Monday, November 5, 2012 // Issue 40, 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
SFAC hears pleas for fees 2012 STUDENT FEES ADVISORY COMMITTEE MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2012 SFAC hearings will be held in the University Center Bluebonnet Room from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Public comments are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. every day of the hearings. All information below can be found at www.uh.edu/ sfac/fy14_requests/index.html. 10 a.m. — CSD is requesting a base of $431,306 and an augmentation of $5,906. For Fiscal Year 2012, it had a surplus of $36,274. For FY13, it predicts a balance of $0.
$$4,407,707 4 4 0 7 70 7 INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS
$437,212 CENTER FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
10:45 10 0 :45 4 5 a.m. a m — Interc IIntercollegiate t oll llegiiate t Athletics Ath Athle At thl hhle letic le tics is ti is asking aski sking kingg for for a base base bas ion. For FY12 FY 12, 12 2 it it ha hhad ad a ba bbalance bal alan lance off lance of $4,407,707 with no augmentation. FY12, $0. For FY13, it predicts a balance of $0.
1 p.m. p.m. — VPS VPSA A is is rrequ requesting equ eq quees est sstting ing a base of $533,746 $533 746 and a base augmentation of $330 195 For FY12, F $330,195. it had a balance of $0. For FY13, it predicts a balance of $0.
$$863,941 863 941 OFFICE FOR VICE PRESIDENT OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
Jessica Portillo Contributing writer
Many organizations, both in the black and in the red last fiscal year, asked for fee augmentations from the third meeting for the
Student Fees Advisory Committee on Friday. Metropolitan Volunteer Program requested a one-time allocation of $4,622 for its new “Plant the Pride” project. A smaller version of the project was held last year with a
good turn out, said Director of MVP Maureen Durojaiye. After MVP returned $7,700 of unused funds, SFAC members asked MVP why it does not use that money to fund the project. Durojaiye said MVP expanded its programs this year but its budget hasn’t grown, so that money wasn’t in their budget anymore. The New UC Representatives did not ask for any money. University Career Services did not ask for any additional funds. Director David Small presented how the organization was helping students. The marching band and Spirit Squad asked for a one-time allocation of $50,000 for cheer and dance and a base augmentation of $50,000. Urban Experience Program did not ask for any increases or allocations, but instead talked about its monetary breakdown. UH Forensics Society asked for a base increase of $145,531. It said it did not have money to continue to
compete in national competitions, which led to a decrease in the number of students in the program and a decrease in its national recognition. It asked for the money to continue to compete, and for $51,000 to support the assistant director of Forensics and $80,000 to support the director. The SFAC members were concerned about the increase — because Forensics has gone over budget before — and felt the society needed to review the necessity of the assistant director position. Another issue was Forensics’ generated income was not in the budget SFAC received. The committee asked Forensics to project its expenses to see if it would go over budget this year. Scott Sawyer, Veterans Services Office interim director, didn’t ask for a base increase but instead requested $14,000 for assessments. Last year, the organization had a peer-to-peer program where paid
S I N C E
1 9 3 4
OPINION
Sandy blows away voters LIFE+ARTS
Halloween Fest fills Rec SPORTS
SFAC continues on page 3
ACADEMICS
Author gives insight on terrorists mind set Joel White Contributing writer
The UH chapter of Association of The act of terrorism is increasingly deeper than one would expect. Terrorists may come off as peculiar, but they’re far from it. “Terrorists are highly educated, thinking and acting individuals,” said Christopher Harmon, author
of “Terrorism Today.” “I think it takes a great deal of skill to fight on the open front,” Harmon said. “Conversation: The Ideas Behind Terrorism” was the second of a two-part conversation by Harmon held Friday at the Honors College. “He has held one talk on terrorism to my American Foreign Policy
class in 2000,” said Terry Hallmark, event organizer and director of Political Risk and Policy Assessment for IHS Inc. in Houston. “(Students) will get to see an expert in the field of terrorism and counter-terrorism discuss his craft.” Harmon emphasized that fanatical is a good way to define terrorism. While many of the terrorists
he studied were smart, all it takes is extreme, uncritical enthusiasm to wreak havoc, Harmon said. “Many of them are true believers,” Harmon said. “They don’t necessarily have to be smart or educated. Ideology is very real.” Harmon said he doesn’t believe there is a specific personality to TERRORIST continues on page 3
GOVERNMENT
SGA passes bill to bypass president Kathleen Murill Contributing writer
While students dressed as ghouls and goblins roamed the University, the Student Government Association voted and passed a bill to allow the Senate to bypass SGA President Cedric Bandoh. The Legislation Classification Restructuring Bill was passed and the Senate will have the power to
pass University bills and Senate resolutions without going through the executive branch. Chair of Internal Affairs Sean Tarver spoke in favor of the bill. The Senate needed its own voice, and Senate resolutions would provide that by allowing the Senate to go around the executive branch, Tarver said. Bandoh said the senate resolutions would disrupt the balance of
power. “There should always be a balance of power across all three branches in the government. Giving the senate this power — while I understand they want to be able to state their own opinion — could subvert the power of the executive branch,” Bandoh said. After voting to end all discussion, the senate passed the bill with 17 affirmative votes.
Next, a first reading was given of SGA Resolution 49008 in support of the 2012 Transgender Day of Remembrance. If passed, the resolution would recognize Nov. 17 as Transgender Day of Remembrance and bring awareness of the violence against transgendered people. The resolution was assigned to the Student Life Committee to review and edit. news@thedailycougar.com
Cougars steer into trouble CORRECTIONS In Thursday’s weekend calendar, The Daily Cougar listed “Stainability Fest 2012” as an event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., it should have read “Sustainability Fest 2012” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. In the SFAC article, The Daily Cougar listed “Gonzalo Bambio” as the presenter for the Frontier Fiesta Association, it should have read Gonzalo Lombard Benito.