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Keenum learns from one of the best
Adream Asleep awakens
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METRO rail construction causes UH street closure Cougar Place Drive will be closed at Wheeler Street from Thursday, Sept. 2-9 due to construction for the future METRO rail, with the exception of Sept. 4 for the UH football game against Texas State.
By Christi Guerra
THE DAILY COUGAR
Alternate routes include turning north on Cullen Avenue then left (west) at Cougar Place Drive.
coming soon
UH collaborates, receives $4.2 million energy grant UH, along with three other institutions, has received a $4.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a superconducting magnet energy storage system device that could revolutionize the nation's electrical power grid, according to a UH news release. UH, ABB Inc. and SuperPower Inc. are the three collaborators involved in the Superconducting Magnet Energy Storage project, which uses magnetic fields in superconducting coils to store energy with near-zero energy loss and a nearly infinite life cycle. Director of the Applied Research Hub of the Texas Center for Superconductivity at UH Venkat Selvamanickam will Icons leadSet1 the group. by DragonArt
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ON CAMPUS
UC Welcome Back: “Unleash the Pride” For those who have not yet realized, we are almost two weeks into the new semester! Come celebrate with free food, music, entertainment, games and prizes at Unleash the Pride! The event will start at the UC at 11:30 a.m. Beyond the Wall - Poster and print sale The poster sale will continue through the week, but will be held at the north end of the UC for the rest of the week (near Wendy’s). Alumni Job Search Strategies Group Come network with job-seeking UH alumni and learn marketing strategies. Visit room 106 of Student Service Center 1 from 12:30 to 2 p.m.
CORRECTIONS gg
We goofed up in the Sports section of Tuesday’s issue. The first game of the season will be played against Texas State, not Texas Tech. Oops!
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September 1, 2010
Dining hall opens in Moody Towers
traffic & transportation
A UH press release said UH is working to minimize the impact of the construction. For questions about the closure and detour, please contact the University of Houston Department of Public Safety at (713) 743-3333.
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An additional closure due to construction taking place for the METRO rail is the sidewalk on Wheeler Avenue from Aug. 31- Oct. 3. Pedestrians will be directed to use Cougar Place Drive as an alternative route for Cullen Boulevard.
Issue 008, Volume 76
The Moody Towers dining hall underwent a 92-day renovation project over the summer to reveal the Fresh Food Company for students this fall. | The Daily Cougar file photo
The Moody Towers dining hall is offering a new dining option that includes high quality food, greater variety of options and a restauranttype atmosphere. "The goal of the new dining concept is to provide students a healthier and wider choice in meal options in order to get away from the old cafeteria type of food," Food Service Director for Residential Dining Edward
Wigley said. New students and dining hall customers are pleased with the upgrade and outcome. “It has a great variety of food; it's cozy and the staff is good,” freshman Daniela Garcia said. “They’re so friendly, they do it fast and it tastes great.” Rather than the traditional setup with a dining area split off from the kitchen, customers now watch the entire process right in front of them DINING continues on page 3
CLASS dean to set high standard Students, regents welcome new dean By Amanda Trella
THE DAILY COUGAR The UH College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences has appointed John W. Roberts as its new dean. John Antel, provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at UH, announced the appointment. It took effect on July 1. Roberts has been involved in many initiatives to promote growth and development for students and staff, including establishing a faculty mentoring program that is designed to help retain women and minority faculty members in the arts and humanities programs at Ohio State. After only a few months, Roberts has made headway toward many goals and ideas that he hopes will help CLASS become a better college and UH a better institution. “Our goal is to make CLASS a major contributor to the University’s effort to achieve (flagship status),” Roberts said. “My goal is to develop initiatives that will increase the success of students in CLASS by lowering the attrition and failure rate of undergraduate students in certain required classes and increase the graduation rate overall.” Roberts said he would like to work with faculty more to increase support DEAN continues on page 3
The students break their month-long fast together around 8 p.m. in the A. D. Bruce Religion Center Monday through Thursday. | Courtesy of the Muslim Student Association
Group hosts dinner in Ramadan Students welcome anyone to participate in fasting By Anam Ghias
THE DAILY COUGAR It is currently the Islamic month of Ramadan, and Muslims around the world are fasting everyday this month from sunrise to sunset. Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It consists of refraining from food, drink, and sexual relations from dawn until nightfall. Muslims aim to learn selfcontrol and patience by abstaining from some of their basic needs. “While fasting, we make ourselves abstain from things that are so natural,” Biology senior Mariam Sattar said. “If we can do this, then we can easily give up on things that we do that earn the displeasure of our Creator.” Participating in Ramadan this year is a bit more challenging for students on campus, due to it falling in August this year when Texas' heat is at its highest. “It is a challenge, but it helps you to be
more in tune with things other than food and desires,” Engineering senior Mohammed Alam said. Furthermore, fasting students are juggling their school responsibilities with their religious practices. The UH Muslim Students’ Association offers free dinners at sunset from Monday through Thursday every week during Ramadan. “We try to accommodate the needs of Muslims (on campus),” MSA Education Coordinator Safwan Moton said. “It is also a good way to educate non-Muslims. We have more than a few come every day.” Finance Junior Roag Yu was invited to the MSA dinners by two of his Muslim friends. “Fasting is good,” Yu said. “I understand that by fasting Muslims are obeying God, seeking forgiveness from God, and sacrificing for God.” Muslims celebrate the end of Ramadan with a day called Eid al-Fitr. On this occasion Muslims gather in congregation to pray together, exchange gifts and visit friends and RAMADAN continues on page 3