Student staff members in SMU's Department of Residence Life and Student Housing honored 53 University educators at the 11th annual HOPE Banquet November 2, 2008. HOPE (Honoring Our Professors' Excellence) Award recipients are named through student staff member nominations as professors who "have made a significant impact to our academic education both inside and outside of the classroom."

Mark Fontenot of the Computer Science and Engineering Department was honored as 2008 Professor of the Year. Three other professors - Joe Kobylka and Michael Lusztig of the Political Science Department and Patty Wisian-Neilson of the Chemistry Department - were named Distinguished Professors, denoting that they have been recognized as HOPE Professors during at least 5 of the 11 years in which the honor has existed.

In photo: Professor of the Year Mark Fontenot (center in photo) with the two students who nominated him: Eddie Hourigan (left) and Ben Koopferstock.

Read the complete list of honorees.

Three generations of one SMU family stay connected through traditions like
Rotunda Passage and Homecoming.
Watch the video.

A message from SMU Counseling and Psychiatric Services, adapted from Western Kentucky University Counseling and Testing Center:

It may seem like yesterday you were helping your son or daughter move in a residence hall or apartment. Maybe you were worried and offered a prayer for your child to have a successful semester. Now the semester is coming to an end, and a new challenge faces you - he or she is coming home.

Continue reading "When College Students Come Home for the Holidays" »

On Election Day, SMU students, faculty and staff cast their ballots and attended watching parties on campus and across North Texas. Other students chronicled the events online, in print and on film. Check out their efforts at:

• The Daily Campus
• The Daily Mustang

Meanwhile, parents and students can keep up with SMU faculty members' analysis and insight on the election at Faculty in the News.

• Watch a CBS-TV (Channel 21) report on SMU journalism students.

The following letter was mailed to parents and e-mailed to undergraduate students from Pat Woods, University Bursar and Executive Director of Enrollment Services, on November 4:

In these turbulent economic times, we understand that payment of tuition and fees in the future may be of concern to you. To address these challenges, SMU has developed new payment options for students in good financial standing with the University.

In addition to our usual, pay-as-you-go methods, we would like to make you aware of the following payment options:

Continue reading "New Payment Options for 2009 Tuition and Fees" »

SMU subscribes to Student Health 101, offering tips on living healthier lifestyles through college and beyond. Read and print them online at the following links:

Student edition: November 2008
Parent edition: November 2008

SMU is naming its School of Engineering in honor of Bobby B. Lyle, a Dallas entrepreneur and industry leader who has been instrumental in shaping the direction and growing prominence of the school.

Although the 83-year-old School of Engineering has enjoyed a strong history of success, producing graduates who have become international leaders in technology, industry and public policy, the School of Engineering had remained the only unnamed school at SMU until October 17.

Read more from SMU News.
See a slide show of the announcement.

SMU encourages students, along with faculty and staff, to participate in local and national elections.

• Voting information, including information on early voting, is available from the Dallas County Elections Department.

• The Federal Election Assistance Commission provides information on registration and voter's guides.

• Parents and students can keep up with SMU faculty members' analysis and insight on the election at smu.edu/election2008.

SMU's Memorial Health Center is now open overnight on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

These hours are in addition to the regular and new extended daytime Health Center hours.

A paramedic and an emergency medical technician will be at the Center during the new night hours. In addition, a mobile intensive care unit will be parked behind the Center on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights to provide immediate transport to area hospitals if needed.

These new hours and services, which are the result of a recommendation by the President's Task Force on Substance Abuse Prevention but apply to those seeking medical attention for any reason, will be available whenever school is in session during the fall and spring semesters.

The SMU Police Department prepares and distributes an annual security report for the University's main campus, the SMU-in-Legacy campus and the SMU-in-Taos campus in accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act.

These reports, published by October 1 each year, contain three calendar years' worth of crime statistics, including incidents occurring on campus, public areas adjacent to campus, and certain non-campus facilities including Greek houses and remote classrooms.

Statistics are also gathered from the University Park Police Department, Highland Park Police Department, Dallas Police Department, Plano Police Department, Taos County Sheriff's Department in New Mexico and other University officials who have significant responsibility for students and campus activities.

The SMU Police Department makes these reports available at no cost via the following web pages (PDF format):

• SMU Main Campus
• SMU-in-Legacy Campus
• SMU-in-Taos Campus