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Issue 3, Volume 80
ARTS PG.7
Third bar's the charm
In the past year, UH has expanded beyond The Den, welcoming Pink's Pizza and Calhoun's Rooftop Bar & Grill. Unsuprisingly, most don't seem to mind.
OPINION
Post-racial? EXCLUSIVE
Facebook messages between Whitmire and SGA President Haston | PG 3
OVERTIME
Commentary: 'Ugly' opener for the Cougars | INSERT
An unarmed black teen, a militarized police force and a body with six bullet holes left in the summer heat for four hours has forced us to ask ourselves one question: How far have we really come? | PG. 6
2 | Wednesday, September 3, 2014
NEWS
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Kelly Schafler
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NEWS EDITOR
LIFE & ARTS EDITOR Rachel Sloan
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Texas Senator and gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis spoke at the Conrad N. Hilton College on Sept. 2 as a guest of the UH Democrats. Among other things, she spoke on her commitment to women's health rights and wanting to raise the minumum wage. For full coverage, visit thedailycougar.com/news.
STUDENT LIVING
Apartment opens after lengthy delays Residents forced to move in after start of school
SPORTS EDITOR
EDITOR IN CHIEF Cara Smith
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REBECCA HENNES
SENIOR STAFF WRITER @BECCAGHENNES
After construction delays displaced 347 UH students from their rooms at The Vue Apartments, an off-campus apartment complex right across from Bayou Oaks, 95 lucky residents moved into their rooms Aug. 28. “It’s frustrating because we (were) homeless and (are) in grad school and have plenty of other things to be worrying about other than our housing situation,” said first-year College of Optometry graduate student Cassie Weinberg. Weinberg was one of 95 students allowed to move in on Aug. 28. According to Stacey Lecocke, Senior Vice President of the management company Grand Campus Living, students will be moved into the complex in three phases. Phase one was last Thursday.
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Sean Alder
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Gubernatorial race comes to UH
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Nam-My Le
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Texas Senator Wendy Davis said she is committed to making college more affordable. | Julie Nguyen/The Cougar
OPINION EDITOR
i All residents of the Vue shuld be able to move in by Sept. 15, according to the development company's CEO. The complex (seen here on Sept. 1) is still in the midst of significant construction. | Cara Smith/The Cougar
“We are cognizant of the disruption this can cause at the commencement of a new school year and we have diligently worked to reduce the stress associated with the delayed move-in,” Lecocke said. Displaced students have been given the option to either live with friends and family until construction finished or stay temporarily at the Wyndham Houston Medical Center Hotel. Students who decided to stay at
“They just aren’t owning up to the lies and mistakes.” Cassie Weinberg, first-year graduate optometry student
the Wyndham are given $20 per day for food while those who are staying with family will receive $300 off their first month’s rent. A month's rent at The Vue can range from $550 to $1,245 a month. “It’s definitely been reasonable; they are trying to make up for it,” said first-year College of Optometry graduate student Diana Catuneanu, who is also Weinberg’s roommate. “It’s appreciated, but at the same time it’s frustrating. I understand construction (doesn't) always (go) as planned — especially with the weather, you can’t control it — but I feel like if you’re going to build an apartment solely for stu-
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Wednesday, September 3, 2014 | 3
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NEWS
news@thedailycougar.com
Nam-My Le, EDITOR
After State Senator John Whitmire opposed mandatory housing for freshmen, SGA President Charles Haston invited Whitmire to attend an SGA senate meeting on Sept. 3. Whitmire accepted and then rejected on Facebook on Aug. 21. I’m sure you meet so many people that you don’t remember me, but my name is Charles Haston and I’m the Student Body President at the University of Houston. We met at the alumni gala in the spring. I know you’re incredibly busy, but I was hoping we could host you at our first senate meeting of the semester on September 3rd at 7:30pm. As one of our preeminent alumni in the state legislature, it would be wonderful for our student leaders to have the opportunity to hear you speak and be able to ask you questions about higher education in Texas. I apologize the invitation is last minute and highly informal, as a Facebook message- I chose to avoid turning this into an administration issue by going through Darrin. If that date doesn’t work, perhaps you could tell me a date you are available to have a round table discussion with student leaders I would be honored. I hope we can discuss a wide variety of subjects. I am a proud cougar and want only what’s best for UH I really look forward to it. You are such an incredible alumnus of UH and I have a tremendous amount of respect for you and gratitude for everything you do for UH. I disagree with your position, but I believe you did what you did because you care. How should we coordinate this. Should I reach out to your office?
Yes. My office or me. Thank you for your respect. I would gladly share the comments that are overwhelmingly opposed from a diverse group of citizens that are strong supporters of UH. Not only financial matters but cultural considerations. The co Ed dorms are unacceptable to many and so many want kids at home at that age. Particularly South Asians and Hispanics. Work considerations are also major. I will gladly discuss but it’s dead for hundreds of reasons. Have you thought what it would do to students who’s parents are undocumented. Please put yourself in others shoes. Have you thought of Muslim students It dead and I believe there are so many more important issues Like cost of tuition etc Senator, I was actively involved in shaping the exemptions to the policy because I’m acutely aware of our students needs. All of the situations you described would allow the student to be exempt from the policy. What the policy was really attempting to do was require freshman who have no reason to preclude them from living on campus to live at a private apartment complex adjacent to UH or in midtown. Our data shows that students who live on campus, especially minorities, take more credit hours, are more likely to graduate and do so in time, and have higher GPA’s. It is also cheaper to live on campus than live off campus at a private apartment. So if students are more likely to succeed and have no reasonable reason to preclude them from living on campus, then why wouldn’t we want to do it, especially when the proposed policy is so flexible to meet every student’s unique needs? So flexible that its meaningless. Most do not want to declare exemptions. Gay students Muslims do not want to be subject to hate etc. At least your honest. It’s all about money. You totally are displaying you do not understand most UH students experience. You would be shocked at the credible opposition. One of major Department heads at UH said it would devastate Hispanic enrollment. If you say so many exemptions then why do it. You need to allow as option and let some chose others live there lives. UH is Great because of its ethnic diversity and as well as lifestyle and circumstances. It’s dead and I don’t intend to debate and maybe should reconsider my visit. The legislative delegation is against. That should mean something. If you want to discuss moving forward and making UH better. I willing but I don’t intend to spend valuable time on a policy that was shaped by you and administrators hat demonstrate a lvk of hardship many UH students experience. The cost along is prohibited. You say living off campus cost more. Not if you live at home or with gay lover which you have no exemption for. I guess you helped with 20 mile trigger. It’s nuts. And the administration knows it. They were trying to compete with developers across Calhoun It was all special interest and insensitive and dead. Good nite. THU 9:51 PM I have publicly said that the mileage needed to be much larger. But the proposal was a draft and was moving toward conversation with the BOR. I think there are many things that would be wonderful to discuss with you. Student leaders on this campus are extremely active and I think it’s important for you to speak with student leaders to be informed about the student perspective. I hope we can work together because everyone here wants what is best for UH, even if we may not always agree on the means to achieve the best ends.
SGA President Charles Haston delivers a speech during a special session held on Aug. 26. | File photo/The Cougar
IN FOCUS HOUSING
Despite state senator's objections, Haston supports freshmen housing requirement GLISSETTE SANTANA
ASSITANT NEWS EDITOR @GSANTANA347
A resolution introduced by the Student Government Association supporting a proposal mandating first time in college freshmen to live on campus UH housing will be voted on today, Sept. 3 in an SGA meeting held in the SGA senate chambers. The resolution comes after Texas Senator John Whitmire publicly opposed the plan. The resolution states that SGA supports the UH administration and Board of Regents in their endeavors to become a fully Tier One campus while improving retention and graduation rates. “I don’t work 60 to 80 hours a week to be mediocre, or to be marginalized by other universities in the state or to have an elected representative say that they can speak for us without ever speaking to the students. That doesn’t
"I don’t work 60 to 80 hours a week... to have an elected representative say that they can speak for us without ever speaking to the students." Charles Haston, SGA President work for me,” said SGA President Charles Haston. In a text message conversation with Whitmire, Chancellor Renu Khator said the plan was "dead." In order to mend relations between UH and Whitmire, Haston reached out to Whitmire on August 21 in a Facebook message inviting him to the first student senate meeting. During the conversation that Haston exclusively released to The Cougar, Whitmire accepted the invitation and then reneged. “I really look forward to it,” Whitmire said in the conversation to Haston. “I would gladly
I not sure about how realistic your small number of student body leaders are. I am not available on sept 3. I look forward to visiting in future I do know I am arranging to speak at UH democrat club soon. aybe you can catch me and we discuss matters that are important and broken. Immigration high tuition health care criminal justice. Well I’m disappointed that you feel that way about student leaders at UH. We work extremely hard here and for no other reason than the fact that we love UH. I will say that many of them do not support requiring freshmen to live on campus. If you choose to renege on your commitment to come speak on September 3, that is certainly our prerogative. I was not trying to ambush you in a public forum, I was actually going to suggest we have a small discussion group. I think you would be surprised how diverse our student leadership is- it really is reflective of our unique student body. I think we all just want to understand your perspective on a range of issues, most significantly more important than freshmen housing, ie affordability of education, and want you to understand our positions, as well.
Martha Dunkelberger told SGA senators that the administration was still tweaking the freshman housing proposal. | Justin Tijerina/The Cougar
share the comments that are overwhelmingly opposed from a diverse group of citizens that are strong supporters of UH." The proposal had waivers for students who were married, lived less than 20 miles from campus, or had a reason that deemed it counterproductive for them to live on campus. Whitmire publicly opposed the proposal, citing financial implications and UH’s commuter reputation, while Haston acknowledged that exemptions were set in place so that any student who could not live on campus, for any reason, did not have to. “The last thing we want to do is go head-to-head with one of our state senators but... we do support (the administration's) initiatives,” Haston said. “We’re not that school that was here 40 years ago.” In the conversation with Haston, Whitmire said that he feels SGA is not an accurate representation of UH's student body and its needs, saying that he was not sure how "realistic (UH's) small number of student body leaders are." “He’s never set foot in (these
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NEWS
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thedailycougar.com/news
Nam-My Le, Editor
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dents and you know when school starts then you should make an effort to have it on (completed) on time.” Weinberg and Catuneanu said they've driven by the complex several times since they arrived in Houston only to find a scant amount of workers. “From a business perspective, I feel like if I was the owner and I had to spend about $14,000 a day — we actually did the math — I would just hire extra people,” Catuneanu said. Trevor Tollett, president and CEO of the development company Fountain Residential sent an official apology to the student residents on Aug. 28. “I want to offer my sincerest apology for the delays in construction that have inconvenienced you and led to a living situation that is totally inconsistent with the experience we pride ourselves on providing our residents and parents,” Tollett wrote in a press release. “I have been in the student housing business for over 14 years, and have two children of my own who are in college, so I understand firsthand the aggravation and frustration that these delays have caused. Please know that the aggravation and frustration is felt on our end, as well.” According to the Houston Chronicle, Tollett said that construction delays are not uncommon during this time due to a lack of labor and material. "Unfortunately, most all construction projects are facing some sort of similar delays (whether it is student housing or not) due to the huge demand for construction that has coincided with this current building boom that the country (in particular, Houston) is experiencing." Residents are still angry with The Vue for the delay and mixed messages. Weinberg said the emails she received from Grand Campus about progress of the building were never clear. “There was just so little communication,” Weinberg said. “I don’t think there’s been a single email that’s been sent out that all of us have gotten. It’s just all over the place.” Weinberg said she and her roommates were told the construction would be completely finished by Sept. 5. However, Tollett's press release says that date has changed to Sept. 15. “The thing that was most frustrating for me was just basically all of the lies,” Weinberg said. “They just aren’t owning up to the lies and mistakes.”
senate chambers), and if he had he would look around here and see that we look exactly like the student body," Haston said.
news@thedailycougar.com
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Chair of the Undergraduate Committee of the Faculty Senate Martha Dunkelberger spoke at the special session reiterating the faculty position on the proposal. “The understanding that I have
is that while (the initiative) is no longer being discussed publicly, (the initiative) is not dead,” Dunkelberger said. “It is in discussion, along the lines of ‘we need to be patient,’
and ... see how things are going to move along so we can get back into a working relationship with the senator.” news@thedailycougar.com
Fall League ls e v e L l l i k S l ! e Al m o c el W e r a
Fall FuN!!! 2014
Two Leagues to Choose From:
Cougar Bowling Club
Thursday Night Fun Club
4-Person Teams
4-Person Teams
Bowls Tuesdays @ 6:30 PM Beginning Sept. 7, 2014 $ 10.00 Weekly Fee Includes: 3 games of bowling Free use of rental shoes League awards End of Semester party
Hours: Mon - Wed: Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
(especially for our Faculty/Staff)
Bowls Thursdays @ 6 PM Beginning Sept. 9, 2014 $ 10.00 Weekly Fee Includes: 3 games of bowling Free use of rental shoes League awards End of Semester party
Contact Tommy or Jeff P: 832-842-6244 Jeff: jscott3@central.uh.edu Tommy: tamohwinkel@central.uh.edu www.uh.edu/games
9:00AM - 11:45 PM 9:00AM - 12:45 AM 9:00 AM - 1:45 AM 10:00 AM - 1:45 AM 1:00PM - 11:45 PM
Please fill out the following form and return to the UC Games Room Counter. I wish to join with the following friends:
Name: _______________________________________
1. _______________________________________
Email: _______________________________________
2. _______________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________
3. _______________________________________
Indicate a League:
Cougar Bowling Club Thursday Noght Fun Club
Individual membership - Place me on a team
Wednesday, September 3, 2014 | 5
CALENDAR
Sports | Campus events | City events | See more upcoming events at thedailycougar.com/calendar TODAY
THURSDAY, SEPT. 4
Brown Bag Gallery Talk:
Financial Empowerment
Candice Breitz
Series
The Blaffer Art Museum will host a conversation with artist David Politzer about Blaffer's current exhibition "Candice Breitz: The Woods" from 12 to 1 p.m. Lunch will be provided.
Join the Urban Experience Program, C.T. Bauer College of Business, and Student Housing and Residential Life/Freshman Year Residential Experience from 12 to 1 p.m. in Cougar Village Conference Room N138 for talks about financial awareness and personal success tips for college students.
The Alley Theatre
presents: "The Old Friends" The play will be performed at 7:30 p.m. at the Wortham Theatre. During UH Weeks of Welcome students can purchase tickets for $14 using the promotional code; UHSTUDENT. For more information, visit www.alleytheatre.org or call 713-220-5700.
Commuter Awareness Kickoff This event is for all off-campus commuter students and will be held from 12 to 3 p.m. in Butler Plaza. Students will receive information about campus commuter resources, receive free promotional items and get to know other commuter students while enjoying free food and snow-cones.
SVN Launch Party Join the Student Video Network as it launches its all-new channel from 2 to 6 p.m. in UC North Room 221. Pizza, popcorn and drinks will be provided.
UC Welcome Back: Goodbye Summer The University Centers invite all students to celebrate the beginning of a new school year from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the South Lawn of the UC. There will be many activities and chances to win prizes.
Honors Fall 2014 Convocation The Honors College will hold its Fall
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2014 Convocation at 6 p.m. in the Moores Opera House introducing the new school year. A keynote address will be given by UH System Board of Regents Chairman Jarvis Hollingsworth and special guests President Renu Khator and Provost Paula Myrick Short.
as well as the contemporary struggle represented by the clash of fast food and Mexican regional cuisines. The lecture will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Honors College Commons in the M.D. Anderston Library.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
Welcome Back Badminton Match
Texas Contemporary Art Fair: BAD The Blaffer Art Museum has joined forces with UH's Industrial Design, Graphic Design and Fine Arts Departments to create Blaffer Art & Design, a unique line of products created to promote UH talent. Visit the Blaffer booth and check out BAD at the George R. Brown Convention Center from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The event will continue Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 6 p.m.
Planet Taco: A Global History of Mexican Food As part of the Honors College's Food for Thought Series, this lecture will show how Mexican Americans helped globalize Mexican food. It will examine differing perceptions of Mexican food,
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SATURDAY, SEPT. 6
Past, current and prospective members of the UH Badminton Club are invited to a friendly tournament from 3 to 6 p.m. at the UH Recreation and Wellness Center.
UH vs. Grambling State The Cougars will face Grambling State at 7 p.m. in TDECU Stadium. Admission is free for students with a valid Cougar Card.
information, visit www.alleytheatre.org or call 713-220-5700.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
LGBT Resource Center Ice Cream Social and Movie The LGBT students, staff, faculty and allies are invited to the A.D. Bruce Religion Center's second floor atrium from 3 to 5 p.m. for a social event to welcome LGBT students back to campus.
Moores Faculty Recital:
Gelok, Witt, Morgulis
Join the Moores School of Music at the Moores Opera House at 7:30 p.m. for its faculty recital, featuring Dan Gelok (saxophone), Woody Witt (saxophone) and Tali Morgulis (piano), featuring works by Hindemith with world premieres by LoCascio, Nelson and Gelok.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
The Alley Theatre presents: "The Old Friends" The play will be performed at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Wortham Theatre. Sunday marks the last day students can purchase tickets for $14 using the promotional code; UHSTUDENT. For more
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We took our favorite photos from Instagram that had #iloveUHfootballbecause in the caption. This week, use the hashtag#CalhounsRooftop to celbrate our new on-campus bar and be considered for our Digital Daily page!
NEWS UH to offer passports to students SPORTS Commentary: UH football opener disappoints in multiple aspects L&A Calhoun’s Rooftop opens on campus OPINION Comcast’s customer service earns title of ‘Worst Company in America’
POLL OF THE WEEK What is your favorite thing about UH's newest bar, Calhoun's Rooftop Bar and Grill? Submit your vote to
thedailycougar.com/polls
@jackiec_coogs15 #iloveUHfootballbecause we OWN it!!! I #followthered
@zeke1335 Awesome day at the new stadium, got Andre Ware and Case Keenum's autographs. Plus I got to touch the Heisman!! #UH18 #iloveUHfootballbecause #ItsGonnaBeAGreatYear
TOP ONLINE COMMENTS “Worst game I have ever seen in my entire life. The stadium was fabulous, the downtown view was terrific, the crowd was huge and pumped. What the heck happened???” by Deborah Deering Mowrey on "Inept offense causes Cougars to drop opener at TDECU" via Facebook
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“As a parent I support the UH improvement initiatives, one of those being trying to increase retention of students. Studies show that living on campus, especially during the adjustment period of the first year of University has a positive impact, particularly grade point average. It seems folks forget that besides exemptions, the residential proposal is ONLY for freshmen.”
by Carolyn Conravey Walsh Levy on "Following housing controversy, UH has largest number of residents move onto campus" via thedailycougar.com
6 | Wednesday, September 3, 2014
OPINION thedailycougar.com/opinion
opinion@thedailycougar.com
Kelly Schafler, EDITOR
EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF
Cara Smith
MANAGING EDITOR
Jenae Sitzes
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Christopher Shelton NEWS EDITOR
Nam-My Le CHIEF COPY EDITOR
Joshua Cochran SPORTS EDITOR
Sean Alder
LIFE & ARTS EDITOR
Rachel Sloan PHOTO EDITOR
Jimmy Moreland OPINION EDITOR
Kelly Schafler ASSISTANT EDITORS
Julie Nguyen, Glissette Santana, Justin Tijerina OVERTIME EDITOR
Andrew Valderas
STAFF EDITORIAL The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The 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 Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 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.
ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements in The Cougar do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the University or the students as a whole. The Cougar is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press.
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Hands up. Don't shoot. A history of unarmed black men and women being killed by police officers seems to reveal a connection between skin color and how members of law enforcement respond to "threats," making one wonder if Michael Brown would've died if he was of a different race. | Justin Tijerna/The Cougar
NATIONAL
Ferguson shooting exposes racial profiling, police brutality
M
ilitary tanks line the streets where protesters have gathered. Police are arresting protesters and reporters, even engaging in physical violence and using tear gas to disperse crowds. Protesters stand with their hands up; a sign of surrender, yet the brutality continues. RAMA The scene YOUSEF described COLUMNIST above is not one from a war-ravaged country. For nearly two weeks, this was the day-to-day reality in Ferguson, Mo. as massive protests seeking justice for Michael Brown became a daily practice that police sought to end. On Aug. 9, 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot by Officer Darren Wilson of the Ferguson Police Department. Brown was unarmed and walking in the street with a friend before Wilson pulled up; after asking Brown to get on the sidewalk, Wilson shot Brown six times. Brown was shot four times in the arm and twice in the head. He died on-site. Much like the shooting of Trayvon Martin in 2012, Brown’s shooting has brought national outrage and increased scrutiny of police brutality against young black men. Anthropology senior Annie Pham said that the shooting has brought attention to an issue that’s never quite gone away. “I feel like the Michael Brown
shooting was the tip of the iceberg as far as subtle racism goes in America. Racism is not over. It's never been quelled, and it's not going to be over," Pham said. "(The shooting) shows that people don't understand racism, how it works, how oppressive it can be and how oppressive it still is to this very day.” The Pew Research Center conducted a poll of 1,000 adults from Aug. 14 through Aug. 17, questioning 1,000 adults. Results showed Americans are divided on the issue of race, with 44 percent saying “the case does raise important issues about race that require discussion” while another 40 percent thinking that “the issue of race is getting more attention than it deserves.” When the poll is broken down by race, the results show that 80 percent of blacks and only 37 percent of whites believe that Brown’s
"I feel like the Michael Brown shooting was the tip of the iceberg as far as subtle racism goes in America. Racism is not over. It's never been quelled, and it's not going to be over,” Annie Pham, on the shooting of Michael Brown and how it reflects racism in America
shooting “raises important issues about race.” “This is not only a black male issue. Black women are sexually assaulted by the police, and many have been killed," said theatre junior Precious Merenu. “I think it is alienating to talk about issues that affect blacks and only talk about the men. The same issues also face other minorities, like Hispanics, as well.” The poll also revealed that whites are divided in their view on police response to Ferguson protestors. Thirty-three percent say police response “has gone too far,” 32 percent say police response “has been about right” and 35 percent say they don’t know. Pham said that she attended a protest for Brown in D.C. earlier in August. “The way the police are in D.C. compared to how they are in Ferguson, or even the rest of the South in general, is completely different. You do not tear gas the protesters. You do not shoot them. You do not shoot to kill at all. The police should have given the community in Ferguson a chance to voice their anger and to grieve. They didn't do that," Pham said. "Across the board, police brutality is not okay. What they need to do is tear down and rebuild the police force across the nation. Tear down and rebuild what is apparently being taught at the police academy — to shoot and kill people if a ‘threat’ is felt, even if the person is unarmed.” While there is talk about the police brutality exhibited by Wilson, he has gained many sup-
porters and has raised more money than Brown in donations, with his totals exceeding $235,000 in just four days. The details of what transpired between Wilson and Brown were not only difficult to come by when news first broke out, including Wilson’s identity, but conflicting reports from police and witnesses has caused confusion as well. Ferguson police reported that Brown shoved Wilson and attempted to take his gun, causing Wilson to shoot. Brown’s friend and witness to the shooting, Dorian Johnson, says it was Wilson who initiated the violent encounter. “I don't believe (Wilson) was guilty of manslaughter. I believe he was straight-up guilty of murder. Forensic evidence says so, his actions and the several witnesses who were there say so. The fact that the police tried to falsify evidence and took their sweet time releasing statements and (Wilson’s) name says so," Pham said. "Michael walked away. Wilson bothered Michael for jay-walking, and when Michael ran, he could have ran after him without a gun, and tackled him down, called his parents, but no. He pulled out his gun and shot him several times — in cold blood." The Guardian reported that parallels exist between violence against blacks in the past and the violence against them today. Though there are differences, negative images and stereotypes of blacks persist.
BROWN
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Wednesday, September 3, 2014 | 7
LIFE & ARTS
thedailycougar.com/life-arts
arts@thedailycougar.com
Rachel Sloan, EDITOR
FOOD
Campus grill aims to be student hot spot
After fourteen months of preparation, the long-awaited Calhoun's Rooftop Bar opened its doors to the UH community SARA SAMORA
SENIOR STAFF WRITER @THEREINVENTIONS
Don't be suprised if you hear clinking glasses and Texas country music on campus—that's just students enjoying Texas Tuesdays at UH's newest watering hole. Adding to our increasing nightlife scene, Calhoun’s Rooftop Bar and Grill officially opened to the public Aug. 27 and has begun normal business hours. Owner Todd Weaver said the process took about 14 months to bring the bar and grill to life. They had a soft opening on Aug. 23 and were scheduled to officially open Aug. 25, but felt the staff wasn’t ready. “It’s always going to be a journey when we first open up,” Weaver said. “We’re going to make mistakes, but we’re trying to limit those mistakes.” Weaver and general manager
Ben Locher were approached by the now-restaurant's landlord more than a year ago. “We wanted something to change UH a little bit,” Weaver said. “You go to other bars and restaurants around other colleges and there are lots of choices. UH didn’t really have a lot of choices, so we thought it be a perfect opportunity to make something happen.” With Houston's skyline serving as the backdrop of the University, Weaver and his team found a way to deliver the highlights of the city without leaving campus. “You come to college once and you want to have a good time,” Weaver said. “That’s why we did that with the rooftop, it was a no brainer to be able to see the whole campus and also have a city of
CALHOUN'S
Continues on next page
Newly-opened Calhoun's Rooftop Bar & Grill aspires to be a place students will remember when they look back on their college career. It's owners want it to make an impact on campus life. | Julie Nguyen/The Cougar
GREYHOUND CELEBRATES 100 YEARS ON THE OPEN ROAD! Please join us for a free, family-friendly celebration where you can tour an interactive museum, experience our vintage fleet, play games, win prizes, and much more!
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LIFE & ARTS
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Rachel Sloan, EDITOR
CALHOUN'S
Continued from previous page Houston view.” Drink specials include Reggae Mondays; Texas Tuesdays, where all Texas liquors will cost $3; Wednesday nights will be Hump Day happy hour; Thursdays will be College Night, where wells and domestic beer will cost $1.50; on Fridays, a featured local craft brewery will bring a keg to be served free of charge; Saturday will be College Game Day where margarita pitchers and beer pitchers will cost $5 all day. When the first customers of Calhoun’s heard about the specials, digital media sophomore David Dang said, “We’re going to live here.” Weaver agreed. “That’s exactly what we want,” Weaver said. “We want them to live here." As for the food, Locher said everything will be made in-house. Currently, though, there is a limited menu, but prices were chosen with a student's budget in mind.
“We want to be a place where anybody can come look at our menu and get anything at a reasonable price." Todd Weaver, owner of Calhoun's Rooftop Bar & Grill
Calhoun's offers original UH cocktails as well as a drink special everyday and signature Cougar-themed food. | Catherine Lara/The Cougar
“We want to be a place where anybody can come and you can look at our menu and get anything at a reasonable price and hopefully we put out a good product,” Locher said. “So far, so good, so hopefully with a little fine-tuning, we’ll be alright.”
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In addition to adding onto campus' entertainment scene, Calhoun's is also providing employment opportunities to students. Business junior and Calhoun’s waitress Sima Kasyamenko is a waitress at the bar; the opening was her first day of serving. “It’s a lot of fun,” Kasyamenko said. “Right now it’s looking like it’s going to be the place to hang out.” Weaver adds that their biggest advantage is the entertainment they will be able to provide. There is a stage on the patio, and besides booking DJs, they are also working on booking some Texas country singers. “There are a lot of restaurants here that are great, but they’re
specialized in one thing, whether it’s one food item or another, and we have a variety that I think that the students are going to like and that everybody will enjoy," Weaver said. There are charging wall plugs by the rails, and Weaver plans to add more by seats against the wall, creating a place "where students can get away from class and (work) and watch TV (or simply) escape from the daily grind of 14-hour, 16-hour school work.” They are also working on getting a bus for the people who need a safe ride home after a few drinks. “We’re people first,” Locher said. “We don’t only want to take care of the students, but people
around the area also.” They want to be a staple on campus, where memories will be formed. “When you go to UH and you graduate and you come away with that, we want to say, ‘Hey, man. Remember when we used to go to Calhoun’s Rooftop and party?’ or ‘I proposed to my girlfriend there,’ ” Weaver said. “That’s what we want to be about, and when those kids go to school, they’ll know that there’s a bar on campus, too. That was their college life, and that’s one of the things they’ll always remember.” arts@thedailycougar.com
The Cougar Club Flatbread is a signature dish at Calhoun's Rooftop Bar & Grill | Julie Nguyen/The Cougar
Wednesday, September 3, 2014 | 9
thedailycougar.com/sports
SPORTS
sports@thedailycougar.com
Sean Alder, EDITOR
FOOTBALL
Home opener not just about the football SHARDANNA JONES
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Energy was kicked into high-gear on campus this Friday in light of the opening football game as well as the newly- built TDECU Stadium. Cougar fans stocked up on gear and accessories, coating the stadium with red and every kind of Cougar clothing in support of the home team. As they poured into the stadium, students could hardly contain their excitement, some opting to stand instead of sit. Students took notice of the sketch of the Houston skyline, which is now drawn into the end zone turf. "The student section felt electric from the opening kickoff, with every student shouting at the top of their lungs for the team,” said electrical engineering senior Erik Van Aller. “I took a second and stood back; I wanted to soak it all in: the stadium, the crowd and the Cougars."
The hype of the TDECU Stadium opener was felt around Houston for days leading up to the event. But despite the 27-7 loss, UH students are still anticipating great things from both team and stadium. | Caitlin Hilton/The Cougar
Finance senior Niccolo Buchelli, a transfer from San Jacinto College, didn't get to see legendary former UH quarterback Case Keenum play at Robertson Stadium, so being there for the opening of the new
The Cougars came to play in this weekend's Houston Cougar Classic, putting themselves at a 2-1 season start. | Catherine Lara/The Cougar
Strong opening at Cougar Classic breeds high hopes for UH volleyball The team put on a strong showing in the first annual Houston Cougar Classic. As the Cougars strolled out of the locker room with new sneakers, freshly taped ankles and a shared enthusiasm to start off the new season, it was clear they had big plans for this year. The team finished 2-1 in the season opener. Read more at thedailycougar.com/sports
stadium was a special moment. "It feels like we've got a Tier one stadium in conjunction with our Tier one university,” said Buchelli. “I've never seen so much school spirit on campus."
Not only are students spirited about the stadium, they’re also excited to see how the UH football team will perform on their new playing field even after the 27-7 loss. "It was great to see everyone
get so excited before the game after two years of anticipation for this first home game in our new stadium,” said electrical engineering junior Dominic Mak. “The only thing more disappointing than our loss was watching our fans across the stadium leave throughout the second half.” From the looks of things, the Cougar pride is still alive. Throughout coaching changes, the moving on of a star quarterback and numerous other players, the fan base is passionate and they still have their team’s back, hoping that one day the loyalty will pay off. “While our cougars hit the practice field before next game," said Mak, "we should all think about keeping up our school spirit, no matter the score." -Additional reporting by Jenae Sitzes and Cara Smith sports@thedailycougar.com
10 | Wednesday, September 3, 2014
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BROWN
Continued from page 6 The Guardian also argues that blacks are still targets for police violence when doing ordinary things. For Brown, that was jaywalking down the street. Another example is Timothy Stansbury Jr., who in 2004 “startled” an officer when walking up a stairwell. As a nation, we tend to focus on how far we’ve come in terms of racial equality, but the reality is that racism still exists — it’s simply taken on different forms. Just because we’ve “come a long way” does not mean we should settle for the current state of race relations. “The problem with racial issues in America is that they are very covert — people don’t realize that they are there. People make assumptions, and sometimes deadly ones, on the way that they perceive someone’s acts based on superficial things, like the way they dress," Merenu said. "White privilege is another issue that people are now exploring because
opinion@thedailycougar.com
of what happened in Ferguson. For example, would Mike Brown be dead if he was white? Would the media portray him differently if he was white? Black lives matter, and the lives of minorities matter." Whether it’s Michael Brown or Trayvon Martin, young black men are not safe from racial profiling and stereotypes against blacks. These negative stereotypes are nothing new; they have existed for decades. Race needs to be put at the forefront. Race needs to be an issue that we discuss openly and at length. When a shooting like this happens, we should not dismiss it. To progress as a nation that is a true proponent of racial equality, we need to talk about race. The first step to equality is a change of perspective by seeing blacks and other people of color as people, not a stereotypical construction of a person. Opinion columnist Rama Yousef is a creative writing senior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.
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OPINION
Kelly Schafler, EDITOR
STATE
Legalize medical marijuana When used right, weed is less harmful than perscription pills
T
he medical industry has many tools for treating pain and illness, and it’s no doubt that America has some of the most advanced medical treatments in the world. Although, treatment is a tricky thing and sometimes has unintended side effects. One issue SHANE BRANDT that afflicts COLUMNIST Americans in particular is reliance on painkiller prescriptions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention, more than 10,000 men and 6,600 women died in 2010 from painkiller overdose. Women in particular are facing a tremendous increase in the number of overdoses each year, with a 400 percent increase since 1999 compared to 265 percent among men. In contrast to this worrying trend, a recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that states with legalized medical marijuana have significantly fewer painkiller overdoses than states where marijuana is still completely illegal. In fact, they had nearly 25 percent fewer lethal overdoses. In spite of many states having recognized the medical potential of marijuana, most states have still not legalized marijuana for medical usage, and all usage is still illegal under federal law. Marijuana is illegal nationwide according to the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, which classifies marijuana as a schedule I drug. In comparison, cocaine is considered a schedule II drug, making it legal for some very restricted medical usage. Fortunately, public opinion of marijuana has moved in favor of legalization over the years as people become more aware of the medicinal potential. Although drugs like Marinol deliver THC — the main ingredient of marijuana — in a legal manner, such drugs can be expensive and not as effective as the real deal. While the effects of marijuana have not been studied in full, prescribed uses for the plant include helping appetite, curbing pain and most relevantly, dealing with chronic pain.
Francis Emelogu/The Cougar
Many ailments and conditions — such as glaucoma, migraines, fibromyalgia and other chronic pains — can be treated with both painkillers and marijuana. Combined with the recent findings, it seems obvious why medical marijuana seems to cut down on lethal overdoses; the side effects of marijuana simply aren’t as lethal as those of prescription painkillers. While opinions have been shifting in favor of legalization and decriminalization, there are still many Americans against any use of marijuana. It is hard to imagine medical marijuana being legalized in Texas; however, even in Texas there are more and more people pushing for the right to let their doctors decide what is best for their health rather than politicians. Many simply don’t seem to find marijuana prohibition reasonable, including some students at UH. Undeclared freshman Zack Arrazola said he believes that medicinal marijuana needs to be encouraged as an option for those dealing with illness. “I think it should be promoted more often, but I believe Texas is too conservative of a state to legalize it anytime soon,” Arrazola said. Although Arrazola said he supports medicinal marijuana options, he also said he believes recreational use should not be legalized. “It shouldn’t be completely legalized because the benefits that come from legalizing it, like being able to tax it and collect revenue, are outweighed by all the costs on healthcare and the money it will cost citizens to provide governmental help for junkies. And also, that’s a lot of productivity loss,” Arrazola said. Medicinal marijuana has plenty of potential in the medical field; however current laws in Texas ignore that potential due to
misinformation in public opinion. Education on the potential medical benefits will be necessary for Texas to change its mind. Unfortunately, most education on marijuana tends to be about the negative effects, and is often intentionally misinformative in order to “protect” children from drugs. Many are familiar with D.A.R.E. from their school days. The program is known by many for omitting information, and often exaggerating the negative effects of drugs such as marijuana in order to discourage students from abusing drugs. Even studies during the 1990s found that D.A.R.E.’s methods were ineffective in discouraging drug usage, and D.A.R.E decided to drop marijuana from its curriculum in 2012. This may be due to the fact that marijuana simply isn’t as dangerous as people once thought. Perhaps with time and a balanced education on marijuana’s positive and negative effects, Texas and the rest of the nation will open up to marijuana as a medicine. More states may decide to regulate marijuana like alcohol, but certainly people can start to agree that the entire country should allow its usage for medicinal purposes. It’s time that people allow doctors to decide what is right for their patients. This doesn't mean one has to support getting high for a good time’s sake, but people need to question whether their tax dollars are best spent on policing medicinal usage for those who really might need it. Prescription painkillers are not more moral, and they are not healthier than prescription marijuana. Opinion columnist Shane Brandt is a petroleum engineering senior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.
12 | Wednesday, September 3, 2014
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BROWN
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