Issue 116, Volume 76

Page 1

life+arts

sports

Spring flings not a bad idea

Rice hands Cougars another loss

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

THE DAILY COUGAR thedailycougar.com

@thedailycougar

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Issue 116, Volume 76

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March 24, 2011 Read. Recycle. Repeat daily.

newsline

Two-year schools prep for cuts

CAMPUS SEMINARS

Houston-area community colleges are seeing the pros and cons of proposed legislation

Got news? E-mail news@thedailycougar.com or call 713-743-5314

Training company offers students seminar on studying techniques The educational and professional training company Education Research & Learning Centers is hosting a free seminar designed to deliver high-quality research-based techniques in study efficiency today at the University Center Underground in Aegean Rm 82. The seminar, approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes in length, will take place at 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. These three free seminars mark students’ last chance to receive a pre- and post-reading speed assessment, as well as teaching strategies to help increase reading speed, comprehension, and long-term retention. For more information about ERLCS or the free seminar visit www.erlcs.com or contact freeseminars@erlcs.com. — Cordero Jennings/The Daily Cougar

Luncheon series brings dean to encourage leadership, change

Julian Jimenez, Tess Livingston and Jasmine Umenyi

THE DAILY COUGAR Budget cuts have deep implications for the future of UH, but education budgets everywhere in the state are feeling the brunt as well, as community colleges face even greater challenges adjusting to the new legislation. Richard Carpenter, chancellor for Lone Star College, said that the drops in state funding have been a long-time trend. “Ten years ago, 65 percent of our budget was from the state. Now, that number is down to 23.3 percent, and we’re looking at another proposed cut of 27 to 28 percent of what’s left,” Carpenter said. “That means cuts that are in the range of 19 to 20 million for the next biennial budget.”

FACULTY SENATE

The event is part of “the cat-alyst” luncheon series produced by the Division of Student Affairs, the Center for Leadership and Fraternity and Sorority Life and the University Centers.

Khator to focus on improved grad rates

The event is free but students are encouraged to register at www.uh.edu/clfsl to receive a free lunch while at the seminar.

Nick Ragan

William Munson, associate vice chancellor/associate vice president and dean of students at UH, will share how collaboration and teamwork contributed to his leadership development and how it is essential for students to become agents of positive change. The event takes place today at noon in the UC Bluebonnet Room 250. A Q&A session will follow Munson’s lecture.

To cope with the pending drops in funding, the school has looked hard at the school budget to see what savings they can make. “We did things like administrative cuts, from 17 percent to 11 percent. And now, we’re looking at a hiring chill,” Carpenter said. “There are a lot of open positions in the college, but we have to make sure that every position is necessary.” Other community colleges in Houston have encountered similar struggles. The San Jacinto College System has been working hard to figure out how to accommodate all these possible changes, primarily by focusing on creating efficiencies and consolidating departments, said Teri Fowle, associate vice chancellor for marketing and communications with the system. By combining the separate departments, the CUTS continues on page 3

SPECIAL REPORT

Budget cuts Every Thursday, The Daily Cougar will take an in-depth look at how proposed cuts to the state’s higher education allocation will affect the University and its future. Feb. 17: Tier One initiative Feb 24: Staff terminations March 3: Athletics programs Today: The role of community colleges March 31: Public vs. private debate April 7: Financial aid Track this series and find expanded resources on thedailycougar.com/budgetcuts2011

UH-VICTORIA

THE DAILY COUGAR

CORRECTIONS !!

Report errors to editor@thedailycougar.com. Corrections will appear in this space as needed.

today

82 LO 64 HI

Clear skies by noon....

FRI

SAT

SUN SU

MON MO N

81/68

84/68 8 /68

84/70 84/ /70

81/50 81 1/50

EVENTS Guest Master Class The Moores School of Music is presenting a class by Colleen Matheu Johnson from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Moores School of Music Room 118. Frontier Fiesta Three days of entertainment and food will begin today from 5 p.m. to midnight. It’s free admission and is located on the Cullen side of Robertson Stadium Parking Lot.

FOR MORE EVENTS, CHECK OUT

thedailycougar.com/calendar

An improved graduation rate among new students and continued research competitiveness are essential to UH’s continued growth, UH President Renu Khator said at Wednesday’s Faulty Senate meeting. Khator said 86 percent first-timein-college students at UH graduate in four to six years. Her goal is to bring the six-year graduation rate of FTIC students up to the national average of 54 percent. She said the main factors leading to timely graduation are institutional fitness, classroom experience, campus experience and the financial situation of the student. Khator said UH not only needs to maintain its designation as a flagship university, but improve its rankings in the Top American Research Universities report. The report is released annually by the Center for Measuring University Performance, and UH ranks in the top 50 in five categories. Khator said UH can perform better in terms of the number of awards its faculty receives and the number of doctorates it awards. SENATE continues on page 3

A bill filed in the Texas Legislature would move UH-Victoria into the Texas A&M system. | Courtesy UHV.EDU

Satellite surveying other system Lauren Mathis

THE DAILY COUGAR A bill that would move the University of Houston-Victoria into the Texas A&M University System is the latest in a string of actions taken by members of the Victoria community who want to see the school taken out of the UH system. State Representative Geanie Morrison (R-Victoria) filed the bill on March 8. Justin Unruh, Morrison’s chief of staff, said the idea to switch started after a commission on education identified a possible difference in vision between the University of Houston System and the UH-Victoria branch. “The (UH) System’s vision is to be the best metropolitan system in the country and achieve Tier One status,” Unruh said. “The vision for Victoria is to establish an

exceptional destination institution.” Reports surfaced in early fall that UH-V officials were looking into becoming part of the Texas Tech system. The choice was made, however, to partner with the A&M system because Victoria is more closely aligned with that system, and they have a proven record of growing universities such as the one in Victoria, Unruh said. UH System Chancellor Renu Khator and Chair of the Board of Regents Carroll Ray released a statement that stated the UH System has “strongly supported the UH-V’s mission of serving the educational needs of the Victoria community, as well as promoting the Coastal Bend region’s economic well-being and advancing its quality of life.” Khator and Ray also said that this was “consistent with the UH’s system strategic VICTORIA continues on page 3


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