SPORTS
BASKETBALL
ORGANIZATIONS
Increasing aggressiveness
BSU makes spring comeback
After struggling in the first half against St. thomas, UH looks to get off to a fast start Friday against Texas State.
SEE PAGE 8
Black Student Union plans to make permanent return to campus.
SEE PAGE 6
NOVEMBER
CALENDAR CHECK: 11
Veteran’s Day. Show some love to the veterans who have fought for our country.
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
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Issue 42, Volume 79
O F
H O U S T O N
S I N C E
1 9 3 4
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
STUDENT FEES
Media, arts present at 2nd day of Advisory Committee Zachary Burton, Sabrina Lloyd, Diana Nguyen Contributing writers
Fee-funded organizations deployed their representatives to the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center to defend their causes and request the approval of their annual budgets for fiscal year 2015. Ten of the more than 30 organizations went through the process of winning the hearts and minds
of the Student Fees Advisory Committee on Wednesday. SFAC is the designated body that provides the budget recommendations that make their way to President and Chancellor Renu Khator. Big changes ahead The Center for Student Media, composed of The Daily Cougar, Coog Radio and Student Video Network, presented requests to SFAC, focusing on obtaining funds for
new equipment and marketing. The Daily Cougar Editor in Chief Channler K. Hill spoke about the great changes that The Daily Cougar will face in the future and its need for more online content, more marketing promotions and more digital training tools. Beginning in Fall 2014, The Daily Cougar will become a weekly paper. It will be a larger edition, featuring SFAC continues on page 3
A golden opportunity The Cougars have a chance to move into the national conversation with games against ranked opponents in consecutive weeks. Read more on page 6. Every fall, student-fee-supported organizations make their way in front of the Student Fees Advisory Committee. There are two days of presentations left on Friday and Monday in the Rotunda Room of the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center. | Emily S. Chambers/The Daily Cougar
Caitlin Hilton/The Daily Cougar
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Senate bill proposes new Halal food options in dining halls Diana Nguyen, Tim Payne Contributing writers
Although Houston has one of the largest and fastest growing Muslim populations in the country, UH has yet to provide certain foods that meet their dietary guidelines — specifically halal food, which specifies, among other things, the manner in which
animals must be slaughtered under Islamic Shariah. With the requirement that students residing in on-campus residence halls pay for meal plans, some Muslim students are hesitant to stay on campus because of a lack of halal options. The bill was introduced to the
Senate Wednesday evening to propose the opening of halal vegetarian and vegan options in the New University Center. “Students really want their healthier options here on campus. There’s been a lot of recommendations from the SFAC that mention food options,” said Speaker of the Senate Sebastian
Agudelo. “ A lot of senators want that option as well. They stay late doing their homework, and they are hungry but have nowhere to go. It isn’t fair for them to pay for meal plans but not get their halal food. This should be a priority for the University and this administration.”
Later proposals included inviting Sen. Wendy Davis to campus, spurred by CLASS Senator Catherine Tassin De Montaigu, who found that Davis would be visiting Houston. SGA, however, was unable to secure her visit at the time. HALAL continues on page 11