Issue 91, Volume 78

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Wednesday, March 20, 2013 // Issue 91, 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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COMMENTARY

UH strives for program growth Christopher Shelton Sports editor

Before the season began, the Cougars wore black shirts with M.O.D. — March or Die — emblazoned in red letters made for players and coaches. The shirts were a symbol of their goal to reach the postseason. The Cougars are a part of March Madness, though not in the capacity they would have liked. After losing in the quarterfinals of the Conference USA tournament, the Cougars did not receive an atlarge bid to the NCAA tournament. UH accepted the opportunity to

participate in the College Basketball Invitational — a 16-team postseason tournament. Associate head coach Alvin Brooks said the experience of playing in the CBI could be the linchpin that sets the Cougars up for a future NCAA tournament appearance. “It’s a great sell to your young kids. It’s a springboard to give us a chance to get back into the NCAA tournament as we move into the Big East,” Brooks said. “The teams that have been in the CBI have done that.” PROGRAM continues on page 5

OPINION

Beware of web permanence LIFE+ARTS UH and Texas were once Southwest Conference Rivals. | 1995 Houstonian

CITY

UH accelerates medical education Erika Forero Contributing writer

Students and faculty accompanied President Renu Khator to St. Louis during Spring Break where she received the President of the Year award. | Courtesy of UH.edu

PRESIDENT’S OFFICE

Khator internationally recognized, praised Minh Dam Contributing writer

UH is now home to the Association of College Unions International 2013 president of the year. President Renu Khator accepted the prestigious title at the Community Builders Awards Ceremony in St. Louis. The award was created last year to recognize university presidents who advance the college union idea: to complement the academic experience through an extensive variety of cultural, educational, social and recreational programs. “This award is more precious to me than any other,” Khator said, “because this one is for being the most student-friendly president.” Involvement, promotion and support for the college union and student activities were the criteria considered for each nominee.

“In my 20 years of involvement with ACUI and the College Unions (University Centers) and the Student Activities profession, I have not seen or heard of a president that has impacted a campus like President Khator has in her five years at UH,” said Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Keith Kowalka, who personally coordinated the nomination of Khator for the prestigious title. Adorned in her usual Cougar red, Khator was approached by several people after her acceptance speech to express their surprise that she attends so many student events and meetings. “That’s the most rewarding part of my job, for sure,” she said. “I get my inspiration and motivation from the success of our students, and it’s KHATOR continues on page 3

UH has partnered with two leading Texas medical schools to create a program to shorten the time it takes for students to become doctors. University of Texas Medical Branch and University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston will join UH in an effort to guide medical students on a fast-track path that reduces their time in school to seven years from the usual eight. “There are several programs that some universities have like this already, so Dr. Khator decided we needed to create one of our own, so we did,” said professor Simon Bott, director of Undergraduate Affairs and Advising for the Department of Chemistry. The program will allow 10 hand-picked students to earn credit hours toward a Bachelor of Science degree at UH as well as a doctorate in medicine from one of the two collaborating medical schools. These students will spend three rigorous years at The Honors College preparing to enter medical school during what would have been their senior year. The first class is set to start in fall 2013. “We pretty much know already who those students will be because we inter viewed some of the

candidates at the start of Spring Break,” Bott said. “Most students are not the ones who would think about staying in Texas for med school. These are students of the caliber to go off to Ivy League schools.” “We are attracting that kind of person to stay in Texas, and the way we do it is by saying, ‘Hey, you come here and bust your butt, and we will make absolutely sure you get to med school faster.’ You can’t say that to too many people,” he said. Bott In addition to taking rigorous science and math courses, the students will enroll in a twosemester capstone honors course called The Human Situation, which will provide an open conversation about the most important issues for human beings, according to a UH press release. Students will also minor in the Medicine and Society Program at The Honors College. This will support an interdisciplinary understanding of health and health care through academic courses, research, student internships, MEDICAL continues on page 3

Students set-up Fiesta City SPORTS

Postseason trains players GET SOME DAILY

thedailycougar.com

ONLINE POLL What are you looking forward to at Frontier Fiesta this weekend?

TOMORROW The track team prepares for the its weekend meet at Rice.

COUNTDOWN

1

Day until Frontier Fiesta.

All the borrowed parking spaces will be forgiven once you see Fiesta City.


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Issue 91, Volume 78 by The Cougar - Issuu