Monday, March 4, 2013 // Issue 85, 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
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T H E
U N I V E R S I T Y
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H O U S T O N
S I N C E
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STUDENT GOVERNMENT
President, VP promise to hit ground running Katherine Morris Contributing writer
The ballots are in – Cedric Bandoh and Rani Ramchandani will take office in the 50th Student Government Association administration. Bandoh won re-election over competitor Eduardo Reyes with 59.6 percent of the votes. Bandoh and Ramchandani will begin serving their term together as president and vice president, respectively, April 1. Both Bandoh and Ramchandani plan on getting straight to business come April, Bandoh said. “Many items on our platform will begin simultaneously as we will hit the ground running,” Bandoh said. “Folks who know me understand that I believe time is money, and I don’t like wasting either one, and the students deserve an SGA that
works diligently.” “A major item that we will start, is working with our Department of Public Safety to look at implementing the Cougar Patrol,” he said. Bandoh said scholarships and financial aid will still remain as part of his driving forces. Bandoh and Ramchandani said they plan to continue to further improve on what we have, including a better refund service for students. Bandoh’s reason behind choosing Ramchandani is because of to her passion for the campus, he said. In the current administration, Ramchandani serves as chair of the Senate Committee on Administration and Finance. Outside of SGA, she has served two years as copresident of the Mr. UH Executive Board in which she raised $3,000 for philanthropic service
Professor asks for awareness LIFE+ARTS SGA Chief Election Commissioner Said Jalajal presented re-elected president Cedric Bandoh with his election results Friday. | Mary Dahdouh/The Daily Cougar “I am extremely grateful to the student body for supporting our mission and believing in our vision,” Ramchandani said. “At the end of the day, Cedric, myself and the
entire SGA collective are working in the best interest of the students for the students. SGA continues on page 3
OBITUARY
Law Center lecturer dies Chrystal Grant Staff writer
The Science Engineering Fair occurred Friday downtown, but the awards ceremony took place Saturday on campus. | Shaimaa Eissa/The Daily Cougar
SCIENCE
Fair awards successful students Makenzie Seman Contributing writer
On Saturday, in correspondence with its push for an increased focus on science and technology, UH contributed to the annual Science Engineering Fair of Houston, an event that awards more than $60,000 in college scholarships to approximately 200 students from the greater Houston area. UH has become a major player this year by holding campus and residence hall tours for the participating students and by having the award ceremonies held at the
Cullen Performance Hall. The fair has provided an educational service to junior and senior high school students since the 1960s. “Houston is this scientific hub,” said Mark Smith, dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. “And supporting and cultivating the local minds is extremely important to our city’s success.” Retired NASA astronaut and engineer Bonnie Dunbar, the leader the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Center, offered FAIR continues on page 3
OPINION
A lecturer for the UH Law Center who became the first African American woman to serve on the First Court of Appeals in Texas, died Friday. Gaynelle Griffin Jones, 64, died at her home in Houston after battling cancer for several years, said her daughter, Athena Jones. “She was very impressible and energetic,” Jones said, a correspondent for CNN. “She loved to work on new projects and travel, from building g i n g e r b re a d houses with her grandson to planning trips to Egypt, G h a n a a n d Griffin Jones South Africa.” Born Nov. 20, 1948 in Dallas, Griffin was the second child of Marvin and Lois Griffin. She graduated from A. J. Moore High School in Waco. She received a scholarship to Emerson College in Boston and earned a degree in history. She then received a full scholarship to attend Boston College Law School, where her 40-year legal career began. Griffin was appointed by the Texas governor to serve on the First Court of
Appeals. Former President Bill Clinton named her United States Attorney for the Southern District in Texas in 1993, making her the first African-American woman appointed to the position. Griffin taught trial advocacy at the UH Law Center and contributed legal services to the poor, criminal law, corporate law and private practices. Griffin loved to stay involved and volunteer her service, Jones said. She was a senior fellow as the Center for Houston’s Future and the American Leadership Forum, and she served on the board of the Houston Area Women’s Center; the Phoenix House of Texas, a teenage drug treatment program; and Cate School. Jones received many awards and honors for her achievements, including the Sarah Hughes Outstanding Achievement Award from the State Bar of Texas Women’s Section, the Bessie Coleman Trailblazer Award and the Star of Achievement Award. She was active in the Houston Bar Association as co-chair of the minority opportunities committee and was a frequent lecturer at professional seminars and programs. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Wheeler Avenue Baptist. news@thedailycougar.com
Speaker talks materialism SPORTS
Landry goes out on top GET SOME DAILY
thedailycougar.com
TOMORROW Learn how the fixed tuition will affect UH students.
ONLINE XTRA NASA scientists talked about human impact in climate change.
COUNTDOWN
7
Days until Spring Break.
It’s officially crunch time. No seriously, drop and give us 20 crunches.