life/arts
Bars to visit before the holiday
Volleyball falls short of reaching the top
sports
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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FRONTIER FIESTA
First informational meeting Frontier Fiesta is hosting its “Connections” informational meeting at 7 p.m. Dec. 1 in the University Center Bayou City Room. The University’s oldest tradition, Frontier Fiesta is a three-day event that is held every spring semester and encourages student participation and involvement within UH. The Fiesta features variety shows, carnival booths, cook-offs and concerts.
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November 23, 2010
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Veteran services provided Students transitioning from military service can find help from two organizations Travis Masterson, Jimaniece Ware and Diane Sanchez
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STUDENTS
Much like fraternity brothers and sorority sisters, veterans flock together because many share a bond that cannot be broken. The relationship between veterans is almost similar to that between brothers and sisters. Because of the US’ wars in Iraq and
Textbook buyback time is around the corner
DREAM ACT
For more information about the meeting, go to www.uh.edu/fiesta. — Sara Nichols/The Daily Cougar
UH bookstores will begin to get busy around Nov. 29 as students start selling back their textbooks from the fall semester at one of the University’s two on-campus bookstores. Students can receive 50 percent of the book’s original selling price if the book is able to be used next semester. To see if a book is eligible for a return, students can go to www.uh.bncollege.com. Buybacks will take place at the University Center and Calhoun Lofts locations, and bookstore employees will be at mobile tents set up at the UH Hilton and PGH from Dec. 6-16. — Sara Nichols/The Daily Cougar
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Afghanistan, many veterans today have been, as most military personnel say, “baptized in fire.” In other words, many have seen combat and have returned with a fair share of problems. UH has two outlets for veterans to seek help: the Veterans Collegiate Society and the Veterans Service Office. The VSO offers peer-to-peer counseling and veterans work-study programs. It provides referrals for counseling in financial, vocational and academic problems. “Our job is to help create the holistic student veteran. We don’t just look at grades,” VSO Director Allen Grundy said. “We don’t just look as graduation rates. We look at the total student.
“We look at how the student gets involved. We have a mentoring system to help student veterans. We talk about how to retain students by having a support system.” The VCS is a student organization that tries to make it easier for veterans to transition from military to student life by encouraging them to help one another. It represents more than a thousand student veterans, Reserve, National Guard and active duty military students. “We have to help them to be able to survive as a student,” Grundy said. Most veterans never get involved with VETERANS continues on page 8
Activists, protests call for passage Congress to vote on act after Thanksgiving break Diane Sanchez
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AROUND TOWN Usher with Trey Songz and Miguel R&B singer Usher will be performing tonight at the Toyota Center along with artist Trey Songz and Miguel at 7:30 p.m. Usher’s new EP “Versus” was released in August. Grab a few tickets while they’re around! Robert Ellis Country and Western singer Robert Ellis will take to the stage tonight a performance at McGonigel’s Mucky Duck located at 2425 Norfolk at 7:30 p.m. Find more campus and local events or add your own at thedailycougar.com/calendar
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Civil actions that have taken place across the country will culminate with a vote on the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act on Nov. 29. The Share the Dream Vigil was held at Butler Plaza in front of M.D. Anderson Library on Nov. 11 as part of the National Week of Action, which began Nov. 8. Groups across Texas staged rallies, marches and candlelight vigils. Organizer of the UH vigil and director of Familias Inmigrantes y Estudiantes en la Lucha (Immigrant Families and Students in the Struggle) Caesar Espinosa said that events such as these were held in 32 states across the country. “We have already invested 12 years of education into these students and to have them drop out would be inhumane,” Espinosa said. Espinosa states that there are approximately 3,000 undocumented students at UH and about 9,000 at universities and community colleges in Houston. DREAM ACT continues on page 8
Members of Sigma Chi, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Tau Kappa Epsilon took part in the 30th annual Fight Night held Saturday at Rich’s Nightclub. Proceeds went to three charities. | Courtesy of Lupe Garcia
COMMUNITY
Charities benefit from fights Paulina Lam
THE DAILY COUGAR The Sigma Chi fraternity held its annual Fight Night on Saturday and raised money for the Children’s Miracle Network and two other charities. “This year, we plan to make three different donations because of the success of Fight Night,” Sigma Chi Co-Chair of Fight Night Calvin Hart said. “We will donate at least $1,000 to the Children’s Miracle Network, the Huntsman Cancer Institute and the Sigma Chi Foundation.” The fundraising event, which is in keeping with the fraternity’s value of community service, has been a yearly tradition for more than 30 years. Starting in 1975, Sigma Chi’s Fight Night was originally held in the Houston Room of the University Center and remained there until 2007. Because the Greek event was growing, there was a need for a bigger venue. Rich’s Nightclub
became the venue for the annual Fight Night in 2008. Last year, Fight Night raised more than $4,000, which was donated to the CMN. “The Sigma Chi Fraternity at large has benefited Children’s Miracle Network directly since 1992, raising over $4.2 million nationally,” Sigma Chi President Brad Jamison said. The link to CMN is a tradition in itself. “Donations to the Children’s Miracle Network, by way of Texas Children’s Hospital, have become a Fight Night tradition for our UH chapter over the years because of the opportunity to personally visit, help and donate to those in need in the Houston area,” Jamison said. The Fight Night consisted of ABA-sanctioned amateur boxing matches from students of the UH Greek community. Amateur boxers who participated at this year’s event were members of Sigma Chi, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Tau Kappa Epsilon. Plans are also underway by the fraternity to sponsor a holiday toy drive. news@thedailycougar.com