By Shirley Wilson
UHCLIDIAN STAFF

The university recognized the contributions of community and business leaders, and honored three members with awards at the President's Cabinet Annual Dinner Nov. 7 at Bay Oaks Country Club.

President William A. Staples honors Tulsi Saral with the President's Cabinet Leadership Award at Bay Oaks Country Club.
photo by Shirley Wilson




Tulsi Saral received the President's Cabinet Leadership Award, Ann and Dick Trask received the President's Cabinet Philanthropy Award.

At the dinner, William A. Staples, university president, congratulated the cabinet members for helping to increase current endowments at the university to 111 from 43 in 1996. He added that the goal is to increase endowments to 120 and the level of money in endowments to $10 million by the end of March.

March is a pivotal period for the university because of matching funds from Houston Endowment Inc. Houston Endowment agreed to match dollar-for-dollar a total of $1.5 million in contributions. The university challenge for the total matching funds contribution ends in March.

"With your help and the assistance of corporations and foundations, especially the Houston Endowment, we think we can not only reach those goals, but go beyond them," Staples said.

Staples emphasized that state funding for the university has declined since the 1980s, resulting in increased costs and debt for students. Approximately 75 percent of all university financial aid in the state of Texas is in the form of loans, Staples said. He added that without scholarships, many students could not successfully complete a college degree.

"Students comment to me about the difference that the scholarships meant to them in their lives and in their ability to go to school," Staples said.

Staples also acknowledged the efforts of Saral, professor of clinical psychology, with the President's Cabinet Leadership Award. Saral, with the help of others, was able to raise $10,300 after the story of his daughter's death was broadcast through the media. Houston Endowment matched the contribution for a total benefit of $20,600.

Saral established the Chhavi Bhatia Memorial Scholarship Endowment in spring 2002. Bhatia committed suicide Nov. 28, 2001, after suffering for years from depression. The scholarship is provided to students pursuing careers in clinical psychology or marriage and family therapy who are interested in working within the Asian Indian female population.

"The hardest thing is that there is not enough cultural training or cultural sensitivity in mental health providers," Saral said. "The whole area of psychotherapy is primarily based upon the Western model. In India, you talk to the elders and have extended families, whereas, the elders and extended families are not here. Other cultures focus on relationships, whereas, the focus is on the individual here. People from different cultures often find themselves living in an environment that is kind of an island in itself."

Women are cultural carriers and are primarily responsible for transferring the culture from generation to generation, Saral said. Conflicting demands occur from affiliating with their native culture and living in this culture. Saral hopes that the scholarship will improve cross-cultural awareness in the treatment of Asian Indian women while keeping the memory of his daughter alive.

Dick Trask, associate professor of finance, and his wife, Ann, a well-known artist, were recognized with the President's Cabinet Philanthropy Award. The award was given in appreciation for their past contributions and for the establishment of the D. Richard and Ann M. Trask Scholarship Endowment in 1998. The scholarship is awarded to finance majors who need monetary assistance.

Ann and Dick Trask's contributions to the university, both in time and resources, started in 1991. Dick served as the graduate business school coordinator from 1980 to 1987. Ann is actively involved with the Art League of Houston and Arts Alliance Center. Both received their master's degrees from UH-Clear Lake.

"The endowment provides a source of perpetual funding for scholarships, serving to assist generations of students pursuing college degrees in the area of finance," said Dion McInnis, associate vice president for the Office of University Advance-ment. "Since inception, eight students have received awards."

The President's Cabinet, established in 1999, promotes relationships between the university, community and business leaders. The President's Cabinet also provides a forum for the president to recognize individuals who make significant contributions.

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