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Pineda is one fast Cougar
They should, like, legalize it, man
t h e o f f i c i a l s t u d e n t n e w s pa p e r o f t h e u n i v e r s i t y o f h o u s to n s i n c e 1 9 3 4
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UH Faculty Senate observes success rates, program The Faculty Senate discussed the University’s progress towards flagship status, increasing graduation rates, along with status updates on programs designed to allow faculty members become better teachers at their Sept. 29 meeting in the M. D. Anderson Rockwell Pavilion. Provost John Antel emphasized to the Senate how important it is to focus on budget cuts. “This has to be well planned and transparent if we are to survive as an institution,” he said in an e-mail. President Renu Khator had asked the Senate to focus on student success, and they responded by creating the Center for Teaching Excellence, a faculty-oriented program that provides staff members with numerous ways to better themselves.
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September 30, 2010
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Senate passes resolutions SGA votes and unanimously approves specific transgender rights Ashley Anderson
THE DAILY COUGAR The Student Government Association approved three new resolutions at its Sept. 29 meeting in the University Center Cougar Den. One of the unanimously approved resolutions was for giving transgender students the ability to use their preferred names on ID badges and class rosters. It is intended to prevent the victimization of faculty, staff or students who must use their legal names. “This is a really, really big deal for transgender
students, faculty and staff, and it’s another way the SGA is showing commitment to the safety of all UH Coogs,” Student teacher Stacey Lawrence Colton Meier said. Meier, who is a transgendered fourth year doctoral candidate, explained how the passing of the resolution would affect their lives in many ways. “Being transgendered is hard enough, so the resolution makes the life of transgendered people at UH just a little bit easier,” Meier said. The second resolution approved was for the support of the Instant CLASSic, a fair that will SGA continues on page 8
Clarke said. — Jack Wehman/The Daily Cougar
Group hosts first ever student fasting event The UH Muslim Students Association will hold its first Fast-a-Thon pledge table from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sept. 30 at the UC-Satellite.
Joshua Siegel
MSA is asking students to commit to fasting for one day from sunrise to sunset. A local business will donate money to the Houston Food Bank for every person that pledges to fast today. — Anam Ghias/The Daily Cougar
THE DAILY COUGAR The open accessibility of UH and many college campuses leaves these institutions susceptible to situations like the recent shooting incident at the University of Texas at Austin. The UH Department of Public Safety is prepared and has a plan if such a thing were to ever happen here. Assistant Chief of Police Brad Wigtil stressed that the most important part of handling those sorts of situations is to respond immediately. “We set up an incident command system as part of the overall National Incident Management System structure, so that we organize, develop our plan and then execute that plan on how we’re going to handle that,” Wigtil said. “If you don’t organize, it’s just a mess. It can become chaotic.” One of the major pitfalls in the pre-Columbine High School shooting approach to these situations was that first responders would only set up a perimeter and then wait
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ON CAMPUS
Red Block Bash The Blaffer Student Association and the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts presents the Red Block Bash today. There will be food, art activities, prizes, live music and more! Be at the Fine Arts building courtyard at 4 p.m. Check out the Life & Arts section for more info.
AROUND TOWN
Fatima Bhutto Fatima Bhutto is a Pakistani poet and journalist. She is the granddaughter of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and niece of Benazir Bhutto. Visit the Westin Galleria Hotel at 6:30 p.m. to experience the chronicles of this extraordinary woman. Find more campus and local events or add your own at thedailycougar.com/calendar
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Student Teacher Stacey Lawrence Colton Meier spoke on behalf of transgendered students at the second SGA meeting. | Jourdan Vian/The Daily Cougar
Police advise students after UT shooting
“The CTE, formed with help from the Provost’s Office, provides help, advice and support to both new and established faculty,” Faculty Senate President Mark
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STUDENT GOVERNMENT
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Issue 028, Volume 76
Service seeks food evaluation
U
H Dining Services is asking students to take an online survey, shown above at the UC-Satellite, in an effort to better understand campus lifestyle and preferences. Once students complete the DiningStyles survey they have the option to enter into a drawing to win various prizes. For more information on this or to take this survey, visit www.college-survey.com/ uh. | Hiba Adi/The Daily Cougar
SAFETY continues on page 8
Panel examines oil spill aftermath Jessel Parra
THE DAILY COUGAR The UH Center for Public History and the newly formed Center for Energy Management and Policy cosponsored an Oil Spill Symposium to touch on energy production, the oil spill response, environmental impacts and government regulations — all key elements that have been considered beneficial in understanding the recent disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. The Sept. 23 event took place in the Plaza Room of the UH Hilton Hotel. OIL SPILL continues on page 8