Issue 75, Volume 79 by The Cougar

SPORTS

SOFTBALL

CAMPUS

Cougars showcase their talent through pictching and hitting in the Houston Invitational Plaza Classic this weekend.

As the voting date for Student Government Association inches closer, candidates seek to win over students.

Playing an all-around game SEE PAGE 5

Reading between the lines SEE PAGE 4 FEBRUARY

CALENDAR CHECK: 21

Theater. Our Country’s Good will premiere 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Quintero Theater. Student tickets are $10.

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

Monday, February 17, 2014

Issue 75, 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

BAUER

Baring their Cougar claws Presidential candidates battled for support in Thursday’s debate Nora Olabi Assistant news editor

Students running for presidency in the 51st administration of the Student Government Association presented their platforms to the student body in a moderated debate hosted by The Daily Cougar Thursday night. The four presidential candidates represented an array of experiences in student government. They framed their vision for the University, brought their goals to the table and jabbed at their opponents’ arguments to promote themselves in the best light and win student votes. Eight questions were presented by the moderator, instructional professor Simon Bott, and each candidate was given only two-and-a-half minutes

The 2014 SGA presidential candidates hashed out important issues Thursday night in Farish Hall. Right to left: Naeem Abdullah, The “We” Party; Andrea Segovia, House of Red; Shane Smith, Cougar Pawlitics; Charles Haston, REDvolution | Izmail Glosson/The Daily Cougar to answer and one minute for rebuttals. Students were also able to send in their questions via Twitter with the tag #dailycougarSGAdebate. 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,

Never felt so sweep UH set the tone for the weekend against Nicholls State with strong pitching performances from junior Aaron Garza, sophomore Jake Lemoine and sophomore Jared West. The Cougars completed the three-game weekend sweep that included two shutouts. — Caitlin Hilton/The Daily Cougar

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. Shane Smith — Cougar Pawlitics Shane Smith, who was the first to take a question in the debate, drew from his experiences as former SGA

attorney general, his involvement on campus and his personal experience moving to the University and living on campus as a freshman. Smith said the cost of meal plans for resident students, as compared to commuters, was much higher. He specifically cited the Lifestyle 160 meal plan, which cost $1700 for the 2013-2014 school year. He felt that

this penalizes residential students, though the administration has been pushing for a stronger residential community. But residents weren’t the only population Smith addressed; parking, especially for commuter students, was also a point of contention. With CLAWS continues on page 3

CITY

Metro expansion excites commuters Ryan Graham Contributing writer

The latest expansion to the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County’s light rail system moves ever closer, as testing is underway on the system’s two upcoming expansions: the Southeast Line, which stops at UH, and the East End Line. “Before the trains are fit for commercial use, every aspect of the lines needs to be extensively tested,” said Roberto Trevino, Metro’s vice METRO continues on page 7

2 \\ Monday, February 17, 2014

THE DAILY COUGAR

CALENDAR Today Lecture: The Ethics in Science series will present a talk called “Broken Symmetry” on the dilemmas of science in post-Cold War, nuclearage America from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Philip Guthrie Hoffman Hall, Room 232. Lecture: The director of New York University’s Irish studies program will discuss forms of Irish writing and print culture in the late 18th century from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Honors Commons on the second floor of the M. D. Anderson Memorial Library. Music: The AURA Contemporary Ensemble will perform works by Leo Brouwer, Lorenzo Ferrero and other composers from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the Moores Opera House. Student tickets are $7. Music: Flautist Aralee Dorough will perform works by Claude Debussy, Eugene Bozza and other composers in “Feeling So Alone” from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Moores School of Music Choral Recital Hall, Room 160.

Tuesday Resume: A resume review will be hosted for undergraduate business students 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the AIM Center Lobby in Melcher Hall. Seminar: President and CEO of Buckeye GP Clark C. Smith will share his thoughts in a presentation called “Midstream and the Keystone Pipeline” from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Cemo

Interested in a career in the health professions field?

Hall Stubblefield Auditorium.

Wednesday Workshop: Counseling and Psychological Services will continue its Food for Thought series by discussing body images and how to overcome those concerns from noon to 1 p.m. in the Student Services Center 1, Room 210D. Health: Information about living a balanced, healthy lifestyle will be presented to students along with free food and games from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center. Lecture: Former Costa Rican Vice President Kevin Casas-Zamora will discuss the novel “Dangerous Liaisons: Organized Crime and Political Finance in Latin America” at 4 p.m. in the University Classroom and Business Building, Room 120. Law: Empower UH will host a discussion on women in law and women who commit crimes from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Science and Engineering Classroom Building, Room 100. Food will be provided. Seminar: Shell Oil Company President Marvin Odum will present a discussion on the future of energy and its impact on human capital from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Cemo Hall Stubblefield Auditorium. Auditions: Student Video Network will host an open casting call for future productions, including commercials and movies from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Center for Student Media in the New UC North, Room N221.

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.

Attend the UH Health Professions Fair on Monday, Feb. 24th, 9am-2pm

(University Center, Ballroom — 210) The over 40 institutions attending include: Baylor College of Medicine University of Texas — School of Dentistry UTMB Health School of Health Profession Texas A&M — College of Veterinary Medicine

Texas Tech University School of Nursing

Advertising (713) 743-5340 advertising@thedailycougar.com

Sell your stuff.

Call 713-743-5356 to get started. classifieds@thedailycougar.com

This event is sponsored by UScholars@UH

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Center for Student Media (713) 743-5350 www.uh.edu/csm Room 221 UC North Center for Student Media University of Houston Houston, TX 77204-4015

Issue staff Copy editing

Errington Harden

Copy chief David Bryant

Closing editors

THE DAILY COUGAR

the official student newspaper of the university of houston since 1934

Natalie Harms, Jenae Sitzes

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

Monday, February 17, 2014 // 3

THE DAILY COUGAR

NEWS EDITOR

Amanda Hilow

news@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/news

CLAWS

continued from page 1

increased campus sprawl, parking has decreased. His involvement in the Transportation and Parking Advisory Committee has given him insight into the issue. He hopes to push for more effective student parking. Campuswide involvement in student government was pressing for Smith. He shared his disgruntlement with the current state of SGA and felt that more could be done to reach out to students. “Senators are required by bylaw to hold regular town hall meetings with their constituents, but that doesn’t happen anymore,” Smith said. “That never happens because the senators — at this point — are not working for the students. We can all agree that the role of SGA is to represent the students. We just disagree on whether or not it’s happening.” Though Smith is a freshman, he does not see this as an obstacle. Rather, he believes that this can be beneficial for SGA in the long run because it will provide long-term stability, he said. “Continuity of leadership is something that has to be in place because, let’s face it, most presidents only have one term,” Smith said. “If I’m elected, I’m going to be around for the next couple years. Being young is not a disadvantage. It’s an advantage, because it means I’m invested in this University and its future, and I can provide that continuity in leadership that it takes to get major initiatives done over the next several years.” Charles Haston — REDvolution Charles Haston is currently a graduate senator-at-large and sits as the chair of the SGA Student Life Committee. He has sat on the Student Fees Advisory Committee, which decides on funding for student organizations across campus. He expressed interest in improving the state of academic advising, increasing the budget for student programming — concerts and other campus events — and continuing to collaborate with administrators to reach Tier One in all categories. He focused on his current position in SGA, saying he would be able to focus on student concerns and not on developing relationships with University administration, because he has already developed those relationships. “The student body president doesn’t have enumerated powers; they’re not commander-in-chief. The only power we have is access to administration, and they have to respect you,” Haston said. “If they don’t, then you’re not going to get anything accomplished. The key to SGA is that the Senate works together

Candidates were given a public forum in the form of the presidential debate hosted by The Daily Cougar to present their vision of the University. Over an hour of heated debate ensued as each of the four candidates attempted to answer Instructional Professor Simon Bott’s questions. Commonalities between the candidates included an increase in student involvement and campus life. Left: Presidential contenders stand alongside their vice presidential running mates. | Izmail Glosson/The Daily Cougar

with all the students and then reports to the student body president. You can then be the liaison between SGA and the administration.” Though Haston put goals on the table to improve student involvement and success, immediate results may not be apparent because of the nature of government. “It takes so much time to do anything that sometimes you just run out of it. ... It takes time to get things done, and it’s unfortunate,” he said. “We need to make sure that, as an administration, that we have continuity of leadership that will follow us up right behind us, make sure that they can carry on what (current SGA President) Cedric Bandoh has done so well, helping us assemble this great team of student leaders from all across campus.” Haston is running under the same party name as Bandoh and has received Bandoh’s support during the election.

Andrea Segovia — House of Red Andrea Segovia expressed her sentiments about the current state of SGA affairs, saying that the organization had “lost its purpose” and was no longer a forum for students, citing dress code bill SGAB-50006, which she said she sees as frivolous. She personally attested to students who didn’t know who their SGA representatives were and were oblivious to the existence of Senate meetings. “The role of SGA — what it should be and what it isn’t at this point — is to be the voice of the students. What I can do to help that is make sure people know who their senators are ... to make the students aware of what is offered here at the University. Yes, we are the voice of the student, and we need to remember that we’re the voice of the student.” Segovia believes that her experience as a resident assistant and former special adviser to Bandoh has given her the experience to deal with everyday student challenges.

She hopes to push for campus safety, student involvement and academic success. “I understand what the little people need to improve and be a part of this Tier One community, to have all of our University be Tier One,” Segovia said. “We want the students to be so connected to this campus that when they graduate, they come back and are proud alumni. This isn’t a pit stop along the journey to where we go; this is the monumental time, and should you have a place in your heart, this University should become your home.” Naeem Abdullah - The “We” Party Naeem Abdullah has worked with organizations on campus, including serving as a student leader in the Urban Experience Program and as a College of Technology senator in the 48th SGA administration. Abdullah hopes to take a firm stance when collaborating with administrators in pushing his

platform. “Any obstacle is the fact that the administration has a hand on everything that we do. We are no longer students anymore. They tell you what to do, and then we do it. And that’s how they operate; they have an elitisttype attitude,” Abdullah said. “We will not bow down to the administration, but we will walk cohesively with them.” Abdullah said that the current SGA administration has been ineffective and that he will push for more job opportunities for students and increased campus security. He also hopes to work on cultivating stronger ties to the surrounding community that the University is situated in, namely the Third Ward. “At the end of the day, change is coming, and change is here. And we need to get a better administration in that’s actually going to do something for the University.” news@thedailycougar.com

4 \\ Monday, February 17, 2014

THE DAILY COUGAR

OPINION EDITOR James Wang EMAIL

opinion@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/opinion

CAMPUS

Sizing up the SGA presidential candidates

The presidential and vice presidential candidates for the 2014 SGA election (left to right): Andrea Segovia and Sarah Rusinko (House of Red); Naeem Abdullah and Roberto Martinez III (The “We” Party); Shane Smith (Cougar Pawlitics); Erica Tat and Charles Haston (REDvolution) | Izmail Glosson/The Daily Cougar

House of Red – Andrea Segovia It’s a little uncertain how prepared the party would be, since none of its candidates were senators under the previous administration. The platform banks on focusing heavily on the student body, which is something Andrea Segovia said she

Cougar Pawlitics – Shane Smith Full of youth and ambition, Shane Smith said that senators are required to hold regular town hall meetings with their constituents. Pointing out that this has not been happening, he wants to bring these meetings back. He said he believes that SGA currently is not representing and working for the students. Smith’s platform outlines what he believes are the three biggest issues on campus: the cost of living on campus, parking and safety service promotion. Smith said he does not see the fact that he is a freshman as an obstacle. He believes

resonates with. Segovia said she believes the Student Government Association has lost its purpose and cites students’ lack of knowledge of SGA as an organization and college representatives. She said she wants to make students more aware of SGA, because the organization is supposed to be the voice of the students.

it can be a benefit because it would allow him to run for more terms, providing an opportunity for SGA to see some consistency and continuity with leadership, which we saw with Bandoh’s two-term administration. Smith said he also believes Facebook and Twitter are simply not enough to communicate with students; SGA needs to physically go out and talk to students. What seems to be a weak point for Cougar Pawlitics is the lack of immediate recognition, and we will see if that changes during the time up until elections. “I’m here on campus all the time,” Smith said. “I know SGA. I know what’s broken.”

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

Segovia said we need to stop comparing ourselves to the University of Texas or Texas A&M University because we are our own school. The House of Red platform focuses on campus safety, student involvement and academic success. The party wants students to feel connected to campus and make it their home away from home.

The “We” Party – Naeem Abdullah Naeem Abdullah was a senator in the 48th administration under Michael Harding, which had a strong senate. In contrast, Abdullah criticized the current administration’s lack of willingness to take on controversial issues and believes it hasn’t done

REDvolution – Charles Haston The REDvolution party has been around the longest, having been successful in the past few elections. Vice presidential candidate Erica Tat provides a strong hold for the party. Student body presidential candidate Charles Haston brings plenty of confidence coming into the election, and he said that he has a strong, established relationship with administrators. Haston said he would be able to focus more on improving the state of academic advising, increasing the budget for student programming and collaborating with administrators to reach Tier One status in all categories. Haston said he believes

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

anything. During the SGA debate, Abdullah went as far as to call the current administration, led by President Cedric Bandoh, “puppets” for the administrators. He said he sees the fact that the UH administration has a hand on everything SGA does as an obstacle. “They tell you what to do, and then we do it.

REDvolution can focus on student concerns because it already has an established connection with University administration. Although immediate results won’t always be seen, Haston believes in making sure future administrations see the continuation of leadership already seen in Bandoh’s leadership. Haston is currently involved in many SGA initiatives and said he and his party are strong collaborators, explaining why REDvolution has proven leadership. This level of confidence can be good or bad for the party, depending on how students perceive it. Because he shares the same party as Bandoh, Haston says this will “not be a new administration. This is a continuation.”

We will not bow down to the administration,” Abdullah said. The main concern with this party is that we need a positive relationship with both the student body and University administration. A strong, working connection with the administration is necessary to get anything in SGA accomplished; it is questionable whether the “We” Party has it.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS Analyzing the candidates With four parties involved in the SGA elections, there’s no doubt that this year will be a very interesting election season. Each party has a different view on the current state of Student Government and wants to provide the best leadership for the student body. Voting begins on February 25 to 27. Students can cast their ballots 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Campus Recreation and Gemrick Wellness Center, the UniverCurtom sity Center, the University Center Satellite, the Arts Quad and the M. D. Anderson Memorial Library. Opinion columnist Gemrick Curtom is a public relations junior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

words and signed, including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to 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

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.

Monday, February 17, 2014 // 5

THE DAILY COUGAR

SPORTS EDITOR

Christopher Shelton

sports@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/sports

HOOPS

UH narrowly loses to AAC foe Cincinnati The Daily Cougar news services UH came up short yet again in a solid effort against No. 10 Cincinnati. The Bearcats, who lead the American Athletic Conference, grinded out a 73-62 win. Both teams traded blows in the first half and through much of the second, but Cincinnati’s veteran presence helped it grab the home victory. “We went through a stretch there in the last couple of minutes where we couldn’t get a basket and they got more stops than we did, and that turned out to be the difference in the game,” said UH head coach James Dickey. Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin said the close win was a good experience for his players. It tested their ability to execute down the stretch, and they ended the game on an 18-5 run. SMU downs women’s squad The Cougars received a team-high 15 points from sophomore forward Marche’ Amerson, but it wasn’t quite enough, as SMU outlasted UH 67-50 Saturday afternoon at Moody Coliseum. Amerson’s 15-point performance was her team-leading 12th doubledigit scoring game of the season. Senior forward Te’onna Campbell nearly had herself a double-double, as she grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and poured in 11 points of her own for her 11th double-figure scoring game of the year. Senior guard Keena Mays led the way for SMU (15-10, 6-8 American), as she poured in a career-high-tying 34 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the win. sports@thedailycougar.com

Strong defense and pitching helped UH earn two shutouts during a series-opening sweep of Nicholls State. | Photos by Justin Tijerina/The Daily Cougar

BASEBALL

Bringing the broom Pitching staff’s two shutouts propel Cougars to seasonopening sweep Harrison Lee

Senior staff writer

During the 21 innings that spanned from 6:34 p.m. on Friday to 2:31 p.m. on Sunday, Nicholls State scored only two runs against a UH pitching staff and a defensive unit that seemed in sync with the new FieldTurf and used it to keep many base runners off the bags. From junior pitcher Aaron Garza on Friday to sophomore pitcher Jared West on Sunday afternoon, with

quality appearances by the bullpen sprinkled along the way, an early question mark performed well and propelled the Cougars to a seasonopening series sweep at Cougar Field this weekend. “I thought (West) was outstanding today,” said head coach Todd Whitting after Sunday’s 3-2 win. “We struggled a little bit on offense but caught a few breaks here and there, scored a few runs, and that ended up being enough.” On Saturday, sophomore pitcher Jake Lemoine tossed seven shutout innings to help the Cougars earn a 4-0 victory for their second consecutive shutout after a 3-0 win Friday. Each of UH’s three starting pitchers

— Garza, Lemoine and West — lasted beyond the sixth inning. West, who struck out four, walked none and flirted with a no-hitter before losing it on a line drive single in the sixth, was the recipient of a copious batch of whipped cream after Sunday’s match. “I just went out there and knew I had to throw a lot of strikes to get people out, and that’s what I did,” West said. “I found the zone and obviously got a lot of outs.” Garza, who had his 24th career start on Friday, viewed it as an effective warm-up for what lies ahead while pacing himself with his expectations. “That’s my goal: to take it one pitch at a time, whether it’s Friday,

Saturday, Sunday or even Tuesday,” Garza said. The offense was consistent, with senior shortstop Frankie Ratcliff and sophomores Justin Montemayor and Kyle Survance having multi-hit games. “We got the bats going a little bit more today,” Ratcliff said on Sunday. “Right now it’s all about progress and moving forward and to keep getting better, which I believe we will. I still think some of us have some jitters, but we’re going to get better.” UH has a midweek turnaround, traveling to West U and Reckling Park on Wednesday to take on Rice in the first game of the Silver Glove Series. sports@thedailycougar.com

SOFTBALL

Strong swings catapult UH to 5-win weekend

Sean Alder

Contributing writer

The Cougars started strong and tested their endurance at the Houston Hilton Plaza Classic, playing six games against four teams in three days. UH topped the weekend with a 7-3 victory over Stephen F. Austin to propel its record to 5-1, losing only to No. 8 Nebraska on Friday. UH came out swinging in its first game against Sam Houston State with seven runs in the first two innings.

Junior Summer Groholski picked up the win as sophomore Selena Hernandez, junior Kayla Holland and senior Haley Outon ended the game with two hits and three RBIs each. UH fell short in game two against No. 8 Nebraska, losing 4-1. Nebraska pitcher Tat Edwards took control of the game early on by shutting out the Cougars through the first five innings. The opportunities were there for the Cougars with eight runners left on base, but their three hits just couldn’t bring them in. Despite the loss, head coach

Kyla Holas was optimistic about the rest of the tournament. “We made good adjustments, and everyone worked well as a team throughout the day,” Holas said. Her positivity foreshadowed the Cougars’ future performance, as the team won the rest of its games. Senior Diedre Outon pitched a shutout against Army to win 6-0. Hernandez, sophomore outfielder Katie St. Pierre and senior Kendra Cullum had two hits each. The Cougars put up four runs in the

fifth, and junior Tiffany McKnight hit a solo home run in her first start. UH continued to showcase its offensive power in the 13-5 victory over Sam Houston State in its second game of the day. Hernandez, Outon and junior Kris Davila picked up two RBIs each in the attack on the Bearcats, lifting UH’s record to 5-1. “We wanted to let everyone know who Houston is,” Junior Kyla Holland said after the game. “We’re ready to come out strong tomorrow.” The Cougars had 10 hits against

Army in the 6-2 victory. Hernandez and Edwards both added a home run each and three and two RBIs, respectively. “We just really challenged them to stay focused,” Holas said. “We kept pushing and fought back.” sports@thedailycougar.com

VIEW Online: Check out a photo gallery detailing UH’s shutout victory against Army at thedailycougar.com/sports

6 \\ Monday, February 17, 2014

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ACROSS 1 Predelivery period 6 Beaverbuilt blockages 10 Fall on ___ ears 14 Visibly astonished 15 To shelter, on waves 16 Wise about 17 Words in a phrase after “ashes” 19 Higher than 20 Playground fixture 21 They love pas 22 Beat badly 23 Peer group 25 Class within a class 27 Chief artery 32 Old hand 33 Chevron rival 34 En route, as a package 36 Adjust as you must 40 Albanian bucks 41 Greek underworld

43 Bassoon kin 44 Ply 46 Spice world? 47 Yorkshire river 48 Preschooler 50 Ushered 52 Redo, as a room 56 Chow down 57 Impulse carrier 58 “American Dad!” org. 60 “Can’t complain” 65 “Less Than ___” 66 Type of combat 68 Precambrian and Paleozoic 69 Obsessed with 70 Inclined, in England 71 Eyeopening problem 72 It’s right on an atlas? 73 Lessens a load

DOWN 1 Fellas 2 Chills, fever and sweating 3 Acid’s opposite 4 Chooses (to) 5 Directto-theconsumer 6 Mom’s mate 7 Reunion attendee 8 Butte kin 9 Establishes 10 A way to sell 11 Accredited diplomat 12 Consumed with gusto 13 Loud, in music 18 Like some scholars 24 Do a pizzeria chore 26 Auto protector 27 Retail center 28 Field of expertise 29 Unpleasant to the touch 30 Confrontational position 31 Endow, as with a quality

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35 In need of a rubdown 37 Lie adjacent to another 38 Raise, as a question 39 Started a golf game 42 Trigonometry ratio 45 Angler’s requirement 49 Computer expert 51 “Lawrence of Arabia” portrayer 52 Brings down the house 53 Put forth, as effort 54 Brightly colored eel 55 Woody vine 59 Bugs on a hill 61 “___Team” (Mr. T’s old show) 62 Pasture sounds 63 “Green Gables” girl 64 Silentspring causers 67 E, in Morse code

Monday, February 17, 2014 // 7

THE DAILY COUGAR

NEWS CAMPUS

Global organization opens chapter Javi Salazar Staff writer

As part of an international organization, the small, newly created UH chapter of the Institution for Mechanical Engineers is setting immense objectives. A key trait of the IMechE is its international association, but in particular, its license to accredit students with mechanical engineering licenses accepted by firms worldwide stands out. “It started in London in the 1800s,” said mechanical engineering senior William Hesser. “It now has hundreds of thousands of members worldwide, and Texas actually has one of the bigger affiliate members.” IMechE supported senior undergraduate engineering projects at UH, including the backing of a hydrogen fuel cell car for last year’s Shell Eco

Marathon. The UH student chapter, which was formed in late 2013, aims to bridge gaps between the majors of the College of Technology and the Cullen College of Engineering and expose students to potentially global networking opportunities. “The entire economy is becoming more global for our students,” said mechanical engineering professor Raresh Pascali. “By having a relationship with an international organization, it opens many doors for us.” “One reason IMechE is interested in UH is because we are in Houston. Houston is the energy capital of the world, which attracts international attention.” Local opportunities will be made ripe by the local chapter as well. IMechE has monthly social and networking events hosted by Houston-area

members, and a keen student can reach for crucial contacts. “Part of joining the student chapter requires you to join the affiliate member of the institution at large,” Hesser said. “We go to the socials, which often have many working engineers, some of whom are in leadership positions, attending.” Strengthening the relationship with IMechE may have further benefits. “Once this organization provides courses and certifications at UH, we are put on the international arena,” Pascali said. “Then people may come from all over the world to take those courses, maybe take them online. “It’s about us becoming a world leader in this field.” news@thedailycougar.com

Testing is underway on the new Southeast METRORail expansion, also known as the Purple Line, which cuts through the Third Ward, intersects the University and extends towards the Theater District. Students can look forward to using this line in the fall. | Izmail Glosson/The Daily Cougar

METRO

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president of engineering and capital projects. “The power substations and overhead rails providing power to the trains are one thing. The power system is tied into signal lights, and the communication system needs to work over every foot. System integration is very important.” Trevino explained that only after the hardware of a section of track has been thoroughly tested will Metro will test the trains themselves on the lines. The physical tests consist of a dieselpowered engine pulling one of the train cars, ensuring that obstacles are far enough away from the track to not

cause issues and that signs are as visible as needed. The train’s horn and a police escort are used to ensure public safety during these tests. “In addition to the logistics, the tests ensure the trains are completely fieldready,” Trevino said. “It’s also a necessary step for the safety certification.” Both new rail lines run approximately four miles and originate from the city’s Theater District. The East End line, also known as the Green Line, runs past BBVA Compass Stadium and through the Second Ward, ending at Magnolia Park Transit Center. The Southeast Line, also known as the Purple Line, runs alongside the Green Line until it reaches BBVA Compass Stadium, after which it runs through the Third Ward with two stops at the

University, ending on Griggs Street. “I appreciate everything it’s supposed to be about, bringing the city together and making life easier for commuters,” said political science freshman Logan Mericle. “I’ll just be glad when it’s actually up and running.” The trains were tested along the Southeast Line for the first time on Feb. 5. “I think it’s great for someone like me who commutes to school. It gives me the option to park somewhere else and ride the rail to school,” said corporate communications junior Sam Huynh. The Green and Purple Lines are set to open in Fall 2014. news@thedailycougar.com

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8 \\ Monday, February 17, 2014

THE DAILY COUGAR

LIFE & ARTS EDITOR

Monica Tso

arts@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

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MOVIES

Film introduces ‘new normal’ Sonia Zuniga Contributing writer

“Unbreakable Threads,” a documentary that follows same-sex families in Houston and gives a glimpse into their lives and struggles, had its premiere at the New UC Theater. Locals who were featured ranged from a single gay father raising four adopted children, a city restaurant owner and a known-TV meteorologist, along with a special visit from Mayor Annise Parker. The film — created, produced and directed by Stacey Summers — goes behind closed doors into the lives of LGBT individuals and same-sex couples who are surrounded by the controversy of how they live and love. It also incorporates perspectives on this issue that has captured strong opinions and momentous actions, such as the recent legalization of gay marriages in 17 states. “I thought it would be great to have a free public screening at UH,” Summers said. “After all, it was filmed in Houston, and UH is a wonderful and diverse university, and two of the professors that were in the film are from that campus.” The professors are associate professor of sociology Amanda Baumle and associate professor of Latin American cultures and Director of Undergraduate Studies Guillermo De Los Reyes. “I was so happy when they both agreed to participate,” Summers said. “They added so much to the film and shared such valuable information.” One of the most surprising moments of the event was when the film abruptly stopped to reveal Mayor Annise Parker dropping by to highlight the issue of adoption by same-sex parents.

On Thursday, the LGBT Resource Center featured the documentary, “Unbreakable Threads,” that introduced same-sex families in Houston. Mayor Annise Parker also attended the screening and discussed the social issue. | Courtesy of Poppy Pro Productions “The most important thing is there are children who had needs they didn’t find anywhere else, were rejected by their families, and they found a warm and loving home with us,” Parker said. “I don’t care how many politicians and how many certificates say kids ought to have a man and a woman raise them. There are facts out there that say that there are thousands of children who need homes and many of us who want to provide those homes. I am proud to be here and to say thank you

for supporting this film.” The documentary included Zach Wahls, an activist and son of two lesbian mothers who became an overnight sensation when he publicly opposed House Joint Resolution 6, a joint resolution introduced in 2011 that would have ended civil unions in Iowa. “I remember hearing about him last year,” said mathematical biology junior Laura Ramirez. “Seeing his view and the others made me appreciate

why I live in Houston. We’re diverse but united, too.” During the conference following the film, Mitchell Katine, an attorney and founding partner of the law firm Katine & Nechman L.L.P., announced that the same day, the Corpus Christibased 13th Court of Appeals took down a judicial court law that stood for 10 to 15 years against transgender people, who couldn’t legally change their gender in the former permanent documents. “Our society as a whole, whether in Texas or our country, has now progressed beyond where it stood,” Katine said. “I will announce today, Texas appellate court has overturned the old Texas law that says you are whatever sex you were born with and has now recognized today that if you have a court order that changes your sex, you’re now considered that other sex for marital purposes. Things are really progressing.” “Unbreakable Threads” captured the future of the new normal and took on the task of educating society, a cause that LGBT Resource Center Director Lorraine Schroeder is more than willing to share with the campus. “Just like with any of the educational programs we do, I want people to learn that LGBT people are human,” Schroeder said. “Some people will be better parents than others, just like any other parents. The fear and animosity that some have toward LGBT people is rooted in ignorance. They all have strengths and weaknesses just like everyone else, and this film shows that.” arts@thedailycougar.com

MUSIC

Contemporary ensemble to feature worldly tunes Sara Samora Senior staff writer

The Moores School of Music contemporary ensemble AURA will have a concert at the Moores Opera House on Monday. The set list includes contemporary pieces from all over the world, including pieces composed by Toru Takemitsu, Olivier Messiaen and Lorenzo Ferrero. The concert, “All the Angles,” features pieces that contain titles associated with geometric slants, inclines, shapes, points and outlooks. The AURA ensemble focuses on classical contemporary music from the last two decades and has a limited number of instruments, including a flautist, a clarinetist, a violinist, a cellist, a harpist, a couple of pianists and a percussionist. The show will feature special guests flautist Caity Piccini and percussion professor and Director of Percussion Studies Blake Wilkins. “We’re trying to further that tradition of classical music. (For) any art that you want to keep alive, you need to keep doing fresh things,” said associate professor of composition and AURA director Robert Smith. “You can’t keep

The Moores School of Music is featuring the AURA: Contemporary Ensemble concert, “All the Angles,” at 7:30 p.m. on Monday at the Moores Opera House. | Courtesy of Moores School of Music recycling the same old stuff.” The set list also includes a piece, “N. 42° W,” composed by composition graduate student Daniel Webbon. He was inspired by his drive to Waco to visit his fiancée. “He started thinking about his piece, and he realized that when he drives to visit his (fiancée), there’s this angle from Houston to Waco,” Smith said.

Although Webbon will not perform or conduct, he and Smith have been coaching the ensemble in preparation for the show. “The most difficult thing was how to translate all the complex rhythms I improvise as a drummer to notes on a page that a player could read,” Webbon said. “There aren’t that many pieces written for piano, violin and clarinet.” Smith said the AURA program is a

training ground for musicians. “This is a way for them to learn all these contemporary techniques that may occur musically,” Smith said. “They’re going to have to play for their career.” Webbon won top honors at the University composition department’s Sarofim Composition Awards in 2012. “Every year we have a contest (with) a graduate winner and undergraduate winner,” Smith said. “I want to commission (the winners) to write something new. I look at what I have and I tell them, ‘Here’s the theme for my concert, and here are the other pieces that I’m doing.’ I think a lot about that individual composer of what I think would be great for them to write next.” Another piece on the set list is James Correa’s “Retrato cubist da cidade de Porto Alegre.” Second-year doctoral student and violinist Ingid Gerling approached Smith with the piece. “What I immediately liked about the piece was that it is very exciting and fast,” Gerling said. Gerling was curious to learn the music and understand how the composer created this “new” aesthetic.

Although it is a short piece, she said the technical challenges for the violin include fast scales, specific articulations and sudden mood changes. “This piece is actually one of the first pieces that got me interested in new music,” Gerling said. “The performance is going to be very exciting, and all the pieces on the program are very interesting and keep the listener engaged.” The audience can look forward to how the flautist will create a non-traditional flute sound by using a different finger arrangement to play two or three notes simultaneously. Smith said this is the first year he has a harp player in the ensemble. In addition, the harpists will detune their harps while they play; Smith said the note will be somewhere in the middle between a “D” and a “D” flat. arts@thedailycougar.com

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $7 for staff and students.