Issue 39, Volume 79 by The Cougar

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O F

T H E

U N I V E R S I T Y

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Issue 39, Volume 79

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H O U S T O N

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ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

POLITICS

Social media platforms outpace old outlets Highly publicized SB2 was partially struck down, but effects will be felt for years Laura Gillespie News editor

Wendy Davis’ June filibuster shook the world of social media, many tweeters getting the facts before news sources. | Natalie Harms/The Daily Cougar

When Sen. Wendy Davis filibustered for more than 11 hours to fight against Texas Senate Bill 5 on June 25, the nation noticed. The bill, which would have banned abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, required that abortion clinics have the standards of a surgical health care facility and required doctor supervision of abortion-inducing drugs. As a whole, the bill was met with national controversy. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel ruled that the provision of the bill that restricts abortion was unconstitutional on the grounds that it “unconstitutionally restricted women’s access to abortion clinics and infringed on doctors’ rights to act in their patients’ best interests,” according to a USA Today article. Attorney General Greg Abbott filed the rest of the bill for appeal with the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. With the majority of the bill gone, the process has proven to have lasting effects not only on the fate of abortion in Texas, but also on how social media is changing the way Americans share political information and interact with their

governments. “The fireworks were occurring late in the evening, and the mainstream press was not covering it. So if you wanted to find out about (the filibuster), the only place you could really go to find out about it was social media,” said Dwight Silverman, social media manager and tech blogger with the Houston Chronicle. “If you look at CNN on a Saturday afternoon, they often have a lot of cam shows. If something happens, it takes a while for CNN to react to it and get a crew in and so forth, and oftentimes, social media passes it by.” While Silverman said that news sources such as CNN are not bowing to social media any time soon, the overarching attention — both physical and online — was thunderous and turned what might have otherwise been an average Senate session into a lasting commentary on women’s rights and the impact of social media in politics and journalism. Creating a community Psychology senior Laila Khalili, president of the Student Feminist Organization at UH, was at the capitol during the filibuster and called

If something happens, it takes a while for CNN to react to it and get a crew in and so forth, and oftentimes, social media passes it by.” Dwight Silverman, on the delayed media response to the filibuster. the experience “incredible.” “For the first time in my 22 years living in Texas, I felt like I belonged here. I felt like there was a community of Texans who cared about the things I cared about and who were willing to do whatever they could to help the women of Texas,” Khalili said. “Suddenly, people were flooding to the capitol, setting up carpools — strangers who live in Austin offering a couch for other Texans to sleep on, so they could come testify and protest.” At its peak, nearly 200,000 people watched the filibuster from online WENDY continues on page 11

SUSTAINABILITY

Coffee grounds sprout new green initiatives across Texas Dennis Kunchoff Staff writer

Coffee composting at the University is part of a trend for waste minimization and sustainability that is growing across Texas. Last year, Austin-based Ground to Ground, a non-profit volunteer

program established by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service of Travis County and Compost Coalition, was initiated to reduce waste and recycle leftovers as compost for gardens. Coffee grounds are filled with nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and other key nutrients for fertile

soil, said Daphne Richards of AgriLife of Travis Country. “Composting is an important but under-utilized part of gardening, and coffee grounds make particularly good compost for plants in the southcentral Texas area due to their slight acidity,” Richards said.

The Sustainability Task Force at UH uses coffee grinds from the dining halls to contribute to its compost program. Denise Harrelson, a community captain for the Ground to Ground program, said participating businesses also see benefits from the

program. “Offering grounds for composting provides a way for businesses to interact with local community members on a more personal level,” Harrelson said. “In addition, businesses can also COFFEE continues on page 3

The Daily Cougar

2 \\ Thursday, October 31, 2013

CALENDAR Today

$tart $mart Salary Negotiation Workshop Over the course of her working life, a woman earns roughly $1 million less than a man…SIMPLY BECAUSE SHE IS A WOMAN $tart $mart is an interactive AAUW workshop designed to give college women the confidence and skills they need to earn fair compensation

Graduating soon? How you negotiate your first salary can affect your pay for life! When: Friday, November 1 , 9:00am-12:00pm Where: Agnes Arnold Hall, Room 210 Cost: FREE to Female UH Students (Especially Seniors & Grad Students) Space is limited To RSVP or for more information: wgss@uh.edu or 713-743-3214

For more information, visit these sites: www.facebook.com/StartSmatforEqualPay www.aauw.org www.wageproject.org

Dance: Have daytime fun at the Halloween Swing Dance from 5 to 10 p.m. in the Houston Room of the University Center. Bring a partner, and don’t forget to dress in costume. Meeting: Students for Justice in Palestine is having its bi-weekly meeting to talk about how students in one of the most diverse universities in the country can impact the Palestinian-Israeli conflict at 6 p.m. in the College of Social Work, Room 221. LGBT: GLOBAL will host itsweekly meeting to discuss contemporary issues facing the GLBTQ community from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Oberholtzer Hall Multipurpose Room. Religion: The Intervarsity Christian Fellowship will have its weekly get-together 7 to 9 p.m. in the Classroom Business Building Room 104.

Friday Advising: Get involved in Academic Advising Day. Have food and fun while talking to advisers and staff about courses, registration, tutoring and more from 1 to 3 p.m. in Farish Hall, Room 101.

Join the

Band: The Spirit of Houston Cougar Marching Band will perform its annual marching band benefit concert. Bleed red with fellow Cougars from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Moores Opera House. Tickets are $10. Masquerade: Get in the Halloween spirit and get to the Dia de los Muertos Mascarada from 9 p.m. to past midnight in the University Center Houston Room. Bring the gang and have fun under the veil of night. Day of the Dead: For more ghoulish fun with Dia de los Muertos, visit Lynn Eusan Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a celebration hosted by the Council of Ethnic Organizations and the Latin Greek Council.

Sunday Music: Enjoy classic compositions of Mendelssohn, Vivaldi and Poulenc from the Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Franz Krager and three student conductors from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Moores Opera House. Tickets are $7 for students. Music: The university choral group Mancorps will perform works by McGlynn, Brumel, Mendelssohn and more in “Mancorps with Sons of Orpheus: Men in Song” from 4 to 6 p.m. at the All Saints Catholic Church on 215 E. 10th Street.

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. Program Includes;

Benefits;

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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.

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 31, 2013 // 3

The Daily Cougar

NEWS

Hot. Fresh. Daily. www.thedailycougar.com EDITOR

Laura Gillespie

news@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/news

Q &A Interim Chief to spark health innovation in new adminsitrative position EARL L. SMITH III The University is on the brink of re-formatting health program initiatives. As a Tier One institute in a city that leads the health care sector, UH has made changes that will cater to the community and students. Optometry Dean Earl L. Smith III was appointed by President and Chancellor Renu Khator as the interim chief health officer, dedicated to bringing UH new degree programs and the creation of the Health Science Center.

The Daily Cougar: What exactly are you going to be doing during this two-year term that will benefit the University?

Earl L. Smith III: I analyze the needs for the health care workforce of Texas and beyond. Then, working with various stakeholders in and outside of the University to expand and enhance programs. It’s very likely that we will initiate some new degrees in the health care arena. The most efficient way to meet the workforce demands is to expand the programs that we have … They might not be as large as they can be, and many people don’t know about them. TDC: What are some major items on your agenda that you’re working on?

ES: Working to enhance the clinical services that we have on campus, increase our visibility and potentially get them all in one place to provide better services to Houstonians. We have to develop programs that can, in essence, fund themselves.

TDC: Why do you think that there are a lot of people who don’t know about the health professions at the University?

ES: It’s not anything unique to the University of Houston; allied health programs have been

under-appreciated and under-recognized. A lot of programs, people don’t know about them, don’t hear about them and don’t think about going into those professions. Here on campus, we’re spread all over, in the medical center, on campus; they’re not consolidated.

TDC: When will UH’s new Health Science Center be opened? ES: Quickly. I have a two-year position. At the end of my two years, we should have a strategic plan on how the University is going to move forward. We will likely build another health and biomedical sciences building behind the optometry building. If we’re able to do the things we need to, there is no reason why that building won’t be under construction within two years.

TDC: What is something that you want students to recognize about what you’re doing? ES: Students can recognize that this is a fantastic time to get involved in the health care arena. The demand is increasing — there has never been a better time to go into health care professions. One of the president and provost’s pledge is to make sure our university is the best place to do that.

— interview conducted by Channler K. Hill

Energy & Sustainability Minor INTERDISCIPLINARY: OPEN TO ALL MAJORS This minor provides an interdisciplinary approach to broad issues regarding energy and sustainability, with a common introductory course and capstone course. Topics include existing, transitional, and alternative energy resources; and energy and sustainability from the perspectives of economics and business, architecture and design, public policy, and education.

REQUIREMENTS TO DECLARE Junior standing and a 2.5 cumulative GPA on 15 or more hours at UH. REQUIRED COURSES | SIX HOURS ENRG 3310 Energy and Sustainability ENRG 4320 Case Studies in Energy and Sustainability (Capstone course to be taken upon completion of, or current enrollment in electives. ELECTIVE COURSES |12 HOURS Students choose an additional 12 hours of courses, with no more than six hours from any one area and no more than 12 hours of ENRG courses for this minor. Courses offered include topics in architecture, biology, economics, english, geology, history, and more. For a complete list of courses, visit bauer.uh.edu/esi For more information email:

Joe Pratt at joepratt@uh.edubauer.uh.edu

COFFEE

continued from page 1

reduce their garbage collection costs by diverting the coffee grounds out of the waste stream.” For AgriLife Extension horticulture assistant Lindsay Razzaz, coffee grounds are a great sustainable source for any garden that is in concordance with the mission of AgriLife Extension. “It seemed like a great fit — coffee grounds are an incredible, easy-touse soil amendment and the program would require minimal inputs to sustain,” Razzaz said. news@thedailycougar.com

The Daily Cougar

4 \\ Thursday, October 31, 2013

OPINION EDITOR James Wang EMAIL

opinion@thedailycougar.com

DINING

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/opinion

GUEST COLUMN

Coogs hungry for late night dining

nytime I have a conversation with someone who is considering coming to UH, especially incoming freshmen, I recommend that they stay on campus forat least one year so that they can have easy access to all the different resources. One such resource is the Kelly access to food Schafler options here at UH. These food options include the restaurants in the University Center Satellite, the two dining halls, Chinese Star, Eric’s Restaurant, McAlister’s, Subway, Pizza Hut, Taco Cabana, Murphy’s Deli and Barron’s Restaurant. During the week, finding food is no problem; on the weekends, however, the food options and the hours of operations change. Despite the many food options on campus, students are still heard having issues with the hours of operation as well as the lack of weekend options. The main complaint toward the dining halls on campus is the shorter operating hours on Friday and Saturday. “In general, I’m fine with (the dining options),” said creative writing junior Travis Kane. “But during the weekends, I don’t like that they close at 10 p.m.” The response from students about how they felt about the food options on campus varied, but most students were also unhappy that the UC Satellite closes for the weekend. Psychology and creative writing junior Nicollette Greenhouse understands students’ slight struggle for weekend food options. “I do hear people complain that there are less food options on weekends than on weekdays.

I think it would do well to keep them open. I know a lot of students do go home on weekends, but I think the people who are here would prefer it.” Though I understand students’ being bothered by the closure of the UC Satellite on weekends, there are many other food options on campus that are open on weekends. No, they are not open 24 hours a day, but they do remain open until reasonable hours. Students need to be willing to venture out of the comfort of the Fresh Food Company if they want late-night food on campus. While Fresh Food does close at 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, it is open until midnight on Sunday through Thursday, and Cougar Woods is open until 10 p.m. every day. Eric’s Restaurant, located in the Hilton, is also open seven days a week until 10 p.m., and Chinese Star is open until 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. In addition, the Pizza Hut across from the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center is open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays and until 11 p.m. for the rest of the week. When the fantasy of a 24-hour food service was mentioned, students were enthusiastic about this. In a perfect world, this 24-hour on-campus food option would cater to students’ needs — especially during finals week — and would provide a place to relax and eat food at any time of the night. UH isn’t the only campus that has limited hours on food choices, but of the few universities that does have a 24-hour food service is Kent State University in Ohio. Rosie’s Diner and Market is located on Kent State’s campus and accepts the campus dining card. Realistically, if dining places

THE DAILY COUGAR EDITORIAL BOARD Channler K. Hill Natalie Harms WEB EDITOR Jenae Sitzes NEWS EDITOR Laura Gillespie SPORTS EDITOR Christopher Shelton LIFE & ARTS EDITOR Paulina Rojas PHOTO EDITOR Fernando Castaldi OPINION EDITOR James Wang ASSISTANT EDITORS Jessica Crawford, Nora Olabi, Justin Tijerina, Monica Tso, Andrew Valderas EDITOR IN CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

Corporal punishment has no place in society Linda Leon Guest columnist

David Delgado/The Daily Cougar were to keep midnight hours on weekdays and weekends, they would have to bring in enough revenue from the students during these late hours in order to pay for employees to cater to the nightowl students’ appetites. Though it is unlikely that this would happen, a brighter future for famished students who live on campus is on the horizon. With the completion of Phase One construction of the New UC in January, five new food options will be opening as well. These food options will include Panda Express, McDonald’s, Chick-Fil-A, Starbucks and another campus convenience store. While the hours of operation for these places has not been set in stone, it has been said that some will be open later. The hours will be decided this Friday in a meeting with the Food Service Advisory Committee. Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Keith Kowalka

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

spoke with excitement concerning the opening of the New UC and its food options. “My sense is that the students and even the Aramark staff know that there will be some increased hours, probably particularly with the C-Store, McDonald’s and Starbucks,” Kowalka said. “My sense is that they will have two concepts open on weekends.” Also, with Phase Two, which will open between nine months and a year after Phase One, they hope to open a 24-hour lounge area. Hopefully, this lounge area will be an indication of increased food service hours. When the New UC opens, students will have new food options to consider, as well as hopefully having their hunger needs better met with possible later hours. Opinion columnist Kelly Schafler is a print journalism junior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

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

any of us can remember being reprimanded by our mom and dad when we misbehaved as kids. We were spanked, paddled and sent to time-out for our bad behavior. I have heard the stories from my parents and grandparents of the days they were paddled by their principal for misbehaving at school. When I hear those stories I think to myself, “Wow, that was so long ago. I’m glad we know better and have changed our ways of educating our children.” But am I correct? Have the studies indicating how exposing children to violence yields longterm negative effects changed our public schools? The answer is yes and no. Here is the good news: Federal law recognizes this is an issue and has given state legislators the right to govern their own policies regarding the use of spanking and corporal punishment in public schools. States have made efforts in the mission to stop spanking and paddling. Currently, there are 31 states that have banned corporal punishment. The first was New Jersey in 1867 and the most recent was New Mexico in 2011. Other states, such as New York, Vermont, California and Illinois, have also banned corporal punishment in their public school systems. Many anti-spanking advocates in schools are interested in protecting children and parents. It is important to recognize that evidence shows children exposed to violence perpetuate the same PUNISHMENT 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 31, 2013 // 5

The Daily Cougar

OPINION ACADEMICS

Skippers wasting money

he annual price tag for tuition at the University is more than $10,000. When calculated, each class costs roughly $1,000 for the average fulltime student. College differs from high school in the sense that attendance is not always mandatory for classes. Although attendance Blake may not be a Mudd requirement, it is profoundly distasteful for an individual to be absent for even an attendance-optional lecture. For biology freshman Joanna Yuen, the topic is a pet peeve. “I don’t understand why anyone would skip. If you’re paying so much for an education, then you would think people would want to go to class,” Yuen said. Do not waste money coming

PUNISHMENT continued from page 4

violence in their future. Our children deserve the same protection against physical harm as inmates in prisons, juveniles in detention facilities and patients in mental institutions, where it is illegal to reprimand with corporal punishment. The bad news is that there are still 19 states that allow corporal punishment in school. In addition, many states not only allow corporal punishment, but commonly use it as a form of behavioral change for students. Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Texas are great proponents of corporal punishment in school. The ramifications of allowing such environments in our education system and communities are detrimental to everyone. Our children deserve an environment conducive to positive learning and a support system that nourishes their education instead of impeding it. Recent studies have associated corporal punishment with negative outcomes such as deteriorating peer relationships, lowered school achievement, antisocial behavioral tendencies, psychosomatic complaints correlated to school avoidance and increased school dropout rates. It is obvious to me that many states need to reconsider their

out of your pocket or your parents’ pocket. Even if a professor is not teaching in a stellar way, respectful attendance is still expected. For every student skipping class for a reason like this, there is a student on the sidelines who may have had a strong desire to be present in that class. However, that student may not have been granted that opportunity because of barring circumstances. Access to a class is a privilege, not a burden. Billy Graham once said, “I can barely walk, but it’s a privilege to be able to move at all.” This is a powerful analogy to this attendance situation. While you may not be able to have a perfect education, a student should be thankful to have an education at all. Not only that, but in the future, a student may come across an undesirable boss or colleague who cannot be similarly

avoided by absence. Diligent attendance to a class being taught in a different and, sometimes, difficult way is great practice for the dealing with obstacles one may face in their desired career. Aristotle once said, “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” While this difficult professor may currently be the most negative aspect of your life, 10 years from now, relevant knowledge may have been obtained. Overall, the point of college is to be independent and take initiative. If someone is not willing to put effort into attending a class, which could essentially affect their grade and whole college education, they will likely not succeed in the future. Opinion columnist Blake Mudd is a journalism freshman and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

Your perfect

all nighter companion.

MALE SOCIAL DRINKERS WANTED for participation in computer-based behavioral and pharmacological research as paid volunteers, 21-45 yrs, 8AM to1PM. 3-5 days per week. Earnings paid in cash daily. The University of Texas Medical Center 713.486.2635

PERMITTED The following states still allow corporal punishment: Alabama

Mississippi

Arkansas

Missouri

Florida

New Mexico

Georgia

N. Carolina

Idaho

Oklahoma

Indiana

Ohio

Kansas

Pennsylvania

Kentucky

Tennessee

Louisiana

Texas

approach of protecting children’s education and our communities as a whole. Many social issues, such as mental illness, domestic violence and at-risk populations, derive from violence at home and in schools. Additional measures can be implemented to protect the integrity of our schools and increase successful outcomes. The cycle has to stop somewhere. Now is the time to take a stand against corporal punishment in schools by spreading awareness and educating our communities about the importance of ending this violence — not only in some schools, but in every school system in the United States. Linda Leon is a social work graduate student and may be reached at Idalia19@ hotmail.com.

The Daily Cougar

6 \\ Thursday, October 31, 2013

SPORTS

The power of positivity For the Cougars’ defense, Gibbs’ optimism and simplified scheme has helped the team grow into a legitimate conference contender

G i bbs

Kathleen Murrill Senior staff writer

Head coach Tony Levine was looking for simplicity and positivity in a new defensive coordinator this offseason — two things that aren’t common in defensive coaches. Levine found both in David Gibbs. Since his January arrival, Gibbs has been putting those two qualities to work, changing up the defensive scheme and transforming an offenseheavy school into a team with a defense that leads the nation in both takeaways and turnover margin. But it still is not just the defense, in Gibbs’ mind, that has kept UH undefeated in conference play. “When you are building a defense, it’s a process. You don’t want to set goals too high and have people not reach them, then it’s just the same old, same old,” Gibbs said. “For me, and I tell the players this all the time, our goal is to give the offense a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter.” Once Gibbs stepped into the position, he simplified and modified his approach to accomplish his goal of allowing the offense to win the game. He used the multiple 4-3 and 3-4 design to disguise looks and cause havoc for opposing offenses. With Gibbs’ version of the multiple, he is able to create turnovers by tricking the opponent into thinking they have a matchup advantage. Gibbs is able to make offenses believe what he wants them to, allowing him to confuse and ultimately create more turnovers. The Cougars can run the same blitzes and coverages out of different fronts, which keeps offenses guessing. This type of defensive simplicity is exactly what Levine was hoping for when he brought in Gibbs. Levine first came to know Gibbs when a new head coach was brought in to Levine’s alma mater, the University of Minnesota, one year after Levine’s graduation. The new head coach

EMBRACING CHANGE Since defensive coordinator David Gibbs arrived this season, the defense has gone from being a reason the team is losing to contributing to its success.

TACKLING

Last season UH missed 27 tackles against Louisiana Tech and gave up 56 points. With sure-tackling safties and linebackers, UH has vastly improved in 2013, occasionally missing less than 10. 2

TURNOVERS

The Cougars lead the nation in turnover margin. A large part of that is a ballhawking defense that forced six turnovers against Rutgers on Saturday, including three in the redzone. 3

SCHEME

One of defensive coordinator David Gibbs’ goals when he arrived was to simplify the scheme. The Cougars have bought in, allowing freshmen and transfers to contribute immediately. Graphic by Andres Garcia

brought along with him a 29-year-old Gibbs, who would become the youngest coordinator in Division 1-A at the time. In two years, Gibbs helped convert the Golden Gophers’ defense from one that was last in the Big Ten to one ranked eighth nationally in pass efficiency defense and scoring defense. Levine continued to follow Gibbs’ career long after he left Minnesota, watching him coach defensive backs with the Denver Broncos, then to Auburn, where his defense would lead the SEC in sacks and rank sixth in the NCAA, After a stint as the defensive backs coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, Gibbs spent a year coaching for the Houston Texans.

After he left the Texans at the end of the 2010 season, Levine, an assistant coach at the time, finally had the opportunity to work with Gibbs. Gibbs voluntarily joined the Cougars once per week to watch the defense practice, meet with the defensive staff and watch film. Once Levine became head coach and realized after one season that a change was needed at defensive coordinator, he looked no further than Gibbs. “When I interviewed Coach Gibbs, his philosophy, his charisma, his persona was exactly what I was looking for for that position, even more importantly than scheme,” Levine said. “I wanted someone in this position who was confident, very positive

and a good teacher, so I hired Coach Gibbs more or less because of those qualities.” It was those qualities Levine saw during the interview, and Gibbs’ ability to keep an open mind that has allowed him to create a unique yet simple scheme that has helped build UH’s defense from the ground up. “Our defensive package is literally like no other nationally because it is a little bit of one thing, it’s a little bit of another thing — it’s got some NFL flavor to it from Coach Gibbs’ nine years there, it’s got some (defensive backs coach) Zac Spavital stuff from his years at Oklahoma, it’s got some (linebackers coach) Vernon Hargreaves stuff from when he was in Miami, it’s got some (defensive line) coach (Ricky) Logo stuff from when he was at Vanderbilt and Troy,” Levine said. Had the players not bought into this new system like the other defensive coaches, and consequently into Gibbs, UH might not be one of the top defenses nationally. For sophomore defensive back Trevon Stewart, the change in leadership and defensive scheme has been nothing short of great. “Last year, everything was so complicated. It was hard to pick up on different plays and schemes, and Coach Gibbs just made it so simple,” Stewart said. “There was a negative vibe last year, but now Coach Gibbs has gotten everyone up and in good spirits.” That good feeling is one shared by Gibbs, whose wife and two kids have fallen in love with Houston after spending the past five years in the Bayou City. For Gibbs, the position as defensive coordinator for UH has been a great move. “It was just the perfect setup for me. I didn’t have to move, I got to be a defensive coordinator and coach a lot of great kids,” Gibbs said. “It was just the perfect match for me.” sports@thedailycougar.com

Thursday, October 31, 2013 // 7

The Daily Cougar

Piecing the puzzle together Though challenged with injuries along the offensive line and inexperience at key skill positions, Meacham’s offense is starting to find the perfect fit

Me a c h a m

Kathleen Murrill Senior staff writer

Page design by Fasiha Jafri

The UH offense is going backward in the best way possible, and it’s all because of a new coach. With just seven games under his belt, new offensive coordinator Doug Meacham is striking up memories of former highly successful offensive coordinators. However, while others are looking at the past, Meacham has his eyes set forward, focused on one thing: a championship. “I want to win a college championship. That’s the first thing. And in college football, every week is a playoff,” Meacham said. “To me, in order to win a college championship, it’s imperative that you are 1-0 each week. In terms of taking steps to a championship, my overall goal each year is to be conference champion. That’s really where it all starts.” His winning mindset is what triggers some players’ memories of former offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who spent three seasons with the Cougars and served as offensive coordinator for two. In his final season with UH, Kingsbury enjoyed an offense that led the NCAA in virtually every offensive category. He was recognized as the 2011 Offensive Coordinator of the Year before making the move with former head coach Kevin Sumlin to Texas A&M. Currently, Kingsbury serves as head coach at Texas Tech. Junior offensive lineman Bryce Redman said Meacham is following in Kingsbury’s footsteps by instilling a certain mindset and high standards. “(Meacham) is like a little bit more crazy version of (Kingsbury). He just gets a lot of energy going, and he’s a lot of fun to play for,” Redman said. “Mindset is the

Offensive coordinator Doug Meacham now, in his first year at UH, has helped the Cougars become more balanced and efficient than the previous season, while starting a true freshman at quarterback. | Justin Tijerina/The Daily Cougar number one thing coach Meacham has brought back — a mindset to go out and dominate. So I think the offense now has actually gone back to where it was when coach Kliff was here. We just expect to score every time we have the ball.” One key difference does exist between Meacham and Kingsbury, though. During Kingsbury’s time as coordinator, his offense was led by veteran quarterback Case Keenum. Meacham has two true freshmen under center. Kingsbury had Tyron Carrier and Patrick Edwards, both upperclassmen receivers. Meacham has Deontay Greenberry, Ryan Jackson and Kenneth Farrow as starters at skill positions — all sophomores. But in Meacham’s eyes, the youth he has on the field is not a challenge or a setback. It’s an opportunity. “It’s definitely good (that we have a lot of young talent) because it makes you go over everything

with a fine-toothed comb. You can’t assume anything. It helps me stay abreast of what works, because you have go through everything piece by piece, since the players are so young,” Meacham said. “It’s definitely been good for me to take a step back and look from the very beginning at how we have worked our way to where we are now.” Meacham’s attention to detail is what sophomore running back Ryan Jackson said has made the difference for the offense. “He is not the type of coordinator to just let us to do something the wrong way. He is always going to fix us on the little things. If we are messing up, we reload and get it right,” Jackson said. “I think that’s what’s really helping us. It’s the little things he puts in our heads that are helping us do the big things.” Before he was focusing on the little things for the Cougars, Meacham

was working on Oklahoma State’s passing game and coaching the Cowboys’ inside receivers and tight ends. The offense averaged more than 40 points a game and consistently ranked seventh or better nationally in total offense. Now at UH, with a young team and a hunger to win, Meacham allows himself to look past the next game for a second, past the desired championship and deeper into the future where he hopes that it is not himself, but the players who are conjuring up memories of the past greats. “(The fans are going to see) our players develop and grow before their eyes,” Meacham said. “Maybe we’ll have some guys develop themselves to the point where you start thinking of the names of the past — Edwards, Carrier, Keenum. Maybe we will start a new legacy with these guys now.” sports@thedailycougar.com

The Daily Cougar

8 \\ Thursday, October 31, 2013

LIFE & ARTS EDITOR

Paulina Rojas

arts@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/life-arts

HOLIDAY

Cougars get chills from thrills Delilah Sampson Staff writer

Students trembled in anxiety as the elevator doors opened to the Haunted Penthouse. Even the entrance to the pitch-black room proved to be intimidating, as students were greeted with a maniacal “Hello!” from a startlingly creepy clown. In the spirit of Halloween, the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center hosted its fifth annual Haunted Penthouse on Tuesday and Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. The haunted house was spread throughout the third floor of the Recreation Center and featured many spine-tingling chillers, such as mental patients, a spooky inflatable obstacle course and portraits that came to life. “I was definitely scared to go in. The anticipation scared me the most,” said kinesiology sophomore Naomi Baldridge. “I was impressed with how real everything looked. The decorations and the actors were great. One girl was possessed, and she looked pretty convincing,” Baldridge said. A few students, such as communications sophomore Amanda Boyd, acted as valiant heroes to guide their friends through the house. “I ended up in the front because I don’t get scared easily. As we walked down a hallway, I saw spooky figures through the wall,” Boyd said. “In the middle of the room was

a box. I’m pretty sure everyone overlooked it, but as soon as I walked past it, someone jumped out of it and everyone screamed, including me. I couldn’t believe they actually got me.” Some students were spooked before they even walked into the line. All students entering the haunted house had to sign a release form and were required to wear close-toed shoes. “I asked one of the staff members why we had to sign the form. She told me that there are many frightening actors around every corner and students usually end up running,” said public relations senior Shawnice Jackson. “This year, the staff wanted to make sure that students realized they have to be safe while in the penthouse.” The ending of the haunted house proved to be the scariest for most students, including Jackson and her friends. “At the end, a guy with a chainsaw chased everyone out to the exit. The lights were on, so I thought the haunted house was over. There was a man in a ski mask handing out candy near the stairs,” Jackson said. “As soon as I accepted the candy, I heard the chainsaw revving again and the chainsaw guy jumped out of nowhere. He had returned for his one last scare, but at least I got my candy.” arts@thedailycougar.com

Students visited the Haunted Penthouse on Tuesday and Thursday at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center in the spirit of Halloween. Student actors paced through the penthouse as masked monsters, ghouls and clowns popped from the walls or out of boxes. | Aisha Bouderdaben/The Daily Cougar

Thursday, October 31, 2013 // 9

The Daily Cougar

LIFE+ARTS EVENTS

Fall festival entertains, promotes awareness Sabrina Lloyd Staff writer

Halloween spirit possessed UH this month as Cougars danced to music, dressed up in scary costumes and decorated pumpkins in honor of the ghoulish holiday. The University Center hosted its annual OctoberFest with the purpose of raising awareness about different organizations and departments inside the UC, promoting student involvement and getting everyone excited about Halloween. “OctoberFest is something that everyone anticipates and looks forward to every year and something we started planning three months ago,” said UC Marketing Program Graduation Assistant Christianna Burwell. “It’s an important event because it exposes students to different departments on campus and promotes unity and cohesion of the student body.” Many games and activities were planned for the event, but a favorite for Burwell is the costume contest. For this “Project Runway”-style contest, students were provided with materials and encouraged to create unique costumes. The winner of the contest will be given a brand new Schwinn bicycle.

ORGANIZATIONS

Students to honor dead Kasarena Batiste Staff writer

In celebration of the memory of those who have passed away, the Council of Ethnic Organizations and the Latin Greek Council will collaborate to introduce a live campus ceremony, Dia de los Muertos, or The Day of the Dead, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Friday at Lynn Eusan Park. Since it is an annual festivity, there are students like CEO Marketing Director and electrical engineer sophomore Ever Javier, who recollects past family gatherings and shares his take on what is familiar in the Latin culture. “The name ‘the Day of the Dead’ might give you the feeling that its something kind of gloomy, kind of sad,” Javier said. “But not at all. The day is more of a celebration to remember those who have passed away.” Coordinators of the Day of the Dead celebration hope that students DEAD continues on page 12

“Once everyone has made their costume, they will show it off to other students, then get their picture taken,” Burwell said. “Their pictures will be uploaded to the Internet, and the winner will be chosen through social media.” Many other prizes were available for students, such as $50 gift cards for winning a skeleton-assembly relay race and a $100 Kroger gift card for guessing the total weight of three large pumpkins. Students were also provided with information from various organizations inside the UC, including Health Information Peer On Demand, the UC Games Room and the Council of Ethnic Organizations. “We do events programming for students to promote diversity and other aspects on campus in hopes of creating a sense of community,” said Erica Tat, director of the Council of Ethnic Organizations. “There’s lots of traffic here, which is great so we can promote our organization, and we also get to see students having fun and decorating pumpkins.” HIPOD is part of the UH Wellness Cougar Peer Organization and provides information to students, enabling them to make healthy, informed decisions on and off

The annual festival, OctoberFest, hosted by the University Center, brought crowds of students to engage in Halloween activities to promote the various organizations and departments. | Courtesy of Christianna Burwell campus. It set up a ping-pong game in which students earned points and won prizes as well as information on sexual and partying-related issues. Media productions senior Elizabeth Jimenez didn’t get a chance to

attend OctoberFest last year and made a point to attend this year so she could enjoy the Coke floats, pretzels and sausages and begin decorating the mini-pumpkins. “I find it fun to decorate the little pumpkins — they are really

cute. I plan on using the goggle eyes, a hat and giving it a name,” Jimenez said. “Once I finish, it will sit on my desk at home for the fall festivities.” arts@thedailycougar.com

The Daily Cougar

10 \\ Thursday, October 31, 2013

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Thursday, October 31, 2013 // 11

The Daily Cougar

NEWS

WENDY

continued from page 1

streams, and orange-clad Davis supporters at the capital liveblogged and uploaded videos of the filibuster through Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Tumblr and other social media. In accordance with Texas law, Davis was not allowed to stop speaking or divert from the subject, lean on her desk or sit down, inspiring the trending hashtag “#StandWithWendy.” Davis ‘lit a fuse’ “These extreme and deeply unpopular attacks on women’s health have lit a fuse — they engaged many more people in the democratic process in Texas and started something big that can’t be undone,” said Alejandra Diaz, communications specialist with Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast. “The outpour of support through social media also translated into calls, rallies, testimonies; social media was an organizing tool for women’s health supporters. People are outraged by what’s happened here in Texas and they know that the answer is to get organized and get engaged to change this state’s approach to women’s health.” But social media and the capitol itself were not dominated by Davis’ supporters. “Social media makes it harder for young Americans to not be involved in some way, whether that’s voicing an opinion through social media or getting involved in a group out from behind the computer screen,” said economics junior and Chairman of College Republicans at UH Michael Salvo. “Social media makes it easier to be more open about one’s political thoughts and serves as a way to develop those thoughts.” Gov. Rick Perry encouraged Texans to wear blue at the capitol, contrasting the orange of those supporting Davis, and to tweet “#Stand4Life,” in support of the bill. “Sen. Davis, who I do admire for standing on her principles, awoke a grassroots movement in our state and throughout the nation. I believe Americans do not see abortion as just a women’s issue, but a liberty issue,” Salvo said. “The discussion is moving from a disagreement on the wording of legislation to whether or not the government should be involved at all in the personal lives of citizens and how far should that intrusion can and should go, if at all.” A leader emerges As the filibuster ended, rumors of Davis’ running for Texas governor swirled, but it wasn’t until Oct. 3 when Davis announcedher canidacy. Texas has not had a Democratic governor since 1991, and though Davis has the supporters

she gained during the filibuster, Texas still remains a red state, and her chances of winning remain uncertain. “Wendy Davis has no chance to be our next governor. Her politics do not reflect the principles of our great state’s people or history. Obviously, General Abbott has been fighting for Texas for over a decade,” Salvo said. “He has a proven record of working for Texans. However, I will not ignore the increase of Democratic votes she will help bring, helping challenge some of the more purple state House districts currently held by Republicans.” With the growing Latino population of Texas and a general weariness of Perry’s 13-year reign as governor, Texas has long been favorable for a transition into a blue state. According to a July Public Policy Polling release, 60 percent of Texans want Perry to step aside, and in that same month, he announced he would not be running for governor again. Some say this is good news for Davis. “People are excited about the 2014 election. Those of us who are less than pleased with how Gov. Perry managed things are ready for new leadership, and we see that in Wendy,” Khalili said. “I continuously hear people, even those who support Wendy entirely, say she will not stand a chance against Abbott. I don’t care for that kind of thinking. So many people have been waiting for this moment, including myself, and we are willing to put everything aside and campaign for Davis.” The Texas gubernatorial election will be on Nov. 4, 2014. Davis’ online support has continued, with much of her funding coming from donations from private citizens, even those out of state. In the year to come, it will be fundamentally her online support that leads to either a win or a loss.

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The Daily Cougar

12 \\ Thursday, October 31, 2013

LIFE & ARTS

2013 Student Fees Advisory Committee Presentation Schedule TUESDAY, Nov. 5

FRIDAY, Nov. 8

8:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 9:45 a.m. 10 a.m.

8:45 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 10:15 a.m. 11 a.m. 11:30 a.m. 11:45 a.m. 1:00 p.m. 1:30 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 2:45 p.m. 3:15 p.m. 3:45 p.m. 4:15 p.m.

10:45 a.m. 11:15 a.m. 11:45 a.m. Noon 1:00 p.m. 1:45 p.m. 2:15 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 3:15 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 4:30 p.m.

Committee Business Dean of Students Office Break Counseling and Psychological Services UH Wellness Health Center Public Comment Lunch Campus Recreation Center for Students with DisABILITIES Break University Career Services Forensics Urban Experience Program Adjournment

Committee Business LGBT Center Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life Break Center for Student Involvement Student Government Association Public Comment Lunch Metropolitan Volunteer Program Frontier Fiesta Association Council of Ethnic Organizations Break Activities Funding Board Student Program Board Homecoming Board Adjournment

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 6

MONDAY, Nov. 11

8:45 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 10:15 a.m. 10:45 a.m. 11:15 a.m. 11:45 a.m. Noon 1:00 p.m. 1:45 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 2:45 p.m. 3:15 p.m. 3:45 p.m. 4:15 p.m. 4:45 p.m.

9:45 10:15 a.m. 10:45 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 11:45 a.m. Noon 1:00 p.m.

Committee Business Marching Band/Spirit Squad Center for Student Media Break The Daily Cougar Student Video Network Coog Radio Public Comment Lunch University Centers Student Affairs IT Services Break Children’s Learning Centers New UC Project A.D. Bruce Religion Center Blaffer Gallery Adjournment

1:45 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 2:45 p.m. 3:30 p.m.

Committee Business Veterans’ Services Office Break Intercollegiate Athletics Public Comment Lunch Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services Office Center for Diversity and Inclusion Break Dr. Richard Walker, Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services Adjournment

All sessions will be held in the Rotunda Meeting Room in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center. SFAC is charged with recommending funding allocations for Student Services Fees, making recommendations on behalf of all students. All presentations are open to the public, and a daily time is set aside for public comment. If you require disability accommodations, please call the Dean of Students office at 832-842-6183 to make arrangements.

For more information, visit uh.edu/sfac

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DEAD continued from page 9

attend the event not only to observe those who are no longer with us, but also to relish the entertainment provided. “We’re going to have mariachi music in the park for people to enjoy, and face painting as well. They’re going to be playing ‘la loteria,’ which is pretty much like a Mexican bingo game,” Javier said. “I think it’s going to be a performance by Sabor Latino, an on-campus organization that focuses on Latino dances like salsa and merengue, in addition to the (mariachi) music.” If participants aren’t completely satisfied by the musical performances and games, CEO Cultural Programming Director and kinesiology junior Jimmy Mai promises more that is sure to excite students’ taste buds. “We’ll be serving tamales, and we’re looking into other food options as well, such as pan dulce, which is a sweet bread ... We’re looking into drinks as well, traditional drinks like horchata,” Mai said. The festival of Dia de los Muertos is not exclusive. “It’s just a new experience for anybody to go out and see how they do it,” Mai said. “You don’t have to be Mexican to celebrate this — you can be like anyone from any background and do this as well.” Students are also invited to bring pictures and items in remembrance of the deceased and in celebration of the lives they lived. “If you want to, you could even bring out some memorabilia or something that reminds you of those who have passed away,” Mai said. “And people will have altars and decorations there that will be similar to what they (would) traditionally do, if you were celebrating the Day of the Dead.” Those expecting to attend the occasion are encouraged by Javier to take a break from their “day-to-day routine,” allowing themselves to enjoy the occasion and the surrounding highlights. “The most important thing is we’re bringing a place to honor the people that passed away, because it’s kind of easy to forget about people that passed away,” Javier said. The Day of the Dead is a traditional celebration for anyone who has passed away and a way for students to gain cultural knowledge while expanding their knowledge of Dia de los Muertos. “I’m looking forward to having the students come out and just see exactly what it is,” Mai said. “Come on out, check it out, see what’s going on, enjoy the food, enjoy the music and learn about the culture and see how they do things differently from you. It’ll be a good time.” arts@thedailycougar.com