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Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Issue 29, Volume 84
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Stuck?
One to two students report being trapped in campus elevators each month, but Facilities says it’s not as bad as you might think. | PG. 6
NEWS New SGA agenda
Allison Lawrence announces goal of raising minimum wage, going green. | PG. 2
SPORTS The Cost of Winning
Houston athletics has devoted millions of dollars to facilities, but the returns may surprise students. | PG. 6
OPINION Too many cooks
There are 21 candidates running for the Democratic presidential nomination. That’s a problem | PG. 10
2 | Wednesday, April 24, 2019
NEWS
GREG FAILS, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
SGA
New SGA administration announces agenda
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The Cougar
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ISSUE STAFF CLOSING EDITORS
Jasmine Davis COPY EDITING
Morgan Horst COVER
Fiona Legesse
i One of the main goals for the SGA's 56th administration is to raise the minimum wage on campus to $8 and eventually to $9. | Corbin Ayres / The Cougar
MCKENZIE MISIASZEK
ASSISTANT EDITOR @MISIASZEKUH
The Student Government Association's 56th Administration has released its Executive Agenda, which details its advocacy and legislative plans for the year. The agenda outlines the polices the Coogs Unite party ran on, like sustainability, increasing insurance coverage and raising student worker's wages, and also initiatives they did not run on but want to highlight during their tenure. "The primary initiatives, those are all things I ran on," said SGA President Allison Lawrence. "I ran on only things I genuinely am pretty passionate about." The three main initiatives outlined during the campaign are fleshed out in the agenda. Lawrence hopes her administration can establish a student minimum wage for on-campus jobs and set the minimum wage to $8, then $9, campus-wide. Along with increasing student wages, she also is in support of the Student Wage referendum, which means she is in favor of raising student pay and all the work that has been behind that. "We just had a meeting where we were talking about the general timeline for student wages raising," Lawrence said. "We're going to be creating another work-through, all the major players will be meeting up again and we're going to see how $9 is going to affect the
departments, how $10 is going to affect the departments and what the timeline looks like." Another main policy Lawrence's party ran on was getting the UH Student Health Center to accept third-party insurance. She also plans to work with the Health Center to reduce the prices while increasing services offered by the center. Another plan is to work with the Health Center to increase awareness about human papillomavirus infection (HPV) and the vaccine offered for it. HPV is a group of more than 150 related viruses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease can cause warts, may lead to cancer and is sexually transmitted. The vaccine is supposed to reduce the chance of cancer and warts, but it does not prevent cervical cancer in women. Coogs Unite's sustainability initiatives will go past increasing solar energy, which they outlined during the campaign processes. Lawrence aims to increase funding for green projects such as adding more water bottle refilling stations in the residence halls and allocating funds to students or faculty members who have ideas to make campus greener. She wants to reduce the University's carbon footprint through her sustainability initiatives. While UH currently has a community garden outside of Cougar Woods Dining Hall, this will soon be closing. The garden
will most likely be moved behind the A.D. Bruce Religion Center. The administration also aims to add a compost garden, but the location is not yet decided upon. "The compost (garden), the location will probably depend on where Facilities says is feasible for it," said Vice President Maysarah Kazia. Kazia also outlined her own initiatives, along with initiatives the deputy chief of staff, Tania Hameed, plans to achieve, which were not publicized during the campaign. Kazia plans to work on mentorship programs, religious inclusion and infrastructure improvement. She wants the implementation of a mentorship program for international students. She hopes to work with International Student and Scholar Services and the Alumni Association to get the program up and running. "That would be with students who live on campus, and that would just allow them to assimilate into the country, essentially," Kazia said. Kazia is the first Hijabi woman to be SGA vice president, and she wants to increase the amount of spaces students can easily pray or meditate in around campus. The initiative is not yet entirely mapped out, but the current working plan, Kazia said, is to have spaces in multiple campus areas that students can use for prayer. Currently, the campus has one
place designated for prayer and meditation: the A.D. Bruce Religion Center. "That's a very personal initiative to me, being Muslim and praying five times a day on campus, it can be difficult," Kazia said. "It is something I've seen a lot of students on campus struggle with." The main pillar of Kazia's infrastructure improvement initiative is to make the campus more accessible for students with disabilities. "Something I know senators have talked about is having braille in every building and some accommodations like that," Lawrence said. Another aspect of the administration's plan is to improve the SGA's Emerging Leaders program, which allows students to participate in SGA and learn without being in any of the three branches of SGA. Every initiative the administration ran on is close to both Lawrence's and Kazia's hearts, making it all the more important to them that they aim to get their plans into gear, they said. "Every single initiative I have relates to a specific person or a specific incident, and that's why it's more of almost an emotional attachment to them," Kazia said. "It's not just 'Oh I want this done for the campus', it's also, there's real people affected by these initiatives." news@thedailycougar.com
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Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | 3
GREG FAILS, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
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NEWS 713-743-5314
Congratulations to the Student Housing and Residential Life Student Leaders 2018-2019 SHRLies Award Recipients Commitment to Ethic of Care Award Reda Syed
Senior Desk Assistant of the Year Zachary Timms
Commitment to Student Success Award Amanda Nardo
Community Mentor of the Year Award Lauren Gatmaitan & Victoria Adewole
Commitment to Diversity Award Fatou Jallow
Faculty-In-Residence Program of the Year Dr. Kavita Singh
Diversity Award Fatou Jallow
Social Program of the Year Cougar Place – Karokee Night
Commitment to Relationship Building Cougar Place
Diversity Program of the Year Cougar Village 2 - Do NOT Be Ignorant
Commitment to Community Building Cougar Place
NRHH Member of the Year Recipient Sydney Hoffman
Cougar Spirit Award Alivia Mikaheil
Academic Program of the Year Bayou Oaks - Breakfast at Bayou
Tier 1 Customer Service Award Mohammad Abulawi
Hall Council Member of the Year Yenthy Nguyen - Cougar Place
Cub of the Year Award Shauva Gautam & Lilly Kyser
Hall Council Program of the Year Cougar Village 2 - Spooky Fest
Distinguished Cougar Award Shawn Calvin
Hall Council of the Year Moody Towers
Desk Assistant of the Year Award Patrick Grady
NRHH Volunteer of the Year Omar Harb
Resident Advisor of the Year Fatima Janoowala
NRHH Unsung Hero Moses Belton NRHH Member of the Year Jack Clanton Residential Community of the Year Cougar Place Bayou Oaks Graduate Assistant Appreciation Cassie Butcher
4 | Wednesday, April 24, 2019
NEWS
GREG FAILS, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
713-743-5314
ELEVATORS
Students and faculty getting stuck in elevators
According to students and faculty it's not uncommon to end up trapped or experience other technical difficulties in elevators in most campus buildings including the dorms. | Fiona Legesse / The Cougar
MCKENZIE MISIASZEK
NEWS EDITOR
@MISIASZEKUH
Middle Eastern Studies Program Director Emran El-Badawi has been teaching at UH for almost eight years. His office is located on the sixth floor of Agnes Arnold Hall, steps away from an elevator he refuses to use. He stopped taking that elevator last year after he and his son became stuck. He calls the elevator, which is currently out of order, “the death trap,” and has helped multiple students who have been stuck in it. “Years ago, this elevator,—maybe four or five years ago,—a custodian walked in and he walked out of it and the elevator fell,” El-Badawi said. “It was horrifying.” The elevators in Agnes Arnold are not the only elevators that will break down and trap people, as students have been stuck in buildings across campus. “The first time was pretty scary because I pressed the call button on the elevator and it rang but nobody picked up,” said economics and political science freshman Randolph Campbell Jr. “Tried to call UHPD on my phone but couldn’t pick up a signal in the elevator. The call button wouldn’t activate again for a while, but eventually someone from UHPD picked up and sent someone to fix the elevator pretty quickly.” He has gotten stuck in the
Cougar Village II elevators three times since the semester started. “The other two times were a lot more smooth. UHPD picked up the first time and sent someone to fix it quickly,” Campbell said. He said he has now decided to stick with the stairs in the dorm. Unreported Incidents Campbell and El-Badawi are only a couple of the people who have reported being stuck in elevators across campus. Executive Director of Facilities Services Jeffrey Benjamin said the amount of people who get stuck in elevators on campus is small: just 0.003 percent based on total elevator operating time, or one to two people a month. “I think that number is low,” El-Badawi said. “I think that number is low because, I mean this has happened to me, this has happened to other people, you get stuck and then you’ll get out on your own. You have to go back down and then you get out. That's still not a functioning elevator. You’re still getting stuck, you’re still late, you’re afraid, something bad could happen. That happens a lot too, frequently that’s unreported.” Sport administration senior Kylie Copeland didn’t report her incident of being dropped two floors in an elevator at University Lofts to anyone except the people at the front desk, even though during the fall she thought it may be the end
for her, she said. “Thinking back, I definitely should have told Fix-It or someone else, but I was more in shock of what happened, and I was just ready to leave the building,” Copeland said. Is it safe? Elevators have many fail-safes to keep their passengers from falling to their doom, and elevators are some of the safest modes of transportation. Benjamin said UH’s elevators are no different. “Each elevator undergoes an annual third-party state inspection and certification,” Benjamin said. “In addition, maintenance workers in the elevator shop conduct weekly, monthly and annual preventive maintenance to ensure safe and reliable operation.” Sometimes the elevators are out of order. They may be fixed with the flip of a switch or may require more intense maintenance, which could take days, weeks or months. “Our number one goal is to ensure that before an elevator is returned to service, it is working properly and safely. In most cases, problems are corrected within an hour of the report,” Benjamin said. “However, due to the proprietary nature of elevators, on occasion we have to order parts to complete a repair, and this is done as quickly as possible.” If students do end up getting stuck in elevators that need repairs,
they should press the help button and explain to the operator what is happening. They are urged not to press random buttons, jump up and down or try to pry open the door. When public relations senior Mayra Castillo became stuck in the Welcome Center parking garage two years ago, she and her friend were stuck for about 15 to 20 minutes, she said. “We had just gotten on the elevator to go to the fourth floor, and it suddenly stopped between the third and fourth,” Castillo said. “I personally got nervous and had to sit down.” Many of the students who have been stuck in an elevator said they were out in 30 minutes or less, but that time frame is not always guaranteed. “When we receive a call, we try to respond as soon as is reasonably possible,” Benjamin said. “Response times may vary depending on the circumstances, including but not limited to if the call is made after regular hours, or after Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., the elevator cannot be reset or assistance from the Houston Fire Department is required.” Widely known Malfunctioning elevators are not a secret, El-Badawi said. In Agnes Arnold, students and staff both know there is a risk associated with stepping into the lifts.
“I complain to (my students) all the time,” El-Badawi said. “Like, ‘I’m sorry I’m late to class, I was waiting for an elevator.’ Sometimes I was stuck in an elevator, or the elevators weren’t working so I had to take the stairs. My students know. They know from me that the elevators aren’t good, they aren’t functioning. They know as well, it’s not news to them.” He said when he passes other faculty on the stairs, sometimes they will share a look of acknowledgement or talk about how the elevators are acting up that day. “It is a major, major problem with us getting our job done, with our lifestyles, with our health,” El-Badawi said. He said he wishes the University would stop to think about the construction they do around campus while the elevators are still dangerous, but at this point he does not know if there is anything he can do to change the situation. “That’s just sort of the reality, the lay of the land, us as faculty and students, that being in these buildings, the elevators suck so you have to take the stairs, prepare in advance,” El-Badawi said. “It shouldn't be that way. I don't know what the answer is, I thought the answer would be new elevators or new something or the other, but I don't know.” news@thedailycougar.com
Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | 5
GREG FAILS, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
NEWS 713-743-5314
WEED
Texas bill aims to reduce penalties for marijuana possesion IAN EVERETT
STAFF WRITER @ HANDLE
A group of bills aimed at better marijuana policies is blazing through the Texas Legislature, with one front-runner bill already out of committee. HB 63, sponsored by Rep. Joe Moody, would change laws so individuals would receive two civil penalties of a $250 fine before facing Class C Misdemeanor charges for subsequent offenses. Current Texas law allows for arrest, up to 180 days of jail time, up to $2,000 dollars in fines and a permanent jail record depending on how much marijuana is found in one's possession. “The medical marijuana debate is one we’ve had in Texas for a long time,” said Sandra Guerra Thompson, professor of law at UH and director of the Criminal Justice Institute. Thompson said she would not be surprised if there was movement toward legalization in Texas,
as there are many advocates that make compelling cases on the benefits, and keeping marijuana policy stringent is not helping. “More and more people are starting to realize in terms of costs and benefits that we really haven’t gotten the benefits from tough sentences for low level marijuana crimes,” Thompson said. Among those who see the winds changing, some UH students felt the current Texas policy was behind the times with how people viewed marijuana. “I’ve never smoked, but it’s a plant,” said journalism junior Elisha Finister III. “It’s not worth getting in trouble over. If it’s not allowed in certain professional circumstances, sure, but if it’s in your own home, it should be allowed.” Thompson chaired a committee for the transition team of Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, whose marijuana policy resembles the ideas within HB 63.
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According to a survey by Marist University more than half of Americans have smoked marijuana. | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
“We’ve been doing this sort of thing in Harris County for first offenders,” Thompson said. Ogg’s marijuana policy diverts all low-level misdemeanor cases out of the criminal justice system, so long as offenders take a “decision-making” course. Since 2017, this program has reduced convictions of misdemeanor possession by 80 percent. The DA’s office estimates
they’ve saved $30 million since the diversion program was implemented. One of the other notable bills headed toward the Texas House of Representatives is HB 1365, sponsored by Rep. Eddie Lucio III, which is designed to expand access to medical marijuana. Through HB 1365, patients suffering from conditions like cancer, epilepsy and post traumatic stress
disorder could treat their issues with cannabis, provided the medication is not through smoking. UH students felt that medicinal marijuana would be far better than the alternatives used to manage pain and other debilitating conditions. “I think the medical use is much better than over prescribing opioids,” said media production junior Stephen Clark. “I’ve personally seen the effects of long-term opioid prescription leading to addiction, and I find that marijuana is much better in strictly medical terms.” Advertising sophomore Kailey Axmaker expressed worry for her sister’s development because of the drugs they rely on to help her combat epilepsy. “My sister is 7, and she takes hard drugs twice a day with a syringe. If marijuana was legalized medically, it would be a lot better for her,” Axmaker said. news@thedailycougar.com
6 | Wednesday, April 24, 2019
SPORTS ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR
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FINANCIALS
Houston's battle for relevancy sees gains ANDRES CHIO
SPORTS EDITOR @CHIOANDRES
"If you want to win, there is a cost of winning," said Chairman of the Board of Regents Tilman Fertita to start off the introductory press conference for football head coach Dana Holgorsen in December. Houston has followed the mantra that "to make money, you need to spend money" in pursuit of reaching national relevancy. Fertitta helped organize the rare hiring away of a Power Five coach to a Group of Five school in the winter and has helped fund other projects on campus like the Fertitta Center. “We got to have an excellent athletics program, because that is what is an asset to the University. A mediocre program is not an asset, it is a liability,” said UH President Renu Khator at the press conference. When an asset becomes a liability can be up for debate, but what is not up for debate is the University of Houston has not reported profits in either football or men’s basketball from 2003 to 2017, according to data pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's Equity in Athletics website. Though it sounds bad, it is not uncommon, as just about 64 percent of Division I schools reported they made money off of their football teams over the time frame, and about 30
Fiona Legesse/The Cougar
Fiona Legesse/The Cougar
percent made money off of their men’s basketball team, according to data pulled from the site. In 2017, about 58 percent of football programs and 30 percent of men’s basketball teams made money. Houston’s revenue in both sports consistently rose from 2009 until 2016, when both teams took a dip from which basketball recovered from but football did not. Revenue overall has continued to trend upward, and the Cougars are generally on the right track. In hopes of turning the football program around,
Holgorsen was hired for $4 million a year and men's basketball head coach Kelvin Sampson had his contract upped to $3 million a year. Success has already shown to breed results. Former head coach Tom Herman and his team’s success helped raise football’s revenue by almost $5 million dollars in his first year, according to the Equity in Athletics website. Though his second year saw the numbers drop as the team struggled and rumors of his departure circled the team, his first year showed that winning will bring in money.
Conference differences The average profit per school for football in the American Athletic Conference was $868,301 in 2017, while the Power Five football conferences averaged over $27 million in football profits with just five schools — West Virginia, Rutgers, Purdue, Arizona State and UCLA — that lost money or broke even. In men's basketball, the AAC's schools averaged a loss of $7,720 in 2017. The average school in the biggest six conferences, including the Big East, profited about $3.9 million in the same year according to the data from the site. Though the differences are staggering, the reason for them is not. Bigger programs have
bigger fan bases, more donors and more lucrative media deals. For example, the Big 12 gets about $200 million a year for its schools, which is split to $20 million per school. The AAC, on the other hand, received about $2 million each year per school, though the conference signed a deal that is supposed to be worth about $7 million a year per school that will run until 2031-32. Once that media deal is taken into account, the overall finances of Houston is not too dissimilar to many of the bottom teams in conferences like the Big 12. Looking at total athletics revenues reveals that in 2017,
Fiona Legesse/The Cougar
Houston’s athletic revenue trailed Iowa State’s by $16.5 million and Texas Tech by $23.7 million, according to the Equity in Athletics website. The 2024-25 season is when the Big 12’s media deal with ABC/ESPN and Fox runs out, and that will likely be Houston’s window to join that conference, specifically before another long-term deal is made. Meanwhile, Houston can continue to spend with the goal of raising its profile to make it an appealing target for conference expansion. Acquiring a spot in any of the bigger conferences would earn Houston the extra financial boost to stack up against many of the power schools and could launch the school into stardom. Houston is a hot spot in one of the most talent-filled states for college sports, and having the national recognition could keep elite players home, which can turn off members of the Big 12 or other conferences that heavily recruit in the area. Just like the difference between a liability and an asset, Houston toes the line between being an asset and a threat to any major conference it joins. Though Houston has not yet reaped all the benefits of its spending, the dam will have to eventually collapse. Houston will either break through, or the school will need to face the idea that it may never reach that stage. sports@thedailycougar.com
SPORTS
Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | 7
ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR
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ATHLETICS
Cougars add new faces on the basketball court, football field TAYLOR HAWTHORNE
STAFF WRITER @TAYLORHAW_
As another fall athletics season approaches, new names continue to fill the rosters as transfers continue to roll in. The Houston football team welcomed Houston native, junior Kyle Porter. Porter is a running back transfer from Texas who will be eligible for the fall and will still have two years of eligibility left. In addition, junior cornerback Marcus Jones filled the 23rd spot of the 25 remaining spots available on the 2019 roster. The 2017 All-American is a transfer from Troy and will sit out the 2019 season but will have two years of eligibility remaining along with a redshirt year. Jones could be a good addition to the team with his ability to make tackles, as he had 34 on his own last season
and caused big interceptions. He is also well known for his kickoff and punt returns, and he took a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown last season. The Houston women’s basketball team announced four new additions to the 2019 roster in junior forward Maya Jones, sophomore guard Paris Netherly, senior guard Eryka Sidney and sophomore forward Miya Crump. Head coach Ronald Hughey said he was excited for all four of the new additions. Jones transferred from Jones Junior College, where she ranked No. 3 in the NJCAA in blocked shots and helped her previous school tally up 55 wins in two seasons. Netherly is a Houston native who transferred from Florida International with great offensive and defensive abilities. She is dynamic on the court and could help the Cougars
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Corey Davis Jr. was a transfer player and was one of the men's basketball team's best competitors during his two years. | Kathryn Lenihan/The Cougar
dominate in games with her quick defensive play. Sidney is also a Houston native who transferred from Texas Tech after one season. In that one season, she became the school's first player to have more than 15 assists in a single game. Prior to her time at Texas Tech, she played at San Jacinto College, where she was named the Region XIV Tournament MVP. Crump came back home to Houston after her freshman year at Lamar, where she was one of the team leaders in three-pointers made with 55. She was also named Freshman of the Year in the Southland Conference. Most of these players will debut in the fall and have the chance to start, but Houston can still add a few more transfers before the summer is over. sports@thedailycougar.com
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8 | Wednesday, April 24, 2019
SPORTS ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR
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BASEBALL
Baseball has higher seeds in its sights after breakthrough weeks ANDRES CHIO
SPORTS EDITOR @CHIOANDRES
With series wins against Wichita State and Cincinnati, Houston has broken through the middle of the pack and has taken a light grasp of the No. 3 seed in the American Athletic Conference as well as one in NCAA Regional projections. After a 3-6 start, Houston has risen to 8-7 in the American Athletic Conference and has control of its destiny as it heads to the conference and NCAA tournaments. The defense and pitching have kept Houston in close games, but now the offense is coming together and pulling its weight. The Cougars holds the No. 3 seed in the AAC and an NCAA Regional projection but can snag a No. 2 seed if it keeps up its hot streak. Recent trends Houston's recent upswing has come with more offensive production, and the team has outscored opponents 62 to 46 in its last 11 games. In that time frame, Houston has wins over No. 11 East Carolina and No. 7 Texas A&M. When the offense has gotten going and scored five or more runs, the Cougars are nearly perfect at 15-2.
Andres Chio/The Cougar
"I've said all along that we've had a really good team that just wasn't playing well. Now we’re seeing the type of offense I thought we’d have," said head coach Todd Whitting. Senior first baseman Joe Davis has been hot all season, and he has hit 16 home runs to increase the school record to 51 career home runs. "I'm proud of him. He's not getting good pitches to hit," Whitting said. "Joe is playing relaxed, loose and confident baseball right now. Joe is a great hitter who happens to be really strong, and his power shows up." Oftentimes, Davis has gotten no pitches to hit. The senior has been walked in 11 straight games, and he has 29 walks in 40 matches. One player that has gotten his shots at bat and made them count is junior third baseman Jared Triolo. Triolo leads the team with a .325 batting average through the first 40 games with Davis right behind him at .310.
When he is not at bat, Triolo has been one of the best fielders on the team and makes a great defensive play every game. "Triolo is one of the best defensive basemen in the country. He makes (the tough plays) look really easy," Whitting said. Looking ahead While the games are never easy, Houston's remaining conference games are against some of the bottom teams in the AAC. No. 3 Houston has No. 2 Tulane, No. 8 UCF and No. 9 USF left to play, and the latter two will be on the road. Tulane's No. 2 ranking is a bit deceiving, as the emerald squad has yet to play East Carolina and is three games behind. After that series, the Green Wave could be 8-6, just one game better than the Cougars. UCF's rank is also a bit misleading, as the team is ranked No. 75 in RPI and has some big wins against Florida, Auburn, Florida State and Florida Atlantic. A strong finish in conference
Andres Chio/The Cougar
Senior Joe Davis is tied for No. 3 in the NCAA for home runs this season with 16 and pitchers have walked him 29 times to avoid him. | Andres Chio/The Cougar
would set the Cougars up for the conference tournament but also get it a higher seed in the NCAA Tournament. D1Baseball's recent projections have the Cougars as a No. 3 seed in the Atlanta Regional against Georgia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth and Oregon. Last season, Houston was a No. 2 seed in the Chapel Hill Regional and made it to the regional finals, where it lost to North Carolina. Sam Houston is the only team on Houston's remaining schedule that is also projected to make it to the NCAA Tournament,
though Florida Atlantic is No. 57 in RPI and a threat to make it by winning Conference USA. The Cougars have made it through one of the tougher stretches in the season with a positive record and can take a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament by tearing through the final weeks. Houston will take to the road against USF and then Rice on Wednesday before coming home for a non-conference series against UNLV. sports@thedailycougar.com
COMMENTARY
Spring sports deserve more support from UH ANDRES CHIO
SPORTS EDITOR @CHIOANDRES
The board advertising the week's sporting events was in a prime position against a pillar by the trashcans in Student Center South. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar
The Cougar and Aggie baseball teams clashed with fans in maroon out in nearly equal numbers, which should not be happening when students can get in for free and the game is on one of the busier days of campus. While it is uncommon for UH fans to be outnumbered at home, the make up of the crowd was not very different from normal, as mostly alumni and family filled the park. Family and friends of the players usually fill the crowds of the spring sports, while other students are left in the dark about some of the great teams on campus due to the word not being spread. Before Tuesday's game, there was one piece of constantly
present advertising in Student Center South, which serves thousands of students a day. The standing board read "Baseball vs Texas A&M @ 6:30" with the date above it, which was handwritten and really only legible if you were right next to it. There was no notice that A&M was ranked No. 7 and no notice that students get in for free. This is not a problem exclusive to the spring sports either. During basketball season, that same sign as well as a couple cardboard ones along a few walkways were all that advertised the team near one of the highest traffic areas on campus. UH had nine sellout crowds during the historic 33-4 basketball season. That kind of success advertises itself, but the basketball team will not do that every year. Another missed area is the
Student Center Satellite. The dining area is adorned with televisions, but none of them are set to play UH highlights, advertise upcoming games or rebroadcast recent or classic wins. Both the softball and baseball teams are near the top 40 in RPI out of 297 and 299 teams, respectively, and are bound for the NCAA Tournament. There are championship caliber teams playing almost every week on campus and there is not enough advertising the squads around campus. Students should support the teams, but first they have to know about the games and that starts with UH athletics putting more into advertising the teams on campus. sports@thedailycougar.com
Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | 9
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A last letter from the armchair editor JORDEN SMITH
D
ear All, This is my last print edition as editor. At the beginning of this semester I promised a changed opinion section with less focus on politics and more of a focus on new issues and campus. Looking back on my tenure as Opinion Editor, I believe that this Spring 2019 semester was a good one for the opinion section. There were stories outside what we usually talk about. We talked about doing a better job celebrating Black History Month. We talked about the need to pay cheerleaders more, based on their hard work. And we talked about how the Assistant Opinion Editor, Anthony Cianculli, thought that the movie Dunkirk was a dumpster fire. And we talked about campus a lot more, specifically the Student Government Association Electiom; we got to roast those candidates as well in a column that called out their
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flaws. But we also talked about parking prices and the White Tailed Squirrel. As my tenure began I wrote a column asking you to come at us this semester and engage with our content. I'm happy to say that you guys did engage with the content we provided. And you made us want to be better. We tried our best to listen. So, at the end of my time here, I hope that the content that the opinion section has provided this semester has made you a more informed person, citizen and student. I have enjoyed my time here and I am continuously glad I became Opinion Editor. Thank you for the time you spent reading. Thank you for being great readers. Until next time.
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Best, Jorden Smith Opinion Editor Jorden Smith is a political science and creative writing senior and can be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.
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Take advantage of UH, Houston while in college JORDEN SMITH
OPINION EDITOR
T
his is most likely my last column for The Cougar before I graduate, and I owe a lot of my time in college to this newspaper. But my college experience is not only the newspaper -- I’ve done a lot of other things that have shaped my college experience. College, as I have learned, is about taking as many opportunities and experiencing as much as possible. Living these years to the fullest requires a willingness to go out and see what happens whenever those opportunities are taken. Though the semester is almost over, the summer is coming up, and for those of you not graduating there are a multitude of opportunities you should take. At UH A college campus revolves around the classes we all take. Many times, campus is seen
is sitting outside after class in the sun (usually drinking a coffee or a kombucha, which is great and anyone who says otherwise is wrong and needs to change their opinion. Also, kombucha is really healthy and improves your gut health). Sitting by the fountains or in Lynn Eusan Park is one of the most relaxing parts of college. And — to paraphrase the best medical show of all time, "Scrubs" — everyone should take some time and lay in the sun. Along with all the opportunities to enjoy yourself, there are a wealth of opportunities to volunteer. Look to the Metropolitan Volunteer Program for volunteering options around the Third Ward and at locations close to UH (even though you will have to wait until the beginning of the semester). There are other opportunities that happen throughout the year. The Houston Food Bank has year-round opportunities
The city of Houston has a lot to offer in terms of things to do. Activities range from leisurely activities to professional sports games to outdoor activities. | Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/user: Urban~commonswiki
mental health. Take these campus opportunities when possible because the campus is much more than just the classes we attend. Not to say that classes are not important, but there's much more to our beautiful campus than the everyday business we're used to.
In the city Houston has a lot to offer, and at times Houstonians tend to overlook the many opportunities and experiences it presents. When I was graduating from high school, I was always under the impression Houston was a do-nothing city. But that’s just not the case when it comes to reality. There are a lot of great coffee Houston Dynamo games are a great way to get out in the city, and they are a shops in Houston that allow fun time. | Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/user: Warrenfish you to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine. These are some of for those interested in as the place where you take the best experiences, especially classes or live or do whatever is volunteering. Volunteering is when surrounded by friends. not only good for others, but done during the day. MASS ON CAMPUS As summer begins, look for your own One thing I’ve always enjoyed it is very goodCATHOLIC SUNDAYS:
outside to all the things Houston has to offer. Now, when it's sweltering hot outside, the outdoors can seem like a terrible place to be for your health. But being outside can help reduce stress, and college students all need less stress. Think of Hermann Park or some of the nature trails surrounding the city. This summer, take some time to relax outside. Next semester, do the same thing. One of the most fun things to do in the city, no matter who you are, is to attend a game of one of the professional sports teams. Right now, Astros and Dynamo games are happening. Both sports are fun to watch for different reasons.
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Sports Going to a Dynamo game is a lot of fun because the action never stops, and it’s not a very long commitment. Tickets can be cheap because the Dynamo offers some great deals. Even
if you don’t enjoy soccer, it’s still a fun time, as El Batallon plays throughout the game (a lot of "Karma Chameleon" and "Wonderwall"). Astros games are equally as fun but much more relaxed. The slow pace of the game contributes to a very relaxing but fun time. There’s a lot on the UH campus and throughout Houston to experience. At the end of my college experience, I'm glad that I took the time to experience many things in the years I had here. College is much more than academics, even though that's an incredibly important part. Make sure to take your college years and do as much as possible. Opinion Editor Jorden Smith is a political science and creative writing senior and can be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.
There are too many presidential candidates running right now Sunday Bible Class
JORDEN SMITH
are Sen. Cory Booker, former And that’s not even everyone U.S. Department of Housing and running for the Democratic Tomorrow on Texas Southern Urban Development Secretary nomination. According to University’s campus, eight Julián Castro, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, the New York Times, there Democratic presidential Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Amy are twenty-one announced YOUinARE INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING WORSHIP Dcandidates IRECTORY, for the nomination candidates will takeIFpart Klobuchar, former Rep.INBeto ONTACT A SALES REPRESENTATIVE AT 713-743-5356 C the She the People Presidential O’Rourke, Sen. Bernie Sanders (not including Joe Biden who will Forum. The eight candidates and Sen. Elizabeth Warren. probably announce this week). OPINION EDITOR
Here is the issue with all of this: there are far too many cooks in the kitchen at this point. And, even with that, it’s only April — April of 2019. The election is not
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Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | 11
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Candidates Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Bernie Sanders are some of the top candidates running for the Democratic nomination. Other candidates may not have the same chance as others. | Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/users: Stemoc, SecretName101 and William S. Saturn
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Continued from previous page until November 2020, and there are a lot of primaries and debates in between then and now. Everyone and their mother Tomorrow the forum might be interesting. But the fact that there are eight candidates attending and that’s only about a third of all candidates is ridiculous. To put that in perspective, in 2016 seventeen candidates ran for the Republican presidential candidate. And even then the field was far too crowded and made very little sense for that many candidates to be involved. The fact that someone legitimately told Mayor Wayne Messam or Rep. Seth Moulton or Mariane Williamson that they have any chance of winning is kind of ridiculous. These people are the Gov. Jim Gilmore of this campaign - they’re only here to give The Onion content on a slow news day. The problem with the 2016 Republican primaries was that there were far too many people for anyone who was not Trump to make a significant impact on the people. There is sometimes far too much noise for anyone who has no chance to make their voice heard. There are lanes for certian candidates, and they have to fight in their line; like Sen. Sanders with progressives or Mayor Buttigieg with moderates. There are certain candidates that are going to win their lane, and everyone else is just an extra, added voice that clogs up the airwaves. Someone in this field of candidates needs to realize they don’t really have a chance to beat President Trump. And we do not need an undercard debate again, because watching the undercard debates was grueling.
Far too early The first candidate to announce for the Republican candidacy was Sen. Ted Cruz on March 23, 2015. The next candidate to announce was Sen. Rand Paul on April 7, 2015. Those were the only two candidates who had announced at this time in 2015. And yet there are 21 candidates running now. Remembering 2016, at the end of the primaries most of America was done with politics
and wanted November just to happen. But then we still had five months to listen to President Trump and Hillary Clinton battle each other. It’s April and I think I have been hearing about who is running for President since sometime last year. Honestly, we’ve been talking about who is running in 2020 since the end of the 2016 election. By the end of this election cycle, America is going to be exhausted from the amount
of politics it will be forced to ingest. Some of these primary candidates need to do the right thing and drop out. For the good of American sanity, it’s far too early, there are too many candidates, someone drop out. Someone will send you a fruit basket.
Opinion Editor Jorden Smith is a political science and creative writing senior and can be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.
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