Issue 126, Volume 76

life+arts

A winning resume for the Sheen

Cardinals fly away from Cougars

sports

t h e o f f i c i a l s t u d e n t n e w s pa p e r o f t h e u n i v e r s i t y o f h o u s to n s i n c e 1 9 3 4

THE DAILY COUGAR thedailycougar.com

@thedailycougar

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UH teams in national competition seek online, text votes Four UH teams will be judged by professionals when they compete in Microsoft’s National Imagine Cup contest in Seattle beginning on Friday.

Teams competing in the finals are also competing in the “People’s Choice Awards” division of the contest, and the UH community has the opportunity to give the four teams the win by voting for the them at the competition’s Facebook page.

To send the UH teams to the top of the social competition, visit www.facebook.com/MicrosoftTechStudent and look for the four UH teams: “Big Impact Bear,”“STC,”“AAMP,” and “Righteous Noodle.”

Votes can also be cast through text message by texting “BEAR,”“STC,”“AAMP,” OR “RNOODLE” to 23000.

Voting for the “People’s Choice Award” of the Imagine Cup will close on Saturday.

facebook.com/thedailycougar

Elize Najm, Daniel Renfrow and Jorge Porras

Read. Recycle. Repeat daily.

THE DAILY COUGAR Many UH students rely on financial aid to pay for at least part of their education, but with a projected budget shortfall of up to $27 billion, state officials are proposing budget cuts — a large part of which will be coming from education funding.

The Texas House and Senate both aim at a 5 to 10 percent reduction in current spending. In both proposals, 38 to 41 percent of the cuts to achieve this reduction are coming from higher education.

In the current Texas budget, 12 percent of allocated funds are distributed towards education. The proposals will cut an estimated $772 million from Texas colleges and universities.

The House passed its version of the budget

late Sunday.

“Eighty thousand kids are not going to get their scholarships and grant money because of this bill,” Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, was quoted saying in a Houston Chronicle article.

UH Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs John Antel believes state budget cuts are difficult for all state agencies.

“We are not alone,” Antel said. “However, UH has been strategically preparing for this for more than a year. Any cuts are painful, and sometimes they do change the speed in which you go, but you still go.”

UH receives a portion of its funds from the state of Texas, and could lose an estimated $54 to $65 million over the next biennium — a 16 to 20 percent cut in state funds.

SPECIAL REPORT

Budget cuts Every Thursday, The Daily Cougar has taken an in-depth look at how proposed budget cuts will affect the University and its future. Today we present our final article of the series.

Feb. 17: Tier One initiative Feb 24: Staff terminations March 3: Athletics programs March 24: The role of community colleges March 31: Public vs. private debate Today: Financial aid Track this series and find expanded resources on thedailycougar.com/budgetcuts2011

CUTS continues on page 100

Fraternities get graded Number of Greek members who have made the Dean’s list cited

Students can learn about Naval careers and education scholarship opportunities.

Christopher Losee

THE DAILY COUGAR

A career seminar, from noon to 1 p.m. in the UC Saltgrass Room, will expand on opportunities offered by the Navy.

Over the past few years, UH’S Interfraternity Council has strived to make improvements to ensure that Greek life at the University remains a testament to growth and commitment. However, the focus for IFC has been on academics.

The IFC organization consists of 11 North-American Interfraternity Conference fraternities that have to follow certain academic standards and other rules adhering to active and prospective members.

Both the NIC and IFC have placed their focus on

For more information, students can text CAREERS to 88202.

— Tap Nguyen/The Daily Cougar

CORRECTIONS Report errors to editor@thedailycougar.com. Corrections will appear in this space as needed.

FRATERNITIES continues on page 3

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The “blob”

GLOBAL drag show moves to Montrose

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Performances by professional, amateur entertainers scheduled for fundraiser

Clouds with breaks of sunshine....

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April 7, 2011

Cuts in funding are leading the University into an operation similar to private institutions

The U.S. Navy will host the career event where UH students will have an opportunity to learn about money-earning options, leadership opportunities and world travel, according to event promotions.

FRI

®

Financial aid budgets slashed

America’s Navy College Tour takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at the University Center Circle Drive.

today

Thursday

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US Navy campus visit to focus on employment, scholarship options

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EVENTS GLOBAL’s 4th Annual Drag Show Global is hosting its annual drag show at the Meteor Lounge from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Donations are accepted. All the donations collected will go to benefit HATCH. All Time Low, Yellowcard, Hey Monday Part of the “Dirty Work Tour”, the bands will be headlining at the House of Blues tonight. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the show starting at 6:30 p.m. Ticket prices start at $20.

FOR MORE EVENTS, CHECK OUT thedailycougar.com/calendar

Minimal Complexity,” a sculpture designed by Vlad Tenu, a Romanian architect from London, has taken residence in the grand foyer of the The Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture. The design was the winning entry for the Repeat Design competition, which was established “to foster the creative spirit in the burgeoning field of digital fabrication.” | Paris Jomadiao/The Daily Cougar

Tess Livingston

THE DAILY COUGAR The annual extravaganza that is GLOBAL’s Drag Show will be taken off campus this year.

GLOBAL, UH’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender student group, will be hosting its 4th annual Drag Show at 8 p.m. today at Meteor, located on 2306 Genessee.

In previous years, the event had been held at the UC, but group officers decided that a change of setting DRAG SHOW continues on page 3

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Thursday, April 7, 2011

NEWS101

The Daily Cougar

news 101

Headlines from around the world, so you can sound like an informed person.

JAPAN

Wednesday.

Workers face task of cooling fuel rods

Beck is not leaving the media network, but rather is focusing on a number of television projects airing on Fox. Beck’s show is highly controversial and both sides wanted out, Washington bueeau chief for The Daily Beast and host of CNN’s “Reliable Sources” Howard Kurtz said.

After stopping the leak of radioactive water from the damaged No.2 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, workers began trying to resolve the problem of overheated fuel rods.

Workers began pumping nitrogen into one of the Fukushima reactors early Wednesday after the leak was stopped at 6 a.m. local time.

Radiation levels in water samples in nearby oceans were measured to be several million times more than the regulated amount. The dispelling of radioactive water into nearby trenches continues as workers and officials try to come up with a plan to cool the exposed reactors.

LOUISIANA

Nation bird was found decapitated A bald eagle was found decapitated in a remote drainage ditch in the northeastern Louisiana town of Franklin Parish.

Agents from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said that the bird had been dead for a couple of days. Any person convicted of killing a bald eagle can be fined up to $5,000 and jailed for up to 18 months.

FOX

Beck pulls plug on show, projects ahead Fox News anchor Glenn Beck is planning to end his daily show later this year, according to a release

STUDENT PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE

MEETING WHEN 4 P.M. THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011 WHERE CAREER SERVICES CONFERENCE ROOM, STUDENT SERVICE CENTER 1 WHAT DISCUSSION ABOUT THE DAILY COUGAR AND HOUSTONIAN YEARBOOK WHY YOU SHOULD COME GIVE FEEDBACK TO PUBLICATIONS STAFF

LIBYA

NATO responds to opposition criticism NATO has recently been criticized

by Libya’s opposition leaders for not giving adequate air support over the past week.

NATO responded Wednesday by announcing that it had scheduled 200 sorties, which are dispatches or deployments of a military unit, to mark the highest number since NATO took over operations on March 31.

NATO officials said that there were 155 sorties Tuesday. Ghadafi forces have made it difficult for NATO forces by taking cover in highly populated areas.

HOUSTON

Spring Branch district braces for layoffs The Spring Branch Independent School District voted Tuesday night to eliminate 350 positions that include 105 teachers.

The cuts represent about 7 percent of the district’s budget. The cuts are part of a string of layoffs that have plagued Houston school districts.

Compiled by Christopher Losee

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Closing editor

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NEWS

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DRAG SHOW continued from page 1

would show promise.

“Meteor offered us this wonderful new change in venue and we would have been crazy to say no,” said Erika Lyles, president of GLOBAL. “It’s the drag show I’ve been dreaming about since I became an officer for GLOBAL.” Lyles cites the lounge’s stage, light and sound systems and the comfortable environment for a LGBT kind of show as benefits of the move.

“While at UH, we had to play within the rules. At Meteor the options are limitless,” Lyles said.

Admission for the event will be 18 and up, and all are welcome.

“Every year we have our Drag show, and every year it’s a big, glittery, rainbow hit,” Lyles said. “Our drag show, as well as being a showcase for awesome performances and talent, is also a fund raiser for HATCH, a LGBT youth organization in the Houston area.”

Planned entertainment includes “group acts, ballads to blow you away, silly slapstick humor, lap

FRATERNITIES continued from page 3

academics, community service and leadership.

“Being in a fraternity is a privilege, and one that comes at the cost of higher standards and also to dispel the notion of our current stigma,” IFC vice-president of public affairs Basil Chehayeb said.

“Greeks are heavily involved on campus: we are competitive in intramurals, perform many hours of philanthropy and now strive to achieve a respectable academic standard.”

NIC regulations require that fraternities must maintain an overall GPA of 2.5, but recent changes are targeting prospective members and council members.

“In order for a prospective member to pledge a fraternity recognized by IFC, that member must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 and be a fully-enrolled student at the University of Houston,” Chehayeb said.

“A fairly recent change is that the Executive Council of IFC now must also have and maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA (up from the previous 2.3 requirement).”

Also, over the past few years, the NIC has continually raised the number of hours needed to fulfill the community service from 50 to 100 hours and then from 100 to 125 hours.

With the recent changes, the fraternities responded with 47 active and new members making the Dean’s List for 2011.

The fraternity with the highest number of members notching the Dean’s List was Pi Kappa Alpha.

Other fraternities that had five or more members making the cut include Sigma Chi, Lambda Phi Epsilon and Kappa Sigma.

“With more and more Greeks making the Dean’s list, we hope to show that there is indeed an academic side to our lifestyle and it is not to be trifled with.

“No grades, no fraternity,” Chehayeb said. news@thedailycougar.com

dances, go-go boys, amateurs and professionals,” Lyles said. “There is something for anyone to enjoy.”

The organization expects a large turn out, even with the venue change.

In an effort to ensure that those on campus interested in attending are able to make it, the organization will offer carpools from the campus beginning at 7:30 p.m. in front of the University Center.

“Our drag show is like our Super Bowl; we do it every year and we always have people coming back to watch, even our alumni.”

Last year’s show was GLOBAL’s most successful to date.

It was held in the UC’s Houston room to a crowd of over 100 people.

Previous productions took place on platforms in the Cougar Den. Lyles offers a tip for UH community members who have never been to a drag show but are curious as to what to bring.

“Make sure to bring a lot of dollar bills,” she said.

Tipping at a drag show is always appreciated, but at GLOBAL’s event it can change the life of a young gay person. news@thedailycougar.com

Thursday, April 7, 2011

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Indian graduates look to homeland Naheeda Sayeeduddin

THE DAILY COUGAR Arun Mishra came to the US in August 2010 with hopes of landing a successful job and making money, though he eventually hopes to return to India and settle there.

A recent study conducted by Rutgers University, Pennsylvania State University and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences revealed that more and more Indian international graduates are returning to India.

According to the survey, 74 percent of the respondents said they would like to eventually return to India, while 8 percent said they had no desire to return.

Of the 998 respondents, 53 percent said they would like to return to India after spending a few years working in the US. Mishra, a computer science graduate student at UH, falls into the latter category. He says he would like to stay and work in the US for 7 or 8 years before returning to India.

He came to the US with dreams of working at either Google, McAfee

or Cisco.

“In India after I completed my undergraduate, I could get a job, but I was not satisfied with that because of the money,” Mishra said. “Money is always an important factor in doing anything.”

UH is home to 3,278 international students, 797 of whom are from India, according to numbers posted on the UH website.

The Graduate Indian Students Organization works with international students from India by providing support for those who are far from home.

“We help them get accommodated here and acclimatized, give them orientation, walk them through how to get an on-campus job,” said GISO president and network communications graduate student Avinash Ranganath. “These are just a few of the things we do in the first few days when a graduate student comes from India.”

Ranganath is also an international student who plans to return to India in the future.

“I want to work for a couple of years, because after graduation it doesn’t make sense to go back

to India without any work experience,” he said.

Ranganath has seen his friends leave the US in recent months for various reasons. Among those friends, Ranganath said, two went back to India soon after graduation after accepting positions at Haliburton and Schlumberger in India. Others returned for personal reasons, such as getting married.

“There are a lot of opportunities in India right now. All my friends in India are in very good positions right now after two or three years experience here,” he said.

Raganath says that the job market in India is very competitive and that having a graduate degree and work experience in the US helps in landing a good job back home. But it has not been easy for students to obtain jobs in the US. “Right now, for international students, getting a job in the US is a bit difficult. Most (employers) ask for sponsorship or you have to have a green card or citizenship,” he said. “Getting an H1 visa is very difficult right now.” news@thedailycougar.com

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The Daily Cougar

opinion THE DAILY COUGAR

EDITOR Andrew Taylor E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/opinion

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Jack Wehman Newton Liu, Christopher Losee Jose Aguilar, Cristi Guerra John Brannen, Joshua Siegel Mary Baak Andrew Taylor

STAFF EDITORIAL

Houston restaurants pull together for friend

O

n Sunday, Houstonians of all ages and professions will band together to raise money for a friend in need. Houston residents who frequent the bustling and eclectic bar and restaurant scene in Houston will be participating in a block party to raise money for Lauren Salinas, a well-known bartender and friend to many.

Salinas, who has worked at Anvil Bar and Refuge, Beaver’s Ice House and Voice, the restaurant inside the hotel Icon, was involved in a serious automobile accident while traveling on her motorized scooter last weekend. Since the accident, there has been a non-stop rallying effort from friends and loved ones around Houston in order to raise money for what is hoped to be a very speedy recovery.

Many of the people who worked along side Salinas were also an integral part of Houston’s bar and restaurant scene. For the most part, this community of bartenders, artists and chefs represents a significant part of the new and exciting local business community. One thing the employees and business owners have in common is the struggle to afford health insurance at either the personal or small business owner level.

The struggle to afford health care, especially in times of dire need, is one that this community knows all to well. Luckily for Linda, her road to recovery will benefit from the support of a community who not only empathizes with her misfortunes, but also values the health of a good friend.

For all the criticisms that might stick to Houston residents, a lack of character and empathy certainly don’t apply.

To join in the effort of helping out a good person at a very important time, a block party will be held on Sunday from 4 to 8 p.m. in the parking lot of Paulie’s, located at the corner of Westheimer and Driscoll. Many local restaurants and businesses will be raising money for Linda’s recovery by donating portions of their sales or by donating products for a silent auction that will be held on Sunday.

E D I TO R I A L P O L I C I E S 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) 743-5384. 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.

Free speech should be financed freely

T

alk about elections is heating up: UH student government elections recently ended, President Barack Obama has announced his bid for reelection and last week arguments before the Supreme Court sparked yet another debate over campaign financing.

Campaign finance has been a particularly contentious issue for the Supreme Court. The John Court has issued several Costello controversial opinions in recent years, and is likely to do so again this summer with the release of its opinion in Arizona Free Enterprise v. Bennett.

This case deals with public funding for political candidates in state elections.

The outcome will establish guidelines for state and national campaign finance and create new standards for elections — standards that will eventually trickle down to local and student government

elections.

Arizona Free Enterprise, a political action committee, argues that Arizona’s Citizens Clean Elections Act, which provides “matching funds” to candidates outspent by private individuals and institutions in state elections, violates a self-financed candidate’s First Amendment right to free speech. According to the argument, it penalizes and deters candidates from spending their money on speech freely, out of fear of financing their opponent’s campaign.

Ken Bennett, Arizona’s Secretary of State arguing against AFE, claims the ACCEA prevents corruption and increases competition by furnishing candidates with equal opportunities to present their opinions. He also argues that even if the ACCEA does impair speech, it does so constitutionally because it serves a “compelling government interest” by protecting democracy. In other words, he argues the ACCEA creates an “equal

playing field,” which is precisely why Dr. John Samples, a campaign finance expert and professor of government at Johns Hopkins University, believes Bennett’s argument will inevitably fall short of convincing.

In an interview, Samples said, “A majority of the Supreme Court will probably see the Arizona law as an effort to level the electoral playing field. As such, they are likely to find it unconstitutional.”

Samples’ prediction is based on precedent established in Davis v. FEC, in which the Supreme Court ruled that states couldn’t raise contribution limits for candidates who are outspent by selffunded candidates without violating the First Amendment.

“Under the law, a candidate raising funds for an election campaign triggers public funding for the opponent. The financing of the election thus become COSTELLO continues on page 5

Education cuts hurt minority students

T

he winds are changing, and there’s trouble brewing in Texas. That trouble is coming in the form of a large state budget deficit that is threatening to place college out of reach for many students.

Gov. Rick Perry has the answer when he brags that Texas created more jobs under his direction than any other state in America.

Neimon For a while, according James to Perry, the state was unaffected by the woes of the national recession. This was partly true — Texas was a booming state with a bright future, but now we have a budget crisis that threatens that future.

The proposed solution to the budget crisis, with the consideration of raising taxes far out the door, is to heavily cut state funding for education.

To be fair, it has been a long tradition in Texas to discount the true value and importance of public education to the state — Texas was once a state that outright denied providing public education. So it’s almost natural that cuts in education would be so drastic and the first cut on the list, especially now that the legislature has more Tea Party members.

The Tea Party Patriots, a radical subdivision of the Republican Party known for its near-militant rallies and raging rhetoric, have made it a real point to make significant cuts in education.

But if there’s anywhere the Tea Party and Republicans should want government, it’s in education.

An educated populace fuels the economy and democracy we live in, and the system tends to work better that way.

However, to relate specifically to the situation students are facing in Texas, it usually lists very low on the agenda.

This is evident in the current attacks that Republicans are making in their attempts to fix the budget. Instead of making cuts to education, state lawmakers should be considering other departments, agencies and regulatory groups that are over-funded and largely irrelevant and inefficient.

The governor has slammed regulations as a key obstacle to job creation across the nation, even going so far as to make attacks on the policies in Washington for increasing regulations.

Why not make the case at home? Such measures would impede business interests. The governor stated many times that there was no budget crisis — apparently he’s convinced it’s a priority crisis.

The education budget funds many programs that inspire and encourage above-average student performance, and JAMES continues on page 5

OPINION

The Daily Cougar

COSTELLO

JAMES

continued from page 4

continued from page 4

more equal, the playing field more level. But that equalization also deters a candidate from raising more money, which in turn fosters less speech,” Samples said.

Samples’ prediction is likely to be correct. As a result of the precedent set in the Davis case, it is likely that the Court will rule that the ACCEA is unconstitutional. This does not mean, however, that the Court got it right the first time with Davis.

“A majority of the Court will likely find this reduction in speech by privately-financed candidates to be a violation of the First Amendment,” Samples said.

The self-financed candidate’s apprehension about spending money is based on a speculative determination about how another individual may behave. The selffinanced candidate’s ability to speak freely, however, is still intact.

Since the ACCEA passed in 1998, campaign expenditures have consistently increased, undermining any presumption that it would decrease political speech. The act does not directly fund the speech of other candidates. The money can be used to fund any element of the campaign. It is the self-financed candidate, not the ACCEA, who willingly impairs his own speech out of a desire to limit competition.

We can also apply economic principles to this debate. Increased competition in markets will lead to the most efficient allocation of goods and produce the most social benefit. In markets, consumers will choose producers with the best products, unless information problems exist.

Regulations are created to correct market failure that occurs because of asymmetric information. The marketplace is analogous to this case: Government intervention is needed because the candidate with the best ideas or, product, should win, not the candidate who has the most money or access to information.

While we should all be somewhat apprehensive about allowing the government to provide subsidies for political candidates, the ACCEA provides money only for the purpose of “matching” funds. The government has no discretion over which candidates receive money other than calculating which candidate spends more.

Justice Roberts recently wrote, “The First Amendment reflects a profound national commitment to the principle that debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust and wide-open.”

Making sure that candidates are equally funded in elections does not deter the debate over public issues; it does exactly the opposite by allowing constituents to hear both sides of a policy debate. Thus, Arizona’s Clean Elections Act cultivates healthy, “robust,” and “wide-open” political debate.

Candidates should be elected on the basis of their political values, not their pocketbooks and ability to buy airtime. If a candidate truly has the support of constituents, he should not be concerned about his opponents receiving equal exposure.

A decision against Bennett, or one that finds the ACCEA unconstitutional, would be a step in the wrong direction for this country.

it also encourages more students to pursue higher education through its incentives. The largest of those programs offers state aid to students who could not otherwise afford the tuition at colleges and universities.

In a sense, the state makes an investment in its future by sending more students to colleges and universities, because it provides the market with professional and skilled laborers to attract better businesses.

Attracting those businesses would allow the state to collect more taxes, which are used to keep that same cycle running smoothly.

But it’s no secret that blacks, Hispanics and other minorities collectively rely on state aid as the difference maker in their financial aid awards. Cutting funds to education limits these awards and thereby limits the pursuits of aspiring minority students.

The budget has to be balanced, and if no taxes have to be raised, that’s great for everyone. But why should something as important as education be cut, especially considering that it is a key driving force behind getting more minorities and low-income students educated and prepared for an economy that demands college educated workers?

The cuts in education are not fair, nor are they logical or strategic.

Considering the faces of those largely in opposition and those who will suffer the most, some opponents could call it racist, if such issues weren’t a thing of the past.

But to both the students that this legislation would affect and to those who sympathize, a vocal opposition is needed — and time is of the essence.

Lawmakers know and realize the potential of students, especially considering what has been going on in the Arab world. They may be acting in consideration of the fact that students and young voters don’t tend to vote Republican.

Whatever the case, Perry called Texas a land of opportunity, and someone has to call him on it.

If the cuts are made, that statement may not longer be true for the many students seeking an education and a better future.

John Costello is a political science junior and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.

Thursday, March 7, 2011

We can’t hear you.

Mostly because we’re a newspaper and we don’t have ears. But we would love to get your voice heard. Send us a guest column, around 400-600 words on a topic of your choosing, to opinion@thedailycougar.com.

THE DAILY COUGAR

®

www.thedailycougar.com

Where do I get the latest UH news?

Neimon James is a political science sophomore and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

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Learn more about the yearbook and our iPad giveaway @

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SPORTS

Thursday, April 7, 2011

The Daily Cougar

BASEBALL

Cardinals strikes first, keep Cougars at bay “That’s a lingering stat. But the bullpen did a really good job tonight.”

The Cougars (16-15, 3-0 Conference USA) tried to claw their way back into the game, cutting the lead in half by scoring a run in both the third and fourth innings, but in the final five innings they were held scoreless.

UH unable to counter Lamar’s four-run outburst in third inning Gilbert Requena

THE DAILY COUGAR

After a four-game winning streak on the road, the Cougars returned to their home field and were dealt a 5-2 loss from the Lamar Cardinals. The defeat comes a day after UH upset No. 5-ranked Texas A&M in College Station. Conference foe UAB will be the next team to visit on Friday at Cougar Field. | Newton Liu/The Daily Cougar

“

EXHILARATING, AUDACIOUS AND BOLDLY ORIGINAL! A non-stop thrill! Fast paced and full of wonders!”

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The Lamar Cardinals swooped into Cougar Field on Wednesday and beat the Cougars 5-2 to Squandered opportunities end their winning streak at four UH had quite a few opportunigames. ties to score, Lamar (20-12, loading the We don’t win 7-5 Southland Conin many games if our bases ference) jumped the sixth starting pitching out to an early lead and eighth as they scored four innings, but doesn’t go into the sixth, runs in the third they were seventh or eighth innings. That’s unable to inning off starting pitcher Taylor drive in any a lingering stat.”

Hammack. runs on Todd Whitting Hammack (0-2) either occahead coach broke the recent sion to even trend of solid work the score.

by UH pitchers. The The Cougars’ starters Cougars had had recorded quality starts in 10 hits in the game but could not each of their last three victories manage to drive in runs, strandagainst Tulane. ing 15 runners.

Hammack only lasted twoNot only have the Couagrs and-one-thirds innings, facing struggled with leaving men on 13 batters and allowing four runs base, but they have killed rallies and four hits while striking out by way of the double play this one batter. season. UH shares the C-USA lead “When I put a senior pitcher in GIDP with 21. on the mound I expect him to “It was a lack of execution,” perform, and he didn’t perform,” Whitting said. head coach Todd Whitting said.

“Our pitching has been covering up the fact that we can’t drive Jam in fourth proves costly in runs. Period.”

With the bases loaded and one M.P. Cokinos and Matt Creel out in the inning, Lamar right led the way for the Cougars fielder Jeff Apt hit a 2-RBI single offensively, combining for six of through the left side giving the the Cougars’ 10 hits and driving Cardinals the lead. in a run.

The next batter, first baseman Despite the loss, the Cougars Wade Mathis, doubled down the remain undefeated and on top of left field line, driving in two more C-USA. runs extending Lamar’s lead to The Cougars get back to 4-0. conference action this weekend Four UH relievers came out of as they welcome UAB for a threethe bullpen and held the Cardigame series beginning at 6:30 nals batters in check until Lamar p.m. Friday at Cougar Field. added an insurance run in the top The Blazers (16-12, 4-2) are of the ninth inning, pushing the coming off of a 13-10 loss to lead to the final score of 5-2.

Jacksonville State on Tuesday, but Chase Jenkins provided the had been winners in five of their majority of the relief work, going previous six contests. four-and-two-thirds innings — sports@thedailycougar.com allowing no runs and one hit, while striking out four batters.

Travis Jenkins, Dakota Dill and Lamar 5, Houston 2 Luke Moran combined to pitch SCORE BY INNING RHE the final two innings, with the Lamar 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 – 5 83 ninth inning run coming at Dill’s Houston 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 – 2 10 1 expense.

TOP HITTERS Whitting was able to point out LAMAR (20-12) a recurring flaw with the starting PLAYER AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB pitching, but had praise for the Abt 3 1 1 2 1 0 2 0 0 effort that came from his relief Mathis 4 0 1 2 0 2 9 0 1 pitchers.

HOUSTON (16-15) “We don’t win many games if PLAYER AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB Cokinos 5 0 4 0 0 0 10 0 2 our starting pitching doesn’t go Creel 4 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 into the sixth, seventh or eighth PITCHERS innings,” Whitting said.

C-USA Baseball Standings

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CONF.

OVERALL

Team

W L GB

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Houston Southern Miss.

Rice UAB East Carolina Central Florida Memphis Tulane Marshall

3 5 4 4 3 2 1 1 1

16 22 21 16 11 20 17 18 10

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15 .516 L-1 6 .786 L-1 12. 636 L-1 12 .571 L-2 8 .724 W-1 9 .690 w-1 11 .607 W-4 11 .621 L-6 17 .370 L-4

Standings accurate as of April 6

Save — Trimm (3) E - J. Abt (1); K.Roebuck (2). LOB - UH 15; LAMAR 6. 2B - W. Mathis (11); J Latulippe (4). HBP - A. Buchanan; A. Mena; Ramsey 2; Cannon; Still. SH - P. Salinas(3); Gracey (4). SB - T. Zentek (6); A. Dewey (3); Ansley (2); Still (8).

Stadium: Cougar Field Announced Attendance: 881 Time: 3:10

SPORTS

The Daily Cougar

Thursday, April 7, 2011

■

OVERTIME

UH tennis set to host three

Click on it: www.thedailycougar.com

Cougar Sports Services

UH will continue its homestand this weekend with three matches, one of which includes a conference competition. The Cougars will look to extend their six-match win streak.

The first opponent will be St. Edwards on Saturday. The match is set for a noon start at John E. Hoff courts.

The Cougars (13-6) will play a double-header Saturday starting with SMU (16-4) at 9:30 a.m.

The weekend will end with a 3 p.m. matchup versus Prarie View A&M. Golf team looks to right ship at local competition The Cougars will have to get their act together in a hurry come Monday, when they play their last tournament before the Conference USA championships.

UH will hit the green Monday at the Jim West Intercollegiate in Victoria. The tournament will last until Tuesday.

UH will have two weeks to prepare for the C-USA championships which will be played in Texarkana from April 24-26. sports@thedailycougar.com

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Thursday, April 7, 2011

The Daily Cougar

life+arts

EDITOR Mary Baak E-MAIL arts@thedailycougar.com ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/arts

GREEK LIFE

showtime

Fraternity stresses student voting WARNER BROS

Amanda Starghill and Deunbra Ivory

THE DAILY COUGAR

OPENING FRIDAY

Your Highness Rated: R Genres: Comedy Director: David Gordon Green Cast: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Toby Jones and Justin Theroux

Arthur Rated: PG-13 Genres: Comedy Director: Jason Winer Cast: Russell Brand, Helen Mirren and Jennifer Garner

Hanna

Alex Avila studied at UTSA for her undergraduate career before coming to UH for grad school. Now she’s a finalist for Charlie Sheen’s #tigersblood social media internship. The call for applicants netted nearly 85,000 people — and after 2 eliminations, she’s one of 250 left. | Courtesy Alejandra Avila

JACK’S FACTS

Position open for one warlock intern UH student keeps on winning in Charlie Sheen’s search

Rated: PG-13 Genres: Adventure Director: Joe Wright Cast: Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett, Jason Flemyng and Tom Hollander

Soul Surfer Rated: PG Genres: Sports Drama Director: Sean McNamara Cast: Dennis Quiad, AnnaSophia Robb, Jeremy Sumpter, Helen Hunt, Carrie Underwood and Craid T. Nelson

GADGETS

iPad 2: a handheld that’s better than ever The iPad 2 is the new FaceTime device. Compared to the original, the iPad 2 includes HD video recording and a dual-core A5 chip. It has the same 10-hour battery life as the original iPad, despite its lighter and sleeker design.

By comparison, the iPad 2 is 33 percent thinner and 15 percent lighter, so that using it feels more natural, as opposed to operating a brick. In order for it to work faster, the A5 chip has two cores, enabling it do two times the work at once. This means you can multi-task smoothly, app better, game faster, surf the web without hesitation and watch movies without a waiting too long to buffer.

Because of its 9-time graphics performance increase, Gamers will fall in love with the iPad 2 for its fast graphics and smoother, more realistic game play. The A5 chip is also power efficient, which keeps the battery life from fading away. Its 10 hour battery life is fortunate for those all-night movie watchers.

This technological advancement brought the FaceTime feature from the iPhone to the iPad. The iPad 2 is equipped with two cameras — one on the back and another on the front. The front camera allows the face to face video calling, while the back camera enables you to share your surroundings during your video call. You can also set the cameras to record in HD.

Jack Wehman

THE DAILY COUGAR He may have tiger’s blood and Adonis DNA, but Charlie Sheen needs an intern to make sure his world domination is complete.

That’s where Alex Avila comes in. She’s a graduate student at UH studying communications with a focus in public relations and social media. She’s also managed to beat out nearly 85,000 other applicants in Sheen’s intern search. There’s only 250 candidates left — and Avila has her eyes set on the prize.

Q: What made you decide to interview with Charlie Sheen?

A: “Well, the whole idea of being Charlie Sheen’s intern started kind of as a joke on social media, because that’s what he wants as an intern. I had a couple of friends post on my Facebook and say, ‘Hey, you should go check it out,’ and I just blew it off.

“Then my mom called me. She’s a big fan of TMZ, she watches it religiously, and she was like, ‘Oh my gosh, they’re doing an internship with Charlie Sheen, enter.’ I told her she was being silly and I tried to blow her off, but she told me, ‘No, it’s for social media, that’s what you’re going to school for, and it’s with Charlie Sheen, he’s big.’

“So I said fine, OK, I’ll do it, and I did my

tweet. My hook was — and I’m trying not to harp on it too much — I do pin-up modeling, vintage modeling with big victory curls and all that on the side, and I talked about how I wanted to do social media and be his pin-up goddess, and it worked.

“Then I went to round 2. Round 2 was more of a resume, you had to talk about your educational background, your work experience and of course all of your social media experience. From there it was round 3, which is where we are now.”

Q: What was it like being interviewed by Channel 13, Fox News, the Chronicle — pretty much everyone who’s important in local media?

A: “Honestly, it’s been crazy. I didn’t think that anything was going to come out of it. As a PR student, I know that you have to reach out to your media and try to get that publicity, but I kind of didn’t think it would matter to anyone else. I sent out a couple emails like hey, I should try, cast my net and all that.

“And it hooked. I’ve done three interviews with Fox 26 News, one with Channel 11, one with the Houston Chronicle and now you. It’s cool, it’s interesting, and it makes me think that, this whole social media thing, I’ll find something to do with it.”

Many college students across the US are not educated on political events, and fighting the ignorance means having the initiative to take advantage of events such as the “Politics As Usual” panel that was held Wednesday in the Cougar Den, hosted by the Eta Mu Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

The panel consisted of SGA President Michael Harding, Houston City Controller Ronald Green and Michael Lactson. After presenting a YouTube video about the education funding issue, they discussed how Pell Grants are being cut as well as other government sources of financial aid. Recently, the budget cuts increased from $52 million to $62 million, reflecting a 20 percent loss that will directly affect minorities.

A member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority stated, “Although the NPA and the NAACP went to Austin to debate the board, we need to unite as a student body and as universities.”

As controller for Houston, Ronald Green spoke authoritatively to assure that the people’s voice was relayed into action.

“People need to see you. As long as you do not see the people it is easy to make cuts,” Green said.

“There are people in the House and Senate who have won by 2 and 17 votes, so thinking that your voice is insignificant can actually be very significant.”

The panel went further to discuss preparation for voting.

“How do you suggest college students educate themselves on who the politicians are and what they advocate?” student Jordan Haywood said. “An ignorant vote is just as valuable as no vote.”

To learn more about politics, browse websites that target both your interest and level of

arts@thedailycougar.com VOTING continues on page 12

CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS

Fundraiser auctions off Houston’s finest Julian Jimenez

THE DAILY COUGAR A group of some of UH’s hottest bachelors and bachelorettes strutted their stuff on Tuesday at the UC underground as part of the “Spring Into Love” Date Auction event, hosted by the Hispanic Business Student Association.

The auction was created as a fundraiser for scholarships and other HBSA initiatives, and brought in a number of other participating organizations,

including Phi Alpha Delta, the pre-law society. Nearly thirty eligible singles were auctioned off at the event, where bids started at $10 and increased in $5 increments. All the proceeds earned

by HBSA members participating in the auction went straight back into the organization, while the money earned by other participants was split 20/80 to recoup some of the fees for running the event.

“I’ve been to date auctions before and they’re really fun, even if you’re just watching,” said Rachel Farhi, a junior

double-majoring in English literature and political science. “With all the groups participating, it’s a great opportunity to get organizations to meet one another too.”

Anaelisse Bernal, one of the dates being auctioned at the event, was nervous about participating because she didn’t know what to expect. But she said that it was a great experience for her, because she’s open to new ideas and memories.

FINEST continues on page 12

SPORTS

The Daily Cougar

Thursday, April 7, 2011

â–

9

FOOTBALL

Cougars gear for change as spring season closes Joshua Siegel

THE DAILY COUGAR

www.thedailycougar.com

Where do I get the latest UH news?

With this weekend’s spring game fast approaching, the Cougars have been doing some shuffling on their depth chart and positional battles are being resolved.

The Cougars search for a new defensive tackle to replace last season’s starter Matangi Tonga has brought them to 291 pound junior Tyrone Campbell.

Head coach Kevin Sumlin likes Campbell clogging up the middle but has also been impressed with the player pegged as his backup, redshirt freshman Austin Lunsford. “We’ve moved Austin Lunsford to defense,� Sumlin said. “He’s another big 290-pound guy, a big strong guy from East Texas who likes to play in there, and that’s half the battle. There’s not a whole lot of people alive who want to go out there for two hours and get double and triple-teamed. You got to be a different kind of guy to do that. I think he is. He’s an East Texas guy. “His dad says he’s as happy as he’s ever been. Does he probably have a screw loose? Yeah, but we need a couple more of those guys.�

Lunsford is not the only Cougar who finds himself playing an unfamiliar position this spring.

Blake Sargent’s shoulder injury has opened up the starting center spot, and Sumlin is entrusting the responsibility to redshirt senior Chris Thompson.

Sumlin said that Thompson is the smallest lineman UH has, but that was more of a reflection of the size of recent recruiting classes than an indictment of Thompson. “Those bigger guys, you can do

a lot more with them, but I think experience is a factor, particularly at that position,� Sumlin said.

Thompson is making a smooth transition to playing in the middle of the line. “Last week we had one bad snap the whole scrimmage,� Sumlin said. “It was a catchable snap, but Chris has a little more velocity on it than Cotton was used to.�

Sumlin said that the Cougar’s younger linemen have been playing well, especially sophomore Ty Cloud. However, Sumlin said that he likes how Cloud is playing, and he will not be part of the shuffling along the line.

On the other side of the ball, there are several new faces in the defensive backfield, and they are adjusting accordingly. “The good news is they’re all good players and talented guys,�

Sumlin said. “But that’s why we need more practice because they’ve been learning the system, they’ve been learning technique.�

Junior college transfers Chevy Bennett and D.J. Hayden are “as good as advertised� according to Sumlin and should play important roles for a revamped secondary. “I think Chevy, because of his size, has the ability to move around as a safety,� Sumlin said. “D.J. has the ability to be a corner or nickel and play inside. He’s learning. He went from being one of the better players in the country to having Patrick Edwards run right by him. He goes, ‘Wow that guy is fast’. But the good news is that he’s fast too. “You get your team, and you hope that you get to the point where everybody is making everybody better. D.J.’s great. He loves to play the game.�

A defensive back to keep an eye on will be sophomore transfer Colton Valencia. Valencia had committed to play at Notre

Dame, but instead signed with Texas A&M out of high school.

He played in all 12 games for the Aggies as a true freshman.

Valencia, a Missouri City native, left A&M to be closer to his family. Sumlin said Valencia has made his presence felt in practice. “There’s a reason why the guy was committed to Notre Dame,�

Sumlin said.

Quarterback Case Keenum will continue to be limited for the remainder of the spring, and UH will continue to experiment with three-back sets and I-Formations on offense.

Sumlin said that his running backs are some of the most talented players on the team, and he

has to find a way to get that talent on the field.

The Red and White game will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Robertson Stadium. The game will be streamed live at UHCougars. com. Admission is free to all who attend. sports@thedailycougar.com

Now you can also buy your student tickets in advance for select concerts. Go to houstonsymphony.org and enter offer code “schoolâ€? when logging in. And don’t forget to grab a Student Rewards Card at the box ofďŹ ce and save even more! Follow @HouSymphony on Twitter to get more deals.

Scheherazade April 8, 9, 10, 2011 Relive the exotic legend of the young entrancing temptress, Scheherazade, and her tales told over 1,001 nights.

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April 14, 16, 17, 2011 Mendelssohn’s travels to Scotland inspired this dramatic symphony, which ranges from hushed to majestic.

Rogers & Hammerstein and More with Ashley Brown April 21, 22, 23, 2011 Broadway blockbuster star Ashley Brown returns to Houston to perform R&H songs plus from her roles in Mary Poppins and Beauty and the Beast.

Alexander Nevsky April 29, 30, May 1, 2011 ProkoďŹ ev transports you to the 13th century for a tale of war.

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â–

NEWS

Thursday, April 7, 2011

BOOKSTORE

New e-book options focus of town hall Tess Livingston

THE DAILY COUGAR UH’s Book Advisory Committee held its Bookstore Town Hall meeting and presented new study opportunities for students on Wednesday.

Barnes and Noble, which operates the University Center bookstore, now offers NOOKstudy, a free application for PCs and Macs that can be used to read graphicheavy e-books. “Five years ago, you only had new and used textbooks. Used books were the cheapest books on the market,� said Felix Robinson, general manager of UH Bookstores. “We’ve had a huge growth in the digital books. There were three books sold in the past, and the next two semesters sold 800 of those books.�

NOOKstudy allows students to upload their class notes to the application, file and organize books and notes based on classes.

Students can even take notes directly within the text. So if your professor gives you more information than is in the book, you can add it, Peters said.

Though the application has not been formatted to work on hand-held devices, as long as you have a notebook computer, you can download as many of the 2,000 textbooks available as your computer has room for.

Once you have downloaded your text, you do not need Internet to view the book. However, with Internet you can access Google, YouTube, Wikipedia and other information sites to help you study terms and

ideas in your text, Peters said.

There are limitations with certain books, however. “Depending on the copyright of a certain book, after three months, access to the book could disappear based on the length of each semester,� Robinson said.

Students hoping to avoid textbook costs by finding textbooks within the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library will not find any. “A lot of people don’t know this about the library. It’s against library policy to order textbooks or to order them via InterLibrary Loan,� UH librarian Christie Peters said.

Either way, there are different ways to get books for cheap. “The interaction between students and books has changed, but the interaction between students and faculty hasn’t changed. That communication could be better,� said Reyes Ramirez, Book Advisory Committee chairman. “One of the main causes of fear is not understanding when a student looks at a syllabus and thinks ‘I just can’t afford this.’�

Ramirez suggests that students get to know the options available when it comes to required texts.

To make life even easier for students, book lists with full information, i.e. ISBN, edition, publisher, author, title and copyright number will be available at the point of registration for classes. “When you sign up for your classes, you should know what books you need. This is something we have been working on for years,�

Jonas Chin, UH’s Constituent Relations coordinator said.

CUTS continued from page 1

If this comes to fruition, students who are graduating from high school with the hopes of attending college on financial aid will have to look elsewhere for funding or drop the idea of a college education all together.

Kinesiology junior Joel John believes that colleges are run like businesses, and that although he would hate to pay more than what he is already paying for college, he has to be realistic. “All of this puts a big strain on the shoulders of many college students that are already being forced to take out more loans or work more hours to subsidize the cost of higher education,� John said. “It’s hard. I’m constantly worried about paying for my tuition. With financial aid grants dropping, I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep up.�

Over $1 billion of financial aid is awarded by the state through public universities and community colleges. This number will be cut drastically through either plan.

The House bill includes a cut of $431 million, about 45 percent, while the proposed Senate bill would cut $381 million, about 40 percent.

Because both proposals allow for no new financial aid to be given out, the number of students who receive financial aid through various state programs is estimated to drop from the 86,830 currently receiving aid to 27,135 by 2013.

The state will honor any financial aid already given out or promised to students.

The TEXAS Grant program, which was established in 1999, is the main channel of financial aid

funding that will be cut. More than 50 percent of the recipients of this program are minority- and needbased students.

Not only will financial aid not be available to new students next year, but tuition is also estimated to rise by at least 4 percent. “My parents already take out a lot of money for loans. This is going to make it ten times harder for my family,� said Allison Van Gordon, a pre-pharmacy freshman. “I’m going to be here for a while. I have a lot of school to pay for.�

The proposed budget cuts will also affect community college students. Students who have been attending Houston Community College with the hope of transferring to UH may have to look for other options. “I have been at HCC studying geology for the past few years and have spoken with my adviser about transferring to UH in the fall,� HCC student Keila Rivera said. “I guess I always assumed I would be able to apply for financial aid. I am not sure I will be able to afford the tuition without any help. If I can manage to enroll, it will take me at least three more years to graduate because I am going to have to work full-time to pay for my classes in addition to living expenses.�

With an inability to apply for financial aid if need be, the length of time it takes an average student to graduate could be extended. As UH has been on the Tier One track for quite some time, this potential outcome might cause a regression for the University. “Some people won’t be able to attend college, that would have otherwise, because of cuts to financial aid,� said Scott Imberman, assistant economics professor at UH. “Loss of

financial aid could cause problems with our retention rates.�

Former mayor of Houston Bill White believes that in addition to hurting students, these cuts will hurt Texas and the city of Houston in the long run. “President Obama and business leaders from both parties believe that education, including public higher education, is critical to global competitiveness,� White said.

White noted that the Select Commission on Higher Education and Global Competitiveness, a task force created by Governor Rick Perry in 2007 at the behest of the Legislature, reported two years ago that Texas was not developing a workforce that could be competitive in the global economy. The commission also noted that the state lagged behind both many states and other nations.

He also noted that a panel appointed by President George W. Bush came to the same conclusion. “Cuts in higher education will hurt the Texas economy in the long run,� White said.

Imberman agrees that cuts to higher education will have a detrimental effect on the local economy. “The more educated the work force, the more businesses you can attract,� Imberman said.

The House bill will now go to the Senate for consideration and Antel believes UH is ready to face the challenges the final version will create for the University. “At the University of Houston we like a challenge, and the significant progress we have already made in our quest for Tier One is indicative of that,� Antel said. news@thedailycougar.com

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THE DAILY COUGAR CLASSIFIEDS. Like Craigslist, only less creepy.

The Daily Cougar

COMICS & MORE

Thursday, April 7, 2011

comics

crossword

Robbie + Bobby by Jason Poland

ACROSS 1 Oafs 6 Salad cheese 10 Mexicali locale 14 Movie cowboy Lash 15 Speakeasy risk 16 Dye-yielding plant 17 Do penance 18 Coastal flyer 19 Verne captain 20 Dispatch 21 Monkey bars 23 Crowded in 25 Mews 26 Intelligence 27 Limber 29 Poet’s spring 32 Rents out money 33 Huntsville’s st.

36 Makes inquiry 37 Scoundrel 38 Oil or gas 39 Payable now 40 Submarine outlets 41 Lingo 42 Quasimodo’s charges 43 Melodrama shout 44 Boom box sound 47 Gathered up 51 Crystal ball alternative (2 wds.)

54 Siamese, now 55 Hodgepodge 56 “The Bridge on the River —�

57 Lariat 58 Chive relative 59 Therefore 60 Colonial suitor 61 Latin I verb 62 Colors to match 63 Doglike scavenger

Chili Fingers by Nam Nguyen

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

DOWN 1 Play at full volume 2 Horse opera 3 Town in Maine 4 Brief summaries 5 Notice

We’d love to hear from you.

Share your thoughts, opinions, cheers and jeers with the Cougar and the campus: letters@ thedailycougar.com

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Sigmund or Anna 7 Accrue interest 8 Metallic sound 9 Aussie city 10 Type of bracelet 11 In the blink of — — 12 Pry open 13 Throw for — — 21 Nozzle 22 Plumbing bends 24 Hollow 27 Auspices 28 Wildebeests 29 Novelty 30 Buckeye campus 31 Luau strings 32 Sprawl out 33 31-day mo.

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Bug repellent So! Actress Shields Mantra chants Took unlawfully Unlikely stories Ohio Indians Farewell Cool place, perhaps Wolfed down Ross or Rigg Crooked Storm Stadium noise

2010 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE INC.

Previous puzzle solved G A L L A L P I T E N S B S P OO T U R N R D S A GO D Y N A B ORG A H A U N A V I D R E DO E D E N

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LIFE&ARTS

12 â– Thursday, April 7, 2011

The Daily Cougar

ARCHITECTURE

www.thedailycougar.com

Where do I get the latest UH news?

Mashburn hosts professor’s designs Emily Holley

THE DAILY COUGAR As I walked into the Joseph Mashburn gallery in the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia.

With all of their bright colors, precise angles and curves, the art that decorated the walls of the gallery made me feel like I was the little girl, as the work was reminiscent of the artistic and creative portrayals of the future that I saw in the contemporary resort building at Disney World.

These are the works of UH Architecture professor Robert Griffin, who just recently began using the computer for non-representational, large-scale computer drawings for his art, explained professor of Architecture Design Bruce C. Webb in the gallery program.

I felt a bit out of my element, considering I know absolutely nothing about architecture, but I found myself enjoying the complexities of Griffin’s work.

All his art was made by computer, which allowed for a number of interesting shapes not seen in traditional art.

As Webb said in the program, “In these visions, Robert Griffin has found the right frame, the cone of vision, the right place to stand to use it as an instrument of creation.�

A couple of the works could be considered a type of still-life. For instance, the work “Box of Birds,� is an overhead shot of the contents of a wooden box that is filled with birds made of wood.

The picture is meticulous, as everything is set out on a plane and every part of the box has been laid out for the viewer to see in detail. The actual box of birds is in a glass case in the middle of the room as a visual reference.

Griffin also appeared to use photography in some of his works. One of his works, entitled “2/22/11,� consists of a huge, gray stone window that looks out into geometric shapes, lines and curves of blue, black and grey. Another

work, “Galileo,� was similar in that it had an open stone door leading out into the stars. In this piece, a straight line is shot out of the door to the bottom of the frame that viewers can interpret as a trail left by a shooting star.

In the gallery, there are three works next to each other entitled, “Circle Plaza,� “Chapel Study Plan/ Section� and “Black Weave� that stood out from the rest. They were more vibrant and colorful than the others.

They were bit busier in a good way, and they held my attention the longest. They were also positioned in such a way in the gallery that it appeared that Griffin was saving the best for last. “They are definitely the works of an architect, and it is impossible not to think of architecture in nearly all of them,� said Webb.

The exhibit entitled ENVISIONING: Digital Drawings by Robert Griffin were held in the Hines Gallery from March 28 – April 6. arts@thedailycougar.com

VOTE NOW AND You could help University of Houston Students change the world.

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FINEST continued from page 8

“I just did it for fun. It’s always good to try something new and different,� Bernal said.

Political science junior Nelson Villanueva came to the auction to support his fellow Phi Alpha Delta members, some of whom were being auctioned at the event. He said that he got caught up in the fun and excitement of the auction and ended up going home with a date. “I wasn’t thinking about bidding at first, but then she came up and I thought she was really good looking,� said Vilanueva. “It’s really fun. You get a lot out of it and I think that everyone will enjoy it, even if you don’t bid.�

Kendrick Dean, a management information systems junior, agreed.

As one of the more active participants in the auction, the crowd cheered as he went on to win multiple dates from the event. He said that he was impressed with how so many of the dates at the auction had both the looks and the intelligence that’s he’s feels is hard to find in the dating world. “I was expecting it to be cheaper,� laughed Dean. “But the quality of the women here definitely exceeded my expectations. I wanted to get a girl. These are some pretty girls and the money is going to a good cause. It increased my dating opportunities and helped my chances of finding a wife one day.�

Louis Vogtman, a management information systems junior, is the fundraising director for HBSA and one of the creators of the event. He said that he felt the auction was a great success, and that he’s optimistic about its future. “I look forward to seeing it next year,� Vogtman said. “I hope we can get even more people involved and get more of the school to support their fellow students.� arts@thedailycougar.com

Big Impact Bear: Brett Langsjoen, Daniel Salazar, Francisco Jimenez, and Jose Baez (mentor)

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VOTING continued from page 8

understanding â&#x20AC;&#x201D; CNN may not be as easy to grasp for some people, so using local sources such as newspapers or news station websites can be much more helpful.

Although college is a time to network and acquire skills, it also vital to avoid gaining a single-minded dedication to self-interested pursuits because it disregards the upcoming generation. It is important to note that every decision you make affects others as well.

Current students are now receiving government aid for education because older generations took their childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s welfare into consideration with their vote. It may be hard to see the value in voting now, but it will certainly pay off in the future for the well-being of all. arts@thedailycougar.com

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