Issue 62, 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

Issue 62, Volume 79

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

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

H O U S T O N

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VOLUNTEERS

Opportunities arise for students to give back Cougars make time for service

Rebeca Trejo Staff writer

that UH students really care about the people around them.” That’s exactly what students did Monday during the first Martin Luther King Day of Service. The majority of students worked with Habitat for Humanity in neighborhoods while others spent the day with Vitae-Living, serving people with developmental disabilities. “It’s the perfect opportunity to celebrate Martin Luther King Day and make a difference,” Schmidt said. Other service projects are available to students through the university’s Metropolitan Volunteer Program. It’s free to join and noncommittal, meaning students can attend as many or as little events they want. Samuel Marshall is an interpersonal communications student and Ongoing Service Events Chair for MVP. He leads events that occur monthly or semimonthly such as excursions to The Beacon homeless

College students often have to juggle a bombardment of class assignments, a part- or full-time job and responsibilities to their friends or families; volunteering might be the last thing on their mind. Despite this popular belief, there are plenty of students on campus who sacrifice their time to help people in Houston, and there are more opportunities to reach out through UH. “What we want students to do is find something they’re interested in and to care about it,” said Stephanie Schmidt, associate director of Leadership and Civic Engagement for the Center of Student Involvement. “Doing some landscaping, doing some building is a great way to show SERVICE continues on page 3

UH to visit food bank The Daily Cougar News Services The nation honored Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday Monday, but UH will celebrate the civil rights leader’s life and actions through the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 22 at the New UC Theater. The Celebration, which also commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, will feature speeches by President Renu Khator and former city attorney Gene Locke as well as performances by Stacy J and Unified Praise Dance team. A short, historical video about the equal rights legislation will be shown at the event, according to uh.edu. Students, faculty and staff can also give their time to the UH Day of Giving at the Houston Food Bank, held on Feb. 1 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Houston Food Bank at 535 Portwall Street. The volunteer event furthers the UH MLK Celebration in the spirit of King’s community-focused message. Refreshments will be served at the Celebration Wednesday. Students can RSVP on Facebook. news@thedailycougar.com

STAFF EDITORIAL

50 years later, King’s dream lives on

“Life’s most persistant and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commmons

Almost half a century ago, the country trembled with the shouts of civil rights activists who fought for the right to realize their dream: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. America now stands in the symbolic shadow of an emphatic leader whose legacy lives on and was marked by this Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. His memory echoes in the collective consciousness of this nation and in the Civil Rights Act of 1964,

which now celebrates its 50th anniversary. King was one voice among many who paved the way for later generations. Their message resonated not only with the African-American community, but with all minorities whose rights were unconstitutionally stripped away. Because King and other civil rights activists marched on Washington, organized themselves and forced people to take a moral inventory of themselves, Americans have the privilege of touting exceptionalism. Though his vision can be seen here at the University in our diverse student population, a long and winding road is still ahead. Until people of all races, ethnicities, religions, cultures, sexual orientations, and gender identities can be seated at the table of brotherhood and sisterhood, commemorating this holiday will not live up to his legacy King’s speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial still rings true. “My country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty.”

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The Daily Cougar

CRIME REPORT

East and Southeast Asian Contact Lens Wearers Needed for a Soft Contact Lens Study

The following is a partial report of campus crime between Jan. 11 and Wednesday. All information is selected from the files of the UH Department of Public Safety. Information or questions regarding the cases below should be directed to UH DPS at (713) 742-3333.

You are being asked to participate in this study because you are self-reported as Asian and currently wears soft spherical contact lenses. Researchers at The Ocular Surface Institute, University of Houston College of Optometry want to compare 2 FDA-approved soft contact lenses. Minimum Eligibility Requirements: • Males and females between 18 and 70 years old with self-reported Asian ethnicity • Currently wearing soft spherical contact lenses everyday • Not currently pregnant or breastfeeding a baby To determine if you are eligible for the study, you will have an initial visit at the College of Optometry. You also will undergo a number of commonly performed clinical eye tests. There are 3 visits total for the study. Visit 1 and visit 2 last approximately 2 hours, and visit 3 lasts about 1 hour. You will be compensated for the completed study visit with a $60.00 Target gift card for Visit 1 and Visit 2, and a $30.00 Target gift card for Visit 3. Total compensation amount for the study will be $150.00. For more information about this study, please contact us at (713)-743-2809. Email: TOSI@optometry. uh.edu (Please mention study 113) This project has been reviewed by the University of Houston Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects (713) 743-9204.

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Theft of Ser vice/Criminal Mischief: A staff member reported seeing a driver physically raise the parking garage gate arm and drive his vehicle through without paying for parking at the University Hilton Hotel Garage. The incident occurred at 2:09 p.m. on Jan. 11. The case is active, pending new information. Burglary, Coin-Operated/Collection Machine: A UHPD officer observed a vending machine that had been burglarized at Philip G. Hoffman Hall. The incident occurred between 6:58 and 7:05 p.m. on Jan. 12. The case is active, pending new information. Criminal Trespass: An unaffiliated individual was arrested for criminal trespass after being discovered sleeping inside Moore School of Music. The individual was transported to Harris County Jail. The incident occurred at 8:38 a.m. on Jan. 13. The case is cleared by arrest. Theft: A student reported on Jan. 13 that someone stole her unattended and secured bicycle from the stadium garage. The incident occurred between noon Nov. 20 and noon Dec. 10. The case is inactive. Theft: A student reported on Jan. 13 that her bicycle was missing from the bike rack where she parked it at Engineering 1. A search of impounded bicycles did not reveal the student’s bike. The incident occurred between noon

Nov. 13 and noon Nov. 25. The case is inactive. Theft: A student’s laundry was reported stolen from the Cougar Place laundry room. The incident occurred between 12:50 and 4 p.m. on Jan. 14. The case is inactive. Theft: A student reported the theft of his property from the Science Building. The incident occurred between 5 p.m. on Jan. 3 and 4:15 p.m. on Jan. 14. The case is active, pending new information. Criminal Trespass: An unaffiliated individual was issued a Harris County citation for criminal trespass at Cougar Village 2. The individual was also issued a campuswide trespass warning before being released. The incident occurred at 9:33 p.m. on Jan. 14. The case is cleared by citation. Theft: A student reported that someone stole his unattended, secured bicycle from Cullen Oaks Apartments. The incident occurred between 6 p.m. Jan. 14 and 9 a.m. Jan. 15. The case is inactive. Criminal Trespass: An individual was issued a criminal trespass warning for the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library. While issuing the warning, officers discovered the individual had multiple arrest warrants. The individual was taken into custody and transported to Harris County Jail. The incident occurred at 7:46 p.m. on Jan. 15. The case is cleared by arrest.

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

Tuesday, January 21, 2014 // 3

The Daily Cougar

NEWS EDITOR

Amanda Hilow

news@thedailycougar.com

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SERVICE

Alumnus travels far, wide for deceased brother

From left, UH alumnus Bryan Brown poses at Green River lakes in Wyoming at the beginning of his solo kayaking trip down the Colorado River. Top right, Brown poses at the intersection of the Green and Colorado rivers, and bottom right, at Yuma, Arizona at the end of his trip. | Courtesy of Bryan Brown Hadiya Iqbal Staff writer

While most people take trips for leisure, a UH alumnus recently went on a journey that was not only inspired by someone close to him, but will inevitably inspire many others around him as well. Bryan Brown, 57, finished the first solo continuous descent kayaking down the Colorado River in American history as a tribute to his younger brother, Bruce, who died in 2012 of muscular dystrophy. Brown spent 100 days completing his voyage, which came to a rough total of 2,400 nautical miles. The first leg of the trip began at the source of the Green River and traveled from the Colorado River to the Mexican border at Yuma. The second leg started from the source of the Colorado River proper at Rocky Mountain National Park and carried him to the confluence of the

SERVICE continued from page 1

shelter or Casa de Esperanza, a refuge for children in crisis. “ Whenever we go (to The

Green and Colorado Rivers near Moab, Utah. Brown’s journey took place from June 1 to Sept. 8, 2013. “The journey was a tribute to my beloved younger brother, Bruce, who died of muscular dystrophy in late 2012,” Brown said. “(But) I am also engaged in writing a book that deals with overarching natural history and ecology issues pertinent to the embattled primary Colorado River watershed, which includes both what we now know as the Colorado River and the Green River.” As Brown spent a fairly large amount of time on the water, his entire trip included eight permit venues, required twelve complex permits, and dealt with four agencies — National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and the state of Utah — with rules differing for each agency. Throughout his

voyage, Brown was able to carefully document what was occurring between parkland jurisdictions. “While the Colorado and Green rivers are obviously monolithic entities, parkland jurisdictions are not,” Brown said. “Parkland mission statements pay lip service to ecosystem continuity, but the undeniable fact of the matter is that oversight starts at upstream borders and stops at downstream borders. “Part of this mindset is budgetrelated. Part of it is related to the immense distances this watershed covers. Part of it is a simple lack of organizational continuity,” Brown said. “The parkland jurisdictions in this watershed are hopelessly fragmented. This fragmented management system is clearly outmoded.” Brown, who received his master’s degree in English literature

from UH in 1981, now resides in Beverly Hills with his wife. The preparation for his trek fell into two categories: logistical and physical. “Logistically, the trip was a nightmare. The permitting system is outmoded, and the safety and equipment requirements are not codified,” Brown said. “For this reason, it is very difficult to transit these regions. The logistics took 8 months and were really not finished when I launched. “Physically, I did what most people would call hybrid cardiovascular workouts here in the Santa Monica Mountains. I already had the boating skills required to undertake this journey.” As Brown completed his trip alone, he had virtually no cellphone coverage and covered roughly 400 rapids that were Class III or higher, which is known as

Beacon), we probably encounter and interact with 500 homeless citizens,” Marshall said. Other UH students, like entrepreneurship senior Aaron Gomez, volunteer with their Greek organizations.

Through his fraternity Sigma Lambda Beta, Gomez mentors and tutors boys in the Second Ward. “The most rewarding part is knowing that we help these kids get off the streets and go to college,” Gomez said. “Everybody’s

required to do community service for organizations, but if you’re not passionate about it, it’s not rewarding.” news@thedailycougar.com

serious whitewater. This experience taught Brown that while American parkland managers are clearly trying to protect our precious natural resources, more urgency is needed. Most importantly, Brown said he learned that outrageous human kindness is alive and well and living happily in the American outback. “Generally speaking, I did not tell people what I was doing,” Brown said. “That said, they seemed to know that I was engaged in something unique, and they absolutely knocked themselves out to try to help. “Because I purposefully traveled with the season, with a paddle and with the current, I saw what presented itself in the order in which the seasons dictated.” news@thedailycougar.com

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The Daily Cougar

OPINION

EDITOR James Wang EMAIL

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NATION

King’s dream embodied by UH community

he dream of Martin Luther King Jr. is an everincreasing reality at UH. During the weeks surrounding the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, Americans reflect upon his work and contributions to the civil rights movement across the country. Although America is Joshua a polarized DeYoung nation, one where individual liberties are now granted to all citizens, injustices still exist. In an interview, former Secretary of State and Gen. Colin Powell said, “It’s easy to say that, ‘Well, we’ve still got a lot of problems.’ And we do, we do … but we should not overlook how far we have come since 1963.” With that, Powell goes on to imagine how King would view the progress that has been made thus far, adding, “If Dr. King was here, I’m quite sure he would say, ‘Congratulations on all the progress that’s been made, but let’s keep going; the dream is not fully achieved yet.’ ” Early abolitionist and social reformist Fredrick Douglass once said, “Education is the key to freedom,” and this ideal later proved to be a key stance in the fight for civil rights. With the integration of public schools came a large push to bring African-Americans and other minorities out from under oppression. The major goal of integration was to provide individuals of all races and ethnicities equal access to education, guaranteeing them the opportunity for future success and the ability to contribute to society. However, even in the 21st century, inequalities exist that make it more difficult for minorities — especially African-Americans and Hispanics — to gain access to a top-tier education. A Georgetown University study

found that “the 468 top-tier universities in the country are largely white and Asian. The 3,250 twoyear, four-year lower-tier schools are black and Latino.” UH is an outlier in regards to this study. The UH Board of Regents, administration and faculty are working to provide all citizens — regardless of race, ethnicity or gender — equal access to a top-tier education. According to the Fall 2013 enrollment statistics published by UH, just less than 50 percent of the student body is white or Asian, while African-American, Hispanic and multiracial students account for just less than 40 percent of the population. The remaining 10 percent is made up of Native American, Pacific Islander and international students. These numbers prove that the student population is not distributed relative to the data acquired by the Georgetown University study. The initiatives put in place by the University closely represent the goals of civil rights leaders more than 50 years ago to make quality education available to all. In the heart of one of the most diverse cities in the United States, UH is working to bridge the gap of the injustices that still separate the nation. According to the goals set by the UH Board of Regents, Strategic Principle 3 states, “The diversity of the UH System universities is a strength that distinguishes us among universities nationwide. Increasingly, the faculty, staff, administration and students of our universities will reflect the city of Houston’s diversity.” From the UH Board of Regents to the faculty and student body, a diverse population is represented and acts as a strength to collectively enlighten thousands of students’ perceptions of other races, ethnicities and cultures.

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

MANAGING EDITOR

Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of diversity, that “we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together,” continues to live on at UH. | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons When taking a walk across campus past the Cullen Family Plaza or the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library, you will notice a great representation of culture, pride and opportunity available within the student body. There are many opportunities provided to students, including cultural studies, quality faculty and hundreds of organizations. Students have the freedom to let their individuality show. They can express themselves freely and equally represent the University in a manner that contributes to the forward growth of this country. The works of King — and all of

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

the others who have contributed to the fight for civil rights — should not stop by any means. Their contributions, as well as those of the people of UH, would be in vain if students did not continue to take what they have learned into the workplace and world after graduation. The challenge now is for students to take the experiences, values and education that they have earned at the University into the community where the possibilities are endless. As King’s history and legacy resonate in the hearts and minds of Americans, reflect on the words

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 221, University Center North; 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

of Gen. Powell. “This is a problem that affects all of America, not just black America,” he said. “It’s something that is still a residual effect of our history, of the racism that existed by law, the segregation, slavery — and I think we’re slowly, surely moving away from this. And it’s going to change. It’s going to require more change in the hearts and minds of people. But we’re going to get there, I have no doubt about that.” Opinion columnist Joshua DeYoung is an economics senior 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.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014 // 5

The Daily Cougar

SPORTS EDITOR

Christopher Shelton

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Cougars narrowly drop road contest The Daily Cougar News services UH showcased one of their best defensive performances of the season, holding a high-octane Memphis offense to just 48 points on 35 percent shooting. But in the end it just wasn’t enough, as the Cougars dropped a close one, 48-40, Saturday afternoon at Elma Roane Fieldhouse. Junior guard Demetria Foreman posted a team-high 13 points and collected a game-high and careerbest four steals, while senior forward Destini Texada almost had a double-double, grabbing a gamehigh nine rebounds and poured in seven points. The Cougar defense held sophomore guard Ariel Hearn to just 10 points on 3-of-14 shooting for the g a m e, a s she came into the contest as the Foreman secondleading scorer in the conference, averaging 18.9 points per game. Sophomore forward Asianna Fuqua-Bey poured in a game-high 18 points and grabbed a team-best eight rebounds for Memphis in the win. UH claimed a 17-14 lead with 9:28 left to play in the first half after Foreman converted on one of her two made three-balls in the game. UH connected on five of its first 10 shots from the field, but 14 first half turnovers prevented it from extending their lead. sports@thedailycougar.com

NEXT UP Louisville makes trip to Houston UH returns to the friendly confines of Hofheinz Pavillion in search of its first conference win on Tuesday. Matchup: UH (4-13, 0-6) vs. Louisville (18-1, 6-0) Time: 7 p.m. Watch: ESPN3

UH presented a balanced attack against Rutgers, producing five different players who scored in the double digits in its 77-55 win. | Justin Tijerina/The Daily Cougar

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Cougars on the rebound After a decisive loss to defending national champion Louisville, UH returned the favor against Rutgers with a 20-point victory Jordan Lewis Senior staff writer

After losing by nearly 40 points in a road contest against defending national champion Louisville, UH responded with a decisive home victory against Rutgers. The Cougars’ high-flying offense and attacking defense led them to a 77-55 win. The Cougars (11-7, 3-2) gave up a 35-28 lead at the start of the second half when the Scarlet Knights (8-10, 2-3) went on a 10-0 run to take the lead 38-37. Rutgers’ lead was short-lived, as the Cougars played with a lot more energy, turning this around into an 18-point lead. At the 15:55 mark, UH broke out on a quick 11-0 run in just over two minutes. Sophomore guard Jherrod Stiggers had a tip dunk heard ‘round the world during

a 22-3 run in a seven-minute span, which UH needed after surrendering a first-half lead. “The coaches told us that it’s not fun if you’re not winning, and it’s exciting that we can go out on a run together and share the ball and play team basketball,” said sophomore forward Danuel House. UH snapped a two-game losing streak as freshman forward Danrad “Chicken” Knowles got the first start of his collegiate career. Knowles made an immediate impact, contributing 16 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. UH knew that Rutgers would be a physical rebounding team that had some size, which is why head coach James Dickey added Knowles into the starting lineup. The Cougars had five players score in double figures, as junior forward TaShawn Thomas and

Head coach James Dickey patrols the UH sideline with a scowl during UH’s conference victory against Rutgers on Sunday. | Justin Tijerina/The Daily Cougar senior guard Brandon Morris contributed 12 points apiece. Stiggers had 11 points and three 3-pointers, and Danuel House had 14 points and six rebounds. “It’s kind of hard to find fault in a game like this, except for in the offensive rebounding — more guys have to rebound. We didn’t have anybody in double figures in rebounding,” Dickey said. UH was outrebounded 49-38 and gave up 23 offensive rebounds. The Cougars shot 50 percent from the field and made 11 total 3-pointers as a team. Their depth shined as UH scored 35 bench points. “The team chemistry is really improving, and it showed today with the 21 team assists, and I thought our team defense was really good as well,” Dickey said.

2-SPORT STAR Bowser trades sacks for rebounds Sophomore forward Tyus Bowser earned his first playing time of the season. The 6-foot-3 Bowser was a standout defensive end for the football team this season. He provided size and depth for the defensive line. Bowser entered the game with 1:10 left as head coach James Dickey cleared the bench. Sophomore guard Jherrod Stiggers said Bowser’s brawn will provide UH with an advantage. “He’s been fitting in real well, and has been crashing the glass,” Stiggers said. “That’s a big boy, and he’s a very coachable guy.”

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Tuesday, January 21, 2014 // 7

The Daily Cougar

LIFE & ARTS

EDITOR

Monica Tso

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FINE ARTS

Blaffer boasts of multidisciplinary gallery Paulina Rojas Staff writer

Visual art and literature can be different and complement each other at the same time. An exhibition experimented with this concept on Thursday and Friday at the Blaffer Art Museum. “Antena” is a gallery based on the fusion of art and language that will be on display through May 10. It features books from small presses in the United States and Latin America. Visitors are encouraged to touch and skim the books on display, even if they don’t intend to purchase them. Founders Jen Hofer and John Pluecker established “Antena” in 2010. Hofer and Pluecker are writers, artists, literary translators, activist interpreters and bookmakers who experiment with language justice. Workshops on writing will be open to the public. “This is about experimenting with the idea of art and a bookstore,” Pluecker said. “Antena” allows people to express themselves in the language that they feel most comfortable with, and the gallery will explore how views of languages can offer re-imagination and re-articulation of the world. The collaborative efforts between the artists display experiences and exposure from the U.S. and Latin American countries, such as Mexico,

Chile and Guatemala. The materials in “Antena” are printed in English and Spanish to properly channel the work from Latin American women, queer communities and more. “I have always been an art person,” said biotechnology junior Keith Sanders. “To me, this is one of the better exhibits I have been to. I really like the story behind it, and Blaffer is a great place to start learning about art and get the college experience.” Blaffer is hosting a weekly class, “In The Between: At the Intersections of Writing, Art, Politics,” which is open to the public and to students enrolled in the interdisiplinary art minor, IART. From Feb. 13 to 16, all of the artists will be at Blaffer taking part in lectures and presentations. Some of the lectures will be in Spanish and others in English, with live translation for audience members. The opening of Anton Ginzburg’s “Terra Corpus” on Friday introduced sculptures, films, photography and paintings from a trilogy of personal works. A Russian-born artist, Ginzburg is based out of New York, and his Blaffer debut is the first showing at an American gallery. His work takes an in-depth look at landscapes from Oregon to eastern Europe. “I am interested in various media,” Ginzburg said in June 2011

Two ongoing exhibitions, “Antena,” and Anton Ginzburg’s American debut gallery, “Terra Corpus,” introduced a world of literature and exploration to visitors on Thursday and Friday at the Blaffer Art Museum. | Courtesy of Anton Ginzburg in T Magazine. “I like to find the one that is most appropriate for each project, because ultimately the creative energy is abstract — it doesn’t belong to any particular medium.” The first part of the trilogy, “At the Back of the North Wind,” is a documentation of his expedition to

find “Hyperborea,” a Greek mythical land that holds bliss and eternal peacefulness. “Walking the Sea,” the second part of the trilogy, follows Ginzburg’s journey across the Aral Sea and describes the paradox of “seas without water.”

The exhibition remains open until March 18. arts@thedailycougar.com

For more information, visit blafferartmuseum.org

MOVIES

‘This is the End’ brings laughter to new theater Sara Samora Staff writer

As the members of the Student Program Board prepared the next batch of popcorn, students filled the 450 seats of the New

University Center Theater. The first movie showing of the semester featured “This is the End,” an apocalyptic comedy starring James Franco, Seth Rogen and two-time Oscar nominee Jonah Hill.

Students crowded the 450-seat theater at the New University Center to catch a screening of “This is The End” hosted by the Student Program Board on Thursday. | Sara Samora/The Daily Cougar

SPB cinema and novelty chair Taylor Rouleau said the film was originally planned to be shown last semester. Instead, they switched it with another movie and made the decision to save this comedy for the spring semester. “With the new theater, I figured a lot of people want to come out and see it,” Rouleau said. “We choose movies to screen based on student surveys, and a recent survey gave ‘This is the End’ the best reviews — thus the decision to screen the comedic flick for the UH audience.” Previously, films were shown outdoors at Lynn Eusan Park. In the new theater, however, the surround sound boomed through the speakers, followed by the riotous laughter and applause, creating a true theater environment. Students also brought their own snacks from the food court. The movie companies occasionally send free tickets for movies. “When they bring them out, it’s just first come, first serve,” Rouleau said. “It’s free tickets to early screenings of movies, so you get to see it before anybody else.”

Although there were no movie tickets for this screening, tables offered surveys, Cougar trading cards and movie promotional items for the upcoming films, “Devil’s Due” and “I, Frankenstein.” “I heard ‘This is the End’ was funny and that Rihanna was in it,” said psychology junior Sharnica Henderson. Henderson hopes that SPB will show more horror movies. “The new theater is really nice,” said education sophomore Kiana Jensen. “It’s huge but also really loud.” Future screenings include “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” “Thor 2,” “Gravity” and “Ride Along.” The next event is a screening of “Grown Ups 2” at 7 p.m. on Jan. 24 in the New UC Theater, hosted by SPB and the Center for Student Involvement. “The Student Program Board is putting tons of free events on campus for all the students,” Rouleau said. “They need to come out and check it out.” arts@thedailycougar.com

8 \\ Tuesday, January 21, 2014

The Daily Cougar

SPORTS BRIEFS

Diving coach leaves for overseas job The Daily Cougar News services He a d d i v i n g c o a c h Ja n e Figueiredo has accepted the position of head coach of the British Diving High Performance Center in London, ending her 24-year tenure at UH. Former UH diver and Olympian Yulia Pakhalina has been named the interim diving coach for the remainder of the 2014 season. “I want to thank the University of Houston for all of the opportunities I have been given throughout my career with them,” Figueiredo said. “I have loved my time Figueiredo with the University and want to wish them the best for the future.” Pakhalina won an Olympic gold medal with Figueiredo as her coach in the 3-meter synchronized diving event during the 2000 Sydney Games. At the 2004 Athens Games, Pakhalina claimed a silver medal in the 3-meter synchronized diving and a bronze in the 3-meter individual springboard. Pakhalina also captured two silver medals during the 2008 Olympics. UH runs strong at invitational The track and field program finished with 13 first-place finishes and eight personal-best performances to wrap up the Leonard Hilton Memorial Invitational on Friday in Ye o m a n Fieldhouse. Senior Karley King finished on top once King again in the pole vault with a mark of 4.10 meters (13’-5.25”), tying the third-best performance in school history originally set by King. She cleared the height on the first attempt and moved up to attempt 4.21 meters (13’-9.75”) to beat the school record. Freshman Damon Thompson set a personal record of 18.08 meters (59’-4”) in the men’s weight throw to win the competition. He beat his previous record by more than five feet. sports@thedailycougar.com

The Cougars feel like they have skills to improve and return to the NCAA Tournament after winning a Conference USA title in 2012. | File photo/The Daily Cougar

GOLF

UH has NCAA expectations Cougars believe improvement with putter will be key to a successful season Harrison Lee Senior staff writer

Coming off of their last season in Conference USA and their best finish since 2001, the Cougars are in touch with the hallowed antiquity of their own history. Now in the American Athletic Conference, the experienced team is looking to improve upon what they accomplished last year. After a trip to the NCAA tournament in 2012-13, UH believes it can get past the regional round. The Cougars are off to a good start in 2014 with one team victory and three top-five finishes in four tournaments. The 2012-13 season, despite wrapping up earlier than they wanted to, left the team and

coaches with a solid slate to improve upon. “Whenever a team is doing well and you get cut short, you’re just really eager to get back to playing and pick up where you left off,” said senior Curtis Reed. “All in all, I think we’ve been working on our course management and trying to sharpen up on some of the things we didn’t do so well. I’m working on putting it better and driving it in the fairway more often.” Director of Golf Jonathan Dismuke, who earned C-USA Coach of the Year last year, said the team expects much advancement this semester. “We’re excited about the guys we have, and I don’t necessarily think that we look forward to this semester (more) than I have any other semesters,” Dismuke said. “We’ve got the potential to do some nice things, and it’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out.”

Associate head coach Chris Hill, a semifinalist for the 2013 Jan Strickland Award, took note of the pause between fall and spring. “We’re very eager to get back to competing. It’s a long winter for us,” Hill said. “We assessed what goals are going to help our run at the NCAA Championship. Chipping and putting inside a hundred yards was our main focus.” Putting, which even some of the greatest of golfers have struggled with, is something that coach Hill looks to focus on, especially speed, which in this case means understanding the texture of the green and knowing how far and fast the putt will travel when contact is achieved. “There are fundamentals of putting. We work on the speed. Our goal for this team, and my goal, is to have the team with the best speed in the country,” Hill said. The other aspect of golf season

— though rarely addressed outside of players, coaches and the more learned fans — is the grueling nature of the travel schedule, with proof positive being UH’s six trips across the nation between now and April 27. “We (the upperclassmen) do our best to help (the underclassmen) out,” Reed said. “(We) get them accustomed to being able to do schoolwork on the road, the time changes and working on your sleeping patterns and just taking it easy when you’re not on the course. It can be pretty stressful sleeping in an unfamiliar bed and doing schoolwork in a hotel room.” The team, before being away from Houston for a prolonged swing, will take part in the Bayou City Collegiate Championship from Feb. 21 to 23. sports@thedailycougar.com