University of North Texas

A dedication ceremony for memorial flag poles will be at noon Aug. 22. Faculty, staff and students are invited to attend the dedication, which will include remarks by President V. Lane Rawlins.

The new poles are south of Willis Library on Highland Street, and will fly three flags: United States of America, State of Texas and UNT’s green and white star flag.

The ceremony follows Sunday Fun Day when more than 4,000 students move in to residence halls. The move and ceremony are part of First Flight programs, activities for new students to encourage them to find opportunities to become involved in campus life. Classes begin Aug. 25.

The UNT flag will be lowered, by presidential order, to half-staff to honor the life of a currently enrolled student who passes away. The American flag may be lowered by order of the U.S. president, and the Texas flag may be lowered if ordered by the governor.

The UNT flag will remain lowered for seven days after the university is notified of a death in honor of the student.  About 10-18 students die each year, said Maureen McGuinness, dean of students.

“When the flag is lowered we will put the student’s information on the Dean of Students website so the UNT community will know who we are honoring,” said McGuinness. “We also notify the family that the flag has flown at half-staff and send a sympathy card.”

The flags will remain raised and lighted at night, according to U.S. Flag Code protocol. The flag area may also be used for other commemorative events.

Deceased faculty, staff, students and alumni are also memorialized in other ways.

• The sustaining arch, a student memorial designed by College of Visual Arts and Design alumnus Jonathan Snow, is located at the south end of Library Mall, between the fountain and the new flag poles.
• Deceased students, faculty, staff and alumni are honored each year at the Flight Memorial, also coordinated by the Dean of Students office. The 2012 Flight Memorial will be at noon April 18, at Shrader Pavilion.
• Goolsby Chapel, in front of the Maple Hall entrance, is available for meditation and memorial services.
• InHouse publishes obituaries for faculty, staff and students as soon as information is received.
• Faculty and alumni obituaries are published in the quarterly alumni magazine, The North Texan.

Photo, from left, Veterans Center representative Adam Haggerty, Student Government Association president Blake Windham, Associate Dean of Students Amy Ayres and Talons representative and veteran Stuart Presley. (Photo by Michael Clements)