Issue 05, Volume 83

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Issue 05, Volume 83

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Cried Rice

At the Bayou Bucket, the Cougars defended their title and won, securing the dented trophy for another year. | Pg 6

NEWS

Sophomore leads Harvey relief

One student helped haul crates at George R. Brown, created legal aid clinics and organized teams to muck-out flooded homes. | PG. 4

OPINION

Guns not just a gender issue

In popular culture men are portrayed as more violent, but the U.S. population as a whole holds the title for most gun-related violence. | PG. 12

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Kaylee Dusang and C. McRae Peavy, EDITORS

ALUMNI

Alumna leads community art projects in Greece UH grad spent two-part residency on Greek island painting murals with grade-school students KAYLEE DUSANG

NEWS EDITOR

M.A. in Arts Leadership student, alumna and muralist Tyler Kay broadened her career as an artist by taking her work to another part of the world.

Kay spent a two-part residency in Skopelos, Greece, as a part of her practicum credit for the MAAL program. Kay painted a total of six murals that turned into community projects.

The first part of Kay's residency was in June, and the second part was in August.

“I knew that I wanted to do some kind of community project, and I didn’t want to do it locally,” Kay said. “I wanted to make myself uncomfortable in a sense and emerge myself in a different environment.”

Director of MAAL Fleurette Fernando said Kay was the first in the program to be placed internationally for her practicum credit.

"We would love to see more of that happen, because we want to attract more students from countries outside of the U.S.," Fernando said. "I think it just makes for a better, more-informed program to have that kind of cultural exchange."

Across the pond While interviewing Houston arts leader John Ross Palmer for a class, Kay said he mentioned taking his artwork to the island of Skopelos. While searching online for art in Skopelos, Kay discovered the Skopelos Foundation for the Arts, which offered artist residencies.

According to the Skopelos Foundation website, it is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the arts and education through cultural exchanges.

Since flowers are a common theme in Kay's work, she said she presented a proposal to the foundation saying she wanted to document the native flora on the island, meaning she would paint all the flowers she encountered while in Skopelos.

“I needed a creative recharge, and I pictured myself just painting flowers,” Kay said. “I turned it into a big project.”

During the first month of residency, Kay directed four community mural projects with students from the elementary and middle school. Kay drew the

murals, and the students helped her paint.

Kay said she designed each mural to be similar to a “paint by number,” where about five different colors were assigned to the children by dabbing paint on the objects drawn.

“It gives someone a sense of power when they can contribute to something that’s permanent in their community,” Kay said. “The kids were really proud that they were a part of the paintings.”

Kay created a rose and peony mural across two entrances of the elementary school. At the middle school, she painted a geometric mural for the facility’s interior and a floral design on the wall of the outdoor restrooms.

'Community driven' Kay said she designed each mural simultaneously, traveling back-and-forth between the elementary and middle school.

“The first trip was definitely community driven,” Kay said. “We

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"I want future graduate students to take their studies abroad to immerse themselves in different cultures and make themselves be in uncomfortable situations," Tyler Kay said. | Courtesy of Tyler Kay

themselves. The mural illustrates firefighters with a forest fire and firetruck.

“They were loving it that they were getting something that wasn’t a white wall,” Kay said.

Since it was peak tourist season in August, the community had obligations and were not as involved during the second month of residency, Kay said.

“The second trip was unfortunately more independent,” Kay said. “We wanted it to be more participatory.”

“The one thing I can say is, whenever you’re leading any kind of project, whether it’s with children or adults, you can’t have total control over your mural."

Tyler Kay, UH alumna

would have 15-minute increments for different classrooms to make sure all kids had an opportunity.”

Even though the Skopelos Foundation for the Arts resides on the island, Kay said it had been 10 years since a mural was painted at the local schools.

When Kay returned for her second residency in August, she designed murals for the local amphitheater and fire station.

Kay said several music and dance festivals took place in the amphitheater, and she wanted to portray the Skopelos culture.

The mural depicts a traditional Skopelos wedding with people playing native instruments, such as the accordion, clarinet and violin.

“It was just a little, fun mural with the bougainvillea hanging at the top to fill in the white space,” Kay said.

Since the island is filled with pine trees, Kay said the firefighters requested a mural of trees and

i

Kay said some children would come out and help when they were not occupied, and the firefighters helped prep the wall and hold the ladder while she worked.

Since this was Kay’s first community project, and first time to work with this many children, she said she learned how to be “calm among the chaos.”

“The one thing I can say is, whenever you’re leading any kind of project, whether it’s with children or adults, you can’t have total control over your mural,” Kay said. “It’s almost like you have to trust it or wing it — or at least fake it — and then in the end fix whatever is bothering you.”

Kay said the overall experience helped her grow as an artist, but there were difficult situations during her residency where she encountered opposition as a visiting artist.

Building trust Because Skopelos is not city-

funded, Kay said they opposed her doing laborious work for free, and they wondered where she was receiving the money for her work.

"There's a strong communist party in Greece," Kay said. "They actually had community meetings, and they said that I was trying to make money off the community."

Kay said the locals began to trust her more by the second residency and even presented her with a farewell ceremony and gifts.

"I learned so much about working with different cultures and making sure compositions are appropriate for your audiences," Kay said. "Knowing who to ask for permission for a mural and whose advice to not care for."

As one of Kay's professors and advisers, Fernando said that one of Kay's strengths is her ability to find and create opportunities, and that is something the program wants to emphasize to all of its students.

“Don’t wait for something to be presented to you," Fernando said.

"Go out there and find it, or make it happen, and she’s a really good example of that."

According to a previous article

by The Cougar, Kay's main goal has always been to bring art into the community.

"I think she sees every relationship and every situation as a potential creative endeavor," Fernando said.

Kay is the director of the Bisong Art Gallery in Houston and has worked there for four years. She has created murals across the Houston area.

"I want future graduate students to take their studies abroad to immerse themselves in different cultures, and make themselves be in uncomfortable situations," Kay said. news@thedailycougar.com

ISSUE STAFF CLOSING EDITORS

Emily Burleson Jasmine Davis COPY EDITING

Traynor Swanson COVER

Thomas Dwyer

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NEWS

Kaylee Dusang and C. McRae Peavy, EDITORS

NATION

Students react to possible rollback of Title IX JORDYN KAZMOUZ

STAFF WRITER

When Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced review of the Obama-era sexual assault guidance in early September, students and faculty at the University of Houston expressed worry and fear over the possible implications of a rollback of Title IX. Title IX was developed in 1972 to prohibit discrimination in schools on the basis of sex, but it has been expanded since 2011 to include a new guidance for universities to meet, said Richard Baker, assistant vice president of Equal Opportunity Services.

DeVos cited concerns over the denial of due process to those standing accused as a reason for the review, according to CNN. “The possibility of rolling back Title IX makes me feel unsafe knowing that I won’t have as many protections as I do under Title IX," said biology freshman Jennifer Ruiz. "I just don’t see the point in rolling it back because it’s not harming anyone. You make kids feel more safe and (allow) victims to come forward and be protected. However, I don’t think rolling back Title IX will affect the University of Houston as much as other universities."

Student apprehension In a letter to DeVos, Student Government Association President Winni Zhang opposed the rollback of Title IX. “Your painful words brought heartache to many survivors who consistently face a society that defends perpetrators,” Zhang said. “As leaders, we have an obligation to protect survivors and ensure a safe learning environment on our campuses. It’s on us.”

Baker said that Title IX is a gender equality law stating that higher education institutes cannot discriminate based on sex.

“So the idea that we have unequal treatment of women is prohibited by Title IX,” Baker said.

While specific modifications to Title IX have not yet been proposed, many students believe a rollback is possible, and they have considered the potential repercussions, said english freshman Kayla Washington.

"Students should be able to feel comfortable participating in events on campus knowing that their university has their back

should such an incident occur,” Washington said. “Since Title IX covers such a broad range on campuses, scaling it back only makes it harder for other circumstances of unequal situations to be handled correctly.”

Since DeVos has not made an announcement regarding specific changes to Title IX, Equal Opportunity Services cannot definitively say how a potential rollback will affect campus life, but they have made tremendous progress in making the campus safe over the past few years, Baker said.

Tremendous progress “Over the last six years, we have made tremendous investments,” Baker said. “We have implemented sexual misconduct training programs for students and faculty, and the progress has been tremendous. We intend to make campus a safe place with the many resources we have for students and faculty.”

Some of the on-campus resources include the Equal Opportunity Services, Women and Gender Resource Center, Sexual Misconduct Support Services, the UH Wellness Center and the Sexual Violence Protection and Education Center.

Six years ago, these resources did not exist for students and staff, Baker said.

“We have made many advancements on campus and have invested in the best policy that is fair to all students,” Baker said.

“We are welcome to assessing any possible changes that would better the lives of everyone in the community.”

Resources available One of the resources available is Salutation, which is the UH System’s Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Awareness Program.

Salutation provides programs for alcohol awareness, students and faculty training and campus presentations to assist parties of sexual misconduct cases.

Baker said he recommends for students to also visit the Division for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services calendar to see upcoming educational events.

“The systems that UH has set up were created to help people involved in these situations,” Baker said. “Either party of these cases may take advantage of these resources.” news@thedailycougar.com

"Just to clarify Title IX is not going anywhere. It would take an act of Congress to repeal the law. However, what could potentially change under Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is the guidance universities are given from the Department of Education," said assistant director for sexual violence prevention and education Aneeliese Bustillo | Jordyn Kazmouz/The Cougar

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Kaylee Dusang and C. McRae Peavy, EDITORS

HARVEY

Sophomore creates legal aid clinics, leads muck-out teams after storm C. MCRAE PEAVY

NEWS EDITOR @MCRAEPV1

Sophomore True Furrh saw the hundreds of UH students trapped in residence halls during Hurricane Harvey just itching to volunteer, somehow.

He responded by creating a Facebook group, which now boasts 1,500 members, to bring would-be volunteers together.

In the process, he hauled crates at the George R. Brown shelter, created legal aid clinics and led student teams to muck out homes all over the city.

More than three weeks after Harvey exited Houston, donation drives and more calls for volunteers are still posted in the group, UH Harvey Relief Carpooling & Volunteering Opportunities, each day.

“We had like six people posting non-stop opportunities, and then everyone else followed what they said,” Furrh said. “So it was very hive-mind: You go here, you go here, you go here.”

Furrh, who studies environmental sciences and civil engineering, said that while he was riding out the storm in Cougar Place, he noticed that many students wanted to volunteer, but they lacked organization.

He wanted to create a way for students to post volunteer opportunities, since any coordinated effort by the University would take time, as it was still closed at the time due to the deluge.

“It’s been really fun watching the other orgs get involved through the page,” Furrh said.

Dedicated volunteering Furrh separated his own volunteering efforts into three phases.First, he volunteered for two days at the George R.

Brown Convention Center.

All I was doing was unloading these 700 pound crates of MREs," Furrh said. “That was fantastic. The guy that was leading our crew was a marine who was actually off-duty at the time. He was spending

doing pro bono work with Lone Star Legal Aid. “So I immediately call someone who actually works at Lone Star, say, ‘Hey, are y’all interested in this?’ and they were. It was fantastic,” Furrh said. “We had a partnership

“Everybody that we visit is so absurdly grateful for just the little stuff that we have done,” Diana Smiley, political science senior his vacation time to come to Houston.”

Furrh’s second phase of volunteering consisted of setting up legal aid clinics at George R. Brown.

His parents both work at Lone Star Legal Aid, a firm that provides free civil legal aid to vulnerable and low-income populations.

The office in Downtown Houston, which has helped thousands of hurricane victims in other storms, burned down during Harvey.

“I got a phone call that said, ‘Hey, we’re gonna get some supplies dropped off for you.

Try to open up a clinic at GRB,’ So I did," Furrh said. "That was intimidating.”

Furrh laid the groundwork for the aid service by setting up the tables and supplies, organizing volunteer lawyers and passing out brochures.

Furrh was standing in line attempting to cut through some bureaucratic red tape when an employee from Baker Botts LLP, an international law firm based in Houston, tapped on his shoulder.

The employee had heard Furrh mention his parents' law firm and expressed interest in

with one of the big three law firms in Houston totally out of the blue.”

The third stage of his volunteering, Furrh said, was demolishing houses affected by the storm.

“I have some experience in demo and construction, and I figured people are gonna need this,” Furrh said. “My home was destroyed in Hurricane Ike, so I had experience knowing what it looks like, knowing what you had to do, so I figured, why not do that in Houston?”

Furrh said he’d been a team member before, but he’d never organized a large-scale effort.

During Harvey, he organized carpools, gave out assignments and participated in the actual muck-outs.

Doing whats necessary “It was cool. We volunteered in three distinctly different parts of Houston,” Furrh said.

“We hit the Southeast, we hit the Meyerland and Westbury area, and then we’ve been in West Houston lately, as their waters recede.”

Political science senior Diana Smiley has volunteered with Furrh twice since Harvey hit.

She said Furrh was responsive

Furrh has organized several volunteer trips, and spent the days right after the rain stopped unloading 700 pound crates of MREs and setting up legal aid clinics at the George R. Brown Convention Center. | Courtesy of Andrew Hamilton

to the emotional needs of the people they were helping while staying clear on the things that needed to be done.

“Everybody that we visit is so absurdly grateful for just the little stuff that we have done,”Smiley said.

Nutrition junior Fatema Shipchandler also joined Furrh in some of his volunteering efforts.

That day, the volunteers were known as "True's Crew."

“Six other students and I piled into True's minivan on Labor Day morning to head to two clean-up locations,” Shipchandler said in an email.

“We first went to a house in East Houston, then took on three houses in North Houston — one being the home of two fellow students from UH.”

Compassionate community Shipchandler said they spent the day removing drywall and insulation, clearing floorboards, sorting out salvageable belongings and throwing out the damaged

ones.

“What stood out to me that day was the sheer compassion of people in our community,” Shipchandler said. “Wherever we went, the owners of the houses and even strangers on the road would constantly offer us food and cold water.”

Mucking out a house depends on the amount of people that come along, Furrh said.With a group of three people, they removed all the drywall and insulation in a house in about four hours.

With a 15-person crew, Furrh said they were able to muck out six houses in one day.

“It’s not just the physical work you’re doing. You’re comforting the homeowner," Furrh said. “I know what it’s like to lose a home, and it sucks. I think a lot of it is emotionally supporting them just by being there. You don’t have to say anything. If they want to talk to you, they’ll initiate the conversation.” news@thedailycougar.com

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NEWS

Kaylee Dusang and C. McRae Peavy, EDITORS

RESEARCH

UH engineers makes discovery on dissolving electronics Technology can be applied to a variety of fields VALERIA DOMINGUEZ

STAFF WRITER

@ VALDOMINGUEZ_

As a Tier One research university, UH is making breakthrough after breakthrough across the spectrum of scientific research.

Researchers from the University of Houston and China have laid the groundwork for research on electronics that dissolve when placed in contact with water molecules, which can lead to eco-friendly personal devices, according to a UH news release.

“This research is a

Sim can design, fabricate and characterize each electronic device.

A paper on the subject was published in Science Advances by mechanical engineering assistant professor Bill Cook.

“Most people know acid is corrosive to metal," Sim said, explaining the process through which electronics dissolve.

"In a certain level of humidity condition, the substrate (supporting material) that has the electronic devices can generate acid to chemically dissolve the electronics."

For personal electronics, the applications of this science can create eco-friendly devices.

Electronic waste, known as e-waste, represents two percent of America’s trash in landfills,

“This research is a breakthrough for the future of electronics since it is a totally novel concept to trigger transient electronics with environmental humidity.”

Dissolvable electronics, when used for implantable devices, can be triggered to dissolve in the body at a set time, removing the need for more surgery to remove the device. | Courtesy of mechanical engineering professor Cunjiang Yu

Kyoseung Sim, Materials science and engineering doctoral candidate breakthrough for the future of electronics since it is a totally novel concept to trigger transient electronics with environmental humidity.” said Kyoseung Sim, a materials science and engineering doctoral candidate.

The impact of dissolvable electronics is revolutionary across an array of other fields.

In the field of defense, sensitive, safeguarded information on electronics can be programmed to disappear, according to a UH press release.

In the biomedical field, “the transient period of time can be controlled,” said mechanical engineering assistant professor Cunjiang Yu, meaning the device can be triggered to dissolve once its usefulness has been exhausted.

Sim said once a device is implanted into the body, dissolving time can be scheduled for when it is no longer needed. An implantable device typically requires surgery to remove, but a dissolvable device would replace an additional surgery, Sim said.

Sim, who is now in his fourth year of doctoral study, has been guided by professor Yu and worked alongside other UH professors and students.

according to DoSomething.org.

The EPA estimated that in 2009, US consumers and businesses discarded electronics totaling 2.37 million tons. If new electronic devices are programmed to disappear, the impact of e-waste in landfills can be reduced.

The model created for this research started with electronic components built onto a film made of polymer polyanhydride. Once moisture causes a chemical breakdown, the inorganic electronic materials and components are absorbed, according to the press release.

“The transient period of time can be controlled precisely based on not only humidity level of environment but also composition and dimension of polymer substrate,” said Sim. The day mass produced electronics disappear after use has not yet arrived, but research conducted at UH is taking the far-fetched idea one step further. Both Sim and Yustand on the forefront of transforming the way we discard the electronic devices we use every day. news@thedailycougar.com

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Frank Campos, EDITOR

FOOTBALL

Defense carries team to two straight victories this season FRANK CAMPOS

SPORTS EDITOR

@FRANKCAMPOSJ

The Cougars' defense once again showed why it was predicted to carry the team after dominating the Rice Owls in a 38-3 victory Saturday night.

Defender after defender showed up during the victory against the Owls, creating chaos all over the field for the offense, which only managed to score three points. From senior linebacker Matthew Adams to true freshman Payton Turner, every level of the defense was locked in. Head coach Major Applewhite put a special emphasis on defense in practice this week after watching tape on the Owls.

“They did practice well Tuesday and Wednesday. Rice’s offense got our defense’s attention,” Applewhite said. “They saw all the complicated things they do, and it got their attention. I texted Matthew Adams and Garrett Davis on Monday and said, ‘Have you watched this? This is some really good stuff.’ They knew Monday afternoon that we had to have our eyes right.”

Adams led the Cougars with

The Cougars' star defensive tackle, sophomore Ed Oliver (10), celebrates after a big hit against the Rice Owls on Saturday. | Thomas Dwyer/The Cougar

11 tackles, just one shy of his career best, and added one pass breakup to his stats against the

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Owls. The senior linebacker was on fire until the Cougars pulled the starters in the beginning of the third quarter.

Caution and accountability The Cougars have started with leads early in both their victories this season, but Applewhite is still cautious —eventually, they will trail an opponent this season.

“We have to challenge ourselves, be humble in our approach and realize we’ve been playing with leads, and that at some point we’ll play with a deficit,” Applewhite said. “We have to get ready for a great team that can score a lot of points. We have a lot to improve on.”

Sophomore Ed Oliver continued his All-American campaign by notching six tackles and yet another forced fumble onto his young resume. Senior captain Garrett Davis also showed up big on the stat sheet for the second week in a row, adding to the overall effort of the defense.

Davis was named team captain right before the season began and has been trying to motivate his teammates anyway he can. He even talks smack — when necessary — to the other safeties on the team.

“We hold each other account-

able, especially in the safety room,” Davis said. “I, for one, talk a lot of junk to my co-safety Terrell (Williams). Just to pump each other up and get each other ready for practice. I tell him, you know, 'Hey, you ain’t going to ball harder than me.'

Just something small to get him going."

Fresh potential In week one, the defense saved the team from a narrow loss to the Arizona Wildcats when the offense failed to get going.

Although the Wildcats came within three points of the Cougars in the fourth quarter, the defense stopped their momentum and ensured a Cougar victory in Arizona.

That defensive performance is becoming a staple for a young Cougar team that has seen a lot of new faces in its coaching staff. New defensive coordinator Mark D’Onofrio has whipped the team into shape this off-season and has them performing on a high level.

“I’m very proud, because every time we walk out on the field I can feel the edge that we took the field with,” Adams said. “We were ready to get off three-andout every time. Even though the score was 38-0, we came out there like it was 0-0 and were

trying to get off the field for the offense to get back on.”

The biggest performance of the night did not come from a familiar face or established veteran.

True freshman Payton Turner lit up the stat sheet with one interception and one sack in the limited playing time he was given. Although he burst on the scene, it still took a lot of practice to come this far for the young freshman.

“We were on him all summer and fall camp about learning the defense,” Applewhite said. “He has the length and flexibility. He must develop the strength and put on the weight. He’s a good young man from a good family.

We’re 98 percent of the way there.”

Although the offense had a great game against Rice and finally showed some of Applewhite's magic from last year, defense is proving to be king in Houston after two straight dominant performances.

“I’m excited about our win and excited to keep the Bayou Bucket," Applewhite said. “I’m very proud of the way our guys came out ready to play. They are good people, and it meant a lot to them to play for their city. sports@thedailycougar.com

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SPORTS

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Frank Campos, EDITOR

GAME DAY

Past coaches return to Houston as Red Raiders

PETER SCAMARDO

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @PLSCAMARDO2

Saturday’s game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders will feature some familiar faces for the Cougar football program, not in the players but in the opposing coaches.

Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury, defensive coordinator David Gibbs and offensive coordinator Eric Morris have all at one point in their careers spent time on the Houston coaching staff.

All three were key figures in the football team’s success earlier in the decade and have produced a statistically strong team out of the Red Raiders.

"A lot of great memories," Kingsbury said. "I owe a lot to (Houston) for giving me my start at coaching. I loved my time there — some of the most fun I ever had coaching, getting to work with Case Keenum and that 2011 group. Can't say enough good things."

Where it all started For Kingsbury, a former standout quarterback for Texas Tech and Sammy Baugh Trophy winner, Houston was his first coaching job. After five years of hopping between the NFL, NFL Europe and the Canadian Football League, Kingsbury was hired by then-newly-named head coach Kevin Sumlin.

At Houston, Kingsbury got the position of offensive quality control.

Through his position, he was able to work closely with then-starting quarterback Case Keenum.

The Cougars struggled, however, to a 5-7 record in 2010 when Keenum went down with an injury.

With Keenum back the next season, the Cougars went 13-1 in 2011. He set six NCAA career records, was named Conference USA MVP and earned the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation's top passer.

The Cougars fell just short of an undefeated season when they lost to Southern Miss in the Conference USA championship game.

That near-perfect season opened up many head coaching positions for Sumlin. When he decided to go to Texas A&M, he took Kingsbury with him. Since then Kingsbury has coached the likes of Heisman trophy winner Johnny Manziel, NFL draftees Patrick Mahomes and Davis Webb and current Oklahoma starting quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Now with quarterback Nic

Kliff Kingsbury excelled as the Cougars' offensive coordinator in 2011 with Case Keenum. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

Shimonek at the helm for the Red Raiders, expect him to carry on the air raid offense that has brought Kingsbury's Tech team so much success. As of last Saturday, they had the best offense in the NCAA.

Success follows David Gibbs has been coaching defenses for almost 26 years.

By the time he became Houston's defensive coordinator in 2013, he had already been the defensive backs coach for the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans, as well as the defensive coordinator at Auburn.

Everywhere he has gone, Gibbs' teams have ranked in the top 10 defensively, as was the case when he was hired by thenhead coach Tony Levine to come to Houston.

In his first season with the Cougars, the defense recorded 19 interceptions and 31 total turnovers. Led by arguably the best defensive backs trio in UH history, 2015 graduates Adrian McDonald, Trevon Stewart and William Jackson III, the defense improved greatly in both areas the following season, recording 21 interceptions and 35 total turnovers.

The Cougars' turnover total in 2014 was the best in the entire college football.

But the single defining moment of Gibbs’ time at UH was the 2014 Armed Forces Bowl. As the interim head coach following Levine’s firing, Gibbs orchestrated the largest fourth quarter comeback in bowl history. The Cougars were down 25 points against the Pittsburgh Panthers with 11 minutes left in the game before coming back to win the game 35-34.

Now, however, Gibbs is very

much on the hot seat with the Red Raiders in his third year with the team.

There is hope that his continuity in the program will help tighten up their defense.

Gibbs is the first Texas Tech defensive coordinator who has lasted more than one season

since 2009, when Ruffin McNeill started his second year with the Red Raiders.

As it stands, the Red Raiders are coming into TDECU with a defense that ranked dead last in 2016.

Young gun

Morris, another former Tech quarterback, Houston was also his first taste of college football coaching. After spending two years with the Cougars as a graduate assistant under Sumlin, Morris followed Kingsbury to his alma mater to become the co-offensive coordinator.

Under Morris, Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes excelled, setting the NCAA record for single game passing yards and single game total offense, both against Oklahoma in 2016.

Mahomes finished as the top passer in 2016 with over 5,000 passing yards, and the Red Raiders had the eighth best offense.

He was drafted as the 10th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, joining the likes of Jakeem Grant and DeAndre Washington as players Morris coached who went on to be drafted in the NFL. sports@thedailycougar.com

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Frank Campos, EDITOR

Senior defensive lineman Reggie Chevis went from sneaking into UH games as a kid to taking the field for the Cougars in 2017 and playing next to defensive lineman Ed Oliver. | Thomas Dwyer/The Cougar

COMING HOME

Return to Third Ward offers nostalgic debut for Cougar defender REAGAN EARNST

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @REAGANEARNST

A dumpster behind Robertson Stadium years ago provided the perfect cover for a Third Ward teenager to quietly breach a rickety fence unnoticed. When successful — which he often was — he meandered throughout the confines to catch a close-up glimpse of the Cougars at a fully-discounted rate.

Now in his first year at Houston after spending his first four collegiate seasons at Texas A&M, fifth-year senior defensive lineman Reggie Chevis cannot believe how far he has come.

“I can remember as a kid sneaking into the games and practices at UH,” Chevis said. “It was Robertson Stadium at the time. Me and my friend would find a way each time they were having a game to get in and watch the game for free. Now to come and play in the Third Ward, in Houston, it still doesn’t feel real, but I’m taking it one day at a time.”

Becoming a Cougar Chevis played football at Houston’s Sharpstown High School, where he terrorized opposing quarterbacks every Friday night. It didn’t take long for some of the nation’s top college football teams to take notice, and they wasted no time

in picking up the phone.

He began to receive offers from LSU, Baylor, Arkansas and UH, among others, but instead decided to head to College Station for a chance to play on one of college football’s biggest stages.

Following his redshirt freshman season with the Aggies, Chevis decided that he would like the opportunity to play in his hometown after seeing his former high school coach take a football operations position with UH Athletics.

A promise to his grandmother, however, kept him at bay.

“I told my grandmother I wouldn’t leave Texas A&M without graduating, so of course I got my degree,” Chevis said.

“The opportunity was there, so I prayed on it, and God said come home, so that’s what happened.

I have been wanting to come home, and I’ve seen how UH was putting on for the city, and I wanted a piece of that cake.”

According to NCAA transfer rules, a player may change schools without missing any game time if they have completed their degree and have eligibility remaining. Because of his 2013 redshirt year, Chevis is eligible for his fourth and final season in Houston.

Playing with the best After taking the field in scarlet for the first time against Arizona on Sept. 9, Chevis has claimed a

Chevis said. “Some call me Moses out the Bible. Sampson, Jesus — I get it all. I had to change a lot about myself in order to fit in and to be able to be a part of the brotherhood.

I had to empty everything I was used to. Kind of come into myself and see how can I benefit from the team and how can the team benefit from me.”

New beginnings

Chevis will finish his last year of eligibility with UH. | Thomas Dwyer/The Cougar

unique feat as the only player in the nation to play on the same defensive line as former A&M star Myles Garrett and current Cougar sensation Ed Oliver.

Garrett and Oliver are widely regarded as two of the top defenders in recent college football history, and Chevis recognizes the value of playing alongside the pair.

“It’s surreal because a lot of people don’t get to do that,” Chevis said. “(Playing with) two of the top players in college football back-to-back… that just doesn’t happen often. You want to just keep going because

you know what they’re going to bring to the table, and of course nobody wants to be the weakest link. So you’re going to put forth your best effort every time.”

Chevis said Oliver was one of the first players to accept him upon his arrival at UH, and their relationship has grown tighter over the last few months.

Although he is now being embraced by all on the Cougars’ roster, his teammates are quick to throw friendly jabs at the bearded 23-year-old for his wise appearance and comparatively old age.

“They call me old man,”

The fence he squeezed through as a kid is no longer standing.

Robertson Stadium was demolished in 2012 in order for TDECU Stadium to open in 2014.

The new stadium offers a far greater challenge for those looking to sneak a free glimpse of the Cougars. Fortunately, Chevis didn't have to return to his old, frowned-upon ways of entering the stadium when he walked through shiny doors to suit up for his first game in his hometown against Rice last Saturday.

For Chevis, it’s a surreal experience.

“To see how time has changed for me to go from a kid sneaking into a game to playing, and my family coming to see me, it’s crazy," he said. "It’s something that I always wanted to do. It’s something that I always had in mind before (transferring), and to see it coming into play is amazing. sports@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, September 20, 2017 | 9

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OPINION

opinion@thedailycougar.com

Dana C. Jones, EDITOR

WELLNESS

Black mental health does not have a seat at the table

S

eptember is Suicide Awareness counselors, whether their situation professor Rheeda Walker, “so they mental health.

Month, and conversations is new or chronic, in a safe and refuse to seek treatment.”

People fear reaching out for assisregarding mental health have familiar environment.

The history of this mistrust has tance or extending a hand to help naturally spiked. Mental health is There still exists sections of the historical context. Since the 1930s, because of the possible repercusan aspect of every college student’s population that do life that is often not feel comfortable ignored, but discussing these as of late, it’s issues. The anombecome the aly resides in the hottest topic in black community. academic and Black folks are not social circles; allowed at the table. still, some comThe black ALANA N. munities are community very MILLER failing to bring a rarely — better yet STAFF WRITER seat to the table. — boldly refuses According to to discuss mental Emory University, 1,000 students die health. It’s embarby suicide on campuses throughout rassing to break the United States on average every bread with those The black community often shuts down conversation about mental health, but Counseling and Psychological Service is availble for students. You can call at 713-743-5454. | Dana C. Jones/The Cougar year. While this number may be people because the alarming, the causes fueling this stamoment one of us tistic, such as depression, stress and pulls a chair up to that table, we are black people have continuously sions: institutionalization. loneliness, are commonplace. ostracized; our blackness is now up been institutionalized at a higher “People are afraid of being Resources at the University of for inspection and speculation. rate than white-Americans. This phe- taken away and not coming back,” Houston, like Counseling and Psy“People with a keen sense of black nomenon is partially due to a lack Walker said. chological Services, allow students consciousness mistrust (mental of knowledge and resources in black The black family, faith and most News September_PRINT.pdf 1 9/18/17 PM to discuss10-10943_Cougar their experiences with health) institutions ,” said 1:38 psychology communities to identify the signs of importantly, strength, are the pillars

of our community.

“Someone with a psychological problem would be perceived as weak, and that has carried over to today,” said Walker.

Strength is considered one of the admirable qualities of blacks, but this attribute is misplaced. Being strong does not equate to an immunity to emotions, but it has sadly translated to that today.

“Strength as a façade is problematic because it shows others that no problem exists,” said Walker.

With 87 percent of African-Americans identifying as religious, it can hinder black people from reporting their struggles. Some are taught to attribute battles of mental health with religion. These obstacles are meant to test their relationship with God, and one can successfully overcome their situation through faith.

Walker says, “these stories need to be told, but with a brown or black face attached to them.” opinion@thedailycougar.com

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10 | Wednesday, September 20, 2017

PUZZLES

OPINION 713-743-5304

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Dana C. Jones, EDITOR

SATIRE

Common sense: Juveniles should be tried as adults

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hildren grow up fast, and the days of adorable drooling and diapers give way to loud screeching and the dreaded word: "why." Most parents get the pleasure of at least CARI 13 or 14 NETEMEYER years with STAFF WRITER their child before they claim to be an adult and no longer want anything to do with their parents.

Wisconsin, however, cut that down when a 13-year-old was transferred to adult court. I wonder what the adult judge will have to say when he hears that the child's idea to stab a classmate came from her imaginary friend, Slender Man. The courts in Wisconsin were not swayed by the illogical argument that the offenders were 11 years old when they tried to kill a classmate to appease the fictional BFF. On Aug. 21, the defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted murder, now sure to enjoy early adulthood for many years in a Wisconsin state prison.

In Texas, children stop being babies not when they hit puberty, drive, vote, enlist in the military or drink, but when they commit a violent crime. At the state's discretion, those who act like adults get the opportunity to be treated as adults.

Sentences can include making license plates for the rest of their lives.

Several cases over the past year pitted children against the state in a power struggle

EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF

Emily Burleson

for freedom.

Juvenile status ends at 16 years old in Texas. At 16, one can operate a motor vehicle, and that is about it. The state, however, says: They will never change, evolve or grow beyond where they are, so let's lock 'em up.

It makes complete sense that 16 is the set age for determining an offender an adult. The ability to navigate the high school sophomore locker rooms definitely qualifies you to navigate a Texas State Penitentiary shower room.

Sometimes, if you are extra special and have shown extreme maturity like 15-yearold Miguel Navarro, you can advance to this stage early. He might have had to have his older brother drive him to a party because he doesn’t have a license, but he doesn’t need his big brother in prison for the next 99 years.

Navarro stabbed three people who hurled drunken, racist slurs at him. A snowflake might walk away or find his big brother, but Navarro is an adult after all, and he fought words with a knife.

These are just two recent cases. This unique adulthood certification, however, happens all over the country. In 44 states, the age of adulthood is 17. So you can go to prison for life, but you still can’t join the military without your mommy’s written permission. Right; definitely understand the logic.

Ages 11 and 15 are too old for a determination of adulthood.

Why not call all these cry babies adults the minute they are able to wear big boy pants? opinion@thedailycougar.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Jasmine Davis

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Sonny Singh WEB EDITOR

Marialuisa Rincon NEWS EDITORS

C. McRae Peavy & Kaylee Dusang CHIEF COPY EDITOR

Traynor Swanson

COOGLIFE EDITOR

Julie Aracia

PHOTO EDITOR

Thomas Dwyer OPINION EDITOR

Dana C. Jones ASSISTANT EDITORS

Reagan Earnst, Peter Scamardo, Karin KellerCuevas, Erin Davis, Mia Valdez Jennifer Gonzalez,

SPORTS EDITOR

Frank Campos

STAFF EDITORIAL The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Cougar Editorial Board. All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the writer. Opinions expressed in The Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or its 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 writer’s full name, phone number or email address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major.

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It is illogical and ridiculous to try 16-year-olds as adults. | Sonny Singh/The Cougar

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Wednesday, September 20, 2017 | 11

713-743-5304

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OPINION

opinion@thedailycougar.com

Dana C. Jones, EDITOR

WORLD

Despite Nobel Prize, prime minister lacks peace

M

yanmar: A country many of us can hardly claim to remember, much less pinpoint on the map. The persecution of the Rohingya Muslims has transformed this forgotten site into the host of one of the worst humanitarian crises of the past ANUSHEH decade.

SIDDIQUE Nobel STAFF WRITER laureate and Burmese Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi has been neglecting the ethnic cleansing occurring within her nation.

Kyi has fed the controversy by barely addressing this ongoing “textbook example of genocide,” according to the United Nations.

It has led to 370,000 of the 1.1 million Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh for refuge. Horror after horror is inflicted upon this small minority, yet the Rohingya's cries for clemency and aid seem to be falling upon the deaf ears of their own representative.

How did a country with such little notoriety come to infamy in what feels like a matter of weeks?

Myanmar, formerly Burma, attained independence in 1948. The country fell to a military coup in 1962 and “The Burmese Road to Socialism” was implemented and quickly failed.

The proverbial conflict between anarchy and social order had been set in motion in this small country and the militant leader of the nation deferred to a timeless tradition: scapegoating.

The Rohingya were ideal victims with their different skin color, faith and dialect. They became increasingly alienated in their own country, forming a parallel with the treatment of Jews in Germany only 40 years earlier. They were stripped of their citizenship, established as illegal immigrants and encouraged to return to Bangladesh.

This narrative has grown entrenched within Myanmar's society, and the majority of Theravada Buddhists have demonized the Rohingya, most notably stating that this minority will be reincarnated as snakes and pests.

This notion of Rohingya threatening the Theravada way of life has led an overwhelming majority to call for their elimination. They poured into Bangladesh en mass, but those unable to escape are left in concentration camps, denied education and marriage, and child-rearing without a license.

Myanmar is systematically

cleansing its history books, lands and consciousness of the Rohingya, a people whose only crime is existence.

Obviously, this strife has been ongoing for half a century at this point, so why is it suddenly such a pressing topic to the Western world?

Extremists from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and a number of surrounding countries have been entering Myanmar and attempting to radicalize the Rohingya, a people with very little left.

This resulted in an attack on Aug. 25 by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army. This attack justified the paranoia the Burmese have entrenched within their culture: that the Rohingya are a universal menace to the Theravada Buddhist way of life.

Kyi worked heavily with the human rights movement in Myanmar under a tyrannical government, receiving a Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her time as a freedom fighter.

She won’t even address the Rohingya, instead referring to them as the Muslims in her nation. She does so to maintain support of the military, which still retains a quarter of seats in parliament, according to the New York Times.

She has begun a commission headed by U.N. diplomat to investigate the situation, but they’ve received limited access to the country.

Kyi skipped her U.N. meeting on the crisis this month.

The outcry of this persecuted minority is being heard worldwide, it seems. Yet there is little outlet for support as they quickly climb the United Nations’ most persecuted peoples list.

Those who wish to extend resources and basic human decency to the few aid-offering organizations have been blocked by the Burmese.

On Sept. 4, the U.N. said it was hindered from offering medicine, food and water to thousands of refugees.

With each passing day, the concept of Rohingya identity and preservation becomes more an idealistic dream dying in a cruel reality.

Criticisms of the involved parties are not enough.

The Rohingya need more than words. They need solidarity, human dignity, identity and validation that proves they will not be eradicated.

This crisis should not be known for its infamy, but for a global failure to step up and secure basic human rights.

Regardless of race, religion and nationality, those who remain silent to the cries of others will fall on the wrong side of history. opinion@thedailycougar.com

Cartoon by Tamor Kahn/The Cougar

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12 | Wednesday, September 20, 2017

OPINION 713-743-5304

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Dana C. Jones, EDITOR

NATION

Gun obsession is a national issue, not just a male one

T

he pandemic of guns is the problem of a nation rather than a particular sex.

There have been endless discussions on the internet about the obsession with guns. This issue brings in people both domestically and across the pond. Most of the points hit on men being gun-crazed rather than the DANA C. JONES entire United OPINION EDITOR States.

Men may be the ones represented as using guns the most, but that is on a micro level. When we talk about mass shootings, gun ownership per capita and lack of legislation following mass shootings, this is more a country problem than one of gender.

The Second Amendment, which gives citizens the right to bare

arms, is entertained every few months because of how much murder occurs in the U.S. In 2017 alone, there have been 11,000 homicides related to guns. Every few years there is at least one domestic mass killing that garners national attention and much more that go unnoticed.

Think the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting, 2012 Sandy Hook and Aurora, or the 2016 Orlando night club shooting.

In 2016 there were 477 mass killings in the U.S. In this case, a mass shooting is defined as an incident having four or more injuries or deaths. That is more than four people getting murdered or hurt by guns, every-single-day.

Currently for 2017 there have been 319 mass killings as of Sept. 18, 2017.

When America stacks up against the rest of the world we rank at the top on an international level.

On a list of 33 mass shootings, America ranked number 2 with the 49 deaths from the Orlando

The obssesion over guns runs deeper than just the sexes. | Dana C. Jones/ The Cougar

shooting and had 16 other listings averaging 17 deaths per incident.

The New York Times compared the the U.S. to other rich, making over $25,000 GDP per capita, western countries in gun deaths. America had about 27 per day and the second highest being Canada and Greece was at 5.

A Pew Research graph shows

that even though mass shootings continuously occur over the years, views on gun ownership steadily rise and gun control drop.

Currently, views on both sides have met in the middle with people for gun rights at 47 percent and people for gun control at 51 percent.

There are major dips on views in gun owner ownership when there

are mass attacks like Sandy Hook but they always shoot back up and continue to rise. This has to do with America’s ability to isolate incidents and find other causes.

The reasoning for the gun violence are deferred to mental health or domestic terrorism, instead of the common denominator in all of them, guns.

Norway for instance has a low gun homicide rate and have stricter, but not unreasonable gun laws. Norwegians need a hunting or sporting license which you get after undergoing "a nine-session, 30-hour course on guns, wildlife, and environmental protection, and a sports shooting license is issued upon completion of a firearms safety course of at least nine hours."

Gun control is not synonymous with annexing the second amendment. What it does mean, is protecting the people that live in this country. opinion@thedailycougar.com

TODAY 11 a.m.

THE COOL DOWN @ the Student Center Plaza

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