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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UT spoils season opener
Not your average dress shop
FUNDING
CAMPUS
Data Foundry CEOs donate $10 million for UH Stadium
Former leader of India spreads message to UH
Co-founders and co-CEOs Ron Yokubaitis and Carolyn Yokubaitis of the Austin-based tech company Data Foundry Inc. have donated $10 million for the construction of the new UH football stadium. Ron Yokubaitis is a former UH football player who played for two seasons from 1962 to 1963. The donation is the largest individual gift awarded to the stadium fund and brings total donations up to $60 million. An estimated $80 — $85 million in fundraising is required for the University to break ground on the new facility. The stadium is expected to cost $120 million. It would provide seating for 40,000 fans and could be expanded to seat more than 50,000.
RESEARCH
UH, Rice rank among top R&D spenders in the nation
Past president preaches peaceful agenda Ryan Rockett
THE DAILY COUGAR More than 300 students received extra motivation at the start the fall semester courtesy of former President of India A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. He encouraged individuality and the establishment of a “culture of excellence” among the youth in his speech Monday. Kalam gave his “What I Can Give” address, named after his philanthropic mission he started
in May, to students and faculty at the UH Conrad Hilton Ballroom. In a speech that lasted nearly 30 minutes, the scientist, politician and humanitarian emphasized the importance of being compassionate and spreading goodwill as a method to instill peace within the world. “A progressive society will be the result of a culture of excellence,” Kalam said. “The culture of excellence in society needs you to create it and strive to be the link.” Graduate student Deepali Worlikar said she enjoyed the opportunity to see the man whose ideals she admires.
Issue 2, Volume 77
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam accepts the presidential medallion from Provost John Antel. The award is given to all heads of state who visit campus. | Brianna Leigh Morrison/The Daily Cougar “Dr. Kalam is my idol,” Worlikar said. “His speech was very inspiring and it will help me in my future.” Fellow grad student Swati Garg
also said the most striking aspect of the former president’s speech was his lighthearted personality. INDIA continues on page 14
ADMINISTRATION
Former business school dean loses cancer battle
Financial statistics from the National Science Foundation ranks Rice and the UH among the top 75 schools in the country for research and development spending. UH spent $34.4 million in research to rank at No. 69 on the list, narrowly outspending Rice, which was ranked at No. 72 with $33.2 million in spending. The spending numbers show US colleges and universities spent a total of $54.9 billion in research and development, an increase from the previous year’s $51.9 billion in R&D spending. The report, compiled by the Wichita Business Journal, uses database figures from 2009.
Warga leaves behind renowned Bauer Honors Program and curriculum Brianna Leigh Morrison
THE DAILY COUGAR
CAMPUS
Cougar First Impressions to continue throughout today Students can still receive a number of free perks and goodies today as part of the backto-school event Cougar First Impressions. Sponsored by the Staff Council, the event stations UH staff members and volunteers at tents around the University to hand out campus maps and bottled water, as well as giving students directions to classes. The initiative aims to foster a sense of community among staff, faculty and students by helping new and returning Cougars get situated at school. For more information about the event, visit http://www. uh.edu/sc.
August 23, 2011
Living on campus
A
new student wheels in his possessions and waits for an elevator at Cougar Village, the freshman dormitory. Many students got their first taste of campus life during the move-in days last weekend. See if we caught you unloading on page 6.
The C.T. Bauer College of Business is starting the school year remembering Arthur Warga, former dean and visionary of the Bauer Honors Program, who died Aug. 7 after fighting brain cancer for five years. He was 58. Warga worked as dean of Bauer from 2001 to March 2011, continuing to serve as dean throughout most of his fight with cancer. Latha Ramchand, interim dean of Bauer, said Warga was someone who “drove the college towards excellence. “ Warga laid sturdy foundations for programs such as nationally recognized research initiatives, ranked entrepreneurship and undergraduate programs and the Bauer Honors Program. “Warga left many good works behind him, but I think his most important legacy is the Bauer Honors Program,” said Everette S. Gardner, Jr., whom Warga appointed as Director of the Bauer Honors Program. Warga tasked him with the responsibility of developing curriculum for the college.
Although students can get an honors degree in any major, most disciplines have few courses available with honors sections. But with more than a dozen courses listed in the Honors course book for this fall, the Bauer Honors Program offers the most honors courses on campus and more business honors courses than any other program in the country. “Warga told me that he wanted the best Honors Program, not just on this campus, but in the nation,” Everette said. “Our curriculum lets me make this promise to Honors recruits: you will never see a big auditorium-sized class in the Bauer College. This was one of Arthur’s specific goals when we launched the new program.” From his tremendous presence and contributions, Warga’s death has caused a great sense of loss, especially since his medical leave was expected to be temporary. In March, Provost John Antel informed the public that it was anticipated that Warga would return in the fall as a chaired full professor of finance. When Warga stepped down from his role as dean, plans were to appoint the interim dean, wait a year and then consider searching for a replacement. Since his death, no change has been announced. WARGA continues on page 16