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Cougars hope to come out on top as Bayou City’s best EAA
Cougars awarded by alumni, engineering professionals On Feb. 21, UH’s Engineering Alumni Association presented 55 students and four engineering student organizations with awards worth $44,000 in their eighth annual Engineers Week reception and program, said Cynthia Oliver Coleman, Engineers Week 2012 Chair. This year brought the Engineers Week award’s eight-year total to $210,000, said Coleman. Sponsors of the awards included ExxonMobil, British Petroleum, Hewlett Packard, Traffic Engineers, Inc. and the UH EAA. For more information on this event and EAA, visit its website at www.egr.uh.edu/eaa. — Cougar News Services
PHILANTHROPY
University to thank alumni, benefactors for donations UH will host Philanthropy Awareness Day from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. today in the University Center. The event is to thank UH alumni and benefactors for donating money to the University, according to a UH press release. For more information, contact Liz Castro at (713) 743-8951 or lncastro@uh.edu. — Cougar News Services
CEO
UH’s Carnaval of Cultures to feature performances, food The Council for Ethnic Organizations will host the two-part event “Carnaval of Cultures” Thursday. The first half of the event will include food and performances from “all over the world” as well as carnival attractions. This will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Butler Plaza, Lynn Eusan Park and outside Cullen Performance Hall, according to the Council’s website. The second half will run from 6 to 9 p.m. inside Cullen Performance Hall and will feature performances by professional groups as well as cultural student organizations. The Council also invites students to participate in the performance. Students seeking more information can email ceocmd@ uh.edu. — Cougar News Services
February 28, 2012
Baptism beyond the grave goes too far
UNIVERSITY
UH eligible for funds University meets state requirements, will receive capital if audit goes well Ariana Benavidez
THE DAILY COUGAR UH and Texas Tech are the only two “emerging research universities” eligible to receive money from the National Research University Fund this year, according to a report by the Texas Higher Eduction Coordinating Board. Pending an audit by state auditor, UH is eligible to receive the funds, said Commissioner of Higher Education Raymund A. Paredes in a memo to the state auditor’s office, published online by the Texas Tribune. The two mandatory criteria for eligibility are to be an emerging research university and have restricted research expenditures, both of which UH has met. UH has also met the criteria in endowment funds, number of doctorate degrees awarded, institutional recognition of research capabilities and scholarly attainment and high-quality faculty — meeting the minimum four of six passes necessary to be eligible to receive the funds, according to the report. UH spent $57 million on restricted research in fiscal year 2010 and $53 million in
2011, according to the report, exceeding the required $45 million. The value of the institution’s endowment funds also has to be at least $400 million in each of the two fiscal years preceding the year for which the appropriation is made. In 2010 and 2011, UH spent $491 million and $591 million respectively. Also, UH met the criteria of high-quality faculty by having seven faculty members who had been awarded national or international distinction in 2010 and eight in 2011. If UH is approved for the funding, it will receive one-seventh of the total money allocated for distribution by the NRUF, plus an equal share — up to one-fourth — of the remaining money after the other eligible schools receive their seventh, according to Texas House Bill 1000. A boost in admissions is also expected because of the new status, as UH already saw a 12 percent increase in fall 2011 from the year before, said Shawn Lindsey, Director of Media Relations for UH. “It’s impossible to attribute that rise to any single factor,” he said. “But as the University of Houston’s profile and reputation as a Tier One, nationally competitive research university continues to rise it’s only natural to expect that so will the interest of prospective students.”
Issue 82, Volume 77
SGA ELECTIONS 2012
Student Government Association elections to continue through Thursday SGA president, vice president and senator positions are being voted on this week by the student body.
Where to vote: !!
www.election.uh.edu
When to vote: !!
7 a.m. to 11: 59 p.m. today through Thursday
Presidential (vice presidential) candidates on the ballot: !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !!
Cedric Bandoh (Turner Harris) Femi Jekayinfa (Josue Alvarado) Carl McGee (Tarek Haider) Michael McHugh (Mohammed Aijaz) Joy Ramirez (Amayrani Gomez) Markley Rogers (Camden Mahbubani) Jeff Syptak (Jack Wehman) David Williams (Ramon Montano)
Senatorial candidates on the ballot: !
!
Students can vote for senators to represent their college and for senators-at-large, who represent the entire student body For a complete list of students running, go to http://tinyurl.com/UHSGA2012
Results announced: !!
Noon Friday in the University Center World Affairs Lounge
Run-off election: !
7 a.m. to 11:59 March 5 to March 7
Run-off results announced: !!
Noon March 8 in the University Center World Affairs Lounge
news@thedailycougar.com Source: Student Government Association
UHPD
University police have new chief Hire is UH-D alumnus, worked for Houston Police Department Ariana Benavidez
THE DAILY COUGAR UH has hired a new chief of police, who started Feb. 20. “I am looking forward to working for this wonderful University with a very supportive staff,” said Chief Ceasar Moore, a UH-Downtown graduate. “I hope to make the Cougar community a safer place to work, live, study and visit.” Moore is a native Houstonian and started as a Houston police officer patrolling the streets surrounding UH in 1984. He was later married at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church across the street from the University. “My dad is a UH grad, my oldest daughter is a UH grad and I am a UH-D grad,” Moore said. “As you can see, I am tied to this area.”
UH Chief of Police Ceasar Moore s is excited by the opportunity to serve the University. | Courtesy of Ceasar Moore
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