Issue 58, Volume 77 by The Cougar

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Sumlin trades in red for maroon, leaves a lasting legacy at UH

January 17, 2012

Alum to premier short film at Sundance

Issue 58, Volume 77

FINANCIAL AID

FAFSA procedures change Advisory committee: Students should wait until February to file financial aid applications Joshua Mann

THE DAILY COUGAR Students filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid this year should do something that has never before been advisable — wait to turn it in. The federal government now crossreferences data from the FAFSA with tax information in an attempt to cut down on

fraudulent aid claims, said Cedric Bandoh, chair of the Scholarships and Financial Aid Advisory Committee. Students should wait until after they or their parents have completed their taxes to avoid discrepancies that will result in the student automatically being selected for verification. “If you type in ‘I live at 123 Maple St.’ (on the FAFSA)... but then on your tax returns you actually spelled out ‘street’... you’ll be selected for verification,” Bandoh said. There is, however, an upside to the change. Students can “transfer IRS tax return data directly from the IRS website into the appropriate fields on the FAFSA,”

the UH website says, which should streamline the application process. But some students have to fill out the FAFSA before many employers give tax information in order to meet scholarship deadlines. “If you have to do your financial aid before Feb. 1... that’s OK,” he said. “We’re just giving you a heads up that you’ll most likely be selected for verification.” The process will likely take longer this year, but students are asked to remain patient.

HOW TO FILE

Seven steps to FAFSA Step 1: Students and Parents: File taxes as soon as possible in 2012 Step 2: Apply for a Federal Personal Identification Number at www.pin.ed.gov Step 3: Complete your FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov by April 1. UH Federal School Code is 003652 Step 4: Review Student Aid Report Step 5: Complete file if additional documentation is required Step 6: Check status in myUH at myuh.uh.edu Step 7: Accept aid in myUH For more information, visit: www.uh.edu/finaid2012.

FAFSA continues on page 2

Source: Scholarship and Financial Aid Advisory Committee

STUDENTS

CMAS

Cougars to compete in design ‘eco-marathon’

Mexican American Studies to have informational table The Center for Mexican American Studies will have an informational table from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Wednesday at the University Center South Table. According to its website, CMAS was established in 1972 and consists of “teaching, research and publications, recruitment and retention, leadership training, academic advising, and community service.” “Its mission is to advance knowledge, promote critical thinking and foster the value of service to the community.” Students who visit the table will receive one cougar card. — Cougar News Staff

CAREER SERVICES

Free workshop to educate students about internships UH Career Services is having an internship workshop from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Student Services Center 1 Room 106. According to the Career Services calendar, the workshop “will focus on types of internships, sources of internship opportunities, and getting the most from an internship.” Students will receive one cougar card for attending. The workshop is free and open to the UH student body. For more information on this event or Career Services, e-mail ucs@uh.edu or call (713) 743-5100. — Cougar News Staff

Jed Ocot

THE DAILY COUGAR

Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs - Health and Wellness Floyd Robinson said one of his primary goals is to expand the Health Center. | Emily Chambers/The Daily Cougar

FACULTY

Assistant VP for Health and Wellness appointed Ryan Rockett

THE DAILY COUGAR The current Director of the UH Health Center Floyd Robinson has been appointed to the newly created position of Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Health and Wellness, and has stated expansion of the Health Center and renewed focus on student wellness as primary objectives moving into the future. Robinson was named assistant vice president effective Jan. 1. He was handpicked by Vice President for Student Affairs Richard Walker, who began looking at candidates during the Fall semester. Walker cited increasing student

population in the health center and counseling offices as reasons to create the position. “My feeling is that obviously the physical and psychological well-being of students is an area we need to focus more on,” Walker said. “(Robinson has) a very good reputation on campus; he is a strong student advocate, and he meets the needs of students on campus.” Walker said Robinson will be in charge of compiling a research committee to explore the options of expanding the UH Health Center. Robinson, who has served as head of the Health Center for 18 years, said an expansion and ROBINSON continues on page 3

Five seniors from the College of Technology have been hard at work creating a prototype gasfriendly car to enter in two different competitions to fulfill their Senior Design requirements. According to Senior Design Instructor Raresh Pascali, one of the team’s faculty advisers, Team Superleggera — Italian for superlightweight — will first present their prototype in March at the Shell Eco-Marathon at Discovery Green and again in June at SAE Supermileage in Michigan. Since the project takes a full year to complete, Jose Guerrero began looking for members in May 2011. Edwin Rendon and Chris Wolf were chosen before the start of the semester, followed by Troy Whitney and Robert DiRocco in August. “I knew Edwin from a previous project in 2009, and then we picked Chris because Edwin and I worked with him also on a previous project,” Guerrero said. “Once the semester began, we chose Troy and Robert because they each brought something to the project that we needed.” UH has participated in the Eco-Marathon in five nonconsecutive years since 2006. “This team has a harder task. They have to obey more rules (than) the other teams, since

they are creating one prototype for two different competitions. The rules are different for both competitions, but they are working hard to make it work,” Pascali said. Among other rules, the team’s prototype must achieve a minimum of 1,000 miles per gallon while weighing less than 100 pounds, and it must run on a 3.5HP Briggs & Stratton engine. Daniel Boone Cycles and General Plastics & Composites both sponsor the team, helping them pay for the parts that are needed. “The body of the prototype will be built in a body shop, courtesy of General Plastics & Composites,” said Wolf, whose main task is dealing with external engine modifications like the transmission and fuel injections. Team Superleggera will face stiff competition from the better funded Canadian team, Rendon said. “Realistically, winning is very difficult because of lack of funds and manpower when compared to Canada’s team, (which) has lots of money and a team of roughly either 10 to 20 people,” Rendon said. “However, we plan on making history for the University by breaking the MPG record. From where I stand, Team Superleggera has already won... We have made sure that the city of Houston knows who we are.” news@thedailycougar.com

NEWS

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IS HIRING! Texas Children’s Hospital – Pavilion for Women If you’re committed to providing the best possible care for children and their families, while working in an environment that encourages professional growth and personal excellence, then Texas Children’s invites you to join our team. Opening February 2012, the Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women will be one of the nation’s premiere facilities for women’s, fetal and newborn health. Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women has the following opportunities available immediately: Floor Care Technicians to perform scheduled and requested cleaning and maintenance of the hospital floors in accordance with departmental and hospital standards. Protection Officers to protect the staff, patients, visitors and assets of Texas Children’s Hospital. This person will support Texas Children’s Hospital by providing a visible first line security presence; efficiently handling customer inquiries, requests for assistance, and ensuring smooth traffic flow. Unit Support Assistants to perform routine housekeeping duties and respond to emergency calls for cleanup of spills in patient rooms, assigned dedicated area, and other areas in accordance with standard operating and approved infection control procedures. Texas Children's Hospital is undertaking one of the largest expansions ever by a single children’s hospital and provides a new era as the pediatric hospital expands into obstetrical and gynecological services, establishing one of the nation’s premier facilities for women’s, fetal and newborn health. Initiatives include the creation of the Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women which will provide a continuum of care from preconception to post-delivery. To learn more about these positions and to apply, please visit http://jobs.texaschildrens.org. Texas Children’s Hospital is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The Daily Cougar

CRIME LOG

Have information on these or other incidents of crime on campus? Call 713-743-0600

The following is a partial report of campus crime between Jan. 10 and Thursday. All information is selected from the files of the UH Police Department. The information in bold indicates when the event was reported to UHPD and the event’s location. Information or questions regarding the cases below should be directed to UHPD at (713) 743-3333. Assault on a public servant: 10:57 a.m. Jan. 10, University Hilton Hotel — A UH police officer was struck by a mentally ill student who was being taken to a psychiatric facility after her involvement in a physical disturbance with her mother. The student has been charged with assaulting a peace officer and taken to Harris County Jail. Theft: 11:57 a.m. Jan. 10, Lot 6A —A license plate was reported stolen from a vehicle parked in the Health Center parking area. Theft/ credit or debit card abuse: 4:15 p.m. Jan. 10, Farish Hall — A staff member reported that her wallet had been stolen from her desk after it was left unattended and unsecured. Later, her credit cards were used to make several unauthorized purchases. Theft: 2:40 p.m. Jan. 11, Bayou Oaks Apartments — A student reported her unattended and unsecured bicycle stolen from a bicycle

rack in Bayou Oaks. Theft: 4:00 p.m. Jan. 11, S & R 1 — A golf cart was stolen while unattended and unsecured, a staff member reported. Criminal trespass: 4:47 p.m. Jan. 11, Law Residence Hall — A visitor was arrested for trespassing after a report of an attempted theft outside of Law Residence Hall. Theft/Credit or Debit Card Abuse: 9:24 p.m. Jan. 11, Campus Recreation and Wellness Center — A student reported his unattended and unsecured gym bag stolen after it had been left on the basketball court. His credit card was used to make unauthorized purchases. Theft: 8:25 a.m. Jan. 12, South Park Annex — Three unsecured work tables were reported stolen from the east exterior side of the South Park Annex. For the complete report and to view past reports, go to thedailycougar.com/crime

FAFSA

They’re trying to cut down on fraud and make sure students who really need financial aid get their financial aid.”

continued from page 1

“It’s going to take our staff here at UH a little more time to process this,” Bandoh said. “It’s going to take them more time and they’re working with less staff... so it’s going to be a little tight.” Students should also check their MyUH account regularly so they can catch any problems well ahead of the April 1 deadline, he said. For help online, students can once again use the live chat at http://www.uh.edu/gethelp, which will be open for extended hours during the first weeks of the semester. The new procedures aren’t

Cedric Bandoh, Chair of the Scholarships and Financial Aid Advisory Committee unique to UH and are being enforced over many schools. “They’re trying to cut down on fraud and make sure students who really need financial aid get their financial aid,” Bandoh said. news@thedailycougar.com

(713) 743-5360 Interim Editor in Chief

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Joshua Mann Taylor McGilvray (713) 743-5314 news@thedailycougar.com

Volunteers are needed for the 10th Annual Mars Rover Celebration to be held on the UH Campus on January 28, 2012. Please volunteer to help us with one of the following jobs:

To sign-up please scan the QR code or visit https://marsrover.uh.edu/volunteerregistration.aspx. For more information, please visit the Mars Rover FAQ page at http://tinyurl.com/7pcdpe4.

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ABOUT THE COUGAR The Daily Cougar is published Monday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and Wednesdays during the summer, at the University of Houston Printing Plant and online at http://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 Send 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.

NEWS

The Daily Cougar

ROBINSON continued from page 1

possible relocation of the center is “desperately needed.” “As our campus grows more residential, obviously more students will want to have easier access to health care,” Robinson said. “We can’t expand any of the services in the Health Center because we don’t have the space for it.” Student Government Association President Michael Harding, who met with Robinson and two other candidates during the on-campus interview process, echoed the need for a larger Health Center. “(The) health facility we have on campus is a little disappointing,” Harding said. “I do think there are improvements to be made in the Health Center, but at the same time I hope funding doesn’t have to be put on the students’ back.” Robinson also expressed interest in expanding dental and dermatology services available in the center as well as implementing an acupuncture service. Robinson currently holds

three positions at UH; he is also the interim Director of Campus Recreations. He will step down following the appointment of Kim Clark as the new director effective Feb. 1, but will continue to serve as the director of the Health Center while candidates are being interviewed. Robinson first arrived at UH in 1994 following a director role at Memorial Hermann Hospital and an assistant director stint at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Since serving at UH, Robinson has been at the forefront of initiatives to introduce full-time psychologists in the Health Center and the implementation of free HIV testing in June and December. Robinson said the growing student usage has proven the increased health services to be a success. “I think there’s a very large contingency of students who want to be smarter about health care issues,” Robinson said. “I would like to thank them for being so responsive and allowing us to provide health care for them.”

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

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The University of Houston is an EEO/AA institution.

Welcome Back! Welcome back to a semester of new growth and exciting endeavors. I encourage each of you to expand your expectations of what the coming months will bring, and raise your goals even higher.

Last year’s achievements helped us reach several milestones on our path to full Tier One status. Ranked among the best in the nation for undergraduates by The Princeton Review, we were also named one of the “Best Colleges to Work For” by The Chronicle of Higher Education. And we are one of only three Carnegie-designated Tier One public research universities in Texas. During a stellar 2011 season, our football team set winning records and won the TicketCity Bowl.

You are the inspiration for our achievements. Your success drives our journey, and I thank you for driving excellence forward.

Renu K hator President, University of Houston

Follow President Khator:

Twitter.com/UHPres

www.uh.edu/president

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

The Daily Cougar

OPINION THE DAILY COUGAR

IMPLANT TIMELINE

EDITOR David Haydon E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/opinion

by David Delgado

EDITORIAL BOARD INTERIM EDITOR IN CHIEF

Daniel Renfrow

NEWS EDITORS

Taylor McGilvray, Joshua Mann

SPORTS EDITOR

Joshua Siegel

LIFE

& ARTS EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR

Jose Aguilar David Haydon

STAFF EDITORIAL

Welcome back to campus life, Coogs

ll good things must come to an end — including winter break. And although waking up for 8 a.m. classes or hunting for a parking spot for 30 minutes every day may seem torturous after a leisurefilled winter break, it is safe to assume that we are all excited to be back on campus. That’s because we have a lot to be excited about. We are the second-most diverse university in the nation, a Carnegie-designated Tier One research institution, and are now home to one of the nation’s top college football teams — a team that has drawn much national attention to our University. However, our recent accolades are just the beginning. UH will continue to rise in prominence as long as it is full of students, faculty and staff who care intimately about the direction of their campus and are proud to call themselves cougars. Our mission at The Daily Cougar is to provide information to UH students, faculty and staff about this great institution we all call home. Our reporters, photographers and editors will work hard this semester to fulfill that mission. Cougars can stay up to date on campus news by picking up our print edition on campus or by stopping by thedailycougar.com. On our website you will find additional stories, photo galleries and videos. Our Facebook and Twitter pages are other ways to keep campus news in the palm of your hand while you’re on the go. Students who wish to contribute to The Daily Cougar should fill out our online application at www.thedailycougar.com/apply. We are always looking for talented new writers, photographers, copy editors and cartoonists. We hope that the new year brings you happiness and whether this semester is your first or your last, we wish you only the best in the coming months.

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 to (713) 743-5384. Letters are subject to editing. ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements 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.

Denying coverage denies care A s with any public good, health care is often a strongly contested resource. Arguments in the US over who deserves access to care reached a fever pitch last year during the health care reform debate. In the UK, a battle has ensued over whether the National Health Service should provide coverage for women to have Emily faulty breast implants Brooks removed. Worldwide, hundreds of thousands of women who received breast implants manufactured by the French firm Poly Implant Prothese do not know if their implants are safe. Many implants manufactured by the company were made with industrial grade rather than medical grade silicon. Industrial grade silicon has been shown to leak or rupture at much higher rates. To make matters worse, the firm kept its records poorly, and it is unknown which or even how many implants are made of the correct material. The French and Dutch governments have advised preventative removal of all PIP implants. British health officials have

determined that removal is not necessary without evidence of rupture, but will cover the costs of removing the implants for concerned women. Unfortunately, discussion of the NHS decision has largely devolved into character attacks against cosmetic surgery patients. Because women choose to be fitted with implants, many believe that they should be financially responsible for their removal even if necessary. However, these detractors are forgetting that a growing number of breast cancer patients get implants after a mastectomy. But even if a woman purchased implants simply to be happier with her body, her health is worth no less than that of any other person. When insurers — public or private — deny coverage, they also withhold care by extension. Women who purchase implants often save for months or years to afford the operation. Simply because an individual was able to afford the initial procedure does not mean she can afford to have them removed. After all, the implants were inappropriately manufactured — neither patient nor physician had reason to suspect these complications. The NHS has encouraged private clinics that placed

Because women choose to be fitted with implants, critics believe the women should be financially responsible for the removal if necessary. These detractors forget the growing number of breast cancer patients get implants after a mastectomy. ” the implants to replace them at no cost, but because the clinics purchased the implants in good faith from a reputable manufacturer, they may not be willing to take responsibility. One large clinic, The Harley Medical Group, which fit more than 14,000 of the suspect implants in the UK, has already refused to replace the implants for free. They claim that the cost of replacing the implants would put them out of business. The manufacturer, PIP is now defunct with many a claim on the firm’s assets. If the NHS were to refuse to pay for the replacement or removal of the implants BROOKS continues on page 5

A change of pace in the election year

fter letting the GOP candidates batter, butcher and humiliate themselves in a way that made 2011 an effortless year for comedians, President Obama used his executive power this month to recess appoint former Ohio attorney general Richard Cordray as the first director of the Consumer Financial James Protection Bureau. Wang The move is bold and struck a nononsense tone for the president as he prepared for the 2012 election. Recess appointments are not altogether strange to the presidency. Since George Washington’s presidency, the recess appointment process has played an important role in American politics. Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush made 139

and 171 recess appointments, respectively. The current administration has only made 28. There is a questionable legality to this move. The Senate was technically not at recess at the time, but the more disturbing issue arises at Obama’s comments in Ohio, “When Congress refuses to act, and as a result hurts our economy and puts people at risk, I have an obligation as president to do what I can without them,” he said. The problem isn’t in the message of his comments, but in the obvious politic-play embedded in it. This would not be the first time that Congress’ refusal to do anything has endangered the American economy. One of the most anger-inducing moments has to be the narrowly avoided government shutdown around August that led to Standard & Poors lowering the nation’s credit rating. Over the past several months,

Obama has laid out ultimatums to Congress, urging them to do something — anything — in order to get the economy running again. Now he says he’ll try and go around them. Perhaps it’s a symptom of a new era of cynicism towards American political culture, or it’s just hard to take anyone working on Capitol Hill for their word. Perhaps it’s only pure exasperation. It seems to me that this is a move of a conniving politician looking for his next big election, not of a generous statesman looking to improve his country. There is an inherent suspiciousness in his announcement. It comes in almost immediately after the new year, an election year, and it serves to further paint the GOP as villains. It’s not that hard, considering that the Republicans are doing everything in their WANG continues on page 5

OPINION

The Daily Cougar

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

GUEST COMMENTARY

Youth still inspired by MLK’s dream

ears ago, I had the pleasure of meeting civil rights legend and former US. ambassador, Andrew Young. During our conversation, Ambassador Young talked about Shayne the lighter side Lee, Ph.D. of his mentor, colleague and friend, Martin Luther King, Jr. He revealed how King enjoyed laughing with friends, was quite the jokester and was a crafty basketball player who could drive and shoot with both hands because he was ambidextrous. In contrast to my more serene images of King, this informal depiction of the civil rights icon reminded me that King was relatively young when he led the movement. In my mid-twenties, I wrestled with career choices and graduate school applications. In his mid-twenties, King headed a church, led the Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped to found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. My early thirties marked the

BROOKS continued from page 4

many women would have no choice but to leave the implants in place. If these implants rupture, the trauma can cause infections and disfiguring scarring. Breast implants may be elective, but so is eating an unhealthy diet. Many of our daily activities may not be the best decisions for our health — this is no reason to deny access to life-saving care. In truth, the societal consequences of changeable health behavior are vast. Cigarette smoking costs the nation an average of $92 billion annually. As of 2009, costs related to obesity reached $147 billion

WANG continued from page 4

power to lose the election. A leader should always take every step to achieve prosperity for the people that he or she leads. This isn’t the first time a president went around Congress. If there is a discrepancy in this case, it would be on a technicality, a political gimmick started by House Democrats during the Bush administration. Why wasn’t such a move made sooner? The Dodd-Frank Act authorizing the establishment of this agency passed last year, but the agency has been denied a chair because the president allowed the squabbling children known as Congress to try and decide something. Only during the first week of the election year has the president announced to fight for the little man. This was after four years of American politics degrading into a level of insanity like third grade classroom. It’s a forgivable change of pace, but it’s election season after all. James Wang is a history freshman and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.

beginning of my professorial career; King’s early thirties marked his monumental March on Washington and his winning of the Nobel Peace Prize. I believe King’s youth was more of an asset than a liability behind his effective leadership. His movement philosophy drew inspiration from Henry David Thoreau, Mahatma Gandhi, and Howard Thurman. It was the product of a pliable mind fresh out of graduate school, not the kind of eclectic theorizing you saw from his older clerical colleagues. With youth and inexperience on his side, King was not boxed in by tradition, but enjoyed improvisational space to orchestrate dynamic protest strategies that awakened the moral consciousness of a nation. Activists all over the world have implemented his civil rights discourse and tactical maneuvers to challenge oppressive regimes and leverage power structures toward change. King’s heroic legacy reminds our students that youth does not

a year and are expected to reach $344 billion by 2018. But we would not consider denying coverage of emphysema care for ex-smokers. We would not base cardiac surgery coverage on BMI. Health care is a public good, but it is also a human right. We cannot open the door to denying coverage and care to individuals because we disagree with their decisions. It was not the patients fitted with PIP implants that were wrong in this, but the manufacturer that knowingly endangered patients to cut costs. We cannot hold the victims responsible for the manufacturer’s crime. Emily Brooks is an economics senior and may be reached at opinion@ hedailycougar.com.

have to be an impediment to effective leadership, it can be the mechanism that brings forth a more hopeful future. Shayne Lee, Ph.D is an associate professor of sociology and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar. com

ONLINE

Read more reflections on Martin Luther King Jr. throughout the week at thedailycougar.com/ opinion

January 20,2012

Pre-Gala Kickoff Reception to the

23rd Annual Scholarships & Awards Gala Commemorating 50 Years of African American Achievements at the University of Houston Bayway Lincoln Volvo 12333 Gulf Freeway Houston, TX 77034 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and drinks Business Attire

for more info: uhbaa.com

OPINION

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

The Daily Cougar

King’s message to Americans

Because your words matter.

Have you been misquoted? Though The Daily Cougar strives for accuracy and fairness in its reporting, mistakes happen. Please report any errors you see in the paper to the editorial staff. Corrections will run on Page 2 as needed to amend the record. To report a correction, e-mail editor@thedailycougar.com or call (713) 743-5362.

WANT TO BE AN ARCHITECT ? Get a professional masters degree in architecture after a bachelors degree in any field. Come to the College of Architecture’s Graduate Program information session:

Wednesday, January 25 5-7 pm UH College of Architecture Building Atrium Contact Christy Muniz at cmuniz@central.uh.edu or 713.743.3463 to RSVP

am always struck by the absurdity that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is widely considered to be a “black holiday.” I reject that notion. In King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, he bravely declared the following: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged Steven by the color of Christopher their skin but by the content of their character.” I too share this dream for my own children, who incidentally will be half Caucasian and half Hispanic. I do not wish for them to live in a world where they are defined by their racial heritage rather than by the virtue of their good deeds and heart. The color of one’s skin is a wildly preposterous attribute to judge another individual on if there ever was one. Ayn Rand was correct in stating that “racism is the lowest, most crudely primitive form of collectivism.” It casts one’s fellow man not as an individual to be judged on the basis of “his own character and actions,” but by the collective actions of his ancestors and others with similar skin colors and ancestral backgrounds. No rational person and lover of human liberty should support such a crude and irrational prejudice of thought to be perpetuated, much

less to be used in order to codify injustice into law. And yet, such a prejudice of thought has existed since the birth of our nation and continues to exist to this day. It should be remembered, then, that America is not great by the mere virtue of its existence, but by the philosophy that it represents — namely, that all men are created equal and have unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. As King noted, there are no qualifiers on the bold proclamations of the Declaration of Independence, nor exclusions predicated on one’s racial or ethnic heritage. The fact that this universal truth was not applied to all people in this country for hundreds of years is a cruel aberration in this history of human liberty. Martin Luther King, Jr. represented a natural extension of all the courageous men who came before him that fought desperately for the cause of human freedom and dignity. He reminded us that we should never be content with the injustices that we have been presented with, but to always and everywhere challenge a philosophy that favors the subjugation of any one group of individuals over another. He evoked the sentiments of great abolitionists before him who insisted that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. A man’s legacy does not exist in the abstract but only in the minds of his fellow men, as interpretations of his endeavors. For me, King’s legacy

Martin Luther King, Jr. represented a natural extension of all the courageous men who came before him that fought desperately for the cause of human freedom and dignity.” is embodied in the words he spoke proudly in front of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. It was a message not intended only for African-Americans, but for all Americans. It demanded that every man be afforded the sacred rights that are codified in our nation’s founding document. It affirmed once more that simple lip service to freedom and justice is not enough. On that day, King continued the fight that cannot be allowed to end. Every generation has a responsibility to ensure that freedom rings “from every mountainside... from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city.” We are all equals in the brotherhood of man, which is by nature born free. Let us renew the pursuit of a society where man is not subject to the arbitrary dictates of another, but free to live peacefully according to the dictates of his own conscience. Steven Christopher is an economics alumnus and graduate finance student in the C.T. Bauer College of Business and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.

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LIFE & ARTS

The Daily Cougar

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

ALUMNI IN THE ARTS

Former Cougar gets ready for “Playtime” date at Sundance Filmmaker discusses short film, his time abroad and getting his start at UH Chelsea Whiting

THE DAILY COUGAR A UH alum who went off to Germany to study film is headed to Park City, Utah for the prestigious Sundance Film Festival this week to premiere a short film he directed during his time away. “Playtime (Spielzeit),” the short film that Director Lucas Mireles shot in Cologne, chronicles life in the city by following several people throughout a Sunday afternoon. Mireles, a current student at the University of California Los Angeles’ MFA film directing program, was given an opportunity ! " Mireles to study German films in collaboration with the International Film School in Cologne. Mireles was one of four people — along with a fellow American and two Germans — who took part in the program. “It turned into an experience that most people only dream of,” Mireles said. For seven weeks, Mireles studied German life and films. The 1930s film “People on Sunday,”

The film “Playtime (Spielzeit)” by UH alumnus Lucas Mireles was inspired by a 1930s film titled “People On Sunday.” Mireles’ film focuses on German children, including one played by German actor Tim Lingen (above). | Photos courtesy of Lucas Mireles directed by Billy Wilder, inspired Mireles to make “Playtime (Spielzeit).” Mireles fell in love with the city of Cologne and made his film a tribute to the city, the time he spent there, the people he met and the knowledge he gained from the experience, he said. The world premiere of “Playtime (Spielzeit)” at Sundance is an accomplishment that Mireles described as wonderful. “It’s every young filmmaker’s

dream to show their works of art to the crowd at Sundance,” he said. UH is where Mireles was first set loose with a camera, armed with his inspired mind and a desire to create. His first film was made for his digital cinematography class under the direction of professor Keith Houk, who still remembers Mireles as dedicated and passionate. “As a student, Lucas had a drive and a dedication that set him apart from many of his

contemporaries,” Houk said. “He always threw himself into every project with a passion and determination that I wish everyone had.” Mireles was one of the first students to take the class, and which Houk said, really helped shape what the class could be. “You could tell he wasn’t just finishing a project to get a grade and move one. He was treating each project as a stepping stone to a career,” Houk said.

“He has a great natural talent, but also has the understanding that it isn’t talent alone that gets you where you want to go. He understands you also have to work your tail off as well.” During Mireles’ time at the University, he was quite involved with the community. At one point, like most college students, Mireles needed a job and found one at The Daily Cougar, selling ad space to companies. Needless to say, it was not something he was very interested in. “After a very short time as an ad salesman, I left the office and walked next door (to the editorial office) and asked what else could I do for them,” Mireles said. He began writing articles for the Opinion and Life & Arts sections of the paper. It became something he truly appreciated because it was another way for him to express himself. “Opinion writing gave me a chance to write the way I spoke, which is something I missed out on (while) writing essays for school,” Mireles said. Mireles received his bachelor’s in media production in 2006 and a master’s in mass communication studies in 2010 from the University. Mireles is currently focusing on the promotion of “Playtime (Spielzeit),” but he has other projects in pre-production including UCLA’s first-ever threedementional action film. arts@thedailycougar.com

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

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Tuesday, January 17, 2012

The Daily Cougar

EDITOR Joshua Siegel E-MAIL sports@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/sports

JOSHUA SIEGEL THE DAILY COUGAR

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL UAB 67, Houston 43 UAB ................... 34 Houston ............ 22

33 21

67 43

Rocky road continues for Cougars with latest loss Gilbert Requena

THE DAILY COUGAR The Cougars’ disappointing season hit another bump in the road on Sunday as they dropped their second-straight contest, losing 67-43 to Conference USA nemesis UAB. UH (2-14, 1-3 C-USA) was without Head Coach Todd Buchanan who was suspended for one game by the conference for not leaving the court in a timely manner after being ejected during Thursday’s 76-61 loss to SMU. Buchanan will return for the Cougars’ next game. Associate Head Coach Wade Scott took over the play calling duties, but in the end, the result was an all-too-familiar one. The Cougars fell behind UAB (13-3, 4-0 C-USA) early, trailing 13-3 within the first five minutes. UH was able to get back in the game with some staunch defense and even took a 14-13 lead with 8:36 to go in the first half. The lead was short lived though as UH turnovers sparked a 21-8 Blazer run to close the half. The second half was dominated by UAB and the Cougars were never able to get back in the game. HOOPS continues on page 11

UH SCHEDULE

Friday’s results

Track — Leonard Hilton Invitational

Men’s pole vault ............... Michael Mahnke (1st) Women’s pole vault ...................Karley King (1st) Women’s long jump.............. Tai’shea Reese(1st) Men’s shot put .........................John Fortune (1st) Men’s 60m .....................................Errol Nolan (4th)

Saturday’s results Men’s basketball

Memphis 89 ........................................... Houston 55

Sunday’s results Women’s basketball

UAB 67 ..................................................... Houston 43

Wednesday’s games Men’s basketball

Houston (9-8, 1-3) at SMU (9-8, 1-2)...................7

Thursday’s games Women’s basketball

Tulsa (6-8, 1-2) at Houston (2-13, 1-2) ...............7

Saturday’s games Swimming

SMU at Houston ..................................................... 11

The Cougars 9-8 record is indicative of the hot-and-cold play they’ve experienced this season. After opening the season with three-straight wins, the Cougars enjoyed a five-game win streak, but have also endured two losing streaks of three games, the most recent of which has come against Conference USA opponents. | Aaron Cisneros/The Daily Cougar

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Rollercoaster ride

Cougars continue season of streaks joshua Siegel

THE DAILY COUGAR This year’s Cougars remind head coach James Dickey of another team from his past. “I had a young group my second year at Tech,” Dickey said. That 1992-93 Red Raider team featured players like freshman forward Jason Sasser and sped out of the gate to a 7-2 start before going 4-8 in their next 12 games. “We had so many young guys, and it wasn’t until midway through the conference race until we really started playing well,” Dickey said. The Red Raiders would come together though to go 6-1 down the stretch to finish 18-12, including a run through the Southwest Conference Tournament to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Similarly, this Cougars team is talented and full of young players, enjoying and enduring the highs and lows that come with having a talented, but young roster. Already,

Cougar Sports Services

Men’s basketball

The Cougars scored another win in the recruiting game. Sunday night, Houston Chronicle’s Sam Khan Jr. reported that defensive tackle, Donald Hopkins has verbally committed to UH.

Houston (0-0) at Baylor (2-0) ................................1

Track

Nebraska Invitational ...................... All day event

Sunday’s games Women’s basketball

Houston (2-13, 1-2) at UTEP (14-2, 3-0).............2

advantage of opportunities where we build up momentum,” Dickey said. “I think it’s a combination of the things. The biggest thing is that we have to have a mindset that we are going to compete on every possession for 40 minutes. That has to be the mindset.” Dickey stressed that the Cougars are settling for too many jump shots. “We’ve got to get more stuff going to the basket,” he said. “We’ve been going east and west too much. We need to start going north and south, either on dribble drives, back cuts; we’re playing way too much out of the perimeter, playing way too soft offensively.” Junior forward Kirk Van Slyke’s play might be a key to helping the Cougars get back on track. During the Cougars’ season-opening threegame win streak, Van Slyke averaged 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds. Van Slyke has faded to 5.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in the last three losses for the Cougars though. “Early, he was shooting the ball DICKEY continues on page 12

STANDINGS

C-USA Men’s Baskeball CONF.

OVERALL

Team

W L GB W L Pct Str

Marshall Memphis Souther Miss UCF Rice Tulsa UTEP SMU Houston Tulane East Carolina UAB

4 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 0 0 0

0 0 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3

— .5 1.0 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.0 2.5 3.0 2.5 2.5 2.5

13 12 16 13 11 9 9 9 9 12 9 5

4 5 3 4 7 9 9 8 8 5 7 11

.765 .706 .842 .765 .611 .500 .500 .529 .529 .706 .563 .313

W4 W6 W1 L1 W2 W2 W1 L2 L3 L3 L3 L4

Standings accurate as of today

STATS

Per game averages g J. Simmons 17 A. Harris 17 J. Young 17 T. Thomas 17 K. Van Slyke 16 Thibodeaux 17 J.J. Thompson 17 L. Gibson 14 L. Barnes 5 M. McLean 5 J. Jones 5 D. Brooks 3 R. Stevenson 3

gs 16 16 9 17 1 16 9 1 0 0 0 0 0

min 27.9 28.7 28.5 27.8 14.9 30.7 25.1 11.3 13.2 13.0 3.2 2.7 2.0

fg% 54.6 53.0 39.5 57.1 44.2 40.2 36.4 56.5 40.0 33.3 n/a .000 n/a

ft% 72.2 63.4 85.3 54.2 87.9 92.9 83.3 75.0 50.0 71.4 n/a n/a n/a

reb 4.5 5.9 3.4 7.7 3.3 3.3 1.9 2.9 2.8 3.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

ast blk 1.8 .3 1.2 1.6 2.9 .3 1.2 2.5 .4 .3 2.8 .4 2.5 .1 .5 .3 1.4 .2 .2 .4 .6 0.0 .3 0.0 0.0 0.0

stl .9 .7 .7 .9 .1 .8 .8 .1 .6 0.0 .2 0.0 0.0

pts 14.6 13.8 10.6 10.5 8.1 6.6 6.6 4.6 2.2 2.2 0.0 0.0 0.0

Recruiting class grows more impressive with Hopkins

Tennis

ECU (9-7, 0-3) at Houston (9-8, 1-3)....................7

the Cougars have seen winning streaks of three and five games, but also broke those up with separate three-game losing streaks. “It’s frustrating because we expect a lot more because these guys are talented,” Dickey said. Right now, they are closer to that Tech team during its slide rather than its late-season run. Whether they can come together and have the success of that young Red Raider team is on the shoulders of the players. Rebounding has been a concern all season, but the Cougars have struggled in the second halves of games, especially during their current three-game slide. “It started at UTEP,” Dickey said. “I thought we really competed hard here against Tulsa. In the second half against UTEP, we didn’t defend very well. Second half against Central Florida, we didn’t rebound. And the second half against Memphis, after the 14-minute mark, we just didn’t play.” Against the Tigers, the Cougars were able to cut the deficit to eight, but then allowed Memphis to go on an 18-0 run. “We really haven’t taken

At 6 feet 2 inches, the 275-pound lineman from Lago Vista High School was originally committed to Missouri, but pulled his commitment on Jan. 10. Hopkins participated in the Under Armour All-America High School Football Game and is ranked as the 17th best defensive tackle in

the nation by ESPN.com. As a senior, Hopkins recorded 92 tackles, 14 for a loss, six sacks and forced five fumbles. In addition to UH, Hopkins had offers from 17 other schools including Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor and Utah. Hopkins told the Chronicle that

his decision to come to Houston was not based on the Cougars’ recent success, but rather his desire to stay close to home and play in a big city along with the relationship that he has developed with defensive line coach, Carlton Hall. sports@thedailycougar.com

SPORTS

The Daily Cougar

COMMENTARY

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

FOOTBALL

Levine’s staff takes shape Joshua Siegel

THE DAILY COUGAR

In his four seasons patrolling the sidelines at Robertson Stadium, former head coach Kevin Sumlin led the Cougars to a 35-17 record, while doing something his predecessor Art Briles did not — win a bowl game. | File Photo/The Daily Cougar

Can’t blame the guy John Brannen

THE DAILY COUGAR Don’t be mad at Kevin Sumlin for leaving. The former UH head coach traded in his signature red visor for a maroon one, and is now at the helm of Texas A&M’s football program. UH is set to leave Conference USA for the Big East, and much-needed upgrades to the University’s athletic facilities are around the corner. Yet the progress he made with the Cougars was not enough to keep Sumlin for the long haul. He jumped at the opportunity to lead the Aggies into their first season in the SEC and rightfully so. Instead of planning for Rice or Marshall, Sumlin will compete in the premiere division in college football that features Alabama, LSU and several other powerhouse football schools. Similarly, when former head coach Art Briles left UH for Baylor, fans took to The Daily Cougar’s Facebook page or other internet forums to release some scathing criticisms off their chests — most of which were irrational. Some people called him coach SCUMlin or replaced the ‘S’ in Sumlin with a dollar sign. “The guy was already receiving about a million a year. I guess that wasn’t enough.” “Where is your sense of loyalty? When you truly love the sport, a bigger contract, a fancier pedigree and

HOOPS continued from page 10

“We turned the ball over a little too much,” Scott said. “We got a little too passive. We were in there for a while, but we let it slip away and we couldn’t get it back.” After last season’s regular season success, where the Cougars went 26-6 and 16-0 in conference play, this season has been a polar opposite. The loss of last year’s seniors coupled with new players and injuries, namely to team standout Porsche Landry, have left the team reeling to find answers. “Part of it is that you have people

whatever else you’re wooed with, shouldn’t matter. Go to your new home, learn your calls, and swap out your Cougar Red...I’d be embarrassed to shake your hand!” Actually, a bigger contract and a fancier pedigree do matter. These critics need a better grasp on reality, and could use some growing up. Loyalty goes out the window when another organization makes an offer you can’t refuse. If you’ve never been a millionaire, then you shouldn’t make assumptions about that lifestyle. Sumlin was making approximately $1 million per season at UH — Texas A&M upped the ante and signed him to a five-year contract worth $10 million. So if for some strange reason the Aggies decide to fire Sumlin tomorrow, he is guaranteed $10 million. To put it in perspective, if a recently graduated college student makes $35,000 per year at their job, and received an offer to perform the same job responsibilities for $70,000 that person would be a fool to not take it. If a cashier at a fast food restaurant can make $16 an hour instead of $8 an hour, there would be no rightful reason to decline that chance. If you have the means to increase the quality of life for yourself and your family, most people will take it, despite its inherent risks. For Sumlin, the move is certainly a gamble — he will face scrutiny in a hurry if he does not produce results in Aggieland. The most devastating part about Sumlin’s departure is that

he’s taking the majority of his staff at UH with him. Co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Kliff Kingsbury, offensive line coach B.J. Anderson and running backs coach Clarence McKinney have left to join Sumlin. Co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Jason Phillips is leaving to coach at SMU, and defensive coordinator Brian Stewart has also left the program to be the defensive coordinator at Maryland. The current coaching staff is a shell of the previous group. But Tony Levine was undoubtedly the right choice to replace Sumlin as head coach. Sumlin and Levine became head coaches for the first time at UH, and it is Levine who is tasked with building a new, talented coaching staff. Levine’s hiring illustrates how successful the Sumlin regime was. Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades conducted a national search for the replacement, and he found that the right candidate was in house. Levine will put his own unique stamp on UH football, but it is a continuation of what Sumlin, his mentor, had started. So when you see Sumlin patrolling the Texas A&M sidelines next season, do not wish him ill-will. His leadership will be missed, but he is partly responsible for making UH relevant again. For the four years he spent at UH, his contributions were mutually beneficial to himself and the Cougars.

who are playing positions they aren’t used to playing,” Scott said. “Youth also plays a part in it. You have a lot of young kids out there who are trying to grasp what it is like to play in Division I. “You’re going to have some ups and downs, but right now it’s just more down than up.” Senior guard Roxana Button echoes Scott’s sentiments. “We lost six seniors and most of them were our leaders,” Button said. “We have a whole new team coming in this year and ‘a work in progress’ is the best way I can explain it.” Even though the season has not played out the way the team hoped, they believe they can turn things

around and climb up the conference standings before the season’s end. “We need to keep working in practice, stay focused and continue to learn from our mistakes,” Button said. “Not going backwards is the biggest thing. Senior guard Michelle White believes that improvement on defense is the key for the Cougars to compete in C-USA. “If we keep working and buying into what the coaches are saying, I think we will be right there, competing in every game on the schedule,” she said.

sports@thedailycougar.com

There will be some new faces on the sidelines for the Cougars this season. In the two weeks since the Cougars’ win over Penn State at the TicketCity Bowl, head coach Tony Levine has filled out his staff. Former linebackers coach Jamie Bryant was promoted to defensive coordinator. Former defensive coordinator Brian Stewart left UH to take the same position at Maryland. Replacing Kliff Kingsbury, who will join Sumlin at A&M, is Mike Nesbitt. Nesbitt, who will keep the Cougars’ “Air Raid” attack intact, worked last season as Stephen F. Austin’s offensive coordinator, and held the same position at Blinn College during their 2006 NJCAA STAFF continues on page 12

Head coach Tony Levine picked out his replacement as special teams coordinator and other major coaching positions for his staff. | Brianna Leigh Morrison/The Daily Cougar

Levine’s team The only remaining mystery about Head Coach Tony Levine’s coaching staff is who will replace Larry Jackson as the Cougars’ strength and conditioning coach. New positon Defensive coordinator Offensive coordinator Sp. teams coordinator Offensive line coach

Coach

Previous position, tenure

Jamie Bryant

UH, linebackers coach, 2011

Mike Nesbitt

Stephen F. Austin, offensive coordinator, 2011

Jamie Christian Arizona St., special teams coordinator, 2007-11 Lee Hays

Tartleton, offensive coordinator, 2011

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SPORTS

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

DICKEY continued from page 10

well,” Dickey said. “He was much more physical. And we need to get him involved because he’s a terrific pick-and-pop guy, pick-and-roll guy. He can shoot the ball, get to

the free throw line. He’s not playing quite as physical as we would like him to down low, and I don’t want him to be just a straight perimeter player. “He’s another guy we need to get rolling and we’re hoping that the way we’re going to open this up a little bit will get him involved and

The Daily Cougar

stretch the defense.” Despite the last three ugly losses, the talent is there for the Cougars to turn things around. “Part of it is understanding that you look at it, you learn from it and you move forward,” Dickey said. sports@thedailycougar.com

STAFF continued from page 11

championship season. Jamie Christian becomes the Cougars’ new special teams coordinator after spending five seasons at Arizona State. The special teams

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unit should not skip a beat with Levine’s replacement. Christian mentored 2007 Groza Award-winner Thomas Weber, and last season helped the Sun Devils rank fifth in the NCAA in punt returns and tenth in kick returns. sports@thedailycougar.com

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Tuesday, January 17, 2012

The Daily Cougar

EDITOR Jose Aguilar E-MAIL arts@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/arts

CAMPUS LIFE

Back-to-school happenings around campus during Coogs first week A spring welcoming UH’s Staff Council will host Spring Welcome 2012 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and Wednesday at various locations across campus. Volunteers will provide campus maps and directions, answer questions and provide a warm welcome to new and returning students. For locations and more information, visit www. uh.edu/staff-council/spring-welcome.index.php.

Free lunches by Bruce The A.D. Bruce Religion Center will provide free lunches to students who stop by today through Friday. Lunch will be provided between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the lounge area of the center’s second floor atrium.

Meal plan information UH Dining Services will have an information table set up beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the University Center. Students interested in meal plans and campus dining options are encouraged to stop by. Those unable to stop by can visit the department’s website at www.uh.edu/auxiliaryservices/ dining.

A “Hump Day” welcome If you are ready to shake off the back-to-school blues, join your fellow Coogs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the UC Arbor lower level for a student-led event.

Spring into student government The first meeting of UH’s Student Government Association takes place at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the University Center Cougar Den. For more information on SGA, visit sga.uh.edu.

Frontier Fiesta planning begins UH’s spring festival is less than three months away. Students interested in helping make the 2012 edition a success should stop by the UC’s Tejas Room at 5 p.m. Wednesday for the first meeting of the plannning committee. For more information on Frontier Fiesta, visit www.uh.edu/fiesta.

SEMESTER PREVIEW

Arts kick off in grand style First month of the semester features major events from the university’s creative arts community Darlene Campos

THE DAILY COUGAR The start of a new semester means heading back to class and textbooks, but it does not mean shutting out social life. This spring UH has various arts- and campus life-related events to be enjoyed in between studying. On Jan. 24, the Houston Room at the University Center will have a free roundtable panel discussion with students, faculty, and staff on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Renia Butler at rslusby@uh.edu. On Jan. 26, the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture presents “Young Architects of Spain: A Window to the Unknown” from 6 to 9 p.m. A panel discussion featuring curators Jesús María Aparicio and Jesús Donaire and respondent Carlos Jiménez will take place the first hour followed by a reception and the opening of the YAS exhibit. This event, which is co-sponsored by the Consulate General of Spain in Houston, is free to the public. Additional YAS events will take place at the college throughout April. For more information, visit www. arch.uh.edu. The Moores Opera House is bringing two musical plays to the stage during the month of January. “Tartufee,” a play written by famed Frenchman Molière, debuts at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 26. “Tartufee” tells the story of a pious man who is also scam artist. The version to be held at the Moores Opera House takes place in 1920s Monaco with music by Kirke Mecham. “Amelia,” written by Stephen Wadsworth with music by Daron Hagen,

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outlines the life of a woman who lost her father when he was a pilot in the Vietnam War. The woman’s father has returned to her life — as a ghost. The UH staging will be the works second performance. “Amelia” was first performed in 2010 by the Seattle Opera. For more information and for tickets, visit www.music.uh.edu/opera. The 2012 International Piano Festival will take place at the Moores Opera House Feb. 3-5. The event will feature the music of Mozart, Chopin, Liszt and Franck during separate recitals by UH music professor Abbey Simon, German pianist Markus Groh, and Uruguayan virtuoso Alberto Reyes. Groh was the first German pianist to win first place at the Queen Elisabeth International Competition in Brussels, Belgium in 1995. Reyes has been performing for 50 years and had his first recital at the age of eight in Montevideo, Uruguay. For more information and to purchase tickets, please call the Moores Opera House at (713) 743-3388. Starting Feb. 24, UH’s School of Theatre and Dance will present a production of Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible.” Miller’s work won the 1953 Tony Award for Best Play and was thought to be a metaphor hinting at Senator Joseph McCarthy and his communist claims against many renowned Americans. This historical play is based on the actual events of the notorious Salem witchcraft trials of seventeenth century Puritan Massachusetts. The school will also stage “Fragments,” written by UH Distinguished Professor of Theatre Edward Albee. The production will take place March 23-April 1. Beginning April 20, the school will also present “The Cripple of Inishmaan,” which will be directed by Carolyn Houston Boone The play, according to the school’s website, is a “touching comic tale in the great tradition of Irish storytelling” that

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focuses on Billy, a young cripple who wishes to escape the bitterness of his life. For more information on any of the school’s upcoming performances or to purchase tickets, visit www.theatre. uh.edu/onstage. The school will also feature its dance program when it presents “Between the Lines,” the annual show that features contemporary works by faculty and guest artists performed by the UH Dance Ensemble, a pre-professional dance company. For more information, visti www. theatre.uh.edu/onstage/wortham_4.asp. UH’s Blaffer Arts Museum is presenting two exhibits this semester. The first, “Anton Ginzburg: At the Back of the North Wind,” to UH after closing at the renowned Venice Biennial. The exhibition “documents the artist’s search for Hyperborea, a mythical northern territory,” according to the museum’s website. The exhibit features a video installation, large-scale sculptures, site-specific bas reliefs, photography, paintings, and a series of works on paper. The exhibit runs from April 14 until July 1. “Andy Coolquitt: Attainable Excellence” opens two weeks after the Ginzburg exhibit. The exhibit is both a debut at the Blaffer and Coolquitt’s first solo museum exhibition. It “will recombine 60 discrete sculptures and tableaux made between 2006 and 2011 into a site-specific installation,” according to the Blaffer website. The exhibit runs April 28 through Sept. 23. UH’s School of Art will present its Master’s Thesis show at Diverseworks art gallery this year. The annual show, which features works by students about to graduate from the school’s master of fine arts program, will take place April 27. For more information, visit www. uh.edu/class/art.

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The Daily Cougar

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Tuesday, January 17, 2012

crossword

06.13 by Jessi N.

ACROSS 1 Half a 1960s foursome 6 Establish as the truth 11 Prohibition, for one 14 Rock concert venue 15 Fit for Muslim consumption 16 Woodpecker’s tool 17 Thrilled to no end 19 Like some martinis 20 Pageant bands 21 Thick and sticky 23 Puts on, as a show 26 Has control over 27 Golden Fleece carrier 31 Palindromic honorific 32 Fifth-century warrior 34 Futile 35 Trueheart of comics 37 Barrel slat 41 Blissful 44 Curriculum ___ (career summary) 45 Group of three singers 46 Firewood purchase 47 Worker among players 49 Quaint motel 50 “___ the night before Christmas...” 51 Nutritional regimen 54 When kids get a break 57 Cattle contagion 59 Speaking with a grating voice 64 Vowelless degree 65 Thrilled to pieces 68 Poet Prior’s “prior” 69 Giant squid’s home 70 Blacksmith’s work site 71 Note after fa 72 “Vita”describer 73 Barely flows through the cracks

Blundergrads by Phil Flickinger

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 Butter servings 2 Operafeature 3 Lifter’s pride 4 Egyptian life symbol 5 Marketing data 6 Goal of some candidates 7 Spoken-word genre 8 Martini must 9 Become invisible 10 Lodge fellows 11 Provide financial backing

33 36 38 39 40 42 43 48 51 52 53 55 56 58 60

TV staple Immeasurable chasm Country spread Help for a spy Performer’s promoter Gut-related Tel ___, Israel Punjabi queen Heart of the matter Where many wish for peace Employ Rain alternative Speak bluntly Wang of wedding wear Odds’ partners Air show formation Chief Japanese island He reigned in Spain Claire of “The Rainmaker” Many a frosh course Mertz or Kennedy Do really well Bottler’s offerings Cathedral cross “Rachel Getting

61 62 63 66 67

Married” star Hathaway Cut in half Scissors’ sound Aquatic shockers “Fond du” finish Next to nothing

Previous puzzle solved

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Welcome UH Students to 2012 Spring Semester! Have Questions? Need Directions to your classes? The Cougar First Impressions tables with friendly volunteers has the answers Spring Welcome 2012 locations are: t t 6$ 4PVUI 'BDJOH )JMUPO

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Celebrating 14 years of service! www.uh.edu/sc/cfi The University of Houston is an EEO/AA Institution

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

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