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Thursday, October 3 , 2013
Issue 23, Volume 79
S I N C E
1 9 3 4
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ADMINISTRATION
STATE
Khator talks student success at Fall Address
Water discussions flow to UH
Laura Gillespie Assistant news editor
The past year has been one marked by great change at UH. The University Center is undergoing renovations, academics and research are booming and a new stadium is being built from the ground up. President and Chancellor Renu Khator celebrated these changes, among others, at the 2013 President’s Fall Address held Wednesday morning at Moores Opera House. Yet Khator also discussed the University’s shortcomings and the areas where there is room to improve. “These last five years we have witnessed many changes, We have launched initiatives,
constructed buildings, shaped our recruiting of students and hiring of faculty, organized and re-organized our (efficiency),” Khator said. “The question that I would like to raise is, and the basis of my (speech is): ‘So what?’” “So what if buildings have been built? So what if initiatives have been launched? So what if recruiting and hiring practices have been changed? And so what if efficiency has changed? Has any of this made a difference in the lives of those we seek to educate and support: our students and alumni? Or those KHATOR continues on page 3
Manuella Libardi Senior staff writer
said. “We would like to see students’ input.” Since Tuesday, SGA has also been holding a voter registration drive in front of the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library. Many students have stopped by the table to register for voting and inquire about information on voter identification laws. “We got about 70 people registered, which is really good for a voter registration drive for one day,” said Director of External Affairs Bria Riley. “We were planning on having one on
Experts were on hand Tuesday at the Athletics/Alumni Center to discuss Proposition 6 and the implications it has on the future of water in Texas. The proposition promises to “assist in financing of priority projects in the state water plan to ensure the availability of adequate water resources.” The constitutional amendment plans to provide for water needs in Texas in the next 50 years through the creation of the State Water Implementation Fund, but whether the SWIF goes into effect depends entirely on the voters of Texas, because the bill is amending Article III of the Texas Constitution. Voting day is Nov. 5. The proposition authorizes a one-time transfer of $2 billion from the state’s Economic Stabilization Fund to fully implement the State Water Ritter Plan. “Legislation has been trying to find a method to fund the State Water Plan, and we have not been able to accomplish (it) because it took tax, a fee (or) some basis like this,” said Rep. Allan Ritter. “It has not been that high priority.” The issue of water became even more pressing after 2011’s drought. Texas State Director for the Nature Conservancy Laura Huffman said the timing for this election is perfect because of the consequences of recent droughts and called water a local and statewide issue. “Houston is actually a perfect example,” Huffman said. “Not only does Houston have to find future water supplies in order to support its doubling in size over several decades, but Houston will also benefit from or suffer from water planning in Dallas, for example, which is going to send whatever comes down Trinity River to Houston.” The panelists said that planning
SERVICES continues on page 11
WATER continues on page 3
President Renu Khator considers higher freshmen retention rates and more space dedicated to science labs among the University’s notable achievements. | Fernando Castaldi/The Daily Cougar
CAMPUS
UHPD takes National Night Out Matthew Wyatt Contributing writer
Police cars, uniformed officers, faculty and students filled Lynn Eusan Park on Tuesday, when the UH Police Department hosted the third annual National Night Out and Walk in the Dark and hundreds showed up to participate. One of the participants, Lt. Bret Collier, has attended the National Night Out every year that it has been held at the park and said that this year’s event was much larger than previous years. Collier also explained the importance of the event for both the community and the police. “It’s an opportunity for police to interact with the community, hear concerns the public are having and advertise the services the department offers,” Collier said. “We get an opportunity to talk to people we don’t usually get to talk to.” A performance by the University’s band began the event and free hot dogs were provided by UHPD. Students were able to familiarize themselves with the Department at the information booth. “Students see the officers and UHPD continues on page 11
The Student Government Association is planning on adding new services to help students with legal and medical questions by establishing a task force lead by SGA Attorney General Shane Smith. | Isabella Serimontrikul/The Daily Cougar
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
New task force to tackle health, legal services Timothy Payne Contributing writer
The growing number of student and student leader concerns for legal services and a new health center has focused the Student Government Association’s attention on forming a new committee to handle these issues. “We are looking at establishing a student legal service here at the University. This is a service where students can come in for free or very little cost,” said SGA Attorney General Shane Smith, who is taking
the lead on these issues. “This is for students signing leases on apartments, who get traffic tickets. College students get into some various things and we don’t know how to deal with them.” The plan is to have multiple attorneys available to students to answer their legal questions, Smith said. Smith has also set up a committee in support of a new health center with the help of SGA President Cedric Bandoh and Sen. Scarlett Najera. “There are seven exam rooms shared by all the services. (This is) not nearly enough room,” Smith
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CALENDAR Today invite you and a guest to an advance screening of
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Pick up passes in the STUDENT PUBLICATIONS BUSINESS OFFICE* Room 7, UC Satellite
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IN THEATERS FRIDAY OCTOBER 11
invite you and a guest to an advance screening of
Art: The Blaffer Art Museum presents “Feast: Radical Hospitality in Contemporary Art” from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Conference: The 15th Scholarship & Community Conference, discussing urban healthcare in the 21st century and how it affects the health of the greater Houston area, will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the UH Hilton Hotel. Lecture: Visiting Artist and Scholar Series: Zeneb Sedira and Ranjana Khanna, a conversation between the two artists moderated by Cynthia Woods Mitchell Curatorial Fellow Amy Powell, is a free event from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Fine Arts Building Room 110.
Friday Volleyball: The Cougars will play Cincinnati from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Athletics/Alumni Center. Cougars fans are encouraged to wear white to show their support. Performance: The Symphony Orchestra will be featuring the works of Dvorak, Rachmaninoff and Strauss from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Moores Opera House. Admission is $17 for the general public and $12
for students and seniors. Play: “The Beaux Stratagem,” written by George Farquhar and directed by Adam Noble, will be held on Friday and Saturday and Oct. 10 to 12 from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Wortham Theatre. On Sunday and Oct. 13, it will be held at 2 p.m. Admission is $20 for the general public, $15 for faculty, staff and alumni, $12 for seniors and $10 for students. Performance: French photographer Zineb Sedira will hold her first presentation in the United States with “Lighthouse in the Sea of Time,” a series of video installations and photographs about the artist’s travels to two Algerian lighthouses. The event is free and will be at the Blaffer Art Museum Room 120 from 6 to 9 p.m.
Saturday Performance: The ManChoir Festival, a free chorus featuring high school students from the local Houston area, will be from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Moores Opera House.
Sunday Volleyball: The Cougars will play against Louisville from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Athletics/Alumni Center.
If you would like to suggest an event for 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.
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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 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.
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Closing editors Natalie Harms, Channler K. Hill. Jenae Sitzes
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Thursday, October 3, 2013 // 3
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NEWS EDITOR
KHATOR continued from page 1
Students, faculty, staff and alumni who attended the Fall Address crowded the lobby of the Moores Opera House, where catering company A Fare Extraordinaire served sandwiches and homemade sweet potato chips for the reception after the address. | Fernando Castaldi/ The Daily Cougar
WATER
continued from page 1
future water supplies isn’t enough if Texans don’t understand the importance of conservation and “fundamentally changing behavior as it relates to water.” “We live in a state that really hasn’t had (to take action about) water use,” Huffman said. “We’re just now at a point where major Texas cities, as a whole, have taken conservation measures at a local level but actually regulated how often people use water.” A big part of the problem relates to watering lawns. As much as half of outdoor use of water in the warmer months is wasted, according to the Texas Water Development Board. This is where citizens can have a great impact, according to the panelists. “Anything that we can do to get the efficient use of existing water is in the best interest of every sector,” Huffman said. “It’s in the best interest of cities, it’s in the best interest of (agriculture), energy and
industry, and it is certainly in the best interest of our rivers, streams and aquifers … We will simply start thinking differently about water.” One theory about the State Water Plan assumes a solution can be engineered by the use of technology, according to Texas Tribune Editor in Chief Evan Smith. The emphasis has been put on reservoirs and piping water from places that have it to places that need it when the emphasis should be on long-term solutions, such as desalinization, reuse and conservation. Huffman is confident that the proposition will be passed because people feel responsibility. “It’s not just people who are charged with providing water that are engaging … so that gives me hope,” Huffman said. “Water is one of those issues that Texans in general feel sort of a personal accountability for. This is not one of those complicated problems where people are pointing fingers at someone else saying, ‘You broke it, you fix it.’” news@thedailycougar.com
we call our biggest treasures: our faculty and staff. Or those we call our community: the city, the state and the nation.” Khator discussed the achievements the University has made in the past year, such as more students in the STEM and engineering programs, excellence in law and research and that the campus now has over a million square feet of labs. “I think that (the speech) encapsulates this growing momentum. We are at a place often thought of as sort of a commuter school. It is a commuter school no more. It is an institution, it’s soaring, it’s headed to the next level and I think the excitement is palpable,” said UH Moment Media Relations Representative Mike Garrity. “Even looking at the challenges, I think it was really important that Dr. Khator challenged everybody at the end, (to) really just say, ‘We have challenges we still need to work on.’” One of the University’s oldest and most prevalent issues has been its lackluster graduation rates. The UH News and World Report lists the University’s four-year graduation rate as 16 percent, and Khator has been working since her initial appointment in 2008 to change that. “We are on the top list of global universities ... producing global
Mary Dahdouh
news@thedailycougar.com
executives. But our challenge is not about the graduates. It’s about the one who is left behind, who drops out and who quits,” Khator said. “Our Tier One chance (fails) if we fail to embrace each and every one of our students and get them across the finish line to graduation. That is our operation, that is why we exist. I know it’s a huge undertaking and it will require every single one of us to help and change the pattern. But all I know is that everything is possible if we want it bad enough.” Khator cited the University’s fixed-tuition program, formed by then-Interim Provost Paula Short as a plan to help improve the fouryear graduation rate by promising incoming freshmen a fixed tuition rate as long as they graduate in four years. But student enrollment and retention is improving, and the University’s current freshmen class is considered one of the best, boasting record SAT scores and 35 percent of students from the top 10 percent of high school classes. “I think that what gives me the most joy is to see (that) the retention of our students has really improved, because that tells me the many things that we started to do were right on the spot,” Khator said. UH also has a reputation as an unsafe campus, largely because of its location and the burglary and robbery alerts that often hit student emails, an issue which Khator rebutted.
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Has any of this made a difference in the lives of those we seek to educate and support: our students and alumni?” Renu Khator, on the accomplishments the University has achieved “Over 120 security officers and over 600 cameras help keep our campus safe. By the way, this is twice the personnel and technology that we had two years ago,” Khator said. “FBI data … shows that our university is safer than most others in the city, and the fact is that it is a safer place than the city as a whole.” Above all, Khator emphasized that, though the University’s ranking and organizations are important, at the end of the day, the most important thing is students’ success. “Throughout the whole address, the (focus) was over student success. She said it — ‘No excuse.’ So having someone at the top (saying that) … you don’t hear that a lot,” said Student Government Association President Cedric Bandoh. “All of our emphasis should be on making sure that all students that come through our doors are successful.” news@thedailycougar.com
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4 \\ Thursday, October 3, 2013
OPINION EDITOR James Wang EMAIL
opinion@thedailycougar.com
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NATION
Mental health stigma proving deadly I n light of one of the year’s most horrific shootings — wait, pause that. That’s a sentence we shouldn’t have to say. We shouldn’t have to specify that last month’s Navy Yard shooting was one of the most horrific mass murders of 2013. There shouldn’t have Cara been multiple Smith mass murders, school shootings and bombings this year that put us in the position to have to distinguish certain events from others in terms of bloodshed, loss of life and families forever torn apart. After last month’s Navy Yard shooting, April’s Boston Marathon bombings, last year’s Sandy Hook massacre and a slew of other national tragedies that are simply too numerous to recount, it’s an increasingly scary time for everyone. For instance, a child. A marathon runner. A moviegoer. A college student. A bystander. Anybody who’s got a lot to live for doesn’t want to think of their trip to the grocery store as a gamble on their life.
We don’t disregard those who take things like betablockers and aspirin as lesser men and inferior women. Yet our brows raise and judgments fly when we hear that someone is seeking treatment for the mind.” Cara Smith, criticizing the social stigma surrounding people who try to seek assistance for mental illnesses
David Delgado// The Daily Cougar An American. Much of the national dialogue surrounding these events has been on gun control, and far too little has involved discussion of our mental health system. Republican Senator What’shis-name said this, Democratic House Chair John Doe said that. It’s become a ping-pong match
THE DAILY COUGAR EDITORIAL BOARD Channler K. Hill Natalie Harms WEB EDITOR Jenae Sitzes NEWS EDITOR Mary Dahdouh SPORTS EDITOR Christopher Shelton LIFE & ARTS EDITOR Paulina Rojas PHOTO EDITOR Kayla Stewart OPINION EDITOR James Wang ASSISTANT EDITORS Jessica Crawford, Laura Gillespie, Justin Tijerina, Monica Tso, Andrew Valderas EDITOR IN CHIEF
MANAGING EDITOR
concerning who’s right, who’s wrong, who’s dead wrong and who’s said something that can somehow be construed as antifeminist. Such discussion is forever going to be an element of our government, no doubt about it. However, it may be argued that one of the most neglected — as
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
well as one of our nation’s most critical — issues is our approach to providing adequate mental health care to those who most desperately need it. Without it, an increase on gun control is a futile attempt at controlling a situation we simply don’t have control of. CNN reports budget cuts of
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. GUEST COMMENTARY Submissions are accepted from any member of the UH community and must
nearly $5 billion — yes, billion with a “B” — in the nation’s mental health services during the past three years. The dissolution of our mental health system is something that seems to be manifesting itself in more ways than one. SHOOTER continues on page 5
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 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) 7435384. All submissions are subject to editing.
Thursday, October 3, 2013 // 5
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OPINION
SHOOTER continued from page 4
In recent years, prisons have begun absorbing more of the mentally ill who are found to commit crimes. Translated economically, this means a higher tax burden on Americans. According to the Vera Institute of Justice, the average yearly cost of a prisoner for taxpayers is just breaking $31,000 per inmate. It’s worth noting that the average cost of mental health services in prison is astronomically more expensive for taxpayers when compared to mental health outpatient services, as reported by CNN. Many times, those who suffer from mental illnesses don’t feel comfortable admitting that they have an issue in the first place. It’s a more abstract issue, yes, but also one at the root of our diluted perception of mental illness. Mental illnesses, disorders and cognitive imperfections have been stigmatized in our society as the defining characteristics of a person, and it’s getting to be despicable. Diabetics aren’t seen as simply lower-class beings with insulin deficiency. We don’t discount those who take things like betablockers and aspirin as lesser men and inferior women. Yet our brows rise and judgments fly when we hear that someone is seeking treatment for the mind. The brain, like the pancreas, the heart, the bladder or the lungs, is just another organ in our incredibly complex human bodies. It serves us well on some days, and it fails us on others. Any sort of struggle with this organ, no matter how minor, has become representative of a complete lack of stability and sanity. It’s detestable, really, especially when considering that an estimated 26.2 percent of Americans are suffering from a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Yes, it’s key to recognize that ailments of the mind manifest themselves in ways unlike our other organs. It’s the only part of our bodies that, when not functioning properly, can largely affect those around us. Psychology senior Rima Malkan voiced her discontent with the way that seeking mental help is viewed by the masses. “People should feel that if they need help, (they) shouldn’t feel scared or nervous or as though
there isn’t anywhere they can go without being judged,� Malkan said. “Mental health facilities should advertise in a more welcoming way so it becomes a normal part of people’s lives and not a topic that is tabooed or uncomfortable.� Thomandra Sam, outreach coordinator and staff psychologist at the Counseling and Psychological Services Center, also expressed similar sentiments. “There is an unfortunate amount of violence in our society today. Reports focus on what’s there; if someone has a mental illness background, then it will be highlighted — failing, however, to account for the number of cases when this is void in a person’s history,� Sam said. “It is important not to grossly miscategorize persons struggling with mental health concerns as inherently violent.� It’s also extremely important to keep in mind that not all acts of violence are committed by those who suffer from a mental illness. As our nation struggles to approach the daunting task of reducing future gun violence, it might be in our best interest to prioritize preventative measures about post-crime cleanup duty. It’s critical that we not stigmatize those struggling with mental disorders as inevitable criminals or lost causes — we are a nation of equals, and not choosing to help those who desperately need
it just isn’t our way. Not only would this improve the quality of life for the millions of Americans that live with mental disorders, it just might return some of the joy in being a child. A marathon runner. A moviegoer. A college student. An American.
QUALITY CARE CLOSE TO CAMPUS UH students receive 15% off with their student IDs
Senior staff columnist Cara Smith is a communications junior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com
HEALTH Root of the crime The mental health of some of the nation’s most infamous: ¸ James Holmes, the man admittedly behind 2012’s Aurora movie theater massacre, is on record of being a psychiactric patient at the student health center of the University of Colorado before the time of the mass shooting. ¸ UT Bell Tower shooter Charles whitman was posthumously diagnosed with glioblastoma, a severe brain tumor that affects emotional regulation. ¸ Seung-Hui Cho of the Virginia Tech massacre reportedly corresponded with the university’s counseling center after admitting suicidal thoughts. ¸ Eric Harris, one of the shooters of 1999’s Columbine shooting, is described as being cold, calculating and homicidal.
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6 \\ Thursday, October 3, 2013
SPORTS EDITOR
Christopher Shelton
sports@thedailycougar.com
ONLINE
thedailycougar.com/sports
BRIEFS
AAC home opener to bring team challenges The Daily Cougar News Services
Redshirt freshman B.J. Singleton leads the Cougars with two blocked field goals, the most since Wesley Scourten had five in 2010. | Fernando Castaldi/the Daily Cougar
FOOTBALL
Weight gain allows Singleton to contribute Andrew Valderas Assistant sports editor
Redshirt freshman defensive tackle B.J. Singleton said he was confused when he was told he needed to gain weight and strength. Last season during two-a-days, Singleton weighed 240 pounds. Head coach Tony Levine told him they were going to redshirt him in order to use the time for building his stature. “Some kids come into your program ready to play as a true freshman. And we recruited (Singleton) knowing he needed a redshirt year just to gain strength and weight,” Levine said. This season, when Singleton steps on the scale, it reads 285. Singleton said that has been the reason for his successful season thus far. “I saw a difference — a big difference. (The coaches) said, ‘Get into the weight room, work hard and next year you’ll be ready.’ I took what they said seriously by going into summer workouts, and here we are,” Singleton said. He may only have four tackles in four games, but he leads the team with two blocked field goals. He had one against Rice and the other, which most believe was the game-changer, Saturday at UTSA, as redshirt freshman defensive back Brandon Wilson scooped up the ball and took it 78 yards for a touchdown, causing a 10-point swing late in the third quarter. “As soon as I saw the gap open, I
just took it,” Singleton said. “Coach Levine always preaches to us, saying ‘don’t hit the kicker.’ I rolled off (the kicker) instead.” Singleton said that after he blocked it with his left hand, the ball hit his facemask and then bounced into Wilson’s arms. Levine said he knew UTSA has seen a few other block schemes from his team coming into the game. He called a field goal block and expected to work. “I was confident B.J. was going to come free (on the field block),” Levine said. “It was exactly how we practiced. It was exactly how we schemed it and, in the end, it was the turning point in the game. Special teams coach Jaime Christian said he didn’t see the play because he was getting his kickoff return team ready, presuming UTSA would convert on its field-goal attempt. “One thing about special teams is that you don’t always get to see it all the time,” Christian said. “You just kind of got to always be getting ready to get (special teams) players on the field because every fourth play is a special teams play; so you got to be ready to go.” Traditionally, when the Cougars walk away with a victory, it’s anchored with their high-potent offense. But this season, that hasn’t always been the case. Against Temple on Sept. 7, the
Redshirt freshman B.J. Singleton had gained 45 pounds since last year, allowing him to contribute on special teams. | Fernando Castaldi/The Daily Cougar defense only allowed 13 points and sealed the game with an interception from sophomore defensive back Adrian McDonald on the final drive, and senior kicker Richie Leone booted five field goals to lift the Cougars when the offense struggled to score touchdowns. Against Rice on Sept. 21, the defense forced a turnover on downs on the final drive to propel the Cougars to a 31-26 victory. “We’ve told our team a number of times that the greatest team sport is
After a lengthy northern road trip during which they lost two games, the Cougars head back home to face Cincinnati in their third American Athletic Conference game. The game starts at 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Carl Lewis International Track & Field Complex. UH’s loss came against Temple, where they were shut out 2-0, and again against Connecticut in a 4-1 loss. The losses pushed its record to 1-4-3. Prior to starting conference play, the Cougars’ coaching staff knew that they were in for a challenge. “It has been a long time since having a home game and we are excited about being back,” Pfau said. Robledo nabs first honor After earning an individual title and helping lead the Cougars to two top-three team finishes, junior Roman Robledo was named the American Athletic Conference golfer of the month for September. At the season opening of the Northern Intercollegiate at Rich Harvest Farms, Robledo won the individual title with a 5-under-par 211. He also exited with two top25 individual fi nishes during the Golfweek Conference Challenge and the Fighting Irish Gridiron Classic. Since joining UH, this is the first weekly or monthly award for Robledo. However, he was a twicenamed member of the C-USA Championships All-Tournament Team, along with being named to the league’s All-Conference USA First Team last season.
football. All four of our victories have been team victories. It’s not like we’ve won a game 59-56, and it’s not like we’ve won a game 3-2,” Levine said. “Offense has taken care of the ball and scored points; the defense has created turnovers and held the opponent to low points, especially in the second half; and special teams has made enough plays, including the block (Singleton) made against UTSA.”
Tesfai awarded After a first-place finish at the 2013 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islander Splash with the 8,000meter run, junior Yonas Tesfai was named the first American Athletic Conference Cross Country Athlete of the Week on Tuesday. He finished with a time of 26:31.5 and was followed directly by teammate freshman Brian Barraza, who took second place. Tesfai’s efforts helped UH score a secondplace finish with 38 points.
sports@thedailycougar.com
sports@thedailycougar.com
Thursday, October 3, 2013 // 7
The Daily Cougar
SPORTS
LSS WORKSHOPS FALL 2013
FREE TUTORING The Cougars are 2-0 in conference play. | Justin Tijerina/the Daily Cougar
Team prepares for weekend AAC test Staff writer
With positive vibes from a 2-0 beginning to conference play, UH returns home after victories against Rutgers and Connecticut. The two-state swing saw the team click on offense and defense, sweeping Rutgers and dispatching Connecticut in five, and emerge as one of four unbeaten teams in the American Athletic Conference, bringing UH’s overall record to 9-7. Now home to face Cincinnati on Friday and Louisville on Sunday, the team is confident going into its “Whiteout,” a promotional event to encourage fans to wear white to the pair of home games. Promotions notwithstanding, the team isn’t lacking for energy. “It’s so important,” said sophomore middle bloc3ker Emily Howard. “It gives you confidence that you’re just ready to go into each game, because you have the tools to do it. It’s a good feeling.” The team is feeding on its solid conference start and the confidence that comes with it as the season officially begins with conference play. “It’s really important coming into this new conference. We thought it was going to be really tough, and it is really tough,” said junior defensive specialist Natalie Keck. “But I think other teams might be underestimating us, so 2-0 is a good start and I
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think it’s showing some of the other teams that we aren’t to be messed around with.” The team is already mindful of the importance of conference games, which are exemplified by changes to the season and post-season structure. With no end-of-the-season tournament to decide NCAA tournament berths, the pressure comes in the form of a round-robin system that awards a bid in the NCAA tournament to the team with the best record. “It’s really big, because after Flo Hyman, you’d think we were going to start out slow in conference,” Keck said. “Forget about preseason — we have conference right now, and that’s what counts and it’s what will take us to the NCAA tournament.” For her part, head coach Kaddie Platt sees something more important than just the record. “I think it’s more important that we won two games on the road. I think that’s a more important accomplishment,” Platt said, stressing the team’s advancements through practice since their sluggish start at the Flo Hyman tournament. “We show improvements every day and I think that’s just part of the process. Teams will always be trying to find your weaknesses and what you do different. You have to adjust to those and keep them in your repertoire.” sports@thedailycougar.com
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LIFE & ARTS EDITOR
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Acting and movement associate professor, Adam Noble is presenting his first play, “The Beaux’ Stratagem,” a story on characterizing people, at 8 p.m. Friday at the Wortham Theater. Noble describes the play as “a comedy with a shrewd insight to humanity.” | Justin Tijerina/The Daily Cougar
THEATER
Director strategizes for first play’s debut Julia Davila Staff writer
Adam Noble, a fresh face to the School of Theatre and Dance but no stranger to acting, teaching or directing, directed his first play, “The Beaux’ Stratagem.” The associate professor of acting and movement graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in English in 1995 and obtained a doctorate in theatre from the University of Washington in Seattle in 2005. “Movement is referred to the physical side of the craft. I teach actors how to be in tune with their bodies and how to express themselves with creativity and precision,” Noble said. Noble has studied martial arts his entire life and also teaches stage combat, in which students learn how to play with swords, if
that is what their role requires. Born in Seldovia, Alaska, a small fishing town, Noble and his family moved about 15 times before he was 17. “Theatre had always been something I did as an extracurricular activity to make me look well-rounded on a med school application,” Noble said. “But it was also something where I could find an instant family.” The Daily Cougar had a chance to talk with Adam Noble about directing his first play at UH. The Daily Cougar: In a few s e n t e n c e s , h ow w o u l d y o u describe the plot of “The Beaux’ Stratagem”? Adam Noble: Two men decide to bamboozle a rich heiress and steal her money, but in the process, they fall in love with girls they meet along their way and
realize that money is not what is important. TDC: What interests you the most about this play? AN: What interests me the most is the way people are characterized and the way that nothing has changed. This play was originally created in 1707, and these people seem like people we can see today. Everybody has shades of gray up on stage — even heroes are not perfect heroes; everybody is out for themselves, everybody is trying to claw their way to the top. The thing that differentiates a hero from a villain is a sense of honor — willingness to, in the face of what they want to happen, is to do what is right. The villains are going to do what they want no matter and heroes are willing to relinquish their dreams in order to do what is right. All of
the characters are flawed; they all have shades of gray. TDC: What do you hope to happen on the play’s opening night? AN: I hope everyone has fun. It is a comedy and I think that if we are doing it right, the audience will be laughing and having fun, and if we are truly doing it right, the cast will be laughing and having fun on stage. The play has these really amazing intricate social undertones that if you blink, you might miss them. It’s a comedy with a shrewd insight to humanity. “The Beaux’ Stratagem” premieres at 8 p.m. on Friday at the Wortham Theater. There will also be performances at 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, with its final showings at 8 p.m. Oct. 10 through 12. arts@thedailycougar.com
BEFORE YOU GO The play “The Beaux’ Stratagem” written by George Farquhar in 1707 and directed by Adam Noble.
Shows 8 p.m. on Oct. 4, 5, 10, 11, and 12 and 2 p.m. on Oct. 6 and 13 at the Wortham Theatre.
Tickets ¸ $15 for faculty, staff and alumni, ¸ $10 for students, ¸ $12 for seniors and ¸ $20 for everyone else For more information about tickets, call 713-743-2929.
Thursday, October 3, 2013 // 9
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LIFE & ARTS
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Learning skills for the future Media production senior Victor Rosette and corporate communications senior Mahira Ashraf conducted interviews for their Selected Topics in Communication course.
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STOLEN MEMORIES, DANGEROUS dreams, collapsing societies, lost identities, lost souls, engineered life, our world transformed: Remembering the Future, science fiction stories by Alan Kovski. Available via Amazon.com. THANKS for reading The Daily Cougar!
ACROSS 1 What an overloaded bookshelf does 5 Back’s partner 10 The “M” in E=MC2 14 With time to kill 15 Egg source 16 Superior relative? 17 Silty soil 18 Accumulate, as a debt 19 Galvanizing metal 20 He won 13 Gold Glove Awards 22 Goes the other way, in a way 23 It has its ups and downs 24 Queen of Mount Olympus 26 Not imaginary 29 Sgt. or cpl. 33 Castaway’s relief 37 “Famous” cookie maker 39 “O Pioneers!” novelist Cather 40 37-Across or Spelling 41 Medieval
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stringed instrument Hairremoval name Floor Ancient ark builder Adam and Eve’s grandson Buddhist priests or nuns Coal mine waste Thicke of “Growing Pains” Time for dodgeball, maybe Opposite of under ’60s moonwalker Bethlehem visitors Spock’s is blue-green ___-tat (snare drum sound) 1/640 of a square mile Without a date Psych finish Clodbusting tools Big books Cowl wearer
DOWN 1 Missile pits 2 Napping 3 Pottery coating 4 Trucks at a truck stop 5 Abjure 6 Certain gamete 7 Eastern royalty 8 Sometimes it hurts 9 Wi-fi connection? 10 Lowest balcony in a theater 11 “Carmen” solo 12 When doubled, a New York prison 13 Brief moments 21 Pencil holder, at times 25 Cannery or Catfish 27 Prayer word 28 University of New Mexico athletes 30 The McCoys, for one 31 A dish with some of this and some of that 32 Planet in a
1938 radio “invasion” 33 Quick thrust, in fencing 34 ____ sapiens 35 Persepolis’ land, today 36 Common deliveries 38 Sleek, whiskered swimmer 42 Gesturing game 45 Bioelectric swimmer 49 Midnight meeting of witches 51 Foam alternative for shavers 53 Bid of zero tricks 55 Increasingly rare computer accessory 56 Bard’s inspiration 57 Type of 1960s protest 58 Mini-meal 59 Asian nursemaid 60 Word with “shell” or “Bell” 61 Shrek is one 63 Camera lens feature 64 Postal delivery area
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NEWS
UHPD
continued from page 1
get familiar with our faces,” said Officer Yolanda Edmund. Several organizations that have a close relationship with UHPD attended the National Night Out to give information and show support for the police. 104.1 KRBE provided music for the event after the band performance, Smoothie King gave out free smoothies and the local Foster’s Auto Service gave out tips to students on their cars’ maintenance. Scott Spear, executive director of Health Services, was among those representing the UH Health Center. The UH Wellness Center, the Houston Fire Marshals, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Women’s Resource Center and the LGBT Resource Center were also among the organizations interacting with students and police at the event.
Spear said the Health Center has had a table every year and that the organization wishes to continue. “It’s a good thing to support,” Spear said. Edmund was in charge of the event’s preparation, which was apparently extensive. Edmund explained all of the efforts that were needed to make the National Night Out happen, including the prepared meals and coordination with all of the organizations coming out to participate. “I didn’t realize how much work it took,” Edmund said. “It was really a lot.” The National Night Out concluded with the Walk in the Dark with campus police. Students, faculty and police broke off into integrated groups to walk through campus and check for low limbs, burned-out lights and other safetyrelated issues on campus. news@thedailycougar.com
Students, faculty and staff took the opportunity to meet UH police officers at the National Night Out, where the University community learned about safety-related issues across campus. | Izmail Glosson/The Daily Cougar
SERVICES continued from page 1
Wednesday and it got rained on, and we were hoping for the same amount of people if not more.” Riley said the main purpose of the drive is to promote local, citywide elections. The deadline for voter registration is Monday. Students may still register between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Thursday at the Butler Plaza in front of the library. For more information, students can check out UH SGA’s website at sga.uh.edu. news@thedailycougar.com
Your perfect SGA leaders are taking action after students voiced concerns about health and legal services. | Isabella Serimontrikul/The Daily Cougar
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