Alicia Nguyen

The Signal Staff

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” International and Intercultural Student Services challenges this belief advocating “words are powerful, painful and potentially deadly.”

Students worldwide came together April 16 to embrace the 14th annual Day of Silence, a national youth movement bringing attention to the bullying faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people and their friends. On this day students took a vow of silence to raise awareness of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in their school.

“The National Day of Silence is important because the LGBT community suffers oppression, discrimination, and harassment throughout our country and specifically in our educational system from middle school and high school to college campuses as well,” said Stephen Erich, BSW program director “The National Day of Silence is now recognized across high schools and college campuses across the country. It’s difficult to estimate its impact on bullying and harassment on campuses. However, the fight for equal rights is never easy or quick and all of us that care about such things need to persevere and continue the good fight.”

This was the first time students at the University of Houston-Clear Lake participated in a National Day of Silence. A panel discussion will be led by Gary Adams, UHCL career and counseling services, and Kim Case, assistant professor of women’s studies and psychology, at 5:30-6 p.m., April 19, in the Garden Room.

Continue Reading

Brian Bohannon

The Signal Staff

Deysi Crespo, Social Justice Student of the Year Award recipient.

The recipient of this year’s UHCL Social Justice Student of the Year Award is Deysi Crespo.

The Social Justice Student of the Year Award is an honor granted to graduating seniors of the social work program who have placed the community at large above themselves in order to help those populations who are vulnerable or at risk.

Recipients of this award take a multi-faceted approach to social work, targeting a host of issues affecting a wide range of age groups and cultures.
Crespo accepted the award at the University of Houston, along with students from the university’s other system-wide campuses.  Other recipients included members of professional groups outside of the university.

“To be included with all these people was a huge honor,” Crespo said adding that she was always conscious that as a UHCL student she had “a reputation to uphold.”

Continue Reading

Sonya Lynch

The Signal Staff

Kathy Tamer, United Space Alliance and UHCL distinguished alumna; Monica Stout, DMST major; Anne Henry, adjunct instructor, DMST; and UHCL President William Staples at the President’s Report to the Community breakfast March 25.

University of Houston-Clear Lake presented the 2010 Report to the Community and this year’s Distinguished Alumna and the Community Partnership award at a breakfast held at Lakewood Yacht Club March 25.

Dick Covey, president and chief executive officer of United Space Alliance, received the Community Partnership award. In his speech, Covey said that as one of the largest employers in the area, USA “looks to the UHCL as a resource.”

The report showed USA’s commitment to higher education through the programs they support at UHCL, a support re-emphasized by Covey in his speech. Although his speech began with laughter, Covey’s tone changed as he spoke about USA’s relationship with UHCL.

Continue Reading

Stephen Rosoff, professor of criminology.

Stephen Rosoff, professor of criminology, passed away March 27.

“This is a huge loss,” said Steven Egger, associate professor of criminology. “He was my best friend and one of the smartest people I know.”

“Dr. Rosoff never lost an opportunity to poke fun at me,” remembered Candice Tucker, graduate criminology student. “He knew that I’d always be the one to fall for his corny jokes, and he would tell the students in his other classes, ‘There’s this one girl who will believe anything I say.’  The one time I did not believe him was the one time he was actually telling the truth; turns out he really did own his own pickle-making business, and used the profits from that to finance his Harvard education.”

Continue Reading

Dan Chaney, graduate criminology student.

Dan Chaney, graduate criminology student, passed away March 8 from heart complications related to a virus while he was visiting Guatemala at the age of 39.

“Dan was not a student who merely walked from his on-campus apartment to class each day, he was involved in shaping our university,” said Linda Contreras Bullock, assistant dean of student diversity. “His presence at this institution forever changed the campus climate and our awareness of students with disabilities.”

Chaney had asperger syndrome, an autism-related disorder where individuals exhibit difficulties with social interaction, along with repetitive patterns of behavior.

Continue Reading

Woman’s purse stolen at store on El Dorado Boulevard

The location of the Wal-Mart on El Dorado Boulevard where a woman was robbed April 8, 2010.

A woman was robbed in the parking lot of a southeast Houston Wal-Mart store on Thursday, April 8, 2010.

Houston police said someone stole the woman’s purse at the store on West El Dorado Boulevard at about 9:45 a.m. Investigators have not released a description of the robber.

Wal-Mart has not commented about the robbery.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

Brad Denison

The Signal

The phone rings, “This is John Smith with the U.S. Census Bureau. We haven’t received your 2010 census paperwork and want to do it on the phone. What’s your name? Who is the head of the household? What is your social security number?”

Would you have answered that last question?  If so, you just became another victim of identity theft. Scam artists are using the 2010 U.S. Census for their own gains and in the process scaring people into not taking part.

The 2010 U. S. Census determines the distribution of more than $400 billion dollars a year to communities for services such as natural disaster recovery, roads and transportation, schools from elementary to higher education, Medicare, W.I.C. and other social programs. The census also establishes redistribution of legislative seats, giving a voice in the share and distribution of that money.

Continue Reading

Brad Denison

The Signal Staff

Nearly 45,000 people left Galveston after 2008’s Hurricane Ike devastated the island.  Nearly 75 percent of the city was flooded by the storm surge and many homes still require repair before they are habitable again.  All this makes the 2010 U.S. Census that much more important for Galveston. An accurate census count is important to Galveston’s recovery.

“We remain cautiously optimistic that we will reach a 50,000 count,” said Lloyd Rinderer, Galveston’s assistant city manager. “We are working to reach historically undercounted populations.  If we are successful, the result will be a higher count.”

The census data collected will be used in federal and state funding formulas that allocate resources to communities funding infrastructure, transportation and housing projects. An accurate count for Galveston will help the island continue to recover from Hurricane Ike. Continue Reading

Jennifer Travis

The Signal

President Barack Obama passed the Healthcare Reform Bill March 23, which offers extended coverage for students under the age of 26 through their parents’ existing coverage.

The law will take more than four years to become effective. That is if, in fact, it does go into effect. The partisan debate is far from over.

In the wake of the new legislation, students are wondering where this leaves them. The Gallup poll states that Texas has the highest percentage, at 26.9 percent of people without health insurance in the country.

At the age of 26, everyone, including students, will be required to purchase coverage either through a private company or the government, or face a penalty.

Continue Reading

Lindsey Watson

The Signal

College students are in crisis.  Tuition is rising, loan interest rates are increasing and jobs are few and far between. Students are now leaving college with enormous debt.

“It is definitely a serious problem for individual students and society when students are leaving school with an average of $23,000 in debt,” said Edie Irons, communications director at the Institute for College Access and Success.  “It is really troubling.”

There are three different types of loans available for students: private or alternative loans; parent or PLUS loans; and the most common, the federally insured or the Stafford loan.  Finaid.org reports that in the 2007-2008 school year, two thirds of undergraduate college students graduated from college with an average debt of $23,186 from student loans.   Continue Reading