MAGAZINE F A L L 2 0 1 1 Learning Support Services Time Management Lecture Coog Crew Daily Cougar Student Reporter Government UH Horticulture Society Association Wear Red Fridays Facebook.com/UniversityofHouston Twitter.com/UH_COUGARS Cougar Village Student Residence Fresh Foods Dining Hall GETTING ENGAGED FALL 2011 VOL.5 NO.2 PUBLISHER Karen Clarke Associate Vice President for University Relations EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF UNIVERSITY MARKETING & BRANDING John Schwartz (J.D. ’95) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Eric Gerber (’72, M.A. ’78) DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Liz Stephens GRAPHIC DESIGNER Watson Riddle CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Marsha J. Carter Mike Emery Shawn Lindsey Lisa K. Merkl (’92, M.A. ’97) Marisa Ramirez (’00) Laura Tolley Toby Weber PHOTOGRAPHERS Thomas Campbell Shawn Lindsey Andy Rich CHANCELLOR AND PRESIDENT Renu Khator UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM BOARD OF REGENTS Nelda Luce Blair (J.D. ’82), Chair Mica Mosbacher, Vice Chair Jarvis V. Hollingsworth (J.D. ’93), Secretary Spencer D. Armour, III (’77) Nandita V. Berry (J.D. ’95) Tilman J. Fertitta Tamecia Glover Harris (Student Regent) Jacob M. Monty (J.D. ’93) Roger F. Welder Welcome W. Wilson, Jr. Send address and email updates to: University of Houston Donor and Alumni Records 306 McElhinney Hall Houston, Texas 77204-5035 www.uh.edu/magazine Send feedback to: [email protected] The University of Houston Magazine is published by the Office of University Relations. Printed on recycled paper. The University of Houson is an EEO/AA institution. 144398 | 10.2011 | 75,000 Copyright © 2011 by the University of Houston. www.uh.edu/magazine INSIDE 4 Cougar Comment Her grandfather, Hugh Roy Cullen, would be proud of UH – and Houston, says benefactor and former regent Beth Robertson. 10 Fall Address 2011 UH President Renu Khator says it was “A Great Year!” And it’s going to get better. 12 Q&A: Margaret Spellings The onetime Secretary of Education, and UH graduate, speaks up…and out. 18 Getting Engaged To help students take big steps toward success, UH has been thinking “small.” 24 Mindset An annual list helps (older) professors and (younger) students have a meeting of the minds. 26 From Houston to Hollywood Books by two UH professors are being filmed. And we test your own UH movie I.Q. 30 Red Initiatives UH is undertaking a variety of colorful projects to raise school spirit and public awareness. 32 A Sporting Chance UH grad Robert Flores parlayed an RTV degree into an ESPN anchor chair. 34 Building a Better Community An innovative architecture program gives students hands-on experience as Houston parks, schools and nonprofits benefit … by design. 36 Branching Out A Hobby Center for Public Policy study confirms the need for a Northwest Campus. IN EVERY ISSUE 2 Message from the Regents 3 Message from the President 5 Making an Impact 9 Bonus Online 14 New Faculty Profiles 28 Professors Emeriti: Spotlight on Richard Evans Photo, left: Quarterback Case Keenum, Shasta the UH mascot and President Khator during the taping of the “COUGAR RED FRIDAYS” promotional video. t is no secret that I’m a very I believe in UH alumni. Former students and proud fifth generation Texan. faculty have more reason than ever to boast I My ancestors held strong of their educational heritage, and they are doing beliefs that Texas is the greatest just that on all fronts. Alumni are like the place on earth to live, and that it continual cheering squad, the experienced offered the highest in opportunities mentors, and a growing groundswell for UH. for their descendants. That heritage With every graduation, we expand the influence has instilled in me yet another set of and power and clout of our alumni groups. strongly held beliefs. As chairman What an exciting time to be a Cougar alum! of the Board of Regents for the I believe the future is bright. And, I mean MESSAGE FROM THE REGENTS University of Houston System, I will rely on many of those beliefs. glowing! UH sits in a position of opportunity like never before. UH is rocketing upward in a style I believe in the advantages of an only a university in a great city like Houston education. Like many UH students, can do. Believe it! I was the first in my family to attend college. My parents implanted in me the notion that the college education neither of them had attained was the key to Nelda Luce Blair becoming whatever I wanted to Chairman, UH System Board of Regents be in life. Their influence stoked in me a passion for education as the main tool to success. My role is to escort UH on its rise to world-class, Tier One status. The UH fire is already ignited, and I am here to add fuel, making it burn “My role is to even brighter. escort UH on its I believe that UH is a jewel in the crown of the City of Houston. With its well-rounded variety of offerings, from athletics to architecture, from rise to world-class restaurants to research, from management to mathematics, UH has what it takes to carry the Tier One status.” torch for the fourth largest city in the United States. City officials and business leaders realize the vital role UH plays in building the economy, the workforce, the opportunities and even the reputation of Houston. I know that UH will continue to make Houston proud. I believe in partnerships. Partnering with new teammates allows UH to open doors sooner, to collaborate on levels outside of the usual educational arena. UH already has a host of great partners in its portfolio. The upside is that there are so many more potential partners in our international city, our big state and all over the world. With them, that UH potential is multiplied exponentially. 2 UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON magazine | November 2011 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT “Traditions are a vital part of a university’s character and spirit.” rom my office on the second floor, I can for our university. I’m delighted to see that this is see the two majestic bronze cougar really growing in popularity. sculptures that grace the entrance to F But the tradition I’m most excited about is one the Ezekiel Cullen Building. Several times a day, people on our campus – students, faculty, alums that began just this year. Our efforts to achieve and visitors – pass by those stately creatures Tier One status were realized with the Carnegie and pause briefly to rub the outsized paws. Foundation designation as one of the country’s Maybe it’s for good luck. Maybe it’s a show of premier public research universities. Looking respect. Maybe it’s just an irresistible attraction back from the vantage point of UH’s centennial, to the cool, polished surface. in 2027, I hope that we will say that’s when a rich tradition of being recognized nationally for But one thing is certain – it’s becoming a tradition. research excellence and student success began. And that makes me glad. Traditions are a vital part of a university’s character and spirit. Even though it is a young school, relatively speaking, the University of Houston is no stranger to tradition, of course. Our choice of a cougar mascot goes back to this institution’s formative days in the 1920s. Naming it Shasta Renu Khator and originating our “Go, Coogs!” hand sign have UH System Chancellor and UH President been with us since the early 1950s. The annual Frontier Fiesta celebration, which began in the 1940s, faded away after a couple of decades, only to be revived in 1992 by a new generation who recognized the importance of maintaining that connection to our university’s – and our region’s – vibrant western heritage. In another nod to tradition, this year’s Homecoming game saw our football players sporting “throwback” uniforms, circa 1960s, paying tribute to the student athletes who preceded them nearly a half century ago and reminding us all of our impressive legacy in athletics. Not as prominent, perhaps, but just as notable is the Cougar First Impressions program, in which our faculty and staff man outdoor information tables at the start of each fall semester to provide warm welcomes and cool water to befuddled students. Is that a tradition? When you do it for 14 years running, with 500 UH employees currently volunteering and countless students getting their careers at UH off to a great start, I would say that definitely qualifies. Since my arrival at UH, I have been urging our campus community to participate in Cougar Red Fridays, wearing red clothes to show visible support November 2011 | magazine UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON 3 Improving UH Improves Houston by Beth Robertson n 1938, my granddad, Hugh Roy I feel – and it is substantial – I must say it is city hinges on UH’s growth and its journey to COUGAR COMMENT Cullen, was introduced to a fledgling eclipsed by the knowledge that our community excellence. When you improve UH, you improve university, the University of Houston, by understands the connection between the the city of Houston. its first president Dr. E.E. Oberholtzer. economic health of our city and UH. It has I‘Gampa’ was captivated by the idea that the tangibly embraced UH and is financially Our alumni certainly understand that. The “working men and women” of Houston would supporting UH at a level beyond our sister number of alumni donors making gifts in direct have a university to attend. “emerging research institutions” in Texas. support of UH students and programs has steadily grown each year since FY2007, from Even though he himself had not made it Despite the economically difficult times, total 8,000 to more than 10,000 in FY2011.