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 to n s i n c e 1 9 3 4
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67 LO 38 Thursday HI
Basketball squads look to take down all challengers
Museum District gets red carpet treatment
Cougars take blind eye to UH campus
Indian ambassador to visit University, receive honors
RESEARCH
UH awarded grant to study student alcohol perceptions The National Institute of Health is providing a $2.8 million grant to fund a 5-year research study on students’ false perceptions of alcohol consumption. Under the direction of Clayton Neighbors, UH professor and head of the social psychology program in the Department of Psychology, the study is expected to undergo several screenings, case studies and surveys with 2,000 UH students. The research is being built off of previous studies that have been dedicated toward improving and understanding what leads to drinking problems among students. — Bryan Dupont-Gray
GREEK LIFE
Sigma Chi fraternity hosts charity Fight Night The Sigma Chi Fraternity is hosting Sigma Chi Fight Night 2011 on Saturday at Rich’s Houston. The Children’s Miracle Network is a charity whose main focus is raising money for children’s hospitals and is the beneficiary from the Sigma Chi Fight Night. There will be around eight to 12 fights this year. Contact any Sigma Chi for tickets ($10 or $15 at the door). For more information, call Travis Martin at 832-691-6000. Rich’s is located at 2401 San Jacinto. — Courtesy of Joe Foteh
Issue 47, Volume 77
COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE
AWARD
India’s newest ambassador to the US, Nirupama Rao, will be honored during two events at UH on Friday. UH President Renu Khator will be hosting a luncheon honoring Rao from noon to 1:15 p.m. in the Rockwell Room of the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library. There will be a round table discussion between the ambassador and various corporate executives. Khator is also hosting an afternoon tea from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the Shamrock Room at the Hilton University of Houston. Invited guests also include all Indian faculty, undergraduate and graduate students. Honors College students as well as members of Khator’s leadership team are expected to attend. — Alana MousaviDin
November 10, 2011
Campus Accessibility Tour shows challenges for disabled students Imelda Vera
THE DAILY COUGAR
Jean Michael, Myles Chumchal and Dory Chan-Paez gather in front of the architecture building as they prepare to take the Campus Accessibility Tour. | Robert Z. Easely/The Daily Cougar
The UH Center for Students with Disabilities and the College of Architecture worked with collaborating groups to host the Campus Accessibility Tour on Wednesday in the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture Atrium,
offering students and staff the opportunity to experience what people with disabilities deal with every day. “I’m here to learn about how hard it is for disabled people to move about and to make decisions about designing buildings with TOUR continues on page 3
RESIDENTIAL LIFE
Campus living restricts travel Residents have limited food, activity options
Michelle Casas, Bryan Dupont-Gray, Travis Alford and Estíbaliz García
THE DAILY COUGAR UH offers seven residential facilities around campus, all equipped with the resources needed for students to concentrate on their studies, as well as to make living on campus an affordable and fun experience. Students can choose between the Calhoun Lofts, Cougar Village, Moody Towers, Quadrangle, Bayou Oaks, Cambridge Oaks and Cullen Oaks. Combined, they house an estimated 6,000 students. Although UH is considered a commuter school with more than 39,000 students, for students living on campus residential life can be as diverse as the school and city itself. Simon Tice, a Spanish linguistics junior who has been living at Cougar Village for the past three semesters, said that living on campus is a good thing. “I think living on campus is HOUSING continues on page 12
ROTC Army Rangers line up to receive their awards for participating in the Ranger Challenge, a grueling obstacle course designed to test their physical ability and mental fortitude. | Mary Curtis/The Daily Cougar
ROTC
Cadets earn Ranger Challenge honors Nicole Carter
THE DAILY COUGAR Army cadets, their family and friends were all smiles at the 2011 Ranger Awards Ceremony, held at the Army ROTC building on Wednesday. The Ranger Awards are designed to commemorate cadets who participate in the Ranger Challenge, an obstacle course that is designed to test a cadet’s strength, endurance and raw skill. The competition is divided into seven events, which includes an army physical fitness test, a stress shoot, first aid course, and a 10K
ruck march, which many cadets agree is the hardest event. “The 10K ruck march is an extremely fast hiking trip. The cadets have to run the six miles with a 35-pound pack around their waists and an M-16 rifle across their backs,” said cadet Capt. Wayne Lange, a color guard commander. Cadet Pvt. James Wang did not participate in this year’s Ranger Challenge, but said if he does qualify next year he wants to help push the battalion to first place. “ The Rangers are the heart and soul of the ROTC,” Wang said. “They live and breathe the soldiers creed. I run with them every
Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and I am just really proud.” The competition also challenged gender roles, as a number of women brought home awards for the battalion. Cadet Maj. Smith, the unofficial head of the Ranger Challenge and a woman, said that while women bust their backs as much as male cadets, women have an advantage. “The requirements and time limits for physical training events are a little less for women,” Smith said. The psychology senior said she ROTC continues on page 3