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Issue 09, Volume 83
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Struck twice
After his Houston home was flooded by Harvey, professor Richard Murray nearly lost another home and his family — this time to wildfires in the California wine country. | PG. 4
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ADMINISTRATION
Q&A: Khator celebrates 10 years, triumphs at UH JASMINE DAVIS
MANAGING EDITOR @JPAIGEDAVIS
When Chancellor and President Renu Khator was first offered her position by the University of Houston, she turned them down. It wasn't until after multiple phone calls, visits and some internet sleuthing of her own that she accepted the job. This week, Khator celebrates her 10 year anniversary as UH president, and a decade that has brought cultural, athletic and academic transformation to the University. At her annual fall address at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Moores Opera House, Khator is expected to reflect on the last decade. The Cougar sat down with Khator to discuss the challenges that led her to UH, the triumphs she's seen during her tenure here, her student-centric plan for advancement and what makes UH so quintessentially "Houston." The Cougar: When did you first hear about UH? What drew you to the University of Houston? Renu Khator: It is to this week that I interviewed with the (Board of Regents) and the Board offered me the job. I had heard of the University of Houston in my own discipline, which is political science. I knew the professors who were here; it’s considered to be one of the top political science departments. That was about it for me about the University of Houston. I would say it was probably sometime in February or March of 2007 when I was contacted about this position, and my first response was "No." I said, "I don’t know about the University of Houston. I’m very happy here." I was there for 22 years at the University of South Florida. Then eventually, I got a second call, then a couple of people from here who I had met in my previous life called me. So I said, "OK. I promise you I will start looking more," and I went on Google and started searching about the University of Houston. I looked at the faculty’s names, I looked at their resumes online, I looked at the national statistics, and then I got intrigued by Houston. I started to learn more and more about Houston — Houston’s economy, Houston’s population, the demographics, the leadership — and I just thought it was a wonderful opportunity. Two things became absolutely clear: One is the University of Houston
i
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UH Chancellor and President Renu Khator is known for many things, including a history of triumphs for women's rights and a staunch belief in the power of dreaming big. In an interview with The Cougar, Khator revealed a passion she isn't so known for — her poetry. | Jennifer Gonzalez/The Cougar was a place where its substance was ahead of its reputation. It had great quality, but it just wasn’t nationally known for it. And second, it became very clear that if you want to really do something, to build a university, Houston has to be it — all the economy, the energy industry, the Texas Medical Center, the port, NASA, so many great institutions. So, I thought it would be a great challenge to go and build a team and fight for the national competitiveness for the University of Houston. That’s whadrew me here.
TC: What has been the most rewarding part of your 10 years here? Khator: I think the ability to move the needle. We did a very thorough assessment during my first year. I brought a data analyst with me on a one-year loan from the University of South Florida because I wanted completely impartial, objective information and statistics, and from there we knew what are the pieces that we have to work on and what are the rocks that we have to lift, and we made the strategic plan. I think it has been absolutely rewarding in 10 years to see that the University’s known as a transformed
university locally, but also nationally. I find a lot of gratification when I hear from alumni that "We stand tall — our shoulders tall, head high — and say that I’m a graduate of the University of Houston." I think giving that piece of pride, giving that network that comes from pride, I think it’s a significant value. But it’s not from me, obviously. No one person does this. No one effort, no one group, can ever achieve transformation. It’s really been a great team effort here, and it’s gratifying to see how the city and alumni and the students, the staff, faculty, everybody has worked together for a common goal.
TC: What has been the most challenging part? Khator: The most challenging part, I would say, has been to change the culture where I felt that we had settled with average or mediocrity — that it is good enough — and for me, average is never good enough. I think our whole mission is students, because that is why we’re a university. We are not a research institute. We are not a fundraising organization. We are not a charity. We are an institution of learning.
Our whole mission is students and trying to change the culture that supports the students — that helps them be successful — has been the primary focus I think and has been the most difficult cultural piece to change.
TC: In the past year alone, actions like fighting off UTHouston and challenging the South Texas College of Law in a trademark dispute show you want UH to be synonymous with “Houston.” Why is that important? Khator: The University of Houston has the name ‘Houston’ in it. We are, as I call, the 800-pound gorilla in Houston. Our graduates work here in Houston. Most of the time, they come from here in Houston. As goes the University of Houston, so goes Houston. I think it’s important for us to take ownership and serve the city so that the city can maximize its potential. We need to do whatever we can for the city. I think in serving the world, the first thing is you serve your city.
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RESEARCH
Psychology study finds link between social media, alcohol SARA MIRZA
STAFF WRITER @SARAMIRZA95
While social media play a big part in the life of college student, new research shows it is probably not a good idea to post videos of yourself taking shots. University of Houston psychologist Mai-Ly Steers is taking a more in depth study on student’s drinking levels with a $251,010 grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Grant funding for the project is expected to continue for five years. “The research has found that heavy-drinking students typically overestimate how much others drink relative to what they drink,” said Steers, a lecturer and postdoctoral fellow. “That is, they think they drink at or a little below the norm.” Steers began researching social media during her time as a graduate student at UH. She was influenced by Clayton Neighbors, director of the social psychology program, who researched alcohol and drinking norms. Steers will work with Neighbors and researchers at University of Wisconsin-Madison and Palo Alto University in this research. Steers’ goal for this research is twofold: measure how often students post about alcohol on social media and understand what the average college student thinks about when they see these posts.
Normalized habits Steers will then get feedback on students’ drinking, what students think is the average amount of consumption and the norms related to how often people post alcohol-related content to social media. Although there’s a clear link between the two, the reason for this is unclear. The normalizing influence social media creates among college-aged students could be a factor, Steers said. “I think social media has a major effect on alcohol consumption,” said exploratory studies freshman Daniella Acosta. “As college students on social media, we tend to see a lot of drinking and partying on Instagram, Snapchat, et cetera, so I think this influences us a lot more to drink.” Creative writing junior Gabriela Torres disagrees that there is a correlation between
Mai-Ly Steers, a lecturer and postdoctoral fellow at UH, said that research has found that heavy-drinking students typically overestimate how much others drink relative to their own drinking frequency. | Thomas Dwyer/The Cougar
social media and student’s drinking frequency. “I personally am an underage drinker, but my drinking has nothing to do with what I see on the Internet, not inherently,” Torres said. “It’s just a fact that my peers drink and post about it. They just happen to occur at the same time. It’s like if there is drinking, there are posts of them drinking.” Steers, however, said she believes the positive feedback from alcohol-related posts may encourage the drinking and partying because it leads students to believe it’s the norm. “There is a large body of literature which supports that the more a student posts about alcohol-related posts, the more likely they are to drink more and the more likely they are to experience alcohol-related problems," Steers said.
lot of underage kids drinking. It makes people feel that if they're doing it, then it's probably OK for me to do it.”
Overarching issues There are also larger concerns that can result from social media’s alcohol consumption
influence, such as unwanted sexual advances, Acosta said. “I’ve heard of stories of girls getting taken advantage of during college events while consuming alcohol,” Acosta said. “I think that is a major problem on college campuses, and I think drinking is a major part of it sometimes.” Social media can have significant effects on alcohol consumption, especially when famous individuals show off lifestyles that reflect an image that college students want to imitate, said junior marketing and advertising double major Andrea Herran. “The hype people build relating to alcohol makes it that much more desirable to be like the rest and go out drinking as well,” Herran said. “I think people with no social media probably drink less because they don’t have that influence.” news@thedailycougar.com
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Peer pressure? Social media can exacerbate this because it can create this a bubble among students that post about alcohol, so they think everyone else drinks and posts about it, Steers said. Biochemistry senior Akash Ramesh also believes there is a relationship between social media and college-aged drinking. “I think there is some sort of correlation, because by psychology, there's always the feeling of peer pressure,” Ramesh said. “Although in the case of social media it's not direct, it is a passive way of promoting it since there are a
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ALUMNI
Graduate, 'Big Bang Theory' star named highest-paid actor JORDYN KAZMOUZ
STAFF WRITER
@JORDYN_FERRAH
From walking Butler Plaza to starring in "The Big Bang Theory," Jim Parsons, the highest-paid actor in television, has come a long way. Parsons, a UH alumnus and native Houstonian, has been named the highest-paid TV actor in 2017 by Forbes magazine for the third consecutive year. The actor, who plays genius physicist Sheldon Cooper on the CBS sitcom, earned an estimated $27.5 million this year after earning $25 million in 2016 and $29 million in 2015. Parsons graduated from the UH’s School of Theatre and Dance in 1996. He credited the University and the city of Houston for his start in acting in an interview with the UH Alumni Association. "I was very big into school. The University of Houston was huge for me," Parsons said in an interview with the UH Alumni Association. "While I was at U of H, we had such good facilities. No learning like the doing, and I got a chance to do." Though never working with Parsons directly, Director of the UH School of Theatre and Dance Robert Shimko spoke about how the department feels having such a notable alum attain such success. "I can say that we in the UH School of Theatre and Dance are of course very proud of his accomplishments — not only in television but also in
theatre and film,” Shimko said. Originally from Spring, Parsons got his start in acting at Klein Oak High School, crediting his role in "Noises Off " as an eye-opening experience in terms of learning to be truly honest on stage. In an interview with Visit Houston, Parsons said receiving his education in Houston influenced him. “Not only did I grow up (in Houston), but very specifically the career I'm participating in, acting — that's where I got the majority of my education,” Parsons said. “I was at the University of Houston acting, and I worked with Bridegroom, which was a theatre troupe. I find that there's no city that I've lived in that the overlap (among art genres) is so common.” Though a successful actor, Parsons did not begin his collegiate career as a theater major. During his early years at UH, Parsons majored in radio and television. In his interview with the UH alumni association, Parsons credits the switch to his first elective, Acting I, and rooming with a theater major. “The best thing that could have happened to me was I roomed with Greg Stanley, who was my best friend in high school and still is," Parsons said to the UH Alumni Association. "What was so great was living with Greg … I watched him rehearse, I watched him warm up, I watched him go to auditions, come back from auditions, talk about what
Jim Parsons, UH alum and star of "The Big Bang Theory," credits Houston for shaping his experiences. "It's a one of a kind interactive experience," he said. "You can get lost in amazing worlds." | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
he was doing, and it was the last wake-up call I needed.” In the interview with Visit Houston, Parsons said that since leaving Houston, he missed many things about the city, including the food, the cultural diversity, the art community and the museum district. “This is one of the most diverse
museum districts in the country. It's a one of a kind interactive experience," Parsons said. "You can get lost in amazing worlds, and each museum is a totally different experience in itself.” Parsons said Houston is responsible for shaping him as a person and an actor. “I consider myself so lucky to
have grown up in Houston; it was so beneficial to me as a person in general, but very specifically as an actor," he said. "And that had a lot to do with the amount of arts that I was surrounded by that informed me and inspired me.” news@thedailycougar.com
HARVEY
Professor's homes in Houston, Napa threatened by natural disasters VALERIA DOMINGUEZ
STAFF WRITER
@VALDOMINGUEZ_
Political science professor Richard Murray shuffled through Scantrons and refreshed his browser for updates on the California wildfires in Napa Valley on Oct. 8. For the second time in two months, Murray, his family and his property were threatened by a natural disaster. A record-setting amount of rain flooded his Houston home during Hurricane Harvey in August. Last week, 2,000 miles away from the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast, a wildfire engulfed the area near his second home in Napa Valley, California. “You figure 25,000 people had to be evacuated in a country of 300 million, so you think your odds are pretty good that your family is not going to be that one, and it turns out we get flooded here and then a terrible fire in the other end,” Murray said.
After spending the summer in the California wine country, Murray returned to Texas to start UH’s fall semester. His wife, Debbie Murray, stayed in Napa with her mother. Their return flight to Houston was booked at the same time as Harvey's predicted arrival. Richard Murray thought it was too risky, so he told them not to board.
Harvey hits On the Sunday morning after Harvey made landfall, Murray found himself wading through 6 inches of water in his living room. He took his dog Marco, a few belongings and went to a neighbor’s house. “I had to walk through water, which was up to my chest, and the dog had to swim," he said. "It turns out he swims.” Eleven hours after Murray left his
house, he was rescued by a boat with KTRK ABC-13 News onboard and dropped off at a nearby Randall's. Soon after, he made it to the safety of his son’s home. Residing in the Braeswood Place neighborhood, Murray is no stranger to flooding and rebuilding, as his home took in water during 2001's Tropical Storm Allison. Luckily, he was in Napa when that storm hit. Harvey was different — he experienced it firsthand. “I told my wife and her mother, 'You can’t come back because the house is uninhabitable,'" he said. He figured they were safe in Napa, far from the effects of Texas' natural disaster.
Evacuating the refuge Murray began to visit wineries in the Napa area in 1978. He enjoyed his time there, so he purchased a house in the early 1990s. He has called Napa
"I think the connection I see is global warming," said professor Richard Murray, who lost one house to Harvey and another to wildfires. | Courtesy of Debbie Murray
his second home for 24 years. Harvey forced him from his Houston home, and 42 days later, his wife and mother-in law had to evacuate their Napa home. "About 1 a.m. on Monday morning, our neighbors came to make sure we knew it was a mandatory evacuation," Debbie Murray said. "My mother has muscular dystrophy and is on a tube feeder, so I grabbed what I thought we needed, and we all
caravan-ed out." Their Napa home was spared from flames by an astonishing 300 yards. “We were largely saved because there was a fierce wind blowing the fire away from us,” Richard Murray said. “Otherwise, I think my wife and mother-in-law would have been killed from the severity of the fire.”
NATURAL DISASTERS
Continues on page 5
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NATURAL DISASTERS
Continued from page 4
Since the fire started on Oct. 8, 220,000 acres caught flames, according to the Los Angeles Times. The fire has affected an estimated 5,700 structures and caused up to 40 deaths. The once peaceful subdivision of Circle Oaks in rural Napa County — where the couple finds refuge each summer — is now filled with emergency sirens from fire engines racing throughout the neighborhood. Helicopters rumble overhead. According to local emergency updates, the blaze is now 77 percent contained. But Debbie Murray said that she and many other residents continue to use respiratory masks to ensure breathable air. "This is the longest period of time Dick and I have been apart," she said. "It's just so strange. I miss them. I want to get back home — at least one home."
Lessons learned
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Murray teaches an introduction to political science course with 216 students at UH. He says the delay at the beginning of the semester changed his teaching agenda. Now, the class’s writing assignments focus on recounting experiences during Harvey and the lessons learned. “In my own case, these two different, pretty cataclysmic events 2,000 miles apart, I think the connection I see is global warming," he said. "Maybe that’s how you set all-time records." As the temperature of the Gulf of Mexico has significantly increased, storms traveling across the water suck up more water and dump it, he said. After five years of dry California summers followed by a wet winter, the weather led to a growth in vegetation, which led to a severe fire, Richard Murray said. "When hurricanes happen, climate change is contributing to intensify them, and we saw that with Harvey," said Rachel Cleetus, climate policy manager at the Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit advocacy group. "The human cause in California is that we've got drier conditions and increased development." Richard Murray said he thinks human activity caused both the hurricane and wildfires. Debbie Murray and her mother are still staying with friends in Yountville, California. She said that every day, the date when they can return to Houston is pushed back further. "I know it was life changing," she said, referring to the disasters. "I think it brings families closer together. In some way, things will be different."
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ORGANIZATION
Adaptive Athletics more than just sports to staff, students FRANK CAMPOS
SPORTS EDITOR @FRANKCAMPOSJ
Carlos Salinas cannot climb out of bed and run out the door anymore. Before his accident, Salinas used to pride himself in taking just 10 minutes to get dressed and ready every morning. Salinas, a supply chain and logistics technology senior, now takes more than an hour to prepare for his day due to the loss of mobility in his legs. Most days are hard for him to face. His disability means many often act with prejudice or think of Salinas as just a wheelchair, and that is hard to deal with, he said. But now, years after his accident, he has finally found something that makes his life more satisfying. Salinas participates in Adaptive Athletics, a student organization that not only connected him with people in chairs like himself, but also showed him a world of possibilities he did not know existed for someone in with a disability like himself. The program aims to connect students with disabilities to sports programs and social interactions to help them participate in society. “The two best indicators to determine if someone is going to find vocational employment are sports participation and education,” said founder and director of Adaptive Athletics Michael Cottingham, who is disabled from the waist down. “Our goal is really to merge those two things, so we actively support students on campus with participating in disability sport, but we also focus on helping people in the metro Houston area matriculate through the educational process.” With a team, Cottingham built a program that brings together students with spinal injuries to play sports like wheelchair rugby and tennis. Although it is a sports program, the goal for Cottingham is to support young men like Salinas.
Getting a grip Salinas had just graduated high school when he got in his car to drop off some friends 11 years ago. Instead of driving as he usually did, he let a friend take the wheel on a rainy day in Spring, a Houston suburb. Everything was going fine until his friend ran a red light and skidded away from traffic into a tree, which hit Salinas full force. “I don’t remember the pain. I don’t,” Salinas said. “The only thing I remember is waking up and
seeing my family. I was in and out of sleep all day, and when I finally got a grip, I asked the doctor to untie my legs and let me leave." When the doctors told Salinas that he was paralyzed, it was hard for him to accept that he would be in a wheelchair the rest of his life, he said. “I told them to euthanize me,” Salinas said. “I didn’t want to live my life like that. My future was over, and I didn’t want to live in this world.” Salinas said programs like Adaptive Athletics have helped him feel hope for the future and his ability to contribute in society. “The people in this world that you surround yourself with give you strength to move forward — believe it or not,” Salinas said. “These people have done nothing but help me get through this.”
Success through tennis Adaptive Athletics co-founder Serjio Brereda got together with some friends and asked Cottingham to help create the organization, citing a lack of programs available at UH at the time. Cottingham started the program with the students almost five years ago. "Me and a couple of other students just saw that there was a need to have some sort of camaraderie among (students with disabilities),” Brereda said. “We thought sports was the best way to do that, so we created the Adaptive Athletics student organization.” The program aims to create a support network for students with disabilities trough sports, which can lead to a better life and gainful employment for the athletes, Cotttingham said. “Nationwide employment for people from 22 to 62 — what we consider prime working age — people without disabilities is roughly 93.5 percent employment,” Cottingham said. “There is only an 18 percent employment rate for wheelchair users. Less than one-in-five.” It jumps up to 60 percent for those who participate in a disability sport, Cottingham said. The wheelchair tennis team practices on campus, while the rugby teams joins with the city’s program. Salinas said the public exposure of the team on campus helps him feel like he belongs in society. “Not too many people know what it is to be stuck in a chair for the rest of your life,” Salinas
Athletes shake hands before their tennis match at the Memorial Park Tennis Center on Oct. 6. Tournaments get athletes to depend on each other, compete and be more social, Michael Cottingham said. | Courtesy of Adaptive Athletics
"It closes the gap between people with disabilities and those who haven’t stepped foot in their world.” Carlos Salinas, Supply chain and logistics technology senior said. “For people to actually get to feel and know the person as an individual rather than by just the chair, it closes the gap between people with disabilities and those who haven’t stepped foot in their world.” Adaptive Athletics is not part of the Athletics Department; rather, it's a student-run organization that also participates in sports. The program hopes to gain resources to become bigger and better by hosting tournaments like rugby and tennis. The disabilities program also provides scholarships for student-athletes and wants to grow but currently lacks adequate funds. “We’re hoping in the next couple of years to get a center at the University," Brerada said. "That’s a big deal for a student organization, because that would mean more funding. And that’s the problem we face right now, is that we’re running on a small, small budget."
Working toward a goal Both sports aren’t meant to make the athlete feel relaxed. They are tough and competitive, requiring a fierce will to win and the ability to take a hit or two. Adaptive tennis is played on a regulation court with no modification to the rackets or balls. The
only difference is that players get two bounces of the ball before it has to be hit, instead of one, according to the website. Wheelchair rugby is a team contact sport with players who have a combination of impaired upper and lower extremities. Most players suffer from a cervical spinal cord injury and have some sort of quadriplegia, Cottingham said. Salinas said the only requirement to join is a desire to participate in Adaptive Athletics. The students teach one another about the sport and learn as they go; there is no expectation for the athletes to be superstars. The tennis team sent a delegation to the collegiate national championships last year, finishing third behind Alabama and Arizona.
Out of his shell For Salinas, Adaptive Athletics is also a way to feel normal again in the face of constant judgement from the outside world. “It brought me out of my shell,” Salinas said. "When you are in a chair, you don’t really want to mingle just because they may see you differently. When you are there, you feel like you can interact with everyone. It brings out the best in you. Their people bring out
the best in me. Mentally, it's moved me in the right direction.” He used to play all kinds of sports before his accident. From basketball to baseball and tennis, Salinas considered himself an athlete before the accident. Now he plays the only sport he never tried before his accident, and he loves it even more. Salinas isn't the only wheelchair athlete benefiting from the program. Health and human performance student Juan Perez also enjoys the Adaptive Athletics experience after going to the program for a year. “I’ve learned about unity between the players, friendships and about how to exercise my muscles,” Perez said. “It’s my therapy session — my free zone.” The program hosted a tennis tournament at the Memorial Park Tennis Center on Oct. 6-8 and has plans for another in the beginning of November, Cottingham said. The biggest focus for the former wheelchair tennis and basketball star is showing students that they can be and do whatever they want. “Research shows us for us to be successful, it helps to see someone that looks like us in a successful position or someone we want to be like,” Cottingham said “Seeing Perry White, who was a lawyer in Birmingham and in a wheelchair, I said, 'Wow, I can do whatever I want.’ If you see someone that looks like you succeed, it opens up a lot of doors psychologically." Christina Soukis contributed reporting. sports@thedailycougar.com
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FLASHBACK
When Postma-n delivered: A Memphis story PETER SCAMARDO
From the stands:
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @PLSCAMARDO2
The frenzy that surrounded Cougar football in November 2015 had not been seen in years. UH was 9-0 after wins against Vanderbilt and Cincinnati, bringing its rank to No. 16 in the AP Poll. Quarterback Greg Ward Jr. had the Cougars rolling, and people were starting to believe the Cougars could go undefeated. But on Nov. 14, 2015, they hosted the No. 25 Memphis Tigers, the defending American Athletic Conference champions. The 8-1 Tigers, led by future NFL draft pick Paxton Lynch, were still contenders for a repeat championship. The fans were not focusing on little-known backup sophomore quarterback Kyle Postma, now a senior and the Cougars' starting QB. Some may have remembered him from early in the season when he played wide receiver. But after an injury to Hunter McCoy, Postma returned to the backup quarterback role, where he and the rest of Cougar nation watched as Memphis jumped out to a 20-0 lead in the first half. The Cougars punted five times and lost two fumbles. It was a night when everything that could go wrong went wrong. Adding salt to the wound, Ward went down with a sprained ankle with a just over a minute left in the first half.
Providing a spark Trainers evaluated Ward and determined he was out for the game. Knowing his team's back was against the wall, Ward gave his replacement a piece of advice. "He was just telling me to just be me," Postma said following the game. "Do what I can and not be nervous. Go out there and make plays, and don’t stress about anything.”
What do you remember from the night that Houston made history?
Audrey Wang
Electrical engineering junior "Throughout the game the energy was amazing. I think the stadium had reached record capacity, and I remember being absolutely stunned the first time we were on defense because of the incredible volume from the crowd.
In November 2015, all hope seemed lost when quarterback Greg Ward went down with an injury against Memphis. But a performance from backup Kyle Postma helped cement the new starting QB's legacy. | File photo/The Cougar
“It's indescribly honestly. I still don't even know how to put this all into words. It's crazy just coming out and being able to play for my brothers.” Kyle Postma, senior quarterback Trotting out onto the field for his first drive in Ward's relief, Postma was about to perform at his best. He completed four of his first five passes while marching the offense 53 yards down the field with just over a minute to play, capping the plays off with a 30-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Linell Bonner. Fans in the stadium quickly started to take note of who No. 3 was. The Cougars carried that momentum into the second half, going 75 yards on their opening drive to cut the lead to six. But Memphis managed to score twice more after that, making the lead 34-14.
Momentum swing But in the fourth, the Cougars had a little bit of a luck go their way. The defense forced a fumble,
an interception and a punt in successive drives for the Tigers, and the Cougars responded with a touchdown each time. All the while, Postma showed off his knowledge of the offense, completing passes to wide receivers Bonner, Demarcus Ayers, Chance Allen and Steven Dunbar and handing the ball off to running backs Kenneth Farrow and Javin Webb. In total, Postma completed 21 passes for 236 yards for one touchdown and no interceptions. For Ayers, witnessing Postma's growth on this night was a truly special moment. "Postma was one of the guys that I came in with," Ayers said. "He and I joke all the time that he didn’t get to play a lot his freshman year, but he probably transferred all his tickets to me every game so that my family
could come and see me play... to see these guys grow and create history here has been a tremendously fun atmosphere for this program and this university." The junior QB was fearless throughout his effort, showing a willingness to put himself at risk to move the ball. Postma led the team in rushing that night, gaining 49 yards on six carries and scoring the go-ahead touchdown run from seven yards out to give the Cougars. They secured the lead with only 90 seconds left. One missed field goal later, the Cougars were 10-0 with two games left on their schedule. "It’s indescribable, honestly," Postma said following the game. "I still don’t even know how to put this all into words. It’s crazy just coming out and being able to play for my brothers. Just making plays out there on the field." Ultimately, Ward returned to the quarterback position once his ankle recovered. But after that night, the Cougar offense knew they had a talented quarterback, should the coaches ever need one. sports@thedailycougar.com
I remember the stadium being completely silent as the ball flew through the air toward the student-section goal post. Once we realized that the ball wasn’t going to make it everyone erupted. We were all screaming and hugging each other."
William Littlejohn-Oram Creative writing junior "The stadium was electric. I remember that was the moment at which I lost my voice. Everyone was loud, excited, but you could tell lots of fans were nervous as well. Memphis was having a great season, so were we, anything could happen that night."
Hoan Nguyen Accounting junior "When Postma went into the game I had no idea who he was, I thought the game was over when Ward went down. But he surprised the hell out of me how fast he ran and how elusive he was, and he made some really nice throws when we needed it. When Memphis lined up for the kick, my heart was sinking. Our team (didn’t) come back from more than 20 to lose the game by a field goal. When the kick went up and went wide right we went nuts in the student section. We almost went ahead and rushed the field. I did, but they caught me and told me to go back."
By the numbers: Comeback nothing short of a miracle
20
1:21
16
POINTS Marks the third largest comeback in Cougars' football history.
REMAINING IN THE SECOND Postma enters the game and begins his incredible run.
AP POLL RANKING PREGAME Highest ranking for Cougar football in four seasons.
285 42,186
TOTAL YARDS The amount of offense Postma accumulated in just over a quarter of action.
PAID ATTENDANCE Most highly attended ever at TDECU Stadium.
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SPORTS
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Frank Campos, EDITOR
SEASON
Women's soccer struggling to keep up in conference JORDEN SMITH
the season with strong showings at home against local rival Texas Southern, winning 3-0, and NorthWhile football has been king on ern Arizona, winning 4-1. campus since the fall semester The wins gave the Cougars a real began, the women's soccer team sense of confidence on the pitch by has been quietly going about their pushing up numbers and displaying season since early August. With a sense of coolness in all situations. three games left, the Cougars are But after a 2-0 loss to Cal State 5-8-1 overall and last place in the Northridge and the cancelation of American Athletic Conference three games due to the impact of with a record of 1-5-0. Hurricane Harvey, the momentum The team has three last games of the season changed. In the first to break its five-game losing streak game after Harvey, the Cougars lost and improve its record enough to 4-0 to Rice, a perennial rival. make the AAC playoffs. Junior goalkeeper Rachel EstoNewly-installed head coach pare was a bright spot amid the Diego Bocanegra hoped to make losses. After coming off of a strong a splash as he began his inaugural first season with the Cougars, it was season in charge of the Cougars. no surprise she made an impact After three years as an assistant at and became an integral part the Notre Dame, Bocanegra said he team. Through 14 games she has 74 was looking to shake off the comsaves in 1,011 minutes in goal. placency he saw in the team and Next, the Cougars went on the install a new spirit. road. Even though they lost the The Cougars wanted to start first game to New Mexico 3-2, they the season strong to swing the were able to recover and return to momentum in their favor after winning ways, beating New Mexico the coaching change during the State 3-1. 1 10/10/17 3:04 PM 10-11039_Cougar News October_PRINT.pdf summer break. The team began After that win, the Cougars ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR @THEJORDEN_SMITH
began conference play against a tough crowd of teams, starting strong with a 3-1 win over Tulsa. That’s when the good times ended for the Cougars. Since the win over Tulsa, the Cougars have gone on a five-game losing streak. First, they lost to Memphis 2-1 in double overtime. Then, the NCAAranked 10th ranked Central Florida (now ranked 5th) rolled into town and trampled the Cougars 4-0, which was followed up by South Florida beating the Cougars 4-0. This weekend, the Cougars dropped two games to Temple and reigning champion UConn, losing 2-0 and 3-2 respectively. Though the results may look bad, they don’t tell the full story. The Cougars, even in their losses, have looked strong and determined. The scorelines show utter losses, but the stats usually tell a different story — that of a young, hungry team fighting for wins. The team, even in losses, manages to get shots, averaging about 13 per game. And while their opponents have averaged 17 shots
Freshman Jazmin Grant fights for the ball against a UCF player at the Carl Lewis Complex on Oct. 5. The Cougars lost the match 0-4. | Thomas Dwyer/The Cougar
a game, that disparity is not large enough to fully convey the current situation of the Cougars. Opponents have only scored 5 more goals than the Cougars; the Cougars have scored 23, while they have conceded 28. And the Cougars convert more of their shots, scoring on 13 percent of the shots taken. So, even with the poor record, the Cougars still manage to stay in games and look strong. Senior midfielder Selena Peters leads the team in goals, with six on the season. Another senior
midfielder, Hannah Dauzat, continues to show her offensive prowess, scoring five goals and getting two assists. Sophomore forward Madison Soileau continues to be an integral part of the offense, setting up seven goals. And freshman forward Jazmin Grant has made a big impact in her first season as a Cougar, consistently creating scoring opportunities.
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Frank Campos, EDITOR
UH Board of Regents Chair Tilman Fertitta stands in locker room at the Toyota Center on Oct. 10. Fertitta, the new owner of the Houston Rockets, purchased the team for $2.2 billion. | Courtesy of Rockets Media
BASKETBALL
Rockets purchase 'a dream come true' for Fertitta FRANK CAMPOS
SPORTS EDITOR @FRANKCAMPOSJ
Billionaire and UH Board of Regents Chair Tilman Fertitta is finally living his dream of owning the Houston Rockets after his $2.2 billion purchase of the professional basketball franchise was approved by the NBA. Fertitta isn’t simply another billion-dollar buyer trying to profit off of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Galveston native has called Houston home for most of his life and made his fortune here. After missing his shot to buy the franchise in 1993, he is finally part of an exclusive 30-member club of NBA owners in the city that helped him gain his fortune. “I am truly honored to have been chosen as the next owner of the Houston Rockets,” Fertitta said in a news release. "This is a lifelong dream come true. (Previous Rockets owner) Leslie Alexander has been one of the best owners in all of sports, and I thank him immensely for this opportunity. He has the heart of a champion.”
Making history The record-breaking purchase was first announced Sept. 5 after a short search by Alexander, who owned the franchise for the last 24 years. Fertitta and Alexander first met
when they both bid for the Rockets in 1993. Even though Fertitta lost, they remained good friends, and the UH alumnus became the director of the organization. “Myself and John Morse made an attempt to buy the Houston Rockets, and we lost,” Tillman said. “That’s when I realized that there is never justice in the courthouse. We got out-lawyered, but I would never let that happen again.” Alexander paid $85 million for the franchise at the time. After the purchase, he brought a pair of NBA championships to Houston in his first two years as owner. Fertitta already helped the Rockets win two championships as director, but he said owning the team means much more to him because Houston is his hometown, and it is something he has wanted for a long time.
Love for Houston Although Fertitta’s love for the city may seem odd to some, his time in Southeast Texas shows a man who owes his fortune to the thriving Houston community and economy. Fertitta didn’t inherit a fortune, win the lottery or ask his father for a million-dollar loan. Instead, he started by working at his father’s restaurant in Galveston, learning to do everything from peeling shrimp to working the register.
“Nothing compares whatsoever. Anybody can go build a boardwalk, anybody can go build an aquarium, anybody can build tall buildings, but not everybody gets to own an NBA franchise.” Tilman Fertitta, UH Board of Regents chairman
"I learned how to check in fresh fish at the backdoor. I learned how to fry shrimp. I learned how to change oil," Fertitta said. "Back then, you used to have a real cashier, and everybody would walk up to the front and pay their check, so I loved to cashier sometimes and balance out the waiters when they would check out." At 13, he even asked his father to go home and let him oversee the business because he was so confident that he could already run the seafood restaurant, Fertitta said. Fertitta took the knowledge he learned working for his father and acquired a $6,000 loan at 23 to start the Key Largo Hotel in Galveston. From there, he opened his first Landry's Seafood House in 1980, and later opened Willie G's Seafood & Steaks in uptown Houston. After working with partners to open both restaurants, he became
the sole owner of Landry's before he eventually took it public, according to the franchise. Landry’s Inc. went public in 1993 with Fertitta as CEO and was valued at $30 million, according to the company. The company's worth grew to $1.7 billion 18 years later.
Landry's everywhere Fertitta turned Houston into his own empire. Houstonians who can afford to go to restaurants have probably at one time visited a Fertitta-owned business. From the downtown Aquarium to Rainforest Cafe and Saltgrass Steak House, Fertitta has made his mark on the city of Houston. He also contributes to the executive committee of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and the boards of the Houston Museum of Fine Arts and the Houston-area Boy Scouts of America council — among several others.
The self-made businessman has turned Southeast Texas into his own Monopoly game, and he is making everyone in the family angry because he is buying up all of the properties. As the chair of the UH Board of Regents since 2009, Fertitta makes key decisions that affect all corners of UH System. In addition, he cemented his legacy with UH by giving a $20 million gift for the Fertitta Center. The state-of-the-art facility will be the new home of the basketball team and yet another landmark for Fertitta. The entrepreneur studied business administration and hospitality management at Texas Tech University and UH but ultimately dropped out of both. Despite all of his accomplishments, the purchase of the Rockets is a dream come true for Fertitta. "I don't want to take away anything from the great things that I've been able to build for the Houston area ... but honestly nothing compares," he said. "Nothing compares whatsoever. Anybody can go build a boardwalk, anybody can go build an aquarium, anybody can build tall buildings, but not everybody gets to own an NBA franchise." sports@thedailycougar.com
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OPINION
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Dana C. Jones, EDITOR
CAMPUS
Vaguely threatening art aims to confuse students
T
he University is peppered with mysterious, vaguely inappropriate-looking statues. "The Statue of Four Lies," however, may be the most intentionally perplexing of them all. Meant to unsettle and engage viewers, it sits and watches MIA VALDEZ us all as we ASSISTANT walk through OPINION EDITOR campus, eager to get to our next lectures and meetings. "The Statue of Four Lies" stands in Lynn Eusan Park. It features two men, Michael Galbreth and Jack Massing, who are UH alumni and the creators of the statue. Galbreth and Massing are professionally known as the Art Guys. (They have a seriously interesting website.) The statue was unveiled in 2011 in a small, paradelike ceremony with cheerleaders and a petting zoo. A female student was named Ms. Four Lies. Walking by the freshman dorms in Cougar Village I for the first time, UH students seem to have a particularly strong reaction to a set of statues on the northeastern side of the lodge. The two gentlemen look oddly threatening into the vastness of the University. Their backs are otherwise protected by a curving wall, which leaves them symbolically invulnerable and prepared for an offensive measure. Galbreth and Massing are actually pleased with student responses to the statue. In an interview with Houston Public Media, Galbreth said: “They might put things on the heads of the statues or dress them or paint them. We not only expect that, we desire that. We want them to interact with us.” So what exactly are these Four Lies? So far, I know only two of the statue's falsehoods. It also guards a time-capsule, and the date on which it was sealed as well as the date of University's 100th anniversary are incorrect. According to an article written for the Daily Cougar in 2012, however, curator of the University Public Art Collection Michael Guidry said that there aren’t really four lies within the piece. The title is a lie in itself — meaning the whole piece is riddled with lies. Here is what Guidry said in 2017: "Four Lies is an intentional
misnomer," Guidry said. "The title was based on the"Statue of Three Lies" at Harvard. The Art Guys thought they could one-up Harvard and create Four Lies, making it better than Harvard. It’s a joke really. There aren’t four lies, there are many." The statue is one gigantic metalie. The history of our Four Lies statue comes from Harvard University’s statue of the founder of Harvard, John Harvard, also known as the statue of Three Lies. According to harvard.edu, the three lies are as follows: John Harvard was not, as the inscription claims, the founder of Harvard University. The statue is not actually even of John Harvard, but of a Harvard student chosen by artist Daniel Chester French in 1884. And the year of Harvard's founding on the inscription is two years off. But back to UH. The statues' hands are peculiarly outstretched, leaving their audience to wonder if they are asking, possibly even demanding something, or if they are a bit more congenial and offering to show something. One gentleman seems to have dropped a book, the other a wrench. In front of them lies a briefcase, a Latin inscription and a toothbrush. With so many seemingly pointless details, it is perhaps the peak of Dadaist art on the University's grounds. And maybe that is why the statue is so perplexing to young students who are entering into collegiate life and are largely confused about what that will entail. Statues — and all art — seems allegorical. Walking past that statue every day as an underclassman, you begin to wonder if the statue is saying something indecorous and allegorical about your education. Are they benevolent stewards of education, or are they unsettling omens with a message to bear? I think the artists wanted to confuse people and that they must have seen some value in perplexing our the students, faculty and staff who walk by it everyday. "The Statue of Four Lives" is an homage to education and intellect, yes, but more importantly, to character. It is a tribute to the fact that while there may be things that we do not know, there is honor in the restless pursuit of the truth. Assistant opinion editor Mia Valdez is a creative writing senior. She can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.
"The Statue of Four Lies" sits in Lynn Eusan Park, near Moody Dining Hall and Cougar Village 1. The story goes that the builders wanted to outdo Harvard's similar installation called The John Harvard Statue nicknamed "Statue of Three Lies." However, no one knows what kind of lies UH could be holding on to. | Jennifer Gonzalez/The Cougar
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ESSAY
Not all police officers are pigs G rowing up, my dad was that guy. I spent a ton of my time with him as a kid — he was funny, played with me like he was still six years old himself, and he taught me the value of challenging work. Whether he knows it or not, my drive comes from seeing Richie Miller ALANA N. challenge himMILLER self in his career STAFF WRITER and try to do his best not only for himself, but his family as well. His presence made me feel safe, and I always knew he loved me. But as I grew older and progressed through middle school, I began to really notice people’s fascination with my father’s career. Honestly, it was weird. For some, my dad’s career and background became a common topic of conversation. I could not wrap my mind around why the fact that he was a police officer scared some of my classmates, especially those of color. As a kid, I grew up on a street and neighborhood filled with officers, so naturally I was at ease with law enforcement. When Trayvon Martin was killed during my freshman year in high school, that was the first time I had heard the term police brutality. Up until that point, the word "police" evoked feelings of protection. I thought officers were the good guys, on the straight and narrow, but feelings of confusion about my father’s profession began to brew. That warmth was being threatened. I began to hear classmates express distrust and, sometimes, valid disdain toward those in blue. Even I became a little anxious about interacting with officers, especially those who weren’t my father or neighbor. My father’s path into law enforcement results from a combination of factors, but it all started freshman year of high school. His school offered a course in law enforcement, which he enrolled in, and it piqued his interest in an interesting and complex career. “My teacher saw my interest and encouraged me to consider the career,” he said. By now, we all know that a problem exists in our country when it comes to race relations between police departments and the communities they serve. Bias was one of the many reasons my father became an officer. “Back in Charlotte, North Carolina
during the '80s, I was in the 11th grade and some friends and I went to McDonald’s after school," my dad said. "There was a fight at a middle school that we knew nothing to do with.” “We wanted to eat. The police pull up, put us in the trunk of my car and patted us down. We were respectful, but they didn’t care.” He was blessed enough to not only learn about being an officer in the classroom, but also interact one-onone with law enforcement in casual environments. Through family friends who were current officers, he received sound advice and guidance about how he could effectively be an officer. “They told me get involved in (law enforcement), and don’t treat people like you were treated, and don’t let those around you treat others how you were treated,” he said. For 24 years, he’s been doing just that: Being an officer and giving back in the community he serves by guiding budding officers in their career path, hoping to shape them into top-notch protectors. He did not allow his experience to deter him from a career path. He utilized it to make changes in the career he loves. I now know there is a difference between true officers of the law and individuals who abuse their power. Unfortunately, those lines are often blurry, creating not only a dangerous predicament not only for citizens but for officers themselves. There is an ever-growing distrust and uneasiness around a profession that was intended for good. In communities of color, especially the black community, scared parents engage in conversations with their children. One conversation focuses on how children, especially young men, will be perceived by officers. I understand why these types of conversations are still common in the black community, but it’s extremely problematic. Ingraining ideas of disgust into children’s heads, especially when it comes to those trained and sworn to protect, is equally as dangerous as concocting a world that gives kids a false sense of safety. Atrocious events have occurred, but that does not absolutely guarantee the same will happen to you or your child. Instead, conversations should address not only the untimely deaths of people, but focusing on building positive relationships with officers. “All law enforcement officers aren’t bad,” my dad told me. “There are a few who need to be dealt with,
EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF
Emily Burleson MANAGING EDITOR
Jasmine Davis
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Sonny Singh WEB EDITOR
Marialuisa Rincon NEWS EDITOR
Nola Valente CHIEF COPY EDITOR
Traynor Swanson SPORTS EDITOR
Frank Campos
COOGLIFE EDITOR
Julie Araica
PHOTO EDITOR
Thomas Dwyer OPINION EDITOR
Dana C. Jones ASSISTANT EDITORS
Christina Soukis, Jorden Smith, Reagan Earnst, Peter Scamardo, Karin KellerCuevas, Erin Davis, Mia Valdez, Jennifer Gonzalez
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 TOP: Police officer Richie Miller wears his blue uniform every day to protect
and serve his community. He is one of the good policemen who upholds his duty to the force, Miller writes. BOTTOM: Richie Miller, left, had a great influence on his daughter Alana Miller, both as a father and a police officer. | Courtsey of Richie Miller
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. Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to N221, Student Center North or email them to editor@thedailycougar.com. Letters are subject to editing.
GUEST COMMENTARY
but don’t make sweeping generalizations of a whole profession, based on a select few.” If we want our communities to build stable bridges with law enforcement like we say we do, it’s essential to take a step toward officers, not cower away from them, which ultimately amounts to quarantining ourselves. They are men and women who just so happen to put on blue uniforms every day. I urge people to truly take the time to see the individual behind the
badge. I want my dad and his fellow officers to again be considered compassionate people and change the tide of negative thoughts about law enforcement. I can say without a doubt that even in today’s world, all cop kids want to see their parents respected and protected. Our parents are people, too. Alana N. Miller is an integrated communications junior. She can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.
Submissions are accepted from any member of the UH community and must be signed with the author’s name, phone number or email address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Commentary should be limited to 600 words. Guest commentaries should not be written as replies, but rather should present independent points of view. Deliver submissions to N221, Student Center North or email them to editor@thedailycougar.com. All submissions are subject to editing.
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