Issue 116, Volume 75 by The Cougar

1934 – 2009

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THE DAILY COUGAR Diverse venues and artists shine at SXSW LIFE & ARTS »

Will anyone live up to coach Tom Penders’ legacy? OPINION »

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years

WEATHER » hi

68 Lo 48

Forecast, Page 2

The Editor’s Desk tells how the front page material is put together Thursday, March 25, 2010

Issue 116, Volume 75

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Faculty takes on grad rates Khator advises staff to avoid excuses and concentrate on student importance gg

By Morgan Creager The daily cougar UH President Renu Khator challenged those at Wednesday’s Faculty Senate meeting to stop making excuses about low graduation rates. “I want to make sure we understand that student success is a no-excuse priority,” Khator said. She helped explain this by putting the success of college students in a global perspective. “The U.S. is one of two countries where this generation is going to be less educated than the previous generation,” Khator said. She singled out 15 universities, which resemble UH in several ways, and compared their progress to that of UH in 2007. She resisted the excuse that UH students have unusual financial needs. Khator dug deeper than surface level evidence and presented it to those in the room. For example, Khator said although UH received only 5 percent more in Pell Grants than San Diego State University, SDSU still had a 56.4 percent graduation rate, 13.7 percent higher than UH. “That factor alone cannot keep us from higher graduation rates,” Khator said.

She also refuted the excuse that UH students arrive at the University unprepared for college. When compared to East Carolina’s estimated median SAT score of 1035, she said UH has no excuse to have an 11.8 percent lower graduation rate when its median SAT score is 1070. “Sorry, I’m not buying that excuse,” Khator said. She mentioned the accusation that UH has students from underrepresented minorities that graduate at a lower rate. She pointed out statistically across the board, blacks, Latinos, Native Americans, Asians and whites have extremely similar graduation rates. “You can’t say that just because we are more diverse, that that’s the reason our graduation rate can’t be improved,” Khator said. She also disproved the notion that UH can’t move forward without additional resources. When UH has 30 percent more full-time faculty and spends $3,751 more in educational expenditures than SDSU, Khator said, it is difficult to defend the gap between the schools’ graduation rates. “If we want to be a better university, we’ve got to start putting our students first,” Khator said. “It’s

KENDRA BERGLUND The Daily Cougar

Fine art

he third annual Student Art Exhibit is on display at the M. D. Anderson Memorial Library through April 15. The 20 artists were chosen through a selection jury process and range from all classifications. The 33 works of art are located on the third floor.

see SENATE, page 10

Researcher executes superconductivity

Fiesta tradition continues

By Abby Lee The daily cougar

Staff intends to increase student participation gg

The HOUSTONIAN FILE PHOTO

By Jared Luck The daily cougar Frontier Fiesta kicks off today in the Robertson Stadium parking lot, serving up a healthy dose of variety shows, carnival games and rides, live music and Texas barbecue. Although admission is free for students, the festival seeks to raise money to fund 10 scholarships for UH students while showcasing the campus’ culture and diversity. Fiesta has been a UH tradition since 1940, but was discontinued

The 1951 “Frontier City” displayed has been a continued tradition at UH that dates back to the 1940s. Some on-campus parking lots will be shut down until April 1 so participants will have enough time to shut down their “stores.” in 1959. Since the event returned in 1992, fiesta has served as an opportunity for organizations and students display their talents with variety shows. This year, students will have an opportunity to score free food and prizes during the event, taking place today through Saturday. Darren Randle, chief of staff for Frontier Fiesta, said the biggest

change this year is the increase in the number of UH students involved. “In the past few years, it would be just IFC fraternities and PanHellenic sororities that would have their variety shows,” Randle said. “This year we wanted every student organization — anybody who could see FIESTA, page 9

Paul Chu has demonstrated that his passion for research is his driving force as a scientist, as he returns to UH with new goals after serving as president for a university in Hong Kong for eight years. “I was born a scientist. I want to die a scientist,” Chu said. While at UH full time, Chu is using a $2.8 million grant from the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research to search for new materials that may become superconducting at higher temperatures. “We are trying to develop a new superconductor with a transition temperature up to room temperature,” Chu said. “If it cools below a certain temperature, it loses

buoyant existence to electricity. Because of that, you can use it to generate, transmit and store energy with 100 percent efficiency.” In 1987, Chu and his team made history when they attained superconductivity at 77 degrees Kelvin with the compound yttrium barium copper oxide. Now, they are striving to go further. “The highest record is 164 degrees Kelvin. That record was established by us in 1993. Unfortunately, no one has been able to break the record, including us,” Chu said. “If we can do that we can get all this superconducting technology without cooling, because it’s already superconducting. That would have a profound impact on our lives. It see CHU, page 3

O'Kane ad for Daily Cougar:Layout 1 2/19/10 12:37 PM Page 1

2 n Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Daily Cougar

University of Houston-Downtown

CAMPUS BEAT FORECAST

isit the O’Kane Gallery at The University of Houston-Downtown and enjoy a day in the nation’s fourth largest city.

Friday

Saturday

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This free exhibit of human figure drawings debuted in New York City and has received national attention. Houston is its only other stop. For exhibit hours, maps and other information go to www.UHD.edu/okanegallery.

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CALENDAR

Fairy Godmother Project: 8 a.m.-6 p.m., 333 McElhinney Hall. The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and the Women’s Resource Center have teamed up with a local outreach organization, the Fairy Godmother Project, to collect prom dresses for local disadvantaged students. It’s a donation event, asking for unused dresses. For more information, contact Jennifer Palton at 713/743-1019.

Early Academic Drawings from the Art Students League of New York Through April 1, 2010 Thirty-three drawings from 1889–1924 with works by students of H. Siddons Mowbray, Kenyon Cox, Frank Vincent Dumond, and George B. Bridgman This project is funded in part by grants from the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance.

www.UHD.edu At UHD, We’re Making a Name for Ourselves!

One Main Street Houston, Texas 77002 713-221-8000

National Survey of Student Engagement

SELECTED FRESHMEN & SENIORS Spring 2010

Nutrition: 12:30-1 p.m., Room 1038, Campus Recreation and Wellness Center. These are workshops offered through UH Wellness, a department of Learning and Assessment Services in the Division of Student Affairs. The mission of UH Wellness, a campus-wide education and prevention program, is to promote healthy choices and create a healthier, safer learning environment across all dimensions of wellness, including: social, spiritual, intellectual, occupational, physical, and emotional wellness. These workshops promote various dimensions of wellness and are offered to support student develop-

CO R R E C T I O N S gg

@ www.nssesurvey.org

ment, to increase retention, and to provide students with skills-building opportunities throughout the semester. Baha’i Club meeting: 7-9 p.m., Baltic Room, UC Underground. Join the UH Baha’i Club and guest speaker Ajit Giani to discuss “The Power of Youth: A Baha’i View on Youth in America.” Free food and refreshments will be served. Admission is free. For more information, contact the club at uhbahaiclub@ gmail.com

FRIDAY Honors College presents: 8-11 p.m., The Center for Creative Work at The Honors College. The Center for Creative Work at The Honors College presents a new translation of Sophocles’ Electra during the traditional festival time for the Athenian city Dionysia. Performances are free, but tickets are required. Call the School of Theatre and Dance Box Office at 713-743-2929 for more information.

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abo u t NSSE is a survey about student participation in programs and activities that the University of Houston provides for student learning and personal development. The results provide an estimate of how students spend their time and what they gain from attending the University of Houston.

About the Cougar The Daily Cougar is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters, and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer, at the University of Houston Printing Plant and online at http://www. thedailycougar.com. The University seeks to provide equal educational opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability or veteran status, or sexual orientation. The Daily Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees. the first copy of the Cougar is free; each additional copy is 25 cents. Subscriptions Rates are $70 per year or $40 per semester. Mail subscription requests to: Mail Subscriptions, The Daily Cougar, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-4015. news tips Direct news tips and story ideas to the News Desk. Call (713) 743-5314, e-mail news@thedailycougar. com or fax (713) 743-5384. A “Submit news item” form is also available online at thedailycougar.com. Copyright No part of the newspaper in print or online may be reproduced without the written consent of the director of the Student Publications Department.

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NEWS

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CHU continued from page 1

would be an industrial revolution.” Finding new superconductors is just one of the three major goals Chu has along with the Houston International Materials Forum, an initiative that he founded. The second goal is to make UH and Houston the center for material research, he said. Chu said he also plans to talk at the University Center to share this information with students and researchers. “If some of the researchers are good, we will provide fellowships to work with any of these people either here or at other universities,” Chu said. The third goal is to create a low cost, low fuel MRI machine. “Usually that technology (MRI) is expensive, a couple thousand dollars. Developing countries can’t afford this technology,” Chu said. “We would like to use this knowledge to develop technology, using hightemperature superconducting wire to make a magnet and sensors which will be more sensitive, to build this MRI machine, which will be lighter, more mobile and not use cryogenics or even liquid nitrogen. Right now, they all use liquid nitrogen.” Chu won the National Medal of Science in 1988 and is now serving his last year on the president’s committee for selecting National Medal of Science recipients. During his time in Hong Kong, he juggled three jobs. As president for the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, he continued performing duties as a professor and executive director for the

Texas Center of Superconductivity, returning to Houston at least once a month. “I always dreamed of becoming a president of a university,” Chu said. His days are far from typical, as he is constantly invited to speak at universities around the country. Last Friday, he was invited to speak about his approach to get room temperature superconductors at the American Physic Society meeting in Portland, Ore. “Also, I talked to some Japanese colleagues and was invited to talk about superconductors at the University of Tokyo,” Chu said. Chu still remembers when he was a student in Taiwan and what drove him to become scientist. “In that part of the world, when I was a young boy in Taiwan, which was very poor, they always looked to the West to see why they were so rich and strong,” he said. “We felt that the reason was the science and technology, so at that time, I believed that was the way to build China — through science and technology. “Also, at that time two Chinese men won the Nobel Prize. To us, that was encouragement because previously we thought the Orient could not do well in science ... But that really gave us confidence. That’s why I got into that (physics), without return.” Even Chu’s days are hectic, his job is a labor of love. “I think in science, knowledge is limitless. It’s a very exciting area to be only if it coincides with your interests,” Chu said. “Being a scientist is the best job because I am doing my hobbies and also get paid.” news@thedailycougar.com

Thursday, March 25, 2010 n 3

To promote service to the University of Houston by recognizing students for their outstanding contributions to the quality of campus life through service, leadership and spirit. Online applications are available on the Dean of Students website at: www.uh.edu/dos For more information, call 713.743.5470 Criteria include: demonstrated leadership and enthusiasm; a minimum 2.5 GPA; enrollment in at least 9 hours; Junior or Senior classification at the University of Houston.

Application Deadline is Thursday, April 1, 2010

4 n Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Daily Cougar

OPINION

COMING FRIDAY: Is a form of socialism the right prescription for health care?

EDITOR Alan Dennis E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/opinion

THE DAILY COUGAR

EDITORIAL CARTOON

editorial B oard Ronnie Turner, Editor in Chief Matthew Keever, Managing editor Patricia Estrada, News editor Hiba Adi, News editor Phillipe Craig, Sports editor Robert Higgs, Sports editor Travis Hensley, Life & Arts editor Alan Dennis, Opinion editor Jarrod Klawinsky, Special projects editor

STAFF EDITORIAL

UH needs to find way to deal with growing problem: butts

JOHN PALAMIDY The Daily Cougar

Students should care about SGA Student Government Association elections took place March 8-12 and signs were posted all over campus. Students across the campus passed out candidate literature and Michael flyers were spread everywhere. Padon The election was such a big deal that The Daily Cougar decided to chime in and endorse a candidate. This was a stark contrast to how students reacted to the March 2 gubernatorial primary elections. The Daily Cougar provided media coverage and student groups for several of the candidates on both sides were active in the weeks leading up to voting day. That excitement, however, was nowhere to be found when it came time to cast ballots. When the final vote was tallied, 3,401

ballots had been cast for president and vice president out of an undergraduate student population of around 28,000. That is approximately a 12 percent voter turnout, mostly due to the fact that the candidates were shoving the election down students’ throats; voting was relatively easy to do, as students simply had to go online to fill out ballots. The gubernatorial primary turnout produced similar numbers, but that election required voters to go to brickand-mortar poll locations instead of logging on and deftly clicking buttons from home. The Harris County voter turnout was 8.49 percent for Republicans and 5.38 percent for Democrats, according to the county’s official election report. The Houston Chronicle reported that the total voter turnout doubled over the 2006 gubernatorial primary.

As UH is a school that caters to nontraditional students — the average student is 27 years old — one would assume that the race for the governor would be more important to people whose lives take place mostly outside of academia and off campus than the SGA election. In comparing the SGA’s duties to the functions of the federal government, it’s easy to see that it is nothing more than a large lobbyist organization at UH; it is a lightning rod for criticism of University practices. It’s not that the University doesn’t do anything right; it’s that the SGA isn’t doing its job to represent the student body. UH students should focus their energies on elections that have a greater impact on the school. Michael Padon is an engineering sophomore and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

Parties need to prioritize people After months of debate, the Democratic Party delivered on its promise to pass universal health care in the United States on Sunday despite the fact that not a single Republican Kristin in the House of Representatives Esparza supported the bill. President Barack Obama addressed the nation, saying, “Tonight, at a time when the pundits said it was no longer possible, we rose above the weight of our politics … We proved that this government of the people and by the people still works for the people.” The people, however, disagree. While support for the bill has wavered since October, according to Gallup.com, pollsters at the Wall Street Journal and NBC found an eight-point margin of opposition. At Pew and Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, an opposition margin of 10 points was reported. Apparently partisan politics and agendas are higher priorities to members of Congress than the interests of the American people. This isn’t exclusive to one side of the aisle, however; both parties are to blame.

It is time for elected officials to do their jobs — represent the people. They aren’t required to appease lobbyists, vote a certain way to conform to their party standards or make blanket statements from the floor that solve nothing. It is time for the Republican party of “no” to begin voting “yes.” The GOP helped create the social problems the country currently suffers from, and they should vote to help fix them. A strong sense of patriotism does nothing to help the sick, employ the jobless or educate the millions of students dropping out of school every year. The Founding Fathers may have had different ideas, but in 1776, the population stood at about 2.5 million people. Today, there are around 300 million people in the U.S. The Democratic Party also needs to remember that the states have power and resources of their own, and they should have the right to solve the problems they face without interference from big government. America is a capitalist system, and

some people are not going to fare as well as others. That doesn’t mean the country is failing them. The role of the American government is to protect the people and provide them with a chance at life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That means ensuring people are given the opportunity to succeed. It also means giving them the opportunity to fail. It means providing a hand up, not a handout, so that future generations can enjoy the same opportunities. Many say that an end to the current two party political system is the answer; they are wrong. Adding another party or two would just create more divisions and make it impossible for Congress to pass anything. Instead, the representatives that we have need to go back to the drawing board; they need to go back to their constituents. They should look closely at their motives and ask themselves if they are doing the job they were entrusted to do: represent the people. Kristin Esparza is a history senior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

lthough the weather might not be an accurate indicator, the calendar says we’ve moved into the spring season. The plants are blossoming and the birds are chirping, making the campus a beautiful place to be — except for the areas with cigarette butts littered all over the ground. Everywhere you look, cigarette refuse is strewn about, making certain spots on campus look, well, trashy. It’s so bad around the exterior ... students of the University Center Satellite might start that students might start getting getting the the impression that Philip Morris himself is enrolled at UH. impression This isn’t to say that we at The Daily Cougar think people that Philip should be banned from smoking Morris while on campus; a majority of himself is our editorial board smokes, and we all believe smoking is a right enrolled at that should be honored and UH. respected. Instead, we feel it would behoove the University to provide some sort of receptacles around the campus in which people could discard of their cigarette waste. The administration could place them in key areas — such as outside the Satellite or near the tables above the UC Underground — where students who smoke tend to congregate. Cigarette bins would keep the campus cleaner by providing smokers with places to toss their trash, keeping them from throwing it on the ground. The idea of banning cigarette smoking on campus altogether has been tossed around from time to time, but that isn’t an acceptable solution. People should not be prohibited from smoking for any reason. But the reality is that the University needs to do something about this. Providing people bins for their cigarette garbage would be a relatively inexpensive solution that could help keep the campus looking beautiful without inconveniencing anyone. The UH administration has publicly placed a high priority on being environmentally friendly. Figuring out a way to clean up some of the trash around campus would be a big first step in the right direction.

E D I TO R I A L policy STAFF EDITORIAL The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Daily Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Daily Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 words and signed, including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to Room 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to letters@ thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax them to (713) 7435384. Letters are subject to editing. ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements published in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the University or the students as a whole. GUEST COMMENTARY Submissions are accepted from any member of the UH community and must be signed with the author’s name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Commentary should be kept to less than 500 words. Guest commentaries should not be written as replies to material already printed in the Cougar, but rather should present independent points of view. Rebuttals should be sent as letters. Deliver submissions to Room 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.

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6 n Thursday, March 25, 2010

LIFE & ARTS

The Daily Cougar

South by Southwest takes Austin by storm By Ashley Evans The Daily Cougar

Ashley Evans The Daily Cougar

Ben Haggerty, commonly known as Macklemore, was one of the many artists to play at this year’s SXSW festival in Austin.

Every March, the streets of downtown Austin become engorged with an eclectic mix of college students, local bands, music industry executives and well-known artists for the annual South by Southwest festival. The festival hosts multiple conferences and events, but the main draw is the music. This year, more than 2,000 artists are participating and a variety of different venues, ranging from bars and restaurants to clothing stores and houses, will host concerts. The 2010 music showcases included major artists such as The Black Keys, Hole, Soundgarde, and Mos Def. Most music showcases are incredibly difficult to get into without a proper credential, which can cost anywhere between $3 and $900. These coveted badges are mainly for music execs, but in the spirit of free love and music for all, SXSW also hosts a ton of free concert series. Despite bitter winds and near

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freezing temperatures over the weekend, thousands of music lovers descended on downtown Austin to take it all in. Saturday’s dismal weather forced most concert goers to huddle at indoor venues such as Beauty Bar, which hosted a hip hop showcase for the books, starting with lyricist Ben Haggerty (Macklemore) and producer/photographer Ryan Lewis. This Seattle-bred dream team captivated the audience with tracks from the newly released The VS. EP. Lewis painted a backdrop with beats from The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Beirut to accompany Haggerty’s chilling lyrics exposing his struggles with drug addiction, sobering up, love and family. Macklemore’s lyrics expressed a refreshing new direction in hip-hop that attempts to expose truth, instead of advocating drugs and violence. Another local hot spot, The House of Guys, is a music venue/party house that hosts free shows weekly. This location was a favorite for local artists at SXSW. New Braunfuls trio Electric Courage Machine — a rock/experimental band featuring guitarist/vocalist Vincent Flores, bassist Joe Stewart and drummer Jonathon David Flores — delivered an intimate performance at the venue Saturday night. The band struck a positive chord with its melodic guitar riffs that gave way to explosive choruses. ECM was a crowd favorite and encouraged audience participation — at one point even allowing two spectators to play in tandem on Stewart’s bass as the crowd sang along with Flores. Sunday’s festival attendees were greeted with sunshine and despite the chilly breeze it was perfect weather for an outdoor concert showcase at Roadhouse Rags, an Austin re-sale store/ backyard music venue. Houston native Mitch Jacobs and his band rocked the house with their signature rockabilly. Jacobs, who also fronts Houston country band Romeo Dogs, recently went solo. He also decided to restructure the band to include only himself, guitarist Eric Danheim, bassist Rex Wherry and drummer Steve Wood. Danheim, who has been playing with the Mitch Jacobs Band for six months, said that the band has “evolved and changed and had decided to go with more of a stripped down sound.” That “stripped down sound” was just what the crowd at Roadhouse Rags was looking for and the Elvis/ Johnny Cash style crooning had couples two stepping on the outdoor patio to country classics and Mitch Jacobs Band originals. Today, the music industry is being forced to re-think its business model due to the popularity of file sharing and artists are making a move towards more face-to-face interactions with fans. Austin has long been a music mecca and SXSW festival is just one example of why Austin calls itself “live music capitol of the world.” Festivals such as this one allow record companies and musicians to get together and discuss a new direction for a changing industry. It’s also an opportunity to keep music alive for generations of fans and support local musicians in their struggle to make it big. arts@thedailycougar.com

life & arts

The Daily Cougar

Family movie makes for good date night By Desiree Alvarez THE DAILY COUGAR

chosen mate. Whitaker is seen in a new light by playing a self-absorbed middle-aged ladies’ man who works as a radio personality. He depends on Angela (Regina King) as his voice of reason who also serves as his lawyer and a mother figure to Marcus. King’s role was lacking in comparison to her usual strong on-screen presence in films such as Ray and Enemy of The State. Comedian Anjela Johnson plays Ferrera’s cynical sibling, Izzy Ramirez, who is less than enthusiastic about being her maid of honor. Johnson proved to be the breakout star of the film. Charlie Murphy plays Bradford’s friend who offers discomforting advice to Marcus, creating more conflict. At times, the lead actors and actresses fell short on their marks, but the comedic timing of Johnson and Murphy enhanced the entertainment value of Our Family Wedding. Meanwhile, the supporting cast brought much of the comic relief from their familiar faces. The families have a difficult time seeing past their cultural differences, and Lucia’s frustration with her family’s lack of acceptance flourishes throughout the film. The film but nonetheless had a pleasant message. Our Family Wedding isn’t Oscar worthy, but definitely an excellent family or date night film.

While the film’s plot might be a bit contrived, Rick Famuyiwa’s latest movie, Our Family Wedding, makes for a date-night or date-night movie. The movie centers on a newly engaged couple — Lucia Ramirez (America Ferrera) and Marcus Boyd (Lance Gross) — returning home from college to announce their wedding plans. But they quickly realize the differences between their families will make the road to holy matrimony long. A disastrous encounter between the families creates a continually awkward atmosphere. This tension is enhanced as two cultures clash in an attempt to join together for the sake of a rushed wedding ceremony. The use of stereotypical Latino family traditions juxtaposed with a modern black father-son duo makes for a hysterical central conflict throughout the film. Their intolerance for each other’s cultural and moral upbringings, along with some withheld information on the bride’s part, lead to an unusual situation between the parties. They discover that their wedding is in the hands of their overly involved parents, and it’s soon expressed by them as “our marriage, their wedding.” The couple’s fathers, Miguel Ramirez (Carlos Mencia) and Bradford Boyd (Forest Whitaker), allow their overexaggerated egos to wage war while expressing disapproval for their children’s

Thursday, March 25, 2010 n 7

Need moNey for your Next studeNt eveNt? Leave the piggy alone and talk to AFB.

The Activities Funding Board at the University of Houston is a student-run financial organization which allocates funds to UH student organizations wishing to fund programs and conferences. For More Information, visit us at www.uh.edu/afb or come by Activities Funding Board, Room 51, University Center Call: 713-743-5183 Email: afb@uh.edu

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Sports

8 n Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Daily Cougar

TIP’S TIDBITS

Coogs get passing midterm grades Baseball is difficult game to win. A team can do everything right in a game and still lose. It usually takes all nine players on the field to win, and that’s been the case for the up-and-down 10-9 Cougars. Although the Cougars’ Tristan Tippet inconsistency can be disconcerting, they’ve still had some players perform well throughout the year. One of those players is pitcher Chase Dempsay. Whether he’s making a spot start, or coming out of the bullpen, Dempsay has been UH’s most reliable pitcher. In five games, including one start, Dempsay has posted a 1.12 ERA while allowing opponents to hit .250 against him. He’s allowed only 14 hits in 16 innings. But Dempsay may have made the most important start of the season against Missouri in the Houston College Classic on March 5. He allowed four hits and walked four in five gritty innings, but didn’t allow a run. UH went on to win the game 3-0.

The Cougars then hit their finest stretch of the season so far, winning six games in a row and seven of eight overall. Lefty Taylor Hammack has been another key reliever this season. On a team that relies on its bullpen as much as its starters, Hammack has made eight appearances — third most on the team — and thrown 22 innings to rank second. In all but one game, Hammack has pitched multiple innings. Hammack has been invaluable in wins and losses, but more instrumental in losses. During an 8-2 loss to Rice, Hammack allowed two earned runs went three innings. He made his only start of the season against San Francisco, tossing five innings and allowing three earned runs in a 3-2 loss. In a 6-0 loss to Arizona State, Hammack gave up only two earned runs in five innings. Hammack has been able to eat up innings and remain effective, especially in games that have been decided in the early innings. His numbers won’t turn any heads, but they were enough to keep head coach Rayner Noble from wearing see TIDBITS, page 9

justin flores The Daily Cougar

UH shortstop Blake Kelso has been one of the key contributors to the Cougars recent success, leading the team in several offensive catagories while playing excellent defense.

TRACK

UH ready for some fun in the sun as outdoor season starts By John Brannen The Daily Cougar Inclement weather spoiled the Cougars’ outdoor track and field season debut last weekend. The team is hoping for clear skies Friday and Saturday when it is expected to participate in the Victor Lopez Invitational at Rice University. Head coach Leroy Burrell did

not want to risk any injuries, pulling the team out of the TSU Relays last Saturday because of rain. He said he was aware of the forecast and adjusted the team accordingly; athletes slated to participate Saturday competed in some of Friday’s events. “There was very little reward for the risk we would have taken to compete Saturday,” Burrell said. “I

knew the weather was going to be bad. The big adjustment was that we decided to pull out and train on Sunday.” Some events are not offered during the indoor season, while some athletes are not comfortable running in the indoor atmosphere. The 100-meter dash, 4x100-meter relay, 100-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles, decathlon and javelin

throw are among some of the events that are featured only in the outdoor season. For Burrell, this and other factors draw a fine line between indoor and outdoor track and field. “Indoor, there’s no weather factor. You have more issues with the type of track you’re on,” Burrell said. “It’s definitely two distinct seasons.”

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The Cougars were not vacationing over spring break. Instead Burrell and his staff were picking up the pace in practice. “We want to shake off some of the cobwebs,” Burrell said. “We had been in a resting mode for about three weeks. We started to kind of wind it up a little over spring break. “This week, we’ve hit them pretty hard. (They have) a few bumps and bruises; some kids are a little sore. Our idea for this week is to train through it.” The team has been buzzing for weeks in anticipation of the start of the outdoor season. Burrell said it offers a chance for the athletes to build on progress made during the indoor season or start anew. “There’s an opportunity for further success for those who were successful and an opportunity for redemption for those who weren’t as successful as they wanted to be,” Burrell said. “It’s almost like you get to wipe the slate clean and start over. Generally, the younger athletes make some progress because they have a few meets under their belt. They’re used to competing at the collegiate level.” With the dawn of a new season, Burrell’s aspirations remain the same: contending at the Conference USA meet and sending a strong presence of Cougars to the NCAA Championships. “Our expectations are always pretty high. We want to compete well in the conference championships and qualify as many people to nationals,” Burrell said. “We think we got a good squad. We would like our athletes to perform well at the big meets with the big competition.” sports@thedailycougar.com

sports | NEWS

The Daily Cougar

TIDBITS continued from page 8

out other arms before conference play begins. However, the most indispensable player of all has been shortstop Blake Kelso. Kelso, who has played all 19 games, is putting together a complete season. At the plate, Kelso has been the catalyst, hitting leadoff for the Cougars. He is tied for first on the club with 28 hits (.354 batting average) and 17 runs. Despite hitting only one home run so far, Kelso is slugging at a .506 clip thanks to three triples and three doubles. He’s showed a keen eye at the plate with nine walks and only

FIESTA continued from page 1

get out here — to participate. We don’t want it to be a single-access thing like Rodeo Cookoff is. We want it to be a whole UH thing and a city of Houston thing. We even extended a bunch of the deadlines so more people could enter.” The result is the first-time Fiesta participation of groups such as the UH chapter of UNICEF, the Houston Students of Ethiopia and Eretria, as well as the Cougar Computer Science Club. What hasn’t changed is the festival’s location, which has been a hot-button issue in the past because of the number of parking spaces lost for a week each year. Commuter students returning to campus from spring break on Monday arrived to find Lots 12A and 12B completely fenced off in preparation of the construction of “Fiesta City.” Both lots will remain closed until Sunday, and nearly half

eight strikeouts for a .422 on-base percentage. As far as run-production, Kelso has driven in 10 in the leadoff spot. His speed also presents problems for opposing pitchers, as he has stolen seven bases in nine attempts. Perhaps the most invaluable aspect has been Kelso’s play at shortstop, where he’s committed a meager six errors for an incredible .939 fielding percentage. If the Cougars continue to receive reliable performances from this core of players while a few others pick up their end of the bargain, UH should be in great shape entering the Conference USA Championships in May.

Thursday, March 25, 2010 n 9

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of Lot 12A will remain closed until April 1 to allow students enough time to tear down their “stores.” Director of Parking and Transportation Robert Browand said in an e-mail that because of the lot closures, students with economy parking permits may park in any student commuter parking spaces not designated as resident student lots through March 31. He also referred students to the Parking and Transportation Services Web site and twitter.com/UH_traffic for detailed parking information. President of the UH chapter of the Delta Upsilon fraternity, Lucas Evers, whose variety show will include parts of Back to the Future, Star Wars and someone called Darth Piper. Evers said his group has had a great time working on the event and that the benefits of Frontier Fiesta for students and the community far outweigh any negatives. “As the University is trying to move to a (Flagship status), we need this event as a flagship for school pride, tradition and unity,”

Evers said. “The master plan of the University is working to stray away from a commuter campus, and moving Fiesta further away from campus is counterintuitive.” Although he admits as a resident advisor, parking is not a pressing concern of his personally, Randle agrees with Evers that the event is so important to UH that it is worth the relatively brief parking inconvenience. In fact, Randle would like to see Frontier Fiesta return to the size it was in its heyday in the 1940s. “I wouldn’t mind seeing (Frontier Fiesta) as kind of a postRodeo event and getting 100,000 or 200,000 people out here again,” Randle said. ”We want to set high goals and I don’t think it’s impossible to do that. “If we could get that much participation out here… I think that week of not having these parking spots, for the city of Houston and the University of Houston it would be really beneficial.” news@thedailycougar.com

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NEWS | classifieds

10 n Thursday, March 25, 2010

SENATE continued from page 1

She emphasized the need for more faculty awards. In 2008, UH was similar to seven other universities with only three awards. UH would have ranked in the top 50 Public Research Universities in 2008 with only eight faculty awards, Khator said. “I know that our faculty’s quality and caliber is far better than many of these institutions that are in the same group,” Khator said. The Senate also expressed concerns over transfer student rates. “We have a really problematic first year retention rate,” Vice President

for Academic Affairs John Antel said. Antel also said that he anticipates more furloughs and layoffs from the 5 percent budget reduction plan Gov. Rick Perry implemented in February. Khator also expanded on the need for more doctorate graduates. The yearly goal is 200 students, but in 2009, UH fell short of that line. She encouraged those at the meetings to help improve those numbers. “We will be a tier-one institution,” Khator said. “We aren’t that far away.” news@thedailycougar.com

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Where do I get the latest UH news?

about leadership, and that’s ours.” Khator also laid out several other courses of action for those at the meeting to undertake to help UH reach its flagship destination. “We are absolutely at the cusp (to reach flagship)” Khator said. Though UH is succeeding in several areas such as research funds, endowments and aggregate research, Khator said there are still a few areas that need improvement.

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Coogie by John Palamidy

today’s crossword ACROSS

Robbie & Bobby by Jason Poland

today’s sudoku How to play

Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3-by-3 boxes must also contain the numbers 1 to 9.

Previous puzzle solved

Thursday, March 25, 2010 n 11

1 Bog 6 Floors 10 House feature 14 Antique brooch 15 Bedroom fixture 16 Nautical position 17 Embellish 18 Durable cotton 19 Livy’s route 20 Divide in two 22 Country property 24 Wheel part 26 Slalom contenders 27 Ristorante dessert 31 Attorney’s deg. 32 Twinges 33 Flood barrier 36 Hematite 39 Perched 40 Stared rudely 41 Omani title 42 Dr. Morgan of the comics 43 Ice-skating jumps 44 Booster rocket 45 Clock numeral 46 Hordes 48 Meadows 51 Cul-de- — 52 Tassel 54 Talked on and on 59 Got a hole-in-one 60 Brass component 62 Newspaper, often 63 Jet route 64 Heaven on earth 65 “Sesame Street” regular 66 Hightailed it 67 Glimpsed 68 Heroic tales

DOWN

1 Injury result 2 Dry riverbed 3 McCoy or Tupper 4 Like a pittance 5 Rain gear 6 Matterhorn 7 Very thin model 8 Bovary and Peel 9 Glittered 10 — out (rescued) 11 Sacrificial site 12 Young adults 13 Group of

21 24

22 25

51 53

54 61

livestock 21 Large vat 23 Marathon unit 25 Hull’s bottom 27 Trade punches 28 Washed-out 29 PC system 30 Execs 34 Annex 35 Guarantees a pension 36 Bad or good sign 37 Wedding band 38 Distinct periods 40 Gets rusty 41 I, to Claudius 43 Runs a fever 44 Covered passageways 45 Hawked 47 Witch, to Shakespeare 48 The “f” in f-stop 49 Actress — Papas 50 Glissade

5 2 Baby whale 53 Nudge, perhaps 55 Early movie vamp 56 Bob’s road buddy 57 Charles Lamb 58 Does batik 61 “Moneyline” network

2009 United Feature Syndicate INC.

Previous puzzle solved A A R P C L I M B R A C E

S H E A

T E A R

I M P A S S T R U S O I T E R C I M E L T R E A K P E O S E T V E R T AME L L I D E

E N C O R E

M O O L A

P A L D U A G P T A P P T

I T R A A L C P A L L A A I C T E S O S E A E K O A

E F F H A I C L E T S E R C A U S L E L E D

V E R OR C L I P L E T E YWA S E R A I O V E R E S A N D E GU R E E G S L O

A Friend Dies. Who Cares? Toxic drinking is an epidemic on campuses all across America. It means consuming so much alcohol the drinker passes out. But while “sleeping it off,” the victim may be quietly dying.

Working with experts, they fine-tuned a course in techniques to handle these alcohol emergencies. Red Watch Band members can act fast, when every second counts.They know the quick steps they can take to rescue a passed-out student from a drinking death, and can immediately summon professional help. Everyone completing the course is given the distinctive red watch for identification. Since its inception at Stony Brook University in March 2009, approximately 40 schools across the country have signed on to implement this lifesaving program. To prevent toxic drinking deaths, go to redwatchband.org

Stony Brook University/SUNY is an affirmative action, equal opportunity educator and employer. 09090264

When you come right down to it, students themselves are the best ones to tackle this problem. So, in growing numbers, Stony Brook students have joined together in the Red Watch Band movement.

T E S S Y A R D S R U S E

12 n Thursday, March 25, 2010

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