Bayou Connection Building international friendships During a recent trip to Taiwan to reinforce UHD’s existing relationship with several university partners, UHD President Max Castillo met with Dr. Y.F. Chang, president of the Evergreen Group. Dr. Castillo extended a greeting from the Bayou Connection, an exchange program which supports the security management degree program in the UHD Department of Criminal Justice. That meeting ended with a new scholarship made available to international students. Accompanied by Dr. Beth McConnell, chair of the department and Dr. Hsiao-Ming Wang, director of the Bayou Connection and associate professor of security
management, Dr. Castillo met with Dr. Chang in the company’s offices in downtown Taipei. Their discussion included Chinese students studying abroad, global trade and international security. International security has grown in importance among corporations that do business around the world especially since September 11. Dr. Chang proposed a $50,000 gift to the university in support of the Chinese students eligible for the UHD Bayou Connection. A scholarship will be established to offset their cost to study at UHD. It will be called the “Dr. Y.F. Chang Criminal Justice Scholarship.”
Calendar of Events •
Women’s Month March
•
Red Rose Ball April 28
•
Career Expo March 8
•
•
Spring Break March 13-18
Alpha Phi Sigma Spring Banquet April 29
•
Cinco de Mayo Celebration May 4
•
Spring Commencement May 7
•
O’Kane Theatre, New York Trip May 14-21
•
College of Humanities & Social Sciences, London Trip May 15-25
•
One Main Event March 31
•
O’Kane Theatre, The Importance of Being Earnest March 31-April 8
•
•
Culture on the Bayou April 20 Student Research Conference April 21
Faculty work with politics, bears Political Hardball s the nation prepares for the fallout from a scandal involving former highrolling lobbyist Jack Abramoff and several high ranking members of Congress, including Houston Rep. Tom DeLay, a new book by University of Houston-Downtown professor Dr. Adolfo Santos reveals that lawmakers may be sponsoring legislation that helps them win positions as high paid lobbyists once their political careers are over.
A
of illnesses ranging from kidneys ailments to cancer. However, it was only when modern bile recovery practices became commercially profitable in the 1970s that wide scale animal abuse began.
Li’s research on the damaging effects to the bears in a growing number of small and state-run farms helped bring the practice to light. Among the farmers, he discovered considerable disregard of the laws by the Chinese Forestry Ministry. His findings helped In his book, Do Members activists push for change. of Congress Reward Their An agreement between Future Employers? Santos writes: “Evidence suggests Dr. Peter Li’s field study in China allowed him to witness corrective surgery on a “farm bear” rescued from abuse. Farmers keep the animals in small cages for Chinese officials and the years in order to easily extract bile from an open wound in the stomach. Li collaborates with Animals Asia Foundation to develop protective laws to end abuse. Animals Asia Foundation that former members of was signed in 2000 Congress who become lobCongress become lobbyists, and with particular focus on Hispanic resulting in the rescue of 500 byists behave differently than their the implications of this career representation in Congress as well bears, and a mutual long-term counterparts who do not become choice on pubic policy.” as focusing on the "revolving goal to end bear farming. lobbyists during their last term in door" and members of Congress. “The conclusion that can be office.” Dr. Santos has also conducted More recently, Dr. Li found a condrawn is that those with greater research on Houston and Texas nection between the consumption Santos deals with the question of experience and political power Politics. of wild animals and the spread of whether public policy is being become valuable to lobbying Severe Acute Respiratory compromised and jeopardized by firms and special interests. This is Animal Instincts Syndrome (SARS). His findings their behavior. Excerpts include: underscored by the fact that a Dr. Peter J. Li, assistant professor have prompted officials in the sizeable number of high-ranking of political science in the “… In their becoming lobbyists, province of Guangdong to take Department of Social Sciences, former members of Congress could members of the more powerful committees have had a greater has become an international voice important steps to outlaw the potentially jeopardize the very consumption of wild animals. frequency of becoming lobbyists.” for animal welfare in China. public policy that they are entrustDr. Li is assistant professor ed to create.” Dr. Santos has been teaching at His study of animal abuse in of political science. He teaches UHD since 1997. He teaches China began in 1998. In 2004, “The fear is that members of U.S. Government and Asian American Government, American a survey of Chinese Bear Farms Congress may use their public politics. He has a Ph.D. from Legislatures and Hispanic Politics. found widespread abuse of posts for private gain, either by Northern Arizona University and Dr. Santos is currently serving as the animals. rewarding, or at least by sponsorhas studied at Syracuse ing legislation that sends signals to the Assistant Chair in the Since the Ming Dynasty, bears University, as well as Kiangsi prospective employers. It is the pur- Department of Social Sciences. have been farmed in China for University and the Institute of pose of this book to evaluate the Dr. Santos' research agenda their bile – which is believed to Foreign Affairs in China. extent to which former members of focuses on the U.S. Congress, have healing powers for a variety 6