UTD returns to fully in-person

NANDIKA MANSINGKA News Editor

After six weeks of de-densified instruction, UTD administration made the decision to return campus to full density.

Classes will be back in person full-time beginning Oct. 4, and professors have been given the option to terminate use of most online components of learning, including live online lectures and recordings. The directive came directly from President Benson, who has been working closely with the provost, other communication staff and Vice Presi- dent and Chief of Staff Rafael Martín who is the main person responsible for coordinating the COVID-19 response across campus.

“I feel like we've had a pretty comprehensive response and conservative response to the pandemic thus far,” Martín said. “With circumstances at the start of the fall semester, with the Delta surge, we felt that it was best to de-densify some of the larger in-person classes. But we obviously have made a promise to our students that we were going to be back in person for the fall semester. I've been

TYLER BURKHARDT Editor-in-Chief

Effective Oct. 1, Bill Pettit is transitioning out of the role of Director of Athletics, and Angela Marin has been appointed to fill that role until a full job search can be completed.

Marin, who has been with UTD’s athletics department since 2012, was previously the Associate Athletics Director. She steps into this new role intending to continue UTD’s trajectory of growth and competitiveness with the conference and personify the diversity of Comet athletics. Meanwhile, Pettit returns to the position of Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs, a role he held from 20082014, prior to becoming the Director of Athletics.

“This was my goal and my dream since I entered college athletics as a student worker almost 15 years ago, so this is a dream come true,” Marin said. “I’m extremely grateful to be here. I’m grateful to represent this department. But most importantly, I’m grateful to represent UT Dallas.”

Marin began her career in student athletics as a student worker in Texas A&M’s men’s basketball program, where she gained her passion for college athletics. After her tenure at A&M, Marin transitioned to the athletics department at the University of New Orleans, where she would spend six years initially coaching both basketball and volleyball before finding a long-term home in collegiate athletics administration.

“I came in post-Katrina, so it was a war zone with armored tanks, military personnel and enforced curfews. I was working with student athletes who had lost everything in that storm. So, to be able to connect with them and make sure that they had the experiences they deserved, regardless of the resources we did or didn’t have we obviously lost a lot of resources due to that disaster—that taught me how to be resilient and resourceful.”

From New Orleans, Marin would transfer to a position at UTD in 2012.

“I’ve been at UT Dallas since 2012, and October 1 was my first day on campus, so that makes nine years today, actually. In that time, I’ve learned so much from Bill and from Dr. Fitch, both of whom truly championed my growth and my experi-