Issue 85, Volume 78 by The Cougar

Monday, March 4, 2013 // Issue 85, Volume 78

THE DAILY COUGAR

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 T O N

S I N C E

1 9 3 4

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

President, VP promise to hit ground running Katherine Morris Contributing writer

The ballots are in – Cedric Bandoh and Rani Ramchandani will take office in the 50th Student Government Association administration. Bandoh won re-election over competitor Eduardo Reyes with 59.6 percent of the votes. Bandoh and Ramchandani will begin serving their term together as president and vice president, respectively, April 1. Both Bandoh and Ramchandani plan on getting straight to business come April, Bandoh said. “Many items on our platform will begin simultaneously as we will hit the ground running,” Bandoh said. “Folks who know me understand that I believe time is money, and I don’t like wasting either one, and the students deserve an SGA that

works diligently.” “A major item that we will start, is working with our Department of Public Safety to look at implementing the Cougar Patrol,” he said. Bandoh said scholarships and financial aid will still remain as part of his driving forces. Bandoh and Ramchandani said they plan to continue to further improve on what we have, including a better refund service for students. Bandoh’s reason behind choosing Ramchandani is because of to her passion for the campus, he said. In the current administration, Ramchandani serves as chair of the Senate Committee on Administration and Finance. Outside of SGA, she has served two years as copresident of the Mr. UH Executive Board in which she raised $3,000 for philanthropic service

Professor asks for awareness LIFE+ARTS SGA Chief Election Commissioner Said Jalajal presented re-elected president Cedric Bandoh with his election results Friday. | Mary Dahdouh/The Daily Cougar “I am extremely grateful to the student body for supporting our mission and believing in our vision,” Ramchandani said. “At the end of the day, Cedric, myself and the

entire SGA collective are working in the best interest of the students for the students. SGA continues on page 3

OBITUARY

Law Center lecturer dies Chrystal Grant Staff writer

The Science Engineering Fair occurred Friday downtown, but the awards ceremony took place Saturday on campus. | Shaimaa Eissa/The Daily Cougar

SCIENCE

Fair awards successful students Makenzie Seman Contributing writer

On Saturday, in correspondence with its push for an increased focus on science and technology, UH contributed to the annual Science Engineering Fair of Houston, an event that awards more than $60,000 in college scholarships to approximately 200 students from the greater Houston area. UH has become a major player this year by holding campus and residence hall tours for the participating students and by having the award ceremonies held at the

Cullen Performance Hall. The fair has provided an educational service to junior and senior high school students since the 1960s. “Houston is this scientific hub,” said Mark Smith, dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. “And supporting and cultivating the local minds is extremely important to our city’s success.” Retired NASA astronaut and engineer Bonnie Dunbar, the leader the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Center, offered FAIR continues on page 3

OPINION

A lecturer for the UH Law Center who became the first African American woman to serve on the First Court of Appeals in Texas, died Friday. Gaynelle Griffin Jones, 64, died at her home in Houston after battling cancer for several years, said her daughter, Athena Jones. “She was very impressible and energetic,” Jones said, a correspondent for CNN. “She loved to work on new projects and travel, from building g i n g e r b re a d houses with her grandson to planning trips to Egypt, G h a n a a n d Griffin Jones South Africa.” Born Nov. 20, 1948 in Dallas, Griffin was the second child of Marvin and Lois Griffin. She graduated from A. J. Moore High School in Waco. She received a scholarship to Emerson College in Boston and earned a degree in history. She then received a full scholarship to attend Boston College Law School, where her 40-year legal career began. Griffin was appointed by the Texas governor to serve on the First Court of

Appeals. Former President Bill Clinton named her United States Attorney for the Southern District in Texas in 1993, making her the first African-American woman appointed to the position. Griffin taught trial advocacy at the UH Law Center and contributed legal services to the poor, criminal law, corporate law and private practices. Griffin loved to stay involved and volunteer her service, Jones said. She was a senior fellow as the Center for Houston’s Future and the American Leadership Forum, and she served on the board of the Houston Area Women’s Center; the Phoenix House of Texas, a teenage drug treatment program; and Cate School. Jones received many awards and honors for her achievements, including the Sarah Hughes Outstanding Achievement Award from the State Bar of Texas Women’s Section, the Bessie Coleman Trailblazer Award and the Star of Achievement Award. She was active in the Houston Bar Association as co-chair of the minority opportunities committee and was a frequent lecturer at professional seminars and programs. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Wheeler Avenue Baptist. news@thedailycougar.com

Speaker talks materialism SPORTS

Landry goes out on top GET SOME DAILY

thedailycougar.com

TOMORROW Learn how the fixed tuition will affect UH students.

ONLINE XTRA NASA scientists talked about human impact in climate change.

COUNTDOWN

Days until Spring Break.

It’s officially crunch time. No seriously, drop and give us 20 crunches.

The Daily Cougar

2 \\ Monday, March 4, 2013

S O C I E T Y

F O R

T H E

P E R F O R M I N G

CALENDAR

A R T S

B r i n g i n g t h e Wo r l d ’s B e s t t o Ho u s t o n 2 0 1 2 - 2 0 1 3 SEASON SP ON SOR

FIND US ON

spahouston

THE DAILY COUGAR

Brazil’s leading ambassadors of contemporary dance

GRUPO CORPO Imã and Sem Mim

8PM

MARCH 14 & 15

CULLEN THEATER, WORTHAM CENTER

GET TICKETS TODAY!

On Twitter

s Grupo Corpo’s compelling style grafts the pliancy of modern dance and rhythmic complexity of Afro-Brazilian dance onto ballet, captivating audiences with stunningly sexy physicality, dynamic ability, and rich visual ﬁnesse.

$10 FOR STUDENTS! (Discounted tickets by phone only)

SPAHOUSTON.ORG 713.227.4772

@thedailycougar

FOR GROUPS OF 15 OR MORE: 713-632-8113

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON HEALTH PROFESSIONS FAIR

Careers in...

PHOTOGRAPHY

Today Seminar: From 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. in Room 110 of Building 4 at the Energy Research Park, there will be a petroleum engineering seminar presented by Matt Honarpour who is a senior engineering advisor at Hess Corporation and a senior staff member with ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company. March Madness: From 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in Room 208 at Lyndall Wortham Theater studio, “Monday March Madness” will be held as an informal showing of student works. This event is free and open to public.

Tuesday Bauer Series: From 5 to 6 p.m. at Michael J. Cemo Hall Stubblefield Auditorium, students are invited to join the C.T Bauer College of Business for the first Distinguished Leaders Series of the semester. It will feature a discussion on shale energy’s effects on the economy, environment and security. Admission to this event is free with a reception beginning at 5 p.m. with the lecture following after. Baseball: From 6:30 to 11 p.m. at Cougar Field, the baseball team will compete against Pennsylvania State University. Admission is free to students with their UH ID. Concert: From 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Moores Opera House, a concert chorale featuring Concert Women’s Chorus, University Men’s Chorus,

University Women’s Chorus and Men of Moores will perform songs of love and passion. The concert will be conducted by Betsy Cook Weber and Jeb Mueller. Ticket prices range from $7 to $12.

Wednesday Documentary: From 8 a.m. to noon in the University Center Houston Room, there will be a screening of “The Invisible War.” Breakfast will be provided and a panel discussion will follow the screening. Culture Talk: From 12:15 to 1 p.m. in Room 106 at Charles F. McElhinney Hall, there will be a culture talk about women and education. Students are encouraged to bring their lunch. Baseball: From 4 to 9 p.m. in Cougar Field, the baseball team will compete against Pennsylvania State University. Admission is free to students with their UH ID. Basketball: From 7 to 10 p.m. in Hofheinz Pavilion, the men’s basketball team will compete against Rice University. Admission is free to students with their UH ID. Guest Recital: From 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the Dudley Recital Hall, there will be an installment of the Abram I. Lack Series, featuring guest performer Paul Roberts on piano from Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London. Admission to this event is free.

If you would like to suggest an event run in The Daily Cougar calendar, please submit a time, date, location and brief description to calendar@thedailycougar.com. The Cougar calendar runs every Monday and Thursday.

Advertising (713) 743-5340 advertising@thedailycougar.com

MONDAY, MARCH 4TH, 2013: ϭϬ͗ϬϬ D ƵŶƟů ϯ͗ϬϬ WD UNIVERSITY CENTER HOUSTON ROOM (R-251) Open to anyone interested in meeting with representatives from various Health Professions schools: Medical, Dental, Pharmacy, Optometry, Nursing, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant and many more! This event is sponsored by USCHOLARS@UH.

thedailycougar.com/advertising

Student Publications (713) 743-5350 stupub@uh.edu www.uh.edu/sp

START HERE. WE’RE HIRING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS Fill out an application at thedailycougar.com/apply or visit the Student Publications Ofﬁce in Room 7, UC Satellite. Questions? E-mail editor@thedailycougar.com

Room 7, UC Satellite Student Publications University of Houston Houston, TX 77204-4015

Issue staff Copy editing Errington Harden, Julie Heffler

ABOUT THE COUGAR The Daily Cougar is published Monday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and Wednesdays during the summer and online at thedailycougar. com. The Daily Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees. The first copy is free. Additional copies cost 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 tips and story ideas to the editors. Call (713) 743-5314, e-mail news@ thedailycougar.com. A “Submit news” form is available at thedailycougar.com. COPYRIGHT No part of the newspaper in print or online may be reproduced without the consent of the director of Student Publications.

Closing editors Amanda Hilow, Samantha Wong

The Daily Cougar is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press. studentpress.org/acp

Monday, March 4, 2013 // 3

The Daily Cougar

NEWS EDITOR

Natalie Harms

news@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/news

FREE TAX ASSISTANCE!!

CAMPUS

Guest lecturer uses desert as teaching tool Mary Dahdouh Contributing writer

The desert, known for its isolation and solidarity, has become a teaching inspiration of hospitality and social responsibility for author Rubén Martinez. Martinez, a former UH creative writing professor and Emmy Awardwinning journalist, returned to UH on Thursday to discuss how his book, “Desert America: Boom and Bust in the New Old West,” portrays the juxtaposition of the desert and inescapable human encounters. “People often go to the desert thinking that they will find solitude there, that they will find healing there; they will find a spiritual journey there,” Martinez said. “But if you stay there and live there like I did, you will find that all the things we are supposedly leaving behind are found in stark relief out in the desert as well.” Martinez was an immigrant to the desert, moving from one of the most

densely-populated cities in the world, Mexico City, to the deserts of New Mexico. Martinez said he struggled with tension between the desert he imagined and the desert he lived in. A young couple and their son lived next to Martinez and were a constant reminder of the unhappiness and struggle that dwells on the borders of the desert. Each day, Martinez would watch Rose and José’s fights from his attic but never did anything. “My wife and I write about borders. We write about the ideas of hospitality and solidarity,” Martinez said. “And then suddenly we’re living in a situation where our literal neighbors ... and our ideals of solidarity come up against this harsh reality of what are we supposed to do with our neighbors. ... What are our responsibilities?” Through these questions, Martinez opened the idea of hospitality and confrontation to include many global issues surrounding the idea of borders

Author Rubén Martinez said he uses the desert as a “teacher” of humanity in both his book and the lecture. | Mary Dahdouh/The Daily Cougar

SGA continued from page 1

“Our mantra for the 50th administration is to keep a continuous improvement mindset and leave things better than we left them. I can’t tell you how exciting of a role this is and how passionate I am about this University. Even with the expected challenges on this path, I only see a bright future with many

triumphs,” she said. Ramchandani takes the place of the current vice president, Turner Harris, who opted out for re-election to put focus on finishing school. “I hope Cedric and Rani pick up right where we left off and continue to have a tangible impact on the student body,” Harris said. “I’m really excited to see what they accomplish — it’s been a while since SGA has had a president serve back-to-back terms, so Cedric won’t

between people and nations. “He touched on a lot of concepts that I hadn’t really thought about,” said biology sophomore Amber Ansari. “He spoke about how a border is just a wall, but it’s only physically there. There’s no symbolic meaning, and it really doesn’t stop anything from happening or progressing.” In his book and lecture, Martinez compared his life in Mexico and the U.S. and said how two cultures clashed. For this reason, Maria Laura Zubiate, a graduate student and Spanish professor in the Honors College, urged her class to attend. “Today’s presentation dealt with a lot of culture between the two countries, and my class is not only about language, it’s about language and culture,” Zubiate said. “Through hospitality, what is happening in Mexico is not just the others’ problems. It’s our problem as well,” she said. Martinez concluded by saying the desert asks us to change the way we live and think explained by many philosophers, such as Jacques Derrida. “I always thought about what we would do if Rose came and knocked on our door one day, hysterical after a fight with José,” Martinez said. “A book on hospitality by Derrida answers that question: You have to open the door. By not taking the risk of opening the door or knocking on the door, how is anything going to change?” news@thedailycougar.com

have to spend the first couple of months learning the ropes. Rani is such an intelligent and capable person; I am very much looking forward to see what she does.” The voting process, which encountered multiple problems, provided the election’s results Friday, but the results should be validated by Tuesday, said chief election commissioner Said Jalajal. news@thedailycougar.com

International Students and Scholars

FREE TAX ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE If You Are Required to File an Income Tax Return, (Form 1040NR or 1040NR EZ) Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Volunteers Are Available to Assist You! This free service is available in the Bayou City Room (Room 202), University Center, 2nd Floor on the following Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm:

March 9, 16, 23, and 30; & April 6 and 13 (Saturdays only) You will need to go to the Bayou City Room to make an appointment. Bring the following: Your passport, Immigration Documents such as Forms I-20, or DS-2019; Any Forms W-2 and/or 1042-S; Forms 1099, if any; Records of all income and expenses. For additional information, please call the International Student And Scholar Services Office at (713) 743-5065. Don’t Forget to Make your Appointment with the Tax Volunteer on the Earliest Possible Saturday Among the Dates Listed Above

STUDENT PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE

MEETING WHEN 4 P.M. THURSDAY, MARCH 7 WHERE RIO GRANDE ROOM, UNIVERSITY CENTER WHAT UPDATES AND DISCUSSION ABOUT STUDENT PUBLICATIONS BUSINESS The SPC meets monthly during the school year to hear updates from the department’s units, to give a forum for public comment and to elect the editor in chief of The Daily Cougar. For more information, visit www.uh.edu/sp/committee If you require disability accommodations to attend the meeting,

FAIR continued from page 1

the contestants her advice at the ceremonies. “Developing a pipeline for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics will play a major role in the sustained growth and stability of the U.S. economy and

is a critical component to helping our nation win the future,” Dunbar said. The Science and Engineering Fair of Houston has promoted the learning and applications of science and technology for Texas middle and high school students. UH’s goal is to generate a steady stream of bright and talented students with an interest in STEM

fields to contribute to the growing scientific industries and health care facilities located in the city and state, Dunbar said. Dunbar offered more words of encouragement to the students. “I just don’t see obstacles,” Dunbar said. “I see challenges. I like solving problems.” news@thedailycougar.com

please call (713) 743-5350 to make arrangements.

Hot. Fresh. Daily. www.thedailycougar.com

The Daily Cougar

4 \\ Monday, March 4, 2013

OPINION EDITOR

VOICE OF THE PRIDE

Sequestration, deficit and the battle of the budget

eb. 19, when President Barack Obama marched out firefighters and other first responders in his campaign to shame Congress into passing legislation that would bypass or lessen the impact of the first wave of budget cuts, I was genuinely offended. Obama knew these cuts were coming, cuts he thought were “absolutely necessary” when he signed the Budget Control Act of 2011. He said as much Feb. 13, 2012 to students at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, Va. “The truth is we’re going to have to make some tough choices in Aaron order to put this country Manuel back on a more sustainable fiscal path,” he said. This year, the president has received his tax increases on the rich. With the end of the temporary 2-percent payroll cuts, everyone’s taxes have increased. Up until the zero hour before sequestration, Obama tried to avoid fulfilling the promise of the BCA in taking the first step toward ending Washington D.C.’s culture of uncontrolled spending. Still, there is more to be done. In truth, more spending must be cut, and taxes — painful as this reads — must increase. Balancing the budget is not enough; principal on the debt must be paid. That is just my opinion, though. The Opinion Desk wants to know what the Pride thinks in this week’s Voice of the Pride. Aaron Manuel is a print journalism senior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

SOUND OFF Submission guidelines for Voice of the Pride

All submissions must be 500 words or less. Students must submit their full name, major and classification (e.g., freshman) Staff or faculty must submit their full name, title and department. Alumni must submit their full name, major and graduation year.

Email all submissions to opinion@thedailycougar.com.

THE DAILY COUGAR EDITORIAL BOARD Joshua Mann Amanda Hilow ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR Samantha Wong NEWS EDITOR Natalie Harms SPORTS EDITOR Samantha Wong LIFE & ARTS EDITOR Paulina Rojas CO-PHOTO EDITORS Nichole Taylor, Mahnoor Samana OPINION EDITOR Aaron Manuel ASSISTANT EDITORS Channler Hill, Kathleen Murrill, Jessica Portillo EDITOR IN CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

Aaron Manuel

opinion@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/opinion

MENTAL HEALTH

Past the breaking point Debt, other factors driving more young adults to suicide Robert Buzzanco Guest contributor

Next week, I will commemorate the third anniversary of the worst day of my life — the date on which my son Kelsey Buzzanco, a UH student, died by suicide. It was March 11, 2010 when Kelsey took his life with a handgun. Since that time, I’ve thought of him every day, and anyone who has lost someone close to suicide will tell you that the pain does not go away. Still, there are ways to try to make something positive out of such a loss through helping others understand, get educated about and prevent the growing crisis of suicide in our society. According to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2010, there were more than 38,000 suicides in America, or 12.4 percent for every 100,000 people, which is up from 10.7 percent in 2000. College-aged persons accounted for 4,600 suicides, or 21.1 percent per 100,000 people. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people. More alarming is that there are about 1 million suicide attempts per year. Males are four times more likely to successfully kill themselves even though females attempt three times more than males. These numbers among young people are continuing to rise. Military suicides in particular have become a national mental health and medical crisis. Last year, more soldiers died by suicide than from service in the war in Afghanistan. Even after their service, the mental aftermath, the depression

and the post-traumatic stress disorder remain, and their risks of suicide are still significantly larger than the general population. Another emerging problem associated with suicide has become student debt. While the evidence is anecdotal, mental health professionals and counselors for young people all suggest that more young people are trying, and often succeeding, in killing themselves because of the pressure of student debt, which is now about $1 trillion nationwide. No discussion of suicide should occur without talk about guns. While recent tragedies have brought the issue of guns, especially assault weapons, into the national debate, the problem of handguns and suicide is actually much more alarming. In 2010, more than 19,000 suicides were attributable to firearms. Since the overwhelming majority of young people in crisis, like my son, can easily obtain guns, we have a lethal situation in which it becomes far too easy to commit suicide because someone having a crisis can obtain access to a nearby gun. With states like Texas considering the allowance of concealed weapons on campus, this issue will only become more important and the implications likely more grave. This information is vital, not to instill fear, but to educate. On campus, we have some of the groups most at risk: young people under stress, students on medications such as Ritalin or Adderall, military veterans and students in debt. The best approach is to talk to someone about these problems or to ask people who seem troubled if they’re doing okay. The UH Counseling and Psychological Services in the

UH history professor Robert Buzzanco, left, next to his late son Kelsey Buzzanco. Kelsey’s suicide is one in a growing number of suicides among young adults. | Photo courtesy of Robert Buzzanco

Student Service Center 1 Building is available to confidentially talk to students, but we need to get the University involved in having more suicide education programs during orientation and at other times. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which also has a campus chapter, has great resources and information at www.afsp.org. Sometimes, something as simple as asking someone if he or she is all right or needs to talk can be the difference between life and death. A few months ago, NFL player Jovan Belcher killed his girlfriend and himself. After, the Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback and his teammate, Brady Quinn, spoke to the media. “The one thing people can hopefully try to take away, I guess, is the relationships they have with people,” Quinn said.

“I know when it happened, I was sitting and, in my head, thinking about what I could have done differently. When you ask someone how they are doing, do you really mean it? When you answer someone back how you are doing, are you really telling the truth?” Quinn’s observation is an important one. Communication is key to educating about and preventing suicides. None of this information is useful if we only receive it after the fact, like I have. I worried about Kelsey but never realized how much pain he felt; however, it is possible to talk to others, to avoid having guns nearby and to seek help. Maybe then a lot fewer people will be commemorating anniversaries like I will be on March 11. Robert Buzzanco is a professor of history.

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.

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.

and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Commentary should be limited to 500 words. Guest commentaries should not be written as replies, but rather should present independent points of view. 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.

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,

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

ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the University or the students as a whole.

Monday, March 4, 2013 // 5

The Daily Cougar

SPORTS EDITOR

Christopher Shelton

sports@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/sports

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Landry shines in home finale Andrew Valderas Staff writer

Senior guard Porsche Landry surpassed Brittney Scott (2007-11), a former teammate for the seventh spot on the all-time scoring chart with 1,547 points. She scored 28 points in her final game at Hofheinz Pavilion. | Justin Tijerina/The Daily Cougar

With 17 seconds remaining in the game, the crowd rose and paid its respects Sunday to Porsche Landry as she hugged her coach and headed toward the bench for the last time at Hofheinz Pavilion. Head coach Todd Buchanan said the redshirt senior guard has meant everything to the team this year. “She’s put this young team with new faces on her back and has carried us to the promise land time and time again for our team,” Buchanan said. She again meant a lot for the Cougars. UH improved to 7-8 in C-USA and 13-15 overall with the 69-59 victory over Rice University. Landry was just shy of a tripledouble as she had game highs in 28 points, eight assists and nine rebounds. She said she left nothing behind and wanted to leave everything out on the court in her last home outing. “I wanted to come out and just have fun,” Landry said. “My plan was wanted to get my teammates involved and to play with no consciousness.” J u n i o r c e n t e r Ya s m e e n

Thompson registered her sixth double-figure scoring effort and was just shy of a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds. Thompson said Landry’s last game will make them play more consistently with the games ahead. “All of us are going to act like every game is going to be (Landry’s) last,” she said. “We were playing for a lot today and that is going to keep us ahead.” UH shot a season high 47 percent in the first half and had a 34-24 lead at halftime. “We stayed aggressive,” Buchanan said. “I thought our defense really started it for us when we forced turnovers and go in transition.” Buchanan said he is proud and grateful to be associated with such a great player like Landry. “She’ll have a legacy here at UH for the rest of her life,” Buchanan said. “Everything for her has been well deserved, and I have been extremely humble to be her coach for the past three years.” sports@thedailycougar.com

BASEBALL

Cougars’ bats guide team to Classic wins Harrison Lee Staff writer

The Cougars looked like a new baseball team as they slugged, fielded and threw their way to a 2-1 showing during the Astros Foundation College Classic this weekend. Over a span of three games, the Cougars scored 23 runs and were able to defeat two respected programs. “I feel good about the weekend. I’m happy with where the ball club is at,” said head coach Todd Whitting. The Cougars overpowered Texas A&M and Baylor before falling to the University of California-Berkeley. In

SPRING BALL Cougars open practice today If you want to find out who has the early lead in positions battles, the University is offering you a chance to do so in person. The UH football team opens spring practice today at 4:30. It is open to the public.

the process they scored 23 runs with 41 hits and collected 20 walks with 14 coming in the game against the Aggies on Saturday. Redshirt junior Frankie Ratcliff set a College Classic record with four walks in the seven inning game against Baylor. “I had the same approach going up to the plate to not try and do anything special and just get the next guy up,” Ratcliff said. “(If you are) able to foul balls off and attack pitches in the zone, the rest will fall into place.” The highlight of the Baylor game was UH scoring 15 runs on only 6 hits. One hit from junior infielder Jonathan Davis was good for four of those runs as he socked his first career grand slam into the left field Crawford Boxes at Minute Maid Park. “I went up there with the approach of just trying to get the guy in,” Davis said. “I was looking for something to hit, and the guy threw me a 3-1 fastball. I was able to put a good swing on it.” Cougar pitching and defense was

The Cougars, including freshman designated hitter Kyle Kirk, crossed the plate 23 times at the Astros Foundation Classic. The baseball team went 2-1, defeating Baylor and Texas A&M. | Esteban Portillo/The Daily Cougar solid for most of the Classic. Junior catcher Caleb Barker threw out two runners over the course of the Classic and junior outfielder Landon Appling made several good defensive plays throughout all three games. Cougar pitching was shown with

timely performances by senior Austin Pruitt, who got his third win of the season while keeping his ERA at a solid 1.71 in his win against Baylor on Saturday. Junior right-hander Chase Wellbrock held a high-powered Aggie offense to only one run over four

innings of long relief Friday. The Cougars are back home this week for a series against Penn State starting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Cougar Field. sports@thedailycougar.com

The Daily Cougar

6 \\ Monday, March 4, 2013

CLASSIFIEDS Find a home. Find a job. Find it here. Help Wanted

Help Wanted

ADS START AT $5/DAY

CALL 713-743-5356 Help Wanted

Bulletin Board Fertility Resources of Houston

Egg Donors Needed! Compensation $5,000-$8,000. Must be: non-smoker, healthy, BMI within normal ranges, and between 19-30 years old. Visit www.fertilityresourceshouston.com or call 713 783 7044 for more information and to fill out a preliminary application.

LAS VEGAS, air and three nights at Riviera only $239. Hard Rock only $289. Call 608-853-1784 or 800421-0599.

Theater Majors Wanted Extensive acting experience REQUIRED s 0AY RATE TO PER HOUR s -UST HAVE A CAR and be available evenings and WEEKENDS s %MAIL YOUR RESUME TO jobs@k3c.com

*STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM* PAID survey takers needed in Houston. 100 percent FREE to join! Click on Surveys. SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS needed for bayouvillageschol.org Contact Colleen Payne: colleenepayne@hotmail.com

New Garage Apartment. 2 blocks from UH in University Oaks. 1 bdrm/Full bath. New appliances incl Washer/ dryer. Free Wi-Fi and DirecTV. No pets. Non-smoking. Grad student preferred. $1050. Email: dragonlover@rice.edu THANKS for reading The Daily Cougar!

N N N

Find a place to live and a job to pay the rent.

THE DAILY COUGAR classifieds

COMICS Fresh Out of Logic by Kathleen Kennedy

The subtleties by Ustav Shrestha

want more? Cougar Academy by Nancy Tyan

Check out more Studentdrawn comics online... thedailycougar.com/comics

ACROSS 1 ___ drum (Caribbean instrument) 6 Accomplishes, to Shakespeare 10 Hog filler 14 Cognizant 15 It might come off the top of your head 16 “Dynamic” prefix 17 What some ions have 20 Inventor Nikola 21 Paradigms of sluggishness 22 Words from sponsors 24 Was familiar with 27 This and that 28 Funny, but not funny ha-ha 31 Slug secretion 33 Shrimp snare 34 Zeniths’ antitheses 36 Cinematic spectacles 38 The answer “no”

42 Ancient Greek gathering place 43 Monk of TV sleuthing 45 Big ___, Calif. 48 Barbecue rods 50 Careful observers 51 Chemically nonreactive 53 It may be reserved 55 Kind of horse or monkey 56 Gets a glimpse of 58 In the ___ of (among) 61 What those neither “for” nor “against” take 66 Hoops Hall-ofFamer Thurmond 67 Italian coin of old 68 “Purlie” star Moore 69 Bass and Harp 70 First family’s home 71 Acrobatic maneuver

DOWN 1 Vermont harvest 2 What it takes to tango 3 Big Apple slice 4 Lake southwest of Lake Ontario 5 Permits 6 Armless couches 7 Versified rhapsody 8 Clue collector, slangily 9 Cries of derision 10 Jazz great Vaughan 11 “American” or “Foreign” follower 12 Words of warning 13 Sweet spiced hot milk curdled with beer 18 Type, derogatorily 19 Go in advance 22 Barley bristle 23 College bigwig 25 Lift up 26 Disposable cleaning aid 29 Capital on the Baltic Sea

30 Racing vehicle 32 “Mighty Aphrodite” star Sorvino 35 “Cool it!” 37 Ballerinalike 39 Flower of one’s eye? 40 MRI tech’s instruction 41 Easily maneuvered, on 55-Across 44 CIA relative 45 “Burnt” Crayola color 46 Break open 47 Public esteem 49 Margaret Mead subject 52 Acts of worship 54 “Whether ___ nobler ...” 57 2-for-1 event 59 Adjusts for romantic effect, as lights 60 Word before “off” or “lively” 62 Canister top 63 Historic introduction? 64 Part of a geisha’s garment 65 Musical King Cole

Off campus? Online. Ô thedailycougar.com/

classifieds

UH huh... by Roberto Torres-Torres

Puzzle answers online: www.thedailycougar.com/puzzles

Monday, March 4, 2013 // 7

The Daily Cougar

LIFE & ARTS EDITOR

Paulina Rojas

arts@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/life-arts

BLAFFER

Materiality discussed through poetry Monica Tso Staff writer

Ubiquitous things have form, and matter poems can depict how those forms of life hold together, said Kathleen Stewart, an award-winning anthropology professor from the University of Texas at Austin during her seminar Wednesday evening at the Blaffer Art Museum. The Visiting Artist and Scholar Lecture Series invited Stewart to discuss her book project, “Worldlings,” a collection of matter poems personifying New England in relation to its current theme: materiality. “My focus is to transform the sound of language into writing,” Stewart said. “I want to push the edges of what people think is acceptable. In ‘Worldings,’ I learn how to incorporate the different trajectories and experiences of things.” Stewart said she illustrated the American road as an emergence of streams of matter and thoughts. She also described the color red through a perception of a local house and expressed “pockets” as dark human spaces in a room where something changed. “I want to capture the worlds in different intensities and to capture how uniquely people enter these

Kathleen Stewart, an award winning anthropologist discussed her experiences in New England through poetry Friday as part of the Blaffer Art Museum’s guest lecture series on materiality. | Monica Tso/The Daily Cougar worlds. My work experiments with the sensory materiality of forms of attunement to these worlds,” Stewart said. Rex Koontz, director of the School of Art, has worked with Stewart and said he believes she wants to

understand the poetry of everyday life by questioning aspects that are seemingly ordinary and concrete. “Stewart uses rich imagery much more effectively than most academics,” Koontz said. “She takes us down a New

England road with its colors, sounds and smells. She stops before a walking bridge to muse on its form color.” Instead of believing or not believing, Koontz said he thinks the matter poems provide an essential

service to the art world. “Matter poems push back against overly simplistic quantifications and rigid interpretive paradigms,” Koontz said. “It frees us to look closely and to pay attention to the way forms constitute themselves throughout time.” Art history freshman Brandon Zech said he was interested in Stewart’s connection with Tony Feher’s work, which is displayed in the Blaffer gallery, and the parallels between their ideas of poetry in everyday actions. “I was intrigued by her idea that poetry was all-encompassing of everyday life and that it was present in every little thing in our daily routines,” Zech said. “Stewart is simply putting into words what is common of everyday life.” Zech said he believes in the concept of matter poems and its prominence in current studies. He described matter poems as a way to see beauty in the everyday. “I think that life in itself is a sort of unwritten poetry,” Zech said. “This idea is significant, because when one looks at their life in this way, it makes their life seem very meaningful.” arts@thedailycougar.com

ORGANIZATIONS

Photo club zooms in on students Laura Gillespie Staff writer

The Photography Student Association is back in full gear after its recent fall-out from UH student organizations. Seasoned photographers and wishful newcomers came together Thursday for PSA’s first meeting of the year where introductions were made, events for the upcoming semester were discussed and $100 scholarships were awarded to one undergraduate and one graduate student. Formerly UHPSA, the PSA was refounded in the fall after the previous association lost its steam. Sharing a logo and some T-shirts with its predecessor, the PSA serves as a networking, teaching, learning and social experience for everyone from experienced photography graduate students to those who have never held a camera. “We took bits and pieces from

them, but it really is a new organization,” said Katelin Washmon, PSA president and a third-year photo visual media graduate student. “This (club) has graduate students involved, as well as undergraduate students, and I think that’s really crucial because that communication needs to be there. That networking needs to be there in order to have the club survive from year to year.” The club will host workshops on photographic techniques such as lighting or how to properly clean a camera. Additionally, the officers will offer portfolio critiques for students that want perspective on their work. The highlight of the meeting was the announcement of the scholarship winners. The students were chosen based on short portfolios that were evaluated by a panel of judges. CLUB continues on page 8

Looking for a job? Find it in the classifieds!

THE DAILY COUGAR

The Daily Cougar

8 \\ Monday, March 4, 2013

Donations needed for

LIFE & ARTS EVENTS

UH STAFF COUNCIL/FACULTY SENATE SPRING EGG HUNT

DATE: Saturday, March 23, 2013 TIME: Activities to begin at 9:00 a.m. PLACE: UC Satellite Park Area ;OL :[HMM *V\UJPS -HJ\S[` :LUH[L ,NN /\U[ ;LHT PZ ZLHYJOPUN MVY KVUH[PVUZ MVY V\Y HUU\HS :WYPUN ,NN /\U[ ;OPZ PZ VWLU [V HSS </ Z[HMM HUK MHJ\S[` JOPSKYLU \W [V `LHYZ VSK 7SLHZL OLSW \Z [V JVU[PU\L [OPZ [YHKP[PVU :THSS [V`Z Z[\MMLK HUPTHSZ IVVRZ Z[PJRLYZ ZTHSS UV[L WHKZ JVSVYPUN IVVRZ WLUJPSZ JYH`VUZ VY ; ZOPY[Z HYL ^LSJVTL >L HYL HSZV [HRPUN KVUH[PVUZ VM JHUK` Âś ZTHSS PUKP]PK\HSS` ^YHWWLK WPLJLZ [OH[ ^PSS MP[ PU[V WSHZ[PJ LNNZ 73,(:,! 5V JOVJVSH[L P[ TLS[Z [VV X\PJRS` 3HZ[ `LHY ^L MPSSLK HIV\[ LNNZ HUK IL[^LLU [V JOPSKYLU O\U[LK MVY [OVZL LNNZ WYPaLZ 7SLHZL JVU[HJ[ 9V^LUH *HZ[YV :[HMM *V\UJPS ,]LU[Z *V *OHPY H[ VY ]PH LTHPS YJHZ[YV'\O LK\ VY /LSLU 4LaH :[HMM *V\UJPS ,]LU[Z *V *OHPY H[ VY ]PH LTHPS TTLaH'\O LK\ [V JVVYKPUH[L WPJR \W VM KVUH[PVUZ (UV[OLY MS`LY ^PSS IL HYYP]PUN ZVVU [V WVZ[ ZV L]LY`VUL ^PSS RUV^ HIV\[ [OPZ `LHYÂťZ LNN O\U[ 3HZ[ KH[L MVY HJJLW[HUJL VM KVUH[PVUZ PZ! 4HYJO ;OHUR `V\ MVY `V\Y WHY[PJPWH[PVU

Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s play Museum brings kids to campus for annual day of educational activities Aisha Bouderbaden Contributing writer

Visiting children got to experience a tour of contemporary art pieces by Tony Fefer at the Blaffer Art Museum this weekend for Family Fun Day. From 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, children and their parents attended an event organized by Blaffer to encourage the community to take an interest in contemporary art. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re trying to get more people involved after the renovation,â&#x20AC;? said Erin Dunn, art education graduate and Blaffer docent. Blaffer, which re-opened in October after restoration, features different contemporary artists every 3 or 4 months. After the tour through the gallery, the children took part part in activites, such as a hopscotch game made out of various geometric shapes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All of these [activities] have an element of Feher,â&#x20AC;? said Katherine Veneman, Blafferâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s curator of education. One activity, tapetionary, required the children to make art with brightly colored tape on a white backdrop. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You want to spark their imagination,â&#x20AC;? Veneman said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kids have really open minds.â&#x20AC;? During the tours, docents stopped at each piece and let the guests ponder it before talking about some of the ideas and materials

CLUB continued from page 7

Undergraduate winner Brenda Franco was not present to receive her award, but second-year photography graduate student Jeremy Underwood said he was grateful. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was great. What more can you ask for? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the great thing about the organization: You get involved, you can participate but also get something out of it,â&#x20AC;? Underwood said. The PSA will host a viewing at the Houston Center for Photography

found in each piece. Painting graduate and Blaffer docent Frederick Ocksassa said his favorite was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sharadiant,â&#x20AC;? which was made out of a few brightly colored broom handles arranged in a circle. This was Ocksassaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first time giving a tour to children. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They seemed very intrigued, and they seemed to enjoy it,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want to get better at talking about art â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Tony Feherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exhibition in particular. People are kind of hesitant, and I like to change their minds on it.â&#x20AC;? Upstairs, there were more activities for the children, including painting and making toys with molds. Directed by artist mentors, sculpture alumni Lindsey Slavin and Tommy Gregory, these activities were among the most popular. The art pieces were set on a table to dry and were judged later. Winners in each category â&#x20AC;&#x201D; children, teenagers, and adults â&#x20AC;&#x201D; were given prizes. The adult winner received an exhibition catalogue, a thick book with all of Feherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s art pieces in the gallery. The other two winners received art supplies. Family Fun day, usually an annual event, is going to become a semesterly affair at Blaffer, Veneman said. The Blaffer Art Museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays. arts@thedailycougar.com

later in the semester, with studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; work turned to face the windows, so pedestrians walking past can view the photographs as well. â&#x20AC;&#x153;(I like) the whole idea of organizing people in a non-academic environment. You get a chance to socialize. You get a chance to learn things in a less-formal way and get to know everybody,â&#x20AC;? Underwood said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The relationship between undergrad and grad is always been separated, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nice to get that collaboration between the two.â&#x20AC;? arts@thedailycougar.com

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eat, Grandpa. COPY EDITORS

THE DAILY COUGAR

save lives.

rd ANNUAL 23rd

THE DAILY COUGAR is hiring copy editors. Fill out an application at thedailycougar.com/apply

ÂŽ