Issue 27, Volume 79 by The Cougar

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

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Issue 27, Volume 79

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H O U S T O N

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ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

PHILANTHROPY

University receives record-breaking contributions Manuella Libardi Senior staff writer

The UH System has set two records in the 2012-13 school year, both in private contributions and in fundraising. The $117.8 million received by

the System from private donations is the largest in the institution’s history, boasting an increase of almost $5.3 million since the previous year’s $112.5 million. UH also set a record by fundraising $110.3 million. “These generous gifts are visionary, and they will shape our

future and transform the lives of our students,” said Eloise Stuhr, vice president and chancellor for Advancement. “While we have experienced an historic year for philanthropy, it is paramount that we continue to raise institutional funds through private

giving to sustain our momentum and fulfill our commitment to student success.” More than 26,000 alumni, friends, foundations and corporations contributed to UH, said Richard Bonnin, interim associate vice president and chancellor for UH Marketing and

Communication. Two noteworthy gifts in the past year are a $2 million gift from the Huffington Foundation and Ronald and Mariette Woestemeyer to support research for early diagnosis RECORD continues on page 3

EVENT

Speaker combines Hinduism, business Timothy Payne Contributing writer

Devdutt Pattanaik, international speaker and author of more than 25 books, came to the University on Tuesday to give a lecture on combining both Hindu mythology and business practices to give presentations on leadership, business and the awareness of different cultures. Pattanaik wanted to make students aware of different cultures and their “patterns.” “More often than not, most people compare their patterns with other things and judge,” Pattanaik said. “I feel the new business practice in the next 10 years (will be) people who are very good at understanding patterns.” Pattanaik used different images and illustrations to compare and contrast different cultures. Two images caught the crowd’s attention. One was a street in India filled with heavy traffic and the second was a street in Korea where there was a greater sense of order. He used this illustration to point out that just because something is different, one does not have the excuse to judge. W h i l e t h e t a l k re m a i n e d relatable to all students, it had an emphasis on business and HINDUISM continues on page 11

Emergency Management Specialist Kelly Boyson and junior computer-science major Olurotimi Adeyemo are staying a few steps ahead of natural disasters at an emergency operations center in the Melcher Center for Public Broadcasting. | Ellen Goodacre/The Daily Cougar

SAFETY

Campus still prepared 5 years after Hurricane Ike Ellen Goodacre Contributing writer

Five years ago, a Category 2 hurricane made landfall on Galveston Island in the early morning hours of Sept. 13, 2008. Hurricane Ike caused an estimated $20 to $25 million in damages to UH buildings, according

to a press release published in 2008. But the University weathered the storm better than many other parts of the city. At that time, Associate Vice President for Plant Operations Dave Irvin credited that success to lessons learned during Tropical Storm

Allison and Hurricane Rita. “The good news is that we didn’t have any damage to our mechanical, electrical, telecommunications or computing systems, which stands in stark contrast to what happened after Tropical Storm Allison,” Irvin said in the news release. “None of the

buildings that are serviced by UH’s central utility plant were without power, but power outages occurred in buildings south of Wheeler Street that are fed by CenterPoint Energy.” A mandatory evacuation was HURRICANE continues on page 11

ACADEMICS

UH Social Work recognized globally Rebecca Heliot Contributing writer

The UH Graduate College of Social Work has won a variety of awards during its time on campus, and it can now add the 2013 Partners in Advancing Education (PIE) for International Social Work Award to its trophy case.

The Graduate College of Social Work is being recognized for its efforts to advance education in its field on a national and international level by the Council of Social Work Education with its 2013 Partners in Advancing Education for SOCIAL continues on page 11

The UH Graduate College of Social Work adds the 2013 Partners in Advancing Education (PIE) for International Social Work Award to its trophy case. | Rebecca Heliot/The Daily Cougar

The Daily Cougar

2 \\ Thursday, October 10, 2013

CALENDAR Today

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Workshop: The Career Awareness Workshop held before each Career Fair will discuss how to dress appropriately, create a professional resume and develop interviewing skills. The workshop will be from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Plaza Room of the Hilton UH. Eve n t : T h e n i n t h a n n u a l Undergraduate Research Day will showcase undergraduate research results and presentations at the Rockwell Pavilion and The Honors College on the second floor of the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library from 4 to 6 p.m. Students from all majors and colleges will give poster and oral presentations, while Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship 2013 students will present the findings from their summer research projects. Art: The Blaffer Art Museum presents “Feast: Radical Hospitality in Contemporary Art” from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Event: Red Block Bash, hosted by the Blaffer Student Association, will be held for free from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Blaffer Art Museum. Play: “The Beaux’ Stratagem,” written by George Farquhar and

directed by Adam Noble, will be performed from 8 to 10 p.m. today through Saturday at the Wortham Theatre. On Sunday, the play will be performed at 2 p.m. Admission or the 18th century comedy is $20 for the general public, $15 for faculty, staff and alumni, $12 for seniors and $10 for students. Pe r f o r m a n c e : T h e W i n d Ensemble will present works by Hindemith, Rosner, Rachmaninov and King from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Moores Opera House. General admission is $12, while admission for students and seniors citizens is $7.

Friday Conference: UH staff and graduate students will present on career options and the professional programs that Student Affairs has to offer. Panels and network opportunities will also be held. The event is free and will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the College of Education at Farish Hall, KIVA Room 101.

Saturday Football: The Cougars will face off against Memphis from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at BBVA Compass Stadium. The shuttle service from UH to the game is by RSVP basis.

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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Issue staff Copy editing Maria Dupre

Copy chief

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.

David Bryant

Closing editors Natalie Harms, Channler K. Hill. Jenae Sitzes

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

Thursday, October 10, 2013 // 3

The Daily Cougar

NEWS EDITOR Mary Dahdouh EMAIL

news@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/news

The Urban Experience Program, Community Relations & Institutional Access

will host

The Mentorship Series Friday, October 18, 2013

Cullen Oaks Community Center 4600 Cullen Blvd., Houston, TX 77004 11:30am–1pm 11:30am–1p

Speakers Speak Ms. Deborah D Duncan Senior Producer/Host of Great Day D Houston Mr. Ja Jaja Ball Co-Fou Co-Founder of Colbert/Ball Tax Service Ser

Pushing pencils for change Students crowded the University Center Bayou City Room on Wednesday for the latest Catalyst Leadership Luncheon topic: “Leadership through Making Change Happen.” UH alumna and co-founder and CEO of Pencils4Change Randryia L. Houston presented a documentary on her work in Ghana, West Africa, Nicaragua and Belize in giving free pencils to children. Mary Dahdouh/The Daily Cougar

BRIEF

Researchers showcase results The Daily Cougar News Services More than 10 colleges and 25 academic departments will showcase their undergraduate students’ research results and findings at the ninth annual Undergraduate Research Day today. Roughly 125 poster and oral presentations, with topics ranging from architecture and business to pharmacy and liberal arts, will be presented at 4 p.m. at the Rockwell Pavilion and The Honors College. Students from the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship will also showcase their summer research projects, and ice cream will be served. Awards will be given at 5:30 p.m., with more poster viewings held after. news@thedailycougar.com

RECORD continued from page 1

and treatment of disease and a $2.3 million donation from Schlumberger Ltd. to support the continued expansion and renovation of the UH Energy Research Park. “The University of Houston is reinvigorating this campus, which was founded on the idea of tapping into human ingenuity and creativity and turning new ideas into services and products that help to deliver energy to the world,” said Rod

More than 125 presentations will dot the Rockwell Pavilion as undergraduate students showcase their research. | Courtesy of UH.edu

Nelson, Schlumberger vice president of government and community relations, in a UH news release. “We think the University’s plans for the Energy Park fit that vision, and we are thrilled to be part of it.” The building, previously known as Building 1, was renamed The Schlumberger Building last month in recognition of the donation. These record numbers are crucial as the UH System and its four universities seek to improve education and student experiences by investing in current and future scholarships, programs and faculty development

opportunities, Bonnin said. Out of the money raised by donations, UH-Clear Lake raised more than $2.6 million, UH-Downtown raised $2.5 million and UH-Victoria raised more than $1.8 million in donations. “We’re very grateful to our donors and friends and look forward to ensuring that their gifts — which are so crucial to maintaining excellence in our programs — help shape the University for generations to come,” Stuhr said. news@thedailycougar.com

The Mentorship Series includes locally and nationally prominent people, empowering UH students with networking opportunities, skills, and knowledge that are directly linked with leadership advancement and student success. WWW.UH.EDU/UEP to RSVP

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OPINION EDITOR James Wang EMAIL

opinion@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/opinion

GUEST COLUMN

Fight for gender equality continues Christianna Burwell Guest columnist

hey say that “blatant, intentional discrimination against women is far from being something merely to read about in the history books.” Those who think discrimination against women is ancient history should think again. Oct. 11 has been designated International Day of the Girl Child by the United Nations. It’s a day that highlights the struggles and triumphs of all girls around the globe, but more than that, it’s a day to inspire us to take action to make the world a better place — an equal place. Gender inequality is a multifaceted issue that spans all countries and cultures. Often, we are quick to point out inequalities in other countries but hesitant to focus on the discrimination happening right here in the United States. It’s been 50 years since President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act, but women here in Texas are still earning about only 79 cents on the dollar compared to men. In today’s economy, the majority of Americans are stretching and pinching their pennies, and women are automatically being given a disadvantage because of this wage gap. According to an analysis by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, this wage gap is equivalent to women working an estimated 59 days per year for free. While the wage gap can at times be attributed to women legitimately being paid less than their male colleagues, it’s important to address the other factors contributing to this wage gap. EQUALITY continues on page 5

UH Confessions harmful to school

e live in an era of social media where Facebook and Twitter seem to rule our lives and control how we interact with each other. Most university students live on social media, especially Facebook, and when we spend a great Catalina Campos deal of our time on the site, we have a desire to establish our identity to differentiate ourselves from others. Last year, another university in Texas began the trend of having a “confessions” page on Facebook where students were able to anonymously submit

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 Fernando Castaldi OPINION EDITOR James Wang ASSISTANT EDITORS Jessica Crawford, Laura Gillespie, Justin Tijerina, Monica Tso, Andrew Valderas EDITOR IN CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

David Delgado/ The Daily Cougar

SOCIAL MEDIA

confessions without having to worry about being judged by their fellow peers. The trend was seen at UH, Texas A&M and the University of Texas at Austin, with the number of followers going into the thousands and new confessions being posted every 20 minutes. However, the type of confessions posted on the UH Confessions page can be seen as a detrimental representation of our campus as a whole. The majority of these posts involve sex, drugs, alcohol, racism and other topics that promote unhealthy behavior. The confessions page is distasteful and gives a bad image to our fellow Cougars and any prospective

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

student who is considering UH as the ideal school to pursue their degree. “The first time I saw the page was in Fall of 2012, and I never responded, since I knew it would be problematic,” said business junior Jimmy Cerna-Reyes Reyes also believes that it could be damaging to our school’s reputation that is growing positively as a result of our Tier One research status. “Even if a student is anonymous, we all know it’s from a UH student, and revealing controversial information for laughs or attacks is ridiculous — I relate it to writing on the bathroom walls in middle school,” Reyes said. This opinion is shared among

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

some upperclassmen students. Human nutrition and foods senior Mereen Jacob believes that the page could scare away prospective students. “I think UH Confessions gives UH a bad rep, and it’s the last thing this University needs. “If anything, UH has been struggling for years, and we’re finally improving and climbing in ranks, and this takes away from the improvement. If I were in high school and I read this, I would want to go somewhere else.” With UH improving its rank in the Princeton Review as one of the best institutions to attend SOCIAL 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 10, 2013 // 5

The Daily Cougar

OPINION

EQUALITY continued from page 4

The policies that many companies have are not â&#x20AC;&#x153;friendlyâ&#x20AC;? for women who have family and child rearing responsibilities. As a result, women may choose alternate career paths that offer more flexible, â&#x20AC;&#x153;family-friendlyâ&#x20AC;? jobs, but are also lower-paying and have fewer professional development opportunities and limited promotion potential. In 2010, nearly two-thirds of families had a mother who was either the sole breadwinner or brought home at least a quarter of the total household earnings. In light of this, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safe to say that the wage gap not only puts a strain on women, it also negatively affects their families. Texas received an overall â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fâ&#x20AC;? grade and was ranked 45th in a state-by-state analysis on how women fare across the country. With 19.4 percent of Texas women and girls living in poverty and 24.7 percent of Texas women uninsured, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to make a change. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time for women from all backgrounds, cultures and political

SOCIAL continued from page 4

in the nation, the last thing we need is to scare away potential high school seniors interested in making UH their home for the next four years. Not every student shares Reyesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; perspective. Petroleum engineering sophomore David Alvarez takes the confession page in a more lighthearted manner as a source for comedic entertainment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The people who post the confessions, I feel like most of them are fake, sometimes but not always, but they are funny,â&#x20AC;? Alvarez said.

affiliations to come together to fight for our futures â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to fight for equality. The data and research show that we have a problem, but we need to initiate the change we so desperately need. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;go-toâ&#x20AC;? answer often seems to be related to public policy decisions. While governmental policies are a significant part of striving toward equality, company policies and regulations also have a huge influence. By including gender equality plans and improving family leave policies, companies can initiate change, and studies show that it can help reduce poverty and promote gender equality. It isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just up to our politicians or CEOs to change this situation. Communities and individuals also play a vital part in the fight to ensure that one day, all people can be truly valued, no matter their biological makeup. It may be as simple as giving up a cup of coffee every week and donating that money to a charity which is committed to improving the life of women and girls around the world. It may also be speaking words

He said that he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find it to be damaging to our schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reputation; on the contrary, he believes it helps our image. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It shows weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a pretty chill campus, and honestly, I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen anyone on campus from UH Confessions.â&#x20AC;? Students can take it lightly, but the UH Confessions page has changed during the past year. Last year, it was fresh, new, original and, most importantly, entertainment. The confessions were humorous and relatable to other students, but now they are degrading to women, promote drug use and make light of serious issues. The last thing we need is to

WOMEN Protection of the state Texasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wage statistics and state legislation regarding women: Â¸ Texas Senator Wendy Davis announced that women in Texas make roughly $8,000 less than men per year, employed in the same kinds of jobs. Â¸ Texasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; unemployment rate has fallen by 0.4 percent from 2012. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s roughly equal to 9,000 employees. Â¸ In Texas, businesses with fewer than 15 employees are not bound by state legislation to offer female employees any kind of

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of encouragement and pouring them into the lives of those young women around you. The point is that everyone can do something. You can do something, too. And if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, who will? Christianna Burwell is a second year social work graduate student and may be reached at caburwell@uh.edu

set a bad example to the underclassman student entering the transitional phase of adulthood with the prospect of newfound independence and freedom. They shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t read that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appropriate or OK to engage in promiscuous sexual activity or to use illegal drugs that can eventually lead to devastating consequences. What you post on the Internet will be there forever, and as a community of Cougars, we should think twice about the message we send. Opinion columnist Catalina Campos is an English literature senior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

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SPORTS EDITOR

Christopher Shelton

sports@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/sports

UH shifts its attention to Memphis fter a bye allowed UH to regain its health, the team is focused on defeating Memphis. Sophomore defensive end Eric Eiland and redshirt sophomore running back Kenneth Farrow both return to the starting lineup. The Tigers are the Cougarsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; second conference opponent. UH defeated Temple 22-13 on Sept. 7.

Photos by Tristan Riekhoff/The Daily Cougar

Thurssday, October 10, 2013 // 7

The Daily Cougar

SPORTS FOOTBALL

A windfall of turnovers LSS WORKSHOPS FALL 2013

After sophomore defensive back William Jackson returned an interception 96 yards for a touchdown against UTSA, UH holds a high-flying celebration. Jackson forced two turnovers against UTSA. | Justin Tijerina/The Daily Cougar Christopher Shelton Sports editor

Even during walk-throughs before practice, the Cougars’ defense is trying to cause turnovers. Though forcing a teammate to fumble after he jogs through the hole or going for an interception on a lofted pass doesn’t set the team up for a game-winning drive, it creates a mindset, said junior defensive tackle Joey Mbu. “In practice, we focus on turning the ball over, even in walk-throughs. If someone is passing by, we just try to wiggle it a little bit or try to punch the ball,” Mbu said. Last season, the Cougars were one of the worst defenses in the nation — the team was in the bottom third of every major NCAA statistic. This season, with an uptick in turnovers, the Cougars’ defense has transformed into a reason for the team’s winning, rather than a contribution to a loss. More turnovers are the result of players’ practice in stripping the ball and players who have a nose for the football, said defensive coordinator David Gibbs. The Cougars even hold Turnover Tuesday’s, a segment during practice where the team competes in drills focused on creating turnover opportunities. “They work hard at stripping and punching the ball out. So far we’ve been lucky,” Gibbs said. “We’ve got to keep going. We’ve got a big test this week against Memphis, so hopefully we can get some more turnovers.” Against UTSA, the defense forced five fourth-quarter turnovers to turn a close contest into a blowout. The Cougars held their first two opponents, Southern and Temple, to 13 points. And even though cross-town rival Rice scored 26 points, the squad made crucial plays late to help secure the win.

Besides better statistics, Mbu said the team is a more confident bunch after focusing on technique this offseason, but the turnaround is also a product of hiring Gibbs during the offseason. “It’s a family atmosphere. Coach Gibbs will get on you and he will fire you up — all of that stuff,” Mbu said. “Then he comes and talks to you (because) he wants you to understand the game. Once you understand more of what everyone else is doing, you know where you’re supposed to be.” Gibbs simplified the scheme, allowing freshmen and sophomores to become playmakers. Freshman defensive end Tyus Bowser has added depth and explosiveness to their edge, while redshirt freshman linebacker Steven Taylor has become a starter. “Because we have simplified, we’re not spending so much time on a scheme each week, but more time on the fundamentals like tackling ball, stripping and creating the interception,” said head coach Tony Levine. “And I think we have seen the results of those combined.” But the Cougars’ defense has been supplemented by an offense that has done a good job taking care of the ball, Levine said. Without offensive turnovers, the defense has been able to play more aggressively and in a better field position. Though the Cougars have caused 14 turnovers, the offense has only surrendered three, contributing to their 4-0 record. The Cougars have forced an average of three turnovers a game and are ranked No. 1, nationally, with 2.75 turnover margin. “Our offense is also taking care of the ball. If you get five turnovers on defense and turn the ball over six times on offense, you’re probably in for a long evening,” Levine said. sports@thedailycougar.com

FREE TUTORING www.las.uh.edu

LOCATION: N112 Cougar Village (Building 563) REGISTER: “Workshop Signup” at www.las.uh.edu/lss On-line registration is necessary to obtain a spot. Problems registering? Call Laura Heidel 713.743.5439 or Jason Yu 713.743.1223

WEEK TOPIC

TIME #1

TIME #2

Learning Beyond Memorizing

Thurs. 10/10 @ 10am

Test Preparation

Tues. 10/15 @ 9am

Wed. 10/16 @ 2pm

Overcoming Procrastination

Mon. 10/14 @ 11am

Fri. 10/18 @ 3pm

Critical Thinking

Tues. 10/22 @ 11am

Wed. 10/23 @ 4pm

Giving Professional Presentations

Tues. 10/29 @ 1pm

Wed. 10/30 @ 5pm

Getting Organized

Tues. 11/5 @ 1pm

Wed. 11/6 @ 1pm

Motivation

Mon. 11/11 @ 3pm

Thurs. 11/14 @ 11am

Improving Your Memory

Tues. 11/12 @ 1pm

Tues. 11/12 @ 5pm

Improving Your Memory

Fri. 11/15 @ 3pm

Coping with Finals

Wed. 11/20 @ 11am

Time Management

Wed. 11/20 @ 3pm

Sat. 11/23 @ 11am

Meditation to Deal with Academic Stress

Tues. 11/26 @ 9am

Tues. 11/26 @ 1pm

Coping with Finals

Mon. 12/2 @ 10am

Tues. 12/3 @ 10am

Overcoming Procrastination

Wed. 12/4 @ 3pm

Thurs. 12/5 @ 11am

Fri. 11/22 @ 10am

**Workshops will be added when necessary throughout the semester. Please visit the “Workshops Signup” link on the LSS website www.las.uh.edu/lss for the most up to date information.

The Daily Cougar

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LIFE & ARTS EDITOR

Paulina Rojas

arts@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/life-arts

EVENTS

NAACP performers show off skills Rachael Dion Contributing writer

UH’s NAACP group hosted a show on Tuesday evening for students to sing, rap and dance. | Raynald Green/The Daily Cougar

The NAACP is trying to consistently provide great opportunities for UH students this semester. Most recently, students had the opportunity to show their skills at the NAACP Talent Showcase on Tuesday night on the stage in Lynn Eusan Park. Many talented student artists, including Trillly, Irab, Johnny P., the Introcity Dancers and Mike Checc hit the stage, along with other rappers, singers, dancers and spoken-word performers. “We’ve been planning this since the summer,” said host and NAACP membership chair Desmond Richardson. “We just want everyone to come out and have fun and showcase other UH peers’ talents.” Such support of the student performers is what made the event a success. Many students came not only to enjoy themselves, but to also encourage their fellow students in their desire to show off their talents. Campus events are increasing because there are new, easily accessible locations. Lynn Eusan Park, for example, was rebuilt adjacent to the Cougar Village and Moody Towers residence halls and is easily seen from the University Center.

With the remodeled stage in April, the park has become a place where students can host events and socialize more freely. “I didn’t know what this event was. I just saw the crowd and came over,” said biology senior Leah Eaton. “I liked it a lotIt’s really interesting that stuff like this happens at our school.” NAACP’s talent show has brought awareness to social life on campus. “I liked the environment. I’m a people person and whenever I see people, I go to the event. I would come to another NAACP event just so I can meet more people,” Spencer said. Student life continues to grow as student organizations become more social on campus. “We just want to let students know that UH organizations haven’t forgotten about them,” Richardson said. “Giving back to students at UH will make them want to get into other organizations.” If student social life continues to grow on campus, it will improve UH’s current reputation of being just a commuter school. The more that organizations give back, the more involved students will become on campus. arts@thedailycougar.com

MUSIC

Rap above the influence Artist Benjamin Onda overcomes substance abuse, turns to hip-hop Bryan Dupont-Gray Staff writer

Saying his life was a living nightmare would be an understatement for media production junior Benjamin Onda. His freshman and sophomore years at the University of Texas in San Antonio brought life-like demons that even his raps couldn’t smack away — craving addictions to drugs like hydrocodone, marijuana and Xanax, as well as alcoholism. “Every day, you wake up and you’re depressed because you’re a slave to the substance,” Onda said. Every person knows someone who has been affected by drug addiction and alcoholism. Everybody knows somebody that’s an alcoholic and a drug addict.” Mornings weren’t always gloomy. Onda was a smart kid who scored

high on an IQ test at five years old. Despite his ADHD, discouraging high school experiences and alarming seizure episodes, he never let his passions die out. These passions included playing hockey for Cy Fair’s Houston Rage, which provided an outlet and support to his good natured upbringing. High school, however, was the place that sounded off Onda’s new affinity for marijuana and alcohol, a love that escalated once he set foot on UTSA grounds. Compounded with Xanax and repetitive alcohol consumption, Onda’s love for his friend’s Vicodin prescription took form. The rest was a recipe for disaster. “I was literally hooked from day one. I liked the feeling and the itch that it gave me. So much that it got to the point where I was taking all of

his Vicodin,” Onda said. “That went on and progressed for two years and for every single day, I was consuming about 160 milligrams of hydrocodone. It took me to such a dark place that my family didn’t even know about any of it. It was like a lie that I was living for years.” Yet Onda still didn’t let go of his passions — aside from playing hockey, hip-hop was his biggest passion of all. He recorded some unreleased tracks with a few of his UTSA friends, with subject matter pertaining directly to his actions. Even with his growing enthusiasm for music, Bondo’s poisonous relationship with drugs didn’t lose grip. Although he acknowledged his own potential, Onda admitted he didn’t take himself seriously. RAPPER continues on page 9

About a year ago, Bonda released his 14-track mixtape, “Bondanomics,” that explains his personal hardships and accomplishments. He plans to inspire his fans with another album proposed to release later this year. | Courtesy of B Luce

Thursday, October 10, 2013 // 9

The Daily Cougar

LIFE & ARTS

Divas educate on cultural diversity During Divas of Diversity, hosted by the Council of Ethnic Organizations, cast members from the reality show, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Shangela and Raja Gemini performed and shared personal stories of cultural discrimination and journeys to acceptance on Wednesday evening in the UC Houston Room. Aisha Bouderdaben/The Daily Cougar

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A friend’s call to his parents and a 40-day stay at a treatment center located in Kerrville couldn’t break Onda free, either. He landed back at square one after four days of being released. “After I got out, I went through another six month stunt. I spent about $40,000 on pills and weed,” Onda said. “Then one night, I guess you can say it was a divine intervention. I called my dad and was honest with him. I told him that I needed to come home. He supported me, which was a blessing.” Since coming back to Houston, he transferred to UH and took up a major in media production to build on his talent for making music videos for underground artists. Then along came the birth of Bonda — a nickname that stuck as a kid and Onda’s new rap alias. Onda’s good friend and manager Nick Catley knew he had talent and encouraged Onda to head to the studio to drop bars. This time, Onda didn’t secondguess himself. Hosted by E.T.C.H. Entertainment, Bonda released his 14-track mixtape “Bondanomics” a little more than a year ago and used it as a platform for making a statement, which were swift and poignant, and Bonda’s recent venture on an all-original LP entitled “Visions of Winning” is on the rise. Bonda said that live instruments

on production and booming features, like Doughbeezy and Marcus Manchild, give life to this new project filled with stories of his battle with drug addiction. With just two more songs to lay down and a release slated for around the holiday season, Bonda also asserts that this eleven-track album will inspire people to think differently about their life situations. “This will allow people to sit back and re-evaluate their surroundings, and if that’s the case, then I accomplished what I set out to do,” Onda said. “I want people to know what’s important in life. When you die, the amount of money you have or who’ve you been with will not matter. Materials don’t matter. Your life will be judged strictly by how many lives

you’ve affected. Your legacy will be defined on that.” As of today, Onda has been sober from all drugs and alcohol for a year and two months. He continues to fight on, with his music as the one thing that keeps him going. “That’s my driving force in me right now, even if I have to sacrifice my social life as far as going out to party and meet girls. Ninety-Five percent of our peers are doing that on the weekends, and I can’t do that,” Onda said “It can be struggle for me being a younger person at 23 years old, but I’ve seen the bigger picture. I know what I’m doing and I know where I’m going with the steps that I’m taking right now to get to where I want to be.” arts@thedailycougar.com

Media production junior Benjamin Onda, also known by his stage name, “Bonda,” battled years of addiction until returning to his passion for rap in the hip-hop industry. | Courtesy of Benjamin Onda

Cougar Pitch, a business elevator pitch competition conducted by the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship (WCE), is open to all University of Houston students.

Entry Deadline: Thursday, Oct. 31 cougarpitch.bauer.uh.edu

We’re on our way! See you at the grad fair on your campus.

University of Pennsylvania À>`Õ>Ìi -V v `ÕV>Ì U * >`i « >] *č www.gse.upenn.edu

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ACROSS 1 Winery refuse 5 “If I’ve told you ___ ...” 9 The bounding main 14 Mixed bag 15 Word with “elbow” or “rumpus” 16 Beatniks beat it 17 Cool as a cucumber 18 Credos 19 Provide, as with some quality 20 Embroiled, as in controversy 22 Isn’t polite to 23 Lie on the beach 24 However, to poets 26 Scholastic exhibitionist 29 Equine vote? 30 Arctic Circle inhabitant 34 Make one body 35 Half of an argument 36 “The Morning Watch” author 37 Volcano’s discharge 38 Words that

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48 49 52 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65

often follow “grab” Camping equipment Certain linecrosser DNA element Chop finely 11,000-foot mount in Europe Make the tach needle move Taser target “___ circumstances beyond ...” Overnight site Great Plains river Court denizen Comptroller’s task Adviser of a sort Say confidently Diminutive being of folklore Jane’s Ms. Woodhouse Boggy earth Alleviating agent Grace follower Water whirl

DOWN 1 Ridicule 2 Hale who played the Skipper 3 Really anger 4 Isn’t exactly opportune 5 Christie’s Express 6 It’s plainly on your face 7 A workbook could be one 8 Abbr. on an ambulance 9 West Indies witchcraft 10 Contest for also-rans 11 Pigskin receivers 12 Chills and fever fit 13 Regretful RSVPs 21Sandy beach feature 22 Penned up, as pigs 25 Spoonshaped vessel 26 It’s quickened by fear 27 Bring into law 28 Parlor piece 31 Acting ambassador? 32 Coins for

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Thursday, October 10, 2013 // 11

The Daily Cougar

NEWS

HURRICANE

SOCIAL

continued from page 1

not required of students living on campus. Those students who stayed on campus still had access to power and Internet, according to The Daily Cougar reports in 2008. While water did flood the basements of some buildings and leak into the rooms of some residents, most who were interviewed never felt they were in danger. “Most people left — it made me worried at first,” said Ami Casis, an optometry graduate student living in Moody Towers at the time. “But after the storm, a lot of my friends called and said they lost power. I had everything I needed.” In the wake of Hurricane Ike, the University continues efforts to ensure that students are safe and prepared in the face of any emergency. “We actually rewrote and passed and amended the Emergency Management Plan that was signed and approved by the President,” Director of Emergency Management Joe Mendez said. “And it took [many] departments to collaborate into that. And that engagement includes the evacuation plan, the emergency management plan, the pandemic and flu plan, and the large venue and sporting events plan.” “These plans create a set of guidelines for each department to follow during an emergency, and the Emergency Management Bureau ensures that each of these plans are maintained,” Mendez said. The Emergency Management Bureau also regulates the campus alert system and has increased outreach programs to educate students and the general public about hurricane preparedness. In addition, hurricanes are often tracked weeks in advance, which gives the Bureau time to plan accordingly, according to Mendez. “If we have a hurricane, we have plenty of time to make notices if we need to evacuate,” Mendez said. “The city of Houston and Harris County already have ZIP maps. If any of the local governments makes a declaration that we need to evacuate, the president of the University will follow that and say, ‘The city just made a declaration for evacuation. Where are we in that map?’” Mendez points out that evacuations are usually progressive and that students should pay attention to notices during hurricane season, as the Emergency Management Bureau will send weather notices to students via email and text message. Students also have access to ZIP code maps, a hurricane checklist and a preparation instructional video at uh.edu/ emergency.

is still relevant for today’s culture. “Hindu mythology has been around for quite a long time, so I hope that the students that were not aware of it can grab some principles (so) that they can use it in their own business models,” said second-year technology graduate student Parth Gala. Hindu YUVA hopes to show students, through this event and the other events and activities they have, that Hinduism is more than just a religion and can spread throughout all parts of life.

International Social Work Award. “I think if you look at who we are ... we discover something that is quite obvious: that we’re an incredibly diverse international community,” said GCSW Dean and professor Ira Colby. “Therefore, we have to understand ... what are the gifts that diversity and international experiences bring to our workplace. We have to understand, just because of who we are as the University and truly as an international city. The award represents the power to the many different activities we’re engaged in as a global community.” Among the efforts of the GCSW are its international programs promoting exchange studies, its role in the CSWE’s China Collaborative Project and the many partnerships it has established with universities all around the world. Also, the college’s conceptual curriculum focuses on advancing international social work, which includes the requirement that students must participate in at least one international learning activity in order to graduate. “(One of ) our goals (is) ... to offer Master of Social Work students opportunities to have international field practice and to increase opportunities for faculty to collaborate research with international scholars,” said Patrick Leung, professor and director of the Office for International Social Work Education. The emphasis on international efforts by the GCSW has given its students opportunities to experience countries such as China, Europe, Central America, Mexico and Turkey. “By studying social work in Turkey, I was able to become more compassionate, understanding social work with the ability to set proper expectations for clients from all over the world,” said GCSW student and President for the Students for the Advancement of International Social Work Jenna Cooper. “I learned words go so far — genuine expression of emotions is really a universal language.”

news@thedailycougar.com

Devdutt Pattanaik, best known for his TED talk East vs. West, hopes students will gain an “Indian Perspective” from Tuesday’s talk about being cultural awareness in business. | Courtesy of Khyati Vaidya

HINDUISM continued from page 1

international relations. “I think international business is a very big thing, especially with globalization and everything. So we hope that students gain a since of Indian perspective from this talk,” said sociology graduate student Khyati Vaidya, who is president of Hindu YUVA, a Hindu youth group. Hinduism has existed for thousands of years, but the members of Hindu YUVA believe that it

The Daily Cougar

12 \\ Thursday, October 10, 2013

SPORTS GOLF

Cougars not satisfied with top 25 ranking Sean Floyd Contributing writer

The mens golf team has made strides in the fall and expresses hope that it will continue with the successful trend into the spring. “I believe we have a very physically talented group with lots of mental toughness,” said head coach Jonathan Dismuke. “We Dismuke work hard on our chemistry and get along very well.” UH played consistent and competitive golf as a team in all four tournaments with two individual championships. “Once we were there, I feel that all the players were forced to elevate their games just to play in the tournaments,” said junior Kyle Pilgrim. “We had consistently high individual

finishes and the team approached every match knowing and believing that we were the best team.” The team ended the season with a host of top-five individual victories. “I’m hoping for a lot to come in the future,” said junior Roman Robledo. “I’ve learned to not look back and stay as current as possible.” The golfers said they have high expectations and feel as if they did pretty well but are still in search of the ultimate goal. “Every time we played and didn’t win, we left feeling a little disappointed but mainly motivated to improve for the next one,” Pilgrim said. As of Oct. 2, according to Golfstat. com, the team is ranked No.14 in the nation. The Cougars had an impressive fall season, including victories from Pilgrim and Robledo. The team said they are definitely ready for what the spring season will present. sports@thedailycougar.com

The Cougars envision to see themselves as Conference Championship contenders. | File photo/The Daily Cougar

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