SPORTS
BASEBALL
HOLIDAY
With their opening game on Friday nearing, the Cougars are excited about a solid crop of returners. The team has high expectations.
Do long-distance relationships actually work? Students share their woes about the miles in between them and their significant others. SEE PAGE 11
Let the games begin
SEE PAGE 8
Love is in the air
FEBRUARY
CALENDAR CHECK: 14
Valentine’s Day. Have you found your date yet?
THE DAILY COUGAR
T H E
O F F I C I A L
S T U D E N T
N E W S PA P E R
O F
T H E
U N I V E R S I T Y
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Issue 74, Volume 79
O F
H O U S T O N
S I N C E
1 9 3 4
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Fighting for a change in leadership Nora Olabi Assistant news editor
The Division of Student Affairs has been wrestling with one of its departments as students and administrators have stood at odds with one another. After an almost 20-year run at the University, the Urban Experience Program has come under fire. Students in the program have felt that administrators in DSA have left the students to fend for themselves. Organizational leadership and supervision senior Naeem Abdullah took to legal recourse within the University to resolve the conflict. Abdullah and former SGA senator Mike Nguyen authored Senate Resolution SGAR50, which was presented to the SGA Student Life Committee. SGAR50 proposed that the UEP be transferred from DSA to the
Division of Community Relations and Institutional Access under the baton of Elwyn C. Lee. “Dr. Lee knows what’s best for the program, and we as students of the program don’t feel as though our current situation is good for the program,” Abdullah said. Lee used to head the program when he was the vice president of the DSA. Abdullah and other students enlisted in the UEP felt that a transfer between divisions was in Lee the best interest of the students. They complained that marketing was cut, that they were accused by administrators of being
ineffective and that the evidence provided by the students to demonstrate its effectiveness, including student testimony, was overlooked and denounced. Though UEP still receives funding, its students were told by administrators that they had to provide more data. This data discrepancy has the potential to affect future funding. Robbie Evans, who was the director of UEP for almost 15 years until her resignation late last semester, addressed the Senate floor and shared her disgruntlement with the state of affairs, calling it an “abomination.” Political science junior Ja’Terrell Moffett, who has been in the program for almost two years, was a proponent of the transfer. She felt that after Evans stepped down, the office coordinator should have been appointed as an official interim director because of
SGA Student Life Committee that decided on the SGAR50 in a special session Friday, said that though the UEP provided a useful service to the school, there were some shortfalls in the program’s ability to present administration with accurate data. “In all fairness ... a lot of the data just didn’t add up. You really could get buried in the numbers, and that was something that was really frustrating to see at (the Student Fees Advisory Committee), because we all feel that the Urban Experience Program is an important program to the school,” Haston said. “It serves a lot of students really well, but simultaneously we still need to be able to quantify the results of the program.” Senate resolution SGAR50 for request to transfer out of the DSA was SGA continues on page 2
ONLINE COMMENTS
CAMPUS
Aggressive social action antagonizes minorities
In response to “Questioning climate change claims at Energy Symposium Series” This is a joke, and so is BP-funded Obama. The degree of man-made climate change is debatable, but we cannot even hold the oil tycoons accountable. Those BP execs that preferred to “save money” by using saltwater instead of drilling mud and having the blowout preventer repaired in China should be tried and convicted for environmental terrorism and given the death penalty.
Trishna Buch
If al-Qaeda caused that much damage in our gulf, the clowns on CNN and Fox News would be demanding heads roll. But it’s OK because, unlike al-Qaeda, the BP oil tycoons love and care about America. Even in China, they executed those responsible for the melamine-tainted milk.In the US, the execs would get a slap on the wrist while the company and shareholders would be left paying the settlements.
Contributing writer
Stereotyping has become a common occurrence in the world today — and with it, microaggression. Women’s Resource Center Program coordinator Malkia Hutchinson led Wednesday’s Gender Talk, titled “Microaggressions: Sharing Stories of When We’ve Been Marginalized.” This week’s discussion topic focused on more than just gender issues, though. “Microaggressions are statements that reinforce marginalizations,” Hutchinson said. Microaggressive comments are not focused on one entity; they can be used to make comments on race, gender, social class and much more. According to the Society of Counseling Psychology, racial microaggressions
her experience with dealing with the students and for furthering the vision of the program. The UEP does not have a fulltime director, but it does have two parttime interim directors in Walker that leadership position. “I’ve seen the program flourish, and I’ve seen the program fall, and it’s falling right now,” Moffett said. “The fact that our office coordinator wasn’t appointed for at least half of the interim director position, I feel like that is not working toward trying to better our program, because she knows how to do everything.” Charles Haston, who headed the
— BPkillsUandMe Microaggression can be defined as verbal, behavioral or environmental indignities that communicate racial slights and insults toward people of color. The Women’s Resource Center focused its weekly gender talk on sharing stories of students who have been marginalized. | Justin Tijerina/The Daily Cougar are brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral or environmental indignities, regardless of intent. “(Microaggressions) communicate hostile, derogatory or negative racial slights and insults towards people of color,” according to the organization’s website.
“Those who inflict racial microaggressions are often unaware that they have done anything to harm another person.” In the WRC discussion, participants discussed ways in which they GENDER continues on page 12
Environmental issues should be taken much more seriously than people and the government give credit for/spend time/educate on. I personally think climate change is something to be taken very seriously. Whether or not that is right or wrong, we still have to change the way we consume our limited resources. There should be no question that we humans have created a drastic change to our environment and the animals we “share” it with. Again, there should be less anger/controversy about whether climate change is real. There really is no point in arguing when it is obvious that we are having a negative impact on the environment and something has to be done. We need cleaner energy sources and stop over-using certain natural resources. — Respect the environment These comments have been edited for grammar and spelling. Read more and join the discussion at thedailycougar.com.
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news@thedailycougar.com
SGA
continued from page 1
unanimously denied by the special committee. A joint letter signed by Lee and Vice Chancellor and Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services Richard Walker prompted the special committee’s decision to deny the resolution. “The University of Houston and the Division of Student Affairs are fully committed to the UEP and have no intention to close the program. The program review and assessment will put us on a path to make it stronger,” the joint letter said. “The University has an unwavering commitment to improve student success, and we share this commitment.” Smith and several of the SGA senators on the special committee felt that the program should be housed in DSA. Engineering senator Shaun Smith presented another resolution, which would enable administrative oversight that would ensure that students and administrators would work cohesively. “It’s in (the student body’s) interest — the student body’s interest, since we’ve made that investment in the program — that not only UEP is successful
ONLINE
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and serves the students, but we also want to make sure that the Division of Student Affairs and administration officials serve us by way of making sure this program is successful as well,” Smith said. Smith’s resolution passed in the SGA meeting Wednesday night and reaffirmed the position that the UEP should remain under DSA but with conditions. It was decided “that the Student Government Association will task its Student Life Committee Chair, or committee delegate, to conduct a monthly follow-up for the remainder of Fiscal Year 15 with the staff and student members of the Urban Experience Program to evaluate the administration’s efforts in improving this collaborative endeavor,” according to SGAR-50006. Assessments of the program would be facilitated by an SGA senator on the Student Life Committee. Amendments to resolution SGAR50006 were brought by Abdullah. They were wholly denied by the Senate on Wednesday in the Senate Chambers in the UC North. The Division of Student Affairs could not be reached to comment on the story. news@thedailycougar.com
CORRECTIONS Monday’s article, “Alumni root for diversity in legal system,” should have said State Sen. John Whitmire served more than 30 years in the Texas Senate. He served 10 years as a representative and was then elected senator for District 15 in 1982. Wednesday’s article, “Laboratory helps ideas mature into businesses,” should have clarified that although RED Labs and the 3DS event are both spearheaded by management information systems professor Hesam Panahi and supported by the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship, they are two separate opportunities. A student does not need to be a part of RED Labs to participate in 3DS.
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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
Thursday, February 13, 2014 // 3
THE DAILY COUGAR
LIFE & ARTS EDITOR
Monica Tso
arts@thedailycougar.com
ONLINE
thedailycougar.com/life-arts
EVENTS
Stuffing fluff with love Courtney Gregory Staff writer
Lions, tigers and bears were just three of the fluffy friends offered by the Student Program Board and the University Center’s “Stuff-A-Bear” event Wednesday afternoon in the New University Center Ballroom. Students flooded the halls of the second floor of the New UC, waiting in line for their turn to make a free, adorable stuffed animal for a special someone or for themselves. Mathematics senior J.D. Collins is a member of SPB and helped organize the event to celebrate Valentine’s Day. “I think that this event is just a really great idea,” Collins said. “The student turnout keeps us continuing the tradition.” Seventeen types of stuffed animals were offered, including frogs, toucans, monkeys, turtles and bulldogs. The top three choices were husky puppies, which were gone in 30 minutes, lions and sea otters. “SPB just enjoys offering students
The annual “Stuff-A-Bear” event hosted by the Student Program Board on Wednesday at the UC Ballroom invited students to create a stuffed animal to celebrate Valentine’s Day. | Aisha Bouderdaben/The Daily Cougar a free gift for their valentine,” said sports administration junior Taylor Rouleau, SPB’s cinema and novelty chair. After waiting in line, students added fluff to their animals. The stuffed animals were also given a
lucky wishing star, a birth certificate and a name. “I couldn’t resist coming to make one, because it was so cute and free,” said advertising senior Winona Vo. arts@thedailycougar.com
Mechanical engineering junior Mehak Budhwani (left) and biology junior Alolika Sarkar (right) chose penguins out of the 17 options of stuffed animals, which included bears, dogs, sea otters and frogs. | Courtesy of Alolika Sarkar
SGA
DEBATE FEBRUARY 13, 2014
6PM TO 7:30PM
KIVA ROOM IN FARISH HALL FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC LIMITED TO THE FIRST 161 GUESTS
Naaem Abdullah
Charles Haston
Andrea Segovia
Shane Smith
HOSTED BY
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SUBMIT QUESTIONS VIA TWITTER TO THE DAILY COUGAR AT
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THE DAILY COUGAR
OPINION EDITOR James Wang EMAIL
opinion@thedailycougar.com
ONLINE
thedailycougar.com/opinion
CITY
We need a Cougar, not a man child L ast week, Johnny Manziel visited Texas Children’s Hospital. He took pictures with a 6-year-old cancer survivor, the Houston Texans’ general manager and his wife, the Tootsie promoters hosting the event and virtually everyone else in the audience but the man he actually needed one with, the one who really matBryan ters: the Houston Washington Texans’ owner, Bob McNair. McNair made a point of staying out of the way. He did this mostly because he’s a pretty low-key guy. But McNair also made a point of staying out of the way because he owns a terrible football team and because the team is receiving the first pick in April’s NFL draft. As Drake and Jessica Biel can attest, photographs with Manziel imply fraternal association. As Wade Phillips can attest, dialogue about Manziel belies unemployment. In an unsuccessful interview, Phillips said he suggested signing Manziel to the Texans in December. “When I did the interview with the McNairs, I told them they ought to take Johnny Football,” Phillips said on 610 SportsRadio in Houston. “That’s what I told them, and I’m sitting here now without a job.” It’s an association that a lot of Texans fans want, under the impression that Manziel’s addition to the roster would be the best move our city has made since Case Keenum’s signing. And most of these fans have good intentions. You might know one or two of them. But all of these fans are wrong. They’re wrong because Johnny Manziel is an idiot. I said it. The bad-boy persona is a ruse at best. The inevitable highlighting he’ll receive is more trouble than it’s worth, and although he’ll almost certainly be chosen within
David Delgado/ The Daily Cougar minutes of the draft’s opening, the team that needs him least right now is McNair’s. The obvious rebuttal would be that the Texans need a quarterback, which is correct. But what a quarterback needs above all other things is maturity, and unless the next few months prove otherwise, that’s a stat Manziel doesn’t have. That said, he’s also statistically unstoppable. He finished his freshman year with a passer rating of 155.3 despite throwing for 3,706 yards and his sophomore year at 172.9, tossing for 4,114. He rushed for more than 1,410 yards the first year and for just under 760 in 2013. He won the Davey O’Brien Award and the
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 Izmail Glosson OPINION EDITOR James Wang ASSISTANT EDITORS Laura Gillespie, Nora Olabi, Justin Tijerina, Andrew Valderas EDITOR IN CHIEF
MANAGING EDITOR
Heisman Award as a freshman. On more than one occasion, Manziel told opposing defenders exactly what he was going to do on the field before proceeding to do exactly what he told them. He’s good on the field. But if ESPN’s taught us anything, it’s that athletic prowess isn’t all it takes to survive a tenure in the NFL. There’s no point in listing every transgression, but we’ll have to put up with three: He’s immature, he’s arrogant and he spent virtually the entire offseason dodging allegations. He can’t keep his mouth shut. Manziel might be great to hang out with, but these allegations point to an immaturity streak in a position that should be the most mature 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
all. It’s a position Keenum’s capable of filling. It’s an unpopular sentiment, given the Texans’ unflattering record, but Keenum’s stats aren’t debatable: Every game he lost as a starter was decided by less than a touchdown. As last year’s premier backfield signee, Keenum suffered from a case of bad timing. He got his chance at the worst popular time. But he can really play. It’s unprecedented for any mid-season newcomer, let alone a rookie. Cam Newton and Robert Griffith III suffered varying degrees of success in their first NFL seasons, but one thing they also shared is offseason stability,
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 N221, University Center; 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
weekly adaptability and comfort in leadership roles throughout the year. Keenum came out of nowhere and then took charge. He lost some games for lack of experience. He lost others for lack of a team. Next season, he’ll have both. At ESPN, Tania Ganguli said that “Keenum averaged about 3.7 seconds from snap to sack,” which is a decent amount of time. One commenter suggested that time was because Keenum bought time for himself while under pressure. The problem is if you’re buying time and then getting sacked anyway, that’s not good either. It’s part of why he led the NFL in yards MANZIEL 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 N221, University Center; e-mail them to letters@ thedailycougar.com; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.
Thursday, February 13, 2014 // 5
THE DAILY COUGAR
OPINION
MANZIEL
continued from page 4
lost per sack last season, losing an average of 10.58 yards per sack. His performance pleased Kubiak enough that Keenum kept the starting job. But from then on, Keenum was more easily solved
But what a quarterback needs, above all things, is maturity, a lack of childishness, and unless the next few months prove otherwise, that’s a stat Manziel doesn’t have.” Bryan Washington, explaining how Johnny Manziel’s antics are a sign that he isn’t ready to lead a professional organization to victory
by opposing defenses with each passing week. It didn’t help that he was benched twice during games in hopes that Schaub could come in as a closer. The problem, as illustrated by another observer, came predominantly from sacks, which is something that shouldn’t happen. A single sack in a tight-knit game can be the quarterback’s fault, if not something for them to improve on. That’s a screw-up. Multiple sacks, in multiple games, might warrant raised eyebrows. But to lead the league in a loss of yards per season is the sort of thing that takes a team. All 11 guys. Manziel, for all of his elusiveness, is only one person, and a rookie at that. And replacing the entire team, when all we really need is some player cultivation, is reductive, if anything. What the Texans don’t need is another child. They have more than enough. ESPN’s Peter King went as far as to deem him potentially “undraftable,” which
is as preposterous a claim as any — Manziel will be drafted, but the Texans’ issue isn’t Manziel’s draftability, reputation or Manziel. The Texans have quarterbacks. Two of them have proven themselves. One’s just getting started. What we need is a team, some
leadership and some leaders. And while they’ll be sitting in abundance come draft day, the boy wonder is a card we don’t need to pull. Manziel’s just not it. Opinion columnist Bryan Washington is a English junior and may be reached at
Social Media: A side-by-side comparison Looking at the personal investment the Texans would be taking on with Manziel, it’s clear that Houston’s best weapon is a Cougar: “Bull**** like tonight is a reason why I can’t wait to leave college station…whenever it may be.” -@JManziel2, via Twitter “Nothing illegal about being 18+ in a casino and winning money...KEEP HATING!” -@JManziel2, via Twitter “I think it would have been better if Lebron dunked and then ran back down the court like it was a normal play. #HumbleOpinion” -@casekeenum7, via Twitter “Ol’ Johnny football makes a ton of huge plays and is fun to watch, but his O-line is SICK! Gotta give the big guys credit.” -@casekeenum7, via Twitter
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THE DAILY COUGAR
SGA GENERAL ELECTIONS CANDIDATES
CANDIDATES ARE VYING FOR POSITIONS IN THE 51ST STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION. FOUR PARTIES ARE: REDVOLUTION, HOUSE OF RED, COUGAR PAWLITICS AND THE “WE” PARTY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES TO THE POINT
CONTENTION POINTS
CONTENTION POINTS
• CAMPUS CULTURE
• SAFETY
• SAFETY
• CAMPUS LIFE
• ACADEMIC ADVISING
• ACADEMIC SUCCESS
The Election Commission is working toward historic voter turnout this semester. Students from across campus are running for president, vice president, senator-atlarge and senate positions for the 51st Student Government Association. Four parties have emerged: REDvolution, House of Red, Cougar Pawlitics and The “We” Party.
ANDREA SEGOVIA
CHARLES HASTON
HOUSE OF RED
REDVOLUTION
CONTENTION POINTS
CONTENTION POINTS
• RESIDENTIAL LIFE
• JOB OPPORTUNITIES
• PARKING & SHUTTLES
• SAFETY
• CAMPUS LIFE
• CAMPUS LIFE
SHANE SMITH
Campaign season has begun, and candidates have been organizing themselves and their party affiliates in an effort to promote their platform and get students voting. In an effort to heighten student exposure to the election season, The Daily Cougar will host a presidential debate at 6 p.m. today in the Kiva Room of Farish Hall. Students will have the opportunity to meet the
NAEEM ABDULLAH
COUGAR PAWLITICS
THE 51ST BA
THE “WE” PARTY
SENATOR CANDIDATES BY PARTY REDVOLUTION
CO
HOUSE OF RED
SEAT
NAME
SEAT
NAME
SEAT
NAME
SEAT
NSM senator
Ahren Esquenazi
Engineering senator
Clint Kirchhoff
NSM senator
Brandon Blue
NSM
NSM senator
Trent Fuller
Engineering senator
Shaun Smith
Business senator
Melissa Jinks
Busi
NSM senator
Enrique Martinez
Education senator
Geordie Daniel
Business senator
Sofia Thai
Busi
Business senator
Pooja Magadi
HRM senator
Ashley Davis-Nelson
Architecture senator
Hunter Bodiford
Busi
Business senator
Sunil Motwani
CLASS senator
Suzanne Standley
CLASS senator
Suzanne Standley
CLAS
Business senator
Marcus Pourreau
CLASS senator
Michael Nguyen
CLASS senator
Michael Nguyen
CLAS
Business senator
Randall Williams
Technology senator
Max Ballands
CLASS senator
Arlette Tamez
CLAS
CLASS senator
Clement Agho-Otoghile
Technology senator
Nestor Garcia
Pharmacy senator
Lydia Velasquez
CLAS
CLASS senator
Sarah Aimad
Technology senator
Brianna Mills
Technology senator
Erica Rios
CLAS
CLASS senator
Will Fischer
Honors College senator
Charlotte Christian
HRM senator
Jasmine Dennis
Hono
CLASS senator
James Lee
Undergraduate-at-large 1
Sebastian Agudelo
Undergraduate-at-large 1
Van Ware
Hono
CLASS senator
Tatiana Lutomski
Undergraduate-at-large 2
Moe Elsaadi
Undergraduate-at-large 2
Shelby Driskell
Tech
CLASS senator
Matthew Ramirez
Undergraduate-at-large 3
Alan Garza
Undergraduate-at-large 4
Robert Spencer
Tech
CLASS senator
Jessie Smith
Undergraduate-at-large 4
Breanna Larsen
CLASS senator
Stephanie Bailey
HRM
Unde
Unde
Thursday, February 13, 2014 // 7
THE DAILY COUGAR
Infographic by Andres Garcia. Photos by Emily Chambers and Izmail Glosson. Courtesy photos by Andrea Segovia and Adil Rajabali.
THE Y. VP CANDIDATES “Our party is focusing
“By uniting students and
ATTLE
on improving our Cougar nation through safety, culture and academics.”
leaders across campus, we will build upon the foundation of past administrations ... to ensure the success of every new Cougar.”
prospective student representatives and see their visions for the University. The Daily Cougar will accept questions online via Twitter with the tag #dailycougarSGAdebate.
ERICA TAT
REDVOLUTION
Students can cast their ballots from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. February 25 to 27 in polling stations across campus. Permanent locations include the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center, the University Center, the University Center Satellite, the Arts Quad and the M. D. Anderson Memorial Library, according to Section V of the SGA Election Rules and Regulations.
SARAH RUSINKO HOUSE OF RED
“It’s time for a change
“Students are the most important piece of the institutional puzzle.”
in the SGA — one that will make sure all students are actually being heard and represented.”
President Cedric Bandoh’s two-year reign will come to an end this semester, as he will not run for re-election because he is graduating in May.
— NORA OLABI, ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
ADIL RAJABALI
COUGAR PAWLITICS
ROBERTO MARTINEZ III THE “WE” PARTY
SGA DEBATE
OUGAR PAWLITICS
THE “WE” PARTY
T
NAME
SEAT
NAME
M senator
Louis Adam
HRM senator
Sergio Flores
ness senator
John Fields
Undergraduate-at-large 1
Sterling Dodd
ness senator
Christopher Gervasio
Graduate-at-large 1
Varun Sreenivas
ness senator
Canyon Sanford
SS senator
Austin Daniel
SS senator
Somtoochukwu Ik-Ejiofor
SS senator
Elliot Kauffman
SS senator
Paul O’Brien
SEAT
NAME
SS senator
David Olmos
Business senator
Fiorella Chrinos
ors College senator
Michael Benz
Business senator
Areeb Khan
ors College senator
William Lambert
Architecture senator
Issam Kadiwala
hnology senator
Jesse Agariga
Engineering senator
Mark Bergman
hnology senator
Chuuwunenye Ifeagwa
Honors College senator
Christian Aparicio
M senator
Suzanne Beaty
Technology senator
Edgar Gachie
ergraduate-at-large 2
Amanjit Singh
Undergraduate-at-large 2
Chelsea Moses
ergraduate-at-large 3
Hugo Salinas
6 TO 7:30 P.M. FEBRUARY 13, 2014 KIVA ROOM IN FARISH HALL Free and open to the public Limited to the first 161 guests
INDEPENDENT
Submit your questions VIA Twitter to @THEDAILYCOUGAR
#DailyCougarSGAdebate Moderated by Instructional Professor
Simon Bott Hosted by
THE DAILY COUGAR
8 \\ Thursday, February 13, 2014
THE DAILY COUGAR
SPORTS EDITOR
Christopher Shelton
sports@thedailycougar.com
ONLINE
thedailycougar.com/sports
DIAMOND PLAY AFTER 36 WINS LAST SEASON, UH IS LOOKING TO TAKE ANOTHER STEP FORWARD. THE COUGARS HAVE THE POSTSEASON IN THEIR GAZE LINEUP
PITCHING STAFF
MICHAEL PYEATT
LANDON APPLING
FRIDAY STARTER Junior right handed pitcher who posted a 5-5 record. He had a 3.88 earned run average in 67.1 innings pitched.
• UH has more returners than newcomers for the first time since 2010. The Cougars didn’t lose an everyday starter to graduation or the MLB draft.
Jake Lemoine
SATURDAY STARTER Sophomore right handed pitcher who earned a 7-4 record with a 3.49 earned run average in 69 innings pitched.
• The Cougars ranked in the Top 25 for six weeks in 2013 after winning 22 nonconference games. The team hopes to attain another strong start this year.
Jared West
SUNDAY STARTER He saw limited action as a freshman by throwing five strikeouts in 7.1 innings; expected to be the regular Sunday starter in 2014.
• Two returning freshman received high honors and look to build on a strong first campaign. Both third baseman Justin Montemayor, who led UH in hits, average, home runs and outfielder Kyle Survance who batted .299 and led Conference USA with 20 stolen bases are returning Louisville Slugger Collegiate Baseball Freshman All Americans.
KYLE SURVANCE Aaron Garza
FRANKIE RATCLIFF
JOSH VIDALES
CASEY GRAYSON J. MONTEMAYOR Chase Wellbrock
CALEB BARKER
HIGHLIGHTS
CLOSER Recorded 11 saves, struck out 37 batters while walking only six in 2013 and had a 3.40 earned run average in 25 appearances.
The Cougars lost two starters, including ace Austin Pruitt from last season’s squad. Much will be expected of junior Aaron Garza who will step into Pruitt’s Friday slot. The biggest unknown of the starters is sophomore Jared West, who only appeared in 7.1 innings last season. Perhaps the most proven commodity is senior closer Chase Wellbrock, who held a 2.12 ERA in conference play.
• The Cougars had the third largest improved win total in 2013. They improved their record by 18 games going from 18-35-1 to 36-22. UH is looking to take another leap to the NCAA tournament this season. • UH has four returners from the Conference USA All Freshman Team with Montemayor, second baseman Josh Vidales, Survance, and sophomore pitcher Jake Lemoine.
BASEBALL
UH sells experience on campaign for postseason Harrison Lee Senior staff writer
The man behind the podium looked less like he was involved with baseball and more like he was a politician about to deliver a quality stump speech. The wares he’s selling aren’t the normal things he has discussed in recent press tours, but he feels they will be equally important to him and his team’s hopeful campaign to Omaha. Aside from the new field, which has been the main point, Whitting likes other elements of the team — not since 2010 has UH had more returners than newcomers. “Eighteen-plus years of coaching college baseball and I’ve never had a team that returns every offensive starter,” Whitting said. “We have back all nine of the guys who started for us, plus you have (senior first baseman) Casey Grayson and (senior utility player) Jacob Lueneberg coming back off of a medical redshirt.”
UH expects to make the NCAA tournament in 2014 after not losing a starter in the field. | Caitlin Hilton/The Daily Cougar The nine spots that compose the lineup were somewhat limited last season with the loss of Grayson and Lueneberg, who would have hit third and fifth respectively, but they allowed the coaching staff to discover the talents of players like sophomore
third baseman Justin Montemayor, who hit .329 and was a Freshman All-American. From a batter’s-box point of view, the speed of the new field is certainly a plus, but it still takes quality swings of the bat to score.
“We have a team mindset of ‘get your pitch.’ We go out there looking for your pitch, and if they don’t throw it to you, you just try and take the base and go from there,” Montemayor said. Grayson, who is slated to start at first base, was quick to point out the
practice and routines that he and his teammates have been going through to keep their eyes and bats sharp. “We do drills every day. We intersquad two to three times a week to get some reps off of live pitching, and we take hacks off the machine and tee-work,” Grayson said. “We just do all kinds of stuff to make sure we’re ready for opening day on Friday.” Montemayor echoed the feelings of Grayson, whom he replaced at first before being moved to third. “I feel great right now. The coaches are working with me and everybody else, and I think we’re hitting really well as a team right now.” Despite the focus on the art of hitting .300, it was noted that the team’s speed also opened up more opportunities for the batters. “We can bunt and run, hit and run. Instead of having to bunt certain guys over, they can steal the bag, and from there we can bunt them to third,” Grayson said. sports@thedailycougar.com
Thursday, February 13, 2014 // 9
THE DAILY COUGAR
SPORTS BASEBALL
NCAA expectations rise with more competition Matt Bodiford Staff writer
UH has more returners than newcomers for the first time since head coach Todd Whitting returned to UH. | Caitlin Hilton/The Daily Cougar
Whether you speak to the head coach, players or support staff, the goal is to make a summer trip to Omaha for the College World Series. For 2014, the Cougars consider themselves one of the elite teams in the American Athletic Conference and expect to make the NCAA tournament. The team looks to improve on last season, during which UH was a bubble team that narrowly missed out on an at-large bid. When UH made the jump from Conference USA to the American, the consensus was that the competition level would rise. Playing Whitting new teams with the prestige of Louisville, Cincinnati and Connecticut allows UH the opportunity to measure where it stands. The Cougars think they will meet the requirements. With a tougher
schedule this season, the Cougars could find themselves in the NCAA tournament if they match last year’s 36 wins. “This is a really good conference. I can see this league sending two to four teams to the NCAA tournament. You have a team like Louisville who is coming off a trip to Omaha, and UConn has been to a couple Super Regionals in the past couple of years,” said head coach Todd Whitting. It’s not just the Cougars’ conference opponents that are tough. UH will face three Big 12 teams during the Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park, including Texas Tech, Texas and TCU. Throw in Baylor, Texas A&M and Rice, mixed with the trip to California with USC, UCLA and Pepperdine, and UH has a diverse schedule with many recognizable names. The level of competition has caught the eyes of the players, too. “We’re excited about the level competition that’s ahead of us. Mostly because I feel like we have a good team, and we can compete with everyone on our schedule. Our goal from the start has been to get into the
NCAA tournament,” said sophomore third baseman Justin Montemayor. “People assume that this conference is better because of the names, but Conference USA was a tough league. They had stud pitchers, so we’re aware of what it takes to win.” The expectations are high, and it bears out in the team’s motto for this year: M64, or Mission 64. With the amount of returners, the new FieldTurf and the quality of opponents coming to Cougar Field, watching the Cougars could be worth the price of admission. Only time will tell whether UH is on the road to Omaha. Until then, fans will have to see if its mission unfolds. “It’s good; there’s a lot of competition. Whether it’s in the bullpen or on the field, there’s a lot of competition regardless,” said senior pitcher Chase Wellbrock. “There are a lot of older guys that come in and a lot of younger guys that come in. There’s always some guy pushing you, whether it’s a younger or your same age.” sports@thedailycougar.com
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The Daily Cougar
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Thursday, February 13, 2014 // 11
THE DAILY COUGAR
LIFE+ARTS A DAY IN THE LIFE
Long-distance relationships
Wine and dine Restaurants are offering Valentine’s Day deals for two: Américas River Oaks (Latin American food) is offering a special 3-course Valentine menu with optional wine pairings Perry’s Steakhouse and Grille has a set Valentine menu for the romantic weekend Masraff’s (American food) in the Galleria/Uptown area is serving a delicious 3-course menu for $65 per person
Diana Nguyen Senior staff writer
As heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, red balloons and flowers fill store aisles, people rush to get their significant others something special for Valentine’s Day. However, this may not be the case for couples in long-distance relationships. For couples who share their affections from miles away, the longdistance factor can often be troubling. It can test relationships to their limits and give couples constant doubts. Pharmacy senior Tam Tran, who has been dating her long-distance boyfriend from Arkansas for three years, feels that with trust, continual communication and faith, the distance factor can be overpowered. “We originally met at a Baptist church convention in Denver,” Tran said. “We text and FaceTime each other every day. We try to see each other every two months or on holidays.” Because Tran won’t be visiting for Valentine’s Day, she said her boyfriend will send her flowers. “I feel like you can make it work if you are both committed,” Tran said. “We both have a strong faith and put God first. Before, I would think longdistance would never work. Now, I know it takes sacrifice and a lot of trust and love.” Media productions alumna Natasha Dadwani met her long-distance boyfriend in Pakistan. “On the first day of University, he was walking down the stairs and, with that, stole my heart,” Dadwani said. “Yeah, that’s my life, but he really did. Later, I found out that he had spotted me years ago in high school but never gathered the strength to come and say hi.” Dadwani, who lives a busy life as a wedding planner, experiences firsthand balancing her love life with the conflict of different time zones. “Being in a long-distance relationship is not a natural situation,” Dadwani said. “It is not organic to receive emotional love via Skype or text messages. With our busy careers and 11-hour time difference, we do the best we can.” With a rare chance to see each other, Dadwani created something memorable for Valentine’s Day. “I have a busy wedding weekend coming up. He has his exams starting the next day, so I have decided to make him a video,” Dadwani said. “Having a media background and wedding-planning career keeps you being creative in the love department. I haven’t shot the video yet, but the plan is to incorporate videos of us from our trips — like snippets of me just singing and dancing and being silly. I’ll probably hold signs with background
DATE IDEAS
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Movie screenings Cuddle up with a romantic, horror or action-filled film: On-campus: Romantic drama, “About Time”
Animated action and adventure, “The Lego Movie” Sci-Fi, fantasy film,”RoboCop” Comedy, “About Last Night” Romantic drama, “Labor Day” Drama, “American Hustle” .
Explore the city Spend the day together experiencing new things: Take a walk around Hermann Park and visit the Miller Outdoor Theatre Visit the breathtaking Gerald D. Hines “Williams Waterwall” Park by The Galleria Catch a show at local venues including Fitzgerald’s, Stereo Live or House of Blues Rent bicycles for 90 minutes in downtown
As Valentine’s Day approaches, long-distance couples continue to share their love with each other despite being miles apart. Pharmacy senior Tam Tran and her boyfriend from Arkansas have been dating for three years. | Courtesy of Tam Tran music to tie it all together. And he has something up his sleeves, so let’s see.” While some may feel investing in a long-distance relationship is worth it, others shared their firsthand experience of why it’s not. Corporate communications and human resources senior Perla Mendoza dated a Marine for a year and a half and left feeling unsatisfied. “I met him at a high school party; we talked every day, but he was more like my best friend,” Mendoza said. “He was deployed, and I was in school. He would call me when he was in Afghanistan. We planned on getting married, but I wanted something concrete, so I kept putting it off. He didn’t really understand.” Mendoza believes that her relationship lacked affection. “It made a huge difference,” Mendoza said. “Now that I look back on it, I guess I was really selfish. That’s what I learned — not to be selfish and to be more giving.” Construction management senior Steven Ruiz dated his high school sweetheart for four years and decided to fight for their relationship even after she went to Austin for college. “It was really bad,” Ruiz said. “You never know what they’re doing over there.” Ruiz kept in contact with his thengirlfriend through MySpace and would stay up all night talking to her on the phone. “My parents were disappointed after we broke up, but my friends were happy about it,” Ruiz said. “It took a year to get over her. It was a really depressing time in my life.” Reflecting on that relationship, Ruiz shared mixed feelings. “Looking back on it, it both was and wasn’t worth it,” Ruiz said. “I put in four years of my life with her, which
all went to waste, but then again it was worth it since I got to experience something other people don’t — I learned my lesson.” With the constant doubts of a longdistance relationship, public relations alumna Daisy Gomez suggested staying focused. “If you don’t stay busy or focused, your mind can be your worst enemy, and jealousy can ruin your relationship,” Gomez said. “Also, maintain daily communication even if you both have busy lives. It’s nice to speak to your significant other at the end of each day and to see how their day was.” arts@thedailycougar.com
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12 \\ Thursday, February 13, 2014
THE DAILY COUGAR
LIFE+ARTS
Students discuss relationships in college GENDER LECTURE
continued from page 1
Janeka Porter Staff writer
For some students, dating can be an awkward yet strategic start to either a beautiful relationship or a disaster. Counseling and Psychology Services conducted a workshop Wednesday called “Food For Thought: Dating 101,” which provided tips for those looking to be in a relationship, help for those in a relationship and advice about balancing college and extracurricular activities while in a relationship. The workshop was broken into three sections — before getting into a relationship, maintaining a healthy relationship and dating while in college. “When you consider dating or looking for a partner, I wanted to give things to consider,” said CAPS doctoral psychology intern Aisha Armstrong. “Another thing is once you start dating and get into a relationship, what does a healthy relationship look like? What are some difficulties with dating while in college? We held this discussion to offer some suggestions.”
Doctoral psychology intern for the Counseling and Psychology Services Aisha Armstrong hosted a workshop, “Dating 101,” on Wednesday to discuss tips for maintaining healthy relationships. | Izmail Glosson/The Daily Cougar Armstrong mentioned that before starting a relationship, the first step is to be secure with yourself. “If you spend time with yourself, then chances are someone would
want to spend time with you,” Armstrong said. “I suggest that you know what you are looking for in a relationship and take the time to get to know your partner and their past
by asking the necessary questions in the beginning.” The group discussed giving the relationship time to see if the impression the other person gives in the beginning of the relationship sticks. “We are all too familiar with the term ‘the honeymoon phase,’ where the first few months of the relationship are usually perfect, and there isn’t a lot of conflict,” Armstrong said. “Give it time to see if this person is still this person three months down the line or if they become a different person that you might not like so much.” When maintaining a healthy relationship, trust and honesty are key, and communication is always effective, according to Armstrong. “When in a relationship in college, it often feels like you are in a balancing act between many things in your life,” Armstrong said. “It is important to include ‘me time’ when in college when trying to balance a relationship with other activities.” arts@thedailycougar.com
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had been marginalized. Sociology graduate student Dipabali Saha, an Indian-American, volunteered a few of her own experiences. “People always asked me, ‘If you are Indian, then does that mean you are vegetarian?’” Saha said. “I have also had people come up to me and start talking to me in Spanish because they automatically assumed I was Spanish-speaking.” Saha had a few comments to make on why microaggressive comments are so common in today’s world. “People get a lot of perceptions of different races from TV,” she said. “I find that nothing is black and white. There are so many gray areas in which the problem lies. If everything were black and white, we would not have this problem.” arts@thedailycougar.com