Pass the Baton at the Texas Relays: A College of Natural Sciences Black Alumni/Student Event
When: Saturday, March 30, 2019, 11am-12:30pm
Where: Etter-Harbin Alumni Center, Cowboy Pavillion
Join College of Natural Sciences Black alumni and students before the Relays for an opportunity to meet CNS alumni ambassadors and to see the presentation of the Community Engagement Award to a student for outstanding leadership. Enjoy coffee and brunch while you network with other students and alumni.
In case of inclement weather the event will be held in the Legends Room inside the Etter Harbin Alumni Center.
Aspire Awards Banquet
When: Monday, March 25, 2019
Where: Student Activities Center Ballroom
The College of Natural Sciences hosts the annual Aspire Awards Banquet to honor the accomplishments of Black, Latina and Latino students, both to celebrate their achievements and to inspire their continuation toward successful careers. In addition to students, College faculty, staff, and alumni are invited to attend to celebrate student accomplishments. The banquet will include the presentation of awards and speeches by students and a distinguished guest. This event is a great opportunity for students to celebrate their success and develop mentor relationships with natural sciences alumni.
Dinner will be served and dress is business casual.
Accommodation requests for disability services should be made at least five days prior to the event. While every effort will be made, the University may be unable to fulfill last-minute requests. Please contact events@cns.utexas.edu with any questions.
Honors Day
COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCES HONORS CEREMONY
The evening before University Honors Day, the College of Natural Sciences hosts an event in recognition of our honors students. This year the College ceremony will take place on Friday, April 12, 2019 at 7:30pm.
At the event, we'll celebrate student achievement with individual recognition of honors students and book award winners. Each student's name will be called, and a slide with the student's photo and other information will be projected. The evening ends with a short reception. Family and friends are welcome.
Students being honored at the College of Natural Sciences event have received notification from Associate Dean Vanden Bout. Please note that there are separate registration processes for the College and University ceremonies. Honors students and their familes are invited to attend both events, but you may choose to attend just one or the other.
UNIVERSITY-WIDE HONORS DAY CEREMONY
The University-wide ceremony will be held on Saturday, April 13, 2019 at 2:00pm.
For more information about that ceremony please visit the University-wide Honors Day website. Please direct your questions about this event to the Office of University Events, 512-471-7753 and RSVP to attend here.
Honors cords and medallions are distributed at this event. If you cannot attend, there will be opportunities to pick up your cords after the event. You will be emailed about the specific times and locations. As noted above, the College of Natural Sciences event offers individual recognition and a reception, while the University event recognizes students in larger groups. You may attend both events, neither, or one or the other as is your preference.
For questions about honors qualifications, please contact your adviser, or you may find answers on the criteria section of the University-wide event website.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the difference between the two ceremonies?
The CNS ceremony provides an opportunity for students to be recognized individually by the college and their department. Student names will be called and the honors they received will be read by the Associate Dean and greeted by the Dean and Department Chair while a personalized slide is projected. In addition, the CNS ceremony is an opportunity for us to recognize scholarship and awards within the College. The University-wide ceremony is larger, and thus students are recognized in groups. Honor cords and medallions will be distributed at the University-wide event.
What is the criteria for recognition at Honors Day?
To be designated a College Scholar, a student must meet all of the following requirements:
- The student must be registered as an undergraduate in the current semester. Students who hold a bachelors degree or are registered in-absentia are not eligible.
- The student must have completed at least thirty semester hours of coursework in residence at the University, and at least sixty semester hours of college coursework, including transferred work and credit by examination.
- The student must rank in the top 20 percent of their class in each college or school in which he or she is pursuing a major, based on in-residence cumulative grade point average.
- The student must have an in-residence University grade point average of at least 3.50.
To be designated a Distinguished College Scholar, a student must meet all of the following requirements:
- The student must meet the first, second, and fourth College Scholar requirements stated above.
- The student also must rank in the top 4 percent of their class in each college or school in which they are pursuing a major, based on in-residence cumulative grade point average.
Since Distinguished College Scholars rank in the top 4% of their junior or senior class, and College Scholars rank in the top 20% of their junior or senior class, the specific GPA cut-offs vary each calendar year and also between the junior and senior classes.
For the 2017-2018 year, CNS students with senior status must have a GPA of 3.8145 for College Honors and a GPA of 3.9796 for Distinguished Honors. CNS students with junior status must have a GPA of 3.8130 for College Honors and a GPA of 4.0 for Distinguished College Honors. Students must also meet all other requirements as outlined above. If you are a double major in more than one school or unit, you must meet the criteria, including variable GPA cut-offs, for both schools to be eligible as a Distinguished or College Honors Scholar.
If you believe you are eligible based on the criteria above, but have not received an invitation to participate, please contact your academic advisor to ask about your status.
Where can I park?
Paid parking for this event is available in the Trinity Street garage. People with disabilities involving mobility may use any reserved spaces that are indicated by the signs with the wheelchair symbol. There are several spaces available in parking lot #118 to the north of the Erwin Center as well as in parking lot #108 to the south of the building
More information about parking can be found here.
How long does the ceremony last? What is the schedule for the event?
The CNS ceremony will last from 7:30pm until about 8:30pm, and the reception will last until approximately 9:00pm.
Will food be served?
The CNS ceremony will be followed with hors d'oeuvres and desserts for students and their families.
I can't attend the University-wide ceremony. When can I pick up my honor cords and/or medallion?
You will be able to pick up your cords and/or medallion after the events. More information about pickup location, dates, and times will be emailed.
Do I just show up or do I need to RSVP in advance?
You need to RSVP for each event you want to attend (see above for differences between the two events). Register for the university-wide event on April 13 here. For the College ceremony, students received an email invitation from Interim Dean Vanden Bout that included the student registration link and the friends and family registration link. All student RSVPs for the College ceremony (including square photo submission) are due April 3. Parents, friends and family must RSVP separately by April 3.
What time do I need to arrive for the CNS ceremony?
Students will need to arrive at 6:30pm and report to the Lone Star Room at the Frank Erwin Center. Doors will open to guests at 6:30 p.m. All students and guests should use the Red River entrance.
What is the suggested attire for this event?
Dress is business casual.
What if I have a guest with disabilities?
Accommodation requests for disability services should be made at least five days prior to the activity. While every effort will be made, the University may be unable to fulfill last-minute requests.
Dean's Honored Graduates Ceremony
When: Friday, May 24, 2019
Where: Etter-Harbin Alumni Center
Dean's Honored Graduate (DHG) is the highest honor awarded to our graduating seniors and is restricted to less than 1 percent of the graduating class. Typically about 20-25 students are selected each spring. DHGs are recognized not just for academic excellence, but also for demonstrated excellence beyond the classroom that might include scientific research, an independent intellectual pursuit, or exceptional service and leadership to the college and university. In addition to the individual recognition of each DHG, we will have a celebratory dinner.
Attendance is by invitation only.
Accommodation requests for disability services should be made at least five days prior to the event. While every effort will be made, the University may be unable to fulfill last-minute requests.
Family Day
When: Saturday, October 27, 2018: 9am - 12pm
Where: GDC & Speedway (Weather back up - POB & GDC)
Join the College of Natural Sciences during Family Weekend at UT! Enjoy a light breakfast, talk with professors, advisers and students, and experience exciting hands-on activities!
A short program featuring a CNS faculty and student speaker will take place at 9:45am and 10:45am in the GDC Auditorium. Visit with over 40 programs and tables on Speedway 9:00am-12:00pm.
For more information about Family Weekend activities, please visit the Texas Parents website. Please note there are a limited number of spaces available for this event. Registration is available from October 8 - October 19.
Accommodation requests for disability services should be made at least five days prior to the event. While every effort will be made, the University may be unable to fulfill last-minute requests.
