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Friday, January 29, 2010
dive deeper into the subject matter; they will use problem-based learning to ask themselves how and why their area of concentration is important in the development of asthma. With 15 students enrolled in the class, Price and his students are excited for what is in store for them in the months to come. Junior anthropology and psychology major Erica Fletcher, who works as one of Price’s research assistants, is one of the many students eager to see what this class has to offer. “I am excited about learning from Dr. Price since he is so well-versed in interdisciplinary work. It is not every day that a philosopher teaches an anthropology class and I look forward to this new experience,” Fletcher said. Within the first week, Price already had his students contemplating topics and ideas their fields of study would usually not touch. “This class is already making me rethink some of my research processes. One theme that we have discussed in class is the combination or synergy of qualitative and quantitative research in both the medical and social sciences. Thinking
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Alarm at the Loft’s due to faulty unit
UH professor creates asthma research class The Honors College has developed a research-based course meant to bring together students from every concentration in hopes to create a deeper understanding of the causes of asthma and develop a type of teaching UH has never seen before. The program is set to launch in spring. Daniel Price, research assistant professor and director of this new open-honors anthropology class called Asthmatic Spaces: Houston, said he sees this class as the right stepping stone on the path for UH to become a flagship university. “The difference between tierone and tier-two is that a tier-one institution is going to be creative,” Price said. “Tier-one classes lead in creating a new framework for teaching, that other schools will want to follow, and that is what this class is going to do.” Price said he hopes to use this course as a testing ground for a new wave of research practicum. Instead of asking his students to focus on how to cure the chronic lung disease, Price wants his students to
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Fletcher and Price.
about this topic will definitely help me with my Senior Honors Thesis next year,” Fletcher said. Price and his students will partner with associate professor at New York’s Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Rice University alumna Kim Fortun. Fortun has already been developing a collaborative work called the Asthma Files, which is one of the main reasons behind Price’s interest in asthma. Students participating in the course will be presented internship opportunities with the City of Houston, which will help them incorporate real-life situations into their research. Price hopes to hold a conference in the fall to show what progress has been made by his students and what plans the class has for the future. “It ties into what people think about health already. We just want to expand upon that type of teaching and see where that takes us.” news@thedailycougar.com
By Dorothy Hastings-James The Daily Cougar Campus Fire Marshal and Calhoun Lofts staff took quick action to correct the problem that resulted in Tuesday night’s evacuation of floors eight through 10 of the building. Confusion remained among administrators about the cause of the smoke in building until Thursday’s official Fire Marshal investigation. Maintenance replaced the bad unit on Wednesday morning. The replacement unit came at no cost to the Lofts due to its warranty. Calhoun Lofts has 744 air and heating units total, one per room. Ninth floor units were inspected following the incident. The building’s staff monitors its air and heating units on the computer using OpenTech Control and Security Solutions. The high-tech system depicts any unit in the building, showing how the motor is operating. The program senses and records alerts in addition to printing work orders. “It’s a fabulous way to monitor,” Assistant Director of Residential Life
and Housing Abeer Mustafa said. Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Elwyn Lee said it’s inconvenient for students to have to evacuate, and he doesn’t want it to become a pattern. Mustafa e-mailed Loft residents on Wednesday night informing them that a fan motor had malfunctioned, thanking them for their cooperation and apologizing for any inconvenience. Some residents say they never received the e-mail. Mustafa said it was a manufacturing error and that Pepper Lawson, Calhoun Lofts’ building company, would check if the product was recalled. The official Fire Marshal investigation said the problem “was not a manufacturing malfunction.” Assistant Fire Marshal Joe Tremont said the motor housing broke, putting the unit in a bind. There was never a fire, but the unit overheated and shut down. The smoke from the overheating set off the alarms. “These sorts of things happen quite often,” Tremont said. news@thedailycougar.com
Student group backs Obama gg
Students promote president’s message of change and unity
By Paulette K. Ehmer The Daily Cougar Riding on the waves of President Barack Obama’s election, a new political organization has set up shop at UH. Organizing for America is the successor organization to the Obama for America campaign, which consisted of over 2 million volunteers from around the country who were passionate and uncompromising about supporting Obama and his agenda. Although the campaign has ended, the goal of OFA remains. OFA was built on the principles and traditions of the grassroots movement and continues to hold watch parties across the country to show support for Obama’s promise of change. According to its Web site, OFA is not just another studentrun organization but an actual branch of the Democratic National Committee dedicated to pursuing the “real world change that our country needs… standing with President Obama to make [his] promises a reality.” Regional Field Director Navid
Zanjani was on campus Wednesday helping community organizers set up at Stephen Power Farish Hall for a watch party during the president’s State of the Union address. “I just love volunteering and getting involved” Zanjani said. Community organizers Bradley O’Conner and Bradley Bates are two of five community organizers for UH hoping to be catalysts in the organization. O’Conner, a political science senior, said that being a part of the organization is an opportunity to learn how to motivate and organize a community. “Students and young people should want to be involved in politics,” he said. “Obama is important to get behind, and especially for young people.” Bates, a construction management senior, joined the organization because he wanted to see all the promises made by Obama come into reality. “The president has been getting fire from both sides, which shows that he is in the middle,” he said. Although OFA is a branch of the DNC, Bates said OAF is not open only to democrats.
“It is not a republican or democrat thing; it’s an American thing. That’s what the president has pushed for,” he said. UH is the first college campus in Texas to host an OFA organization at the student level; however, branches at Houston Community College, St. Thomas University, Rice University and University Houston Downtown are currently in the works. “There were about 35 people at the event. In the discussion, many felt that the president stepped up and delivered,” Bates said. “There were many moments when people stood up and applauded during parts of the speech. There were people from TSU, South Texas College of Law, UHD and many UH students.” OFA was launched in 2008 and has millions of volunteers across the country. The UH organizers will be hosting forums on health care, energy and education throughout the semester, as well as phone banks to lobby Congress. OAF is currently accepting interns for the spring semester. news@thedailycougar.com
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Keep it Real Time
C
omedian Bill Maher will visit campus Jan. 30 at the Cullen Performance Hall. Maher’s HBO TV show “Real Time,” has garnered him 21 Emmy nominations, and his movie Religulous, has gone on to become the seventh highest grossing documentary. Tickets will be discounted for UH students and faculty at the box office the night of the show.