life/arts
sports
Volleyball team looking to win in the home stretch
First place winner lights up stage
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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Soccer competition to take place on campus The 2010 Indoor Wheelchair Soccer Nationals will be held on Nov. 12-14 in the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center. Volunteers for score keepers and timers for all three days are needed. If anyone would like to serve in the event they can call 713 743-5400 or e-mail camoruso@uh.edu. The championship will take place from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday.
Health Center offers free diabetes screening In honor of American Diabetes Month, the UH Health Center is encouraging students, faculty and staff to take advantage of its free diabetes screening from 9-3pm today. According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 24 million Americans live with diabetes, and another 57 million people in the U.S. are at risk. The screening is available on a walk-in basis, and participants are asked to abstain from food and liquids, besides water, for at least eight hours before testing to ensure accurate results. For more information, contact the Health Center at 713-743-5156. — Sara Nichols/The Daily Cougar
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Issue 59, Volume 76
Friday ®
November 12, 2010
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Officials appoint dean Department welcomes new dean for the first time in almost 18 years Ashley Anderson
THE DAILY COUGAR The University of Houston appointed Mark A. Smith as the new dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics after John Bear stepped down. Bear, who has been serving as dean for 18 years, announced his departure last January. Smith, a former department head at the University of Arizona, won’t begin his position until Jan. 1, 2011. “I’m very excited,” Smith said. “It’s a
great opportunity to make a significant impact at a really good school.” Smith said some of his goals include increasing research and helping UH reach its goal of flagship status. Smith has 18 years of experience in administration at the University of Arizona, where he was head of his department for six years. As dean, Smith also plans to increase ties with the community and attract new faculty and graduate students. “I want to make sure students have easy access to participate in this research and excitement,” Smith said. “Beyond that, make sure they have access to the brightest minds teaching them in the classrooms and labs.”
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Mark Smith
Smith aims to increase development and engage the community in activities with the college. He also wishes to strengthen ties between the research programs, local industries and the Texas
Medical Center. Students in the natural science and mathematics department are concerned about policies regarding the dual-degree program and the possibility of expanding it college wide. “The dual-degree program may expand DEAN continues on page 3
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Senators discuss national program Jourdan Vian
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today & weekend
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ON CAMPUS Charcoal Challenge at Homecoming Saturday’s homecoming activities will kick off with a smoky competition. Come join the Charcoal Challenge at the Tailgate Pavilions in front of Robertson Stadium at noon. Homecoming Parade The Homecoming Parade will follow Saturday at 3:30 p.m. down Cullen Boulevard by the tailgating areas. Live Cougar Exhibit Come see a live cougar in the stadium parking lot from 5 to 7 p.m. Homecoming Game What’s homecoming without a football game? The game against Tulsa will begin at 7 p.m.
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USA Today and the Student Government Association may soon be joining forces to provide national newspapers on campus. Kate Almanza, a representative for USA Today, proposed that the SGA endorse USA Today’s Collegiate Readership Program at the SGA meeting in the Cougar Den on Wednesday. “ T h e re a d e r s h i p p r o g r a m is designed to promote global awareness, media literacy and civic engagement on college campuses by providing newspapers to students in various locations on campus,” Almanza said. USA Today wants SGA to endorse the program, which would mean SGA’s logo would be located on all the newspaper bins and therefore help promote the program among the student body. SGA’s Chief of Staff, Jeff Syptak, said he is in favor of SGA endorsing the project. “The readership program, I believe, will be a great success,” Syptak said. “It will give students a lot more access to know what’s going on in the world.” USA Today’s program would begin by surveying UH students SGA continues on page 3
More than 50 police officers and almost two dozen security officers patrol the UH campus daily to keep students safe and prevent crime. | Brianna Lee Morrison/The Daily Cougar
CRIME
UH Students held at gunpoint Houston Police working with safety department on details Joshua Siegel
THE DAILY COUGAR Investigators have a lead in their search for a suspect who robbed three UH students at gunpoint on Friday at the 5000 block of Calhoun. They could not give details due to the sensitivity of the case. “We received some information that we think will be quite helpful,” Lt. Brett Collier said. “So, our investigators will be working with the Houston Police Department.” The students were crossing the street from Cougar Village to the Bayou Oaks apartments when a male in a white Chevrolet Tahoe stopped them. The suspect exited his vehicle, displayed
a pistol and told the complainants to drop their purses and cell phones. The complainants complied and ran to Bayou Oaks and contacted police. Collier said he praises the complainants for how they handled the situation, putting themselves in the least amount of danger in a potentially explosive situation. “The students involved did everything right in this case,” Collier said. “They did everything that we would advise and they immediately contacted the police.” The complainants were not injured during the incident. The case is being investigated by both the HPD and UH Department of Public Safety. Normally the HPD handles off-campus issues, but in this case the UHDPS will be working in conjunction with them, because they responded to the call and initially handled the situation. news@thedailycougar.com