What: Urban Encounters:People, Places and Politics of the City, a roundtable symposium from the UNT Urban Network.

When: 2-5 p.m. Feb. 5 (Monday).

Where: Willis Library, room 140.

Cost: Free.

DENTON (UNT), Texas — A broad group of faculty comprising the new UNT “Urban Network” is holding their first event called “Urban Encounters:People, Places and Politics of the City” from 2-5 p.m. Feb. 5 (Monday) in Willis Library forum room 140.

The event will consist of a roundtable symposium featuring three speakers from the greater DFW community who will address a variety of issues wrapped around the common theme of “People, Places and Politics of the City.” Brian Price, senior planner for the City of Dallas, S. Lee Merritt, social justice attorney, and Kathryn Holliday, architectural historian of the University of Texas at Arlington, will speak at the event.

“The audience can expect to see faculty from various disciplines across the UNT campus explore, with our colleagues outside of the academy, the social, political and creative issues of working, living and being educated in an urban environment,” said Mickey Abel, professor of art history.

The Urban Network is a group mentoring grant project incorporating 15 faculty members from across UNT’s campus in support of interdisciplinary collaboration. The group is led by Abel and two other organizing members from the College of Visual Arts and Design: Amy Kraehe and Tyson Lewis, art education.

“In the era of university/community coalitions and ‘job-ready’ university initiatives, this is an opportunity to join the conversation on what role ‘the urban’ plays in these goals,” Abel said. “The audience can help us shape future discussions and contribute to the vision of the group as we move from exploration to proposals for action."