Issue 20, Volume 81

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Issue 20, Volume 81

Calling on more than the bullpen The Cougars will look to a handful of key returners this season to guide their new recruits. | PG. 8

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2 | Wednesday, February 10, 2016

NEWS

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Rebecca Hennes, Editor

CAMPUS

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The Cougar

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ABOUT THE COUGAR

More off-campus student housing coming in 2017 GLISSETTE SANTANA

EDITOR IN CHIEF @GLISSETTETWEETS

Students will have yet another off-campus housing option come fall 2017.

The Gateway on Cullen, the third UH student housing venture for Fountain Residential Partners after the Vue on MacGregor and Campus Vue, will be opening its hub on the north side of Interstate 45 off of Cullen Boulevard.

“Student go to universities and the first thing they look at is academics, but another large factor that kids think about is ‘Where am I going to live?’”

Trevor Tollett, vice president of Fountain Residential Partners said. “There is some fantastic on-campus housing at the University of Houston, but kids come in and say ‘That’s where I’m going to live freshmen year or maybe even sophomore year, but where am I going to live junior and senior year?’”

Tollett considers recent university successes like enrollment growth and the football team’s 13-1 season reasons why UH is a desirable off-campus housing market.

“Everything that the administration at UH has done over

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Sean Alder Mónica Rojas Glissette Santana

The Gateway on Cullen is Fountain Residential's third UH student housing project and will offer 531 beds. | Photo courtesy of Fountain Residential Partners.

the past several years has just really catapulted UH into the spotlight, and before we came there, there was no off-campus purpose building for student housing,” Tollett said. “We thought there was a huge void, and we decided to take a risk with the first project we did, the Vue on MacGregor, and we were very pleased with the success, so now we’re on our third deal.”

The Gateway on Cullen will have 531 beds in various floor plans, ranging from

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one-bedroom apartments to townhouses. The complex will also have a fitness and cardio center, private study rooms and a resort-style pool, according to a news release.

Tollett said that as part of Fountain Residential’s real estate due diligence, they reached out to community stakeholders around the area, including Council Member Robert Gallegos, who oversees District I, where the complex will be built.

“Working with Council Member Gallego’s office, we set up some community meetings and discussed concerns with the surrounding neighborhood,” Tollett said. “The collaboration was to make sure all the community stakeholders knew what was going on with the project, and that we are the good steward of the community."

Biology senior Siddiqua Noor has lived on campus her entire time at UH and said that she loves living on campus because of the convenience.

"I think it's great that more options are popping up for students wishing to live closer to campus and avoid the hectic commute," Noor said. "Unfortunately, these off campus options do take away from funding for the University and student housing life. With dormitories or on-campus apartments, students have more opportunities to connect and socialize with other fellow students at multiple UH events."

Gallegos said that there are talks of turning the defunct Finger Furniture off the edge of campus into a retail center with a grocery store.

“For some reason, the University of Houston hasn’t been

known as a campus that has residential students,” Gallegos said. “That whole area, within the next couple of years, you won’t be able to (recognize it) in regards to what we have now, and the (apartment complex) is just going to transform the whole area.”

The Gateway on Cullen will be the only Fountain Residential property on the north side of the Gulf Freeway. Fountain Residential’s other two student housing properties, the Vue on MacGregor and Campus Vue, were plagued with delays because of contractor failure, Tollett said.

“With the Gateway on Cullen, we’re giving ourselves roughly 18 months to build a less complicated, less dense project,” Tollett said. “We are confident that we are going to be able to deliver this new project by the fall of 2017.”

Though the property has not broken ground, Fountain Residential Partners President, Brent Little, said in a news release that the longer build time allowed "the chance to build spacious townhome units which will be unique to this market and offer larger, better amenitized public spaces.”

“All ships are moving in the right direction, and it really is a mixture of public and private efforts,” Tollett said. “It’s a combined effort, and we’ve taken some good steps in working with the city. Hopefully the University is getting to where it needs to be, and I think it’s something everyone will be proud of.” news@thedailycougar.com

ABOUT THE COVER

The Cougars look to have a big year as the team turns to a strong returning class to guide its newcomers..

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Wednesday, February 10, 2016 | 3

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NEWS

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Rebecca Hennes, EDITOR

CAMPUS

Frontier Fiesta takes steps to be more inclusive GLISSETTE SANTANA

the western themed city, while honoring some of the alumni we see crucial to the event,” Blue said. “However, this year we are trying to make it more of a modern event that is inclusive of every student we have on campus.”

Frontier Fiesta took a poll during the fall semester to see what type of artists students would be interested in and looked into past performances at the event to base their concert decision.

The Student Fees Advisory Committee created a pool of $100,000 in December to pay for concerts after individual requests from Frontier Fiesta, the Homecoming Board and the Student Program Board were denied.

The committee said that concerts are a luxury and should be enjoyed within our means.

EDITOR IN CHIEF

@ GLISSETTETWEETS

Frontier Fiesta may be UH’s oldest tradition, but that doesn’t mean that the event isn’t trying to step its game up whenever it comes to the changing times.

“I would say (Frontier Fiesta is) inclusive because of the steps that the board of directors and I have taken to really make this event one for the entire campus and Houston community as a whole,” Frontier Fiesta Chairman Brandon Blue said.

The event, headlined with a concert by hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd on March 26, will include carnival rides and a Family Fun Day, as well as a new talent show and step show.

Student organizations will also be allowed to participate in carnival booths.

“We have kept the traditional aspects of variety shows and

“Since their inception three years ago, the cost per student and budgetary apportionment for concerts has skyrocketed,” the SFAC recommendation report said. “This committee has chosen to reign in this excess, understanding that such massive monetary undertakings are not feasible in the current fiscal condition.”

But besides the money situation, Frontier Fiesta’s board of directors is putting its best foot forward and trying to embrace UH’s identity.

“Being one of the most diverse institutions in the United States, Frontier Fiesta would like to embody that in the best way possible,” Blue said. news@thedailycougar.com Like us on Facebook

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Hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd is headling Frontier Fiesta's concert on March 26. | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

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4 | Wednesday, February 10, 2016

NEWS

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Rebecca Hennes, Editor

CAMPUS CARRY

Campus carry work group to release draft this month REBECCA HENNES

NEWS EDITOR @BECCAGHENNES

The Campus Carry Work Group plans to release its first draft on a campus-wide concealed handgun policy this month.

The Campus Carry bill, otherwise known as Senate Bill 11, was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott in June 2015 and allows for the legal concealed carry of handguns in all four-year public universities in Texas beginning Aug. 1.

According to the University of Houston Police Department Campus Carry Work Group website, only persons with a state-mandated concealed handgun license are allowed to carry a concealed weapon on campus so long as the area has not been designated as a weapons free area. A person must also be at least 21 years of age, undergo training and meet other statutory requirements to obtain a CHL in the State of Texas.

The Campus Carry Work Group is comprised of 15 members from all departments and backgrounds, including the Faculty Senate, Student Government Association, human resources department and student housing.

After taking note of the community's thoughts from open forums and an online survey that is still available, Marcilynn Burke, associate dean of the Law Center and CCWG member, said the group has worked tediously to consider all aspects of the issue.

"We’ve taken all of the input that we’ve gotten from the campus community, and we’ve tried to look at it very carefully," Burke said. "There’s no broad brush we can paint and say 'This is the policy.' We really have to look at each of these areas and the types of activities individually."

Burke said the work group has considered other gun laws and UH's policies, including policies associated with guns in medical facilities, before drawing conclusions.

"There are laws that prohibit the taking of handguns into hospitals," Burke said. "We don’t have a hospital, but we do have clinical areas - we have (the) optometry (college), the counseling center, the health care center... (and) we think the rationale should apply to the medical services we provide on campus."

The law provides for con-

cealed carry in public spaces as long as the area has not been designated by the University as a weapons-free area. Sporting events such as football games are already defined as weapons-free areas, and Burke said the policy aims to identify other areas that will follow the same protocol, such as laboratories with dangerous chemicals and student housing and residence halls.

"We want to look at the areas where we know a lot of students will be present," Burke said. "So when trying to decide what to do about student housing – should we allow it everywhere? Well, we don’t think that should be the right answer, but we think that there certainly should be places where people can be on campus and have a concealed handgun in their living space. Those are the certain things we are trying to balance."

Burke said weapons-free zones would be identified with large signs written in English and Spanish and displayed to the public in a clearly visible manner.

"The UH department of public safety will be responsible for enforcing this law, just as they enforce the rules today with respect to the carrying of handguns," Burke said.

Burke said one major aspect to consider about the law is that it will not apply to the majority of the student population because the vast majority of students are under 21 and therefore cannot own a handgun legally.

"It's important to keep in mind that the real impact that this policy will have on campus culture will likely be marginal when you consider the small number of folks on campus who are eligible and willing to carry a concealed handgun on campus," Student Government Association President Shaun Theriot-Smith said.

While many people are divided on the issue, the Faculty Senate recently openly opposed campus carry in December in a resolution where it stated “weapons designed to end human life have no place in the academic life of the University, except when carried by duly-authorized law officers." The Senate urged President Khator and UH administration “to restore the protected academic space envisioned by the founders of the United States of America.”

While President Khator does have somewhat of a final say in the policy, Burke said she thinks some people are over-estimating the amount of discretion she has.

"The law very clearly says that the president may not establish rules that generally prohibit or have the effect of generally prohibiting people from carrying concealed handguns on campus," Burke said. "We are trying to work in between those two ends of the spectrum: that one, it would be allowed everywhere, and on the other end, that it would be allowed practically nowhere. So I think that is what people are having difficulty grappling with - that while the president does have some discretion, there are limits to that discretion."

After the draft is released, the CCWG will consider recommendations from the entire UH community. In March, revisions to the policy will be sent to President Khator for approval, the policy will be finalized in April, and by May, the work group will present the policy to the Board of Regents for approval. By August, the policy will officially be implemented.

Students, faculty and staff can still voice their concerns by participating in the campus survey or emailing questions or concerns to campuscarry@uh.edu.

An additional FAQ with detailed information is also available. news@thedailycougar.com

Things to know: campus carry Campus carry has raised some concern among students and faculty. However, the University of Houston Police Department attempts to answer some of the most common questions.

Who can carry a concealed weapon on campus under S.B. 11? After the University has implemented its campus carry policy and the law takes effect on Aug. 2016, only persons with a state-mandated concealed handgun license are allowed to carry a concealed weapon on campus so long as the area has not been designated as a weapons free area.

Does the law allow for open carry? S.B. 11 addresses only concealed handgun carry on college campuses after Aug. 2016, and doesn't allow open carry. Thus, under Texas law, it will continue to be illegal to display a firearm inside campus buildings or on campus streets.

—Information taken from UHPD

Tell us your opinion, use hashtag #UHcampuscarry

5 | Wednesday, February 10, 2016

OPINION

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Anthony Torres, EDITOR

THE OCTOGENARIAN

EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF

Glissette Santana

MANAGING EDITOR

Mónica Rojas

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Sean Alder

NEWS EDITOR

Rebecca Hennes CHIEF COPY EDITOR

Emily Burleson

COOGLIFE EDITOR

Karis Johnson PHOTO EDITOR

Justin Tijerina OPINION EDITOR

Anthony Torres ASSISTANT EDITORS

Leen Basharat Efren Diosdado Brittaney Penney Trey Strange Sonia Zuniga

SPORTS EDITOR

Bryce Dodds

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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Leaders are obsessed with Planned Parenthood KEN LEVIN OPINION COLUMNIST

S

ometimes, the good guys win, and last week we saw the Texas legal system work properly.

Last summer, we all heard and watched the news, lambasting Planned Parenthood for profiting from the sale of body parts of aborted fetuses. The alleged proof of this was a video, produced by the intended buyers of this material at a Planned Parenthood Clinic in Houston.

Last year, the office of the Attorney General of Texas launched an official investigation into Planned Parenthood following the release of videos that detail the organization’s alleged slaughter of babies to profit on their body parts.

One of the videos, taped at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Houston, shows Planned Parenthood staff members allegedly discussing the sale of fetal tissue for medical research. It inspired Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to ask Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson to initiate a criminal investigation of the organization in August.

Who are these Texas Leaders?

These are the same men who are depriving some 12 million of our fellow Texas women of health coverage.

Under the leadership of Gov. Greg Abbott, the Texas Rangers, our Texas State Police and the Houston Police Department began an investigation and a Republican Prosecuting Attorney presented the evidence to a Texas Grand Jury.

Anderson, a pro-life Republican who is endorsed by the Texas Right to Life PAC is going ahead, but warned “we must go where the evidence leads us.”

“We were called upon to investigate allegations of criminal conduct

by Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast," said Anderson. "As I stated at the outset of this investigation, we must go where the evidence leads us.

All the evidence uncovered in the course of this investigation was presented to the grand jury. I respect their decision on this difficult case."

Instead of any finding of wrong-doing by Planned Parenthood, the investigation caused the Grand Jury to indict David Daleiden, Center for Medical Progress founder, and one of his assistants for criminal action.

Daleiden and his associate, Sandra Merritt, both from California, face not only that misdemeanor charge, but they are also accused of tampering with a

government record, a second-degree felony that carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

I am shocked to actually see justice prevail and do not hide my hope that both of these devious criminals, who would go to such lengths to deprive women of their health care, get to serve the maximum time for their criminal activity.

Now that would truly be justice.

However, back in our world, Abbott has reassured his followers, most of whom can be found dangling their legs over the edge of their flat world, that state investigations into Planned Parenthood will continue at the taxpayers’ expense.

While all this is going on, our state government intends to continue its thoughtless and stupid fight against the premier provider of women’s health care in our state, Planned Parenthood..

Opinion columnist Ken Levin is a political science senior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

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ACROSS 1 Head pests 5 Arctic breakaway 9 Nodded off 14 “While ___ it ...”

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Fortune” buy, perhaps 59 Sacred song 60 Group of three 61 MIT, for one 62Above- ground?

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Wednesday, February 10, 2016 | 7

713-743-5303

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SPORTS

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Bryce Dodds, EDITOR

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Hard work, effort is paying off for the Cougars BRYCE DODDS

SPORTS EDITOR @BRYCEJDODDSTC

The Cougars are having a rebirth this season, with a chance to have one of their best seasons in a long time and a very real chance to break the 20-win mark for the first time since the 2012-2013 season.

Last season, in the first year under head coach Kelvin Sampson, the Cougars totaled 13 wins, with just four of those coming against conference teams.

This season, UH is 16-7 overall and 6-5 in the American Athletic Conference, benefiting from a schedule front-loaded with easy teams that allowed them to build confidence.

This year’s team has showed a resilience that wasn't present in the previous squad. They’ve been able to hang around in tight games, make a comeback when down and hold a lead when they’re ahead.

While a 6-5 mark is far from stellar, they’re on pace for their best conference record in the last five years, with the previous best an 8-10 record in the 2013-2014 season.

For much of the conference season, UH has shown they can

hang with the toughest teams in the AAC, playing conference-leading Southern Methodist University tight on the road and taking a big win from them at Hofheinz, while taking an early win over second-place Temple University earlier in the season.

The biggest improvement the team made is season is in their ability to refocus after a losing streak. Sampson and the Cougars refocused and rattled off threestraight wins after dropping four in a row through a tough stretch of games against SMU, UConn, the University of Cincinnati and the University of South Florida.

This year, Sampson has shown command of his squad, with the team running faster, pushing harder and diving for loose balls.

Since he’s arrived at UH, Sampson has preached the doctrine of hard work and effort, pushing a message that they can be the hardest playing team in the conference, if not the nation.

He may not have the skillful players of UConn or SMU, but Sampson has his players buying in to work hard every possession this season, proving you don’t have to have the best talent to play hard.

CATHOLIC CAMPUS MINISTRY Ash Wednesday Services Wednesday, February 10, 2016 Mass and Imposition of Ashes 7:00 AM, 12:00 Noon & 5:00 PM at the A. D. Bruce Religion Center Main Chapel

SACRIFICE

FASTING

ALMSGIVING

PRAYER & PENANCE

Head coach Kelvin Sampson has coached his team into a 16-7 record this season, with a chance to eclipse 10 conference wins for the first time in five years. | Justin Tijerina/The Cougar

In the second year of a rebuilding project, the team looks better, but has shown some flashes of less than brilliance. And Sampson shouldn’t expect to get any four or five-star prospects soon; Houston just isn’t a destination school for basketball, not anymore. There’s a history here at UH, but it’s just that, a history.

Long gone are the years of the

Phi Slama Jama and yearly NCAA Tournament Appearances.

Hofheinz Pavilion itself stands as a testament to a once-great program that had fallen into a bit of decay.

But Sampson is working to turn that around, and he’s changing the culture of this team, which is showing on the court.

With seven games left on

KEEP

their schedule, the Cougars have a chance to build some good momentum heading into the conference tournament. Sampson has shown that he doesn’t need the best prospects to make his system work, and each year he has to build on that will only see the team improve. sports@thedailycougar.com

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8 | Wednesday, February 10, 2016

SPORTS

713-743-5303

thedailycougar.com/sports

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Bryce Dodds, EDITOR

BASEBALL

Returners will be key for Cougars this season REAGAN EARNST

STAFF WRITER

The baseball team looks to follow a remarkable 2015 season as they take to the field against the Villanova University Wildcats on Feb. 19 at Cougar Field.

When fans come out to the ball park, they will notice some familiar faces on the roster who are looking to achieve even more success on the diamond this year. Despite losing eight players to the MLB draft, head coach Todd Whitting has his returning lettermen ready to go for the upcoming season.

To get you ready for all the action that will take place later this month, here are some returners on the Cougars' roster to become familiar with:

Corey Julks (INF/OF) Sophomore Corey Julks is a versatile fielder who can also swing a bat. Julks is proficient in the infield and outfield, making him pivotal to the success of the Cougars' defense.

In his freshman season, Julks batted .302, tallying 54 hits that resulted in 38 RBIs. His remarkable play in the postseason last spring earned him a spot on the 2015 NCAA Houston Regional All-Tournament Team. Look for Julks to be a key contributor with his bat and glove in 2016.

Jacob Campbell (C/UTL) Jacob Campbell is looking to make his senior year a memorable one. Last year, Campbell was a breakout performer and arguably the most improved player on the team.

He played in 58 games and was able to compile a batting average of .301 while driving in 41 runs.

Campbell displayed great poise at the plate on his way to drawing 24 walks.

If Campbell continues to

improve at the plate, he should again be an important part of the Cougars lineup.

Josh Vidales (INF) Expectations are high for senior infielder Josh Vidales, who was named to the 2016 American Preseason Team. In each of his three seasons at UH, Vidales has improved in nearly every statistical category and will look to do the same this season.

Vidales dazzled in 2015 on his way to batting an even .300 and accumulating 39 RBIs, while totaling an astounding 73 hits by the end of his junior year. He scored 49 times, which proved to be a huge attribute the Cougars’ success in 2015.

What Vidales lacks in power, he more than compensates with his ability to get on base and make sure plays in the infield.

Seth Romero (LHP) After an outstanding freshman season in 2015, sophomore Seth Romero looks to add to his already impressive résumé in the new season. Romero received national recognition when he was named to the 2016 American Preseason Team and the Preseason Second Team Perfect Game All-American.

The sophomore southpaw hopes continue his success, as he was able to attain a 7-4 record with a league-leading 1.94 ERA. Romero was a feared pitcher starting and out of the bullpen, striking out 94 batters, nearly one-third of all he faced.

Whether in the starting rotation or in relief, Romero will bring valuable experience to the pitching staff.

Andrew Lantrip has his sights set on playing at the next level.

A huge contributor last season, Lantrip posted a 9-3 record while compiling an outstanding 115 strikeouts.

Controlling his pitches was not a problem for the right-hander, walking 23 walks all season.

A real work horse, Lantrip pitched three complete games, giving Houston one of the best pitching rotations in the nation.

His 6-foot-2-inch frame brings an intimidating presence to the mound that the Cougars will surely benefit from.

Overall, expectations are high for the Cougars as they come into the 2016 season ranked 18th nationally. They will have plenty of opportunities to climb the ranks as they take on formidable opponents such as Texas A&M University, Texas Christian University, the University of Arkansas and crosstown rival Rice University. sports@thedailycougar.com

Freshman infielder Allonte Wingate looks to make a difference for the Cougars this season with the help of his older teammates. | Robyn Archer/The Cougar

Andrew Lantrip (RHP) Already named to the Top 100 Preseason College Prospects List by Baseball America, Junior

1-800-SKYDIVE 281-369-3337 The Cougars received 12th-place ranking by Baseball America. | Robyn Archer/The Cougar

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