SPORTS
TRADITIONS
HEALTH
Spirit sparks involvement
UH prepares for flu season
Coog Crew and Bleacher Creatures hope to become the motivators of the student section at athletics events.
The Student Health Center encourages students to come out to recieve needed vaccinations this fall. SEE PAGE 7
SEE PAGE 5 SEPT.
CALENDAR CHECK: 21
Bayou Bucket. It’ll be fur against feather at the Rice game in three days.
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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U N I V E R S I T Y
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Issue 14, Volume 79
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ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
SCIENCE
NASA to research Houston pollution Tristan Reickhoff Staff writer
Two NASA aircraft will fly over the Houston area to study air pollution throughout the month of September. The project studies air
quality between pollution at the surface, where people are exposed, and pollution overhead. “We are measuring air pollutants and weather variables to develop a better understanding of the chemical and meteorological
processes that contribute to Houston’s poor air quality,” said Barry Lefer, associate department chair of the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Measurements are taken from multiple locations in Houston,
including UH, the UH System at Sugar Land, Conroe, Liberty County, UH Coastal Center and Galveston. NASA scientists have been working with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality,
UH, University of Texas, Rice University and Baylor University on the project. The larger aircraft, the NASA P-3B, flies as low as 1,000 feet over POLLUTION continues on page 3
POLICE
UHPD seeks accreditation Hadiya Iqbal Staff writer
Defined Space remains undefined ”Sandy in Defined Space” is a work of art featured near the Science and Engineering Research Center. It was created by artist Richard McDermott Miller in 1967, and has multiple interpretations, including escaping a “boxed in” space. Justin Tijerina/The Daily Cougar
The process has begun for campus police to become accredited with the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators. The IACLEA sets high professional standards for campus law enforcement and is dedicated to keeping campuses and communities safe. The organization offers numerous programs and educational resources that promote the advancement of public safety. IACLEA is regarded as the leading organization in the campus law enforcement community. Chief of Police Ceaser Moore Jr. is working toward accreditation, which would improve the status of the department nationwide. The process is painstaking. Less than 10 campus police departments have achieved accreditation in Texas and Chief Moore wants to make UH the next campus. “If you want to be a Tier One university, the University should have a Tier One police department,” Moore said. The accreditation process has five stages that all agencies must go through: initial inquiry and application, policy compliance and review, agency evaluation, commission review and maintenance.
UH Police Chief Ceaser Moore Jr. is leading UHPD to seek accreditation with the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators. | Courtesy of uh.edu
Each phase is in-depth and the department must look at a substantial amount of policies and directives. Capt. Katherine Smith is heading the effort to review all of the department’s policies and make them compliant with IACLEA’s standards. This poses a challenge, since each policy not only has to comply with IACLEA’s standards, but also has to adhere to internal, University and other policies. This is a difficulty that is unique to campus police departments, Smith said. “Most city or county departments don’t have to worry about all of the different levels of
compliance,” Smith said. The IACLEA process is voluntary, but Moore has taken the initiative to set the standard for other campus police departments. This recognition of the department’s hard work and dedication to public safety would also reflect well on UH and is a part of Moore’s vision for the Department. “The vision for the Department is for us to be the best,” Moore said. “I don’t want it to be good, or better than some.” Despite the challenges the Department faces, Moore hopes to achieve accreditation by summer 2014. new@thedailycougar.com