2012

Carmen Carter Set to Kickoff Catalyst Leadership Luncheon Series

What better way to get student leaders involved than giving them an opportunity to have lunch with UH staff who lead on a daily basis. To facilitate this initiative, the Center for Leadership and Fraternity & Sorority is in its second year of hosting the Catalyst Leadership Luncheon. This forum is an ongoing series that connects UH students with campus and community leaders as a conduit to inspire creativity and encourage collaboration. Those who RSVP in advance are offered free lunch and more importantly, meaningful networking opportunities.

Tomorrow’s luncheon will start at noon in the UC Mediterranean Room (Rm. 91). College of Technology Assistant Dean of Students, Carmen Carter will host the inaugural event of the school year. Carter began her career in the admissions department of a small school in Iowa, where she recruited multi-cultural students from all over the country. In 2004, she made a professional and physical transition to serve as a graduate advisor at UH. Through dedicating herself to different committees on campus and building a network of higher education professional who supported her progression, she quickly moved up the ranks.

When talking about her initial role as a supervisor, she stated “one of the most difficult things for me to do was to build and maintain relationships with people who may have different communication styles or have different needs.” Since then she had done copious research in the communication space and has great insights to share with students in attendance.  Building Bonds is the theme for her discussion and she wants students to leave with a better understanding of their own communication style. She said being cognizant of how one communicates allows that individual to better assess the needs of others and meet them at a reasonable compromise.  

She plans to make the luncheon interactive by allowing questions throughout her talk, as well as having the students participate in case scenarios. “Sometimes what leaders do is say ‘this is my style and you have to work within the confines of who I am,’” Carter noted. “You have to meet people halfway to better communicate and get things done.”

2012

Chi Omega Fraternity Pledges Support for the UH Learning Commons

The University of Houston Psi Zeta chapter of Chi Omega pledged a $25,000 donation to the M.D. Anderson Library. On Saturday, October 8th, a Ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for the new collaborative learning space within the Learning Commons and named “The Chi Omega Cougar Corner”, in honor of the Psi Zeta chapter of Chi Omega. The Learning Commons is an area in the library where the newest and most robust hardware and software is concentrated in an incredibly accessible and visible part of the library. This gift marks the first donation a Greek Organization has made to the University.

The Chi Omega Fraternity has been on the UH campus since February 4, 1956. Over many years, generations of UH Chi Omegas have been contributing to a fund that was intended to honor the University of Houston. As the fund reached a meaningful amount and the university neared some significant historical milestones, the chapter decided it was time to make this gift, which supports one of its key purposes, sincere learning and creditable scholarship.

2012

CLC Maintains NAEYC Accreditation

After review of the annual report submitted by University of Houston Children’s Learning Centers (CLC), accreditation through NAEYC has been maintained. The staff at CLC has been committed to continuous quality improvement.

“A high quality early childhood program provides a safe and nurturing environment while promoting the physical, social, emotional and intellectual development of the young child. When a family chooses an early childhood program accredited by NAEYC, they are choosing a program committed to meeting the highest standard in early care and education.”

Last fall, CLC opened an infant and toddler (ages 3 months to 36 months) focused annex at the Cameron Building. This has addressed the high demand on campus for infant care. CLC at Cameron increased the number of available classrooms and has provided many more UH students, staff and faculty with on campus child care while they attend class or work during the day.

2012

The Center for Student Involvement Announces the New COOG Radio

Tired of hearing the same old songs over and over on the radio?  University of Houston’s first and only student-founded and student-run radio station, COOG Radio, is here to banish the monotony with a fun, fresh new take on radio for the Houston area.  After nearly five months of hard work and preparation from the COOG Radio team, the station officially launched online on August 29th, 2011. 

“[COOG Radio] is dedicated to bringing an eclectic variety of music to the students of the University of Houston as well as the residents of the greater Houston area”, explains station director Conner Clifton, one of the fledgling station’s co-founders.

One of the station’s main goals is to promote music, art, culture and social responsibility, both within the UH community and throughout the city.  Houston, famous for its diversity, boasts an equally diverse music scene.  Clifton, along with fellow co-founders Matt Womack and Markley Rogers, felt this aural diversity was not being properly represented, and sought to remedy the situation. COOG Radio’s student DJs aim to promote and portray this diversity through their live radio broadcasts.  COOG Radio also hopes to make a point of featuring and promoting local musicians and artists, further ensuring the exposure of new visions and sounds to its listening audience.  

“The landscape of popular music is innovative and ever-changing, and one of our primary goals is to present that to our public in an accurate and accessible way”

The COOG Radio staff is not only excited about the chance to broadcast new, quality music, but also inspired by the opportunity the station gives students to be heard. They hope that UH students will recognize the “two-way” benefits of the station, and not only tune-in, but also provide feedback, get involved, and use COOG Radio to make their own voices heard.

“As a very large, urban campus, it’s more difficult to get students involved on campus. We hope the station will be able to bring students together and encourage them to be more involved not only on campus but also in city activities, which we believe will improve UH as a whole,” says Clifton.

March 20, 2012

University Centers & RLH Invites You to Cougar Casino at Frontier Fiesta

The University Centers invites you to try your luck at our annual Cougar Casino event at the University of Houston’s Frontier Fiesta. The Cougar Casino maintains the western-themed traditions of Frontier Fiesta by putting on a Wild West casino for all students, faculty, staff, and alumni to enjoy.

Brought to you in association with Residential Life and Housing (RLH),  the Cougar Casino offers a variety of casino games, which include Blackjack, Texas Hold‘em, and Roulette. As part of all the excitement, all players will be able to exchange their winnings for tickets that will enter them into a grand prize drawing. The casino will also be giving out daily door prizes each hour throughout the event.

The Cougar Casino doors swing open at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, March 22nd & 23rd   respectively, and close both evenings at 10:00 p.m.  All the Fiesta excitement continues with Family Fun Day beginning at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 24th . The Cougar Casino re-opens for the day at 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. The grand prize drawings will take place at 8:15 p.m.; all participants must be in attendance to claim their prizes.

The University of Houston's Frontier Fiesta is one of the most recognized events on campus. Come out, show your support, test your luck and most of all, celebrate and enjoy one of University of Houston's valued and long-standing traditions.

2012

UC Fall Events Assessment: Let Us Know How we did?

The end of the semester is here. As you begin to look forward to 2013 and the Spring semester, the University Centers would like to invite you to take a short survey. Your feedback will help us enhance your event and program experiences at UC sponsored events.

As an incentive for your participation, you will have the option to be entered into a drawing to win either a $100 Barnes and Noble gift card (which can be used at the UH Bookstore) or a $25 gift card to Starbucks.

Get Involved

New website provides link to UH's student organizations and departments

This fall, the Student Life area in the Division of Student Affairs launched the “Get Involved” website powered by Collegiate Link. This online electronic suite of services, available to students, allows students to find organizations tailored to their unique interests. With more than 560 registered student organizations on campus, it is Student Life’s goal for this service to provide students with increased ease in navigating the myriad options available to them.In addition to searching for opportunities based on specific interests, students are able to search based on organizational type: college/professional, fraternities/sororities, honors, international/ethnic, political/ social action, recreational/hobbies, religious/spiritual, or special interest.

The Get Involved website, provides a smoother transition for students to become an organization on campus. In an effort to streamline the registration process, students will now have a one-stop shop for their organizational needs. The website also hosts a calendar feature that lists events on campus.

For more information on how to get involved, please visit the Get Involved website, or stop by the Center for Student Involvement at Room 280 in the University Center.

2012

GET INVOLVED InfoShops to Help Students Navigate NEW Website

The new “Get Involved” website launched this fall and promises to connect students to the many student organizations, while serving as a resource for on-campus involvement. In support of this initiative the Center for Student Involvement (CSI) will host “Get Involved InfoShops”, which begin on Thursday, September 27th. These hour long workshops will help UH students learn to navigate through the Get Involved website. These sessions are open to all UH students. Topics will include; logging into the system, personalizing your account, identifying your interests, finding and joining UH clubs online, recording service hours and much more.

The “Get Involved” website is an online electronic suite of services available to UH students.  It allows one to find organizations tailored to their unique interests. With more than 560 registered student organizations on campus, it is a goal for this service to provide students with increased ease in navigating the myriad options available to them.

In addition to searching for opportunities based on specific interests, students are able to search based on organizational type: college/professional, fraternities/sororities, honors, international/ethnic, political/ social action, recreational/hobbies, religious/spiritual, or special interest.

2012

Beloved University Center Hair Stylist Finds New Home

As the University Center Transformation Project continues its transition from concept to concrete, a number of changes were made to the building program and portfolio of services. In order to accommodate the full schedule and scope of the UC Transformation Project, the on-campus hair salon, Jonorr’s, closed permanently effective June 29th.

However, Ms. Joan Orr, proprietor of the salon, is back in business at a new home.  Ms. Orr’s regular client base can now find her at the Ideal Hair Salon in Pearland Texas. Business information follows:

Ideal Hair Salon
11711 Shadow Creak Pkwy #121
Pearland, Texas 77584

713-746-5657 (Salon’s phone number)
832-216-5952 (Ms. Orr’s direct number)

The University Center wishes her all the best in her new home.

2012

Little Shasta's Cones Now Open at the UC Satellite

Shasta’s Cones and More has been a campus-pleaser of ice cream confections since it opened its doors in August 2005. As part of the NEW UC transformation Project, Shasta’s Cones and More has closed for renovations and is set to re-open in Fall 2014. To continue to serve the Ice Cream needs of the campus community, Little Shasta’s has opened in the UC Satellite.

Even though the location has changed, Shasta’s traditions remain the same. Little Shasta’s, located just left of the UC Satellite main entrance just before the UC Satellite Games Room, will provide the same great Blue Bell Ice Cream and still celebrate each Cougar football win with $1 Victory Cones each Monday after the game.

As part of Little Shasta’s Grand Opening, make sure you drop by on Thursday, July 26th for $1 Cones. While salivating and trying to make a decision as to which of your favorite flavors of ice cream to get, don’t forget to sign up for Shasta’s Cone Club! New and returning members will be entered in a drawing to win an Ice Cream / Bowling Party for 25 as well as other awesome prizes. We hope to see you at Little Shasta’s. Membership has its privileges!

2012

Improvements Are Underway for Lynn Eusan Park Stage

Lynn Eusan Park, one of the largest communal spaces on campus, is receiving a major ‘facelift’ this summer. The stage, currently located in an area with poor drainage and visibility, is being relocated and expanded to better serve the needs of the campus community.

The stage will be relocated to the circled location noted below, adjacent to Cougar Village and the Conrad N. Hilton School of Hotel and Restaurant Management. The dashed lines indicate current campus traffic patterns, showing its location at the center of foot traffic along the southern side of campus.

The renovated stage will allow for a diverse array of programming opportunities. Lighting and sound system enhancements will support events such as small to mid-size concerts, speeches, plays, and outdoor movie screenings. When not being used for events, the area around the stage and the stage itself will be an excellent location for outdoor lounging and other activities.

“We are truly excited for the impact this stage will have on student life on campus,” said Keith T. Kowalka, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs – Student Life. “Centrally located near several residence halls and just a few steps from the M.D. Anderson Library and University Center, the new stage in Lynn Eusan Park will be the premier hub for outdoor programming for the entire campus.”

Design of the upgrades to the Lynn Eusan Park stage area has been conducted with input from students such as the University Center Policy Board, and their voice has been paramount in the construction for this space. The grand opening of the space this fall will truly be a milestone for the campus community.

More about Student Life: Student Life at the University of Houston is a cluster of six student-focused centers: the A.D. Bruce Religion Center, Center for Fraternity & Sorority Life (CFSL), Center for Student Involvement (CSI), Children’s Learning Centers (CLC), Student Media, and University Centers (UC & UC Satellite). Student Life provides everything you may need including food, student organizations, child care, leadership development, fraternity and sorority life, leisure services, graphic services, colleagues in faith, and much more.

April 9, 2012

Mosquito Spraying on UH Campus

The warm winter and recent wet weather has provided ideal breeding conditions for mosquitos. On Monday, April 9, 2012, Myers Pest and Termite Control will be conducting mosquito spraying throughout the UH Campus from 5:00 p.m. through 10:00 p.m.

The spray will be administered via a cart-mounted mist system and small backpack units. All staff and students should remain indoors while the spraying is taking place in their immediate vicinity. The spray dissipates within 5 minutes of application at which time it is safe to go outdoors.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Roger Warner, Sr. Project Manager for Landscape & Waste Services, at 713-743-9671 or rwwarner@central.uh.edu.

2012

UC Games Room Closing Scheduled as UC Ground Floor Goes Offline to Accommodate UC Transformation Project

The University Center Transformation Project continues to make strides toward providing a Tier One University Center that will serve as the heart of student life for decades to come. In order to accommodate the complex and comprehensive scope of renovations and expansions, it has been necessary for the project timeline to adjust and evolve from its conception to today. One of the most complex aspects of this project has been related to the phasing of construction to maintain safe building operations for all UC users and occupants throughout the significant renovation efforts. The first phase of construction and renovation is scheduled to be completed by January 2014, with the second phase slated to be completed no later than January of 2015.

In order to accommodate the construction of the renovated UC Arbor during the first phase, the central stair in the UC Arbor between Level 0 (ground floor) and Level 2 (second floor) will need to be taken offline before the end of this calendar year. Due to state fire code egress requirements , the t current occupants of the UC Ground Floor will need to vacate the space for the majority of the remainder of Phase 1.

More specifically, the University Center Games Room will close its doors to support the renovation toward the end of the semester, with its last day of service being Wednesday, November 21, 2012. The current phasing plan has the UC Games Room reopening at the end of Phase 1 (January 2014). One of the key benefits of this plan is that it will allow the entire ground floor to open at the end of Phase 1, providing students more up-front services by early 2014 and reducing the impact of Phase 2 construction on the quality of student life. The UC Satellite Games Room will remain open for the duration of the UC Transformation Project.

The UH Forensics Society will relocate from UC Room 35 to Room 102 in Oberholtzer Hall. This office transition will take place between November 26 and December 7, 2013. Additional services located on the UC Ground Floor will also be taken offline (TV lounge, commuter microwave, restrooms, computer kiosk and the Lactation Center).

Lastly due to the closing of the UC Games Room, the University Center will reduce its evening hours. As of Monday, November 26, 2012, the UC will close at midnight seven days per week. Students looking for alternative late-night lounge options will still have access to the 24-hour lounge space located adjacent to the UC in the M.D. Anderson Library.

For more information about the UC Transformation Project, follow us on Twitter @TheNewUC, and like us on Facebook at “The New UC”.

2012

Student Tailgates: Be A Part of it!

The start of football season means the start of tailgate season. New students and returning students alike can look forward to joining the action, courtesy of the University of Houston’s Office of New Student Programs and the Division of Student Affairs.

2012

Relax, Take a Break from Studying and Come to the UC

With the end of the semester comes a week full of finals - to help you get through the week and remain stress free we have a week full of events as part of our " UC Study Break" during Stress Free Finals Week! Join us for FREE food, prizes, and a whole lot of fun!