Wednesday, September5, 2012 // Issue6,Volume78 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
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
ELECTION 2012
Assistant sports editor
When political science sophomore Nick Fox enters the ballot box this November, he will not cast a vote for either of the two main candidates. “I think that Romney and Obama both represent interests that seek to expand government powers and curtail individual liberties,” Fox said. “Gary Johnson pledges to reduce the size of government and allow the economy to recover as it should,
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OPINION
UH leans left in straw poll Christopher Shelton
S I N C E
unaided by government interference. Not to mention, he’ll end the failed war on drugs and the war in Afghanistan.” Johnson was nominated as the Libertarian party’s candidate. It is yet to be seen how much of an impact Johnson will have on the presidential race on a national scale. UH is the second most diverse college campus in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report from 2009, and the myriad of nationalities and cultures result in a wide range of opinions. To get an idea of what UH’s
student body thinks, a straw poll was conducted involving 100 students. The poll showed 59 percent would vote for Obama, while 36 percent would take Romney. The remaining 5 percent would go for Johnson. Assuming all those polled were between the ages of 18 and 29, this shows a marked decrease from the 2008 exit-poll data where Obama received 66 percent of votes between those two age groups. “The highest turnout since 1960
RESULTS The Daily Cougar conducted an unscientific poll of students on the UH campus. The results are as shown below. Obama — 59 percent Romney — 36 percent Johnson — 5 percent
I’m Barack Obama — AMA LIFE+ARTS
Poll data gathered by contributing writers.
2012 continues on page 2
$1.5 million goes to UH art programs, CLASS Max Gardner Staff writer
Several University of Houston performance halls and arts programs will benefit from a $1.51 million Houston Endowment grant to the UH Arts Initiative. “I think the award itself is really a recognition of the importance of the arts in educational institutions on the part of the Houston Endowment,” said John Roberts, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. “We are really grateful that they see the value in what we do here and that they were willing to support it, especially at this level. It’s a great thing for us.” This is one of the largest Houston Endowment grants UH has received, and it will be a contributing factor in many renovations as well as the development of a new arts leadership program. “Part of the grant will benefit infrastructure, especially the Moores Opera House, the Dudley Recital Hall, places like that – performing venues, as well as classroom spaces for students,” Roberts said. According to a UH press release, $545,000 will go toward these
renovations and the creation of a new student exhibition space in the Fine Arts Building. “The renovations are going to be pretty generic in the sense that there are not going to be any major changes to the facilities themselves. By generic, I would point to the fact that one of the major renovations in the Moores Opera House will involve replacing the stage curtains and screens,” Roberts said. “There will also be substantial upgrades of sound, lighting and other electrical systems that are at or near their shelf life. The recital halls will pretty much get face-lifts, including new seating, lighting and other improvements to enhance their appearance and usefulness.” The University will contribute $715,000 to public programs like the Houston Shakespeare Festival and the Texas Music Festival, $100,000 of those funds will be for developing new projects. “It’s really important for us and provides much needed support, especially in making sure they can do some of the activities they have not been able to do in the past,” Roberts said. “Plus, it gives us a staple form of support. Normally, we go out and
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“Winged Victory” by American Stephen De Staebler | Clara Kang/The Daily Cougar raise money to make these things happen every year, but now we have a source of money that we know we can build on.” These new projects will be art-centered and mostly from UH faculty. “We will essentially award it as small grants to artists, especially faculty artists, to start new projects that they have an idea they want to facilitate,” Roberts said. “They will write a proposal for those funds, and we will be able to hopefully support those ideas and get some new projects going that way.” The final $250,000 will help finalize plans to create the UH Center for Arts Leadership, which should have classes open for the fall 2013 semester.
“We will be able to begin (the arts leadership master’s degree program) next fall with support from this grant. Arts leadership is a real important concern for a lot of people in the field of art generally and certainly in Houston, which is a big arts community” Roberts said. “Preparing people adequately to lead these programs – whether museums or theatres, whatever the arts venue might be – into the future will be very important.” Houston Endowment is a foundation that supports artistic and cultural activity and awareness within the city. According to Houston Endowment President Ann Stern, UH’s ART continues on page 2
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CORRECTION The countdown to the last day to drop without a W said the last day was Sept. 16. It is actually the 12th.