University Budget Proposes a Student Success Center
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A STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON-CLEAR LAKE PENGUINS PAGE 12 TVolumeT XXXVII,H Number 6 E Swww.uhcl.edu/thesignalIGNALApril 20,2009 UNIVERSITY BUDGET Decisions, Decisions PROPOSES A STUDENT Overcrowding Issues UHCL Plague Upcoming SUCCESS CENTER Graduations Jenna Simsen success center in March to Carl Stockton, senior vice The Signal Staff president for academic affairs and provost. The idea was taken to Staples who then publicly presented his Brenda Cabaniss marshal would have contacted In a recent budget proposal from William Staples, goals to the university community. The Signal Staff the security guards at the gates the University of Houston-Clear Lake president With information gathered from the pilot program of Reliant Park and had the announced his top priorities regarding the usage developed in the spring of 2008, the university was Now that the Ides of March guards notify arriving guests of of funds for fiscal year 2010. One item on the list able to gauge the amount of student interest and has passed, Easter is a mere the issue. Those guests would was the proposal for an on-campus Student Success desire to expand the success program in to a success distant memory of white rabbits have been refused entry into Center. center. The pilot program involved 100 students who and colorful eggs. The next the arena. However, that was Darlene Biggers, associate vice president for participated in a tutoring program and 150 students thing to look forward to are May not done because of a break in student services, originally proposed the student Student Success: continued on page 10 flowers, right? Well, for most communication. Thus, the excess people yes, but for many students number of people posed a safety and parents across the country-- hazard. it’s graduation. Included in that In order to avoid similar Cinco de Mayo Celebration eager bunch are University of circumstances for next month’s Houston-Clear Lake students. graduation ceremony, UHCL This year, graduates get a little officials are politely asking added surprise. graduates to keep their invite Students planning to graduate numbers down. spring 2009 have one more item “Approximately 1100 students to add to their never-ending, To- have applied for graduation in Do List. Now, UHCL seniors have May,” said Yvette Bendeck, the pleasure of deciding which associate vice president for family members get to partake in enrollment management. “Of the graduation festivities because those applicants, 900 students for this semester’s ceremony have chosen to participate in the graduates are being asked to commencement ceremony.” “voluntarily restrict” their guest However, the problem is not lists. with the number of graduates “This year, the university or their guests, but mostly due is asking that graduates limit to the size of the venue. UHCL their guests to five,” said Paul graduations are held at Reliant Willingham, chief of police for Arena. The arena has a seating UHCL. capacity of 5,800 and an overflow The request is not to add room of 600. another burden to students. To put things into perspective, Instead, school officials are take for example a graduate requesting the limit as a safety who has been waiting for this Jade Emanuel: The Signal precaution. They want to avoid moment for 30 years. He is overcapacity problems that married, has three married Because final exams fall on the week of May 5, the HACE student organization sponsored an early Cinco have plagued UHCL graduation children, 10 grandchildren and de Mayo celebration, where the Mexico Ballet performed and promoted Mexican culture through their ceremonies in the past. a few neighbors that have stood high energy folklore dances. At last December’s ceremony, by him for the long haul. That for example, crowd control was alone would be 20 guests for one an issue when Reliant Arena’s graduate. Multiply that number maximum capacity limit was by 900 graduates and “Houston, UHCL Postpones Expansion Proposal exceeded by 1,000 people. Under we have a problem.” Even if each normal circumstances, the fire graduate only invited 10 guests, Graduation: continued on page 10 Luis Aceves other factors,” said William very multifaceted subject and The Signal Staff Staples, president of University of many factors go into account to Houston-Clear Lake. determine the best strategy to The proposed legislation UHCL’s plans for downward address the planning of downward regarding the downward expansion was approved by The expansion. IN THIS ISSUE expansion was originally set to University of Houston System “Fundraising is something have been introduced to the Texas Board of Regents last December. that we are always going to be Legislature in the 2009 session, One of the plan’s qualifications mindful of,” McInnis said. “We however it has been decided that to be met was that UHCL would know there is always going to the proposal will be postponed begin admitting freshman in 2012. be fundraising and we know we until the 2011 session. “Whether the downward will always need scholarships. Many items of importance expansion was proposed during Fundraising never kicks in until regarding downward expansion the 2009 legislative session or the plan is approved. were taken into account the 2011 session, our original “We first must obtain a clear concerning this decision. Some resolution was to admit freshmen understanding of what our donors of these items include the further by 2012,” Staples said. “We are are willing to support. From there discussion of the needs among planning to be prepared for that on, we can then start to determine groups and organizations of key date.” our needs. Then we can begin interest such as the local school If there is an approval from to examine our vision, value districts and community colleges. the state legislature in 2011, “it and needs and see how we may “Once the university obtains is an approval to start planning align ourselves with the interests the authority for downward but it is not required to act on of our donors and other fellow expansion, we will decide it,” said Dion McInnis, associate supporters. We both have visions, what year we will exercise that vice president for university values and needs and depending authority based on the financial advancement at UHCL on where those overlap will WRESTLEMANIA HOOKS BASEBALL PAGE 7 condition of the university, among McInnis noted that this is a determine our options.” PAGE 6 2 April 20, 2009 Success center proposal brings important issues to mind Students’ success is directly propor- most centers is to help students realize and tional to the support a college or university achieve their academic goals while maxi- offers to its students. mizing their potential. Recently, a budget proposal was This would be an absolute boon for presented that included a proposal for a the students and faculty at University Student Success Center. This center would of Houston-Clear Lake. Students who serve as a hub that provides services for have problems with a required class, for students so we can readily find help as example Advanced Writing, can be sent we progress through college careers and to three places to start with: the teacher, beyond. the library and the Writing Center. From While our humble college has numer- there, where can they go? If there are no ous services and offices to help students solutions at any of those places, what is succeed, there is no centralized office to the student left to do? direct students when in need. The help that will be offered at a If a student needs help writing, go to Student Success Center will not only assist the Writing Center. If a student needs help current students, but also those transition- practicing for the GSP test, talk to one of ing into our campus from other back- the communication professors. If a student grounds. Potential incoming freshmen needs help with finding a book, ask a could receive classes and help in managing librarian. What if you just plain need help their time, balancing school life and other though? difficult tasks that we, as upperclassmen, Is there a genuine need for a center? I overlook, but are vital to succeed in transi- do not mean just a few scattered offices, tioning from high school to college life. but a genuine, honest-to-goodness office At this point having a Student Success where the staff specializes in giving help to Center would be where students could all students are able to direct efforts to help turn, but for now there is no place for students. students to go. You might as well ask if there is a need Investing in the center and setting aside for a telephone book, or Google, or even a precious funds so help for students can directory. always be given would be a sound invest- A Student Success Center that not only ment to make now for the long run. is dedicated to the success of its students, When identifying the potential markup but also thrives-nay-survives on the suc- of tuition and other fees to counterbal- cess of the students would be a beneficial ance the funding for the center, students investment for the college. and other involved parties would have to What services would the center pro- identify and weigh the options, but the vide? real question that needs to be addressed is Other schools across the country have simple. similar programs. One common goal of Can we afford not to? 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