Student insurance deadline is near

By Tom Carpenter
Daily Cougar Staff

James Robertson Jr. was the first candidate to file in the race for the president of the Students' Association -- a move that seems indicative of his enthusiastic attitude in all aspects of campus life.

The management information systems major said he thinks his senior year is the perfect time to run for a position in the UH student government.

Pin Lim/The Daily Cougar

In addition to his work with the Residence Halls Association, in which he pushed for elevator repairs in the Moody Towers, Robertson said he worked to improve the services provided on campus by outside contractors, including food-service provider Chartwells.

The Klein Forest graduate also served as marketing coordinator for the Department of Campus Recreation and said he intends to continue work to get Garrison Gymnasium renovated.

But if he is elected SA president, Robertson said his first goal would be to make sure the campus is "united as a student body."

That's a tough task at UH. The University is not traditional, a fact Robertson is well aware of. He spent two years commuting to school and said he knows the frustrations and difficulties students experience with parking. He has also lived in the Towers and knows first-hand the vexations campus residents face.

"I know all the problems students face from both sides," he said. "I'll fight for these students. We represent UH. The better the school is, the better we are. We deserve to be heard."

Robertson said he has a few more specific ideas he'd like to pursue if elected, including keeping the library open 24 hours a day.

He would also like to start a reward program for students who do community service as mentors and tutors for Third Ward children. Robertson said he believes those kids are the future of Houston, and they need to be shown the value of a college education.

Robertson's experience in that area comes from his work with the "Camp Cougar" program, which helps disabled students in Houston.

"We're like their mentor/fun guy -- that's what I call it because it was a lot of fun for me," Robertson said. "Basically, we show them the best time of their lives for two weeks."

Robertson said he is a driven man, fueled by his love for UH. "It's a wonderful place," he said. "This isn't a prestige thing for me, or a résumé builder. It's all about the students with me. As president, my promise to the students is their voice will be heard."