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NEWS
| february 17, 2004
Switchin’
It Up
The campus was all mixed up Monday
when students became deans and deans became students
By Josie
Garcia
Contributor to The Shorthorn
Nine students and nine deans learned what it was like to walk in
each other’s shoes Monday morning as part of the UTA Big Switch.
The student/dean swap, sponsored by Student Governance and other
organizations, is part of Homecoming week events. Students and deans
traded places for half the day with students posted in deans’
suites and attending meetings and deans going to the appropriate
classes.
The students’ replacements said the switch wasn’t easy.
Education Assistant Dean Louann Schulze said she became kinesiology
sophomore Ashley McGary and attended a 9 a.m. Spanish, 10 a.m. American
Literature and 11 a.m. kinesiology class.
Dr. Schulze said she doesn’t consider herself athletic but
tried to perform her best during a basketball drill of four-on-four
during her kinesiology class.
“I’m pretty sure they were wondering ‘What is
she doing here?,’ ” she said laughing. “I didn’t
mess up, but I didn’t do great either.”
Like Schulze, Honors College Dean Robert McMahon dressed casually
for the day. One of his classes included tennis.
“I was ready to play wearing sneakers with black soles,”
he said. “I had knee braces on.”
But since McMahon’s black soles weren’t allowed on the
court, he couldn’t participate, but he stuck around and observed
other players.
“I’m trying to teach my wife how to play tennis,”
he said. “I learned a few things about the back stroke.”
On the other end of the spectrum, the students said they enjoyed
their time as deans.
Biology senior Victoria Okon said as the Honors College dean she
learned more about the college’s opportunities including the
study abroad program and the honors’ thesis. This is more
than she would do on a regular day as vice president of the Honors
College Constituency Council, she added.
Okon said one of the highlights of her day was meeting university
President James Spaniolo. She said she was thrilled to meet him
and learn about his previous job as a dean at Michigan State University
and his new role.
“How many students get to shake the hand of the president
of UTA? I probably won’t wash my hands,” she said. “Aw,
I think I already did.”
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