Issue 119, Volume 77

Page 1

SUMMER EDITION

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 T O N S I N C E 1 9 3 4

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UH is unable to justify the costs of campus room and board

Andrew Garfield takes a spin at Spiderman

UH Alumni named CFO of the Year

July 3, 2012 Issue 119, Volume 77

CAMPUS

Cougar and chief financial offcier of Goodwill Industries of Houston was given the award by the Houston Business Journal Julie Heffler

THE DAILY COUGAR Showing a excellent example for C.T. Bauer College of Business students is Tony Van Slyke, alumni and chief financial officer of Goodwill Industries of Houston. Van Slyke has been awarded by the Houston Business Journal the CFO of the Year award. The annually distributed award was given in the category of large, non-for-profit. Van Slyke was also nominated for the Best Turnaround Specialist of the Year award by the same organization. “I think having good mentors and certainly a good education played a big part in my success,” Van Slyke said. “Setting goals and achieving them was certainly also very important.” While Van Slyke may posses many personal qualities that allowed him to succeed in his career, he does not forget his UHaffiliated alma maters: UH and UHD. “In terms of education, (UH) was great. I did my undergrad at UHD and I went back and got my MBA at night while working full time,” Van Slyke said. “Education really laid the foundation to go forward. I couldn’t have done it without my education.” Goodwill Industries gives employment aid and training for those who lack the skills and opportunities. Van Slyke, despite having always worked for for-profit organizations, says he is extremely satisfied that he is able to put his skills toward what he feels is a great mission. Van Slyke also participates in the Bauer College of Business mentoring program. “(The mentoring program) has helped me connect with current students that share my experience.

Two students I worked with were in a similar situation where they worked full time and were getting their MBAs at night,” Van Slyke said. With his experience in hand, Van Slyke gives some advice to aspiring CEOs, CFOs and other businesstrack students. “One mistake I made as a young college student was that I thought certain classes were not as important and I spent less time on those. If I learned one thing (in my career), it would be that every class was relevant and important to my life whether it be history, English, accounting, marketing. I wish I could have realized that when I was younger,” Van Slyke said. “My advice to college kids is to be a sponge and soak up and learn. It may not see relevant to your life now, but it is all relevant. news@thedailycougar.com

Signs indicating the closing of the old UC signal the transition from the old to the new. | Hendrick Rosemond/The Daily Cougar

Jonorr’s closes its doors Channler Hill

THE DAILY COUGAR In continuation of building a Tier One University, Jonorr’s Salon joined the former University Center restaurants, closed until the completion of Phase I of the new UC in January 2014. Jonorr’s, closed effective June 29th, will no longer be seeing clientele on-campus. With Jonorr’s

being the only hair salon in the UC, the choice to permanently close the salon was taken into great consideration. The UC Transformation Project that is driven with students in mind, made the regrettable decision in order to accommodate the full schedule and scope of the UC Transformation Project, according to The New UC recent news. The owner of Jonorr’s will open

in a new location off campus, where her current clientele will have the luxury of enjoying the same services that were once offered to students on campus. For further information regarding the future of Jonorr’s and to be added to list of clientele at her new opening, call (713) 436-5657 or (713) 436-5674. news@thedailycougar.com

RESEARCH

Smart cement sets foundation for higher safety standards Professor develops sealant that can detect pressure and temperature change Ashley Anderson

THE DAILY COUGAR

Creator of the smart cement, Cumaraswamy Vipulanandan, made his technology to increase safety standards in off-shore oil field development. | Photo courtesy of Cumaraswamy Vipulanandan

ONLINE

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University of Houston researcher and professor of civil engineering Cumaraswamy Vipulanandan has been awarded a $2.5 million grant for the development of “smart” cement, which will pave the way for improvements in offshore drilling and cementing. The award is a three-year grant funded by the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America, a part of the Department of Energy.

An additional $500,000 has been awarded by Baker Hughes, an oilfield services company based in Houston. Joseph Tedesco, dean of the Cullen College of Engineering, is excited by the prospect of the University getting involved in a larger national project. “This award definitely demonstrates UH’s strengths in materials, engineering and structures as it relates to our ongoing national need to expand exploration and production but in a safe and secure way,” Tedesco said.

The material will be added to the slurry and drilling mud used in offshore oil rigs. This will allow builders and operators to better monitor the inside of a well, which is not easily accessible. “We are developing a sensing material, which has never been done before,” Vipulanandan said. The material will enhance the safety of the drilling and cementing mixtures that are used today. Due to the inaccessibility of the underwater oil wells, keeping up with their CEMENT continues on page 3


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