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
Thursday, October 3 , 2013
Issue 23, Volume 79
S I N C E
1 9 3 4
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
ADMINISTRATION
STATE
Khator talks student success at Fall Address
Water discussions flow to UH
Laura Gillespie Assistant news editor
The past year has been one marked by great change at UH. The University Center is undergoing renovations, academics and research are booming and a new stadium is being built from the ground up. President and Chancellor Renu Khator celebrated these changes, among others, at the 2013 President’s Fall Address held Wednesday morning at Moores Opera House. Yet Khator also discussed the University’s shortcomings and the areas where there is room to improve. “These last five years we have witnessed many changes, We have launched initiatives,
constructed buildings, shaped our recruiting of students and hiring of faculty, organized and re-organized our (efficiency),” Khator said. “The question that I would like to raise is, and the basis of my (speech is): ‘So what?’” “So what if buildings have been built? So what if initiatives have been launched? So what if recruiting and hiring practices have been changed? And so what if efficiency has changed? Has any of this made a difference in the lives of those we seek to educate and support: our students and alumni? Or those KHATOR continues on page 3
Manuella Libardi Senior staff writer
said. “We would like to see students’ input.” Since Tuesday, SGA has also been holding a voter registration drive in front of the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library. Many students have stopped by the table to register for voting and inquire about information on voter identification laws. “We got about 70 people registered, which is really good for a voter registration drive for one day,” said Director of External Affairs Bria Riley. “We were planning on having one on
Experts were on hand Tuesday at the Athletics/Alumni Center to discuss Proposition 6 and the implications it has on the future of water in Texas. The proposition promises to “assist in financing of priority projects in the state water plan to ensure the availability of adequate water resources.” The constitutional amendment plans to provide for water needs in Texas in the next 50 years through the creation of the State Water Implementation Fund, but whether the SWIF goes into effect depends entirely on the voters of Texas, because the bill is amending Article III of the Texas Constitution. Voting day is Nov. 5. The proposition authorizes a one-time transfer of $2 billion from the state’s Economic Stabilization Fund to fully implement the State Water Ritter Plan. “Legislation has been trying to find a method to fund the State Water Plan, and we have not been able to accomplish (it) because it took tax, a fee (or) some basis like this,” said Rep. Allan Ritter. “It has not been that high priority.” The issue of water became even more pressing after 2011’s drought. Texas State Director for the Nature Conservancy Laura Huffman said the timing for this election is perfect because of the consequences of recent droughts and called water a local and statewide issue. “Houston is actually a perfect example,” Huffman said. “Not only does Houston have to find future water supplies in order to support its doubling in size over several decades, but Houston will also benefit from or suffer from water planning in Dallas, for example, which is going to send whatever comes down Trinity River to Houston.” The panelists said that planning
SERVICES continues on page 11
WATER continues on page 3
President Renu Khator considers higher freshmen retention rates and more space dedicated to science labs among the University’s notable achievements. | Fernando Castaldi/The Daily Cougar
CAMPUS
UHPD takes National Night Out Matthew Wyatt Contributing writer
Police cars, uniformed officers, faculty and students filled Lynn Eusan Park on Tuesday, when the UH Police Department hosted the third annual National Night Out and Walk in the Dark and hundreds showed up to participate. One of the participants, Lt. Bret Collier, has attended the National Night Out every year that it has been held at the park and said that this year’s event was much larger than previous years. Collier also explained the importance of the event for both the community and the police. “It’s an opportunity for police to interact with the community, hear concerns the public are having and advertise the services the department offers,” Collier said. “We get an opportunity to talk to people we don’t usually get to talk to.” A performance by the University’s band began the event and free hot dogs were provided by UHPD. Students were able to familiarize themselves with the Department at the information booth. “Students see the officers and UHPD continues on page 11
The Student Government Association is planning on adding new services to help students with legal and medical questions by establishing a task force lead by SGA Attorney General Shane Smith. | Isabella Serimontrikul/The Daily Cougar
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
New task force to tackle health, legal services Timothy Payne Contributing writer
The growing number of student and student leader concerns for legal services and a new health center has focused the Student Government Association’s attention on forming a new committee to handle these issues. “We are looking at establishing a student legal service here at the University. This is a service where students can come in for free or very little cost,” said SGA Attorney General Shane Smith, who is taking
the lead on these issues. “This is for students signing leases on apartments, who get traffic tickets. College students get into some various things and we don’t know how to deal with them.” The plan is to have multiple attorneys available to students to answer their legal questions, Smith said. Smith has also set up a committee in support of a new health center with the help of SGA President Cedric Bandoh and Sen. Scarlett Najera. “There are seven exam rooms shared by all the services. (This is) not nearly enough room,” Smith