The following is a partial report of campus crime between April 8 and Sunday. All information is selected from the files of the UH Department of Public Safety. Information or questions regarding the cases below should be directed to UHDPS at (713) 743-3333.

Theft: At 3 p.m. April 8 at the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library, a student reported that someone stole his unattended and unsecured laptop computer. The case is inactive.

Burglary of a Motor Vehicle: At 9:45 a.m. April 8 at the Fine Arts Building, a vending company reported that an unknown person or persons burglarized its unattended and secured vehicle. The case is active.

Theft: At 7:58 a.m. April 9 at the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library, a staff member reported that someone stole a white maintenance scooter from the library loading dock. The case is active.

Assault: At 1:35 p.m. April 9 at the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library, a student reported that a man assaulted her as she entered the library. The case is active.

Burglary of a Motor Vehicle: At 5:20 p.m. April 9 in Lot 21A, a student reported the theft of his unattended and secured bicycle from the bed of his truck. The case is inactive.

Theft: At 9:16 p.m. Thursday at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center, a visitor reported that his unsecured and unattended backpack was stolen along with his cell phone, keys and wallet. The case is active.

Theft: At 2:14 p.m. Thursday at McElhinney Hall, a staff member reported the theft of a UH-owned golf cart, which was later found. The case is unfounded.

Criminal Trespass: At 2:38 a.m. Friday at the Cambridge Oaks Apartments, an unaffiliated visitor was arrested for criminal trespass and transported to Harris County Jail. The case is cleared by arrest.

Criminal Mischief: At 7:31 a.m. Friday at the General Services Building, a staff member reported damage to the General Services entry door. The case is inactive.

Traffic Offense: At 1:12 a.m. Saturday at the Welcome Center, a UH emergency call box was struck and damaged by a driver who failed to comply with state requirements after hitting a fixed object.

Public Intoxication: At 4:57 a.m. Saturday at Calhoun Lofts, a student was found to be publicly intoxicated and was transported to a hospital. The case is cleared by exception.

Aggravated Robbery: At 9:41 p.m. Saturday at Cambridge Oaks Apartments, two students reported they were robbed and held at gunpoint by several unknown individuals. The case is active.

Criminal Mischief: At 12:56 a.m. Sunday at Cambridge Oaks Apartments, a student came home and found her apartment window shattered. The case is inactive.

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A new medical device co-developed by a physicist at UH detects the spread of breast cancer and allows physicians to better prescribe a treatment plan, and it will be increasing its market influence, bringing it closer to clinical trials around the country.

The probe, which can better detect breast cancer, is expected to be available across America soon. | Courtesy of UH.edu

Audrius Brazdeikis, a research associate professor of physics in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and his colleagues at the University of London co-developed this device, which has been in distribution for more than a year in Europe.

“Since it helps detect the spreading of cancer more efficiently,” Brazdeikis said, “I would imagine it will become widely available in America in a short amount of time.”

The SentiMag is an extremely sensitive intraoperative probe that allows surgeons to have better accuracy when attempting to locate the sentinel lymph node, which is the first lymph node in which a tumor’s metastasizing cancer cells drain.

This patented method removes the need for radiation, increases the speed of the detection process, and it puts the detection of the sentinel lymph node in the hands of surgeons.

“Seeing the original concept go through changes and advance in the marketplace has been very gratifying,” Brazdeikis said. “Developing strategies between the scientific aspect and the business market has been the most challenging.”

Throughout these challenges, distribution of the product has reached beyond Europe. This came as a result of a signed agreement between Sysmex Europe GmbH, a leading international company that develops and produces diagnostic solutions for laboratories across the world, and Endomagnetics Ltd., a medical company focussed on magnetic sensing and nanotechnology in medicine. Brazdeikis formed Endomagnetics with physics professor Quentin Pankhurst and systems engineer Simon Hattersley from UCL.

“It was a business concept we developed to bring our technology into the forefront of the marketplace,” Pankhurst said.

The SentiMag system was initially funded by the UK-Texas Bioscience Initiative and is now in use in eight European countries. With Sysmex holding the exclusive right to manage sales and support for this groundbreaking progression in Europe and some Middle Eastern and African countries, the system will be provided a strong backing for further advancement and expansion. It is believed by the co-developers that this device is going to be essential to those in need of treatment from this disease.

“I am convinced that getting the device circulated worldwide is a positive step in cancer treatment,” Brazdeikis said. “Maybe this could be the right step in eventually eliminating cancer altogether.”

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Though several influences contribute to the nation facing significant financial challenges, the population’s lack of financial literacy is a factor often overlooked.

Tammy Mermelstein spoke at the second annual UH Bauer College Financial Symposium, which advocated financial literacy. | Aisha Bouderdaben/The Daily Cougar

Reva Zhao Azeez, Leonard Loyd, Donald Bowers, II, and Alfred Coleman were the panelists in the discussion about Careers in Finance and Financial Planning. | Aisha Bouderdaben/The Daily Cougar

The C.T. Bauer College of Business wishes to change that reality by providing students with useful resources and knowledge on a variety of financial topics through the annual Financial Symposium event held Saturday.

“The one thing we know about earning potential is that it doesn’t really matter how much money you make; it’s how much money you keep,” said Donald Bowers II, assistant vice president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas – Houston Branch.

“This financial education program is all based upon trying to help people within our community better understand how to manage their resources, large arsenal and how to build wealth and retain assets.”

Bowers said the majority of people spend 80 percent of their time working to earn money, worrying about how to make more or spending. In addition, 13 percent of households in Texas do not have any type of bank account.

“That either means that they’re taking risks and saving money at home, or they’re just not saving any money at all,” Bowers said. “They’re trading off long-term financial stability to try to deal with short-term issues.”

Another issue in Texas regards student loans. Estimates are that 1 of every 5 young people who have student loans will default within the first 3 to 5 years after they are out of college.

“We need to fix that,” Bowers said. “We got to be better prepared and do things with intention. We want you to learn how to be intentional about your personal finances.”

Alexander Obregon, special projects coordinator for the office of the Houston City Controller, gave continuity to the discussion by addressing the city’s point of view.

“What’s your government’s interest in people having personal financial education?” Obregon said. “Well, we want you to be taxpayers, to be able to build wealth, pay property taxes and things like that. That’s a good thing because it means you have assets.”

Obregon said that the city of Houston worked in partnership with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve, some banks and nonprofit organizations to start the Bank on Houston program in 2008, which is designed to bring the unbanked and the underbanked into the financial mainstream.

“We want you to know that the City of Houston, other government entities and Bauer are all taking invested interest in making sure that you have the financial tools to begin to be taxpayers, contribute to the University of Houston, provide for your family and yourself and, more importantly, to provide for the greater good of this population,” Obregon said.

Bauer worked with the Texas Council on Economic Education to come up with a Money Management Poster contest as an initiative to promote financial education in children from several district schools in the metropolitan area. TCEE President and CEO Laura Ewing honored the winners during Saturday’s event.

James Hong, president of the Bauer Alumni Association and founder of Hong Financial, closed the discussion by giving five tips on how to get started and be successful about achieving personal finance awareness.

Hong said the first step is to have a plan, set goals and stick to a budget. The next step is to have discipline. The third step is to take one step at a time because nothing happens overnight. Hong’s next tip stressed the importance of knowing the difference between “needs” and “wants.” He said people tend to follow trends because ours is a consumerist society, which can hugely affect personal finances. Lastly, he advised the audience to learn from others.

“It doesn’t take a millionaire to be a millionaire,” Hong said. “Use your resources, talent and academic knowledge to achieve your goals.”

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Two students were held up at gunpoint in their Cambridge Oaks Apartments residence at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, according to a UH Police Department security alert.

Cambridge Oaks, home to nearly 600 students, saw an eventful evening Saturday when two residents opened the door to an armed man who stole their wallets and threatened to shoot them. | Nichole Taylor/The Daily Cougar

The man knocked on the residents’ door and pointed the gun at one student’s face.

He demanded the student walk back inside the apartment, all the way to the bedroom where the student’s roommate was studying. Once there, the gunman demanded both their wallets.

With their wallets, the man threatened to shoot them both if they did not stay in the room.

After the gunman left the room, they heard him enter the other bedroom before leaving the apartment.

The gunman is described in the alert as being a black, 5-foot male with a light complexion and medium build, wearing a red jacket and black pants. His weapon is described as a black, semi-automatic handgun.

According to the alert, there are three more people suspected of involvement in the alleged crime.

Cambridge Oaks residents feel the fear.

Architecture junior Edgar Rivera said he would not see security guards often, but, especially after this incident, he would like to see more of them.

“I’ve been living there for two years, and nothing like this has ever happened,” Rivera said.

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After a long deliberation, the Student Publications Committee elected Channler K. Hill on Thursday as the editor in chief of The Daily Cougar for the coming academic year.

“I’m extremely shocked; I was crying. I definitely didn’t think that it was going to be me because I think there were two other really strong candidates,” Hill said. “I’m really blessed with this opportunity, and I’m grateful to God that he was watching over me.”

Hill, who is currently the assistant news editor of the Cougar and editor in chief of Transitions Magazine, ran against print journalism junior Natalie Harms, news editor of the Cougar, and English junior Amanda Hilow, the Cougar’s managing editor.

Although all the candidates brought a great amount of experience to the table, Hill explained her goals and vision to the committee in a clear and methodical manner, winning her election.

“The committee was faced with a challenge, as the three candidates were all excellent,” said David McHam, an associate professor who serves on the SPC. “Perhaps what gave Channler an advantage was that she has worked in every phase of the Cougar, and the committee liked her vision of what the Cougar needs to accomplish.”

A few of Hill’s plans include increasing the newspaper’s visibility on campus, having assistant section editors be in control of online content and encouraging students to write for the paper, regardless of their major, by encouraging incoming freshman at orientation to get involved.

“I’m really looking forward to implementing all my goals. I don’t want to be like someone who gets the people all excited about everything they have planned and don’t come through with it,” Hill said. “Everything that I have on my statement of goals I’m going to accomplish throughout my time as editor in chief.”

Yet, the coming year as editor in chief of the Cougar will bring many challenges for Hill.

“The job of editor is perhaps the most difficult student job on campus. Channler will be tested in a variety of ways,” said Matt Dulin, director of Student Publications. “From managing a staff to dealing with mistakes while also putting forward her agenda to improve quality and visibility, I hope she learns from every aspect of the job and can graduate, look back and say, ‘The Daily Cougar made me a better student, a stronger journalist and a more capable leader.’”

Staff and students alike are looking forward to the future of the Cougar as Hill takes the lead.

“More than anything, I am looking forward to seeing a team of student journalists come together to ensure the UH community has a vibrant and engaging newspaper that is widely read both in print and online,” Dulin said.

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The C.T. Bauer College of Business held its final spring discussion as part of the Distinguished Leaders Series on Wednesday to evaluate the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and its implications to the energy industry and firms.

Craig Pirrong | Justin/The Daily Cougar

The DSL is sponsored by AGL Resources and it serves as a forum to connect students with professionals, most recently with those who are in leadership positions in the energy industry.

Craig Pirrong, finance professor and director of Energy Markets at Bauer, said that the Dodd-Frank, or what he calls “FrankNDodd,” is a monster that has gotten out of control because its implications and consequences were not clear when the act was first passed.

The main reason for Dodd-Franks was to address sustained risks to try to prevent a crisis such as the Great Recession of 2008, Pirrong said. The legislation intends to subject firms to a number of regulations to protect consumers from abusive lending and mortgage practices by banks.

One of the ways Dodd-Frank intended to do that is positions limits, which is the highest number of options, or futures contracts, an investor is allowed to hold on one underlying security.

“There was a fear of speculation,” Pirrong said. “The rule conceptually was going to constrain the sizes of acquisitions that speculators could hold, but it also has features that will potentially restrict the ability of hedgers to secure future pricing.”

The consequences of the act have caused firms to challenge some of its rules, Pirrong said. An example is Bloomberg LP’s lawsuit against the commission because the rules prevent the company from operating a swap-execution facility.

“Dodd-Franks made (swap-execution facilities) over the counter, like in an exchange market,” Pirrong said. “This is just one example of a rule that is being challenged. It’s possible that other rules are going to be challenged as well.”

“It is inevitable as we move forward to find things that don’t work and problems that weren’t anticipated.”

The swap push-out provision is another unique aspect of Dodd-Frank. The law requires energy and commodity swaps had to be put under and be executed under a separately capitalized subsidiary of a bank, Pirrong said.

The law also deals with the issue of collateral margining. In transactions like forward, futures or option, the people involved are essentially buying derivatives and promising to pay for them. But there is always the risk that one of the parties will no be able to keep that promise. So trades are sometimes collateralized to address that risk.

“One of the things in Dodd-Frank is that the more collateralized the better,” Pirrong said. “This means that there’s tremendous need for clearing in order to support trading transactions. This is particularly burdensome for firms and industries like energy because they are not businesses that hold great amount of liquid assets. You have to come up with additional cash to be able to maintain your collateralism.”

This will probably reduce the liquidity of the market and make it more expensive for participants. This means that this rule is likely to be questioned in the future.

“It is a complicated law that is likely to have severe consequence in the liquidity of the market,” he said.

Risk and Control Senior Manager of AGL Resources Katherine Torres gave continuity to the discussion by explaining how her company prepared for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Dodd-Frank regulations.

Torres said that the CFTC was created by Congress in 1974 to enable futures markets to provide an answer for price discovery, and that its power has been expanded by Dodd-Frank as a result of 2008’s crisis.

The Dodd-Frank’s rules that primarily impact the energy industry are: entity determination, position limits and record keeping and real-time reporting, Torres said.

There are several key players interpreting the rule, which causes a lot of ambiguity. She said that the uncertainty that the law has brought is a big part of the problem. An example she used is how end-users are at the mercy of what Swap Data Repositories ask them to do.

“There is a lot of unpremeditated consequences, and I think we’ll continue to see that throughout the implementation of Dodd-Frank,” Torres said. “This is what we are up against every day. This is constantly changing, and tomorrow will be something new again. I’m sure.”

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Thursday’s Spring Academic Showcase in the Rockwell Pavilion presented the best of mentored research efforts of more than 100 UH students. The Office of Undergraduate Research hosts this event each semester to showcase the hard work of UH students.

More than 50 students showed their senior thesis projects for all of UH to see. | Kayla Stewart/The Daily Cougar

Presenters came from a range of colleges to show their different passions through oral and poster presentations. Architecture senior Juan Pablo Fuentes presented his Honors College thesis to find a solution for water collection issues in Lima.

“Until I started the project, I didn’t know that water collection was a problem in Lima,” Fuentes said. “I really encourage students to do a thesis because this gives you a window of opportunity to explore those ideas that you sometimes can’t do in class. It gives you a realistic view of the work field.”

Fuentes was one of many Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture students to present his or her senior thesis at the showcase. The seniors spent their fall semester researching their thesis and the spring semester to design the solution to the problem.

Also at the showcase were 40 students from the Honors Introduction to Sociology course, a new class taught by Shasta Jones. The course, part of the Medicine and Society honors college minor, is open to all students. It focuses on global health issues outside of the U.S. that may be otherwise overlooked.

“The students find the problems to develop solutions for them,” Jones said.

Biology junior Yari Clavel presented her solution for Japanese Encephalitis in India with her fellow classmates, Alexandra Davis, Merlin Jacob and Kim Ly.

“We worked as a team on this project over spring break,” Clavel said. “It was a great experience. In the class, you’re forced to talk, and you want to participate, making the project more desirable to do.”

Many students are looking to further the mission of their project beyond the presentation and implement their research into real life solutions.

Almost 40 students from the Global Health course presented at the showcase, an impressive number of students from one class.

“To even be in the showcase, you have to apply first, then wait to be notified by Karen Webber. It’s an honor to be here,” Clavel said.

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Renowned author and journalist bellied up to the podium in The Honors College Commons and invited the audience Wednesday to have a glass of wine while she delved into her lecture about the collaboration and opposition of Soviet communism during the post-World War II era in Eastern Europe.

Anne Applebaum’s lecture, “The Nature of Collaboration and Opposition in a Totalitarian Regime,” focused on how Soviets were able to persuade other countries to go along with their communism by using propaganda and violence.

“Just after the devastation of WWII, the cataclysmic crisis caused many of those from Eastern and Western Europe to doubt everything that they were taught and to believe that their society was no longer organized and to conform even amongst the calamity,” Applebaum said.

She then presented to the audience a few elements in which Soviet communism flourished by the red army and the soviet secret police, who found themselves occupying central Europe in 1945 and were prepared to take charge and to practice their techniques of totalitarianism.

“They had also trained multiple secret agents, who were working in several different countries, to work with their party,” Applebaum said.

Not only did secret agents and secret police take control of these other countries with ease, but Applebaum said the access of the radio and how it was also another crucial way in which Soviet communists could control other countries.

“Soviet officials cared about radios far more than newspapers because they reckoned radio was the media that could reach the masses including the peasants and the workers whose support they expected to receive,” Applebaum said.

Applebaum went on to explain how the USSR was most interested in controlling all aspects of society.

“They controlled not only the economy and property in 1948, but the political spheres, sports, leisure time, hospitals, universities, summer camps, children’s after school activities, music and museums and that ambition to achieve total control put people in ethical and moral binds that we can hardly imagine today.”

She gave the audience an example of how people were put in those moral or ethical binds by explaining how those who worked for publishing houses and printers were ordered to only print what the Soviets allowed them to print and failure to comply would not lead to death necessarily but of the shutdown of that publishing house or printer. Thus, leading to thousands of job losses and several families being affected in a negative ways, Applebaum said.

Several staff and students packed the lecture in The Honors College Commons. Petroleum engineering sophomore Don Nguyen was intrigued by the decisions eastern Europeans faced.

“When Applebaum spoke on how people in eastern Europe at that time didn’t have a choice to fight communists because they were putting at risk their jobs, healthcare, education and the fact that they all had to conform to this totalitarian way of life, made me think of the lifestyle where my family had to endure in Vietnam,” Nguyen said.

“It is a way of life no one should ever have to live.”

There were other students, such as political science junior Crystal Sowemimo, who were fascinated by the stories Applebaum injected throughout her lecture as well.

“One thing that I took away from her lecture was the post war reaction of Poland and the story on the polish man, who she was friends with, who kept complaining about his government, even though there was this new democracy,” Sowemimo said.

“However, he didn’t identify with it because of what happened in the past, and it made me relate it to today in which American society today complains about certain policy issues but never does anything about it either.”

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A new speaker and speaker pro tempore have taken their seats for the 50th SGA administration.

Business graduate Sean Tarver served his last night as Speaker at the previous senate meeting on April 3, and finance and accounting sophomore Sebastian Agudelo was elected with a unanimous vote in favor with two abstentions Wednesday.

President Cedric Bandoh addresses the senate in the 50th Administration’s second meeting. | Nichole Taylor/The Daily Cougar

“I was talking to Cedric once and he told me the rules and I told him this position is perfect for me,” Agudelo said in the senate meeting.

“I want people to be more familiar with what important things you need to know about the bylaws. I want to make it more interactive and efficient, and encourage debate and discussion.”

Carol Ann Ross, a graduate in the college of social work, was the only senator nominated for speaker pro tempore.

“I want to make sure things that happen between the meetings, like educating freshmen senators and … spending more time talking about the content of the business rather than straightening things out,” Ross said.

Ross was elected unanimously without any abstentions.

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