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Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Issue 153, Volume 75
Faculty discuss budget, furlough By Ashley Evans The daily cougar The faculty and staff discussed the upcoming issues on their agenda for the year at Tuesday’s staff council meeting. Head of the staff council Ann McFarland opened the meeting by giving a brief overview of the new forum and the main issues to be implemented. “We would like to keep things moving in a positive way,” McFarland said. “We are here to discuss the challenges we are facing and also to celebrate the positive things.” At the forefront of the meeting was the University’s continued movement to flagship status. UH President Renu Khator opened her remarks by thanking everyone for their service to UH and their continued support. “Outside of the students, you (the staff) make up the largest population of the University,” Khator said. “If this University has gone anywhere, or is going anywhere, it is because of what you have done.” Khator praised the staff for the increased enrollment and research numbers, and also the increase in private fundraising. Funding and support has increased from $38 million to $75-$85 million. The increase in private funding was credited to the community’s belief in the University’s goal. This was evident primarily with the increase of alumni engagement from 5 percent to nearly 13 percent over the last year. When the floor was opened for questions, many staff members expressed concern about furloughs and budget cuts. The expected budget cuts for UH in the 20102011 fiscal year are at 10 percent, as opposed to the 20-30 percent budget cuts seen in states such as Florida and California. President Khator said that although we are expected to experience budget cuts and inevitably some layoffs, the staff and faculty need to synchronize their efforts in order to be successful in the overall goal of the university. “Our goal of reaching (flagship) status is so important,” Khator said. “It will not only benefit the University, but also the community as a whole.” news@thedailycougar.com
WEATHER » hi
97 Lo 77
Forecast, Page 2
thedailycougar.com
Scholarship awarded to student Elite foundation awards a UH graduate student for the first time in history
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By Amanda Trella The daily cougar The Ima Hogg scholarship from the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health was awarded to second-year Master of Social Work student, Ashley Montondon. The $5,000 scholarship was awarded to only ten graduate social work students from Texas and Montondon is the first student ever chosen from UH. “The Hogg Foundation is an integral part of mental health funding in Texas and over the last several years has devoted much energy to giving funds to advocacy efforts of families and survivors of mental health
trauma,” Montondon said. “I knew about the scholarship from hearing about all the work the Hogg foundation does, but some colleagues reminded me of the annual competition and encouraged me to apply. “ Montondon became interested in social work during his last year as a psychology undergrad at Lamar University and decided to focus his career in both Texas and Virginia in different parts of social services, such as juvenile probation, family services and now mental health. “Once I saw first hand what kind of effect mental illness can have on family and friends, I became even more committed to helping improve support, treatment and education for individuals and families,” Montondon said. “(For) the last four years I have been working with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, developing
courtesy of ashley montondon
The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health awarded a $5000 scholarship to social work student, Ashley Montondon, who is the first ever UH student to receive it and one of ten in Texas. recovery education programming for people with mental illnesses around Houston communities and speaking to groups about mental
health recovery.” After receiving
a
master’s
see SCHOLARSHIP, page 6
Camp, fun provided for cancer stricken children By Sarah Raslan The daily cougar
engage the public in the project. “The FTA’s decisions affirms the NEW METRO approach to working with Houstonians for the best regional transit solutions. It also validates years of hard work, reaching out to communities and institutions like the University of Houston trying to find the best approach to mobility,” President & Chief Executive Officer of METRO George Greanias said. The University light rail will
Texas Children’s Hospital Cancer Center is taking its young patients out beyond the hospital walls for a funfilled week of Camp Periwinkle from Aug. 1-7 at the barrier-free Camp For All site near Brenham, Texas. “It really changes the children’s lives forever, because for this week they are not children with cancer, they are just children,” Medical Director of Camp Periwinkle Zoanne Dryer said. The camp is primarily for children who are going through chemotherapy, but children who have finished their chemotherapy sessions are also welcome. Children are allowed to bring a sibling to accompany them. The camp has been holding the summer program for 27 years and welcome both patients as well as counselors. There is a total of 180 campers between the ages of seven and 15 at Camp Periwinkle this year. “It is a very motivating week for the staff and campers because people become very close to each other and the kids often form life long friends,”
see METRO, page 6
see CHILDREN, page 6
Kendra berglund The Daily Cougar
The final approval on University light rail line was announced by METRO when they had received a Record of Decision, the final phase needed to go ahead with the 19-station project.
METRO officially UH-bound By Amanda Trella The daily cougar The Houston Metro received a federal Record of Decision concerning the University light rail line’s environmental review process, the final green light of approval for the 11.3-mile project. The approval allows Metro to go forward with its plans for matters such as pre-construction and utility coordination of the project. “The ROD allows METRO to
continue with design, which will refine details. The basic alignment of the route is finalized as defined by the (Final Environment Impact Statement),” senior media specialist for METRO Solutions Margaret O’Brien-Molina said. “METRO will continue to work with communities along the corridor to make specific refinements as the engineering and design advances.” The Federal Transit Administration will be renewing community outreach programs in an effort to