Academic and Research Facilities Student Services		Student Services 1.- Personal Living 2.- Health and Fitness 3.- Personal Support 4.- Academic Services 5.- Career and Professional Development Services 6.- Extracurricular Activities 7.- Cultural Life 6.- Extracurricular Activities Graduate Student Association - A university-wide organization serves to address concerns specific to graduate students at UTEP. Information on meeting dates is available from the graduate School and the Student Association. Students are encouraged to participate in similar organizations at the departmental or college level. UTEP graduate students are affiliated, as well, with the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students (NAGPS) which provides services to existing graduate student organizations, including discounts on publications, insurance, and professional conferences. Contact the Graduate School at (915) 747-5491 or GradSchool@utep.edu for additional information. Discover what it means to be involved in the Student Development Center! The Student Development Center is a one stop clearing house of information and resources for UTEP students involved, or wanting to become involved, in university activities. The Student Development Center is where students go if they are wanting to get INVOLVED in leadership activities, community service, wellness programs, or student organizations; including fraternities, sororities, special interest clubs, honor societies, and professional and service organizations. With the assistance of student leaders, the Student Development Center coordinates UTEP's comprehensive Leadership Development program and University-wide Wellness program. Whether it is the unique Summer Leadership Camp, the inspiring Emerging Leaders program, the Hispanic Leadership Academy, the Women's Leadership Institute, the prestigious Advanced Leaders program, or a host of wellness programs and events, becoming actively involved in campus events and activities is one of the most important steps a student can take toward a rewarding college experience. The UTEP Wellness Program offers services that are designated to reflect an overall wellness approach, including issues of social, physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual and environmental well-being. A team of Student Wellness Advocates focus on the education of the community. These advocates are available to give presentations in the classroom, to organizations, or to any group requesting their services. Presentation topics cover a wide variety of issues, including AIDS, alcohol and drug issues, stress, and peer pressure. The Resource Library, consisting of reading materials and audio and visual aids, contains information on student development, team-building, organizational management, leadership, parliamentary procedure, student affairs, graduate education programs, stress, alcohol and drugs, and dozens of other related topics. These are available for individual use at anytime. The Student Development Center challenges all incoming and currently enrolled students to "redefine education" by joining or creating at least one organization and actively participating in university activities. Redefine what it means to be a "UTEP student" by becoming MORE INVOLVED and "discovering" leadership, wellness, and many more opportunities in the Student Development Center. The Student Development Center and Wellness Program is located in the Union West Building, Room 106, or call (915) 747-5670 or (915) 747-7401. Through active involvement in Student Organizations, students benefit themselves as well as UTEP. After graduation from UTEP, employers will ask you several questions during employment interviews. Often you are asked to talk about your involvement in extracurricular activities. Make sure that you are able to answer the interviewer's questions. Get Involved!! There are many different organizations at UTEP, each with different objectives. Take a moment to look at the different choices that are open to you. If you have a special interest that isn't already a focus of a student organization, you have the opportunity to create a new student organization. If you are interested in any of these organizations, do not hesitate to go by the Student Development Center at 106 Union West or call 747-5670. You will be given the name, address and phone number of the organization's contact person. Also look for information booths of the different organizations during Student Orientation or throughout the semester. You can join a student organization at any time during the year: simply attend a meeting or call the Student Development Center. Social Fraternities and Sororities -- The Greek organizations, as they are often called, offer their members the opportunity to participate in different social and community service events. Membership in social fraternities and sororities is by invitation after formal rush in the fall and spring semesters. During Rush Week prospective members have the opportunity to get acquainted with all of the different fraternities and sororities on campus. Special Interest Organizations -- This type of organization is formed by students sharing an extra-curricular interest. Special interest organizations participate in community service, recreational activities, and/or leadership activities. Professional Organizations -- Professional organizations and professional fraternities allow students the opportunity to meet others with similar career goals. As with other types of organizations, there is room to learn and to develop leadership skills. Professional organizations are particularly important for networking, as you make contacts with people in your field of study in school and in the El Paso area. Honor Societies -- Honor societies are for those students who excel in their academic and extra-curricular involvement. In departmental honorary societies, students meet with the very best students of a particular major or field of study. Service Organizations -- Service organizations, as their name indicates, are dedicated to volunteerism and service within the El Paso and University community. Religious Organizations -- Religious organizations are formed by students of similar religious beliefs. However, organizations do not exclude students of other religions from membership. This type of organization usually sponsors different events such as religious retreats, Bible readings and community service projects. Coordinating/Governing Organizations -- These organizations are formed as coordinating bodies for student organizations that have a common interest. They serve as a liaison between the organizations and the University administration. The Union Programs Office sponsors activities including the University film series, fine arts exhibits, comedy and variety acts, performing arts presentations, local, national and international speakers, and traditional campus-wide programs such as Homecoming and Spring Alive. These programs are generally offered free or for a minimal charge to students. Program selections are made by a committee composed of students. Students interested in serving this committee can apply at the Union Programs Office, Room 302, Union East, or call at (915) 747-5481. The Student Association is the official voice of the student body in the University decision making process. SA acts as the students' representative before the local, state and national governments on issues that affect the student population. Since its inception, SA has served to communicate student needs, desires, and demands to UTEP administrators, the Board of Regents, and the Texas Legislature. SA also serves to maintain a pleasant and exciting environment for student life. The range of activities of SA, both on and off campus is continually expanding as students increase their interest in the political process that affects their lives. Each spring, all UTEP students are eligible to participate in the election of Student Association officers and the Student Senate. Student Government is modeled after the United States Federal Government with executive, legislative and judicial branches. The President, Vice President of Internal Affairs, and Vice President of External Affairs compose the Executive Branch that is responsible for the daily operations of the organization. The Legislative Branch consists of one Senator for each 100 students enrolled and is vested with all SA legislative powers, SA senate meetings are open to all students. Both the Executive and Legislative Branch are assisted in their many projects by student volunteers known as Legislative Assistants. The Judicial Branch is composed of three parts, the Supreme Court, the Traffic Court and the Student Advocates. The University of Texas System Advisory Group is an addition to Student Association. The three UTSSAG delegates work on legislation that affects the entire UT System and is an advisory to the board of Regents on student issues. Student Publications--All UTEP students with a GPA of at least 2.0 may serve as reporters, editors, photographers, or advertising salespersons for the University's student publications program. Those publications include: The Prospector, the campus newspaper; The Rio Grande Review, a literary magazine; and other publications sanctioned by the University, including a pilot Spanish-language newspaper, El Minero. At The Prospector, students learn professional newspaper production techniques that eventually can be used to build up a resume or working portfolio for a journalism career. To insure freedom of expression, student publications are overseen by a duly elected Student Publications Board composed of UTEP faculty, staff, and students. The Board works jointly with student editors and staff members. The Student Publication program at UTEP is anchored under the management supervision of the Chairperson, Department of Communication. The UTEP Department of Intercollegiate Athletics--UTEP is an NCAA Division I school and is a member of the Western Athletic Conference. Sponsored sports are football, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's indoor track, men's and women's outdoor track, men's and women's tennis, women's rifle, women's soccer, and women's volleyball. Football is played in the 52,000-seat Sun Bowl Stadium, which is located on campus and nestled in the southern tip of the Rocky Mountains, men's and women's basketball play in the 12,222-seat Special Events Center, and women's volleyball plays at Memorial Gymnasium, which seats 4,000 people. Soccer has a brand new field and scoreboard in Charlie Davis Park, with the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop. The track program runs at Kidd Field, which seats 10,000 people and has undergone a one million dollar renovation. Teams nationally ranked in recent years include men's basketball, men's golf, cross country, indoor and outdoor track and women's rifle. Beginning in 1998, Women's swimming will be sponsored in the newly constructed aquatics center. Mission--The UTEP Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is committed to providing a regionally and nationally competitive athletics program as an integral part of the educational mission of the University. Programs sponsored shall be in compliance with the University. Programs sponsored shall be in compliance with the highest recognized standards of the institution and its athletics governing bodies. Intercollegiate athletics operates in harmony with the University's stated mission and is committed to the intellectual, cultural, physical and social development of student-athletes. In particular, the intercollegiate athletics program shall serve as an educational opportunity for student-athletes and as a focal point to bring the student body, faculty and community together. Opportunities for participation are provided without discrimination.

The University of Texas at El Paso Developed by the UTEP Web Development Team Revised: April 07, 1999