The First Roar 2023

Meet The Cougar Staff

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 Anonymous letters will not be published.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.

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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.

Letter from the Editor: Just keep swimming

One day you’re a dumb kid having fun, next you’re an adult with a car note, bills and people are asking you about someone named Roth who has something to do with the IRA. | Anh Le/The Cougar

JOHN LOMAX EDITOR IN CHIEF @THELASTLOMAX

I, many years ago, was like you. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, 18-year-old me couldn’t wait to embark on the rst leg of my adult life. at was back in 2014 and, as time would go on to show, I was wholly unprepared for the college experience. One academic suspension and a three-year stint in the army later, I returned to nish my degree.

Nine years might seem like a long time, but it goes by way faster than you’d think. One day you’re a dumb kid having fun, next you’re an adult with a car note, bills and people are asking you about someone named Roth who has something to do with the IRA.

What you are about to embark on is an adventure; a journey that will test the limits of your ability to grow. It will not be easy, the

path is fraught with danger, but determination and a genuine belief in yourself are the guiding lights that will see you through the challenges ahead.

In the near decade I’ve spent working to become who I am today, one phrase has stood out above all others: “Just keep swimming.” A brutal fact about life is that it’s sink-or-swim. Friends, family, your network — they can help you oat, but they can’t make you swim.

Swimming is more than just keeping your head above water. In order to swim, you need a destination. I don’t mean some pithy, general goal like “I want

to graduate.” I mean something real, something big. Something that has the potential to leave a lasting impact on the world long after you’re gone.

Sure, we all want to graduate, but ask yourself why. What are you going to do with your degree? If your answer is “make money,” then I’m sorry, but you’re just treading water.

I’m not saying we all have to be paupers, either. ere’s nothing inherently wrong with wanting to make money. If you let that be your sole motivating factor when considering your future, however, then I will have no sympathy for you when you open your eyes

at 40 and realize your life lacks meaning.

UH may not be the most prestigious or well-known university in the world, but it’s more than most people get. With that in mind, consider your future not in terms of personal gain but in what you can o er the world. It’s easy to think that you’re just another drop in the bucket, but you have more potential than you know.

As an aspiring journalist, I believe that everyone has a story. Right now, what you’re doing is writing the rst few chapters of that story. e choices you make and the people you surround yourself with will decide the direction you swim in and ultimately, the nal chapter of your story.

Friends, family, your network — they can help you float, but they can’t make you swim.

John Lomax, editor in chief

COOG CONNECTION

SGA President talks plans for coming year

REGAN GRANT SGA ASSISTANT EDITOR @THEDAILYCOUGAR

In a contentious race, the 60th Student Government Association election saw Students Unite defeat incumbent party For the Students by a landslide.

Now, newly elected President Benjamin Rizk is laying out his plans to build a solid foundation for many administrations to come. e rst step, he said, is drafting a planning document he called an executive agenda.

“We are the rst admin in a while to put together an executive agenda,” Rizk said. “I think it is really important to have an agenda because it allows for us to divide and tally everyone up on the team to attack a speci c issue, which will allow us to tackle more issues more e ciently.”

Inspired by former Presidents Cedrick Bandoh and Charles Haston, Rizk hopes to follow in their footsteps by setting concrete goals for his administration and organizing it in a way that it can achieve them.

“SGA can have a huge impact on campus if things are done right. If a president raises the bar high, we can accomplish great things,” Rizk said.

While Rizk has set the bar high for SGA, he has also set the bar high for himself. Rizk prides himself on his ability to follow through on the things he sets his mind to.

“I make sure not to promise things or push things that I don’t think are going to happen because being transparent is very important to me,” Rizk said. “Changing things is an uphill battle, but I believe it is necessary. I want my administration to be the pillar for changing the tide.”

With that in mind, here are some of the goals Rizk has set out for his administration to accomplish this year.

Support for working students was a key talking point in Rizk’s election campaign. To do this, Rizk said he’s starting by working toward a new campus minimum wage of $10 an hour.

“Considering that sta counselors are also striving to raise their minimum raises to $15, it is a ripe time to raise campus minimum wage as well,” Rizk said.

e current minimum wage for student employees is $8.25 an hour, well below that of many other entry level positions which typically hire around the $10 an hour range.

Safety was another pillar in Students Unite’s election campaign. To ful ll this promise, Rizk said he’s exploring the possibility of bringing Cougar Pack back to campus. Cougar Pack is a service that will provide transportation to students who feel unsafe crossing campus at night.

While the University already o ers rides through its Cougar Ride program, the Cougar Pack will operate using golf carts which will allow students to be transported directly to their destination as opposed to the closest street.

Another key priority for Rizk is campus culture. He said that while UH may be considered tierone in areas like research, the experience on campus has failed to keep pace with the University’s academic and research achievements.

A major point of concern for Rizk is the University’s recent decision to cut Cub Camp, which was a threeday orientation where new students could learn about UH’s history and traditions.

“Some programs at UH have been cut, like Cub Camp, and as I

have gotten into o ce I have realized that this is a problem, as it has caused campus culture to decline,” Rizk said. “I plan to do as much as I can to increase campus culture and presence.”

ough safety and culture are key priorities for Rizk, he also wants to explore reducing the campus’ environmental impact. e rst step, he said, is reducing the amount of plastic waste produced by the University.

“I want to initiate a partnership with Precious Plastics, which is a network of campus chapters who promote education about the various types of plastics,” Rizk said. “ ey separate plastics into various groups and processes the plastics that do not release toxins to become new products.”

news@thedailycougar.com

EDITORIAL BOARD

EDITOR IN CHIEF

John Lomax

MANAGING EDITOR

Cindy Rivas

Alfaro

WEB EDITOR

Frances Cavanaugh

NEWS EDITORS

Robert De La Garza

SPORTS EDITOR

Starns Leland

OPINION EDITOR

Malachi Key

PHOTO EDITOR Anh Le

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jose GonzalezCampelo

ASSISTANT EDITORS

Logan Linder Regan Grant Riley Moquin

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. studentpress.org/acp

Now, newly elected President Benjamin Rizk is laying out his plans to build a solid foundation for many administrations to come. | Anh Le/The Cougar

Commuter guide: Staying sane, safe in Houston

ROBERT DE LA GARZA NEWS EDITOR @REALNEWSROBERT

As many are already aware, UH is a school known for its commuter population. With almost 85% of UH undergraduates living o campus, UH students are all too familiar with the perils of navigating Houston tra c. ough the city’s tangled freeway system and perpetual construction can compound school-related stress, overcoming it can be as easy as taking a di erent route or leaving a few minutes earlier.

If you’re new to UH, or the city in general, this article will help prepare you for the realities of going to and from campus.

Know your route

It sounds simple enough. Know the route before leaving and gure out where classes are beforehand. Navigating campus can be confusing for rst-time students, so checking the various online campus maps ahead of time can help you get a better understanding of the distance between classes.

Understand Houston traffic

As a commuter, understanding when tra c is at its peak during the morning and evening rush hours will help determine when to leave.

Based on data collected by TomTom Tra c Index, Houston’s tra c is most active between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. and anywhere from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the drive home. Wednesdays and ursdays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. are the absolute peak of tra c during the week, where it takes approximately 13 minutes to travel just 6 miles, with an average speed of 28.5 mph on all streets and highways.

Some parts of the city are more di cult to navigate through than others, so be prepared to leave even earlier if you maneuver through these areas.

e 610-West Loop between Interstate 10 and Interstate 69 in the Galleria/Uptown area was ranked the No. 1 in the 100 most congested roads in Texas in 2022, according to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute.

Interstate 35 to US 290 was ranked the fourth mostcongested, and Eastex Freeway at Interstate 69 came in at number 5.

Interstate 45, Gulf Freeway between Interstate 10 and US 90 and 610 cracked the list at number 10.

Avoid these areas at all costs.

Leave early

Always leave at least 15 to 20 minutes early. If a student is taking a 10 a.m. course and it takes 30 minutes to get to campus, they should leave at 9 a.m. e earlier you leave, the more likely you are to get to class on time.

Students are under a lot of stress to manage their time and

to be productive, yet commuting tends to add more to that stress. Driving directly takes away from time that could be used for relaxation, homework or self-care.

e satisfaction with a person’s drive to school indirectly a ects their psychological well-being. If someone is dissatis ed with their commute it can have a negative e ect on their mental health. Especially for those already struggling with mental health issues.

Arriving early means you have time to get from your vehicle to the classroom, you can stop by the Student Center to get breakfast before class and extra time can be used to catch up on some work or check emails.

Know your resources

UH also promotes its Commuter Student Service which helps provide support services to help student success by meeting the needs of the commuter community at UH.

ere is also the Commuters Assistance Program that pairs incoming freshman and transfer commuters with ‘seasoned’

veteran upperclassmen who are experienced in navigating through the unique lifestyle of college for students living o campus.

For students who carpool, the University o ers special incentives. Parking transportation Services o er students, faculty and sta the opportunity to receive discounted permits or premium parking spaces for carpooling. Fifty percent o permits if you carpool with three people and 75 percent if you carpool with four people at least three days a week.

Bottom line

Commuters are faced with a unique and di erent challenge than most college students living on campus. ey must commute while balancing home, social and academic responsibilities.

Don’t be shy to reach out to fellow commuting classmates and listen to their advice, and no matter how you get here, No matter how you get to the campus, get there safely.

news@thedailycougar.com

Jose Gonzalez-Campelo/ The Cougar

Debt relief ruling: Future uncertain for borrowers

exceeded his legal authority with this program.

Jose Gonzalez-Campelo/The Cougar

ATIRIKTA KUMAR STAFF WRITER @ATIRIKTAKUMAR

e U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden’s student debt relief program two weeks ago. e program would have provided approximately

$430 billion in debt relief for roughly 40 million Americans.

e decision was split 6-3, with all conservatives in the majority. Biden’s plan would have used the 2003 HEROs Act to waive federal loans for a one-time deal. e court’s decision stated Biden had

“Individuals with private loans were not eligible for loan forgiveness,” said Alex Badas, an assistant political science professor at UH. “Individuals who received Pell Grants would receive up to $20,000 in loan forgiveness, while those who did not receive Pell Grants would receive up to $10,000 in loan forgiveness.”

Approximately 26 million borrowers applied and 16 million were approved for debt relief under this program. e court’s decision means that anyone who was approved for the loans will not get any of their loans canceled.

“As someone with student loans, I am not happy with the decision,” said Abbie Culver, a public administration graduate student. “I think the legal reason behind the decision is unsound and that the court was probably swayed by di erent public o cials and interests groups that were ghting the forgiveness program.”

Last year, the Biden administration announced a three-part student debt relief plan. e plan was intended to provide relief to working families in the wake of the economic

DEBT

Continues on page 11

Cougar Cupboard to move next spring

of distribution we will be receiving from them includes frozen and refrigerated items,” Haney said. “There will be a unit on-site that can store these foods safely until they go out to people. Ultimately, the stock will depend on what the Houston Food Bank has available at the time, but there should be a good variety.”

Moreover, for students who can commute to off-campus food banks, Haney sent out an email attachment that included a list of local food pantries.

NANCY ANEKE STAFF WRITER

@NAN_C_ONTHEPRWL

Cougar Cupboard, the on-campus food resource center serving students facing food insecurity, is closing its Wellness Center location with plans to reopen in the University Lofts in spring 2024.

“We are hopeful that when we reopen for in-person shopping, it will be at our new location inside University Lofts,” said Jessica Haney, the program manager for Cougar Cupboard. “We are hoping to open this new space around the beginning of the spring 2024 semester, but it will depend on many factors.

Haney said that the move to University Lofts will help Cougar Cupboard better serve the community.

“Our new location will allow us to accept more people into the space at one time, thereby decreasing wait times and increasing accessibility,” Haney said. “It will also allow us to store nearly twice as

much food as we can now, providing more support to students and their families.”

The Wellness Center location is open only on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and its last day of operation was Friday, June 30.

While Haney and her team prepare for the tentative reopening of Cougar Cupboard at University Lofts, students can get their groceries from Cougar Cupboard 2, located in EDUC 128 Farish Hall, and is a partnership between Cougar Cupboard and PEEPS Pantry.

“It’s definitely a joint effort,” Haney said. “Cougar Cupboard 2 is managed by Laura Lee, the College of Education’s Student Success Coordinator, and I will be helping staff CC2 for expanded operation hours during the summer and fall.”

Haney said students can schedule appointments to pick up groceries at CC2 via Navigate.

“We do have certain days we are planning to have the

pantry staffed and ready to accept appointments, and we will continue expanding those hours once our student staff returns in the fall,” Haney said. “I would advise that students who want to use CC2 (right now) see what hours are currently available in Navigate and go based on that.”

In addition to CC2, students will also have the option of scheduling appointments to receive Friday distributions at the Student Center South’s circle drive.

“The Friday distributions will also be a huge source of food for many students,” Haney said. “So we are not relying only on CC2.”

Compared to the relatively small and limited stock of the CC2 location at Farish Hall, which does not carry frozen foods or produce, Haney said that the Friday distributions will offer students a variety of food options.

“Our partners at the Houston Food Bank have informed us that the type

“We also wanted to give students other options in case they are able to use off-campus resources,” Haney said. “Most of the food pantries on our resource list have weekend hours, which will hopefully be more accessible for most students. Riverside UMC, in particular, is open two Saturdays each month and is very close to campus.”

Despite Cougar Cupboard’s temporary closure, Haney is continuing to serve the campus community by providing food and other resources to those who need it.

“In the three and a half years that we have been open, our growth has been steadily increasing, and we now serve more students than ever, averaging 800 visits per week during a regular semester,” Haney said. “We will be keeping our community updated through our email list, Instagram, website and more. We cannot wait to serve everyone in our bigger and better location.” news@thedailycougar.com

Jose Gonzalez-Campelo/ The Cougar

STUDENT CENTERS

CONFERENCE RESERVATION SERVICES

The Student Centers is a place where students can relax in-between classes, grab food & participate in various events throughout the year Our Conference & Reservations team is eager to help you or your organization reserve meeting & event spaces. With 2 facilities & 19 event spaces, you’ll be sure to find a place where you belong.

CREATIONSTATION

Student Centers’ graphic design & print shop, CreationStation, offers a wide range of services including design, printing, lamination & passport photos.

GAMES ROOM

The Games Room offers bowling, billiards, table tennis & other amusement games! It’s available for individual or group usage for open play & by reservation.

SHASTA’S CONES MORE

Stop by Shasta’s Cones & More, a student-run ice cream shop featuring a number of ice cream flavors, candy & beverages.

Five tips for a successful fresman year

ROBERT DE LA GARZA NEWS EDITOR @REALNEWSROBERT

Get involved through GetInvolved

With over 500 organizations, UH has something for everyone. Whether you’re interested in professional development, Greek life or are just looking for a social club to join, membership is usually just a few emails away.

For students interested in joining a club or organization that matches their interests, visit GetInvolved for a list of groups that may intrigue incoming freshmen.

Don’t get overwhelmed

Take a step back, and breathe. ink about your journey through college as being made up of a thousand tiny steps.

If assignments begin to pile up, make a checklist of everything that needs to be completed. Start with the easiest one rst, then work your way from there. Sometimes just getting started can be di cult. is process can limit stress.

ings aren’t as serious as they may seem. Getting a 4.0 and making the dean’s list is an amazing accomplishment,

DEBT

Continued from page 8

downturn caused by the COVID19 pandemic, according to the White House.

“ e decision doesn’t directly a ect me much, as I have been avoiding loans like the plague so far, but it does rea rm my fear of getting stuck with mountains of student loan debt,” said computer science junior Ryan Camp.

Gerald Sastra/The Cougar

but in the workforce no one is concerned about GPAs.

Stick to a Schedule

e rst step is to make sleep a priority. Be consistent, create a sleep schedule and stick to it the best you can. ere will be nights when you don’t get as much sleep as you need, that’s a guarantee in college. Ensuring it does not become a habit, however, can be the di erence between succeeding and falling behind in school.

Go get that internship

Some people think internships are for only juniors and seniors. Many more may not even know

about the importance of an internship.

Experience and a history of working in positions inside or adjacent to the eld your seeking a job in is what will put you ahead of the competition. Internships give you valuable experience in your eld and boost your resume.

A good goal to shoot for is to have at least two internships completed before you graduate. is will ensure you are fully prepared to enter the workforce in your chosen career eld.

Know your resources

As the old saying goes: It takes a village to raise a child — even

more to raise a college student. UH goes beyond education to help students succeed not only in school but career development and personal growth.

For students dealing with depression, mental health problems and more, Counseling and Psychological Services are available to all students, faculty and sta . ough the department emphasizes shortterm triage and care, Counseling and Psychological Services is an invaluable resource for students experiencing emotional or mental distress.

For physical health related issues, the UH Wellness program is a health service on campus whose mission is to promote a healthy lifestyle.

e Cougar Cupboard is a service on campus that helps combat food insecurity by providing students with nutritious food to sustain a healthy lifestyle as a college student.

e Writing Center is a resource students can use for excellent one-on-one appointments with trained students and faculty to help improve their next paper.

news@thedailycougar.com

In the wake of the court’s decision, Biden announced that the administration will use the new Saving on a Valuable Education to help borrowers with their loans.

Biden also announced he will be directing the Education Department to come up with a new forgiveness plan under the Higher Education Act, promising

that the new proposal would be legally sound but would require patience on behalf of student borrowers.

“President Biden will try to forgive student loans under the Higher Education Act of 1965,” Badas said. “ e act grants the U.S. Department of Education the ability to compromise, waive or release loans. It is still uncertain

what President Biden’s full plan will look like and if as many individuals will be a ected and whether the amounts forgiven will be the same.”

After years of pause on student loans due to the COVID-19 pandemic, repayments will resume in October.

news@thedailycougar.com

Ask Edboard: New year jams, life advice

job placement or pay — that comes later.

Stay real.

My main advice is to sit down and take some time to think about what it is you want to do with your life. Close your eyes and picture an ideal version of yourself. Don’t think about limitations. Don’t worry about

Once you have a picture of your “ideal you,” take that and apply a healthy layer of realism to it. Consider your nancial situation, natural skills and connections and set a goal. Despite what engineers and business majors might tell you, no major is truly worthless. Some just require more work than others to stand out in. Be aware, be realistic, but don’t be afraid to pursue your passions.

“But I bet it won’t change, no Damn, that’s a boring life.”

Jungle, “Busy Earnin”

Compromise.

Dear Freshman, speci cally commuters, you can still live the college life, it’ll only take a little bit more e ort! As a commuter myself, I felt left out while my dorming friends ate breakfast, lunch and dinner

together while I was ghting Houston tra c. However, it’s all about compromise. Set some time aside for yourself to hang out with friends and go to those campus events! You might not be able to go to all of them but you’ll be thankful for the memories you make at the ones you do go to. e memories that stuck with me the most are the ones where I stayed late into the night despite my mom telling me to go home. You have to live for yourself sometimes!

“Look it’s a new me Switched it up who’s this?” NewJeans, “New Jeans”

uncomfortable, try leaning into it. Questioning what you know and believe can be scary, but the worst case scenario is that you come away knowing yourself better.

Do not rush.

One piece of advice I have for freshmen is do not rush, especially through college. You are allowed to take some time and have fun. You don’t need to have it all gured out. Even though sometimes it may not seem like you have that much time, you have all the time in the world. So take your time, live your life and have fun!

Take it easy.

Take it easy on yourself. Nothing is as big of a deal as you may think it is. Don’t stress too much about getting perfect grades. Focus on yourself. If you ever nd yourself getting stressed, take a step back and breath. Take breaks often and when it comes to assignments, take it one at a time. Lastly, get involved now. Don’t wait. You might regret it later.

Don’t stress.

Incoming freshman, stop stressing! is year is your time to branch out, discover your interests and most importantly, make mistakes. Not everything is going to go exactly as planned, and that’s okay! Don’t put pressure on yourself to feel like you already have to have the next years of your life planned out, you have plenty of time to nd the path that is right for you.

of organizations and places to go, and the right ones can help you immensely. It may be overwhelming, but putting yourself out there will pay o .

Find your place.

Find what you enjoy and do it. UH has something for everyone no matters your hobbies, interests or passions, so just be you. Don’t do things you don’t want to do, but also don’t be afraid to branch out of your comfort zone, either. You’ll nd a group and a space for yourself if you seek it out.

Embrace change.

Honestly, the best advice I got my rst year at UH is that nothing is set in stone. If you don’t like the classes you’re taking for your major, don’t be afraid to take some other classes and think about switching majors. If you’re not feeling like the friends you make freshman year are people you want to hang out with, try to spend time with di erent people. ese four years are going to change you a lot, so instead of leaning away from what makes you

Godspeed...

Going into my freshman year a couple of months ago, I didn’t have a college survival kit, but I made it out alive, and so will you. Here are three of the many things I learned so far: 1) Bring an umbrella. 2) Do not take 8AM’s. 3) Life goes on, move with it. You’ll be just ne!

Be social.

I have two pieces of advice for incoming freshmen. e rst one is to not put too much pressure on yourself during your time in college. is is a time to experience new things and grow as a person, so don’t waste too much of it stressing out. e second piece of advice is that you should be proactive in trying to meet new people and nd things that you like, whether it be career-wise or just a hobby. ere are tons

Explore.

College is all about the connections you make, connections that can last a lifetime. So go out there, join organizations and meet new people. College comes with a ton of freedom, so don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things! You’ll have a ton of opportunities, so enjoy your college life to the fullest!

Food on campus: A look at what UH has to offer

at UH should have no problem nding their preferred meal.

Student Center South

e Student Center South is probably the most popular place where students hang out and eat. It has a McDonald’s, Chick- l-a and Panda Express on its second oor, as well as some UH-exclusive brands like Asado, Mondo’s and Shasta’s to choose from.

Juana Garcia/ The Cougar NANCY ANEKE STAFF WRITER @NAN_C_ONTHEPRWL

While the stereotypical college meal might be a cup

of ramen noodles or cereal, students at UH have a wide array of options when it comes to food. From Chinese food to chicken and wa es, students

On the rst oor, SC South has a Starbucks next to the game room, where students can grab a snack and enjoy some bowling.

On the second oor, SC South also has the Market, which sells snacks typical of an

average convenience store. For students looking for something quick and easy, most buildings on campus have at least one vending machine.

Popular Joints

While SC South certainly has a lot of options for a quick bite between classes or a morning co ee, the majority of UH’s restaurants and bars are located on Martin Luther King Boulevard across the street from the Lofts.

e Nook is a co ee shop that serves co ee and breakfast. eir co ee shop

FOOD

Continues on next page

Student-athletes share first-year advice

CHASE

FARRIS STAFF WRITER @CDFARRIS3

Starting at a new school is terrifying, and moving away from home isn’t particularly pleasant either. Combine these two feelings with a dash of dorm life and you have a recipe for a stressful rst semester.

Student-athletes are not immune to these feelings either. Yet, despite the added stress of competing on the collegiate level, many UH athletes see their commitments as a source of strength.

“Trying to get students more involved, try to bring up that Cougar spirit a little bit, trying to unify students together around a common cause,” said Anna Economon, a rising senior on the women’s golf team. “Just getting the whole city of Houston and the community together has been cool — and you can do that through sports.”

e Amsterdam-born golfer was crowned the 2023 UH Athletic’s Most Spirited Coog award and she wears her crown with pride.

Economon always tries to nd ways to integrate the school and the athletics department. As she sees it, it’s all about building up a support network.

FOOD

Continued from previous page

is open daily from 8 a.m. to midnight. ey also have an upstairs bar and rooftop patio.

Domoishi is an Asian cuisine restaurant that serves poké bowls, ramen, wings and boba tea. It’s open daily and closes at 9 p.m. e location opened in the spring of 2022, and e

“I think university is about school and education, but I think more importantly, it’s about the connections you make,” Economon said.

Even future NFL stars recommend attending other sporting events. Donovan Mutin, an Indianapolis Colt signee and UH football alumnus, said that basketball games were his favorite.

“Basketball games are always crazy, the stadiums are always really lively, real upbeat,” Mutin said. “You can meet a bunch of people there, so I think those are always great events to go to.”

If you are a homebody, like him, Mutin said all it takes is a little patience and persistence to nd your people.

“It made me have to start meeting people,” Mutin said. “You nd that those people are going to be some of your best friends – just by branching out.”

Meeting new people is never easy — even for social butter ies.

As an international studentathlete from Germany, rising sophomore Paul Schmitz understands what it means to be homesick. He said his involvement with the baseball team gave him meaningful relationships and a goal that made it worth staying.

Cougar’s editorial board gave their reviews on some of its food items.

e Den, formerly e Cougar Den, has been a campus hotspot bar since it opened in 2008. It serves alcoholic drinks, wings, nachos and burgers. Being an original campus bar, its menu also includes items whose names pay homage to UH culture, such as the Cougar Queso and Cougar Club sandwich. It’s a

Jose Gonzalez-Campelo/The Cougar

“ ere would de nitely be times where it would be hard and I would sometimes be homesick,” Schmitz said. “But it got easier just because I met so many great people. at really helped me to stay here and experience the city.”

Getting to know a new city is di cult, especially for international students. However, as one of the most diverse universities in the U.S., nding a community is easier than some might think. In Schmitz’s case, that meant nding fellow Germans.

place for Coogs to eat, chill, hang out, and even watch UH sports games.

e Flying Dumpling is another on-campus hotspot that serves Asian cuisine. Although there is no o cial website for the restaurant, students can nd the full menu.

e restaurant serves common American-Asian cultural cuisine, which includes fried rice, lo mein noodles, stir fry, egg rolls and other menu items.

“(I’ll be) walking in between classes and not knowing where to go and then talking to people and it turns out they’re from Germany,” Schmitz said.

Schmitz said that the cultural diversity of the school not only builds a good environment, but it builds a sense of community.

Getting involved, whether you’re a student-athlete or average commuter, is a great way to connect yourself to campus and the community within.

arts@thedailycougar.com

UH Dining

UH has two main dining halls, which are Moody Towers and Cougar Woods. ey both serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast costs $8.50, and lunch and dinner costs $11.25. On Cougar Red Fridays, students who’s out ts are at least 50% red can eat for just $6.50.

arts@thedailycougar.com

CAMPUS

The tale of the whitetailed squirrel

Jose Gonzalez-Campelo/The Cougar

MALACHI KEY OPINION EDITOR @MALACHISKEY

As you soak in the sunlight at one of the University’s multiple outdoor spaces, you’re likely to realize pretty quickly that you’re not alone. Odds are good that your feet will soon be swarmed by little friends wondering if you would care to share any of your tasty snacks.

Squirrels are a common sight at many universities, but nearly every student at UH will swear that the ones here are uniquely di erent from the rest. While this is perhaps a tad exaggerated, the University was once home to a squirrel that was, without a doubt, one of a kind.

Far back in the ancient year of 2017, you could commonly nd students scanning the walkways in hopes they might catch a glimpse of a squirrel with a distinct white streak on its tail.

Students called the squirrel various nicknames, including “Billie” and “Alexander”, which merged into “Billie Alexander” over the years. Beyond their unique coloring, Billie was also known for their eclectic appetite; ey had a particular love for junk food and would do anything to get it.

Much like the tradition of rubbing Shasta’s paw, some claimed that you would have good luck on an exam if you spotted Billie before taking a test. ey even served as Cooglife’s uno cial mascot for a time.

Tragically, Billie’s own luck ran out on March 20th, 2017, when a student found them dead on the sidewalk. e loss of a campus icon hit the community hard, with students leaving hundreds

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of comments on the University’s o cial announcement post.

As the campus grieved, a memorial started slowly forming around where Billie passed away. Students left everything from handwritten notes to prayer candles to miniature alcohol containers in memory of their u y friend.

But Billie’s story didn’t end there. One student by the name of Robert Comer set up a fundraiser to help preserve the squirrel.

Billie was taxidermied and memorialized on April 27th of 2017, in a funeral service that included bagpipes and agbearers. Today, they are safely on display in the MD

Anderson Library Special Collections Archive.

University Archivist Mary Manning watches over Billie now. She hopes that their preservation will help pass campus culture on to future generations.

“Students are here for 4 or 5 years and once they’re gone they take those memories with them,” said Manning. “But Billie Alexander gets to live on here, in a good place for them. ey’re in a secure, environmentally controlled environment where it’s cool and dry.”

Manning also said that she hopes students coming to see Billie will take an interest in the other archived materials.

“When Billie was rst on display, students would come in here just to see them,” said Manning. “But while they were

here, they would look around and see our old photos of Houston or are hip hop archive and they would start asking about what we do.

Students interested in seeing Billie for themselves can contact the library for a viewing.

arts@thedailycougar.com

Billie-Alexander pictured at their final resting place in the M.D. Anderson Library | Malachi Key/The Cougar

UH Schedule breakdown: Big 12 brings big competition

RILEY MOQUIN ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @RILESMOQUIN

While every season brings new challenges, 2023 represents a new frontier of competition for the Cougars as they head into the Big 12.

Tougher opposition, added pressure and heightened media attention make UH’s debut season as a Power Five team one for the books. Here’s a sneak peak at the lineup UH will be facing as the team heads into 2023.

For the second straight year, the Cougars will begin their season against UTSA — this time at TDECU Stadium. Last year’s matchup ended with a 37-35 triple-overtime thriller of a win for the Cougars. e team is expected to face o against the Roadrunners Sept. 2.

Houston will take part in the Bayou Bucket Classic against cross-town rival Rice Sept. 9. UH is currently on a seven year winning streak against the Owls that has spanned just over a decade.

fared well head-to-head against Texas Tech in recent memory.

ough with several high-pro le transfers joining the program from Texas Tech this summer, such as junior quarterback Donovan Smith, this could be an opportunity for UH to turn the tide.

Returning to Houston, the Cougars will host West Virginia Oct. 12. Head coach Dana Holgorsen, who left West Virgina for UH in 2019, will be pitted against his former team in the Cougars’ third Big 12 game of the season.

In one of the bigger games slated for TDECU Stadium this fall, the University of Texas will visit the ird Ward on Oct. 21.

e 2023 season is expected to be the only year the Longhorns will compete in the Big 12 alongside the Cougars, as the former will be departing for the Southeastern Conference before the 2024 season.

Established in 1939, Fiesta is a three day, Western themed festival hosted by the University of Houston The festival is held on-campus, in the spring semester, and is programmed by the Frontier Fiesta Association. Fiesta is free for everyone to attend and is open to all, including students, alumni, faculty, staff and the general Houston community. Join us this spring!

@frontierfiesta

www.uh.edu/fiesta

UH’s rst-ever in-conference game as a member of the Big 12 comes on Sept. 16, when the Cougars host TCU. e Horned Frogs are coming o a 13-2 season and appearances in the Big 12 Championship Game and the College Football National Championship Game, both of which they lost.

On September 23, TDECU Stadium hosts the rst-ever matchup between UH and Sam Houston State, the latter of whom enters its rst season in Conference USA and the Football Bowl Subdivision.

e Cougars rst away game is against Texas Tech on Sept. 30. With the past ve games ending in defeat, Houston has not

UH’s rst of only two trips beyond the Lone Star State in its regular season comes Oct. 28, when it faces o against Kansas State in Manhattan, Kansas before heading to Waco on Nov. 4 for the rst Houston–Baylor matchup since 1995.

e Cougars return home on Nov. 11 to play fellow Big 12 newcomer Cincinnati on homecoming weekend. UH has lost the last three games against the Bearkats e most recent being a 35-20 loss in the 2021 American Athletic Conference Championship game.

UH hosts Oklahoma State on Nov. 18 for the team’s Senior Day before UCF — another Big 12 rookie — hosts Houston on November 25 for UH’s regularseason nale. sports@thedailycougar.com

The Houston Cougars host UTSA on September 2 in the team’s season opener. The last time the two teams met, senior quarterback Clayton Tune led UH to three-overtime victory. | Sean Thomas/The Cougar

ATHLETICS

UH’s AAC success was critical in school’s Big 12 move

STARNS LELAND SPORTS EDITOR @STARNSLELAND

During the University of Houston’s tenure in the American Athletic Conference, everything the athletic program did was done with an eye toward earning a chance to be a member of a Power 5 conference.

From the building of TDECU Stadium in 2014 to the Fertitta Center’s opening in 2019 and everything in between, UH was looking to show the nation that it was committed to sustained athletic success.

“Whether it was TDECU, Fertitta Center, Guy V. Lewis (basketball development facility), the indoor practice facility, or the baseball operations facility,” said athletic director Chris Pezman.

“ ose massive investments were really a commitment to (showing that) it mattered to us.”

A.D. BRUCE RELIGION CENTER

C E L E B R A T E S P I R I T U A L D I V E R S I T Y

A D B r u c e R e l i g i o n C e n t e r s t r i v e s t o w e l c o m e a l l W e e m b r a c e p e o p l e o f a n y a g e , r a c e , g e n d e r i d e n t i t y , s e x u a l o r i e n t a t i o n , c l a s s , a b i l i t y , n a t i o n a l i t y , c u l t u r a l b a c k g r o u n d , t h e o l o g y , p o l i t i c a l v i e w s o r a n y t h i n g e l s e t h a t m i g h t o t h e r w i s e d i v i d e u s

From those investments came massive returns.

Just two years after the opening of TDECU, the Cougars rattled o a 13-1 conference championship season that was capped o with a Peach Bowl win on New Year’s Eve of 2015 against No. 9 Florida State. A year later, the stadium saw a recordbreaking 42,000 fans come to watch UH steamroll third-ranked Louisville on Senior Night in the 2016 season.

When the Fertitta Center debuted in 2018, men’s basketball head coach Kelvin Sampson’s squad won a school record 33 wins on the way to the Cougars’ rst Sweet 16 appearance in 35 years. UH would go a perfect 37-0 over a span of three years at

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o u r s J u m m a h p r a y e r s + m u c h m o r e

Former UH quarterback Greg Ward Jr. was one the Cougars’ best athletes during their time in the AAC, with 27 wins in 32 starts | File Photo/The Cougar

UH soccer hoping to surprise in first Big 12 season

SOCCER RILEY MOQUIN ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @RILESMOQUIN

On Sept. 14, the UH soccer team will become the rst of UH’s athletic teams to compete in a Big 12 game when it takes the pitch against Texas Tech.

However, head soccer coach Jaime Frias approaches the Big 12 subject with restraint.

While Frias does not shy away from the preparation the Cougars have put towards the coming season, the second-year coach denies that the move to a Power Five conference has changed how the group operates.

“It changes the level of athlete we’re starting to attract now,” Frias said. “It doesn’t change our set up, how we train our players, or our expectations.”

e Cougars departed their American Athletic Conference

era with a a second-to-last place nish in the conference in the program’s rst season under Frias in 2022.

is year, Frias sees his squad as an upper-mid table side in the Big 12.

“I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people around the conference and around the country,” Frias said.

‘Surprise’ is an appropriate word to describe what UH soccer hopes to achieve this season.

e team saw a huge portion of its roster graduate last year, requiring an in ux of freshman recruits Frias says amounts to roughly two-thirds of the team.

While the soccer program welcomes a massive freshman class, UH soccer also sought to acquire a handful of transfers with Power Five experience to bolster the squad for Big 12

competition. Frias looks forward to the impact the fresh faces can bring to the team entering 2023.

Coach Frias is realistic about the little time to learn and adjust for Houston’s Big 12 “onboarding,” but he feels con dent that

commitment, strong work ethic and sound training tactics make the move to the Big 12 a chance to build a new culture and identity for the Cougars.

sports@thedailycougar.com

UH soccer welcomes a plethora of freshmen and Power Five transfers for its inaugural season in the Big 12 Conference. | Anh Le/The Cougar

Foundation building: Inside UH a basketball summer

MEN’S BASKETBALL STARNS LELAND SPORTS EDITOR @STARNSLELAND

For the UH men’s basketball team to perennially be among the nation’s best defenses and ferocious rebounding squads, it requires its players to be better conditioned mentally and physically than anyone else. at toughness that lines the entirety of the Cougars’ team culture is fostered in every aspect of the program. But every season, the trademark grit that the Cougars play with begins growing during summer workouts.

“You can’t overemphasize the importance of June,” said assistant coach K.C. Beard, “because it’s the foundation of the culture. ”

For four days a week for eight weeks, the team goes through a gauntlet of strength, conditioning and on-court workouts designed to push the players to their limits.

ese workouts help build the hard-nosed, disciplined culture that is expected from every member of the UH basketball program.

“It’s an indoctrination of Cougar basketball,” said assistant coach Kellen Sampson. “ ere’s a ton of system installation. But maybe more importantly, there’s way more culture installation.”

Each day begins around 6:30 a.m. with a team workout that ranges from hill sprints to strongman exercises, to special

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Fertitta during seasons that saw Houston go to the Final Four and Elite Eight in 2021 and 2022.

Even in the non-headliner sports, Houston proved its meddle as a potential Power 5 player.

myofascial stretching sessions designed to improve joint mobility and posture. After that, players splinter o between the court and the weight room to do more individual and positional work.

For the rst three days of the week, Kelvin Sampson takes a backseat in running things and instead allows his son, Kellen, and associate head coach Quannas White to take control of practices and workouts. On Monday, Tuesday and ursday, the pair of coaches drill the team on its o ensive and defensive concepts, preparing the team for Friday — Kelvin’s day.

“During the week, in some ways it is a dress rehearsal,” Beard said. “So now what they’ve been practicing all week, they

Head coach Todd Whitting took the baseball team on a magical run to NCAA Super Regionals in 2014, beating topseeded LSU in Baton Rouge to win the Regional.

David Rehr took the reins of a down-trodden volleyball program in 2019, and in just four years the Cougars went to the

get a chance to execute in front of Coach. And he’s going to give them the critique, he’s going to push them.”

“Adversity is not something that always crops up,” Kelvin said of summer workouts. “And sometimes you have to create the adversity. I’ve always been pretty good at that.”

ough the summer challenges the entire team to get in shape for the season, the freshmen get it the worst in their crash course in Cougar basketball.

“Imagine the most physically demanding, mentally exhausting, most challenging day you’ve ever had in high school,” said director of men’s basketball sports performance Alan Bishop. “ at’s

Sweet 16 in a historic 30-win campaign in 2022.

e fabled track and eld squad also won 17 total conference titles under former head coach Leroy Burrell and six individual national titles. His son, Cameron, won three national championships himself in a college career that rivaled

so far below the easiest day you’re ever going to have here.”

Redshirt senior forward J’Wan Roberts remembers his rst summer in 2019 as one full of struggles as he labored to keep up with a team full of tough veterans.

“It was di erent, de nitely,” Roberts said. “We had guys like DeJon (Jerreau), Chris Harris, Brison Gresham. I was shorter than them, weaker than them. It was rough.”

Now, entering his fth year at UH with years of tournament experience, Roberts has taken up the mantle as leaders for the freshmen.

“ e very best thing, if you want to make a Final Four, is to have somebody who’s made a Final Four who shows you what that actually looks like,” Bishop said.

“I’m trying to portray to the freshman that it ain’t easy.” Roberts said. “Every day, you’ve got to bring it.”

Perhaps the most important fruit that grows from the blood, sweat and more sweat of a Cougar basketball summer is the cultivation of a tightly-knit squad.

“We’re all uncomfortable together, nobody likes it when their alarm clock goes o at 5:10 in the morning,” Kellen said. “But this is all this is the buy-in that we all make collectively as a program.”

sports@thedailycougar.com

legendary UH sprinter Carl Lewis. Even in UH’s nal event in the member of the AAC, UH sprinters broke school records.

“ at success is what gave us a chance to prove that we’re in a position to join the Big 12,” Pezman said.

sports@thedailycougar.com

UH men’s basketball treats summer as perhaps the most important time of the year, as mental and physical conditioning take the forefront. | Anh Le/Houston Athletics

VOLLEYBALL

UH Volleyball looks to build off 2022’s Sweet 16 run

JAMES GUTIERREZ STAFF WRITER @THEDAILYCOUGAR

After a historic 30-4 season and a trip to the Sweet 16, the UH volleyball team is on the rise and ready for the Big 12 Conference.

Led by head coach David Rehr, who turned around the Cougar volleyball program after taking the job in 2019, Houston is looking to build o of its rst 30-win season since 1980.

“ at’s what we do. One of my terminologies is ‘When did winning become optional,’” Rehr said. “So it doesn’t surprise me that our team did it.”

Returning to the Cougars are star graduate outside hitter Abbie Jackson and standout senior libero Kate Georgiades.

Georgiades played for TCU before transferring to Houston in her sophomore year. Georgiades played a huge part

“When did winning become optional?”

David Rehr, UH Volleyball head coach

Entering her fth and nal year, Jackson is looking to build o of her best season yet, where she earned an AllAmerica honorable mention.

“It was one of the most shocking moments, just eye-opening. Like, we did it,” Jackson said. “ at was our goal to make it to the tournament and to see how far we would go.”

in the team’s tournament run, even putting her body on the line in the rst round.

While playing against South Dakota, Georgiades dove into a table to complete a save. Despite slamming into the ground, Georgiades got back up unphased and helped UH win the point.

“It was absolutely all adrenaline, popped right back

up,” Georgiades said. “Not even for a second did I think to stay down.”

After the win, Georgiades found herself getting emotional.

“I was crying on the court because it’s just so surreal,” Georgiades said. “Growing up watching volleyball you always wish and prayed that that’s you.”

With a mega-successful year behind them, the Cougars hope to carry that into the Big 12.

“Oh, we’re ready,” Rehr said. “We have a team that can compete, it’s going to be a good matchup every night.”

sports@thedailycougar.com

HOCKEY

UH Club Hockey team puts Houston back on ice

RILEY MOQUIN ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @RILESMOQUIN

Since the departure of the Aeros from Houston in 2013, ice hockey has become somewhat of a niche interest. While the city is host to several rec-leagues and club teams, the sport has seen little interest on the college level. at is, until recently.

UH Club Ice Hockey hit the ground running back in May.

e announcement that hockey is coming to UH was met with simultaneous surprise and excitement, with the team’s rst season slated to begin this fall.

While hockey is a welcome surprise for many UH students, for club President James Calderone and Vice President Garrett Macouiller the sport is just second nature.

Hailing from Stillwater, Minnesota and Fairbanks, Alaska, respectively, Calderone and Macouiller were met with disappointment by the lack of a vibrant hockey community at UH.

“ ere were schools half our size (with hockey teams),” Calderone said. “I knew if I tried hard enough to get the word out, I could nd at least one dozen people with solid ice hockey experience. Just to put a team on the ice, I knew it was possible.”

“I knew a lot of people who play hockey here in Houston,” Macouiller said. “I told them ‘Hey, UH is starting a team.’ A lot of them were going to other schools, but now they’re going to UH.”

Despite ice hockey’s growing popularity and presence in the south, Houston remains the largest city in the U.S. without an NHL franchise.

Once Calderone began placing iers around campus the word gradually began to

spread. Calderone says the club has a full squad and then some, with more than enough players and a diverse range of experience.

Since UH does not have an ice rink of its own, and the team is a sports club by nature, the team will play and practice at the Sugar Land Ice and Sports Center.

e team’s club status also means it must fundraise on its own and handle promotion in-house, which has brought challenges. With the club’s initial on-campus promotions posted around spring break, Calderone says initial interest was slow. Additionally, summer break has meant the team had little success advertising around campus.

To confront these issues with promotion, the board has worked to get involved in the Houston hockey community, attending events in the city with merchandise and information for attendees.

Planning to compete in Collegiate Division II in the American Collegiate Hockey Association, UH Club Ice Hockey is looking to legitimize hockey in the fourth-largest city in the U.S.

e team’s Director of Communications, Hayden Victoria, hopes the student-led endeavor will show Houston it is ready for competitive hockey at higher levels.

“It goes to further the mission and further that the Houston hockey community is strong,” Victoria said.

UH Club Ice Hockey’s rstever game is slated to be on Sept. 8 in Sugar Land. Games will be free for UH students to attend.

sports@thedailycougar.com

UH’s new club Ice Hockey team begins its inaugural season this fall. | Jose Gonzalez-Campelo/The Cougar

Dear Freshmen: college is what you make of it

have again, and every whacky tradition was created by bored college students like you.

However, some might say that college choice matters because of the quality of education. While it may be true that elite universities have a high standard for professors, there are also quite a few highly qualified professors out there.

In fact, there are so many professors that the likelihood of a high-quality professor ending up at a “lower” quality school is arguably higher. Either way, most professors got into their field because they wanted to teach and mentor curious students.

MALACHI KEY OPINION EDITOR @MALACHISKEY

The first month of college can be a whirlwind of different emotions. As you take in all the changes, you’ll likely be filled with everything from fear to excitement and homesickness.

But for some students, regret will likely rise to the top of the emotional heap. Maybe you didn’t get into your college of choice, you’re returning to college later in life or you had your path disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

If college already doesn’t look like what you’ve dreamed of for years, it can be easy to let the regret consume you. But whether you’re an 18-yearold freshman or an 80-year-old transfer, this is not the end. College is what you make of it.

The truth is, college is more competitive than it used to be. Even if your parents got into your dream school, competition at selective schools in 2023 is at a record high. You’re hardly the only

student that didn’t get into their top choice.

For that matter, some studies have suggested that it matters more that you went to college at all than where you went in the long run. With that in mind, isn’t it better to look for the good in the school you got into rather than thinking about what could have been?

Texas alone has three universities ranked by Princeton as some of the most underrated in the nation. Schools like the University of Houston offer unique benefits like merit scholarships and a thriving local job market.

Even at lesser-known schools, you might be surprised by the unique traditions they hold: Tarleton University holds a midnight breakfast during homecoming week and Swarthmore hunts for pterodactyls.

And if the school you end up at doesn’t have a tradition that suits you, make your own! College involves more free time than you’re likely to ever

No matter what ranking your school has, you can almost always find a professor willing to teach you if you show genuine interest. The phrase “big fish in a small pond” fits well, as one professor might be more likely to notice you with less competition.

At the end of the day, college is a period to explore, learn and be free in a way that’s completely unique. As student loan debt and job competition becomes worse, consider taking the time to enjoy where you are now and make the most out of your college years.

opinion@thedailycougar.com

Jose Gonzalez-Campelo/The Cougar

Faculty letter: Bullies a public health concern

SAMINA SALIM FACULTY @THEDAILYCOUGAR

The word “bully” is often used casually by some but for others the word weighs heavy. Ask a family member or a friend of a bullying victim, who was pushed to the edge and compelled to do the drastic.

Bullies are an assortment of people and countries; some are openly aggressive while others camouflage it well. Whether it is countries or people — men, women, or children — the underlying feature seems to be an unfulfilled ego and perhaps deeply personal insecurities.

What is truly shocking, however, is the extent to which this behavior is condoned by society under the belief that bullies go away if ignored. In fact, bullies do not go away, nor do they give up or stop if ignored. They move from one victim to another, creating new ways to satisfy their insecurities while forging new rationales to justify their twisted ambitions.

Countries that practice bullying justify their aggression under the banner of national

FACULTY LETTER

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security and global interests. Employers and bosses justify their aggression in the name of productivity and accountability, often exercising their bullying tricks as a soft skill or a tool to get the job done or to use it for their own career advancement or to pursue their discriminative agenda. Kids engage in bullying seeking popularity. Bullying within social networks is a status clash; within families, it is patriarchy or power play.

Regardless of the intent, bullies are found everywhere. They are in our homes, at school, at work, in government and in our social circles. Some are aggressive, others are passive. There is a good chance that all of us have encountered a few bullies in our lives. I have had my share.

I believe bullies are a product of their insecurities and a victim of their own manipulations. Consumed by their own negativity they are limited in their impact, but my encounters have changed my perspective drastically and I have begun to think about bullying as a disorder — a

UH pharmacology professor Samina Salim labeled bullying as a potentially major public health concern. | Photo courtesy of Samina Salim

Helping students live their authentic selves, individually and in communities by being, doing, connecting, caring and learning.

OPINION

Explicitly queer spaces still matter

MALACHI KEY OPINION EDITOR @MALACHISKEY

No one knew who threw the rst brick at the Stonewall Inn on June 24, 1969. Sources vary, but what followed was a riot that carried the modern gay rights movement for generations.

In 2023, a lot has changed. Most major cities host yearly pride parades, drag brunches have quickly become go-to Sunday activities, and shows like “Ru-Paul’s Drag Race” dominate the airwaves.

With so much progress, it can be tempting to question the necessity of explicitly queer spaces. In recent years, nearly half of the gay bars across America have closed, along

with a large number of gay bookstores and lesbian bars.

As queer people have achieved more mainstream acceptance, they’ve become able to be more open in “straight” spaces. As demand has decreased for explicitly queer spaces, some might argue that this is a sign they are no longer needed.

However, these closures disproportionately a ect certain groups within the queer community. For example, while Houston still boasts a signi cant number of gay bars, it only has one lesbian bar, Pearl. Pearl is one of 27 lesbian bars remaining across the country. Like many lesbian bars, it struggled to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic, something common to both bars owned by women and queer people of color.

On any given night, Pearl is likely to be full of queer women and non-binary people dancing, irting and laughing.

e venue is much more than just a bar; it’s a haven for people who’ve faced societal rejection. So for many of these spaces, being forced to close can be more than just the cost of doing business — it can spell the death of an entire community.

e atmosphere in a space like that di ers wildly from a straight club. Without the unwanted attention “cishet” men can bring, there’s a sense of togetherness. However, as traditionally queer areas like Montrose are gentri ed, that feeling is slowly being strangled.

In previous decades, queer spaces were places for young people to organize protests, learn proper sex ed, or just

listen to stories from “queer elders.” While some online spaces aim to ful ll the same purpose, they tend to come up short.

As local drag shows come under attack and bars like Pearl have their insurance threatened, it remains uncertain if queer rights are set in stone. Straight spaces could become more hostile and less willing to stand by “controversial” customers. As queer issues once again become weaponized, those rights may end up standing on shaky ground.

e Stonewall Riots happened because of queer people ghting to hold onto the only space they could claim as their own. Fighting for these spaces matters because it means refusing to disappear, and doing any less would be a disservice to those who threw those rst few fateful bricks all those years ago. opinion@thedailycougar.com

Jose Gonzalez-Campelo/The Cougar

If you can, consider trying an internship

And while it can be tempting to think you can walk right into a job with just a bachelor’s degree, it’s rarely that simple. For many jobs, connections have a huge role in deciding who to hire. If you’re not lucky enough to have existing connections, internships can help get you foot in the door.

MALACHI KEY OPINION EDITOR @MALACHISKEY

College is meant to be the best years of your life. It’s a time to make friends, try new things and enjoy being young while you can.

In the midst of all the tortilla tossing and screaming at the sky, it can be easy to forget why you came to college in the rst place. Getting a job after graduation isn’t exactly easy if you just have ultimate frisbee on your resume.

Beyond that, internships are a chance to get a look at what daily life might be like in your chosen career eld. Interning lets you ask employees what they enjoy about the job, dip your toe in the daily workload and try new experiences.

You might nd that your dream career is all that you had hoped for. Alternatively, you could nd that you actually hate

working in that eld and need to change degrees ASAP. It’s also a great chance to build practical skills you might not nd in the classroom.

However, some would argue that many internships fail at this last point. e stereotype of the intern fetching co ee instead of learning new skills is a common one for a reason.

At the end of the day, internships are far from perfect. Many are built to bene t a select handful of privileged students and some are a waste of time. But if you weigh your options and nd one that ts, you might end up nding that dream job.

opinion@thedailycougar.com

Jose Gonzalez-Campelo/The Cougar

FACULTY LETTER

Continued from page 24

serious pathophysiology which needs the attention of neuroscientists, psychologists and neurobehaviorists.

Looking into the literature, several important studies caught my attention. One study specifically struck a chord, Saunders et al. The study succinctly laid out the destructive aspects of bullying by stating that, “the inducement of harm is an essential and necessary component in all definitions of bullying.” Considering “harm” is core to the act of bullying, we ought to take this more seriously and consider taking into account the criminal intent of bullies as

hypothesized in the Saunders study.

It is imperative we expose bullies from all sorts of insulation, disguises and camouflages often used to exercise bullying. Perhaps this would limit the harm inflicted by the bullies on their victims. This is critical considering the adverse outcomes of bullying

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that have been reported in the literature. Several studies have explicitly described the negative psychological impact of bullying which includes depression, burnout, posttraumatic stress disorder, prolonged stress disorder, alcohol abuse and suicide.

Importantly, in a study conducted by Lutgen-Sandvik, the authors reported that at the highest level, bullying can be equated to a “thirddegree burn” resulting in “deep scarring and permanent damage.” This is shocking to read but fully understandable. The psychological damage among burn victims and the slow healing involved is wellknown.

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Cindy Rivas Alfaro

COVER

Jose Gonzalez-Campelo

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What is even more concerning is that the negative consequences of bullying are not limited to the direct bullying targets but also adversely impact the witnesses of bullying impacting their mental health as well.

More needs to happen from the policy side as well as from the social and academic spaces to stop bullying, which, if not checked, will become a major public health concern. Like any threat to the public, bullying poses a serious concern to the moral and ethical fabric of our society and should be treated as such.

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“What is truly shocking, however, is the extent to which this behavior is condoned by society under the belief that bullies go away if ignored. In fact, bullies do not go away, nor do they give up or stop if ignored.”

Samina Salim, professor of pharmacology

Getting rid of DEI was a major mistake

Sen. Brandon Creighton, the bill’s author, claimed that SB 17 would eliminate racial pro ling in hiring practices.

While the issue of representation on campus is a complex one, eliminating DEI entirely creates more problems than it solves.

Jose Gonzalez-Campelo/The Cougar

MALACHI KEY OPINION EDITOR @MALACHISKEY

e Texas Senate’s recent decision to eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion requirements from public universities is a costly mistake in more ways than one.

Under the new legislation laid out by Texas’ Senate Bill 17, DEI o ces, trainings and programs, would be banned from public universities. Additionally, universities must now conduct hiring practices in a “color-blind and sex-neutral” fashion.

e University’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion o ce describes its role on campus as “(to) foster an inclusive university community by providing services, programs and support that engage, empower and educate our highly diverse student populace.”

Under SB17, the entirety of CDI would be at risk of shutting down, with no provisions made for sta there to nd new jobs.

DEI programs are by no means perfect, but simply eliminating entire departments that support students is not a sustainable solution.

More important than nancial loss, however, would be the immense number of students whose unique identities are no longer celebrated or supported. e University of Houston prides itself on being one of the most diverse higher learning institutions in the U.S.

Examining the e cacy of programs like DEI is of course important, but eradicating them entirely would be counter to the values UH holds dear.

opinion@thedailycougar.com

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