Division of Finance & Administration News 2023-24

These news stories are archived from the 2023-24 academic year. The division's website moved to a new platform that year so these stories are mainly reflective of general news and news from the spring 2024 semester.

Scrappy mascot holding old parking permitsSpotlight on parking permit sales

Transportation Services supports both parking at UNT and our transit partnership with the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA). In spring, they release parking permits for faculty and staff, and in June/July they release parking permits for resident and commuter students.

For full transparency and to give students and their families data to inform their purchasing decisions, the department has created both a guide on student parking permits and a dashboard that shows resident parking lot capacities. 

Parking can be confusing on a campus as big as UNT, so the staff at Transportation Services encourages the community to visit their website's News section and follow them on Facebook or Instagram (@UNTTransit). They can help you understand permits, parking lots, how to ride the bus and other ways to make your experience at UNT a safe and pleasant one.

Posted July 8, 2024

Vice President Clayton Gibson stands on a golfing green with the leadership team membersSpotlight on leadership

The Division of Finance & Administration's leadership team (at left standing with Vice President Clayton Gibson) meets in June each year to talk about strategic planning and support needs for the coming academic year.

Although the division has several different departments that operate independently, their activities and objectives often require extensive collaboration so it's important for our leadership team to get to know each other and figure out how we can work best together.

Working together this way enables us to share ideas, tips, help each other with problem solving, and brainstorm ways that we can best support each other and our teams.

Posted July 1, 2024

three employees holding a bannerSpotlight on Texas Municipal Clerks

The Texas Municipal Clerks Association (TMCA) is a unique department on the UNT campus. The group does not directly impact students or student services at the university -- though they have been known to hire student workers and provide internships for students.

The department provides education and continued training for local municipal clerks throughout the state of Texas. The organization found a home at UNT so that they have resources and office space. TMCA hosts several training sessions and events each year to help keep municipal clerks apprised of changes brought on by elections or new legislation and best practices.

They also participate in conferences (in the photo above, the team is readying a banner for a conference they attended in 2023), and create solutions to help municipal clerks better their effectiveness in their important roles of local government.

Posted June 24, 2024

Scrappy sitting at table with an automatic external defibrillatorSpotlight on community safety

Even Scrappy knows that it's important to learn about the safety equipment at UNT, such as eye wash stations in research labs and Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) stationed around campus.

UNT has more than 140 AEDs at various locations on campus. These can help someone who is experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. Our campus has also partnered with the PulsePoint AED app so that anyone can find the nearest AED, should it be needed. You can also find UNT's AED map on this website.

Many of the AEDs on campus also have tourniquets that can help stop bleeding in an emergency situation and naloxone nasal spray, which is used to reverse an opiod overdose. The AEDs are checked regularly to ensure the equipment is fully stocked and working.

Posted June 17, 2024

four photos of items founds at surplus such as chairs, desks, markers and office suppliesSpotlight on UNT Surplus savings

The Surplus team, part of Asset Management in the Budget Office, really knows what it means to be “green” – by encouraging re-use and re-sale of thousands of items from UNT each year. By doing this, the team saves items from ending up in landfills – and saves UNT money by making sure that older items that are still usable and in good condition find a new life on campus.

UNT Surplus oversees all university-owned items that have reached the end of their useful life or are no longer needed in an area at UNT. This makes them uniquely positioned to help mitigate what happens next with items – do they get another life here at UNT, are they good for re-sale, or do they need to be discarded. The team at UNT Surplus expertly sorts through these items to determine the best course of action. 

Their service is two-fold – offering items for no cost to UNT faculty and staff to use in their spaces on campus and offering items for sale to the UNT community and general public.

Here’s how it all works:

The UNT Surplus Warehouse is located at 925 Precision Drive in Denton, TX. The team can be reached at surplus@unt.edu.

UNT faculty/staff use

  • This service is available to full-time faculty and staff at UNT. A graduate student, TA or research assistant must accompany a full-time faculty or staff member – or the full-time member must reach out to UNT Surplus in advance to authorize this transaction.
  • Stop by the UNT Surplus Warehouse, 925 Precision Drive, between 8 am and noon, Monday through Thursday – no appointment necessary.
  • If you find something that is portable/you’re able to carry out, then you log that item so that UNT Surplus can record the transaction. Then, take your item with you.
  • If you find a bigger item – for example, a desk – you can have UNT Facilities’ Moving Services team do that. They may charge a fee, so be sure to have your Chart of Accounts information and you can schedule a move time through Work Control by calling 940-565-2700 or filing a Service Request online.

Public Surplus sale

  • This service is open to anyone from the UNT community or the general public.
  • Visit UNT’s Public Surplus site to see what is available – what is available and when varies with the time of year. For example, at the end of the academic year there may be more items up for bid as departments and residence halls get rid of older furniture.
  • Place a bid (you may be prompted to create an account). Please remember to only place a bid for an item that you are serious about buying.

If you have the winning big, you will have two weeks (10 business days) to make arrangements to pick up your item. Items can be picked up between 8 am and noon Monday through Thursday.

Posted June 11, 2024

dual photo of flowers and the grounds team moving the flower potsSpotlight on campus beauty

The Facilities Grounds team does so much to keep UNT's campus beautiful. During commencement (shown at left) and other big university-wide events, they keep flower beds colorful and refreshed.  The team also tends to the 3,000-plus trees on campus, works with sustainability groups on campus to protect wildlife on the grounds, makes their own compost, and works with the students and staff who tend to the UNT Community Garden. In between all of this, they maintain landscaping and contribute to the strategic planning for grounds maintenance.

Posted June 3, 2024

 

Two officer recruits behind a table handing out foodSpotlight on community engagement

About half of UNT Police Department staff members (police, dispatchers and others) are UNT graduates. And, more have at least one dependent attending UNT. It’s important that we recruit from within our community so that we know our staff have a vested interest in the people here.

While they were recruits, Ofcs. Jackson and Barksdale volunteered at the mobile food pantry. Service to our community doesn’t wait until after the academy. When our police department sees a need they are able to fill they do our best to take care of it. Building connections and collaboration never stops. The department works diligently to integrate our officers into the community with a service attitude.

Posted May 29, 2024

A staff member gives a high five to mascot ScrappySpotlight on teamwork

Our staff work all year long to keep UNT safe, ensure our facilities are up and running, and to serve the greater needs of the university. But, each May we take some time for ourselves.

Our division’s annual meeting is a time for staff members to hear from Vice President Clayton Gibson, have lunch together, get to know each other better, and learn together.

In the past, our Facilities Grounds’ team has hosted gardening classes and our Emergency Management team has led “Stop the Bleed” classes. Each year, there is something different to help engage our staff members.

Our keynote speakers have included inspirational speakers, UNT staff, UNT alumni and community leaders.

Planning for next year’s meeting begins the day after this year’s meeting from feedback and comments we receive from our staff members. We do all that we can to show them our appreciation, support their professional development growth -- and to just have fun!

Posted May 20, 2024

parking attendant smiling and waving

Spotlight on parking

Each year our parking operations within the Transportation Services department helps guide thousands of graduates and their families to the appropriate parking lots for commencement. The summer offers a nice break, and then these smiling faces are back again during move-in weekend and other major events to support our community and alleviate confusion over parking.

Parking permits are always required on campus except for commencement and move-in. Our parking team is here to help those who need support with purchasing permits or learning more. You can find much information on their website at transportation.unt.edu.

Parking permits for the 2024-25 academic year are on sale now for UNT faculty and staff. Parking permits for students go on sale in June and July. Stay updated on parking permit sales by following our Transportation Services department on Facebook, Instagram or X (formerly Twitter): @UNTtransit.

Posted: May 13, 2024

Student standing on platform showing her tree survey dataSpotlight on a great graduate

Our division hires hundreds of student employees each year because we are able to offer them hands-on experience while they assist in supporting UNT. We also hear from many of them about the success they have after graduation. During commencement week, we share one such success story:

In 2023, former Facilities student employee Savannah Thomas and a group of multidisciplinary students and faculty collaborated to create a database of each individual tree on campus, documenting over 3,000 trees! As a result of their work, UNT has a publicly available, interactive map of every tree on campus. Collecting this extensive data not only enables UNT to keep up-to-date information on their assets, it allows future GIS and Grounds Teams to preserve our campus's urban forest in the future. This allows us to keep our trees healthy and thriving, and our campus (mean) green.

This also gave Savannah a great opportunity to have hands-on experience before entering the workforce. Check out the tree survey here.

UNT's spring commencement ceremonies are May 10-12, 2024.

Posted: May 6, 2024

Hannah Taylor holding AED equipment during a demonstrationSpotlight on personal preparedness

In a demonstration for the UNT Pre-Physician Assistant Club, Hannah presents an in-depth training session on the operation and application of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). Through this hands-on experience, we not only equip the students with life-saving techniques but also instill a sense of responsibility and preparedness, ensuring they emerge as proactive stewards of safety within their community.

The Emergency Management and Safety Services program through RMS offers a variety of free training sessions for UNT students, faculty and staff. Reach out to them at emergency.management@unt.edu for more information.

April is Disaster Preparedness Month.

Posted: April 29, 2024

 

people sitting in a room looking at a slide that reads Budget BroadcastSpotlight on the University Budget Office

The Budget team leads Budget Broadcast sessions every other month to help keep budget officers and others at UNT apprised of any financial-related changes, enhancements, or updates that could have an impact on a department's budget or on their routine processing. Budget Broadcasts are also a way for this team to connect with those who oversee budgets so that they can get advanced assistance, if needed.

These meetings complement the guidance offered by the Budget team through online sessions. They keep a training calendar of a variety of budget training resources so that those new to UNT can get caught up quickly on what they need to know about their budgets -- and to continue to support those who are already familiar with UNT budget procedures. View their training calendar here.

Training sessions are held each semester and some are held during the summer.

Posted: April 22, 2024

 

 

UNT police dispatcher talking with studentsSpotlight on UNT Police Dispatchers

Dispatcher Kim (seen on the right) talking to students attending the fall 2023 safety fair. Our department’s dedication to the community isn’t just through the support of our police officers. Dispatchers are often heard and not seen – they’re on the line to take emergency calls and help problem-solve non-emergency general inquiries. The UNT Police Department includes them in events whenever possible so our community can get to know different members and positions in the department.

The department often features its devoted staff on their social media platforms. Find them on Instagram, Facebook and X (Twitter) at @UNTPolice.

Telecommunicators Week honors dispatchers each year. In 2024, we celebrate this week from April 14-20.

Posted: April 15, 2024

Michael Metzinger working at his desk fixing a door locking device
 
Spotlight on Facilities

Meet Michael Metzinger, pictured at left, a technician within Facilities' Access Control department!

For over a year, he has been creating a database of every single door and lock on campus. This will allow Facilities to access key (pun intended) info much faster when repairing or maintaining door hardware, and allows Access Control to serve UNT more efficiently.

Facilities is our division's largest department with more than 300 staff members serving UNT in everything from building access to repair work orders to ground maintenance and more.

You can learn more about them on their website: Facilities.unt.edu. You can also follow them on social media: @UNTFacilities on Instagram and X (Twitter) and @UNTFacilitiesDept on Facebook.

Posted: April 8, 2024

 

 

Canned food and ramen noodle packages stacked by a wallSpotlight on Transportation Services

Our entire division supports the student food pantry each spring with a food drive. This year, Transportation Services is going an extra step with their Food for Fines event, which runs April 1 to May 10. Anyone with a parking citation from UNT can donate non-perishable food items to support UNT’s Food Pantry Presented by Kroger. Donating 20 items is worth $45; 30 items is worth $65.

Follow the Transportation Services department on Instagram, Facebook or X (Twitter) to learn more, you can find them at @UNTTransit on these platforms. Or, call their office at 940-565-3020.

Posted: April 1, 2024

Selfie-style photo with students and two police officers lined up outside of UNT's Willis Library
Spotlight on UNT Police Department

Assistant Chief Polk, Lt. Crawford, and Cpl. Mutters interacting with members of our community outside of a Coffee with Cops event. We like to engage with our students in more casual type setting because it helps develop relationships and builds trust.

Our campus police department holds several events and training sessions for UNT students, faculty and staff – all free of charge! Get to know more about their offerings by visiting the UNT Police Department website.

In April, UNT Police typically host a self-defense class for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Posted: March 25, 2024

Staff member Corey standing behind a table talking to two students at an outdoor event.
 
Spotlight on Emergency Management & Safety Services

Engaging in meaningful dialogue with students at the Spring Break Safety Fair, Corey showcases our comprehensive trainings including Hands-Only CPR, AED Training, and Emergency Readiness Training, fostering a culture of preparedness and safety within our community.

Our Emergency Management and Safety Services program is part of the Risk Management Services department. They offer several free training workshops for students, faculty and staff here at the University of North Texas.

March is Severe Weather Preparedness Month.

Posted: March 18, 2024