Issue 22, Volume 84 by The Cougar

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Issue 22, Volume 84

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Harassment casts a shadow on campus CRIME MCKENZIE MISIASZEK @MISIASZEKUH

She was walking to class this fall, clad in workout gear and with her head down, when a man walked up to inform her that her backpack zipper was undone. Before she got the chance to fix the pocket herself, he was behind her, zipping it up. To be polite, she thanked him and assumed he would leave. He did not. He introduced himself and said he was walking in the same direction. “He was talking the whole way about how cute I was and how much he liked my glasses and how he just thought I seemed like a really cool person without actually

knowing anything about me,” said Amber, who requested only her first name be used. He tried to put his arm around her and followed her into the building. She attempted to say goodbye, but he insisted he was still walking in the same direction and did not want to leave. He said he wanted to keep talking to her, even after she clarified she was in a relationship. Outside her classroom, he insisted she give him her number. She was scared. She’d heard the stories of what sometimes happens when women reject men. She gave him her Facebook messenger and decided to

LIFE & ARTS

block him later. He immediately messaged her. “He had been messaging me saying he thought I was cool and wanted to meet me, and he felt like I wouldn’t be like most people and say they’ll be your friend and then never talk to you,” Amber said. “I tried telling him I had a boyfriend, but he just ignored that and just started talking about how his ex broke his heart.” She texted her sister to say she was scared that he would still be outside waiting for her, so her sister skipped her class to help. He was not waiting outside the classroom, but Amber said she remained on edge for the rest of

the week. “My sister walked me to class the next few lessons and even showed me a new way to walk so I could hopefully avoid him,” she said. Amber said she knows her experience could have gone much worse, but it is something many women, and men, regularly experience.

Options Harassment encompasses a wide range of activities. While many think of sexual harassment when they hear the word, harassment is defined as a course of conduct that harasses, annoys,

SPORTS

Taking a look into Battling with the our local creatives Best Explore the experimental scene and its processes through the eyes of a former UH student. | PG. 6

The Cougars have a tough slate of games at Minute Maid Park against some of the highest ranked teams in Texas. | PG. 7

alarms, abuses, torments or embarrasses another, according to Texas Penal Code 42.07. The University has multiple routes students can choose from if they are experiencing stalking or harassment, based on what their desired outcome may be. If students don’t want to pursue criminal action and would rather just make sure their harasser does not have classes with them, they can go to Equal Opportunity Services instead of UHPD. “Students who are concerned for their safety should let

HARASSMENT

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OPINION

Candidates get roasted

The opinion section pokes fun at the SGA presidential and vicepresidential candidates. | PG. 10

2 | Wednesday, February 27, 2019

NEWS

GREG FAILS, EDITOR

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CRIME

UH battles harassment with resources

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ABOUT THE COUGAR The Cougar is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters and online everyday at thedailycougar. com. The Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees. The first copy is free. Additional copies cost 25 cents.

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ISSUE STAFF CLOSING EDITORS

Jasmine Davis Cristobella Durrette COPY EDITING

Morgan Horst COVER

Photo illustration by Corbin Ayres

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There are 64 emergency callboxes scattered across campus that can be used to directly phone UHPD, according to the UHPD website. | Corbin Ayers/The Cougar

MCKENZIE MISIASZEK

ASSISTANT EDITOR @MISIASZEKUH

HARASSMENT

Continued from cover someone know,” said Assistant Vice Chancellor/Vice President of Equal Opportunity Services Richard Baker. “EOS, UHPD and others may intervene directly or help the student create a safety plan. Talking through these issues may not only provide peace of mind but also a sense of security necessary for a safe environment for learning, living and working.” Students can file a report even if an involved party does not attend UH, especially if the victim chooses a criminal route. “A victim of a crime can always report any crime to UHPD,” said UHPD Captain Bret Collier. “We will either work directly with other police agencies to solve a crime, or if there is no clear nexus to UH, refer the case to the appropriate agency and ensure that the reportee has the appropriate contact with that agency to resolve their concern.” Harassment can also happen electronically. Multiple texts, calls, direct messages or even a pager bombarded with messages

can classify, especially if you have told them to stop, according to the Penal Code. “If you’re finding that someone is doing these things, the biggest key is documentation,” said Ashley Griffin, the program manager for the University’s Sexual Misconduct Support Services. “I often provide individuals with a ‘stalking log’ where I want you to document all the behaviors you’ve been noticing.” The main purpose of Griffin’s job is to provide students with all the options they can choose from. She helps students find resources and provides confidential support. If students want to meet with her, they need to make an appointment. She said to take note of how many times they call, where you see them and how often. Griffin also said, if it’s possible, tell them to stop over the phone or text so if you decide to report them, one can see how many times they tried to contact you after you have made it clear you want nothing to do with them. “Why? Because some people will say, ‘Well I never knew it was bothering them,’ even though a reasonable person would kind of get that this is bothering them,” Griffin said.

Sexual Misconduct Support Services also has about 100 staff and faculty members who have successfully completed the eight-hour Code Red Assist Training. This means they are capable of providing support to students who have experienced sexual violence, which includes some forms of stalking and harassment. Students can find them by going to their website or looking out for a Code Red Assist placard on the door of the staff member’s office. “I want to try to give back power,” Griffin said. “So that you feel like you can choose, because if I get to decide, ‘Yes I want to go to police, or no I don’t want to go there,’ then you’re in control, and I’m just going to support you whichever way that you choose.”

On-campus trends Stalking and harassment happen to both men and women, but UHPD does not keep track of the gender of on-campus victims, so there is no way of knowing which group on campus is more likely to be a victim based on statistics alone. There have been 10 harassment cases and six stalking incidents reported in the past 60 days, according to UHPD’s crime

log. The 2018 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report shows 75 separate stalking incidents for 2017. Fifty-three were reported in 2016 and 15 in 2015. While stalking is specifically mentioned in the report, there are no numbers for “harassment” included in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, though it is still possible to file a harassment report with UHPD and have a case opened and documented. Although Amber’s incident happened last semester, she still takes measures to try and prevent something like it from happening again. “I never saw him again,” Amber said. “But since then I’ve been very careful about making sure my backpack is all zipped up.” She hopes people who experience something similar know it is OK to speak up. “If someone is making you uncomfortable, they should know it,” Amber said. “If you feel unsafe for any reason, then you do what is most important for your safety, but most importantly, this wasn’t your fault.” News@thedailycougar.com

The Center for Student Media provides comprehensive advisory and financial support to the university’s student-run media: The Cougar newspaper, CoogTV and COOG Radio. Part of the Student Life portfolio in the Division of Student Affairs, the CSM is concerned with the development of students, focusing on critical thinking, leadership, ethics, collaboration, inter-cultural competence, goal-setting and ultimately, degree attainment. While our students are engaged in producing and promoting media channels and content, our goal is to ensure they are learning to become better thinkers and leaders in the process. CENTER FOR STUDENT MEDIA

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NEWS GREG FAILS, EDITOR

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CAMPUS

Students open up about their financial insecurity IAN EVERETT

STAFF WRITER @IANEVERETT8

Financially insecure students are a frequently forgotten demographic, but their numbers could be larger than one would expect. A 2018 report from the Hope Lab found that 36 percent of students nationwide were food insecure in the 30 days before the survey, and 36 percent had been housing insecure in the previous year. The SGA Homeless Student Relief Act and the PEEPS Pantry are two initiatives intended to help UH students who may not have access to nutritionally adequate food or stable housing. The Cougar spoke to students facing these circumstances to understand the importance of these initiatives. “I was homeless, living in my car and starving for about a month and a half before the fall semester started,” said Olivia Cruz, a philosophy alumna from

UH. Cruz was severed from family support after the death of her mother in 2015 when relatives drove her from their home. She applied for full financial aid and moved into Moody Towers after living in her car for a month and a half. Later, she moved out for cheaper cost of living and supported herself by working full time. Another student, who wishes to remain anonymous, stated that having to support herself financially was negatively impacting her studies. “I’m working full time, but it’s not enough. That leaves me no time to study. My only days off from work are when I have classes,” the student said. As a foreign transfer student at UH, she felt there was an expectation for international students to have financial support. “I do (have support), but not finan cially. (My family and

The PEEPS Pantry operates out of room 128 in Farish Hall and is open from 10am to 3pm Wednesdays and Thursdays for sturdents to get various canned goods and non-perishable items. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar

friends) can’t help me like that,” the student said. Support systems Lack of family support is a

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common source of financial woes. “My situation stems from my parents. They offer no financial support of any kind,” said political science senior Samuel Mansfield. “The only support system I have is my friends.” After a break up, Mansfield was left with double the rent and without familial support. He had to make sacrifices to cover his expenses. He defines himself as food insecure and outlined his daily meal schedule: no breakfast, a small lunch and as good a dinner as he can manage. “My friends will swipe me into the dining hall sometimes or buy me lunch knowing that I am struggling,” Mansfield said. Another foreign transfer student who wishes to remain anonymous said she relies on the PEEPS Pantry to meet her needs. “The pantry provided access to canned foods, energy bars, items which would not be in my list if I had to run with the limited budget,” the student said. Retention Specialist of the College of Education Laura Lee said she’d seen a student from the foster care program drop out due to his financial situation. “He had not realized how expensive it was to live on campus and could not afford to pay the remainder of his balance,” Lee said. Lee is hopeful about the efforts being made to help students struggling with financial insecurity and the impact of the PEEPS Pantry.

“We are seeing an average of four students per day. From the first day of school until end of January, we had 22 students. As the word spreads about the pantry, I expect the traffic to increase,” Lee said. Unaware of services Many students, however, are still unaware of the services and help available to them. “I have not taken advantage of the resources, nor did I even know that UH provided resources like that,” Mansfield said. Lee wants to find other ways to support students in need beyond expanding awareness about the food pantry. “We are working on getting a website for the PEEPS program. Once that is complete, we will have a link for donations. We can use those donations to assist in other ways,” Lee said. Lee mentioned the UH Alternative Textbook Incentive Program, which she hopes more faculty will utilize in the future. The students interviewed encouraged others to reach out if they are in need. “Make sure to talk to people about what you’re going through. There's no shame and no need to hide. If you're open about your struggle, you are more likely to get help,” Cruz said. The PEEPS Pantry hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. to noon. news@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, February 27, 2019 | 5

GREG FAILS, EDITOR

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NEWS 713-743-5314

CAMPUS

Students, SGA candidates hope to lower CAPS costs A.K. ALMOUMEN

“I finally got a call in December during finals that they have availability to see me, but because of finals The University of Houston's health and leaving out of town I didn't get a services are getting some backlash chance to go,” Mallick said. from students on campus. Alongside wait times, the costs of Services such as Counseling CAPS services — though cheap comand Psychological Services, also parable to other non-UH alternatives known as CAPS, and the Student — are considered a hurdle by many Health Center offer assistance to students looking to get treatment for students ranging from check ups to their mental health. vaccinations and mental health. For “I do have some of anxiety when students, these services are locked it comes to some of the systems that behind fees, insurance requirements are in place at the University,” said and waiting times, which can be very Matthew Detwiler, a graduate at prohibitive. the Graduate School of Social Work “Professors and faculty are and a U.S. veteran. “Mental health always telling us to go see CAPS if services at the University should find we need to talk to someone,” said a way to eliminate the cost.” psychology senior Zainub Mallick. While free mental health “But when I finally got the courage services would be the ideal scenario to go, it was more of a nuisance and for many, CAPS Director Dr. Norma headache than just dealing with my Ngo said the UH administration issues on my own.” believes it would be difficult to lower Mallick said he went to CAPS prices because it would compromise during the fall in 2018, but he was service. told it would take four to eight weeks “Unfortunately, completely free before someone would be able to see and unrestricted access to unlimited 10-11760 Cougar News February_print.pdf 1 2/1/19 AM him. individual counseling is not11:00 sustainSTAFF WRITER

@AKALMOUMEN

CMY

Counseling and Psychological services is located on the second floor of the Student Health Center on Cullen Blvd.| Corbin Ayers/The Cougar

able,” Ngo said. “Every counseling center is therefore forced to put certain limitations in order to serve more students.”

SGA election With the Student Government Association election currently underway, some students said they see this as an opportunity to engage the administration in

finding solutions to improve accessibility to CAPS and the Health Center. For each of the three parties with presidential candidates up for election, the issue of accessibility to health services is a key part of their platforms. “It is important to work not only to get the Health Center to accept third-party insurance but

to accept Medicare and Medicaid as well, which would extend services to lower-income students,” said Cameron Barrett, current SGA president and spokesperson for the incumbent Students Unite party. “There are certain services the Health Center provides which are cheap/free, but there are not as many as there should be.” “The first thing we have to do is to increase knowledge of health services,” said presidential candidate for Coogs Unite Moiz Syed. “As far as advertising goes, CAPS is already on the syllabus. I want to continue having health services on the syllabus as well as platforms such as Blackboard.” Claude Johnson, presidential candidate of the EVERY COOG Party, said the issue could be potentially solved through the relocation of certain funds and with help from SGA. Continue reading at thedailycougar. com.

6 | Wednesday, February 27, 2019

LIFE & ARTS EMILY HUBBARD, EDITOR

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ARTS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

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PROFILE

A candid conversation with artist Antonius-Tin Bui

Antonius-Tin Bui posed for their experimental exhibition"Will You Go to Homecoming With Us?". The exhibit is a collaboration with DJ Dom Top, Kumquat, Duke Diesel, S. Rodriguez and Sara Balabanlilar. | Photo by Junior Fernandes

ADISON EYRING

STAFF WRITER

“My name is Antonius-Tin Bui, and I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams.” Antonius-Tin Bui, a former University of Houston student, is a queer, nonbinary, VietnameseAmerican artist who says their work finds the beauty of being an “intersectional amalgam of history and colonization." Twenty-six-year-old Bui was born and raised in the Bronx before moving to the “suburban dystopia” of Sugar Land at 14. Whether putting on homemade fashion shows with their many cousins or working on art projects with their mother, Bui has always been a creative spirit. “Almost all my aunts and uncles have four kids. Everywhere I’ve lived, it’s always been a party, especially after school,” Bui said. “I think one of my oldest childhood memories is staying up with my mom to finish diorama projects, just transforming paper, glitter and toys into another dimension. Being able to create a world and tell narratives just using a hot glue gun and a shoebox was always so fascinating to me,” they said.

Journey through community It’s that very ethos that led Bui back to Houston after attending the Maryland Institute College of Art. They currently have a

residency at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, a shrine to the human ability to create fantastical worlds out of the ordinary. I had the pleasure of sitting down with them at their opendoor office to discuss their craft, social practice and path from being a pre-med student at UH to an emerging experimental artist. We started off discussing their recent event Burning 100 Demons, a Lunar New Year communityfocused performance ritual held at the Lawndale Art Center. The event was co-organized by Bui and Ching-In Chen in conjunction with Bui’s current Lawndale exhibit, "yêu em dài lâu (me love you long time)." “With every single show, you’re allowed to create a program, and I knew that I wanted to definitely collaborate with some of the artists who have taught me so much about the Houston scene,” Bui said. “I wanted to create an event that would create space for queer AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) folks, since Houston is such a diverse city," they said. "With this platform, why not create an event that allows us to just slow down, especially in this day and age, and to reflect upon our demons from the past year?” Much of Bui’s work similarly centers around LGBTQ+ AAPI communities. Their tandem "me

love you long time" exhibit is a series of intricate, life-size paper cutout portraits of queer AAPIs in Bui’s inner circle. “Everyone in that show has shaped my sense of gender and sexuality,” they said of the subjects. “Many of them are artists and activists who have taught me so much about what it means to build community, live an authentic life and how to have intergenerational conversations.” Collaboration and community is a consistent priority throughout Bui’s life and practice. This much is best exhibited on their majorminor platform, on which Bui interviews and celebrates queer and trans people of color. Their yearning for intergenerational dialogue, however, has been “more of a recent endeavor” for Bui, who just last year visited their parents’ home country of Vietnam for the first time. “We’re robbed of our history,” they said. “So much of my work and the way I live is an active search for my ancestors, for histories that have been actively erased or bleached.” Art made by marginalized and oppressed groups has been more widely accepted recently, with many museums actively pushing for more diversity. While Bui recognizes this as vital and empowering to both the artist’s finally receiving recognition and their communities at large, they remain hesitant of giving blind praise to museums and programs pushing for shallow inclusion. “I really love that more than ever you see an influx of POC

artists and queer artists showing, but I’m really afraid that it just might be a trend,” Bui said. “I wanna see more institutions, instead of just offering temporal opportunities, put people of color in positions of power. Give us a seat at the table, but also provide the seat, and provide the meals and that glass of rosé.” As the conversation shifted from their current place in the art world to their college years, I was surprised to learn just how much Bui continues to value their previous pre-med undergraduate education. “I think eventually, as I became more comfortable with myself at MICA, you realize how no class or course ever goes wasted, that everything you learn that semester really informs your future, regardless of whether or not it's your job or it relates to the major or minor you have,” Bui said. “I think that throughout my STEM education and time at UH, I really made it a point to cultivate many aspects of myself,” they said. In fact, Bui is a staunch supporter of blending STEM with the arts through education and collaboration. “Art is another platform to approach many of the topics STEM covers,” Bui said. “I think now more than ever, collaboration is really important in achieving anything, and so I’m like, okay, how do artists and politicians work together? Artists no longer have the privilege of being apolitical,

and I wanna say that no one has the privilege of not being collaborative. I just can’t imagine the world moving forward without intergenerational, intercommunity, inter-everything conversation.”

Moving forward What’s next for Bui? Their residency at HCCC ends in March, with "yêu em dài lâu (me love you long time)" and "Will You Go to Homecoming With Us?" staying up until the third and first of the month, respectively. After that, they’ll be heading to Saratoga, New York, to do a residency at Yaddo. As far as advice for other college students goes, Bui said it's important for individuals to remember that they need to be creative in the ways that best align with their goals and opportunities. “I understand everyone has to navigate their own lives according to their financial situation, their safety, their need to be independent on their own," they said. "Cliché as it is, it’s never too late to go for a different dream, but realizing that your life might require a different timeline, or you might have to secure yourself in a certain situation before embarking on a new journey. You should never feel shame for being late, or not late, because you’re never late. Feeling behind is inevitable, but don’t ever apologize for who you are and the way you love yourself.” arts@thedailycougar.com

Bui's exhibition "Will You Go to Homecoming With Us?" uses a 1999 Britney Spears doll, penis water gun, ball gag with leather collar, Félicette portraits, text by S. Rodriguez, polyester/satin/acetate/nylon/metallic ribbon from Arne's, bell chimes, plastic garlands, glitter letters and feather boas as props to a greater narrative. | Courtesy of Antonius-Tin Bui

SPORTS

Wednesday, February 27, 2019 | 7

ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR

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ATHLETICS

BASEBALL

Baseball looking forward to test at Shriners Classic

Athletics on the Prowl ANDRES CHIO

SPORTS EDITOR @CHIOANDRES

The Cougars will be very active over the next week across multiple sports, so here is a rundown of all the sporting events going on near or on campus.

Wednesday Women's athletics starts this weeks slate as the 11-5 softball team will play 9-5 Texas A&M tonight at 6 p.m. at the Cougar Softball Stadium in the Strike Out Breast Cancer game. The women's basketball squad will play at the Fertitta Center versus South Florida at 7 p.m. The Cougars can secure a bye in the conference tournament with a win. UH is 4-3 so far this year with two wins over No. 24 Arizona this past weekend. Houston's starting pitchers have a combined 3.35 ERA. | Ahmed Gul/The Cougar

ANDRES CHIO

SPORTS EDITOR @CHIOANDRES

The Cougars will face three tough teams this weekend at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Classic at Minute Maid Park, and the team is looking forward to the test. The weekend will be a chance for Houston to gain reputation with high quality wins and to play for something more than baseball. It is the 19th annual College Classic, but this is the fourth year the Shriners Hospitals for Children has sponsored the tournament. "It's been a great addition to the tournament," said head coach Todd Whitting. "It's added a lot of fanfare to it, and we've had the opportunity to have a few kids out and spend time with our ball club, which is always special. It's an honor to play in it, and any time they invite us we're happy to do it." Earlier in February, the Cougars welcomed Izaiah Regalado to a practice, and he spent the afternoon with the team. It was the first time Regalado had ever swung a bat, and he called it a great experience. He said his favorite part was when he got to finally hit the ball. "It's an honor for us to have (Regalado) out here. I think it's for our kids to have the opportunity to meet him. They think sometimes that college baseball is a grind, but they're really fortunate to really play

college baseball," Whitting said in an interview with UH Athletics.

Hitting the field While the occasion is special, Whitting knows the set of teams the Cougars will play will tell him a lot about the team and where it needs to improve. "Our schedule early is a grind and it will prepare us for our league, which is a real big grind," Whitting said. "We haven't played good at Minute Maid the past couple years, so that is something we need to address." Houston will play TCU, Texas State and Texas A&M, but Rice and Baylor are also competing in the Classic. It is a field of teams that Whitting said are full of talent at the College World Series level, and the team needs to play well. "Somebody in that tournament will be in Omaha, and I plan on that being the Cougars," Whitting said.

Scouting the course The Cougars open the weekend at 3 p.m. Friday against the Horned Frogs, who have started the season 5-2. Junior Nick Lodolo has started both of TCU's previous Friday night games. Though both times ended up being losses, he has allowed just four runs in his 12 innings pitched. TCU's offense could not get going in the 2-0 and 4-1 losses, but overall the team has great hitters. The Horned Frogs have six players batting over .300, and the

team as a whole has hit .311. TCU is led by redshirt junior infielder Jake Guenther, who has a .417 batting average and 12 RBIs and senior Johnny Rizer has bat .429, but only has three RBI and five runs. The projected starter on the mound for the Cougars is junior Tyler Bielamowicz, who has been their Friday starter the two previous weekends. Bielamowicz had a tough opening day but allowed No. 24 Arizona to score just one run in Houston's 2-1 victory last Friday. Things will not get easier on Saturday when Houston plays 5-2 Texas State. The Bobcats have eight hitters hitting over .300, including junior Jaxon Williams, who has an outstanding .500 average from 24 at-bats. Though just two of those hitters have only a handful of at-bats, the depth is clearly there for Texas State when it needs a pinch hitter. The team has hit .292 overall. Redshirt sophomore Hunter McMahon has been Texas State's second weekend starter the past two weekends, but he has given up nine runs in just 11 innings pitched, so he could be swapped out for another pitcher.

Tough finale Houston will finish the weekend against Texas A&M Sunday at 3 p.m. in what looks to be the toughest test at the Classic. Texas A&M won its first seven games of the season. The closest

win game was by two runs, and the largest margin was a 19-6 trouncing. The Aggies stumbled Sunday and were handed their first loss by the UIC Flames, but the team has been strong otherwise. With a team batting average of just .234, the Aggies have been very efficient on scoring when they get on base and have sent home a little under 52 percent of men on base. For comparison, Houston converts 36 percent, Texas State scores 52 percent and TCU makes 49 percent of hits or walks count. Texas A&M's Sunday pitcher has been freshman Jonathan Childress. Childress had thrown 9.2 innings across his first two showings with just three runs allowed, so he is likely to stick where he is in the rotation. Houston could go with junior Lael Lockhart Jr., but he had an off afternoon against similar competition with Arizona Sunday, when he allowed seven runs. But it is still early in the season, and the Cougars are not ones to make quick, reactionary changes, especially on the starter's mound. Both teams played in the NCAA Regionals last season and this final game of the weekend could be a preview of this year's tournament. The path to Omaha is not easy, and this weekend will have three tough opponents for the Cougars to measure themselves against. sports@thedailycougar.com

Friday Houston baseball opens the College Classic at Minute Maid Park against TCU on Friday at 3 p.m, The Cougars will start the Red & White showcase at the Cougar Softball Stadium against DePaul at 3:30 p.m. and finish the day against Texas Southern at 6 p.m.

Saturday ESPN's College GameDay will come to UH for the men's basketball vs UCF at 3 p.m. Gameday broadcast starts at 10 a.m. inside the Fertitta Center and all fans can attend for free. The baseball team will play Texas State at 11 a.m. at Minute Maid and the softball team will play DePaul at 2 p.m and Texas State at 4:30 p.m.

Sunday The softball team will finish up the showcase against Texas State at noon and then baseball will close the weekend at Minute Maid versus Texas A&M at 3 p.m.

Monday Women's basketball returns to action on Monday against UCF at 7 p.m. at the Fertitta Center. UCF is currently second place in the AAC while Houston is fourth.

Tuesday Baseball will wrap up the next seven days with the first game of the Silver Glove series against Rice at 6:30 p.m. The Cougars won the rivalry last season, but two of the three games were decided by just one run. sports@thedailycougar.com

8 | Wednesday, February 27, 2019

SPORTS ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR

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SOFTBALL

Softball ready to suit up against in-state rival Texas A&M ANDRES CHIO

SPORTS EDITOR @CHIOANDRES

Houston will look to continue its seven-game winning streak Wednesday when it plays No. 23 Texas A&M at home in its annual Strike Out Breast Cancer game. It is not just a competitive in-state matchup but one meant to raise awareness and money for breast cancer research. "It's always a good rivalry since it is another good Texas school that we play every year, and no matter what, it is always a tough game for both of us, so we are looking forward to it," said junior pitcher Trystan Melancon, who threw a no-hitter over the weekend. "We get to do something that we love while also supporting and raising money for a good cause." The Cougars and Aggies have played each other twice during Kristin Vesely's tenure as head coach. Houston defeated then-No. 5 Texas A&M 1-0 in 2017, but they got revenge last season in a 4-5 win. "We love playing quality teams, and we've packed out the schedule with those," Vesely said.

Vesely said it will be another game for the Cougars to measure themselves against a top team in the country, see if they play well under pressure and keep making improvements. "Not so much the wins and losses, but playing against ourselves and playing the best that we can. That's what we've been measuring ourselves off," Vesely said. But the game itself is not the only focus, as the teams will be playing for more than just the win. The Cougars have been partnered with the Susan G. Komen foundation to raise money for breast cancer research and awareness since 2007. Houston has raised $97,089 since the partnership began and is looking to break the $100,000 mark this season. "Any time you can play for a cause and play for something other than ourselves and our University is just a tremendous feeling," Vesely said. UH Athletics will be holding an auction for items and has asked fans to wear pink to the game.

Junior Lindsey Stewart won American Athletic Conference's Player of the Week this week for batting .526 with 12 RBIs, two triples and a home run in Houston's five wins over the weekend at the Houston Challenge. | Ahmed Gul/The Cougar

Houston's pitching has been key in its 11-5 start, and the Cougars have multiple options to choose from against the Aggies. Senior Presley Bell has a .7 ERA over 30 innings pitched while senior Savannah Heebner has a 1.40 ERA across 40 innings. Melancon was one of the pitchers who only pitched one game over the five-game weekend and has the least wear of the three

experienced pitchers on the team. Texas A&M has had two major pitchers who have helped the team to its 9-5 record. Junior Payton McBride and junior Kendall Potts have thrown 68.2 of the Aggies' 87 innings on the mound with McBride sporting a 1.77 ERA and Potts a 2.95 ERA. Texas A&M's batting is above Houston's at .325 compared to .277, but Houston has only been shut

out once this season. Houston has just six home games left before it goes on a threeweek road trip, and continuing to build momentum off of its sevengame winning streak will help the team do well. The Cougars and Aggies play at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Cougar Softball Stadium. sports@thedailycougar.com

Clean Sweep at Conference Championships

The American Athletic Conference Indoor Championship was the best yet for the Cougars, as both the men and the women won the title. It was the first time that both teams have won their respective championships at the same time in AAC History. It was the men's fifth title in a row while the women returned to take gold for the first time since 2006. The NCAA Indoor Championships are on March 8-9 and the athletes with the top 16 times in the country will qualify for each event. The Cougars should be well represented in multiple categories. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar

SPORTS

Wednesday,February 27, 2019 | 9

ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS

SPORTS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5303

SOFTBALL

UH taking steps forward with sports nutrition BRAYLEY CROWE

STAFF WRITER @BRAYLEYCROWE

The University has invested time and money into things like building the Fertitta Center and signing new coaches, but the school has also made additions to its lesser-known support staff. One of those additions is Performance Nutritionist Dwight Allison, who has helped to ensure the student athletes of UH and their bodies are well-prepared for the demands of competition. Twenty-five years ago, sports nutrition was almost nonexistent, Allison said. Until just a few years ago, a collegiate athletic program having dietitians and an organized system of sports nutritionists was a rare sight. “Our catchphrase is nutrient timing,” Allison said. “We’re trying to get certain nutrients in their body at specific times.” This nutrient timing is crucial to an athlete’s well-being, Allison said. Allison ensures that every athlete is consuming his team’s prescribed diet. These foods range from a simple granola bar to a full meal loaded with high antioxidant foods, complex carbohydrates and fruits. Allison and his team of

three dietitians have precise plans for each athlete for both offseason and active times. The four-person team develops personalized routines for each athlete depending on the time of year and personal goals. Some things, however, stay the same for every player. “We’re trying to incorporate any kinds of good quality, lower fat sources. That's a key component,” Allison said. That means athletes may eat a lot of chicken, fish and eggs. Allison has always been involved in sports. The Lubbock native attended Texas Tech, where he was a sprinter for

the university’s track team. He graduated with a degree in nutritional sciences and added a master’s degree shortly after in the same program. He has been working in sports nutrition since 2000. Allison is also a certified specialist in sports dietetics. Prior to joining the Cougar athletic program, he spent two years at Notre Dame in the same position. Thanks to the program’s support and his experience, UH has a phenomenal nutrition program for its student athletes, including partnerships with HEB and Luby’s, Allison said. Healthy and appropriate eating

for student athletes can always be improved, Allison said. One way is by having alumni donate to help fund the program. That is where student athlete outreach to donors comes in. “That’s why having a strong alumni base and support base and that stuff is hugely important. More people are willing to support us because success leads to more success," Allison said. One of the biggest challenges for Allison and his team is the transition of new athletes to the UH program because he has to “plate coach” them. Changing from a lifestyle

of hamburgers, french fries, chicken nuggets and soda to the important lean meats, vegetables and other crucial foods for athletes is the biggest step, Allison said. Allison has all his athletes build their plate and bring it to him or one of his assistants. The professionals then evaluate the contents and determine a grade for how well the plate contains the imperative foods for success. With this process, Allison hopes to bring the best out of the student athletes and keep them in shape year round. sports@thedailycougar.com

Student athletes can build a plate from available foods and the nutritionists will make sure it meets each athlete's needs. | Brayley Crowe/The Cougar

The House of the Rising Cougars

Houston rose to No. 6 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 8 in the Associated Press Poll after defeating South Florida 71-59. The Cougars will host ESPN's College Gameday broadcast at 10 a.m. and fans can watch the show live at the Fertitta Center. Students can enter starting at 8:30 a.m. and other fans can enter at 9 a.m. and seats are given out on a first come, first serve basis. | Ahmed Gul/The Cougar

10 | Wednesday, February 27, 2019

OPINION JORDEN SMITH, EDITOR

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OPINION@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5304

SGA ELECTION

Opinion roasts the presidential and vice-presidential candidates

(From left to right) Allison Lawrence, presidential candidate for Students Unite is McDonalds because she is the well-known, well-versed candidate who is basically the establishment; Claude Johnson, presidential candidate for EVERY COOG is SONIC because it's all caps; Moiz Syed, presidential candidate for Coogs Unite is Arby's because I can't think of anything else. | Photos courtesy of the candidates

JORDEN SMITH

OPINION EDITOR

n the spirit of opinion, I decided to roast all the candidates (possibly because we ran out of ideas this last week of the SGA election; our ideas of "Audit the SGA Fed" and "Nader get off Twitter" didn't go anywhere). Don’t read too much into these roasts. Each candidate has flaws, and this whole process can be described as 20-somethings playing "House of Cards," so I wanted to make fun of them. I’ve also compared each candidate to a fast food restaurant. Interpret what they mean as you will. Needless to say, none of these candidates deserve to be Chick-fil-A or Whataburger.

Allison Lawrence — So, just remember your from the mic, but I won't count McDonald’s potential SGA president has that against him. Students Unite something in common with And don’t forget: check At first, I had trouble Logan Paul. out Syed's friend's disability deciding which politician week initiatives. Or the CLASS Lawrence's debate style most Maysarah Kazia — Subway Career Fair, which he helped closely resembled. Then, after Students Unite make happen. Or didn’t. Because an answer that was almost This was actually pretty that’s the most important aspect too scripted and rehearsed, I hard. There’s not a lot to roast. of his platform: other people’s realized Lawrence is Hillary Kazia was pretty solid in the accomplishments. Clinton. vice presidential debate — there CLASS is the Florida of Think about it: an established was nothing special. Looking at colleges at UH. Syed is Marco candidate who has been in her Twitter revealed nothing of Rubio. Make of that what you the (student) government for interest. She may have been a will. a long time, has a plethora One Direction fan, but they had Syed and Nader Irsan released of accomplishments and yet some bops. Don’t diss “Story of a video detailing some specifics sounds as excited as Mark My Life.” on their platform. Instead of Zuckerberg on Capitol Hill when Kazia is basically the Meg listening, just imagine they’re speaking. White’s drumming of the trying to sell you on an MLM In The Cougar's Instagram election. It’s nothing special, and explaining how to reach story, Lawrence mentioned her but it gets the job done — see Diamond Platinum Super CATHOLIC MASS ON CAMPUS favorite vegetable is carrots "Seven Nation Army" or "Fell in Gold level by annoying all your SUNDAYS: 10:45 AM - Religion Center because they’re good for Love With a Girl." Some people friends and family because that’s 6:00 PM - Catholic Center eyesight. Now, even though the aesthetic they seemed to be WEEKDAYS: criticize it. Some people don’t. 12:00 Noon carrots are easy CATHOLIC toTuesday—Friday spot NEWMAN She exists. going for. CENTER Confession: Before or After Masses and great for terrible Bugs She also said she “serves Also, out of the 3,600 views Sunday Class Bunny impressions, it’s just students in various capacities, ” Bible it has at the time of writing a commonly known fact that so she’s also Jordan Schlansky. this, there are 17 likes. And it's this isn’t true. This sounds like sponsored. something my grandmother first Moiz Syed — Arby’s said to me when I got glasses. Coogs Unite Nader Irsan — Jack in the Box Get your facts right, Lawrence. During his opening statement, Coogs Unite She also mentioned that she Syed stepped away from the We’re going to stay away had a Vine account at some microphone. This is not a TED from the tweets, as that is lowpoint and made videos. I tried Talk, and you’re not Jordan hanging fruit. We at The Cougar IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING IN WORSHIP D IRECTORY , my hardest to find theseCfor your A SALES Belfort. Also, no one on strive for better. ONTACT REPRESENTATIVE AT the 713-743-5356 enjoyment, but she conveniently CoogTV livestream could hear So first, let me direct you to “didn’t remember her username.” him as a result of the distance Coogs Unite’s Facebook profile

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picture. If you look closely, Irsan is not wearing a belt in this. I’ve also checked, and he is not wearing suspenders. This is unacceptable. Karl Lagerfeld would be livid at this fashion faux pas. Also, a tan suit? Really? Irsan also described himself as a phoenix at the VP debate, rising from the ashes and accomplishing great things. In the spirit of low-hanging fruit, this one writes itself. He is ostensibly the only candidate to be endorsed by the mayor, but he is also the only candidate who is currently interning at City Hall and working in close proximity to said mayor. Claude Johnson — SONIC EVERY COOG Did you know Johnson worked at the UN? You should, because he reminds us EVERY chance he gets. We get it. You don’t see me parading the fact I got fifth place in a writing competition in third grade. Johnson clearly did not pay attention to the VP debate, nor The Cougar, because if he had, he would have known what the Student Fees Advisory

SGA ROASTS

Continues on next page

Wednesday, February 27, 2019 | 11

JORDEN SMITH, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/OPINION

OPINION

OPINION@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

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EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF

Jasmine Davis MANAGING EDITOR

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SPORTS EDITOR

Andres Chio

LIFE & ARTS EDITOR

Emily Hubbard PHOTO EDITOR

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Corbin Ayres

CAMPUS EDITOR

Jorden Smith

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CHIEF COPY EDITOR

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OPINION EDITOR

ASSISTANT EDITORS

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STAFF EDITORIAL The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 words and signed, including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to N221, University Center; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax to (713) 743-5384. Letters are subject to editing.

GUEST COMMENTARY Submissions are accepted from any member of the UH community and must be signed with the author’s name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Commentary should be limited to 500 words. Guest commentaries should not be written as replies, but rather should present independent points of view. Deliver submissions to N221, University Center; e-mail them to letters@ thedailycougar.com; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.

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(From left to right) Maysarah Kazia of Students Unite is Subway because Subway is bland; Natasha Ulow of EVERY COOG is In-N-Out because she constantly mentions she is from out of state; and Nader Irsan of Coogs Unite is Jack in the Box, because it's regretted later (like the tweets). | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar

SGA ROASTS

Continued from previous page Committee is. Appointing students to SFAC, as I’ve discussed before, is one of the premier duties of SGA. Working at the UN is cool and all, but that doesn’t matter if you can’t name one of your prospective duties. That’d be like the Secretary of Energy not knowing his department oversees EVERY nuclear weapon. During the debate, Johnson sounded like a mid-rate consulting firm. All his answers were filled with buzzwords, like he was advertising to us but wanted to stay as in-the-middle as possible. If he had said “synergy,” I would’ve won my Buzzword Bingo game. Johnson now owes me a drink. I can’t really roast him on his platform because it’s not posted anywhere. There is one important thing I need to address. Natasha Ulow — In-N-Out EVERY COOG Ulow — and I am speaking to you directly — you have been here for almost seven months, assuming you first landed in our fine bayou in August. Yet, somehow you are unaware of who both J.J. Watt and James Harden are, the patron saints of Houston, along with Jose Altuve. You also referred to the Houston Texans as the “Texan.” This is an unacceptable action. Possibly disqualification-worthy. Another thing: knowing a lot of languages is not a useless skill. That’s one of those “I’m too honest” answers you give at

interviews when you don’t want to look too bad and refuse to answer the question. Finally, being a freshman is not something that should be heralded as a reason for the office. Ulow has been here for seven months. I’m not trying to

make this some type of gatekeeping situation, but that’s not enough time to get to know the campus and the issues facing students. Voting ends Wednesday. Don’t forget to do it, or Bo Harricharran will haunt you.

Thanks to the candidates for putting up with this dumb column. Opinion Editor Jorden Smith is a political science and creative writing senior and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

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12 | Wednesday, February 27, 2019

OPINION JORDEN SMITH, EDITOR

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OPINION@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5304

SGA ELECTION

GUEST COLUMN: Why you should vote in the SGA election CAMERON BARRETT SGA PRESIDENT

’m Cameron Barrett, and I have been the Student Body President since April 1, 2018. I don’t blame you if you do not know who I am or who the rest of the people within the Student Government Association are, as it is difficult for even the vice-chancellors of the University of Houston to reach all 46,000 students with any particular message. However, there are many people on campus who believe SGA is useless, and who don’t vote because they think it doesn’t matter who represents them. This couldn’t be more wrong. Who the SGA president is matters, and it matters a lot. Throughout this I hope you consider what I wrote, and I hope it convinces you to at least take the time to seek out each of the presidential/vicepresidential candidates and make an informed decision. Below are a few good and constant motivations to vote in each Student Government election. Paid Positions Perhaps the most tangible reason you should care about who becomes your SGA president is that they are paid, by you, through your student fee bill each semester. Below is a list of annual salaries afforded to various positions, each year, that the elected SGA gets to decide (See Figure 1). The Student Government leaders also manage and determine how to properly distribute another $33,000 dollars in discretionary spending. This is money that is 100% controlled by your Student Government. The SGA president also appoints a majority of members of the Student Fee Advisory Committee. This committee makes the baseline and initial determination for how your Student Fees (the $260 ‘student service fee’ you pay each term) are distributed each year (this represents 20 to 25 million dollars). If you care about how your student fees are spent, you should care who is in your Student Government. Important meetings with important people As SGA president, I meet

with leaders of the University each week through our regularly scheduled weekly, biweekly, or monthly meetings. I meet with the Auxiliary Services leadership every other week, the head of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services every other week, the provost every four to six weeks, the Administration and Finance division every month, and I meet with the chancellor of the University of Houston School System/president of the University of Houston two to three times per semester, including summers. Across hundreds of meetings, every devolved division, and nearly every department of the University of Houston, the SGA president has a lot of influence and power, both implicitly and explicitly through consistent meetings with administrators who govern all aspects of student life/university policy including, but not limited to: dining, housing, university finances, all academic policy, etc. When the University of Houston was looking for a new food service provider, the 53rd SGA helped form the contract. When the University adopted grade replacement, that came from the Student Government. The Student Government helped design the Student Centers and pass the referendum that created the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center. The 55th Administration, my Administration, extended thousands of dollars of financial relief to students struggling with hunger and homelessness, provided paid positions to students through starting a safety escort program, worked with facilities to expense $110,000 to repair our sidewalks, etc. For more, check out the legislation this administration has passed and my executive orders. To put all this in perspective, I created a chart which can help show what financial impact the policies of just my administration has caused (See Figure 2). A changed campus If students didn’t vote for me in 2018, homeless students wouldn’t have gotten reduced meal plans, a safety escort program would have never

Student Government Association President Cameron Barrett displays the Cougar Paw. Barrett belives his administration has accomplished a lot to better the lives of students on campus for years to come. | Corbin Ayres/The Cougar

been established, national dinning franchises on campus would still use Styrofoam, and hundreds of students wouldn’t have been registered to vote or been provided transportation to vote in the 2018 midterm elections. This only includes the calculable items. We did a lot more that we just don’t have the numbers on, like: lowering the cost of menstrual products, lowering the cost of valuemenu items (Taco Bell), the books students utilized from the textbook exchange, etc. That is just a fraction of what this administration has done, and yes, I’d like to think this administration has been uniquely productive in both policy and outreach, but all SGA presidents are in those same meetings, and make those same decisions, which include the same people of power and influence at this University. All University of Houston SGA presidents have the same opportunity to make change on campus, so if you find yourself disappointed in the job of the current SGA, be sure to keep voting in our elections, if you find yourself happy with the job of the current SGA, keep voting, and if you’ve never really thought about it, I hope I gave you a few good reasons to start voting. Vote in our elections, and, if it’s for you, volunteer for a candidate you believe in. I hope this has convinced you to participate in the Student Government’s

Figure 1 | Chart courtesy of the Student Government Association

Figure 2 | Chart courtesy of the Student Government Association

election process. If you have any questions, please visit us online at uh.edu/sga, or email me at sgapres@central.uh.edu. Voting ends today. To vote, just log into Access UH, go to Get Involved, and click “vote now.”

Go Coogs! Cameron Barrett, 55th Student Government President

Cameron Barrett is the Student Government Association President and a graduate student.