Monday, September 24, 2012 // Issue 16, 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
Khator talks concerns, UHPD doesn’t comment
S I N C E
1 9 3 4
OPINION
Security fails students LIFE+ARTS
Students should report any information to UHDPS or UHPD. The station is located on the corner of Scott St. and Wheeler Avenue | Hannah Laamoumi/The Daily Cougar Julie Heffler News editor
After a string of robberies and attempted robberies on campus this past week, the UH Department of Public Safety has stepped up its efforts to protect students. However, the department declined to comment very extensively on what they will do in the upcoming semester in response. On Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday, three students were held up at gunpoint. The first two students were robbed in broad daylight, while the last student was held up in the evening but did not have any valuable possessions on his person at the time of the incident. “(The connectedness) will have not been determined because the officer is still working on the report,” said Lt. Dina Gonzales of the UHDPS and on-duty public information officer, last week before the third incident. “Once our investigation compares the two, they’ll be able to make the determination whether or not the two are connected. They’re following-up on the previous report, the previous case, and they’ll also be doing the same with this (one).” UHDPS was not available to comment further over the weekend because of administrative hindrances. UHDPS must clear all statements with the Department of Media Relations before their release to the public.
As of Saturday, no new developments have been made, said Executive Director of Media Relations Richard Bonnin. However, UH as a whole has not remained silent. President Renu Khator sent an email to students Friday addressing the safety concerns many students and parents have had. “The University of Houston Department of Public Safety, under the leadership of Chief Ceasar Moore, has today (Sept. 21) established a dedicated task force whose focus for the next 30 days will be investigating and solving the armed robberies that
took place this week,” Khator said in the email. Khator stated in her email that many parents and students have emailed her with concerns. Avery Rabon, vocal performance freshman, is one of the students with concern about the recent incidents. “I was slightly shocked, just because you don’t expect so many thefts to happen in such a short period of time,” Rabon said in an email. More seasoned students like Elliot Kudisch, a political science and Spanish junior, were not as surprised by the events, but still felt that something
more needs to be done. “(I was) surprised, but not shocked. I was in Bayou Oaks at the time of the most recent attempted theft,” Kudisch said in an email. “I most definitely will be more alert to suspicious behavior, but at the same time, UHDPS needs to understand that parking a vehicle at the furthest corner of a parking lot with your lights off is not protecting anyone. There needs to be more done to ensure the safety of the students and faculty.” Elementary education junior
Student radio’s first birthday SPORTS
Soccer tied up for the weekend GET SOME DAILY
ROBBERY continues on page 11
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