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Senior running back brings championship experience
August 24, 2011
Open house showcases art programs
Issue 3, Volume 77
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Campus maps to take new direction Manager makes navigating the University easier with details, recognizable symbols XIaowen Chen
THE DAILY COUGAR
Eva Lyon works to update campus maps that reflect new construction of classrooms and research laboratories as the University grows. | Elizabeth A. Baker/The Daily Cougar
Eva Lyon, a UH Facilities Planning & Construction manager, has dedicated herself to mapping the UH campus for four years. “Our UH campus map has experienced great changes these years,” Lyon said. “The changes are due to the
improvements in technology, the hard work of our department and cooperation with other departments of UH.” Lyon finished her master’s degree in construction management at UH. She has been working at the University for 14 years, and says she has special connection with UH. “I am making improvements to UH day by day,” Lyon said. “All that I do, and all that my department does, is rooted in our strong will to serve the UH student community.” Using computer-assisted design and geographic information systems, Lyon
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Grad students to face higher interest rates
UH celebrates back-to-school with Cat’s Back 2011 Students will have a chance to experience one of the University’s largest single-day events with Cat’s Back 2011, taking place from 4-7 p.m. today at the UC. The event, now in its ninth year, will have free food, games and music available for all students that attend. There will also be an organizations fair with numerous students and a pep rally featuring the UH football team and marching band. “The excitement and anticipation for this event continues to grow; it offers students the perfect opportunity to make friends, have fun and learn what Cougar pride is all about,” said Keith Kowalka, the Assistant Vice President for Student Development, in a press release. For a full list of Cat’s Back activities and events, visit http://www. uh.edu/thecatsback. -Cougar News Staff
Uncertain future for school loans under new debt ceil plan ceiling Monica Coleman
THE DAILY COUGAR
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UH Alumni Association hosts Texas Hold ‘Em Showdown The University of Houston Alumni Association will be hosting the 2011 Texas Hold ‘Em Showdown at 7 p.m. Friday at the Athletics/ Alumni Center, located at 3100 Cullen Blvd. The event is the inaugural poker tournament the organization has had. Food and a cash bar will be supplied for participants. Tickets are $75 per person with 8 person tables available for $600. Though spots are full, those who are interested can still join the standby list. For more information about the event or the standby list, contact Ali Walker at 713-743-0828. -Cougar News Staff
works to create 2D UH campus maps. To make the map user-friendly, she assigns easy-to-recognize symbols for each building. The Optometry service building for example, has an eye as a symbol, and nature parks with a forest may use a green tree as a symbol. “We created these signs to make it easier for the students to find each building with different functions on our larger campus. We put the ‘inquiry’ symbol on the map for infrastructure under construction,” Lyon said.
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volunteer helps direct a new student to his class. Tents like this were scattered across campus to alleviate first day woes by giving directions, answering questions and providing much-needed relief from the hot day with bottled water. Find out more about Cougar First Impressions and the first week of school on page 6. | Robert Z. Easely/The Daily Cougar
Students entering graduate school who are awarded financial aid will get just that — plus interest — after July 2012, as no subsidized loans will be awarded under the new debt ceiling plan. Through subsidized loans, graduate students receive loans with no interest while in school. Unsubsidized loans, which will continue to be awarded, are charged interest from the moment they are issued until the loans have been paid. The economic impact for students receiving subsidized versus unsubsidized loans could result in graduate students accruing thousands of dollars in interest over the duration of their studies. Interest on unsubsidized loans is also capitalized. Some graduate students at the University of Houston are banking on alternative means to fund their education, but say they are willing to pay additional interest, if necessary, to finish their degrees. Ben Porter said he will “make it work” as he completes his last year of graduate studies in social psychology. He’s working two jobs as as a statistician and the second as a teaching assistant on campus. As a TA, he works 20 hours weekly
in exchange for the school covering his tuition. He still has to pay school fees, which are about $600 per semester, he said he does not plan to take out student loans next year. “It’s really sad because grad students make very little in terms of money,” Porter said. “Essentially, it’s going to put us in a lot more debt. Undergrads will also have more debt.” Upon completion of his degree, Porter hopes to gain employment in academia at a research university. As a social psychologist, he said he expects to earn a modest salary as he begins his career. “We’re not medical doctors, we’re not lawyers,” he said. “We’re not going to get massive salaries when we graduate.” Like many other colleges within the University, the Conrad H. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management has been, and will be assisting students who qualify through graduate assistantships, teaching assistantships, scholarships and fellowships. “That will significantly help to get rid of the financial burden,” said Kijoon Back, Graduate Program Director & Associate Professor at the college. He does not deal with financial aspects while advising students, Back said he has never had a student drop out of school from financial concerns. GRADUATES continues on page 6