Issue 52, Volume 79 by The Cougar

LIFE AND ARTS

STUDENT LIFE

OPINION

Karaoke night transforms dining hall

Sensors may help concussed athletes

Students sing along to favorite songs during their dinner at Cougar Woods. SEE PAGE 7

External sensors that react to high-magnitude impacts could help coaches react to concussions faster. SEE PAGE 4 NOVEMBER

CALENDAR CHECK: 27

Start of Thanksgiving break. Sit back, relax, and enjoy your three-day break.

THE DAILY COUGAR

T H E

O F F I C I A L

S T U D E N T

N E W S PA P E R

O F

T H E

U N I V E R S I T Y

O F

Monday, November 25, 2013

Issue 52, Volume 79

H O U S T O N

LECTURE

Professor wins big, gains UH support

Interims planning future of university

Rebeca Trejo Staff writer

Office of Academic Affairs hopes to finalize reorganization soon

investigated, and it would not be appropriate for the University to comment while an investigation is underway,” said Richard Bonnin, Executive Director of Media Relations. “In addition, student privacy laws under (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) do not allow us to comment.”

Nobel Peace Prize recipient and Graduate College of Social Work professor discussed her new memoir Wednesday evening at the Brazos Bookstore, where she gave listeners a candid look into her life and the path she took from humble beginnings to worldwide prominence. Jody Williams has worked to promote advocacy both at home in the University community and abroad in her travels compiling her intimate thoughts into “My Name is Jody Williams: A Vermont Girl’s Winding Path to the Nobel Peace Prize” to encourage ordinary citizens to get engaged. “I want people to know you can be a normal human being and you can still participate in change if you do it with other people,” Williams said. The Nobel Peace laureate is now working to ban drones, or “killer robots,” as she calls them. Seven months after only nine nongovernmental organizations and Williams launched the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, governments have already agreed to begin discussing the issue at United Nations meetings. “It blows my mind what a small group of people can do if they have a common strategy of action and do it,” Williams said. “Complaining about an issue is not a strategy for change.” Williams received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 for her work with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. She is one of only 15 women who have been awarded

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LAUREATE continues on page 3

Natalie Harms Managing editor

INTERIMS continues on page 3

1 9 3 4

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ADMINISTRATION

In August, after a year of planning a reorganization of the Office of Academic Affairs, Provost Paula Short gave herself a deadline of the end of December to finalize all the new changes and appointments she was making. Almost a full semester later, she’s right on track. “I’ve been working with the staff on all the organizational changes that needed to occur in (the Office of the Provost), and those are about to be finalized. And with the selection of the permanent folks in all these positions, we should be done by the end of the semester,” Short said. “That was my goal, and we are going to reach it.” Most of the challenges have been in regard to personnel appointments. At the beginning of the semester, there were four vacant and four interim-filled positions in the Office. After appointing Earl Smith III to a two-year term as chief health science officer and launching a national search for permanent administrators to replace the interims, Short expects to have only one vacancy — the associate provost of strategic enrollment planning — in the new year. Before break, she plans to appoint people to the other vacancies for the chief arts officer and, most challenging, the vice provost

S I N C E

Turnover success not enough Although the Cougar’s opportunistic defense forced three turnovers, including a fumble recovery for a touchdown from 15 yards out by sophomore safety Trevon Stewart to keep the game close, it wasn’t enough, as the Cougars fell to Cincinnati for their third consecutive contest. | Justin Tijerina/ The Daily Cougar

CRIME

Student loses eye, UH investigates Channler K. Hill Editor in chief

A UH student lost an eye after being kicked in the face at Bayou Oaks. Disciplinary action is still pending. The UH Department of Public Safety Daily Crime Bulletin for Sept. 22 reported that a UH student was recklessly kicked in the face causing serious bodily injury. The incident

occurred between 2:30 and 3 a.m. Sept. 20. The incident was not on behalf of any fraternity at the community, although it did occur in a common area of a fraternity house where students were drinking, UH officials said. The University will not be investigating any of the fraternities at Bayou Oaks. “The case is being actively

The Daily Cougar

2 \\ Monday, November 25, 2013

Careers in...

PHOTOGRAPHY

CALENDAR Today Activities: A kendo demonstration will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. at Butler Plaza. Seminar: Guest speaker Ines F. Vega-Lopez will discuss “Supporting Query by Content for Time Series Data in Relational Database Management Systems” from 11 a.m. to noon in Philip Guthrie Hoffman Hall, Room 563. Meeting: Collegiate 100 Women will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Social Work Building, Room 219. Music: A percussion ensemble will perform works by Blake Wilkins and Alec Warren from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Moores Opera House. Student tickets are $7.

Tuesday

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LOOKING FOR A STUDENT LEADER POSITION ON CAMPUS? University of Houston Ambassadors are premier student leaders that work within the Office of Admissions. Ambassadors are responsible for welcoming prospective students and guests to the University of Houston, as well as providing quality customer service to current students seeking assistance in the Welcome Center. The Ambassador program is a unique opportunity for student leaders to engage in on-campus employment while gaining transferable skills which enhance individual personal and professional goals.

Art: “The Photographs of Philip Freelon” will be open to the public

Music: Soprano Emily Robinson will perform her graduate recital from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Dudley Recital Hall on the first floor of the Fine Arts Building.

Wednesday Meditation: The A. D. Bruce Religion Center hosts a daily meditation session from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. in the University Chapel, Room 122. Meeting: A risk management meeting will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in the University Center Bayou City Room 202. Volleyball: The Cougars will face Southern Methodist University at 5 p.m. in the Athletics/ Alumni Center.

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

CORRECTION In the feature caption “Students strut to support healthy lifestyles” that ran Thursday, the AIDS testing event was said to be held by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. It should have been credited to Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority, Inc. and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

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To apply, please download the application now at www.uh.edu/ambassadors Applications for the 2013-2014 school year are due Wednesday, November 27. Please contact vco@central.uh.edu for questions.

at 5:30 p.m. in the Mashburn Gallery of the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture. The exhibit will run through Jan. 17.

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ABOUT THE COUGAR The Daily Cougar is published Monday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and Wednesdays during the summer and online at thedailycougar. com. The Daily Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees. The first copy is free. Additional copies cost 25 cents. SUBSCRIPTIONS Rates are $70 per year or $40 per semester. Mail subscription requests to: Mail Subscriptions, The Daily Cougar, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-4015. NEWS TIPS Send tips and story ideas to the editors. Call (713) 743-5314, e-mail news@ thedailycougar.com. A “Submit news” form is available at thedailycougar.com. COPYRIGHT No part of the newspaper in print or online may be reproduced without the consent of the director of Student Publications.

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Monday, November 25, 2013 // 3

The Daily Cougar

NEWS EDITOR

Laura Gillespie

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ONLINE

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CAREERS

Mock interview trials lift students’ confidence for job hunting Laura Gillespie News editor

Seniors, graduate students and alumni had their résumé critiqued and practiced their interviewing skills at the University Career Services Mock Interview Trials hosted by the Alumni Career Services on Thursday. James Marble, assistant director of Alumni Career Services, said the goal of the mock interviews was twofold and benefited students, alumni and employers. “The purpose of the mock interviews was to provide an opportunity for students and alumni to practice their interviewing skills with professional recruiters and have their resumes critiqued by professionals from various fields,” Marble said.

LAUREATE continued from page 1

the Peace Prize and was a founding member of the the Nobel Women’s Initiative. “The Nobel Women’s Initiative finally made me happy to personally have the Peace Prize, because I feel like we’re sharing it,” Williams said. “It helps to shine a light on the work of women’s organizations around the world.” Graduate College of Social Work academic adviser and lecturer Jamie Parker co-teaches Global Issues in Social Work with Williams and said that even as an instructor, she’s learned how to channel feelings about injustices into something productive. “She is a force to be reckoned with,” Parker said. “She uses her anger about injustice as a fuel

“Also, this was an opportunity to educate employers on the value of majors outside of their normal scope and more particularly those within the College of Liberal Arts.” Volunteers from 25 employers including Wells Fargo, HCSS and the Hertz Corporation, interviewed approximately 100 students and alumni who attended to get tips on how to present themselves as stronger candidates to prospective employers. Education senior Amal Nabhan said she was there to gain experience and learn about the interview process. “I want to receive a lot of feedback that will really benefit me in real life and feedback on the way you dress, act, what to say and how to say it,”

to make change. I think the example she sets is priceless.” Esmeralda Sotelo and Jenna Cooper came to the event and are students in Williams’ and Parker’s class. As an assignment, they were required to form a group, pick an issue and either research it or complete an advocacy project. All the students chose advocacy. Cooper and Sotelo ra i s e d a w a re n e s s o n human trafficking in Houston by organizing an event on Nov. 6 that included speakers like Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia. “One of the main reasons I came to UH was because of the professors — (Williams) in particular,” Cooper said. “With one assignment, she managed to light this fire.” news@thedailycougar.com

I believe this is positive and should be duplicated many times over. Anything that gives UH students a head start or advantage in the interview — I will do all I can to contribute to the positive outcome.” James Marble, on the advantage of the mock trials Nabhan said. Frances Lubin-Rismay, an English linguistics alumna who recently left her last job, attended the mock interview trials for several reasons. “I want a better job, something that pays better,” Lubin-Rismay said. “I want the employers here to tell me what’s wrong, if there’s anything wrong with my interviewing skills. I want to know where I stand.” Students and alumni were

INTERIMS continued from page 1

Nobel Peace Prize recipient Jody Williams is one of only three American women to have been given this prestigious award. She, along with five of her female peers, founded the Nobel Women’s Initiative to promote advocacy. | Courtesy of UH.edu

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interviewed by employers who conducted the mock interviews in 30 minute segments. Some even had second and third interviews with different volunteers. The employers critiqued the interviews and résumé and gave written evaluations. Human resource development graduate Guliana Forte felt that the critiques were beneficial and would set her up for success in the competitive job market.

of global strategies and studies. “That (appointment) has been harder to fill in terms of finding the right person. But all the other positions will be filled,” Short said. “We’ll have permanent people, and we’ll want to have the arts position filled as well, and the reorganization will be complete by December.” While Short is searching for permanent position holders, she said she’s relied a lot on the interims to establish a precedent for these positions, as none of these jobs existed before the reorganization. “These are sort of planning positions right now. We’re doing interims for (the chief health officer) and for the arts because we have just found that we’ve got to get people moving on those areas, and there’s not really a lot of time to do a national search,” Short said. “ We’ve got talent here on

“I had two interviews, so it was pretty good,” Forte said. “I think they gave me sincere feedback. I definitely feel more prepared now for real interviews.” Marble expects to conduct another event in the spring semester to provide more opportunities for students and alumni to practice and network with employers. “Some of the employers were using the event to field potential candidates,” Marble said. “I believe this is positive and should be duplicated many times over. Anything that gives UH students a head start or advantage in the interview, I will do all I can to contribute to the positive outcome.” news@thedailycougar.com

campus, so I’m gonna be looking for an interim chief arts officer and begin doing planning in that area.” Smith has been chosen to be one of those planners as the chief health science officer. He said Short has set some goals for him to accomplish during his next two years as interim. “I have marching orders, and one of the key things is to develop a strategic plan for the University and what the University should do in terms of expanding healthrelated programs,” Smith said. “That’s probably the most important thing and why an interim is valuable to have, because that strategic plan will certainly provide direction for the permanent individual.” Short takes pride in being able to give outstanding in-house individuals, like Smith, an opportunity to serve in these interim positions. Seeing as Short herself went from interim to permanent status, some may follow suit. news@thedailycougar.com

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OPINION EDITOR James Wang EMAIL

opinion@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

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HEALTH

New sensors benefit pro and college athletes

ext time J. J. Watt sacks some sorry invalid from an opposing team, don’t be surprised if you see a faint glow emit from the outside of his helmet. A bourgeoning market of impact sensors has started making waves within the athletic community. These sensors are installed externally on the player’s Cara helmets and are Smith outfitted with a light that’s triggered to flash when the player undergoes a particularly rough hit — the kind of hit that, left unchecked, might lead to a concussion. As reported by CNN, these impact sensors are by no means equipped to diagnose or alert the coaches of a concussion. They’re simply designed to react to the jolt of a high-magnitude impact. “These technologies can be useful if used cautiously, as long as you don’t overinterpret what they mean,” said Jeffrey Kutcher, director of the University of Michigan NeuroSport Program. “It could be really dangerous to rely on this too much.” The development of these technologies illustrates a significant shift in the nature of the game. After all, when it comes to football, cranial injuries are written off as nothing more than an occupational hazard. The treatment of such injuries seems to be less medicinal and more fiscal. When the average NFL football player rakes in $1.2 million annually, the populace tends to write off their headaches as something well worth their generous stipend. Rather than changing the game, though, it seems the next best thing is instilling some preventative measures in helping our athletes age with grace and not Alzheimer’s. Few argue the existence of a more savage sport than football. It’s a game that has come to define Monday night since its inception

in 1970, courtesy of ABC. The lump sum of NFL teams’ net worth is around $30 billion, according to Forbes. Sports Illustrated recently reported it as being the most lucrative sports league in the world. Football players possess a unique celebrity status, one that surpasses the celebrity of their dribbling, slap-shooting or homerun-hitting counterparts. That fat salary might more accurately be described as a highprofile, above-the-table hazard pay, though. For as much glitz and glamor as there is in the celebrity status we’ve bestowed upon our nation’s athletes, it’s undoubtedly countered by a staggeringly high prevalence of concussions, chronic traumatic encephalopathy — a degenerative neurological disease — and dementia. Such injuries are becoming harder to ignore. There’s now irrefutable evidence that the effects of playing football persist long beyond the moment players take off their pads for the last time. A recent study reported by ABC found that ex-football players are at a considerably heightened risk for chronic pain in old age — and depression as a result of the chronic pain. There’s former NFL safety Andre Waters’ 2006 suicide and the posthumous pathology report that found Waters was suffering from brain damage caused by multiple concussions during his 12-year career. There’s also the suicides of former defensive back Paul Oliver, linebacker Junior Seau, safety Ray Easterling, defensive back Dave Duerson and linebacker Jovan Belcher. All players except Belcher were found to have been suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Belcher’s remains weren’t tested for CTE. And it’s not just the NFL. Unfortunately, UH isn’t the only college campus that has seen their starting quarterback’s career come to a premature end becasue of the

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

David Delgado/ The Daily Cougar inherent nature of the game. David Piland, starting Cougar quarterback from 2011-2012, decided to respectably throw in the towel this season because of his head injuries, all of which were incurred throughout his football career. As reported by the Houston Chronicle, Piland was advised by multiple medical experts to bring his athletic career to an end. Ultimately, one can deduce that Piland made the decision for his own good — sacrificing his last season of collegiate football for a life spent without debilitating headaches and a potentially heightened risk of suicide. It’s an interesting conundrum. On the one hand, football players have some of the most severe occupational hazards out there. However, they’re some of the most generously compensated employees out there, too, and it could be argued that their hazard pay is more than comparable to their hazard. Electrical engineering junior Erik Van Aller shared little sympathy with our nation’s most well-compensated demigods. “NFL athletes are paid way more than enough,” Van Aller said. “I’m

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

not exactly sure how much the treatment is for such head injuries’ cost, but some of those players are making $15 to $20 million a year, which is more than enough.” Finance junior Andrew Stephens shared Van Aller’s viewpoint, approaching the issue from a fiscal perspective. “Professional football players get paid enough for the risks of a head or neck injury,” Stephens said. “Other careers with equal or higher risk get paid much less than the lowest contract in the NFL. The reason these professional athletes get paid so much is because the job requires the highest skill level — unlike most jobs in the corporate world, where skills can be learned through classes and even workshops.” Stephens touched on a perspective not many consider when weighing the risks versus the compensation of NFL athletes — the fact that the men are made fully aware of the risk they’re taking on and seem to find it worth the pay. “In the NFL, you have to possess athletic skills that cannot be learned,” Stephens said. “The players are grown men, and they’re perfectly capable of understanding the risks prior to signing that

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

contract.” Occupational hazards exist in any occupation, regardless of its physical nature. Accountants netting $50K a year are at a heightened risk for carpal tunnel syndrome and lumbar region joint maladies. The Houston Chronicle reported that both male and female teachers — who typically net around $40K annually — have a heightened lifetime prevalence of laryngitis and rhinopharyngitis, two upper-respiratory tract infections. The American Public Health Association recently reported that any given construction worker will experience at least one workrelated illness or injury throughout the course of a career. According to U.S. News & World Report, the average annual salary of a construction worker just two years ago was a meager $29,730. Sure, the hazards of an accountant are laughable compared to that of a professional athlete — then again, an accountant also brings home 0.6 percent of Matt Schaub’s 2013 salary. Senior staff columnist Cara Smith is a communications junior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

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.

Monday, November 25, 2013 // 5

The Daily Cougar

W 62-13

vs. Southern

W 22-13 @ Temple*

W 31-26 @ Rice

W 59-28 @ UTSA

W 25-15

vs. Memphis*

L 47-46 vs. BYU

W 49-14 @ Rutgers*

W 35-23 vs. USF*

L 19-14 @ UCF*

L 20-13

L 24-17

@ vs. Louisville* Cincinnati*

NOV. 29 vs. SMU*

* conference game

GAMEDAY: CINCINNATI ANALYSIS

Opportunity for growth Christopher Shelton Sports editor

The quarterback bears the brunt of criticism when losses pile up, and after a three-game skid, UH is no different. Though his play hasn’t been the only reason UH’s offense has sputtered, freshman quarterback John O’Korn is firmly entrenched in a bad stretch. Against UCF, Louisville and Cincinnati, O’Korn has completed less than 50 percent of his passes and is only throwing for 174 yards per game — he was benched for most of the second half on Saturday when the Cougars lost 24-17 to the Bearcats at BBVA Compass Stadium. Inconsistency should be expected from a freshman playing the most important position on the football field, but O’Korn needs to make better decisions than what he did on Saturday. With fewer than 10 seconds remaining, O’Korn scrambled for 6 yards, and the Cougars couldn’t return to the line of scrimmage before time expired — a game filled with offensive struggles mercifully came to an end. Head coach Tony Levine said his quarterback needs to improve his judgment in critical situations. “It’s a mistake we can’t make. It’s part of the learning process,” Levine said after the game. “In that type of situation, with no timeouts, we have to throw the ball beyond the first-down yardage. If we throw it short, we have to be certain we get a first down

or get out of bounds.” However, Levine said, O’Korn will grow from the mistake he made as the clock ran out. “I know this about John O’Korn — he won’t make that mistake again,” Levine said after practice Sunday. The Levine skid isn’t all O’Korn’s fault. The running game that gave defenses another element to prepare for and took pressure off O’Korn during the first eight games has been nonexistent. On Saturday, the Cougars rushed for 33 total yards. Since compiling 211 rushing yards during Rutgers, UH has failed to eclipse 150 on the ground. Sophomore running backs Kenneth Farrow and Ryan Jackson have become smaller factors in the offense as UH has entered the thick of its schedule and receivers have struggled with drops. Junior center Bryce Redman said the offensive line can perform better too. “A lot of it starts with us up front. That’s the part that we control as offensive linemen. If we give them enough time and open up enough holes, good things are going to happen,” Redman said. “As an offensive line, (for) anything that happens, we look in-house.” UH fans should have expected

Freshman quarterback John O’ Korn will look to bounce back from a lackluster performance in his final home game against SMU Friday at Reliant Stadium. | Caitlin Hilton/The Daily Cougar O’Korn to have ups and downs when he became the starter. He was only a starter for one season in high school. There are defenses that he still hasn’t seen. The speed

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of the game has been a big adjustment, and it would be unnatural if he didn’t make mistakes. Only time will tell if O’Korn becomes the next great UH

quarterback, but whether he succeeds or fails, he won’t be judged by this poor three-game stretch. sports@thedailycougar.com

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Monday, November 25, 2013 // 7

The Daily Cougar

LIFE & ARTS EDITOR

Paulina Rojas

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ONLINE

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STUDENT LIFE

Karaoke night comes to campus Cougar Woods dining hall transformed as students kept warm, enjoyed dinner while singing to favorite songs Kasarena Batiste Staff writer

As a warm and welcoming place for diners, Cougar Woods housed Friday night’s karaoke. Students were encouraged to get involved and perform on center stage. Many participated with laughter and dancing as bystanders, including the dining hall staff, enjoyed the night’s surprise. The Student Program Board took into consideration residents and commuters with the event, which was geared to help them relieve stress before finals. After taking on the persona of Beyonce, SPB President Anjuli Tuck addressed the planning of late night and weekend events and the role students are expected to play. “Get involved. It’s part of your student engagement and discovery as a student and as a person,” Tuck said. “That further institutes your pride here at the University of Houston. It also promotes your own student success because you take so much pride in the University.” When asked about the initial reaction of students who expected the usual dining hall experience, SPB member and kinesiology sophomore Elizabeth Ou responded positively. “I think people were a little startled at first ... but (they eventually got into it),” Ou said. “This is something that people like to do on Friday nights. (It’s something you can do) on a budget and something that would appeal to all audiences.” Along with food and singing, there were tables set up where students could design their choice of festive mini-pumpkins or picture

Students made requests from a variety of songs at karaoke night. | Paulina Rojas/The Daily Cougar frames. UScholars freshman Justin Alonso said he and his friends experienced firsthand “how great college is.” “It’s been pretty cool. People are up there having a good time. It’s nice for everyone to get together every once in a while,” Alonso said. As a music lover who grew up singing, history senior Kyle Cousins got a high off the unified energy in the room. “I’ve been singing all my life, really. It just allows me to share my voice, share my gift that I have. “(To see everyone’s) reaction ... really says something about what I can do.” arts@thedailycougar.com

History senior Kyle Cousins has been singing his entire life and enjoyed having the opportunity to perform in the company of his fellow Cougars. He received warm applause from the audience | Paulina Rojas/The Daily Cougar

EVENTS

Students get prepared to raise their voice Diana Nguyen Contributing writer

With free concerts, movies and fun activities including an annual Winter Wonderland, the Student Program Board aims to bring students something novel and exciting that showcases campus talent. Introducing “UH Voice,” a project inspired by NBC’s show “The Voice,” which stars judges Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. Similar to “The Voice,” SPB’s project will include four judges with a diverse background in music, 16 contestants and one final winner. The show takes a twist from the usual singing competitions by having the judges turn their backs from the contestants, so they can’t see the singers perform. Student Video Network Vice President of Operations Isaiah Pena

has seen a couple of The Voice’s episodes and likes the notion of having blind auditions. “I love the concept of blind auditions, because it allows you to judge on talent alone rather than considering one’s appearance,” Pena said. Pena, who said CeeLo Green is his favorite judge for “the comedic pull,” hopes the show will provide judges with a fun personality like CeeLo’s. “I think there needs to be some light-heartedness,” Pena said. “It helps the event move smoothly and keeps it fun.” Media production senior Kevin Acquino thinks the project has the potential to become a UH tradition. “This should be a crowd-pleasing experience and something that could go on for years, like Mr. UH,” Acquino said.

SPB President Anjuli Tuck thinks the project will get the student body involved. “We think this is a great opportunity to showcase student talent and involve the student body at the same time,” Tuck said. The auditions and final event will be held in conjunction with SVN, which will record the auditions and post them to YouTube to see which contestants get the most “likes” and positive feedback. The application deadline for open auditions was Nov. 15, and a total of 40 applicants will be narrowed down to 16 contestants on Dec. 3. SPB Concert Chair Kevin Lacson came up with the idea of “UH Voice” with a specific intention. “My motives behind organizing this competition was to give more exposure to UH students wishing to advance their music career but

might not have had the time to dedicate their collegiate studies to music,” Lacson said. Lacson hopes that students take the event earnestly, because there is a lot of effort being put into it. “I do hope that people take this competition seriously, as I am trying to make this event as legitimate as possible, even with the limited resources that are available to me,” Lacson said. Lacson asked applicants to send him a sample of their singing and would meet with a committee of six to vote on which contestants would move on. “I’ve received samples ranging from pop to rock to country to R&B and more. I’m confident that I have an adequate amount of diversity genre-wise to make this competition more interesting than anything the University has ever experienced,”

Lacson said. The final auditions take place Dec. 3 in the University Center Bayou City Room and are open to the public. Michael Nguyen, SVN’s director of Public Relations, feels the project may inspire new ideas at the University. “Hopefully, many types of music are represented instead of just a small pool. We’ve covered auditions before, but not on this scale and in this format. It’s definitely a huge change-up from what we usually do.” The live performance and airing of the show are planned to take place next semester in February in the new UC Theater. The winner will earn the opportunity to perform on campus at one of SPB’s major events. arts@thedailycougar.com

8 \\ Monday, November 25, 2013

The Daily Cougar

SPORTS BASKETBALL

Cougars prepare for big stage UH will face its biggest tests of the season in championship round of Legends Classic in NY Jordan Lewis Staff writer

The Cougars have been anxiously waiting to play in front of a nationally televised audience, and they will get their chance to strut their stuff against Stanford University on ESPN2 at 8:30 p.m. today. “It’s what these guys work for,” said head coach James Dickey. “They’ll get to be in front of a great audience — certainly a very knowledgeable basketball crowd in New York and the national media.” The championship rounds of the Progressive Legends Classic will go underway in Brooklyn, N.Y. at the Barclays Center, where the Cougars will face off against the Cardinals for the first time since 1991. Junior forward TaShawn Thomas will be looking to continue his defensive prowess in the paint for the Cougars. Thomas has had a careerhigh seven Thomas blocks in consecutive games during the tournament and has been anchoring the Cougars’ defense. “He’s really springy and has good timing on his blocks,” Dickey said. “A couple of them he knocked out of bounds, but a lot of them he’s been able to keep in play and have somebody go chase them down.” Through the regional round, UH’s defense has led it past LeHigh (80-66) and Howard (7562.) The Cougars will look to keep this defensive intensity against Stanford, where they will put their undefeated record on the line. After playing Stanford, UH will close out the tournament Tuesday against either Texas Tech or Pittsburgh. “I’m glad we’re going there 5-0,” Dickey said. “We’re going to have to really lace them up tight and be ready to go Monday night.” sports@thedailycougar.com

Junior forward TaShawn Thomas and the Cougars will have to play top-notch defense against an aggressive Cardinal squad. | Caitlin Hilton/The Daily Cougar