Monday, August 27, 2012 // Issue 1, Volume 78 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
THE DAILY COUGAR
T H E
O F F I C I A L
S T U D E N T
N E W S P A 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
Can you graduate in four years? 84% didn’t Khator: Current turnover rate for students at University ‘not where it needs to be’ Julie Heffler News editor
Compared to the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University, the University of Houston’s four- and six-year graduation rates are not acceptable to UH President and Chancellor Renu Khator. The four- year and six-year graduation rates among UH students have risen to 16.5 percent and 45.7 percent, respectively, placing UH below the six-year or less average of 57.4 percent for public Texas universities. UT has a four-year graduation rate of 50.7 percent and a six-year rate of 82.9 percent, while A&M graduates 53 percent in four years and 83.6 percent in six years. “Our graduation rate is not where it needs to be,” Khator said. “When I meet successful alumni, I always tell them how proud I am of them. But for every successful alumnus, there’s another student who is left behind.” Student Government Association President Cedric Bandoh shares with Khator’s disappointment. “We have an incredibly talented and diverse student body, with many of our students at the top of their high school class and the first GRAD continues on page 18
The majority of UH students take more than six years to graduate. | File photo/The Daily Cougar
Textbooks take their toll on student wallets Ellen Goodacre Assistant news editor
Like many students this week, Justin Shaw, an English grad student, is looking for books for his Literary Theory course. | Joshua Mann /The Daily Cougar
Students preparing for the semester have probably spent the last week scouring the Internet for ways to save money on textbooks required for many of their classes. The National Association of College Stores’ Student Watch 2012 found that students’ estimated spending was approximately $655 on required course materials in 2011, down $12 since 2010. Much of the cost stems from physical textbooks, which are still the preferred option for many students despite the often hefty costs and difficulty reselling them that are not as common as their e-book alternatives. “I prefer traditional textbooks because of the availability — you can carry it around with you,” biology
sophomore Jonathan Chang said. “Compared to e-books, you don’t need to turn it on; you can just open it. If you’re stuck on a certain area or want to get back to the area you were in, just (use) a bookmark,” Chang said. However, the price and hassle often associated with traditional textbooks has convinced some students to opt for e-books instead. “They’re cheaper, and sometimes you can download them for free legally,” biology senior Chandler Collins said. “There’s nothing physical to turn, no pages, so sometimes it doesn’t feel like you’re making as much progress. But, having said that, you get the search function so that’s better than (physical) textbooks.” Despite what may seem like the BOOKS continues on page 17
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EDITOR’S NOTE Providing news coverage for a school like UH is a lot of things — exciting, challenging, exhausting — but it’s never dull. The campus is always changing. Construction alone could fill the pages of every one of our issues — sports facilities, residence and dining halls, classrooms, the Metro light rail and the University Center are all under construction. The Student GovernJoshua ment AssoMann ciation under President Cedric Bandoh is restructuring its bylaws, the campus is on its way to becoming smoke-free and the organizations are rolling out their Collegiate Link website. And those are just the obvious things; behind the scenes, money is moving, policies are changing and research is being done. Even The Daily Cougar is changing; returning readers may notice our hip new look or the shiny new blog and calendar sections on our website. And if you aren’t content with just reading, send us a letter or a news tip through thedailycougar. com or, if you’re a student, apply to write, draw, take pictures or edit for us. There’s a lot going on, and the Cougar is dedicated to being the eyes and ears and voice of our university’s students, faculty and staff amidst all the change. What follows is 56 pages of what we thought would be a good start to understanding the campus around you, so sit back, sip your coffee and read on.
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ONLINE XTRA See an online gallery of the Y Building’s demolition
TOMORROW What has SGA done this summer?