Monday, February 18, 2013 // Issue 77, 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 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
OBITUARY
OPINION
Former director dies Chris Shelton Sports editor
Former University of Houston School of Theatre and Dance Director Sidney Berger, 77, died Friday after a brief illness. Berger was a with UH for 40 years before retiring in 2009, during which Berger the department grew into a nationally-recognized theater program. UH School of Theatre and Dance director Steve Wallace said Berger will be hard to replace. “It is next to impossible to encapsulate Sidney Berger’s life in Houston into a few sentences. Creator, director, visionary, chair, teacher, friend, colleague, passionate Shakespeare lover and a giant in educational theater world are all words that come to mind,” Wallace said. He took over as director in 1969 when the School of Theatre and Dance was a small drama department. Since 1975, Berger was a driving force behind the Houston Shakespeare Festival, which led Mayor Annise Parker to proclaim Aug. 6 as “Dr. Sidney Berger Day.” Many stage professionals, including Hollywood actors Dennis Quaid and Jim Parsons, have come through his department. Berger is a past recipient of the Ruth Denney Award from Theater Under the Stars, which honors stage professionals who shape young artists’ lives. In 2007, Berger was honored by U.S. Rep. Gene Green with a Congressional Record Plaque. Berger is survived by his wife, Sandra, and his son, Erik. news@thedailycougar.com
No excuses, only solutions LIFE+ARTS
Group represents UH in Austin (From left)UH Chancellor and President Renu Khator, Sen. Rodney Ellis and Student Government Association President Cedric Bandoh spent time in Austin to discuss further research funding at Texas universities. — Minh Dam/The Daily Cougar
ENGLISH
Pull up a chair Voting begins for department head title, challengers face off Zachary Burton Staff writer
Among those positions up for grabs is the English Department’s chair. Director of Women’s Gender and Sexualities program Elizabeth Gregory is running on a nomination by associate English professor Lynn Voskuil. Gregory completed her bachelor’s at Barnard College, her master’s at University of Kentucky and her doctorate at Yale, according to the Department of English’s website. At UH, she teaches courses on British and American modernism, contemporary poetry, ancient and classical literature,
feminist criticism and motherhood studies. As director of the WGSS, she has developed the Carey C. Shuart Women’s Archive and Research Collection, an anthology of papers from women’s organizations that have helped shape Houston. “My aim as chair would be to facilitate the department’s further growth and student and faculty success, drawing on our many and diverse strengths and building on our good foundation,” Gregory said in a letter to the staff of the department. Opposite Gregory is current chair and professor Wyman Herendeen. Heredeen completed his bachelor’s and master’s at Brown University and his docorate at the University of Toronto. In the department’s retreat “Rethinking English Studies” in April 2009, Herendeen wrote on
the liveliness of the department in the range of innovative pedagogical strategies. He also wrote about the new areas of research and the emergence of rhetoric, composition, and pedagogy concentrations, said English professor Irving Rothman in an email to the department. During that retreat, the department created a planning document that Rothman has kept in his office. Three years later, it documents foresight and confirms trust in the capabilities of the faculty to move forward, Rothman’s email said. Gregory spoke from noon to 1 p.m. Feb. 6 in the Roy G. Cullen Building while Herendeen spoke at the same time and location the following week. Voting will begin at 8 a.m. today and will end Feb. 25. news@thedailycougar.com
CAREERS
Parker preaches action to interns Rebecca Hennes Staff writer
For the spring, 26 students have been chosen for internships through a program that has placed more than 1000 interns in political
offices since its inception. Mayor Annise Parker paid a visit to UH on Friday to speak with interns from the Hobby Center for Public Policy’s Civic Houston Internship Program. The interns
work an average of eight hours per week over the 15-week semester in offices with elected officials at the municipal, county, state or federal levels. Some interns are assigned to community service
organizations and campaigns. “L a s t s e m e s t e r, m y m a i n responsibility was ceremonial documents, which are certificates, PARKER continues on page 3
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ONLINE XTRA Student Government Association represents UH in Austin.
COUNTDOWN
20
Days until Spring Break.
We think it’s time to hit the Rec for a little pre-beach work out, don’t you?