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Issue 025, Volume 76
Monday ®
September 27, 2010
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FOOTBALL
newsline
Coogs rebound
Find more news items at newsline.thedailycougar.com
CAMPUS EVENT
Author visits UH to discuss spirituality and sexuality
Team avoids late rally from Tulane, improves to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play
The UH LGBT Resource Center and Cougar Allies are hosting a discussion titled, “When Spirituality Becomes a Queer Thing – The Power of Claiming Identities Made for Each Other” from 3:30 to 5 p.m. today in the large chapel at the UH A.D. Bruce Religion Center.
John Brannen
THE DAILY COUGAR
David R. Weiss, author of "To the Tune of a Welcoming God," will lead the conversation, and dinner and mingling will follow at 6 p.m. For more information, contact the LGBT Resource Center at 713-743-5463.
Running back Bryce Beall was a key contributor in the Cougars' 42-23 win over Tulane Saturday with four touchdowns. | Jairo Raza/The Daily Cougar
— Sara Nichols/The Daily Cougar
CAMPUS HEALTH
Flu vaccinations offered for campus community Don’t forget to get your flu shot this season. All UH students, staff and faculty can now receive theirs at the UH Health Center. The shot costs $21, and the Health Center’s vaccination hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Health Center requires people who have received the vaccination to stay for 15 minutes after the shot is given. Interested students, staff and faculty must have identification. Metered parking is available by the Health Center in Entrance Six off Wheeler.
With an air of uncertainty surrounding the team, the Cougars were able to answer some questions through a 42-23 win over Tulane, in their first game sans Case Keenum. Head coach Kevin Sumlin said it was the kind of win that will boost the team’s morale. “To get through some adversity and win is really what builds confidence,”
Sumlin said. “Winning games by large amounts of points, or losing games by a couple touchdowns when you’re not in it at the end really doesn’t create the kind of character that you need.” Tulane pressured UH by closing the deficit to five points with 9:19 in the fourth quarter. When the offense stalled, it was the defense that tilted the balance in the Cougar’s favor. Two turnovers in the final 10 minutes resulted in 14 points to give the FOOTBALL continues on page 8
ENROLLMENT
Official numbers highest in history Efforts by administration cited as factors in recordsetting increase
— Sara Nichols/The Daily Cougar
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Ashley Anderson
THE DAILY COUGAR
today
81 LO 58 HI
ON CAMPUS IT Training on Web Development A free class for students and faculty over HTML III will be held in the Social Work Building in room 110-L. You must register at www.uh.edu/ittraining beforehand. The class will be held from 1 to 3 p.m.
AROUND TOWN Anousheh Ansari Anousheh Ansari is the first Persian-American to fly into space. She will chronicle and share her experiences of attaining her dream as well her book “My Dreams of Stars: from Daughter of Iran to Space Pioneer.” See her at the Jungman Neighborhood Library at 5:30 p.m. Find more campus and local events or add your own at thedailycougar.com/calendar
CORRECTIONS J
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UH reached its highest rate of enrollment with 38,750 students signing up for classes this semester, administration officials announced. Enrollment at all four UH campuses exceeded 64,000 students, continuing the growth the entire UH system has seen in recent years. “I am very excited that prospective students are making the decision to attend University of Houston,” Executive Director of Admissions Djuana Young said. “We are being seen as a serious competitor, and a place where students will come, be successful and involved, graduate, and continue on with their education or join the workforce." Education senior Jirah Paulin recognizes the higher enrollment numbers as a good thing, but also sees the downside to more students. "I think more students is good, our campus has more diversity, I like that a lot,” Paulin said. “But, (it affects) parking. If you don't come right at eight, you can't find anywhere to park." Young said efforts by the University aided the record-setting increase. "The ENROLLMENT continues on page 8
Aspen Enoch, broadcast journalism sophomore, studies in the basement of the M.D. Anderson library as Muslim students pray behind her. | Naheeda Sayeeduddin/The Daily Cougar
CAMPUS & COMMUNITY
Islamophobia: history repeats Discriminiation against American Muslims seen as latest wave to affect a group of citizens Anam Ghias
THE DAILY COUGAR Not long ago, Raheel Ramadan and his wife, Sara Meghani, both UH alumni, entered La Madeleine intending to enjoy a pleasant lunch. What began as a typical day soon turned into a nightmare experienced by many American Muslims. A customer in the restaurant vehemently voiced his disapproval of the couple having the right to eat at the restaurant, calling them “terrorists.” He expressed his sentiments to other customers, who continued eating their meals and did not rise to the couple’s defense. The man then took his complaints to the
staff of the restaurant, declaring that Muslims should not be allowed to eat there. Not one member of the staff denounced his actions and not one brought up the Constitutional right to freedom of religion. America has seen such scenarios played out many times in the past. Previously, other minorities were victims of prejudice and hatred. Today, Muslims are the targets of persecution and contempt. “We have to focus on what is happening today and to realize that the same forces that are demonizing Muslims and Arabs today are the same forces that demonized Jews, Blacks, Hispanics and all sorts of other groups in the past,” Rice University history professor Ussama Makdisi said. “And they will demonize presumably other groups in the future.” Many American Muslims became victims of hate crimes after Sept. 11. In the past few years, Islamophobia in the U.S. has risen and fallen. Due to recent controversy surrounding ISLAM continues on page 8