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New regent pledges to promote UH growth

'Take pride in being a Cougar,' alumnus Rose tells students

by Portia-Elaine Gant
Senior Staff Writer

Houston attorney Lynden Rose has returned to the University to serve a six-year term on the UH System Board of Regents.

The UH alumnus and former co-captain of the Cougar basketball team has stayed in contact with the University in various ways and said he was thrilled to receive the appointment to the board Jan. 2.

"I've never left," Rose said. "I love this program, and I was a part of the Houston Athletic Foundation. I also represented one of the basketball coaches, Alvin Brooks. He was the first black coach the University had. I negotiated his contract."

Rose, like most who know anything about the University, realizes many people call it "Cougar High" or a commuter school. Although there's often talk about changing that view, Rose said he doesn't see it as a negative.

"We've always had the great tradition of great athletics, but somehow we've been overshadowed by the UTs and A&Ms," Rose said. "Both universities have great campus living environments, and the University of Houston is portrayed as a commuter school. I disagree with the perception that it's only a commuter school.

"Being in the fourth-largest city in the nation, a lot of students are in the (job) marketplace while going to school, unlike A&M, where there is only a college campus and not a lot of businesses."

UH — and universities across the nation — recruited Rose from his home in the Bahamas in 1978. Rose, whose brother Cecil also graduated from the University, said the opportunities UH gave him still drive him to stay involved in the program.

"I am a Cougar," Rose said. "I support the University because I'm grateful for the opportunities that I received because of the University of Houston, the friends that I've met, the opportunity I had to play for one of the greatest coaches in the world, Guy Lewis, and to play with two of the greatest players to ever play basketball, Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon."

Not only did Rose share the court with Drexler and Olajuwon, but he was also co-captain of the 1982 Cougar team that progressed to the Final Four of the NCAA Final Tournament.

Just three weeks after being appointed to one of three vacant regent seats by Gov. Rick Perry, Rose said he did not have any specific agenda for the University — only that he hoped to contribute to its growth over the course of his term.

"My agenda is to be certain that the University of Houston continues to grow within the community, the state, the country and the world," Rose said. "Anything I can add to enhance the reputation of the school, I'm excited about that opportunity."

As an alumnus, he also had some advice for current students at the University.

"Be proud of the University of Houston and the opportunities that we all have, and continue to support the University even after we've graduated and moved on to our professional lives," Rose said. "Take pride in being a Cougar."

Rose and Dennis Golden, the other appointee, will be sworn in at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Athletic/Alumni Center. Their first board meeting will be Feb. 19 at UH-Victoria.
 

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