Beginning Monday, eight chairs within the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences will be up for grabs in a week-long election period.

Amongst those up for grabs is the English Department’s chair, which for the first time in four decades, is being challenged by Elizabeth Gregory, Director of Women’s Gender and Sexualities.

Gregory is running on a nomination by Lynn Voskuil, an associate professor of English. Gregory completed her bachelor’s at Barnard College, her master’s at University of Kentucky and her doctorate at Yale, according to the Department of English website. At UH, she teaches courses on British and American modernism, contemporary poetry, ancient and classical literature, feminist criticism and motherhood studies.

As director of the WGSS, she has developed the Carey C. Shuart Women’s Archive and Research Collection, an anthology of papers from women’s organizations that have helped shape Houston.

“My aim as chair would be to facilitate the department’s further growth and student and faculty success, drawing on our many and diverse strengths and building on our good foundation,” Gregory said in a letter to the staff of the department.

Opposite Gregory is current chair and professor Wyman Herendeen. Heredeen completed his bachelor’s and master’s at Brown University and his docorate at the University of Toronto.

In the department’s retreat  “Rethinking English Studies” in April 2009, Herendeen wrote on the liveliness of the department in the range of innovative pedagogical strategies. He also wrote about the new areas of research and the emergence of rhetoric, composition, and pedagogy concentrations, said Irving N. Rothman, English professor, in an email to the department.

During that retreat, the department created a planning document that Rothman has kept in his office. Three years later, it documents foresight and confirms trust in the capabilities of the faculty to move forward, Rothman’s email said.

On Feb. 6, Gregory spoke from noon to 1 p.m. in the Roy G. Cullen Building while Herendeen spoke at the same time and location the following week.

Voting began 8 a.m. today and will end Feb. 25.

EDIT 11:45 a.m. Feb. 18: Elizabeth Gregory has withdrawn from the election to be the English department chair. Wyman Hrendeen will continue as chair for another three-year term. 

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The UH Charter School held its second annual Jump Rope for Heart for the American Heart Association, donating more than $800 to the charity.

The kids we asked to keep moving for a full half hour. | Saimaa Eissa/The Daily Cougar

Located inside Melcher Gym, students in kindergarten through fifth grade took part in various activities Thursday in the one-hour event.

Students were encouraged to move continuously for 30 minutes with the option to jump rope, hula hoop or dance.

“I feel good because I’m helping people, and I’m getting my heart pumped up,” said fifth grader Jarvis Goosby.

According to the American Heart Association’s website, Jump Rope for Heart is an event created for elementary and middle school students to use jump roping as a mechanism to improve their health and teach them heart-healthy habits. The money the students raise is used to help other children who may be suffering from heart problems.

Fifth grade teacher Leslie Stephens and Peer Professional Eve Medina oversaw the event this year.

“We had a kick-off pep rally to let everyone know and get the kids excited,” Stephens said. “We’d like for (students and faculty) to know we’re here. We do a lot of things on campus and would like to partner up with more departments.”

Students are bringing in donations to assist in meeting the school’s goal of raising $1,000. Fifth grader Daisuke Balderas was most excited about what he could do to make a difference in someone’s life.

“I feel helpful to the kids who have heart problems,” Balderas said. ”The more I exercise, the more money is raised to help them out.”

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While the majority of the Student Government Association spent the day in Austin representing UH, it was business as usual at UH — one presidential appointment and a number of bills were discussed at the Wednesday senate meeting.

Of the topics discussed, the Resolution to Reaffirm Opposition to Allowing Concealed Handguns made its second appearance.

“Currently, there is a bill proposed at the Texas State Legislature that will allow for licensed concealed handgun owners to be able to have their concealed handguns on campus, and more importantly, that the University would not be allowed to make rules that overrides this law,” said Sepi Tabrizi, a political science senior.

“SGA just wants pass a bill saying they do not support this. These kinds of things are strictly symbolic.”

Other bills on the agenda included Taylor’s Diploma Bill, which was introduced before Christmas break, an SGA Bill Consideration Period for Proposed Legislation, and an SGA Bill Publicized Revision Period for Proposed Legislation.

Also at the meeting, Kelly Hickman, a graduate in law school, received a presidential appointment to the Safety and Security Advisory Committee.

Hickman was involved in promoting campus safety when she was a student at UT.

“I think there is a notable lack of police call boxes, the importance of which cannot be overstated.” Hickman said in a letter read on her behalf.

“I also think the students need to be better educated about how to be safe on campus. ”

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