THE DAILY COUGAR
TODAY’S WEATHER
Students greet new year with change /Features
Cougars hope to sink Pirates’ ship during conference play /SPORTS
3-day forecast, Page 2
Hi 68 Lo 45
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Issue 74, Volume 75
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www.thedailycougar.com
Obama assumes U.S. presidency UH faculty anticipates new presidential administration
Some students skeptical of promises of change, reform
By Melanie Pang The Daily Cougar
By Melanie Pang The Daily Cougar
The country need not wait any longer for the inauguration of the 44th president, Barack Obama. While Obama and his supporters rode a message of hope and change to the White House with the slogan “yes, we can,” Obama’s change is more easily promised than delivered, said Christine LeVeaux, assistant professor of political science and African-American studies in The Honors College. “When you are the president, you can influence and try to persuade Congress members, but in the end the president is facing 535 men and women with
individualized and personal agendas,” LeVeaux said. “Conflict is inevitable.” Obama’s first order of business will be to gain control of the remaining $300 billion of the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP), with a goal of bringing some relief to citizens. “It is difficult to deliver on a promise of universal healthcare, for instance, when there is no money to carry out such a g g LeVeaux policy,” LeVeaux said. Congress may be a formidable foe for the see FACULTY, page 13
UH students watched as Obama and his administration began a new term. “Every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms,” said President Barack Obama in his inaugural address. Music education junior John Grimmett said Obama’s capabilities are ground for hope despite the harsh challenges facing his administration. “Obama’s election to office shows that the American people are ready to work with the government instead of against it,” Grimmett said. “His challenge as president
will not only be to mend the previous administration’s failures, but to restore America’s image as a visionary leader in the world.” The universality of Obama as a role model is encouraging to all, not just black Americans, vocal performance senior Brittany Lovett said. “People who have struggled to get an education who don’t come g g Grimmett from perfect backgrounds can (succeed). There’s a role model,” Lovett said. see STUDENTS, page 13
School turns out for tribute UH community gathers to reflect on past, present By Steven Oster The Daily Cougar
Steven Oster The Daily Cougar
All eyes were on President Obama during Tuesday’s post-Martin Luther King Jr. Day inauguration watch party held in the Houston Room, University Center.
At UH’s The Evolution of a dream: Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Tuesday, guest speakers and faculty shared thoughts and feelings about King’s legacy to a capacity crowd. “This is a celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. The holiday was yesterday, and the (presidential) inauguration is today, so we will be celebrating them together since
they are so closely tied together,” said Juanita Jackson, a volunteer for the event. “We have many speakers today, and we are hoping for a good turnout because we sent out emails on the list-serve.” Jackson got what she hoped for as every seat in the Houston room was filled, leaving many who came to pay respect to King and witness the swearing-in ceremony standing in the aisles. Television broadcasts of the inauguration were projected onto a large screen to an audience that cheered and gave a standing ovation as Barack Obama was see MLK, page 3
There’s something about Schmuckli Committee praises director’s proven track record By Christina Hildebrand The Daily Cougar Committee members who reviewed and recommended candidates for director of the Blaffer Gallery’s have high praise for newlyappointed Claudia Schmuckli. “We wanted a person who has much knowledge in regard to contemporary art because we are a contemporary art museum. That was our foremost concern. We also wanted her to be a leader in putting a staff together. Claudia met that criteria very well,” said Shirley Rose, advisory board members emeritus. Rose, along with then dean of the College of Liberal Arts
and Social Sciences and newlyappointed Provost-elect John Antel, and advisory board member Gordon Goodman said Schmuckli’s experience will allow her to bring various works to Houston. Antel said Schmuckli was chosen for the position because she “possesses the talent, experience, and energy to step into her new role.” Other landmarks of Schmuckli’s résumé include bachelor’s and master’s degrees in art history from Ludwigs-MaximilliansUniversität and curator positions at the Museum of Modern Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City. In the nationwide search for
Blaffer’s new art gallery director, Schmuckli was chosen from a list of highly-qualified candidates, Antel said. “The search committee took particular notice of Claudia’s strong leadership in the absence of a director over the past nine months. Her vision for the museum combined with the impressive list of exciting exhibitions that she organized made her most qualified for job.” Schmuckli said she is excited to begin her new endeavor as Blaffer’s museum director. “I inherit a healthy institution with an exceptionally dedicated staff, enthusiastic board and an ambitious agenda,” Schmuckli
Mauricio Lazo The Daily Cougar
Claudia Schmuckli, who was appointed the director of Blaffer Gallery on Jan. 5, will use her experience as a curator to bring innovative art to the University. said. “With new University leadership in place that has made the advancement of the arts one of its top priorities, this is a unique opportunity to build on past
successes and to expand the reach of the museum’s exhibitions and see SCHMUCKLI, page 3