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
®
GET SOME DAILY
thedailycougar.com
63 LO 43 Wednesday HI
UH drops third straight as LSU defeats Cougars 59-58
November 30, 2011
Start working on applying to grad school
Issue 56, Volume 77
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Fee vote, app discussion to be held SGA to decide if increase should be sent to student referendum, discuss app Taylor McGilvray
THE DAILY COUGAR A crucial vote on the proposed athletics fee and plans for a UH smartphone app, which has brought up complaints from the computer science department, are on the agenda for the Student Government Association meeting at 7:30 p.m. today in
the Cougar Den. SGA will vote on whether or not to send the $50 student fee increase recommended by the Student Fees Advisory Committee to student referendum, SGA President Michael Harding said. SFAC recommended the SGA should allow students to vote on whether they are willing to pay the extra $50 per semester in its Nov. 14 report. Forty-five dollars of the $50 increase, which can last up to 25 years, would go to the athletics department for the construction of a new football stadium, the renovation of Hofheinz Pavilion and the
maintenance of these and future athletic facilities, SFAC Chair John Evans said. SGA Director of Finances Turner Harris will also detail plans for the University smartphone app, Harding said. The SGA will be given $59,125 of student fees for the app if the SFAC recommendations get approved. The proposed app has stirred controversy among computer science majors because of the use of a third-party developer, as The Daily Cougar reported on Nov. 29.
What: Vote on whether or not to send fee increase to student referendum; SGA Director of Finances to explain plans for smartphone app When: 7:30 p.m. today Where: Cougar Den
news@thedailycougar.com
ARCHITECTURE
EVENT
Lecture outlines value of architects
Undergraduate research symposium to be held Friday The UH College of Technology and the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture will be sponsoring the Undergraduate Research Symposium on Friday. From 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., the colleges will feature more than 80 demonstrations and prototype demonstrations from computer engineering and industrial design students. The event will give students the opportunity to network with faculty as well as industrial partners and former alumni to discuss applications and innovations in research and education. For more information, contact Marilyn Howard Jones at mjones4@ central.uh.edu. — Estíbaliz García
Imelda Vera
THE DAILY COUGAR
FACULTY
Magazine honors UH prof for dedication, achievement UH’s Department of Information and Logistics assistant professor Jamison V. Kovach was recently named one of the “40 new voices of quality” in the latest issue of Quality Progress Magazine. In its inaugural feature, the magazine honored 40 of the most accomplished professionals under the age of 40 from around the world on the basis of personal achievements and community impact. Over the extent of five years teaching at the University of Houston, Kovach has taught more than 600 students and published numerous research papers and presentations. — Estíbaliz García
SGA MEETING
Editor in chief elected
J
ack Wehman proved to Michael Pettiette and the rest of the Student Publications Committee he should continue as editor in chief of The Daily Cougar on Tuesday. The committee unanimously elected Wehman over journalism senior Travis Alford in the first editor in chief election with more than one candidate since Spring 2009. “I’m glad the committee has put its faith in me for another semester,” Wehman, who has served as editor in chief since Spring 2011, said. “The Daily Cougar is my top priority. I look forward to working with another great editorial board.” | Emily Chambers/The Daily Cougar
Israeli architect Ganit Mayslits Kassif channeled some heroic inspiration during a lecture at the Gerald D. Hines Architecture theatre on Tuesday. “With great power comes great responsibility,” said Mayslits Kassif, concerning the importance of environmental involvement in architectural design. Considered one of the leading architects in Israel, Mayslits Kassif and her eponymous Mayslits Kassif Architecture firm have received numerous recognitions from around the world. She opened the lecture by addressing a well-known concern of global warming and what responsibilities are held by those in the architecture profession when planning to fill up a space. “We need to fully understand the power that we have in our visions; the impact that our lines (of design) are carrying with them,” Mayslits Kassif said. “I always say to my students that they should treat their lines with great care — because we are in this very special profession that
Ganit Mayslits Kassif emphasized the importance of purpose behind design in her lecture. | Mary Curtis/The Daily Cougar our lines are turning into a reality that other people live in.” Although many elements of architecture may go unnoticed, Mayslits Kassif explained that a great deal of thought should be given to the purpose of each design. “There’s a need to rethink our role as architects, our tools and our scope in order to lead the environment,” she said. In another part of her presentation, Mayslits Kassif described the process of designing a dock as a public space. Though some consider the project simple, Mayslits Kassif said, a number of considerations are taken into account during the design process. Criteria such as making interactive spaces and accommodations to the public are crucial. “Every piece of public space is a vital resource,” Mayslits Kassif said. She also used the University Center as an example of a design ARCHITECT continues on page 3