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Cougars get the better of the Herd in pair of one-run wins
April 23, 2012
Sleigh Bells ‘sleigh’ crowd with sound
Issue 109, Volume 77
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Second women’s status report released Edition shows continued disparity between male, female faculty members Jed Ocot
THE DAILY COUGAR The University Commission on Women released the second edition of “The Status of Women” report Wednesday, with the first copy sent to UH President Renu Khator. The report highlights how female administrators, faculty, staff and students are fairing at the University of Houston. In
1999, President Arthur Smith appointed the commission to explore the status of women in response to a harassment lawsuit, said associate professor of sociology and author Amanda Baumle. “The UCW addresses issues dealing with faculty advancement for women, professional development issues for staff, child care on campus and policies that affect women on campus,” Baumle said. For instance, the average salaries for tenure and tenure track faculty members are $89,250 for females and $109,566 for males. 60 percent of the staff members are female, with most working in
administrative or student services, the report says. In 2010, 50.1 percent of the students were female, and they also outnumbered men in the number of degrees earned — 3,839 compared to the 3,391 degrees awarded to males, the report says. As a result of the first report, the UH community found it helpful in increasing awareness about gender disparities in leadership and salaries. However, it did not galvanize the campus community into action, said Director of the Women’s Resource Center Beverly McPhail. “Today there seems to be greater
WOMEN continues on page 3
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Cougars donate time, shadow professionals
University throws Earth Day carnival
Courtney Johns
THE DAILY COUGAR
April Gutierrez
THE DAILY COUGAR UH students and faculty celebrated the 42nd Earth Day with a carnival featuring games, cake and a weather balloon launch by the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences on Thursday in Butler Plaza. Several outside organizations and departments from UH, including Green Mountain Energy and the City of Houston attended the event to support Earth Day and Green UH. “What I loved about all the organizations that helped us this year was they brought out their own game that was made out of recycled materials,” said Billy Garner, Marketing Coordinator for UH. “The City of Houston brought a blow up pool and had a boat race.” GreenUH supplied four games for the carnival, including a ring toss made with recycled bottles. “The Earth Day Carnival went very well. I am more pleased this year than I was last year because there was a lot more participation. We had more organizations come this year than we had in the past,” Garner said. The Houston Police Department also attended, letting
momentum and a critical mass around gender issues with the recent submission of the ADVANCE grant to the National Science Foundation,” McPhail said. “(The momentum comes from) the work of deans and chairs, such as the dean of engineering, Dean Tedesco and the physics chair Dr. Pinsky, to recruit and retain women, and the committed action of many women on campus — from the able leadership of President Khator to the work of the UCW.” Reports like this are essential in
The Earth Day celebration featured recycle-friendly games, including a ring toss made with recycled bottles. | April Gutierrez/The Daily Cougar students try on bullet proof vests and other equipment. “I was shocked to see how heavy and hot the vest was. It was cool to try it. I have a new respect for the police and the things they have to wear to protect our city,” Garner said. The March of Dimes set up a
fundraiser at the carnival, raising around $100 over three hours, Garner said. “Overall the Earth Day Carnival was a success. I anticipate next year being even better,” Garner said. news@thedailycougar.com
The University of Houston’s pre-dental society joined The Texas Mission of Mercy in providing free dental services at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio on April 13. The society is the first predental organization to ever participate in a charity event with TMOM, which has been hosting charity events in different cities across Texas since 2001. TMOM is a dental commission that hosts one- to two-day charity events in the hopes of “relieving pain and restoring smiles,” according to their website. TMOM brings volunteers and doctors in the field of dentistry together to administer different services to families, such as wisdom tooth extractions, cosmetic fillings of front teeth, fillings on molars and baby teeth extractions on children. “We were just assisting (the dentists)... We did extraction, x-rays, a whole medley of stuff,” said Chris Punch, an officer for the pre-dental organization. “Whatever they needed us to do. Some of us are certified, so some could do more than others.” The pre-dental organization at UH has participated in the charity events for about 18 semesters, said a press release by Farhan G. Ahmed, co-president
It’s fun. We’re helping people, talking with and shadowing dentists and getting a better understanding of dentistry.” Chris Punch, on volunteering with The Texas Mission of Mercy of the American Student Dental Alliance. Punch had worked with TMOM in the past. “This is my third or fourth time going to a charity event with TMOM,” Punch said. “It feels good going there, helping patients and assisting the dentists.” The organization left Thursday to help set up with 500 other volunteers in the St. Mary’s University arena, which held approximately 40 dental chairs to treat more than 1,000 patients from low-income families. Nearly half of them were walk-ins, according to Ahmed. During the set-up, only specific people can put together the equipment, but during the teardown, everyone can help except for with the x-ray machine. “It’s fun. We’re helping people, talking with and shadowing dentists and getting a better understanding of dentistry,” Punch said Out of all the universities and DENTISTS continues on page 3