During the Bandoh-Harris administration, SGA passed a resolution, authored by Senators Guillermo Lopez, a political science senior, and Mafe Alfaro, a recent political science graduate, in support of a Texas Senate bill that allows undocumented students who attended high school in Texas three years prior to graduation to qualify as a Texas resident for tuition purposes.

Additionally, the resolution works to urge the Texas Congressional delegation to work in a bipartisan manner to pass a comprehensive reform bill. However, this is just the first step in a long process.

“This resolution is very important because it shows our commitment to ensuring access to higher education and the American dream for all students,” said supply chain management senior and SGA president Cedric Bandoh.

“We have a significant number of undocumented students and as the immigration debate intensifies this summer, we want to ensure that we speak out against any attempts, whether statewide or nationally, to deny these students benefits.”

Bandoh said whether the benefits are derived from the DREAM Act or STEM Jobs Act, SGA wants the undocumented students to succeed with the provisions provided by these laws with the hopes that it eventually leads to comprehensive immigration reform.

Yet, immigration reform is still overcoming hurdles in Congress. Just this week the Senate Judiciary Committee voted in favor of the Gang of Eight plan, their first major victory, which, if enacted, will help most of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country establish citizenship under certain requirements.

Similarly, student leaders still have work to do to further their point. Though the bill passed in the 49th administration, members of SGA are still working to ensure that the progress continues.

“I am currently meeting with other student government leaders from other universities to lie out a course of action for when the immigration reform bill hits the floor of the Senate,” Lopez said. “We plan on actively speaking to our senators on this issue and eventually our representatives in the House of Representatives when they have a bill ready.”

In addition to this, Bandoh will be discussing the matter nationwide with the National Campus Leadership Council as well as other student body presidents, while the UH Law Center will continue to help students apply for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals to help undocumented individuals apply for work permits if they meet certain requirements.

“Since we passed the SGA resolution, the bipartisan Gang of Eight has introduced a bill to the committee that lays out many of the things we outlined in the SGA resolution,” Lopez said, “and we expect a bipartisan coalition of students and student leaders throughout Texas to fight for this issue that means a lot to thousands of students and their families.”

news@thedailycougar.com

House Bill 29, by House Higher Education Chairman Dan Branch, R-Dallas, was passed in the House without opposition, but a notably different version of it was passed in the Senate this week.

Students and universities must wait to see if the House will go along with the changes or request a conference committee, as the bill was altered to include language adding restriction and requirements on new appointees to the state’s public university system boards, changes that have been occurring in the UH system recently.

In addition to requiring a fixed tuition option, the bill will also prevent new regents from voting on budget or personnel matters until they have completed ethics training, should HS 29 become a law in the form approved by the Senate.

Although Gov. Rick Perry has been a proponent of legislative efforts to require universities to offer a four-year fixed tuition option, there is uncertainty surrounding whether the governor, who appoints all the members of the boards of regents, would sign a bill restricting their authority.

Perry issued a statement on May 17 after the UH system adopted its flat-rate tuition saying, “As families gather around their kitchen tables working to budget and make college a reality, the leadership at Texas Tech University System and University of Houston System have now given them the peace of mind of knowing that tuition will remain the same for four years and at the same time encouraging these students to complete their degrees on time.”

news@thedailycougar.com

“We’re very excited for the opportunity to honor colleges and universities in Texas making serious strides in distance learning,” said communications and outreach manager for StateStats.org Matt Davis. “The University of Houston earned a spot on our list for its inexpensive tuition for in-state students and low student-teacher ratio.”

Analyzing data such as student-to-teacher ratio, in-state and out-of-state tuition, campus setting and program breadth, the two sites collaborated to create Top 25 Affordable Online Colleges in Texas. UH’s tuition rate for in-state students currently resides around $5,000 with a student-teacher ratio of 23-1.

“Personally, I think UH’s tuition rate is very reasonable,” said engineering sophomore Paul Garcia. “With my financial aid I get a refund that helps me pay for my textbooks and other things I might need for school.”

Other campuses on the list include UT Tyler, UT Arlington, Lamar University, Stephen F. Austin University, Blinn College and Texas Tech University.

According to the Babson Survey Research Group, more than six million students nationwide took at least one online class in 2011; this marks the ninth straight year of increased participation in online education.

“Online education remains on the rise in Texas, with colleges of all types incorporating distance learning into their curricula,” said vice president and general manager of StateStats.org Wes Ricketts. “We wanted to showcase the wide range of Texas schools helping students earn their degrees remotely.”

According to a press release given by the websites, OnlineSchoolsTexas.com strives to provide Texans with information about alternative post-secondary educational options, as well as information and advice regarding career choices in the state. While it recognizes the importance of traditional colleges and universities, OnlineSchoolsTexas.com understands that the landscape of education is changing and works to suit the needs of a broader student base.

news@thedailycougar.com

The 200 acres of land housing Six Flags Fiesta Texas enthralled two UH students to make it their Spring Break plan. | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Multiple places in Texas have large crowds of college students on Spring Break without parties or alcohol.

“I wanted to go somewhere that was fun. Somewhere I could have a good time with my friends and not have to worry about a lot of drunk people on the roads,” said human resource development junior Shaaz Shahabuddin after going to Six Flags Fiesta Texas, one of the most visited places for Spring Breakers.

Many people decide to go to Six Flags because it is close to Houston and they enjoy the adrenaline rush they get from the rides.

“Waiting in those long lines builds up the anticipation for the rides, and it makes it all the more worth while once you get on,” Shahabuddin said.

Shahabuddin and his friends enjoyed the scenery, the bustle of the San Antonio River Walk, a trip to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and the Ultimate Mirror Maze.

“Ripley’s was fun and interesting, but the mirror maze was a completely different experience and is something I think anyone of any age would enjoy,” said political science senior Hammad Syed.

For these UH students, Spring Break was about enjoying time away with friends in a relaxing environment with fun activities.

“This trip was uniquely phenomenal,” Syed said. “I got to experience this trip with my family of friends.”

news@thedailycougar.com

For many students, trying to decide between the two candidates has not been easy. Public relations senior Allison Monroe participated in early voting and voted for Obama and Vice President Joe Biden because she felt uninformed about Romney’s plans to reduce the national deficit, cut spending and his view on select citizens, she said.

“Some of the comments he made about portions of the American people just don’t sit well with me,” Monroe said. “I don’t want the leader of my country saying it’s not his responsibility to worry about a specific group of people.”

Still, Monroe is not sure whether her views of Romney echo those held by other voters.

“I’m honestly not sure who’s going to win. It’s like every day since the last debate, President Obama and Mitt Romney switch leads in the polls, so I guess I’ll just have to wait until (this evening) to find out,” Monroe said.

“As far as the debates, I feel like President Obama did a better job overall. He seemed a little off on the first debate, but what many people fail to realize is Mitt Romney had been debating all summer and even earlier in the year to earn the Republican presidential nomination; President Obama hadn’t debated in years, so he probably just needed a chance to get back into the swing of things.”

Not everyone feels that Obama is the choice. Amanda Hughes. a painting and sculpting junior, is voting for Romney.

Of the 538 electoral votes, candidates need 270 to win the election. According to a CNN.com electoral map, Obama leads with 237 presumed electoral votes, while Romney trails with 206 votes. New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia, Florida, Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado and Nevada are currently listed as toss-up states on the map, leaving 95 votes unaccounted for.

Management information systems senior Malik Osei-Frimpong is also supporting the president.

“First off, I believe that Barack Obama will win the election. Although many people suspect that Obama only added to the problems initiated when Bush was president, this is not the case,” Osei-Frimpong said.

“He may not have completed all of the tasks he promised us he would, but how can you expect him (in one term) to reconstruct the economy it took the previous president’s two terms to screw up,” Osei-Frimpong said. “During the various presidential debates, it seemed as though Obama took more initiative to address current problems and how he would fix them, versus Romney spending the majority of his debate time to bash Obama’s credentials. This is why I believe he will remain president.”

Some like Robert Morales, a finance junior, feel that this election is ready to be over.

For information on voting centers in Houston please visit www.harrisvotes.org.

Edit at 11:27 a.m. Tuesday: Quotes were added from Romney supporters.

news@thedailycougar.com

The subject is described as a white male in his late 40s. He is said to have light hair and wearing lime green short-sleeved shirt and jeans according to emergency.tamu.edu.

At 5:29 p.m., students were advised to resume activities but remain cautious by emergency.tamu.edu. The suspect is still not located and police continue to investigate.

If seen, students are encouraged to call UPD (979) 845-2345.

news@thedailycougar.com

When we consider our rights as codified in the Constitution, we should always remember the first amendment as foremost among the rest. Without our basic and essential rights established by that first amendment, the others would have little to no meaning and hardly any force. If we could not petition our government, if we could not speak freely and criticize our government — not to mention setting those criticisms into print — where would our freedoms be? Without these basic liberties, how could we claim membership in a society free and open to all?

Freedom to practice one’s religion is not only a staple to preserve those disparate views that constituted America’s founding, but it allows the U.S. to flourish as a melting pot of cultures. It is easy to forget that we are also immigrants, or descendants of immigrants, and that for many, emigration to the States was preceded by religious persecution. Such was the situation for my ancestors. Faced with marginalization, and deemed second-class citizens, a small Slavic minority, known as Wends, fled Prussia and East Germany to preserve their culture, language and religion in America by establishing a community in Texas. The increased pressure from all sides to assimilate, abandon their traditions and cultural identity in favor of a Germanic one, led to a diaspora for freer and tolerant lands.

Everyone has a story, an ancestry, a reason for being here; but without an explicit guarantee of such rights to liberty, those stories may have well been different altogether. Unlike some others whose ancestries are lost, I am fortunate enough to have that narrative. I can place myself into a history that holds meaning for me, which grants me a foundation for being American. I can understand that without those precious few rights outlined in the first amendment, we could never have become the nation we know today. Those freedoms are what gave us that opportunity, and are so ingrained that we can no more give them up, than if we were to give up completely being American. Such a catastrophe would ruin the story we’ve built here.

Daniel Dooley is a philosophy graduate student and winner of The Daily Cougar’s Constiution Day competition.

President Renu Khator and the SGA went to Austin for the festival. | David Haydon/The Daily Cougar

AUSTIN — A three-person panel at The Texas Tribune Festival on Saturday on trade and transportation entitled “Is light rail the answer” said the benefits of having a rail line outweigh the costs and inconvenience of the construction involved.

Manager of Rail Passenger Research at Texas A&M John Sedlak, Austin Councilman Mike Martinez and Deputy Executive Director of Dallas Area Rapid Transit Jesse Oliver served on the panel to discuss the future of light rails in Texas.

Sedlak, a former Metro employee responsible for the development of their first light rail line, said it’s a process that affects businesses and consumers.

“It’s like trying to do a heart transplant, you’ve got to keep the patient alive and keep them functioning,” Sedlak said. “It’s a really tough situation to come into dense urban centers and make changes to all the utilities that are going to be impacted.”

Martinez said there is more to solving a city congestion problem than the light rails.

“The answer to a growing population and increased traffic is multi-faceted,” Martinez said. “Light rail is only part of the solution, and Austin should improve their roads and increase the amount of bike paths and sidewalks.”

Martinez said he would like Austin to follow the same path that Houston has taken by connecting UH and TSU with the light-rail system.

“In my opinion it can’t happen soon enough,” Martinez said.  “We have to have as many options available to us in terms of public transportation. I would love to see Austin take that step towards an urban rail circulation system but it is very expensive and it will take some time. Even if we were to pass it in the next few year it wouldn’t be up and running until 2020.”

Oliver said there has always been opposition to transportation expansions.

“Some of the things that are asked today about light-rail were probably asked about the Intercontinental Railroads in the 1860s, maybe the Erie Canal long before that,” Oliver said. And more recently even about Interstate 35 when it was being proposed back in the 50s.

According to Oliver, Dallas has seen the benefits of a light rail system.

“There’s a lot of advantages to light rail development and rail development. There has been like an 8-1 return on public dollars invested in light rail by the private sector in terms of redevelopment around the stations,” Oliver said.

For Sedlak, light-rail is important for a simple reason.

“We can’t build our way out of congestion.”

news@thedailycougar.com

Judges David Tatel and Robert Wilkins, both former President Bill Clinton appointees, and Rosemary Collyer, appointed by former President George W. Bush, agreed that the law qualified as intentional discrimination against Hispanics and African Americans.

“Unpersuasive, invalid or both,” read Tatel’s description of the defense and justification of the Texas voter ID law.

At the end of the spring semester, the UH System implemented a policy regarding campus programs for minors in compliance with a 2011 state law.

“Once the law passed, we looked at it and wanted to make sure we were interpreting it correctly,” said Associate Dean of Students and Coordinator of Campus Programs for Minors Kamran Riaz. “Our attorney’s office said this is what it means and this is what we need to do.”

The policy outlines the specific procedure a group or individual must follow in order to host an on-campus program that involves students under the age of 18.

“This is the first summer that we are working with this new policy,” Riaz said. “It’s been implemented everywhere.”

The law was passed June 17, 2011 under Senate Bill 1414. It requires any individual who plans to be a part of one of these programs to certify completion of a sexual abuse and child molestation prevention training course approved by the Texas Department of State Health Services. This course must be taken prior to participation in an event that involves interaction with minors, and the certification lasts for two years.

“The training is actually offered by our human resources department online,” Riaz said. “They can also go outside and do a state-approved training at a place like YMCA. (…) As long as they can provide us proof that they have completed the training, then they are OK.”

The law requires training for any program that lasts only for four days or more. The UH System decided to tighten that requirement and apply the policy to programs that last for two days or more.

“What our campus is doing is going above and beyond what the law is requiring us to do,” Riaz said. “Student Affairs and a few others went above and beyond and said, ‘All of our staff need to do it.’”

There are two separate guidelines for both university-run programs and programs run by third parties. Both have a system for reporting incidents.

“The very first thing they need to do is inform university police. Then, in addition to that, our office steps in,” Riaz said. “Any report that is going to be submitted is going to be investigated. If any false reports are submitted, we will take appropriate action.”

Faculty members who will be in contact with minors during any campus activity are required to submit to a background check.

“To become an employee, you do a background check if you are joining in a security-sensitive position, where you have access to student records and money, but not all employees do,” Riaz said.

Riaz hopes that this policy will eliminate the risk of an incident like this ever happening.

“Even if there is one incident, that’s one too many,” Riaz said. “The goal is to educate not just the campus community but the outside community as well so nothing like this ever happens.”

The full text of the policy can be found online at www.uh.edu/dos. The bill’s text can be found at www.legiscan.com/gaits/text/296728.

news@thedailycougar.com

Howard Brooks is one of the 368 survivors of the crew. Of the 15 alive today, two were able to attend this year’s event. | Brianna Leigh Morrison/The Daily Cougar

Friends, family and survivors of the USS Houston’s crew gathered around an exhibit featuring memorabilia from the ship — including blueprints and a photograph of the crew — in the University of Houston library to remember the fallen.

The heavy cruiser was sunk in the Battle of Sunda Strait on March 1, 1942. There were 1,068 crew members on the ship — only 368 survived. The survivors swam to shore, but were held captive by the Japanese for nearly four years.

The event was held from 1:30. to 3 p.m. in the Rockwell Pavilion. Julie Grob, Special Collections Coordinator of Digital Projects and Instruction opened up the event by telling the guests about the Survivor Association, founded in 1946.

Two of the goals of the Association are to digitize materials such as diaries, scrapbooks and photos of the crew and to preserve the historic authenticity of the items, Grob said.

The Survivor’s Association is interested in the history of the ship, Grob said, and is in possession of photographs and letters from war camps. It is interested in acquiring more items for the collection.

“It’s very important to understand the historic value of veteran experience relative to all of our military experience,” said Allen Grundy, director of the Veterans’ Service Office at UH.

“If you don’t know your past, you don’t know where you’re going.”

news@thedailycougar.com

Proposition 3 on the ballot is a state constitutional amendment allowing the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to issue general obligation bonds for the purpose of financing educational loans to students. More specifically, the amendment will allow the continued funding of the Hinson-Hazlewood College Student Loan Program, which offers low-interest student loans to Texas residents.

The Hinson-Hazlewood Program offers these loans under its College Access Loan Program. The program appeals to middle income families; it is not need based and now carries an annual fixed income rate of 5.25 percent in contrast to the 6.8 percent rate attached to federal unsubsidized loans.

UH professor and lobbyist Nancy Sims said she supports the proposition as an initiative to help college students burdened in tough economic times.

The proposition, composed by Sen. Royce West (D-TX), arrives as the state reaches its $1.9 billion mark for lending under student loan programs accumulated for 45 years and seven voting sessions authorizing increased lending authority. With its passage, the state will be approved to continue issuing new bonds, as old bonds are retired without the need of continued votes, provided the amount lent remains at its $350 million annual cap.

The amendment has generated several detractors, the most vocal of which are members of the organizations Empower Texans and the Houston Tea Party.

“Unelected bureaucrats can forever borrow money on behalf of the state, turn around and loan it to students in expectation that it will all be paid back, without ever coming back to the voters to approve of their actions,” Empower Texans social media coordinator Dustin Matocha said on the organization’s website regarding Proposition 3.

“Government should not be in the business of subsidizing any part of the market, let alone tuition loans.”

Matocha did not respond to calls seeking further comment in time for publication.

The Legislative Budget Board states that the bonds issued will be self-supporting, and the debt authority will not be included in the constitutional debt limit. This self-sufficiency also means that the bonds will not be funded through taxpayer dollars.

The UH Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid director said the department has no official stance on the proposition.

In a city election in which pundits expect to see only a 12-percent turnout, Sims expressed her hope that students will rise to take their fate into their own hands.

“People need to be very concerned about these elections,” Sims said.

“These things affect your daily life more than the issues in Washington D.C.”

Voting information, polling locations and sample ballots can be found at www.harrisvotes.com. Polling locations are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

news@thedailycougar.com

The bill, which will award the University an estimated $20 million, awaits Rick Perry’s signature to become official. | Ed Schipul/Wikimedia Commons

A bill that will aid UH and other Texas universities on their path to Tier One status was approved by the Texas Legislature and is waiting for Gov. Rick Perry’s signature.

House Bill 1000 will give UH a sum of around $20 million to fund both academics and various research programs.

“This is a great day for the state of Texas as a whole, the University of Houston and for education in the state of Texas,” said Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston.

“HB 1000 will likely provide the University of Houston nearly $20 million to make help them cross the finish line and become a nationally recognized Tier One institution.”

Texas currently has three Tier One universities — the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M and Rice, the same number it had decades ago, according to Ellis.

“Texas has become a leader in scientific research and technology, but our investment in our institutions has lagged far, far beyond the demand and need for world-class universities,” Ellis said. “HB 1000 dedicates more funding to higher education and prepares Texas for a brighter future.”

Texas recently created the National Research University Fund which aims to generate funding to increase the number of Tier One universities. Approximately $600 million is available and will be distributed to universities that qualify.

Three universities being focused on at the moment include UH, Texas Tech, and the University of Texas at Dallas, according to a press release from the Texas Senate written by Jeremy Warren.

“UH will be able to enhance the quality of student education, attract and retain more high-quality faculty, use state appropriations as leverage for greater federal research support, increase technology transfer to the private sector, attract new companies and industries to the Houston area, and produce spin-off companies,” UH President Renu Khator said in a campus-wide email. “This is truly a milestone and an occasion for celebration. I look forward, as I hope you do, to what we can accomplish together in the future.”

“I am particularly grateful for the leadership of Senator Rodney Ellis, who co-sponsored the bill in the Senate, and Representatives Garnet Coleman and Bill Callegari, who co-sponsored legislation in the House of Representatives,” Khator said. “Additionally, this landmark legislation benefited from the enthusiastic endorsement of the Greater Houston Partnership, many local and civic leaders and thousands of loyal alumni.”

Opponents of recently proposed legislation in the Texas Legislature responded by organizing a rally on the steps of the capitol in Austin. A number of UH students made the trip in order to show their opposition. | Daniel Renfrow/The Daily Cougar

An estimated 300 people gathered in front of the Texas state capitol in Austin for a rally supporting the Latino community and immigrant rights.

The rally was held in response to immigration legislation proposed for the 82nd legislative session. Opponents have denounced the bills as imitations of SB 1070, the immigration bill passed in Arizona last year. However, supporters of these bills say they are necessary.

The rally began at Austin’s Central Presbyterian Church and continued onto the front steps of the capitol building. Members of the crowd, that included a number of University of Houston students, chanted slogans along the way.

Once in front of the capitol building, the crowd chanted, “We are students,” and “We are family,” as they waited to listen to a panel of speakers before participating in group meetings with their state representatives.

UH Sociology junior Brendan Laws participated in the rally.

“Immigration is a big part of my life. My father was an immigrant,” Laws said. “It just connects to the history of my family. I’m here to tell them how the bills will destroy my community and family.”

The proposed bills include HB 197, a bill that requires proof of citizenship in order to work in Texas and would charge employers with a Class A misdemeanor if they’re found to have employed undocumented immigrants.

Another bill that has been introduced, HB 17, allows police officers to arrest someone without a warrant if the officer suspects that the individual is undocumented, and if the officer believes the person is committing or has committed another offense.

Kevin Taylor, principal of Henry F. Waskow High School from Belton, Texas was in front of the capitol building with a group of students when the rally took place. Taylor supports a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, but believes that the federal government’s laws should be enforced.

“There’s a legal way to enter our country,” Taylor. said “Do it legally.”

State Rep. Dan Huberty, District 127 agrees that the federal government’s laws pertaining to illegal immigration should be enforced.

“Unless the federal government does something, we have to enforce our borders. Sometimes it creates animosity,” Huberty said. “I get both sides of the argument.”

HB 464, a bill proposed by Rep. Tim Kleinschmidt, District 17, is another of the bills being protested.

The bill, which would repeal the Texas DREAM Act, would directly affect undocumented University of Houston students if passed.

The Texas DREAM Act was signed into law by Governor Perry and allows undocumented students to pay in-state tuition.

“We will fight it to make sure the Texas DREAM Act is not repealed,” Rep. Ana Hernandez Luna, District 143, a UH alumna, said. “We know that education is the key.”

Jeronimo Cortina, UH assistant professor of political science, weighed in on the situation of undocumented college students.

“Why penalize these kids who were brought here without their consent? It just doesn’t make sense,” Cortina said. “The state is not paying for them. They are residents of the state. They pay property taxes,” Cortina said. “The only thing they don’t have is their migratory status.”

English junior Alejandro Caballero attended the rally in support of a friend.

“The new bills would destroy a lot of dreams,” Caballero said. “Many people would be devastated and America would be missing out on a lot of talent.”

Huberty believes that expanding the number of work visas and green cards and shortening the waiting time could achieve a practical solution for the illegal immigration problem. This would enable more people to immigrate into the country legally, Huberty said, noting that this solution is rarely talked about in the media.

“There are people who want to come here legally to work,” Huberty said. “We need to give them that ability.”

Former Houston Mayor Bill White fell short in his bid to unseat Gov. Rick Perry in Tuesday's election, drawing just 42 percent of the vote. | Schipulites

four-year term.

Perry, who won with 56.6 percent of the vote, has been in the spotlight during his campaign for criticizing President Barack Obama’s policies and crediting Texas for having one of the strongest economies in the nation.

White took the time to address the public by giving his concession speech before complete results were released. He told the crowd that early polls showed that it would be difficult for him to win.

“Tonight, despite the hard work of tens of thousands of Texans, it does not look like we will elect a new governor,” White said during his speech. “(Wife) Andrea and I want to congratulate Rick Perry.”

He then took the time to thank his supporters for all their efforts during his campaign and encouraged Texans to continue their effort beyond the election.

“We’re going to see that a record number of Texans have gone to the ballot box today,” White said. “To those Texans, your work is not finished as a citizen when you vote.”

Introduced by wife Anita, Perry walked onstage at his victory speech to an enthusiastic crowd with a smile on his face.

“Texas has spoken, and we’re on the right track by exercising the most precious right,” Perry said. “The citizens of our state have sent a very clear message with their votes.”

He said voters recognized the importance of “good jobs, safe neighborhoods and accountable schools for their kids.”

Perry, the state’s longest-serving governor, survived a re-election battle in a year when frustrated voters routinely tossed out incumbents.

“In the weeks and months leading up to this election, we have heard a lot about enthusiasm gaps and antiincumbent sentiment,” he said. “The issue at hand is not on how long a person has been in office, but how hard they work to limit the size and reach of government.”

He also said that Texas citizens are tired of big government raising taxes.

“I am genuinely optimistic that we’re one day closer to seeing physical conservative approaches applied at the national level as well,” Perry said. “I want to challenge those new faces in Washington to press for change sooner than later — I want them to go in there and really go to work.”

Perry will be handling major budget battles in Austin in the future, but he said he is ready to face them.

State Rep. Garnet Coleman urged students in a communications class on Wednesday to vote despite reports of voter intimidation.

Coleman recently sponsored a radio ad to encourage voting.

“You have the power of the vote and the only way you can use it is to take it to the polling place and cash your vote,” Coleman said in the radio ad. “If somebody gets in your way, you tell them politely, ‘I’m here to use my power, would you kindly step aside?’”

He is aware of about 12 reports of voter intimidation. He said individuals at the polls are trying to make sure that people are following the law but they are, in consequence, intimidating the voters.

Coleman grew up in a family that was informed about politics because he said that’s how you make change.

“I was brought up to be a part of the community that is governed by the people and I’m part of that people,” Coleman said. “Democracy is not a spectator sport. If people don’t know you’re upset about something, then nothing is going happen.”

Coleman has been a member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 147 since 1991.

“If you represent a district and live in that district, you know what the problems are,” Coleman said.

He has actively worked during that time to help his community.

“You work on the issues that you think are important and that you tell people you are going to work on and sometimes you are very successful but sometimes you are not,” Coleman said. “Sometimes it takes a long time to do them. I’ve tried very hard and I’ve been more successful than not.”

Coleman has worked to implement health care reform, such as preventing insurance companies from kicking off or denying coverage to people with pre-existing health conditions.

He co-authored the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which makes low-cost health insurance available to more than 400,000 children.

He also endorses Proposition 1, which would alleviate Houston flooding by creating a pay-as-you go fund to rebuild the streets and drainage systems.

“There are a lot of neighborhoods not near bayous that flood,” Coleman said. “It needs to be changed, and that’s why I’m for it.”

For more information about Garnet Coleman and the issues he supports, visit www.garnetcoleman.com.

Perry, a Republican, is running for his third full term. A former lieutenant governor, Perry was sworn in as the state’s 47th governor Dec. 21, 2000 after predecessor George W. Bush was elected president and was voted to his first full term in 2002.

Democratic contender White served the Houston community as mayor from 2004 until 2010. He also worked under President Bill Clinton between 1993 and 1995 as US Deputy Secretary of Energy.

“They have both been politically involved for a long time, but they are either wealthy themselves or represent the people of wealth,” history professor Robert Buzzanco said. “Either way, average Texans will still struggle for jobs, wages, health care, etc. Having said that, White clearly represents a more ‘enlightened’ capitalism and understands that people who have wages, other income and benefits can become better consumers.”

Perry has refused to debate White, claiming most voters of today aren’t concerned with debates.

“It’s a tough race this election season,” management information systems senior Mohammad Shariff said.

The issues Perry is concentrating on include economic development, increased enrollment in colleges, increased access to healthcare, promotion of pro-life agendas, strict punishment for convicts and protecting landowners’ rights in Texas.

White is also campaigning under the banner of economic growth, increased education levels, tighter border security, better transportation in Texas, energy efficiency, making healthcare affordable and programs for war veterans.

“They seem to be promising many of the same things,” consumer science and merchandising junior Ayesha Shah said. “For me, it boils down to, ‘who will actually keep their promises?’”

As Election Day draws closer, the campaigning is getting intense and forceful.

According to the CNN website, White blamed Perry for turning the campaign into a fight against President Barack Obama. He also accused Perry of failing to secure the Texas-Mexico border, being a nemesis of public schools and increasing the state’s debt.

White further compared Perry to an immature school child who does not own up to his own actions.

“Perry is a frightening figure, more than an immature child,” Buzzanco said. “Talking about secession, avidly supporting guns without restriction, playing up to the worst elements in us, making life better for corporations — especially oil companies. This should frighten average Texans.”

A spokesman from Perry’s campaign addressed White’s comments by saying that what he accused Perry of is completely false. According to the spokesman, Texas has created more jobs under Perry’s guidance, thereby bettering the economy.

According to the Houston Chronicle website, Perry insisted that White reveal his income tax returns from the time he was state Democratic Party chairman and deputy energy secretary.

Although White had revealed his income tax returns from his time as mayor, he did not reveal more.

“It’s confusing because you don’t know who’s telling the truth,” Shariff said. “Perry might remain in office or maybe White will win — anything can happen in politics.”

Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo is proposing that the state’s driving under the influence law be changed.

The new DWAI law on the agenda — that is, driving while ability impaired — states that if the driver’s blood alcohol content is 0.05-0.07, they can be charged. For example, a 120 lb. woman can have two margaritas in an hour and have a BAC of 0.06.

“I think this is just another way for the state to make more money. Now if I want to have a few glasses of wine at a dinner party, I’ll need a designated driver,” health and human performance senior Claireese Kimmons said. “That’s ridiculous.”

The DWAI law has not been passed yet, but it is in affect in Colorado and is being taken into consideration by Texas officials.

The current DUI laws say that if the driver is stopped by the police with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 and above, they can face a fine, jail time, community service and a suspension of their license.

The fine for a first DUI conviction in Texas is up to $2,000 and $10,000 if a child is the vehicle. The least possible jail time that a driver can spend for a first conviction DUI in Texas is 72 hours. Since DWAI is a lesser offense, the charges won’t be as expensive.

“I feel that it (DWAI law) is pointless, this won’t stop people from having a good time with friends and drinking socially,” UH alum Isaac Grant said.

Texas is still ranked number one for having the most DWI offenders. Regardless of plans to decrease the amount of drunk drivers on the road to help this statistic, most social drinkers disagree with the new possible law, while others feel more content about it.

“I don’t drink and this law will make me feel safer when I’m driving at night,” political science junior Lindsey Tucker said. “People are on the streets drunk, especially after house parties.”