Issue 04, Volume 85 by The Cougar

PRINT WEEKLY.DIGITAL DIGITAL DAILY DAILY PRINT WEEKLY.

Breaking news online thedailycougar.com

Daily updates to your inbox thedailycougar.com/subscribe

Farmer’s market

wednesday, September 4

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

How the king measures up D’eriq King is integral to Houston’s offense, but just how well does he compare to other top quarterbacks in the nation? | pg. 4

Issue 4, Volume 85

2 | Wednesday, September 4, 2019

NEWS ian everett, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS

NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5314

Administration

Unexpected class cancellations leave students scrambling to fill degree needs AUTUMN RENDALL

assistant news editor @AutumnRendall

After the semester started, some students were informed that their courses had been

Daily Cougar Classifieds RENTALS 3-4 Bedroom 2 Full bath accross the street from U of H campus walk to Class https://www.har.com/homedetail/4388-harvest-ln-houston-tx-77004/3142517 See website above for pictures contact 832-970-1236 Beautiful Home in esteemed historical neighborhood inside the loop, 2 blocks from Univ of Houston Main Campus - 3/2 in the heart of Houston, Extra room could be 4rth bedroom or office, formal lvg, dng, fam room, remodeled Kitchen Bkft area, Hardwoods marble mock fireplace Lrg Yard, crown molding, disherwasher, fridge, ceiling fans, microwave incl. quiet deed restrict neighborhood Easy access to all major highways, minutes to DWNTWN and Galleria and 1 block to the METRO RAIL line which takes you downtown, and medical center. No garage but plenty of parking. Email nicerenthouse@gmail.com

ROOMMATES ROOMMATE NEEDED for Furnished 3/Bed/2 Bath home. $500/ mo. + 1/3electric/gas/water. Central AC/Heat, High-speed Internet, Washer/Dryer, Non-Smoker. Prefer female student. Love my 2 dogs, 5 mins from UH 713-299-4536

To advertise go to thedailycougar.com

unexpectedly cancelled or were on the verge of cancellation. While some were given a reason why their classes were cancelled, such as not enough students were enrolled, others were left wondering why. Worries about meeting their upcoming graduation requirements, finding time in their schedule for another course and if it would even be possible to enroll in another ensued. “It kind of puts us in a hard position,” said psychology junior Lee Wagner, whose religious studies class was on the brink of cancellation the first week of classes. “Say if I was trying to graduate this semester, and this was one of the last classes that I needed, it would be really annoying.” Decisions about class cancellations are made at either the college or departmental level, according to UH spokesman Chris Stipes, and the number of students enrolled in the course is an important factors in choosing which classes to keep. That made the minimum requirement of 10 students for Wagner’s religious studies class a concern for the mere six students enrolled at the time. Wagner said he’s worried for students whose class cancellations might cause them to stay in school longer than planned. “It’s more time, and it’s more money,” Wagner said. “Nobody wants to have to stay another semester if they don’t have to, especially if it’s just for one class.” Wagner was relieved to find out that his religious studies class had collected a few more students and was allowed to stay, but said he thinks that there should be rules that prevent these unexpected course cancellations after the semester starts. “There should be some limitations on how late into the semester starting that they can cancel or change up classes,” Wagner said. “It’s inconvenient for students, and it’s also inconvenient for professors too.” History professor Robert

Students might have their graduation delayed by sudden class drops and no recourse. | Kathryn Lenihan/The Cougar

Buzzanco said he found out in an email forwarded to him by his department chair that his online course over the Vietnam War was cancelled. Buzzanco got the email notice on the first day of classes, and over that weekend the course was removed from Blackboard. Buzzanco said that he was told his class did not have enough Blackboard interaction with students. Though there were links to the course’s lectures on YouTube that students take tests over, and an invitation to email Buzzanco if students have any questions, there were no discussion boards. “I’m not as tech-savvy as some,” Buzzanco said. “I don’t use Blackboard, because I don’t know how. I’m available on email all the time, and I’m always corresponding with students.” Buzzanco said this class is the most popular one he teaches. He’s been teaching the online version for at least 20 years, and that every semester has either been filled or almost had full enrollment, he said.

“I think it has a really vital role to play at UH educationally and even in the larger community,” Buzzanco said. “It’s unfortunate. It’s a really important class.” Buzzanco said after enrollment is filled he always gets emails from troubled students that are about to graduate who are looking for a way to fulfill their credit hours. He said this course helped students make their graduation requirements, and that he’s worried about how this cancellation will affect them. “I think the timing really put the students in a bind because now they have to hustle to find these classes,” Buzzano said. “They’re gonna have to find another class to fit their schedule. Which is the nice thing about distance-ed.” Stipes said that UH always works with students impacted by class cancellations to find suitable alternatives to fulfill degree requirements, and that class availability is “at the core of our commitment to student success.” If a student is part of the UHin4 program and a class

cancellation made them unable to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in four consecutive academic years, the program has ways to help. As long as all of the conditions of the student’s fouryear graduation plan have been met, substituting the course with an equivalent, adding an independent study assignment and waiving the requirement that the cancelled course would have filled are some of the measures UHin4 takes to help. If none of these options are able to work, UHin4 will pay the tuition for the student to take the course required for degree completion within the next academic year. Stipes advises students that have been affected by unexpected class cancellations to contact their advisers, who can work with them to find the same class offered at a different time or another solution. “The goal is always to minimize impact to those affected and not hinder students’ timely progression to graduation,” Stipes said. news@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, September 4, 2019 | 3

ian everett, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS

NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

NEWS 713-743-5314

Campus

New scholarship program helps give foster youth college experience

Psychology freshman Marcela Molina said she didn’t know what she would do if not for the Diamond Scholars program helping her. | Katrina Martinez/The Cougar

KATRINA MARTINEZ

staff writer

As Marcela Molina prepared for her first day of college, she was met with the realization that she wasn’t anxious. This was a true feat for Molina. “I was genuinely excited for what was to come,” said the psychology freshman who has suffered from anxiety most of her life, which only got worse after the deaths of her parents. Molina is one of six freshmen who are part of the inaugural class of Diamond Scholars, a scholarship program for students who have spent time in foster care, are orphaned or who have aged out of foster care, that is now offered through the University of Houston’s

Urban Experience Program. The Diamond Family Scholars Program was created through an endowment from Andy and Andrea Diamond, Assistant Director of the Urban Experience Program Kolby Robinson said. If the student qualifies for the foster care or adoption waiver, it fills the cost of college after the Pell Grant. The $17 million program aims to provide its scholars with the opportunity at a normal college experience. Students can receive up to $8,500 per year to cover housing, meal plans, textbooks and supplies. These students also have access to year-round housing to ensure that they have a home during the summer months.

Kinesiology freshman Dylan Roy said he felt like he was setting the standard for freshman following after him in the program. | Katrina Martinez/The Cougar

“If I hadn’t won this scholarship, I have no idea what I would have done,” Molina said. “Most likely, I probably wouldn’t have been able to go to college because — as harsh as it sounds — I have family, but nobody is really worried about my future.” In addition to the financial support, the scholars receive oneon-one advising from Robinson. She helps the scholars navigate FAFSA, adjust to college life and is a direct contact any time the scholars want to talk or need help with scholarships or classes. “She’s like a magic fairy godmother,” said health communications freshman and Diamond Scholar Madeleine Couling. “She has been working for us, on behalf of us, being a liaison between financial aid and making sure our paperwork goes through the right channels.” A report from The Texas Association for the Protection of Children said that an estimated 1,200 youth age out of foster care each year in Texas. These youth are at a higher risk for poverty, homelessness, drug abuse and incarceration, among other things, according to the report. The Diamond Scholars program hopes to alter this reality for its students. “As it stands right now, the percentage of students that actually graduate college with a degree that have aged out of the foster care system is less than 5 percent,” Robinson said. “We’re hoping that by the time this first group gets to their senior year we can say that all of them have graduated.” Each year, up to an additional six students will be selected to join the scholars. Hotel and restaurant management freshman Andrea Tijerina said she is looking forward to the opportunity to support them through mentorship. “I really want to mentor the kids that are coming in, the freshmen for next year,” said Tijerina, who spent nearly eight years in foster care with her sister before they were adopted in 2014. “I just want to show them that we can be much more than a statistic.” Dylan Roy is a kinesiology freshman and was adopted by his aunt and uncle after he and his two siblings spent about a year in foster care. He said these last few months have been a learning process for the scholars and for the program because all of this is new to everyone. “We’re kind of like an

Health and communications freshman Madelein Couling said she was grateful for the one-on-one advising in the Diamond program. | Katrina Martinez/The Cougar

experiment, but also we set the standard of what’s to come,” Roy said. “We’re the foundation.” Setting a standard for the years to come, the scholars will participate in monthly volunteer activities as a group. For the month of August, the students spent a Saturday morning at the Houston Furniture Bank helping sort through donations. “It’s connecting me to my roots again, because that’s where I came from,” Tijerina said. “Until I was adopted, I didn’t have very much. So, I guess it’s me giving back from what I have.” In addition to the normal freshman struggles, the Diamond Scholar students must cope with stress and trauma from their tumultuous past. For instance, Couling’s mother died from a drug overdose when she was four, and her father died when she was in sixth grade from a combination of health issues. “I deal with really bad mental illness, and I didn’t think I would live this long or make it this far,” Couling said. “So, it’s hard playing the game of catch up where I completely disregarded things like studying for my SATs. I figured, I can’t see myself making it to Friday, let alone preparing for a future.” The Diamond Scholars program has helped ease the transition for these students and made it so that their first taste of college is enjoyable. “Now that I actually do want to have a future,” Couling said. “It’s been kind of difficult to pick up

those pieces, but it’s also been kind of exciting because I’m actually, for once, able to see possibility and hope.” And while the program itself plays a big role in the eventual success of these students, Molina said that having a group of peers who can relate to her situation is a relief. “Now that I’ve been put in this group, I have people that are going through this same experience,” Molina said. “I can push them, and they can push me so that I don’t give up on myself.” news@thedailycougar.com

Hotel and Restaurant Management freshman Andrea Tijerina said she felt connected to her roots again. | Katrina Martinez/The Cougar

4 | Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Sports jhair romero, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/sportS

Sports@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5303

football

How D’Eriq King stacks up to other top quarterbacks

Senior quarterback D’Eriq King was one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation in 2018, averaging 332.4 yards per game. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar

Armando yanez

staff writer @odnam16

While some college football players come into and steal the spotlight, other players fall under the radar while performing at high levels. Senior quarterback D’Eriq King, an example of the phenomenon,

is coming into his final season with Houston and is poised to put on another successful season, picking up where he left off in 2018 after being sidelined with a knee injury. Every now and then, a player will emerge from a lesser-known program or smaller conference and shock audiences watching

with their game. Over the years, many of these players have gone on to put their names in the news as top college prospects and even go on to become immediate starters upon arriving in the NFL. A more recent example would be Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, who in 2016 became the highest ever NFL pick out of an FCS school. While it is important to consider the rest of the roster for each team, it is with no doubt that King is a top quarterback in the nation and his role for the Cougars is comparable to the role other top quarterbacks play for their respective programs. King showed out in 2018, throwing for 2,982 yards and 36 touchdowns along with only 6 interceptions, while rushing for 674 yards and 14 touchdowns before suffering an injury late in the year that kept him off the field for the remainder of the season.

ESPN ranked King No. 40 on its list of the 50 best players in college football heading into the 2019 season, also ranking as the 10th best quarterback. Some quarterbacks featured ahead of King on the list were Clemson sophomore Trevor Lawrence, Alabama junior Tua Tagovailoa and Georgia junior Jake Fromm. While most of these quarterbacks ranked ahead of King have proven themselves on the biggest stages of college football, one cannot take away the importance of the role that King plays for the Cougars and how he compares to other elite college quarterbacks around the country. One of the easiest comparisons to make with King is Lawrence, who is going into his second season with the Tigers and is looking to lead his team to another College Football Playoff appearance and possible national championship.

Lawrence didn’t get his first start with Clemson until Week 5, after he beat out former teammate and now Missouri quarterback Kelly Bryant for the starting spot under center. Lawrence and King’s numbers from last season are very close, with Lawrence throwing a completion rate of 65.2 percent compared to King’s 63.5, 30 touchdowns to King’s 36, and four interceptions to King’s six. Now in his third for the Crimson Tide, Tagovailoa will try and lead his team to a fifth straight national championship appearance and third for him. Tagovailoa and King both are crucial centerpieces to their respective offenses, with Tagovailoa contributing on 48 of the Crimson Tide’s 92 touchdowns, while King contributing on 50 of the Cougars’ 78 total touchdowns in 2018. sports@thedailycougar.com

BECOME A UHAA LIFE MEMBER TODAY! Get lots of exclusive discounts, events and benefits including free food and drinks at Party on the Plaza before all UH home football games!

JOIN TODAY HoustonAlumni.com/LifeMember UH_Ad_10x7.indd 1

8/19/19 11:26 AM

Wednesday, September 4, 2019 | 5

jHair rOMerO, EDITOR

tHeDaiLYCOUGar.COM/SpOrtS

SportS

SpOrtS@tHeDaiLYCOUGar.COM

713-743-5303

footbAll

Home opener to be ‘pretty big’ for Cougars JHAIR ROMERO

SpOrtS eDitOr @jUStjHair

Houston, coming off a 49-31 loss against Oklahoma last Sunday that saw the Cougars compete in front of a sold out away crowd of more than 85,000, will take on Prairie View A&M for the first time in the two programs’ history in Saturday night’s home opener. While PVAMU went 5-6 in 2018 and is an almost polar opposite to UH’s Week 1 opponent when it comes to magnitude, head coach Dana Holgorsen stance on the importance of the game remained clear. “(Oklahoma’s) big, but the next one is big too,” Holgorsen said on Aug. 26 of the matchup versus the Panthers. Holgorsen, who ten years ago was the Cougars’ offensive coordinator under then-head coach Kevin Sumlin, has not played a home game with Houston since 2009, when an aging Robertson Stadium still sat on the grounds

Houston lost in its season opener 49-31 Sept. 1. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar

where TDECU Stadium now stands.

Home sweet home Home field advantage has become an important factor for Houston in recent years, excluding 2014’s loss against UTSA in TDECU Stadium’s debut, the Cougars have found relative success in home openers since 2012. Given PVAMU’s 2-4 away record and UH’s 5-1 slate at home in 2018,

the odds are in the Cougars’ favor when it comes to the first-time matchup. But Houston should enjoy its time at home; it will be the only game it plays there until Oct. 12’s game versus Cincinnati.

Rough stretch The biggest threat for the Cougars heading into their game against the Panthers is scheduling. Although Houston is well

equipped to take on Prairie View, UH will be just six days removed from traveling to its biggest game of the year in Norman, Oklahoma. The game is also in the middle of brutal portion at the beginning of UH’s schedule that has Houston playing four games, including three away or at a neutral site, in an 18-day period. Luckily for the Cougars, the Panthers will have to travel to Houston for the second consecutive week after playing Texas Southern Aug. 31 at BBVA Stadium, a Labor Day weekend classic that saw Prairie View earn a 44-23 win.

Offensive-minded coaches Much like Holgorsen, Prairie View head coach Eric Dooley’s brain is wired for the offensive side of the ball. In 2018, Dooley’s first year as head coach of the Panthers, PVAMU set a program record by scoring at least 60 points in three of its games. Its highest scoring effort was a 66-13 win versus Alabama

State in which Prairie View put up 673 yards of total offense. Up Dooley’s sleeve is senior quarterback Jalen Morton, who in a historic 62-13 win over ArkansasPine Bluff rushed for a single-game school record 255 yards. The mechanical engineering major’s ground game helped the Panthers reach 815 total yards in the game, also a single-game program record. The Cougars can find comfort in the fact that they have a quarterback who in 2018 set an American Athletic Conference record in touchdowns responsible for with 50 and lead the national average in points responsible for per game with 27.5. Much like last Sunday’s quarterback duel between senior D’Eriq King and Oklahoma senior quarterback Jalen Hurts, in which King threw two touchdowns, Saturday’s matchup can get interesting for the Cougars and the Panthers. sports@thedailycougar.com

UHRecreation uh.edu/recreation

STRENGTHENING THE PRIDE OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

INTRAMURAL SPORTS TOURNAMENTS

DATE

TIME

Table Tennis Singles 9-Ball Pool Singles Basketball 3V3 Racquetball Doubles

9/20 9/27 10/11 10/25

3 - 7 pm 3 - 7 pm 3 - 7 pm 3 - 7 pm

9/18 @ 5 pm 9/27 @ 3 pm 10/9 @ 5 pm 10/23 @ 5 pm

LEAGUE SPORTS REGISTER BY

PLAY BEGINS

Indoor Soccer 5V5 Flag Football 7V7 Basketball 5V5 Dodgeball 6V6

9/8 9/9 10/28 10/28

9/4 @ 5 pm 9/4 @ 5 pm 10/23 @ 5 pm 10/23 @ 5 pm

Hiking @ Sam Houston September 14 Register By | September 6 $25 Member | $35 Non-Member

Camping @ Enchanted Rock September 20 - 22 Register By | September 13 $135 Member | $165 Non-Member

Canoeing @ Buffalo Bayou September 28 Register By | September 20 $25 Member | $35 Non-Member

CERTIFICATIONS Lifeguard Course DATES REGISTER BY 9/6 - 8 9/4 10/18 - 20 10/16 Friday 3 - 10 pm Saturday and Sunday 8 am - 8 pm Price: $225

Adult & Pediatric FA/CPR/AED DATE REGISTER BY 9/14 9/11 10/18 10/16 Saturday 10 am - 5 pm Price: $70

FITNESS + FREE GROUP GoPro

Michael Kors Purse

Beats Wireless

Stop by the Fitness Zone Desk on the second floor of the CRWC to complete a Group Fitness Participant Waiver. Please have your Cougar Card ready, all classes are FREE. .

GAIN THE KNOWLEDGE YOU NEED TO BECOME A PERSONAL TRAINER! Sign up for this $45 Prep Course taught on THURSDAYS, 9/26 - 11/14 from 4 - 6 pm. Register at myrec.uh.edu

@ 4:30pm

6 | Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Sports jhair romero, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/sportS

Sports@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5303

football

Houston showed promise in loss to Oklahoma

Junior safety Grant Stuard, No. 3, and sophomore safety Gervarrius Owens, No. 32, were the biggest contributors on defense for the Cougars, combining for 21 total tackles against Oklahoma. Stuard’s outing was a career high, while Owens’ five solo tackles came in his first game since transferring from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, a JUCO school just three hours from OU. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar

Jhair Romero

sports editor @justjhair

While Houston’s seasonopening 49-31 defeat against No. 4 Oklahoma was not the result the team was looking for Sunday night, the Cougars flashed their potential in a game that saw some players shine in the midst of a loss.

Stuard, Owens shine on defense OU senior quarterback Jalen Hurts, who became a Heisman co-favorite after his 508 yards and six touchdowns of total offense, exploited some of the biggest weaknesses in UH’s defense. The defensive line, having gone through an offseason makeover after the hiring of head coach Dana Holgorsen, struggled greatly in the trenches. Four of Oklahoma’s seven touchdowns came from the ground, and over half of its 686 total yards were also rushing. One position, however, stood out when Houston’s defense took the field — safety. Junior safety Grant Stuard, the

Cougars’ starting nickelback, had a career game against the Sooners, tallying 14 total tackles with nine being solo. His tackle stats were also a game-high, with the next closest player being Sooners junior linebacker Kenneth Murray, a Missouri City native, with 13 total. Stuard’s previous career-high was a six-tackle performance in October 2018 against Navy. Sophomore safety Gervarrius Owens also stood out in Houston’s loss. The transfer from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, a JUCO school three hours from OU, had seven total tackles and five solo tackles on the night. Owens was the second-leading tackler for NOAM in 2018 with 51 and also had three interceptions and pass breakups.

King, offense struggled early Much like the Cougars’ defense, the Houston offense struggled from the beginning of the game. UH’s first four drives of the night ended in punts, and three of them ended in just three plays.

Those four drives resulted in only 24 yards of total offense for the Cougars. Meanwhile, the Sooners had almost 200 yards

and a touchdown. Houston’s sole touchdown of the first 30 minutes of play came after a 23-yard scoring pass from

Senior quarterback D’Eriq King struggled in the first half of the game but came to life in the final 30 minutes of Houston’s 49-31 loss. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar

and two touchdowns of total offense to its stat sheet. In the entire first quarter, the Cougars ran 11 plays for 21 yards. The second quarter saw Houston vastly improve after senior quarterback D’Eriq King’s play stepped up. Despite his -11 yards in the first quarter, King ended the first 30 minutes with 76 passing yards

King to junior running back Kyle Porter. The Cougars started slow, but offense picked up in the second half.

Signs of life Many players, King included, helped the offense surge in the second, which shows flashes of Houston’s potential heading into

matchups with other opponents. Senior running back Mulbah Car was essential in getting the ball rolling for Houston’s offense in the second half, and his performance could lead to more touches with the Cougars. Car’s touchdown run to start the third led to an overall better offense for the rest of the game. Junior wide receiver Marquez Stevenson was also one of Houston’s biggest contributors on offense during the second half. King connected with Stevenson for 70 yards on seven catches, including a 4-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter that put the Cougars within a couple scores of the Sooners. A touchdown run from King late in the fourth capped off Houston’s second half. Thanks to the contributions of Car, King and Stevenson, the Cougars got within 11 points of one of the best offenses in the nation. If Houston can play the same against Prairie View A&M Saturday night, it can earn a dominant win. sports@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, September 4, 2019 | 7

Universal Crossword Edited by David Steinberg September 4, 2019

ACROSS 1 Rotisserie chicken holder 5 Japanese comic books 10 Offered, as a farewell 14 Legendary gymnast Korbut 15 Certain Alaskan 16 Make like Mr. Universe 17 Show exhaustion 18 Sea creature that can’t talk 20 Unwelcome stocking stuffer 22 Sci-fi classic set on a desert planet 23 G.I. address 24 Mollusk that can’t bray 27 Arthur Conan Doyle title 28 Vigoda of “The Godfather” 29 ___ for the course 30 Most wily 32 Beverage in marketing wars 34 Girl, in Glasgow 37 Soothes 38 Sea predator that can’t snort 41 Witches’ group 44 Comfy

9/4

45 Hunk of bacon 49 Tattletale 51 Drop an egg 53 Frazier foe 54 Boy, in Glasgow 55 Amphibian that can’t roar 59 Unit in history class 60 Magazine that reads the same both ways 61 No-thing connector 62 Arachnid that can’t howl 66 Notary’s stamp 68 “Would ___ to you?” 69 Skirt 70 Eve’s grandson 71 Cold cabbage dish 72 River mouth deposit 73 Like Easter eggs DOWN 1 Sponge (up) 2 Treatment that shouldn’t have an effect 3 Scientific parody prize 4 Certain Mongolian 5 Tourist’s aid 6 “Selma” setting: Abbr. 7 Crossword constructors, perhaps 8 Spiritual guides 9 Does penance

10 No. 1 bud 4 life 11 Noms de plume 12 Abhor 13 Urges on 19 Penn partner 21 It disappears when you stand 24 “High School Musical” actor Efron 25 Retail therapy site 26 Eurasian range 31 Jabbers 33 Assist with 46-Down 35 Payroll ID 36 Hall of Fame football coach Don 39 Ben, Sam and Fester 40 Food thickener obtained from seaweed

41 “The Chronicles of Narnia” author 42 Having great luck 43 Onion grown in Georgia 46 “Petty” or “grand” theft 47 Song written by Queen Liliuokalani 48 ___ Dipper 50 Gave a boost 52 QB’s measures 56 Martini garnish 57 Get a bike going 58 Merged 63 ___ and far between 64 Baltimore summer hrs. 65 Irish actor Stephen 67 “Acid” drug

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

9/3

You Don’t Say! by Larry Nargi

8 | Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Opinion Maryam baldawi, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/OPINION

OPINION@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5304

parking

UH Parking Twitter should not get harsh comments Editorial Board editor in chief

sports editor

Michael Slaten

Jhair Romero

managing editor

photo editor

Morgan Horst

creative director

Jiselle Santos News editor

McKenzie Misiaszek

features editor

Trevor Nolley opinion editor

Maryam Baldawi assistant editors

Kathryn Lenihan Juana Garcia Autumn Rendall

Ian Everett

Chief Copy Editor

Mason Vasquez

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

rachel reynolds

opinion Columnist

Parking is one of the most widely complained about and hated aspects at the University. It has always been one of the biggest problems on campus and will likely always be a problem due to the nature of parking on college campuses everywhere. Circling in full lots looking for spaces, walking for long distances in the blazing heat and frustration in general are all frequent experiences for permit holders. Student complaints can be heard all around campus but also on social media. UH has always maintained a presence on social media, with accounts on Twitter for the bookstore, dining services and many other services. The University is considerate of students’ needs, and complaints do not go unheard. UH Parking and Transportation Services maintains accounts on Facebook and Twitter, which is where students often vent their frustrations. Outreach manager for Parking and Transportation Services Richard Zagrzecki said their social media presence serves to help them learn from students’ frustrations. Zagrzecki made it clear that there are many misconceptions about parking on campus. A lot of students assume Parking and Transportation profits from charging students to park on campus. In reality, the pricing is so high because the parking department is using the permit money to fund their entire operation. Parking and Transportation is part of Auxiliary Services at UH, meaning it does not receive any funding from the University

The people behind UH Parking Twitter have little say in parking regulations. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar

or the state. The permit prices are reflecting the millions of dollars in debt the parking office takes on in order to run the shuttles around campus, build the parking garages and maintain the day-to-day operations. The parking department is also currently working to improve the visitor parking program in order to lower prices for permit holders. “As a return student, zone parking has dramatically improved the ability to find parking compared to 10 years ago,” said health and human performance postbaccalaureate Megan Brown. There are now five garages, and ground has been broken on Garage 6. The growing student population contributes to the lack of spaces, but Parking and Transportation is working quickly to make spaces available and offer alternate methods for getting students to campus.

The COAST program allows individuals to carpool more easily and use alternative transportation like the METRO to get to campus. The shuttles around campus can easily be tracked through the UH Go app, which offers a live map of each shuttle’s location and route. The Cougar Ride system allows students to safely get home late at night on campus. These are the services the permit prices help fund, so it is our job as students to take advantage of them. The next time you find yourself circling lots looking for spaces, take a deep breath and know that people who care about the students and faculty at this University are doing their absolute best with what they have been given. Rachel Reynolds is a liberal studies junior and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

More art clubs and funding for them are needed on campus AK almoUMEN

OPINION Columnist

At Cat’s Back this year, it seemed media appreciation and art-making clubs were sparse. The University needs more art-centric organizations on campus. Any art clubs on campus are either too small, underfunded or unorganized. On Get Involved, there are very few mentions of clubs that promote experiences outside of entrepreneurship or specific majors. Scrolling down a list of 78 clubs related to liberal arts, all the clubs that either promote the arts or engage in making content are reduced to the single digits, which is disappointing. When using the search function on the site to look up terms like “art” or “entertainment,” you get lists headlined by CoogTV and Coog Radio. Yet there is a lack of space for students to interact with others who share their passion or want to create without the pressure of deadlines or publishing. There are a few clubs that have gained some traction, such as the UH Film Club, Painting Club, Music Club and Photography Club, each with their own issues. The UH Film Club and Painting Club are struggling with funding, asking their members for fees to get special events or use equipment, respectively. The Music Club is highly

Art clubs on campus need more advertising and funding. | Kathryn Lenihan/The Cougar

unadvertised, and the Photography Club had to deal with leadership shake-up and massive confusion. Other clubs on campus that promote similar activities are all but dead with either a single officer or none at all. Most students hoping to talk about activities outside their studies have to join ethnic clubs that tend to have built-in restrictions due to their important purpose of promoting minority cultures. These issues are by no means on the shoulders of the students hoping to create these spaces. The University does not appear motivated to guide or support these organizations with events specific to them or encourage students to seek them out. Even the process of creation is not accessible, as many students want places that promote

books, prose and even art-making studios for film and music. This responsibility should be taken seriously by art departments as well to inject a structured recreational avenue for their students seeking to test out their learned skills. A huge swath of activities to engage in are offered to business and STEM majors, but art majors are not afforded the same level of choice on campus. Walking by the tables at Cat’s Back was an arduous task of trying to weed out art appreciation organizations from religious, political and leadership ones. Many art clubs are asked if they offer activities beyond their financial capabilities, such as those involving equipment and tools. The shock of many students when, in the middle of STEM tables, an art club pops up is very jarring. These clubs deserve an accessible area of the Recreation Center. The University has an opportunity to cultivate a passionate core of its student body to engage with the campus beyond disjointed events with no consistency. This should be a priority for students to demand from their student government as well. Opinion writer AK Almoumen is a media production junior and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com