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Wednesday, April 3, 2019
IAN EVERETT
STAFF WRITER @IANEVERETT8
Super Smash Bros. may be a video game, but it is also a community that has laid a foundation for countless friendships among avid fans. Without Super Smash Bros., Thai Tran may not have met his best friend. They began playing the game together after realizing they had it in common and have been hanging out, watching Netflix and grabbing food ever since. “She mentioned she played Smash after I told her in part of the Smash Club,” said Tran, a computer science sophomore. “I invited her over to my
Issue 26, Volume 84
apartment, we played Smash — I destroy her at it.” While Tran’s friend isn’t part of UH’s Smash Club, he said they still play the game that helped cement their friendship when they hang out. “For the first round, I go easy on her so she beats me, and then I beat her,” Tran said. “Then we make cookies and watch ‘Stranger Things.’”
Camaraderie on campus UH’s Smash Club has a constant stream of players in and out of Student Center North, where the club is based. The gaming club hosts weekly tournaments dubbed “Labwork,” where players battle it out in Super Smash Bros.
NEWS SGA 56th Administration begins President Allison Lawrence and the rest of the new executive and Senate members took over on April 1. | PG. 6
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Melee and Ultimate. For a $3 entry fee, or the task of bringing your own set up and TV, players attending the Labwork Tournament can join either the Melee bracket or the Ultimate bracket and fight their way to the top. “No matter who wins, we’re all friends here,” said psychology senior Tristen Lyons, a Sheik main and the number one Melee player at UH. When Lyons first joined the UH Smash Club, he found the carrel empty and the scene dead. He put out a call for Melee players on Facebook, and people showed up to play. Now there are daily events, and the
weekly Labwork Tournaments regularly draw over 50 people. “Smash is a big game. You can just go anywhere, people know Smash, people play
The TVs sitting in their club space are always surrounded by chairs filled with focused players, often making it the most active and largest club in
"No matter who wins, we're all friends here.” Tristen Lyons, psychology senior and No. 1 Melee player Smash. What really draws me in is a community sense,” Lyons said. “We also have the carrels, and no matter what time of the day you go, there will be somebody to play.” The club can be found in the SC North carrels for daily play from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
SPORTS Cougars remember Hallmark campaign
The mens basketball team said they will cherish the memorable year, despite losing in the Sweet Sixteen. | PG. 8
the carrels. “I love people’s availability to play at any time,” said Financial Officer for the UH Smash Club Robert Hines, a computer science sophomore. “Everybody is super cool,
SMASH BROS
Continues on page 2
OPINION We need more vocational schools
Students deserve more options when leaving school, because college can’t be the only post-high school career route. | PG. 11
2 | Wednesday, April 3, 2019
NEWS
GREG FAILS, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
ORGANIZATIONS
Video game creates community for students SMASH BROS
Continued from front page and there’s someone willing to play 24/7. If you go to our office hours we have 10 to 20 people at any given time.” The Monday tournaments typically run from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. but may last longer if there is a large roster of players. “I have played the last five or six tournaments,” said MIS Bauer Honors sophomore Chris McCauley. “It’s cool that there’s a big tournament once every week, and it’s a great way to blow off steam.” Not only does the Smash Club host an impressive amount of UH players, they also draw players in from other schools.
Bigger than UH “I’m from Rice, but so far it’s been pretty fun at UH Smash,” said visiting Link main Chibu Ejiofor. Many of the players are drawn in because of the difference between Smash and other fighting games.
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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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Smash lets users play as their favorite Nintendo characters and battle with others. | Corbin Ayres / The Cougar
“What I like about (Super Smash Bros.) Melee is the movement, how that transfers to the combo game,” said exploratory studies freshman
David Ross Ortiz. “I like that it’s hard and I can see my progress when I play in tournaments.”
The mechanics of movement are a big appeal for many of the players. Lyons said he felt that Smash allowed for more freedom of expression. “It really lets you express yourself in your characters,” Lyons said. Other players said they felt that Smash was much better than other fighting games because other games felt restrictive to them. “Other fighting games, traditional fighting games, always feel the same,” Hines said. “What got me into Smash competitively was that, mechanically, it feels like a sandbox, and you can show your skill in different ways.” The one thing shared between those that show up for the tournaments is their love of the community and their desire to hang out with friends. “I really enjoy hanging out with the people at the carrels,” Ortiz said. “It’s fun to play, but it’s just fun to hang out with people you know.” UH Smash can be found in the Classroom and Business Building most Monday nights and the SC North carrels almost every day. Their Facebook page keeps followers up to date on their events. As for Tran, he said he is thankful for what the game has done for him and his friend. While his camaraderie with other club-goers is something he holds dear, his relationship with his best friend is unmatched. “She’s the one person that I can talk to about most things,” Tran said. “Stuff I don’t tell my parents or anybody else.” news@thedailycougar.com
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Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | 3
GREG FAILS, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
NEWS
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CAMPUS RECREATION CRYSTAL BEACH
APRIL 13
APRIL 17
COLORADO RIVER
PACE BEND
APRIL 19 - 21
APRIL 27
Registration deadline is 4/5 at 5 pm.
Registration deadline is 2 days prior to class date by 5 pm.
Registration deadline is 4/12 at 5 pm.
BEACH EXCURSION
SURVIVAL SKILLS 5:30 - 8:30 PM
CANOEING
$100 CRWC Member $125 Non-Member
SWIMMING & PADDLING
Learn basic wilderness survival skills like shelter building, fire starting, navigation skills and more in this class!
Canoeing the Lower Colorado River is an incredible experience and makes this one of our most popular trips. The cool waters of the river and our campsite is just a five minute walk to the natural hot springs. This trip requires that you be in good physical condition and have the ability to swim.
We're heading to Pace Bend Park in Travis County for a relaxing day on the water, swimming and paddling. Paddle boards will be provided to explore nine miles of shoreline along with the scenic Lake Travis. This trip is open to participants of all experience levels but the ability to swim is necessary to take a watercraft out on the water.
$25 CRWC Member $30 Non-Member
Join us for some fun in sun at Crystal Beach's unspoiled shoreline, coastal marshes, rivers and bays. We will experience surfing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and beach games. (No experience necessary)!
Price includes food, transportation, gear and guides.
$5 CRWC Member
Begin your registration at the Welcome Desk - Member Services in the CRWC. On the evening of your class, meet in the Outdoor Adventure office to get started.
UHRecreation uh.edu/recreation
Pre-Trip meeting 4/17 at 4pm.
Price includes transportation, food, gear and guides.
Registration deadline is 4/19 at 5 pm.
$50 CRWC Member $75 Non-Member
Price includes transportation, food, gear and guides.
STRENGTHENING THE PRIDE
4 | Wednesday, April 3, 2019
NEWS GREG FAILS, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
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BUSINESS
Bauer listens to faculty, selects dean from outside UH HADRIAN BARBOSA
CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR @HADRIANSWALL_
The faculty at the C.T. Bauer College of Business wrote a letter appealing for the dean’s position to be filled by someone outside the college, detailing a request that the University has now fulfilled. The announcement of new Bauer dean Paul A. Pavlou’s appointment was made on Mar. 19. He will begin in the position on July 1. Pavlou, who has no previous ties to the Bauer college, has served as Temple University’s senior associate dean for faculty research, doctoral programs and strategic initiatives at the Fox School of Business. He also worked as the co-director of the Data Science Institute and was a Milton F. Stauffer professor of information technology and strategy. “I am very excited to help elevate the Bauer College of Business to the next level as a premier public urban college of business to benefit all students and alumni, faculty and staff, and the city of Houston and the state of Texas,” Pavlou said.
Goals for the position Pavlou has three primary goals he wants to achieve in his new position as dean of the Bauer College. One of these aspirations is to raise Bauer to national and global prominence. The Bauer college currently ranks 53rd in the nation for undergraduate research programs, and 54th in the nation among public business schools for full time MBA programs, according to information published by the US News and World Report and featured on the Bauer College website. “This will be consistent with the University’s aspirational goals to become a preeminent national research university,” Pavlou said. “Enhancing the impact of research and the quality of teaching and programs would be key priorities by offering appropriate support, resources and incentives to faculty to excel in their research and teaching.” Management information
systems and entrepreneurship junior Esmeralda Badillo, a student at the Bauer College, said she is excited to see what Pavlou brings to the position. “I think Dr. Pavlou is fit for the role,” Badillo said. “Bauer is one of the best business schools in the nation, so my expectations are only that it continues its legacy and becomes even better.” Badillo said she thinks Bauer students should welcome Pavlou when he begins his duties for the next semester. “With all the outlets of communication available to us today, it would bring unison and pride as Bauer students to have a relationship with Dr. Pavlou similar to the one the UH student body has with President Renu Khator,” Badillo said. Pavlou also plans to enhance academic programs in the college to increase student retention and graduation rates. “We will strive to enhance the quality and value of the Bauer degree for all students and alumni by promoting experiential learning to enhance the practical relevance of education, innovate with technology to enhance the classroom experience, promote global immersions, internships, international experiences and invest in student services to enhance the student experience and improve the placement of students in high-quality jobs,” Pavlou said. In an effort to develop the Bauer College’s reputation as a premier business college, Pavlou plans to engage with the Houston business community. He aims to continue developing Bauer’s status, which has gradually increased since Ted Bauer made a $40 million endowment in 2000. “We will actively engage with alumni, donors, the Houston business community and other stakeholders to develop the local visibility of the Bauer College,” Pavlou said. “(We will) build a strong reputation as a national player in business education and start developing a global
The Cougar received a letter from Bauer faculty earlier in the spring semester, urging the University to deviate from its normal method of selecting new deans and instead hire from outside the University of Houston. With the hiring of Paul A. Pavlou, the University has answered that request. | Courtesy of University of Houston Media Relations
visibility with international partnerships for global immersions and collaborative programs.”
Enhanced experience In addition to heightening Bauer’s status and improving its academic programs, Pavlou said he is also willing to work with students to help elevate the Bauer College and to make the experience better for them. Pavlou said he is willing to work with students to help elevate the Bauer College and to make the experience better for them. “My door will always be open for feedback and suggestions on how we can further improve the Bauer College, and I would be very happy to hear from all students about their ideas on how to further improve the
student experience, student learning and the overall educational experience at the University of Houston,” Pavlou said. Pavlou cites the experience he has gained at his previous institutions as a great benefit for his new position. “I am very excited with this position, since in all my previous roles I helped to elevate the reputation and caliber of my institutions through impactful research, quality educational programs and close ties with alumni, industry and the community,” Pavlou said. Pavlou will be coming to the University of Houston with a clear goal in mind for his new role, he said. “My goal as dean will be to transform the lives of as many students as possible by offering them appropriate
training, mentorship and support – particularly firstgeneration college students with limited financial means,” Pavlou said. “I will place a strong emphasis on securing scholarships for them to pursue their education at Bauer and UH.” Pavlou said he believes the most challenging part of the job will be managing a large body of students while ensuring their learning and success, but is still looking forward to this opportunity. “I am extremely excited about this opportunity at the Bauer College at the University of Houston, and I look forward to working with all students to take the Bauer College to the next level,” Pavlou said. news@thedailycougar.com
Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | 5
#AbortionPositive TOUR IS ON OUR CAMPUS!
We Are Loud, Proud, And Unapologetically Abortion Positive!
No shame. No stigma. No apologies. Learn More:
urge.org/abortion-positive Pa i d f or b y U n i te f or R e p roductive & Gender Eq uity
6 | Wednesday, April 3, 2019
NEWS GREG FAILS, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
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STUDENT GOVERNMENT
New SGA president vows to wow with policy LAURA CONTASTI, MCKENZIE MISIASZEK
WEB EDITOR, ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR @ CONTASTILAU, @MISIASZKEUH
With the shelves cleared and board erased, Allison Lawrence walked into her new office for the first time since she was elected student body president by more than twice the votes of her closest competitor. Lawrence, a political science junior, was a CLASS senator before she was appointed chief of staff during the 55th Administration. She ran with the Students Unite party on a platform of pushing a green campus, increasing student wages and increasing the variety of health insurance the Student Health Center accepts. “People who were in SGA at the time took me under their wing and were like, ‘Hey, you should apply and get appointed first and see how you like it,’ and so I did,” Lawrence said. “Then I became chief of staff, and now I’m president.” Lawrence, a Houston native,
Lawrence walked into her office for the first time April 1. | Corbin Ayres / The Cougar
wanted to be a meteorologist when she grew up. In high school, she participated in model United Nations and art. “When I first joined SGA, it felt like I was the only woman in a leadership role and a lot of meetings. I remember being in meetings with Cameron (Barrett), Davis (Mendoza Darusman) and administrators, and I was the only girl there,” Lawrence said. “There were times where people
would literally say, ‘Oh you bring the female perspective,’ ‘Oh you’re the woman in the room so you can tell us things from the woman’s perspective.'” Her first step into politics happened her freshman year of college when she became an ambassador to the Women and Gender Resource Center and LGBTQ Resource Center and lobbied at the U.S. Capitol on behalf of UH.
“I love advocating, and I love policy, this just feels right,” Lawrence said. “And I feel excited and like I can apply myself.” Executive positions in her administration are not yet filled but will be appointed at the next SGA Senate meeting, and she hopes her cabinet will be appointed. “We’ve been doing interviews since the election results (were announced),” Lawrence said. “We’ve been interviewing people for the past three weeks. I’m glad it’s over.” Lawrence and her vice president, Maysarah Kazia, knew each other for one year, officially, the night they became the president and vice president-elects. The duo is the first female-female ticket to be elected to SGA's executive office since 1975. “Regardless of the results, I am so honored to have met such a passionate, hard-working and humble person," said Vi Pham, chief of staff. "(Allison) reminded us that fighting for better healthcare, sustainability and wages made our election struggles worth it."
The two-woman team was elected under the same party banner and served under the former SGA President Cameron Barrett, who will now serve as a graduate senator at-large. “I think (Allison) and Maysarah are set out to start a lot faster and get more work done," Barrett said. "We did a lot of work in the 55th (administration), but I think because they hit the ground running because of the transitional support (they received) — they'll get some more done." Lawrence said she hopes this administration is transparent in its communication both internally and with the student body, and she hopes to have a term free from drama. “We have a very ambitious agenda, but we will work on everything to our fullest capability,” Lawrence said. “We will push every initiative as hard as it can be pushed and push it as far as it can go. We will do everything that we can until 365 days later.” news@thedailycougar.com
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SPORTS
Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | 7
ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS
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BASEBALL
Junior closer has found his form at a key time ANDRES CHIO
SPORTS EDITOR @CHIOANDRES
University of Houston baseball teams have been known for great pitching, but the Cougars lost a slew of pitchers to the major leagues after the 2018 season. The team is still ironing out its full rotation, but one secure spot is the top closer position held by junior Alfredo "Fred" Villarreal.
A necessary move "Someone had to step up. Houston is known for our pitching always being top notch. I knew I had to work and keep striving for more," Villarreal said. Villarreal had to grow into his role as a closer, and he did not have the best 2018. He started his year by tearing his serratus anterior muscle, a muscle on the side of the body along the rib cage, early last season and had to sit out for nearly half the season before he came back. When he returned, he struggled with pitches and just did not feel himself, Villarreal said. The injury was on the same side as his throwing arm, which affected his throwing motion and hampered his tosses. But, he was able to use the offseason to refine his game and has become one of the Cougars' most reliable pitchers. "Freddy gets more confident the more he goes out there. He has become what we thought he was going to be from day one when we recruited him," said head coach Todd Whitting.
New year, new tricks Villarreal played in 12 games in 2018 and gave up 11 earned runs in 22.1 innings pitched. He has already played in 15 games in 2019 and has thrown 30.2 innings with just five earned runs allowed for a 1.47 ERA. "It's just small adjustments and trying to work ahead of the count. That's the main thing," Villarreal said. "I'm just happy that now I'm 100 percent healthy. I get a chance to pitch now, and I feel great." His time as a closer has seen him earn a 2-1 win-loss record. He is tied for second in the conference with five saves,
Junior pitcher Fred Villarreal has thrown the third most innings out of any Cougar on the roster this season and the most out of any of the relief pitchers. His five saves are the best of all UH pitchers in 2019 and he is on track to finish with 11, which would tie for No. 4 in UH history for saves in a year. | Andres Chio/The Cougar
which means he has been thrown into sticky situations and closed the games out for a win. The most saves of all Houston pitchers last season was six and Villarreal should surpass that. There have been just eight pitchers to have double digit saves in a season at Houston, with the record set at 15, and Villarreal is well on his way to joining that elite group. "He's done a tremendous job on the backside and just slams the door to get us wins," Whitting said. It is not an easy role to take on, but Villarreal has shown ability and poise under the microscope. "I mean it's hard, but at the same time I love closing. It's fun to be put on the spot, and I love the pressure," Villarreal said. The pressure will only continue to build as the Cougars fight to improve in conference play. Houston is down near the bottom of the conference standings early in the season and will need to start turning things around before the situation becomes dire. Though the Cougars' conference trajectory remains uncertain, the team knows who it trust to close games. sports@thedailycougar.com
8 | Wednesday, April 3, 2019
SPORTS ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS
SPORTS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
713-743-5303
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Historic season ends after nailbiting game
Sampson, seniors count blessings after bitter Sweet Sixteen loss the last game that we'll play all on the same court together, it really hurts," said junior guard Armoni Brooks. It will be up to the young players to continue the team's legacy and build an even better team.
The next wave
Senior Corey Davis Jr. took the loss hard and on Twitter he said, " The last two shots of my career are gonna haunt me. Forced two horrible shots that ended up costing us. But knowing the person I am. I’m gonna learn from all this and embrace all my faults. I’m not perfect, but as long as I can say I gave all of me to the game I’m okay with it." | Ahmed Gul/The Cougar
ANDRES CHIO
SPORTS EDITOR @CHIOANDRES
Houston fell to Kentucky during the Sweet Sixteen matchup on Friday, ending the team's hopes of making it to the Final Four like the legendary UH teams of the past. The locker room was filled with red-eyed players, emotionally and physically tired from coming back from 13 points down just to fall in the final stretch.
"You know, going to the Elite Eight would be great, but what would mean more to me would be a chance to coach this group of kids again," said head coach Kelvin Sampson. "That's what I was looking forward to: another film session, another practice, another game. Just keep playing as long as we could play." Sampson has said over and over that this team has been amazing to work with, and he has enjoyed coaching them the whole way through.
Senior guard Galen Robinson Jr. was the first to buy into head coach Kelvin Sampson's plans and has been with UH all four years. | Ahmed Gul/The Cougar
One more chance For many, it was the last time they would play together in a Cougar uniform, and winning was not the only goal.
His players have felt the same way, with redshirt sophomore DeJon Jarreau regularly tweeting #moreblessings, and others have always praised the coach.
"You know, sometimes in coaching you just get blessed with a great group of kids," Sampson said. "It's such a blessing and an honor for me to coach these kids this season, and I say thank you to them for letting me go along on the ride, especially Corey and Galen and Breaon and Landon."
Last season, Houston made it to the round of 32, this year it made the Sweet Sixteen and who is to say the Cougars can't finish in the Elite Eight in 2020? That was part of the message Sampson gave the team after the loss. He told the players to look forward and keep working hard. "He wanted us to remember this feeling. That was the message to the younger guys. It’s their time now," said senior center Breaon Brady. The journey was especially tough for senior Galen Robinson Jr., who is the only senior on the team to have been with Houston all four years of his college career. Even though his team lost, Robinson Jr. said he could be proud of how the team has
played and built a foundation for the future. "Crazy thing, we’re Houston and we just lost to Kentucky and we are hanging our heads. That tells you how far we’ve come," Robinson Jr. said. "I held my tears until the very end, then I couldn't hold them no more. I know for a fact we earned some respect. They're gonna be back next year." Now, all the players will return to going to class regularly, and the constant trips will come to a close. The seniors will finish up their final classes before moving on, whether it be to the G League or a regular nine to five, but what the team has built will not disappear. "We were really looking forward to getting back to practice and being able to be around each other some more, but we'll all keep in contact with each other. This is a brotherhood we built for life. These are memories we'll cherish forever," Brooks said. sports@thedailycougar.com
Final sendoff The quartet of seniors have played their final game under Sampson, and it brought many emotional moments afterward in the locker room and at the postgame press conference. Senior guard Corey Davis Jr. said it was a harsh ending but the players will never forget what they made together. "I know we won't be able to play with each other ever again, but at the same time, we've made so many great memories and we just created so many great bonds. It's something you can't take away from us," Davis Jr. said. The fact that it was the final game was not missed by the younger players either, who still have a year or two to wear the Houston uniform. Sampson had the seniors say something to the team after the game, which was an emotional moment to sit through, Davis Jr. said. "We all love each other on and off the floor, and having this be
Junior guard Armoni Brooks is one of the Cougars that will take the experience of the last two NCAA trips into the 2019-20 season. He was lethal from 3-point range and went 6-for-12 against Kentucky. | Ahmed Gul/The Cougar
Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | 9
4/29 I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME • 4/30 Cleopatrick
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10 | Wednesday, April 3, 2019
SPORTS ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS
SPORTS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
TRACK AND FIELD
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CAMPUS
Track and field team eyes outdoor title
Athletics on the prowl ANDRES CHIO
SPORTS EDITOR @CHIOANDRES
After a few road trips, Houston's sports squads are back in town. Although the basketball season is over, the softball and baseball teams are in the middle of the season. The tennis unit is winding down their year as the team prepares for the conference championships in just two weeks. Here is a rundown of all the sporting events going on around campus this week.
Softball Houston will play Lamar Wednesday at 6 p.m. to try to recover from an 0-3 weekend. The Cougars are 24-12 overall and 2-4 in the American Athletic Conference and could use a little momentum before the road trip against Tulsa and then Texas next Wednesday.
Baseball
Seniors Amere Lattin and Mario Burke are two of the Cougars' top runners and will need to be on their A-game if the team wants a chance at the NCAA Outdoor Championships gold medal. Houston finished third in the 2018 outdoor season and second in the 2019 indoor season. | Thomas Dwyer/The Cougar
BRAYLEY CROWE
STAFF WRITER @BRAYLEYCROWE
Less than three weeks ago, the men’s track and field team reached an unprecedented mark in the program’s indoor history as the Cougars finished second at the NCAA Indoor Championships, the best finish in UH indoor track and field history. But where one season ends, another quickly begins. Houston picked up where the indoor season left off as the team competed in its first outdoor meet of 2019 just a week later.
worship
With this new season, a new nation, the Cougars will also running environment. drive emerges for Houston have the drive to finish at the Montgomery said he enjoys to better its third-place top of the state. the openness of the track while finish at the 2018 Outdoor No. 6 Houston joined No. 1 racing outdoors because the Championship and keep up the Texas Tech, No. 2 Texas A&M fresh air is easier to breathe. momentum. and No. 8 Texas in the top 10 of “In the 400 indoors, there’s To pair with its secondthe preseason outdoor rankings. a lot of bumping going on,” he place finish at the national Houston started the said. “In outdoors, it's you in competition, the Cougars season with 10 first-place your own lane. There is not also placed first at the finishes at the Spring Break somebody trying to cut you off American Athletic Conference Invitational, took another eight or beating you to the break. We Championships, the fifth gold medals at the Victor Lopez don’t have any of that anymore.” straight title for the men’s Classic at Rice and then three at With another three-month indoor program. the Texas Relays in Austin. slate ahead of the Cougars, the CATHOLIC MASS ON CAMPUS Seniors Amere Lattin, SUNDAYS: Obi Montgomery, who finished team will use the success it 10:45 AM - Religion Center Igbokwe, Kahmari Montgomery, second in the 400m dash at the achieved already to propel into 6:00 PM - Catholic Center Mario Burke, Trumaine WEEKDAYS: national championship, said he uncharted territory. Tuesday—Friday 12:00 Noon Jefferson and junior Jermaine aims to use the indoor success “The success we have and CATHOLIC NEWMAN CENTER Confession: Before or After Holt finished as First-Team toMasses motivate himself and his we’ve built is great,” Lattin said. Sunday Bible Class All-Americans in the indoor team. “Continue to love this feeling. season, but Lattin said the “We want to make sure that Not loving losing, but loving indoor success only added more we continue to have the big getting there. Once we do that, drive as they begin the outdoor name and H-Town Speed City we can go win it.” season. and everything,” Montgomery The Cougars’ next meet “We didn’t win. Coming up said. “As long as everyone is Saturday as they host the short is always fuel to the fire. handles their Ps and Qs like we Houston Alumni Invitational It makes you want to work need to, we’ll be alright.” at the Carl Lewis International harder," Lattin said.IF YOU ARE INTERESTED The change of environment Complex IN ADVERTISING IN WORSHIP D IRECTORYon , campus. To pair with the burning urge A SALES brings about some different REPRESENTATIVE AT 713-743-5356 CONTACT sports@thedailycougar.com to finish as the top team in the and welcoming aspects of the
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Houston will play Florida International on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. after going to Lamar on Tuesday. Then, Houston will host East Carolina over the weekend on Friday 6:30 p.m., Saturday 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Houston is seventh in the AAC with a 2-4 record while East Carolina is in first with a perfect 6-0 record. The series will be a good chance for the Cougars to make up ground in the standings and claw back into the top half of the table.
Tennis The 12-5 women's tennis squad will play twice over the weekend. The Cougars will host the Roadrunners from San Antonio on Friday at 1 p.m. and then the Bulls from Florida on Sunday at 11 a.m. San Antonio is 11-10 this season and the teams almost had a few members face off at the Rice Invitational in Sept., but it was not to be. South Florida is 10-7 overall, but 4-0 in the AAC. sports@thedailycougar.com
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Vocational schools can offer a needed alternative for today's students KRISTIN CHBEIR
OPINION COLUMNIST
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here are alternative paths to a successful life that do not involve a traditional college experience. Right now, students all over the country are struggling to get through school while taking on massive amounts of debt that will follow them for years. We have been given the ultimatum that it is college or nothing. But, there are other options. Options that we, as a society, have completely neglected. One of those choices is vocational schools. Vocational schools teach those students who are not college-bound valuable skills that will provide them with a source of income for the rest of their lives. Vocational schools, however, are no longer prevalent in middleclass society. High schools no longer give students the option to learn valuable skills that aren’t taught in colleges. By providing students with no alternative, society is sending the message that if they do not possess the mindset that is required by college, they are doomed to unemployment in their eyes. Individuals who are not college bound are then discouraged from pursuing any education past the high-school level. It’s time we rethink our stance on vocational schools
Schooling timeline Before the 1950s During this time period, education was becoming more and more of a must rather than a choice for young Americans. Students would follow the three Rs, reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic, and were taught trade skills on the side. The 1950s and beyond This is when things got tricky. Beginning in the 1950s, a new educational idea appeared: Students should follow academic paths based on their capability. In other words, those who would continue on to college would receive more advanced classes of reading, writing and arithmetic. This is where higher levels of science and math came in. Consequently, the advanced students would never see a trade for the rest of his or her academic life. Meanwhile, students who did not meet the standards posed by higher education were given mediocre classes and taught trade skills instead.
Eventually, this escalated more into a test not of skill but of socioeconomic status and race. What was once a perfectly functioning system had now been tainted by societal prejudice. Now Today, education has shifted from mixing academic perspectives with handiwork — which could arguably be life skills as well — to solely theoretical studies. For public schools, institutes that cater to just about everyone of all ethnicities and socioeconomic statuses, students are prepared only for college, making "college-prep" the core curriculum for United States' standards. Imagine an entire set of expectations based off of middleclass white individuals. Who knew? Vocational school, as the education type would be dubbed, has been relegated only to the minorities and working-class students. Not that this is bad in any way. As a matter of fact, I
personally admire those who study practical skills (learning from a DIYer on YouTube is not the same). While I also understand the value of higher education, not everyone can pay $127,000 for a bachelor’s degree.
Socioeconomics Education before the 1950s was certainly an interesting time to be alive. There was an economic boom, and schools saw a major increase in both immigrants and rural applicants. This meant the institutes had to adjust to a new group of people: the lower socioeconomic class. In 1917, the Smith-Hughes Act was passed, which allowed the U.S. government to fund vocational education. Those funds prepared the newfound set of students for a career that did not require the level of education that their more wealthy peers benefited from. Schooling at the time not only prepared students for college in the way that we understand
today, but it also would offer an educational opportunity — or track — for individuals who came from families that simply did not have the means to study in universities. Instead, they were placed on a course that allowed them to work with their hands. The vocational track would actually benefit from a surplus number of less fortunate families. Children from these less affluent families would have an opportunity to learn a new skill set and have a chance at improving their current living conditions and future prospects. There was a rather distinct shift before the 1950s and after, that changed the opportunities for employment — especially within the lower socioeconomic class — for good.
Different learning styles It goes without saying that each and every student who enters high school is unique. Each individual
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income opportunities. Getting a scholarship, especially for those who come from struggling families, is definitely worth it, in theory. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 68 percent of high school students that graduate go to college. That leaves 30 percent of graduates behind with neither job skills nor sufficient academics. This 30 percent could benefit from some sort of vocational school. Learning to weld, fix household appliances or any other skill-based job could be a life-long gift. But we're not teaching those students a skill.
possesses their own strengths, weakness, ambitions and learning styles. It may come as a shock to educators, but not everyone is good at math, excels at English, is aspiring to be the next Mozart or is a history whiz. Sure, there are cases where students are strong in one topic but struggle in another. They just need a little help, right? Well, not necessarily. There are some students who cannot be bothered to even care about these academics. In some of their eyes, all they are doing is sitting down, reading a book, listening to a Flourishing jobs teacher talk, taking notes and then High schools are preparing being sent home with homework. students for college when college Some marvel at learning can be a barrier. There are not different concepts. Others many other options for high abhor it. These students are not school students. necessarily less competent than Believe it or not, skilled jobs their theoretical peers, their are still flourishing. And this will brains are just wired differently. continue for years. We are always These students are stuck in the in need of people who can perform classroom without another option. skilled labor. People who work They're stuck. with their hands for a living are But why don't students adjust still in demand. Your plumber or their learning styles? After all, your mechanic or the guy who going to college offers better climbs the poles to keep your 10-11857 Cougar News March - 2_print.pdf 1 3/13/19 1:18 PM job opportunities and better internet up are examples of people
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Vocational schools offer a chance to learn skills students can use for the rest of their lives. | Fiona Legesse/The Cougar
with blue-collar jobs that are also flourishing. People will always need skilled labor for jobs they can't complete. It's necessary to teach the next generation of students some valuable trade. In the light of university education, vocational school is in a sour light, so much so that the idea of learning a trade is completely out of the question
for high school students who are discovering what they want their career path to be. There is this sort of “college for everyone” mindset that has been set by society, but it is commonly forgotten that college is something not everyone can afford. Vocational schools create opportunities for students. Vocational schools offer a necessary alternative for students
who may not want to go to college, for those who believe college is not the goal. Let's take a hard look and think about whether or not vocational schools are really as bad as we've made them out to be. Opinion columnist Kristin Chbeir is a psychology senior and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar. com.