Tag Archives: talk

Financial Literacy for Students

Student debt is at an all-time high. Robert Duvic of the McCombs School presents a talk with financial management solutions for students.
Student debt is at an all-time high. Robert Duvic of the McCombs School presents a talk with financial management solutions for students.

Today’s college students face a daunting financial landscape due to a variety of factors that include rising tuition. A quick primer on the current outlook reveals some distressing data:

  • $1.26 trillion in total U.S. student loan debt
  • 44.2 million Americans with student loan debt
  • Student loan delinquency rate of 11.1%
  • Average monthly student loan payment (for borrower aged 20 to 30 years): $351
  • Median monthly student loan payment (for borrower aged 20 to 30 years): $203

The lack of financial literacy, sometimes called financial illiteracy, can negatively impact a graduate’s earning potential, job opportunities and even housing options after they leave college.  The Libraries are hosting Professor Robert Duvic of the McCombs School of Business for a discussion of ways to navigate the minefield of financial management during the transition to adulthood and independent responsibility.

“Got Debt? The Importance of Being Financially Literate” will attempt to guide students through basic money management skills such as living within a budget, handling credit cards, and managing student loan debt. Students will learn about resources that are available to aid them in overcoming real life financial decisions.

In addition to the lecture, the Office of Financial Aid offers courses in money management and financial aid called Bevonomics as part of a national and local effort to provide free resources to students.

The presentation is in conjunction with the efforts of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the US Financial Literacy and Education Commission to promote financial literacy education. Both organizations work to improve financial education, financial literacy standards, and financial literacy principles for all ages and education levels.

Professor Duvic is a 2011 recipient of the Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award, given by the University of Texas Board of Regents to recognize faculty members at the nine University of Texas System academic institutions who have demonstrated extraordinary classroom performance and innovation in undergraduate instruction. He has also twice received The Hank and Mary Harkins Foundation Teaching Excellence Award for Effective and Innovative Teaching in Undergraduate Classes from the McCombs School of Business, among other prestigious university awards. Dr. Duvic’s areas of research are corporate capital budgeting, international corporate financial management and international foreign exchange markets. He is a Major (retired) in the United States Army Reserve and served with the Americal Division in the Republic of Viet Nam. His military decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with two oak leaf clusters and the Purple Heart.

The University of Texas Libraries presents

“Got Debt? The Importance of Being Financially Literate” featuring Distinguished Senior Lecturer Robert Duvic of the McCombs School of Business.

1pm, Thursday, February 16

Perry-Castañeda Library (PCL), 2.370A (Learning Lab 1A)

 

Texas Exes Dallas Chapter Welcome Vice Provost

Vice Provost Lorraine Haricombe with Libraries' Advisory Council member Ken Capps.

Last week, the Texas Exes Dallas Chapter hosted a reception featuring Dr. Lorraine Haricombe, Vice Provost and Director of University of Texas Libraries.

Lorraine shared her highest priorities to:

  • Strengthen UT Libraries core mission to support UT’s mission of teaching, research and learning in new and creative ways.
  • Fill key positions to align with new roles for libraries in teaching, learning and in the digital environment and to expand collaborative partnerships on campus (and beyond) and re-purpose prime real estate in our libraries to meet the expectations of 21st century learners.
  • Position UT Libraries to help transform teaching, learning and research at the University through open access to ensure that the ground breaking research conducted at our University will reach beyond the Forty Acres, nationally and globally.

She also expressed her excitement as UT Libraries is set to open 20,000 sq. ft. of repurposed space in the Perry-Castañeda Library, our main library, where we will partner with the University Writing Center, the Sanger center and others to provide a rich and energizing learning experience for our students.

To close, Lorraine reminded everyone, “supporting the Libraries has the potential to touch the lives of every student, staff and faculty member to ensure that what starts here really does change the world.”

Looking forward, UT Libraries plans to partner with Texas Exes Chapters across the country to host similar events that showcase the work being done at UT. If you are interested in hosting a similar event, please contact Gregory Perrin.

You know my methods, Watson.

The final Science Study Break of this fall season is elementary.

In the first tag-team take on science in pop culture, Dr. Jim Bryant (Biology) and Dr. Sam Gosling (Psychology) investigate the immortalized detective’s use of statistics, observations of personality and deductive prowess in the BBC’s Sherlock and Granada Television’s Sherlock Holmes series.

And just in case you’re a bit peckish for more than just some brain food, there will be an ample supply of pizza from Austin’s Pizza.

SSB starts tonight at 6pm in the Auditorium of the Student Activity Center. Free and open to all comers.

Additional info here.

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Pssst…. Wanna hear something?

Architecture & Planning Library

You know you’re doing something right when you get unsolicited praise.

Such is the case with Architecture alumnus Charles “Bud” Franck, who recently jumped at an opportunity presented to him by Tribeza magazine to muse on his favorite Austin haunt for their “Our Little Secret” column.

Franck’s secret? The Architecture & Planning Library in historic Battle Hall, which turns 100 this year.

The centennial celebration of the building – occurring November 11 – offers those who wish to get in on the secret a chance to share in Franck’s experience by joining in the public celebration of the “40 Acres” mainstay that is taking place in the Library.

Click here for more information.

It’s Not Easy Being Green

Digital renderings of the Home Research Lab at the Pecan Street Project.

Environmentally, that is. Fortunately, the university has faculty like Matt Fajkus to solve complex problems so that being green will be easier in the future.

The University of Texas Libraries second installment of Research + Pizza features Fajkus, who is Director of the School of Architecture’s state-of-the-art Facade Thermal Lab. He’ll talk about sustainable architectural design strategies, focusing on his research into building envelopes and efficient facade systems.

Fajkus’s research informed his part in the collaborative design of the Home Research Lab, built as part of the Pecan Street Smart Grid experiment to integrate scientific research into the sustainable living community at the Mueller Development.

You can catch Research + Pizza with Matt Fajkus on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at noon in the Perry-Castañeda Library.

Free Pizza (while it lasts) generously provided by program supporter Austin’s Pizza.

Art on the Street

Baylor Street Wall Art by Rana Ghana

We’ve all seen Shepard Fairey’s work about town, but the burgeoning Austin street art scene features some great local artists, as well.

Photographer Rana Ghana has become a sort of informal liaison for the loose knit collective, and has extensively documented their growing body of work around the city.

Thursday (9/29) at 6pm in the Fine Arts Library (DFA 2.204), Ghana will discuss her work and that of the current group of artists she’s been tracking.

After the talk, there will be a screening of Banksy’s Oscar-nominated satirical documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop.

The event is free and popcorn for the screening is being provided by Cornucopia.

You can RSVP for the event at the Fine Arts Library’s FB page.

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