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April 11, 2012 Issue 103, Volume 77
UNIVERSITY
Gas company gives University $1 million ConocoPhillips’ donation to go towards Energy Research Park Courtney Johns
THE DAILY COUGAR The University of Houston will receive a donation of $1.1 million from ConocoPhillips Co. this year to pay for the growth of the Energy Research Park and various engineering, business and science programs. “This donation will only further the progress we’ve made by helping additional students, providing various new programs including an offshore energy program, and strengthening the corporate bond,” said Marshall Scott, assistant vice president for instructional support and outreach. This is the second year UH has received a $1 million donation from the company, and a third donation of the same magnitude is expected next year. The ERP at UH was built and funded to
research alternative energy solutions to the problems arising from the use of fossil fuels. The ConocoPhillips Petroleum Engineering Building, which is located at the ERP, will receive the $1 million in support of the graduate and undergraduate students who study there. “This donation is expected to be tremendously helpful to the petroleum program and to the expansion of the undergraduate program,” Scott said. The petroleum engineering undergraduate program was started in fall 2009 to accompany the existing master’s degree program. The other $125,000 will add other engineering, science and business programs. “Our goal in working with a number of different oil companies, including ConocoPhilips, to enhance the program. There has been a lot of progress in the past three
The ConocoPhillips Petroleum Engineering Building was finished summer 2011 and was paid for mostly by money donated by the company. | File Photo/The Daily Cougar or four years towards that goal, both in research and teaching,” Scott said. ConocoPhilips Petroleum Engineering Building opened last year and quickly became the new home for the petroleum program.
ORGANIZATIONS
UH students fight Perry’s budget with shirt slogan Julie Heffler
THE DAILY COUGAR
Nici Wright
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SNOWDROP continues on page 3
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STUDENTS
UH group supports Snowdrop Foundation Students may have seen tall banners supporting the Snowdrop Foundation in coordination with those of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization. These banners are outside the satellite, University Center or in Melcher Hall where UH’s chapter of CEO hosted a multi-location fundraiser Tuesday. The Snowdrop Foundation, which was founded by radio host Kevin Kline, assists patients and families at Texas Children’s Cancer Center through funding for continued research to eliminate childhood cancer. Additionally, they provide scholarships for college bound pediatric cancer patients and survivors. Over the past three years, Kline
The ConocoPhilips building consists of three classrooms, three teaching labs, a computer lab and lounges for both students and teachers to enjoy.
Helping with henna
J
anki Patel gives Charu Hansr a henna tattoo Tuesday in the Philip Guthrie Hoffman Breezeway during a samosa sale by Pratham@UH. The non-profit organization promotes education of underprivileged children in India. | Emily Chambers/The Daily Cougar
In response to the defunding of the Women’s Health Program in Texas, some students are using comedy and charity as a way to connect to the student body. Creative writing sophomore Miranda Denmon and photography junior Maggie McCartney were concerned when they heard about Gov. Rick Perry’s new budget plan. “I remember first hearing about the defunding of the Women’s Health Program — I was completely dumbstruck and scared,” Denmon said. “The Women’s Health Program is the only kind of health care I have, and I knew I was not the only one. Thousands of women and their families depend on Planned Parenthood’s services for education, family planning and prenatal care.” Trying to keep the highly politically charged situation fairly uncharged while still getting their message across, Denmon and McCartney placed spoonerism joke onto a t-shirt, hoping to give the
The Women’s Health Program is the only kind of health care I have, and I knew I was not the only one. Thousands of women and their families depend on Planned Parenthood’s services for education, family planning and prenatal care” Miranda Denmon, on Gov. Rick Perry’s budget plan raised funds from sales to Planned Parenthood. “The t-shirt idea started off as a joke. I posted ‘Puck Ferry’ on my Facebook, and my friend Maggie McCartney had responded saying that t-shirts should be made,” Denmon said. “The next day we talked, and found out that we both were serious, wanting to do something to make a difference. We decided we’d make a few, then sell them SHIRTS continues on page 3