreds of Dominican Republic citizens risk their lives in the 74 miles of water that separate the country's shores from Puerto Rico. Their goal is to pass as Puerto Ricans in the hopes of gaining entry to the United States.

Actress Lidia Ramirez will perform a one-hour production of "I Love America," detailing the accounts of those heroic men, women and children. In the voices of seven characters, Ramirez will portray the courage, optimism and resilience the journey requires.

"We hear what people are willing to leave behind - home, family and friends - in exchange for the promise of a better life," said Marí Isabel Garza, education specialist with multicultural affairs at UNO.

The Oct. 4 performance, which is being sponsored by the UNO Student Programming Organization, pays tribute to those who made it, as well as those who are part of the tragic and anonymous drowned-at-sea statistics of the government record books.

For more information, contact Garza at 554.2248 or mgarza@mail.unomaha.edu.

Annual UNO Health Fair Oct. 5

Editor's note: The UNO Spirit Committee has designated this activity as a UNO spirit event.

The 2006 UNO Health Fair will be held Thursday, Oct. 5, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Milo Bail Student Center. It is open to all faculty, staff and students.

The event is sponsored by Student Health Services (SHS) and the Wellness Stampede, UNO's health promotion program.

The 2006 theme is "Discover the Treasure of Your Health." Approximately 30 vendors will offer a variety of free screenings, information and giveaways.

The free screenings will consist of a vision test, skin cancer examination, blood pressure checks, a body composition test and a chair massage.

Comprehensive blood draws will be available at the fair. They will include a cholesterol panel and thyroid, kidney, liver, blood sugar and diabetes screens. The cost is $22, and the confidential results will be mailed directly to participants' homes. For an additional $12, males can have a prostate cancer screen included in the blood results.

A 12-hour fast is required for all lab work. Registration must also be completed before the event. To register, call SHS at 554.2374.

For more information about the fair, call Lori Tostenson at 554.3917.

Speech Center to Offer Fall Lunch and Learn Series

The UNO Speech Center will offer free workshops this semester on presentation skills. All students are invited to attend, and free pizza and pop will be provided. The remaining workshops, listed below, will all be held in the Milo Bail Student Center Council Room.

Wednesday, Oct. 11
- Banish Those Butterflies: Overcoming Speech Anxiety
Noon to 1 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 26
- Let Your Body Speak: Delivering an Effective Presentation
Noon to 1 p.m.

To register for one or more sessions or for more information, contact Marlina Howe at the Speech Consulting Center at 554.3201 or mmhowe@mail.unomaha.edu. Space is limited so students must register at least two days in advance.

"Funds of Knowledge" Talk Set for Oct. 3

Luis Moll, associate dean for academic affairs and a professor of language, reading and culture at the University of Arizona College of Education, will visit the UNO campus Tuesday, Oct. 3, to lead a discussion on connecting funds of knowledge and classroom learning.

The event will be held from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the William H. and Dorothy Thompson Alumni Center Bootstrapper Hall.  It is free and open to the public, but groups of five or more are asked to send an e-mail with their attendance numbers to tstran@mail.unomaha.edu.

Dr. Moll will share video depicting brief segments of families in action and ask for the audience's perspective from a "funds of knowledge" viewpoint, examining the accumulated bodies of knowledge of households that reflect the social, political, economic, historical and cultural contexts of families. 

His presentation will provide background in the theoretical framework and methodological issues related to his research of the connection among culture, psychology and education – especially as it relates to the education of Latino children in the United States.

An elected member in the National Academy of Education, Dr. Moll has also published a co-edited volume titled Funds of Knowledge: Theorizing Practices in Households, Communities, and Classrooms (Erlbaum).

For more information, contact Carol Lloyd at 554.3471 or clloyd@mail.unomaha.edu.

Writing Center to Offer Fall Workshops

The UNO Writing Center will offer six free workshops this semester on writing skills. All faculty, staff and students are invited to attend. Reservations are not required.

All workshops will be held at the center's 150 Arts and Sciences Hall location. For more information, call 554.2946.

Wednesday, Oct. 4
Session: Rein In Runaway Sentences: Comma Splices, Run-on Sentences and Fragments
Time: 1 to 2 p.m.
Presenter: Connie Eberhart

Wednesday, Oct. 11
Session: Getting from Point A to Point B: Creating Good Transitions
Time: 1 to 2 p.m.
Presenters: Al Kammerer and Bobbi Olson

Thursday, Oct. 19
Session: Battle Royale:  Active Voice vs. Passive Voice
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Presenter: Kate Gaskin

Tuesday, Oct. 24
Session: How Do I Document This Source Using MLA?
Time: 11 a.m. to noon
Presenter: Carol Dillon

Thursday, Oct. 26
Session: Blood, Sweat, and Tears: Writing a Timed Essay Exam
Time: 10 to 11 a.m.
Presenters: Joel Thomas and Kim Schwab

Tuesday, Oct. 31
Session: How Do I Document This Source Using APA?
Time: 11 a.m. to noon
Presenter: Carol Dillon

"The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada"

The Charla Series at UNO will open it's 2006-07 season Friday, Oct. 6, with a film screening of "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada." 

The event, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 6 p.m. in the Eppley Administration Building Auditorium.  A discussion with Steven Torres, an assistant professor of foreign language and literature at UNO, will follow the film.

"The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada" - starring Tommy Lee Jones - features ranch hand Pete Perkins, who looks to fulfill a promise to his recently deceased best friend by burying him in his hometown in Mexico.  The film highlights Perkins' dangerous and quixotic journey into Mexico.

The event is sponsored by the UNO Office of Latino and Latin American Studies (OLLAS), the U.S. Department of Education, and UNO Student Organizations and Leadership Programs. 

For more information, call 554.3835.

Oct. 8 "Step Afrika" Performances to Promote Diversity

This October, UNO faculty, staff and students will have an opportunity to learn traditional African dance and aspects of African culture. "Step Afrika," a Washington, D.C., dance troupe, will present two audience participation performances Sunday, Oct. 8, on campus.

Shows will be held at 2 and 4 p.m. in the UNO Dance Lab, located in 231 Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Building. The events are free and open to the public.

"Step Afrika shows are not just entertaining because they require audience participation, but they are an educational experience as well," said Sharif Liwaru, director of Cultural Awareness Programs (CAP) at UNO. The troupe of six dancers will perform in traditional African tribal attire. Dancers will also discuss the origin and cultural roles of dances in relation to present times.

Step Afrika was founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, who is currently the group's executive director.  The program began as a cultural dance exchange between Africans in Johannesburg, South Africa, and African Americans.

The Oct. 8 event is being sponsored by CAP in the Office of Student Organizations and Leadership Programs (SOLP), and The Moving Company (directed by Josie Metal-Corbin, a professor in the UNO School of HPER), in conjunction with the Student Programming Organization.

For more information about the event, contact SOLP at 554.2711.

Additional information about Step Afrika is available online at http://www.StepAfrika.org.

Ecoutez! Season Continues Oct. 8 with Heinavanker

The 2006-07 Ecoutez! Series at UNO will continue Sunday, Oct. 8, with a performance by the Estonian vocal group Heinavanker.  The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Strauss Performing Arts Center Recital Hall on the UNO campus. 

"Ecoutez! is committed to bringing the highest caliber of established performers and emerging artists to the metropolitan area," said Roger Foltz, a professor of music at UNO and coordinator of the series.  The word "ecoutez" is French for "listen."  KVNO Classical 90.7 FM is the media sponsor for the series.

Heinavanker's namesake is the winged altar piece of epoch artist Hieronymus Bosch.  The rare piece of art represents a huge wagonload of hay rolling throughout the world vexed by agony and greed towards destruction.  However, beautiful music sounds atop the hay load. 

Gregorian chants, early polyphony and Estonian sacred folk songs form the basis of Heinavanker's concerts.  The ensemble has toured America, Finland, France, Germany, Poland and Switzerland. The group's recordings have been played on the Estonian, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish Broadcasting Companies.

Individual tickets are $15 for each performance.  All students are admitted free of charge with the MavCard, the official ID card at UNO.  Phone reservations for student tickets are recommended.

For more information, call 554.3427.

Members Sought for UNO Hockey Blue Line Club

Are you a hockey fan who wants to show support for UNO Athletics? UNO faculty, staff and students are invited to join the UNO Hockey Blue Line Club, whose membership drive is currently under way.

The mission of the UNO Hockey Blue Line Club - a nonprofit booster club for Maverick hockey - is to support the Maverick ice hockey program through fund-raising activities, promote enthusiastic fan support of the program through a variety of membership activities and benefits, and to build greater interest and awareness of the sport of hockey throughout the local community with youth hockey activities and other related programs.

Since its inception, Blue Line Club members have purchased a lighted trophy case, established fifth year scholarship funds, produced a recruiting video and purchased a membership/merchandise booth.

Blue Line Club members are eligible for a variety of discounts and benefits:
- Membership card, which entitles member entrance to Blue Line Club functions;
- Membership pins/window cling schedule magnet;
- Monthly newsletter (students via e-mail only);
- Pre- and post-game discounts at the Hilton Omaha;
- Discounts on parking in the Hilton Omaha garage;
- Periodic discounts at the Blue Line Club booth at games;
- Discounts at local sponsors;
- E-mail updates, reminders and messages from players and coaches;
- Special rates to attend Blue Line Club luncheons; and
- Each adult Blue Line Club member will receive a voucher to attend a UNO men's or women's basketball game (may be used by member's family or friends).

A variety of membership levels are available, including $10 for students, $40 for power play level, $150 for hat trick level and $300 for corporate level. To access a Blue Line Club membership form, click on the link below:

Membership Form

Those who join by Monday, Oct. 23, will receive a voucher for two free tickets to the UNO vs. Bentley game Sunday, Dec. 10, at 2 p.m.

For more information, contact Bev Sanders at 496.2644.

Fall Convocation Set for Oct. 11

Mark your calendars for the 2006 UNO Fall Convocation. The event will be held Wednesday, Oct. 11, in the Strauss Performing Arts Center Recital Hall at 10 a.m. Interim UNO Chancellor John Christensen will deliver his state-of-the-university address, and all faculty, staff and students are invited to attend.

The convocation will be followed by a processional to University Library for a dedication ceremony, and a reception will be held at the Milo Bail Student Center Ballroom following the library event.

Collaborating Center Open House Oct. 11

The UNO community is invited to attend an open house Wednesday, Oct. 11, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Collaborating Center for Public Health and Community Service, 115 S. 49th Ave. The event will celebrate five years of promoting the health and development of Nebraska's populations and communities.

"The Collaborating Center is a unique place where the UNO and UNMC campuses and the communities we serve come together, and it is home to more than 15 community agencies and several university programs," said Melanie Kiper, community service associate with the Center for Public Affairs Research.

Programs housed at the center include the Neighborhood Center for Greater Omaha, UNMC/UNO Master in Public Health Program, Family Economic Success Initiative, Nebraska Municipal Clerk Institute, Certificate in Fundraising Management Program, UNMC Department of Pediatrics Section on Child Health Policy and CityMatCH.

Those interested in attending should R.S.V.P. by Oct. 9 to Michele at 561.7580 or mmeissner@mail.unomaha.edu, or complete an online form at http://collaborating.unomaha.edu. For more information, contact Kiper at 561.7585.

Teams Sought for 13th Annual UNO Bell Tower Challenge

The 13th annual UNO Bell Tower Challenge is set for Wednesday, Oct. 18.

At noon, teams of students, faculty and staff will compete to stack as many food cans as possible while the bells of the Henningson Memorial Campanile chime. Awards will be presented to the teams that stack the most cans, the most creative teams (which can include costumes) and the most enthusiastic teams.

The event is sponsored each year by Eta Sigma Gamma, a health education honorary at UNO.

"We would love to set a new record this year," said David Corbin, event founder and a professor in the UNO School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. "That means we need to collect more than 5,700 pounds of food."

All canned goods will be donated to the Omaha Food Bank (http://www.omahafoodbank.org). More than 33,000 pounds of food have been collected for the food bank since the event's inception.

Dr. Corbin cited a recent Omaha World-Herald article, which highlighted the food bank's need for community assistance.  It stated: "The higher energy prices over the past year are forcing more working families to seek emergency assistance from Omaha's food pantries."

The Omaha Food Bank distributes food to about 360 agencies in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, and the demand is up according to the Omaha World-Herald: "During the first seven months of 2005, it (the food bank) had distributed nearly three million pounds of food. Through July of this year, the food bank exceeded that number by more than 300,000 pounds."

The deadline to register for the Bell Tower Challenge is Friday, Oct. 13, at noon. To access the entry form or for more details about the event, visit the Web at http://www.unomaha.edu/healthed/BT.html.

For more information, contact Dr. Corbin or Shandalee Ramet, Eta Sigma Gamma representative, at 554.2670 or dcorbin@unomaha.edu.

Maverick Watch

Go Mavs!  Support your Mavericks by attending their home events.

Students are admitted free to all home athletic games with a valid UNO ID (MavCard) and game-day ticket. The spouses, significant others and children of students also are admitted free. At the game, students must present their MavCard to receive a ticket. Tickets will be available on the day of the game at each home event. For more information, call 554.MAVS (6287).

At home this week...

Tuesday, Oct. 3
- Volleyball vs. Northwest Missouri State
Sapp Fieldhouse
7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 6
- Soccer vs. Augustana
UNO Soccer Field at Ak-Sar-Ben
4 p.m.

- Black vs. Red Intrasquad Swimming and Diving Meet
Health, Physical Education and Recreation Building Pool
6 p.m.

For more information about UNO Athletics, visit the Web at http://gomavs.unomaha.edu/.