PRINT WEEKLY. DIGITAL DAILY
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Issue 6, Volume 84
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Nearly there Despite climbing in the U.S. News & World Report’s annual collegiate rankings, the University of Houston still lags behind Texas’ other flagship research institutions. | PG. 5
OPINION
Resources should come before enrollment
UH expanded its student body by nearly 1,000 people for Fall 2018, but current students should not foot the human cost of such growth when on-campus resources are already limited. | PG. 10
SPORTS
Sophomore safety returns with high hopes After being one of the top safeties in the Southeastern Conference, transfer sophomore Deontay Anderson is back playing for his hometown. | PG. 8
2 | Wednesday, September 19, 2018
NEWS
MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
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CAMPUS
UH jumps in US college rankings, remains behind other Texas universities U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT NATIONAL COLLEGE RANKINGS 2017 v. 2018 THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
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192
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UH 's national ranking jumped 21 spots in the U.S. News and World Report's 2018 annual collegiate report, but UH has a ways to go. | Fiona Legesse/The Cougar
MICHAEL SLATEN
CAMPUS EDITOR @MICHAELSLATEN
The University of Houston jumped to 171 from 192 in the U.S. News & World Report college rankings released last week, with the big jump credited to changes in ranking criteria. While the University received a significant raise its ranking, it still lags far behind Texas’ other flagship research universities. The importance of economic background, in addition to other minor changes to the U.S. News’ criteria, helped to give the University its boost. “We provide various financial resources to our dynamic mix of students including financial aid, tuition rebates, grant assistance and more,” said Executive Director of Media Relations Mike Rosen in a statement to The Cougar. “The mission to strengthen our status as a nationally competitive public research university is ongoing, and there’s still much more to be accom-
Center for Student Media
plished.” The University of Texas at Dallas shot up to rank 129 from 145, Texas A&M University at College Station slipped three spots to 69 and the University of Texas at Austin moved to 49 from 56. U.S. News & World Report utilizes a variety of factors to give a college a score out of 100, the No. 1 college having a score of 100. This score determines a college’s rank. Six-year graduation rates, faculty resources, alumni giving and academic peer assessments are just a few of the categories considered to generate this score. The most significant change to the ranking criteria from last year is the importance of outcomes, previously worth only 30 percent and now worth 35 percent. Outcome measures a school’s six-year graduation rate, expected graduation performance — as calculated by U.S. News — and social mobility. Social mobility looks at a col-
lege’s ability to graduate students, especially those from lower income families. Students who receive Pell Grants through their Free Application for Federal Student Aid come from families who make less than $50,000 per year. Pell Grant recipients’ graduation rate was used for the first time this year in U.S. News’ criteria, weighed at 5 percent. Thirty-two percent of college students receive a Pell Grant, according to The College Board. Forty-five percent of first-time college students who attend UH received a Pell Grant, according to the University’s 2017-2018 common data set. UH President and Chancellor Renu Khator said one reason UH’s ranking is so low is because U.S. News looks at expected graduation rates based on SAT and ACT scores. She said U.S. News’ criteria expects higher graduation rates based on UH’s average SAT and ACT scores. In 2017, the University’s average SAT score for incoming freshmen
was 1207 and the average ACT was 25.1, according to the Office of Institutional Research. The 2017 class of incoming freshmen has a 54 percent six-year graduation rate, according to the Office of Institutional Research. This correlates with the state average for six-year graduation rates of 53.6 percent, according to Dallas Morning News. Based on these test scores, U.S. News expects the six-year graduation rate from UH to fall more in line with schools who accept comparable scores. In 2015, when he was being sworn in, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he wanted to bring Texas’ colleges into the top 10 in the nation, according to the Austin-American Statesmen. This change has yet to occur. The University of Texas at Austin is the closest, ranking No. 15 for public colleges in the nation, while UH is ranked No. 91. news@thedailycougar.com
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Wednesday, September 19, 2018 | 3
MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
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Road closures
CLASS Career Fair Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Student Center South, Houston Room 14th Court of Appeals Oral Arguments Friday, Sept. 21, 2018 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Krost Hall at the University of Houston1 Law Center 10-11546 Cougar News September 2-print.pdf 9/14/18 11:17
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I-45 Northbound Entrance Ramp from Scott Street. Total closure from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. through the morning of Oct. 3. I-45 Northbound from Cullen Boulevard to Hwy. 59 Interchange. Two lanes closed nightly from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. through the morning of Oct. 3. I-45 Northbound Entrance Ramp from Cullen Boulevard. Total closure from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. through the morning of Oct. 3. I-45 Northbound Frontage Road from Scott Street to Emancipation Avenue. Total closure from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. through the morning of Oct. 3. I-45 Northbound Frontage Road at Bastrop Street. Total closure until 5 a.m. on Oct. 3.
4 | Wednesday, September 19, 2018
NEWS
MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
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NATION
Social Media Spotlight: Nike supports Kaepernick’s message in latest ad
The campaign featured in billboards and a television spot was met with praise, outcry OSCAR AGUILAR
FEATURES EDITOR @OAGU_16
Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick gained national recognition after leading the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2013, but his legacy goes far beyond what happens after the first snap. It comes from not standing during the national anthem and starting a nationwide conversation on social injustice, spreading his name across the country and even as far as the White House. After inspiring athletes to take a stand, he motivated Nike to do the same. Practicing its 'Just Do It’ mantra on its 30-year anniversary, Nike made Kaepernick the face of its campaign, with a message that urges people to believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. “I think that Colin Kaepernick is going down in history as the Muhammad Ali and John Carlos of this younger generation,” said Ashely DeWalt, a marketing adjunct at the Bauer College of Business. “When you talk to most young people that are Generation Z, they may not even know who Muhammad Ali was, but they’ll know who Colin Kaepernick is.” In 2016, Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem in protest of racism and the oppression of colored people. This action sparked national discourse on social injustice and put his career on hold. He has been a free agent since March of 2017. Kaepernick's actions weren't without catalyst. It was a response to what was going on in the country at the time: white supremacists protesting outside of the NAACP’s Houston headquarters, teenagers being forced to remove Black Lives Matter apparel and the killing of an umarmed black man, according to the New York Times. On Sept. 3, Nike supported Kaepernick’s message by making him the face of its ‘Just Do It’ 30-year anniversary campaign, causing a divide between Kaepernick’s supporters and critics — reaching over 900,000 likes on Kaepernick’s Twitter, but also receiving responses varying
On Sept. 3, Nike rolled out their 'Just Do It' 30-year anniversary campaign, naming Colin Kaepernick the face. Kaepernick has reached more than 900,000 likes on his tweet announcing the campaign, but has also received criticism from brand supporters, who even went as far as burning their Nike apparel. | Ad courtesy of Nike
from written disapproval to the burning of Nike apparel.
‘Smart move’ Although the NFL and President Donald Trump changed the narrative of protest into one of disrespect
to the American flag, DeWalt said Kaepernick intended on addressing social injustice. Kaepernick initially sat during the 2016 NFL preseason, but transitioned to kneeling to put an end to talk of disrespecting troops and the
flag after consulting with former Green Beret and NFL player Nate Boyer. "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick said in an interview
with the NFL in 2016 after sitting during the anthem. "To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder." Even with the opposition Kaepernick faces, DeWalt said support differentiates Kaepernick from past civil rights leaders, like Muhammad Ali and John Carlos. Ali, a professional boxer, and Carlos, a track and field athlete, were civil rights leaders in the 60s and 70s. Ali protested the Vietnam War, while Carlos made the Black Power salute at the winner’s podium during the 1968 Mexico Olympics. These civil rights leaders garnered international attention for the issues going on in the country at the time, DeWalt said, but neither had the support of a company like Nike. Nike amplifies Kaepernick’s message, he said. “Not only does he have Nike, but other athletes, like LeBron James, Serena Williams, Tiger Woods, who are global stars,” DeWalt said. DeWalt doesn’t think of it as Nike profiting from the situation, he said, and it helps Nike get behind an athlete and justify the movement’s purpose. “It was a really smart move by Nike,” DeWalt said. “It will definitely motivate brands to fall in line with Nike, supporting athletes that stand for something.” The NFL and President Trump responded to Nike’s campaign shortly after release. In a statement, Jocelyn Moore, the NFL’s executive vice president of communications and public affairs, said “the social justice issues that Colin and other professional athletes have raised deserve our attention and action." In a tweet, Trump cited the NFL’s declining ratings and compared them to the criticism received by Nike.
‘Not a hard decision’ Jennifer Vardeman-Winter, a public relations professor at the Jack J. Valenti School of
COLIN KAEPERNICK
Continues on page 6
Wednesday, September 19, 2018 | 5
MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
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ACADEMICS
As oil prices rise, industry outlook improves
Following the oil bust in 2016, the Cullen College of Engineering experienced a drop in enrollment for petroleum and subsea engineering. Undergraduate petroleum enrollment dropped from 963 students in Fall 2015 to 532 in Fall 2017. Undergraduate subsea enrollment also dropped from 68 students in Fall 2015 to 20 in Fall 2017, according to University enrollment figures. | Corbin Ayres/The Cougar
OSCAR AGUILAR
FEATURES EDITOR @OAGU_16
Houston’s energy sector has continued to recover from 2016’s oil bust as prices rise to $70 per barrel from the $25 range seen two years ago, incentivizing companies to resume offshore drilling and improving the outlook from the academia's perspective. According to Union Pacific and Forbes, crude oil prices dropped to around $25 per barrel in 2016, resulting in the loss of around 4,300 jobs in Houston. A similar drop can be seen in enrollment numbers for petroleum and subsea engineering students at the University of Houston in the past two years — but faculty believe rising oil prices signal a change in the industry. “The rise in oil price is a positive for our students,” said Christine Ehlig-Economides, a professor at the College of Engineering. “I think companies are back trying to hire, but not
at the crazy level before the downturn.” Ehlig-Economides said companies encouraged academia to increase numbers. In 2011-12, the University focused on meeting the industry’s demand, increasing undergraduate petroleum enrollment from 224 in Fall 2011 to 963 in Fall 2015, according to enrollment figures. Similarly, undergraduate subsea engineering enrollment rose from 10 in Fall 2011 to 68 in Fall 2015. Enrollment numbers for undergraduate petroleum engineering dropped from 963 in Fall 2015 to 532 in Fall 2017, according to enrollment figures. Subsea engineering enrollment also dropped from 68 in Fall 2015 to 20 in Fall 2017. Subsea engineers specialize in offshore petroleum exploration. UH opened the first graduate subsea engineering program in the country, according to the college’s website, and
University students founded the first subsea engineering organization — the Subsea Engineering Society. “You get a bubble,” EhligEconomides said. “I would say last year, this year and next year there will be more graduates than is probably going to be the sustainable number.” As a result, graduates have a hard time finding employment, she said, but hiring percentages will improve from last year. Enrollment numbers dropped in Ehlig-Economides’ class following 2016’s oil bust. Last spring, she had around 180 students, a 40 student drop from two years ago. Since it’s been difficult to find jobs, Ehlig-Economides said students opt to enter graduate programs if they can afford it — sometimes petroleum, sometimes another direction. “I think far bigger numbers are still going to be hired,” Ehlig-Economides said. Companies paused offshore drilling projects after the bust,
Ehlig-Economides said, but production in the Permian Basin, located in East Texas — and Bakken remained high. While operation costs regularly range between $100-300 million for offshore drilling, Ehlig-Economides said oil well prices in the Permian hover around $5 million, “undermining the competitiveness of deepwater offshore (drilling).” Offshore drilling has a capital barrier that the Permian doesn’t experience, she said, but large companies prefer this method, as it has a higher potential upside. Deepwater offshore also demands electrical, civil and mechanical engineers, not just petroleum and subsea engineers, she said. Increasing demand likely caused higher prices, she said. Ed Hirs, an economics lecturer in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, said U.S. producers are “high-cost players.”
“They’re unable to profit at the prices that OPEC pushed on the industry,” Hirs said. “The U.S industry lost over $250 billion in capital, lost over 250,000 direct jobs and there were more than 300 bankruptcies.” Hirs said offshore drilling is resuming because of increasing prices. Adeyinka Aremo, a graduate student at the College of Engineering and secretary of the Subsea Engineering Society, said being a subsea engineer is a rare opportunity. “I think the rise of oil prices is good, because a lot of projects are coming up,” Aremo said. “UH being the only school (to have) subsea engineering has made it a good opportunity since most of the projects coming up are offshore.” Ehlig-Economides said she expects hiring percentages to keep improving. news@thedailycougar.com
6 | Wednesday, September 19, 2018
NEWS
MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR
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CAMPUS
Everything you need to know about on-campus mental health help SYED KASHIF NAQVI
behaving, and interacting with others,” Abdulrahman said. “Understanding Self and Others groups are our most utilized groups. (They) are interpersonal process groups that focus on a variety of common concerns.”
STAFF WRITER @CASHEW8910
Going away for college, whether it be for the first time or just the start of a new semester, can be a stressful experience that has the potential to take a toll on an individual’s mental health. Tougher classes, homesickness and a new social environment can seem overwhelming — and it is. In a 2014 survey of 150,000 college freshmen, 34.6 percent of students reported feeling overwhelmed by their coursework and other commitments, while 9.5 percent reported feeling depressed at some point in the last year. Both of these reported percentages are higher than those previously cited in 2009. Counseling and Psychological Services provides resouces and assists to students who are feeling overwhelmed, depressed or who are experiencing other mental health issues.
What is CAPS? CAPS is the University’s on-campus counseling and therapy center, providing students with access to mental health help from certified counseling professionals. The service is designed to promote “the well-being of the
COLIN KAEPERNICK
Continued from page 4
Communication, said social media is nearly everything. “It’s where a lot of audiences are,” Vardeman-Winter said. “The attention span is shorter than it’s ever been before, but that’s where most advocates of any kind of issues are.” Since social media has less regulations than other mediums, Vardeman-Winter said it gives groups the ability to call other people out. “The ability of other people to make you feel stupid is kind of what holds people accountable,” Vardeman-Winter said. There’s also an unprecedented amount of outside opinions, she said, where it’s OK to “be that jerk on social media.” Kaepernick represents what Nike’s customer base believes right now, she said, and Nike wouldn’t spend money if they didn’t think they would make a profit. In addition to their customer
What about the cost? The initial walk-in appointment and evaluation is free of charge, according to CAPS’ fee breakdown. Following this initial appointment, individual counseling is $5 per session, while couples counseling is $10 per session. Group counseling is always free.
CAPS is located at Student Service Center 1 and offers counseling for students and staff. | File Photo/The Cougar
diverse campus community” by combining mental health services and clinical training with easy access to cultivate “student success through self-discovery, learning and interpersonal engagement,” according to the department's website.
How can students access CAPS? All students that are enrolled in at least one class at the University of Houston have access to the clinical services CAPS offers.
Students can walk-in to CAPS for an appointment from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
What happens when students go to CAPS? The most common issues CAPS clients tend to be experiencing include depression, anxiety, stress, interpersonal conflict, identity conflict, trauma recovery and career indecision, said administrative assistant of CAPS support staff Turia Abdulrahman. CAPS provides one-on-one
mental health services for individuals, in addition to services for groups and couples. “Individual counseling is available for UH students who are seeking assistance with personal concerns,” said Abdulrahman. CAPS also offers couples counseling, even if one partner does not attend the University, and group counseling. “Individuals meet weekly with other group members and one or two clinicians to explore new ways of coping,
What if a student knows someone in need of help? If a student is in need of help outside of regular business hours, CAPS has an after-hours counselor on call to handle crises and immediately sensitive situations; the number can be found on their website. “CAPS is here to support you, and together, we can promote student success at UH,” Abdulrahman said. “If you become concerned about a student’s behavior, it is important to be informed and know where to get help.” news@thedailycougar.com
“In the social media environment, even negative publicity like that is still an example that Nike is still relevant. People still care enough to post about them even if it's negative” Jennifer Vardeman-Winter, public relations professor base, Verdeman-Winter said she thinks a lot of the decision makers are from the same demographics and share the same opinion on Kaepernick. “I think, in this instance, it was not a really hard decision, because they knew it was going to be not only a good financial move, but it was going to be something they, as a company, believe in,” she said. Nike wouldn’t pay out that money without a proven track record, she said. There’s a history of taking risk and doing work that brings them rewards. Vardeman-Winter said the more they study the campaign, the less she thinks there was a huge risk of losing customers
and the alignment of Nike’s brand with social issues isn’t going away anytime soon. “Consumers are feeling that they want to not just pay more for a good product, they want to pay to a company that’s doing good,” she said. Even though people posted negative feedback, she said Nike received more positive reinforcement. “In the social media environment, even negative publicity like that is still an example that Nike is still relevant,” she said. “People still care enough to post about them even if it’s negative.” news@thedailycougar.com
Many fellow NFL players knelt in solidarity after Colin Kaepernick and his former 49ers teammates' controversial refusal to stand during the national anthem. | Courtesy of Keith Allison via Wikimedia Commons
Wednesday, September 19, 2018 | 7
ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS
SPORTS
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MEN'S GOLF
Men's golf looks to rise to the challenge after hitting rock bottom JACKSON GATLIN
SENIOR STAFF WRITER @JTGATLIN
The good thing about hitting rock bottom is there is nowhere else to go but up, and after a disappointing season last year, that is exactly the direction the men’s golf team plans on heading. “Last season overall was disappointing, and we certainly hold ourselves to a higher standard,” said redshirt senior Matt Williams. “The way we played last year is definitely not how we want to be remembered when we leave the program.” Williams is in his fifth year with the golf team and wants to see the team return to the NCAA Championships like it did during his first two seasons. Williams believes this group of athletes might have what it takes to get there. “We have some new transfers, and they’re playing with something to prove. The guys have a chip on their shoulder. We just want to bring the right attitude and do some damage this season,” Williams said. The transfers set to hit the course for the Cougars this
season are a trio of juniors: Logan Young, Luke Long and Alex Isakson. Each player has enjoyed varying degrees of success in their careers before coming to the University. Young has post-season experience and finished second in last season’s NCAA Division III Championships. Long received All-Southern Conference honors last year, and Isakson finished No. 10 at the Texas Amateur Championship.
Solving problems One of the issues that plagued last year’s team was a lack of chemistry and culture among its players, but head coach Jonathan Dismuke had a creative solution to address that problem. "I brought in a friend of mine, ex-Navy SEAL Mark McGinnis, to speak to the team. He just reminded them of some simple, fundamental principles that have to occur to work as a team,” said Dismuke. “We were guilty of overcomplicating things and undercommunicating last year.”
The veteran led over 400 missions as a part of the Navy, which is known for forging a team-first attitude among its enlisted personnel. For redshirt junior Zach Tracy, the visit from McGinnis helped him solidify bonds with his teammates. Tracy said much of the team lived together last year, but did not hang out or socialize much outside of practices and tournaments. “Last year, we were just kind of going through the motions, but (McGinnis) told us how to create our team culture. We figured out a lot of things together as a team," Tracy said. McGinnis even took to the course with Williams for a round of golf to shed light on some of the mental and technical mistakes that can sometimes go unnoticed. “Playing with him, I picked up on cues that could make you
successful in all walks of life, not just golf,” said Williams.
Looking ahead As the start of the season is only a handful of days away, everyone from Dismuke to the players are eager for a fresh start and a chance to prove last season was an outlier. “I’m excited for the Maui Jim tournament, especially because I haven’t played on the course before and most people say it’s pretty tough. I think my ball striking is at a pretty high level right now, so I should be able to navigate the course just fine,” said Tracy. The Maui Jim Invitational is hosted at the Mirabel Golf Club in northern Arizona, and almost every hole is surrounded by rugged terrain with lots of rocks, rough brush, sand traps and even a few water traps. The Cougars will start the tournament Friday, Sept. 21.
Williams matched Tracy’s excitement for the Cougars' first tournament of the season and said he has full faith in the coaching staff and the talented players on this year’s roster. “You don’t become elite by accident,” said Williams. “You have to strive every day to remain elite. I’m the most tenured member of the team now, and I’m eager for the opportunity to be a leader.” While it is important to have the loftier goals in mind, Dismuke knows it is his job to keep his players’ minds on the here-and-now, not the future. “We have the traditional expectations of a conference championship or even an NCAA championship, but those goals are pretty far down the road,” said Dismuke. “Right now, our focus is to take each day and each practice and ensure we’re moving forward.” sports@thedailycougar.com
TENNIS
Q&A: New coach excited to get to work after rebuilding program JHAIR ROMERO
STAFF WRITER
@JUSTJHAIR
Houston hired Helena Besovic to become head coach of the UH tennis team in July after former coach Courtney Steinbock left for Arkansas. Besovic had one of the best seasons of her coaching career last year and led McNeese State to its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament and a Southland Conference title. Her leadership last season earned her the 2018 Southland Conference and Louisiana Coach of the Year honors. But there are some big hurdles in Besovic's first year as head coach at UH. Only two players, junior Constandena Nicolaou and redshirt freshman Elena Tairyan, are returning from last year’s roster. She also brought over one of her greatest weapons from
McNeese, junior transfer Phonexay Chitdara, who had a 17–3 record in dual play with the Cowgirls last year. The Cougar sat with Coach Besovic to discuss the intricacies of a virtually brandnew team and its strengths and weaknesses heading into the season. TC: What have been the biggest challenges in the first couple of months as head coach? Besovic: When I came we only had two girls on the team, so I had to start recruiting. We have some transfers that came from different schools, so it is getting everyone on the same page.
TC: What have you changed within the program since your arrival?
TENNIS COACH Q&A
Continues on page 8
Geology Summer Internship Dallas, Texas
Information Session: September 27, UH Student Center Multipurpose (West) Room, 6:30-8 p.m. Interview Sessions: September 28, UH Student Center Heights Room, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Kosmos Energy is a pathfinding oil and gas exploration and production company focused on frontier and emerging areas along the Atlantic Margin. We are oil finders, driven to unlock significant new petroleum systems, and to grow and mature discovered hydrocarbon basins through additional exploration success, as well as development and production. Job Summary Kosmos is currently seeking a Development Geology intern for the summer of 2019. The intern would have an opportunity to work with the Production and Development team. Responsibilities would range from field mapping, integration of various datasets, STOIIP estimation and Basic Reservoir modeling Job Duties • Assist in the mapping and analysis of reservoirs in a world class asset. • Assist in the development and maintenance of reserve and resource estimates, supported by deterministic and probabilistic methods. • Adequate petroleum systems analysis skills and ability to integrate various datasets Qualifications • Currently pursuing a Bachelors’ or Masters’ degree in Geology. Petroleum Geology skill sets preferred; should be at least a junior in their Geology degree plan • Possess a high level of achievement within an Geology academic program • Excellent verbal and written communication skills • Must be able to work independently, be self-motivated, and think critically
Please apply through University Career Center
8 | Wednesday, September 19, 2018
SPORTS ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR
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FOOTBALL
Transfer safety ready to help hometown team TRENTON WHITING
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @TRENTONWHITING
Football is still football, no matter where it’s being played. But sometimes it feels better playing back at home. Redshirt sophomore safety Deontay Anderson, a graduate from Manvel High School, made his return to Houston after he transferred from Ole Miss. Now, he’s ready to contribute to UH’s efforts this season. The road back to Houston was long and difficult for Anderson. After graduating high school as a four-star recruit, he took his talents to Ole Miss. The team went on to earn itself a one-year bowl ban following allegations of allowing boosters to play a significant part in recruiting efforts. Following this, Anderson and his family decided Mississippi was not the best place for his football career to continue. After playing some his freshman year, Anderson sat out his entire sophomore season before making the decision to transfer. He had a general idea of teams he had interest in, but his decision was made much easier after a quick call from his former teammate D’Eriq King and head coach Major Applewhite. “Applewhite was the first coach that called me,” Anderson said. “D’Eriq, since we went to the same school, he told me about it. I called Applewhite at like 10 at night, and I was admitted next morning.” Since his transfer, Anderson and the rest of the Cougars have excelled. In the first game against Rice, the defense shut down the Owls' offense in the second half as UH turned up its own offense. Houston's defense held Arizona scoreless for the
Sophomore safety Deontay Anderson has recorded 21 tackles so far this season and is one of the tackle leaders of the team. | Corbin Ayres/The Cougar
first half of the game before Arizona scored against the second- and third-string players. Anderson definitely notices the success of the defense, but he knows where they are now isn’t where they want to be later. After Rice shocked the defense early in the game, the Cougars locked in and kept the Owls to three points in the second half. “The defense is looking great,” Anderson said. “We just got to stay hungry and humble. I know we still have a lot to work on, I still have a lot to work on.” If the defense is going to reach the heights that it sees for itself, Anderson will have to be playing at the top of his game.
He has two tackles for loss on the season, but he only has one broken up pass. His stats will likely perk up as conference play begins, but for now he’s satisfied with the opportunity to play football again. “It felt good getting back on the field after not playing at all last year,” Anderson said. “I know I’m still getting my feel around the game. My goal here is to play to the best of my ability, and whatever happens, happens.” Anderson’s goal is very attainable as he enters this season with newfound focus, but the team itself has loftier goals.
“We’re trying to go undefeated — New Year’s Six bowl,” Anderson said. “We have the type of team, we’re talented enough. Every week we got to go 1-0, dominate our opponent and do what we do.” The Cougars will have to take it week by week to achieve that goal, but if the first two games of the season are any indication, they might be well on their way to reaching it. After showing flashes of dominance early in the season, they will have a source of inspiration to look back to. UH has proved it can be one of the top teams in the nation. Anderson came back to
Houston for several reasons: to get a chance to play for a team with bowl aspirations; to continue his passion for football after having to sit out for a season; and to be able to continue that passion from the comfort of his hometown. “It just wasn’t going right with other schools and one day, I said ‘I’m just going to stay home,’” Anderson said. “I’m glad I chose UH and stayed home.” If he is able to contribute to the team at a high level, the Cougars will be glad he chose them, too.
TENNIS COACH Q&A
seen stepping up to the plate as a leader?
the fall?
the team in their performance?
Besovic: The people coming from
Besovic: I would say it is too soon
TL: Being at the highest level of college tennis, I try to teach my athletes from my experience. It helps me when I’m building their confidence and showing them that here in Houston, we can get there, too.
you are now in a new school facing a whole new challenge. How excited are you for all of it?
Continued from page 7
different programs, they were used to different styles of coaching, so teaching them and showing them what it's all about, where we're heading and getting everyone to start learning about each other and coming together.
to say. We haven’t started competing yet. In the fall we’re going to be playing tournaments, and that’s going to be a big thing to see how they compete. For now, I can say we have a lot of strong personalities on the team and a lot of potential leaders.
Besovic: I would say that everyone seems to be on the same page of wanting to do something special here. We have a lot of potential, I think, and our schedule is pretty good. We’re going to play some of the Power Five teams, and I think we can compete with them. Our athletes are aware of that.
TC: From the returning players and the transfers, who have you
TC: What will be the team’s greatest strengths heading into
TC: How do you think your experiences as a player will help
TC: After you proved yourself as a player at Texas Christian and again as a coach at McNeese,
sports@thedailycougar.com
TL: Very excited. I think this is a great university, and it is a real honor for me to be here and be the coach for the tennis team. The community, too. I really enjoy Houston. I like the city, and I like all of the diversity and people from different parts of the world. It’s really unique.
sports@thedailycougar.com
Wednesday, September 19, 2018 | 9
ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR
SPORTS
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS
SPORTS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
713-743-5303
VOLLEYBALL
Volleyball prepared to excel after hot start BRAYLEY CROWE
STAFF WRITER @ BRAYLEYCROWE
The red-hot Houston Cougars volleyball team has already won more games than it did all last season and will look to continue its success in the American Athletic Conference. Houston is 13-2 and finds itself on top of the conference standings with South Florida and Tulane behind it. It is a far cry from the eighth place that UH was picked to finish in the preseason conference poll. Houston’s success has spurred from its balanced abilities on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Of the team’s 766 kills, 12 different players have at least one. Junior Megan Duncan leads the squad with 181 kills, followed by sophomore Gabi Zelaya at 139 and freshman
Kendall Haywood with 111. On the defensive side, the balance is even more spread out. Fifteen different players have multiple digs and six have double-digit blocks. Junior libero Katie Karbo leads the team by a fair margin with 265 digs and Zelaya, Duncan and senior Katie Krebs have over 100 each. Duncan said in the preseason that the key to success for this year’s squad was to start the season strong and build off the momentum of early success. The Cougars are most certainly on track to do just that and will look to outdo head coach Kaddie Platt’s most wins, 18, in her previous six seasons at the school. While no teams in the AAC are ranked, Wichita State and Cincinnati have both received votes. The second-place preseason
pick, Cincinnati, has a 9-3 record and is tied with Central Florida in fourth. Wichita State was the preseason favorite but sits at No. 10 with a 5-6 record. The teams have still received votes because the strength of the schedule of each team is high. Houston lost its only matchup against Wichita State last season 3-0. The two squads will play Oct. 21 in Houston and Nov. 9 in Wichita. UH only plays Cincinnati once this season on Sept. 30 in Ohio. Cincinnati got the best of Houston in both meetings last season. UH rival SMU sits at No. 11 with a 3-7 record after it was voted to be fourth place. The Cougars will play in Dallas Oct. 5 and will host the Mustangs in the season finale Nov. 21. SMU defeated UH in both matches last season.
Through the first four tournaments of the season, Houston has only lost 15 sets and two games total. The losses were a 0-3 defeat against UTSA and a 2-3 loss to Robert Morris. In the latter, the Cougars had a two-set lead
before stumbling in the closing stretch. UH opens the AAC season Friday against Temple at the Athletics and Alumni Center on campus. sports@thedailycougar.com
Junior Katie Karbo leads the team with 265 digs. | Thomas Dwyer/The Cougar
UHRecreation uh.edu/recreation
STRENGTHENING THE PRIDE OUTDOOR ADVENTURE
INTRAMURAL SPORTS TOURNAMENTS
DATE
TIME
REGISTER BY
Badminton Singles 9-Ball Pool Singles Table Tennis Singles Cougar Combine
9/21 10/5 10/19 11/9
3:00 - 7:00 pm 3:00 - 7:00 pm 3:00 - 7:00 pm 3:00 - 7:00 pm
9/21 at 3:00 pm 10/5 at 3:00 pm 10/19 at 3:00 pm 11/9 at 3:00 pm
LEAGUE SPORTS REGISTER BY
Paddle Boarding Thrill
Paddle Boarding Thrill
PLAY BEGINS
HIRING LIFEGUARDS For those interested in beconming a lifeguard, visit: uh.edu/recreation
Price includes food, transportation, gear, & guides. Visit the website for more information trips: uh.edu/recreation
AMERICAN RED CROSS TRAINING The American Red Cross Lifeguard training provides individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to keep patrons of aquatic facilities safe in and around water.
DATES
REGISTER BY
10/19-10/21
10/10
11/2-11/4
10/31
Friday 3pm - 10pm Saturday and Sunday 8am- 8pm Price: $225.00
10/12 - 14
Pedernales Falls State Park $150 - UH Student $170 - Non Member
Basketball 5V5 10/24 10/28 Softball 8V8 10/24 10/28 Dodgeball 6V6 9/12 10/28 Register on myrec.uh.edu, for a full listings, visit: uh.edu/recreation
AQUATICS
9/28 - 29
Padre Island National Seashore $120 - UH Student $150 - Non Member
FITNESS + JOIN GROUP GoPro
Stop by the Fitness Zone Desk on the second floor of the CRWC to complete a Group Fitness Participant Waiver. Please have your Cougar Card ready.
GAIN THE KNOWLEDGE YOU NEED TO BECOME A GROUP FITNESS INSTRUCTOR! Sign up for this $35.00 Prep Course taught on Wednesdays, 9/26 - 11/14 from 2-4pm. Free textbook rental to the first 5 sign-ups.
+
@ 4:30pm
10 | Wednesday, September 19, 2018
OPINION VACANT, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/OPINION
OPINION@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
713-743-5304
STAFF EDITORIAL
UH should focus on increasing resources, not enrollment
THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON MAIN CAMPUS Student Enrollment in 2017 v. 2018
45,364 46,355 Information courtesy of Don Yackley The University's enrollment has grown by almost1,000 students, putting a strain on resources such as housing, parking and dining. | Fiona Legesse/The Cougar
T
he University's enrollment has increased just short of 1,000 students from the last academic year. While enrollment has gone up, vital resources needed to support this growing student body have either stagnated or decreased in number. Necessities such as on-campus housing, available parking and dining options are greatly outstripped by the University’s student population. This problematic ratio of students to resources leads to inevitable shortages. The University needs to adjust its enrollment to suit the resources that it has available. Limited housing The University of Houston has the most beds out of any
only expensive, but also a This significant increase college in the state of Texas, hassle. Parking will continue in the price of housing with eight residential living to be difficult as long as the facilities for students to stay in options, compounded with University continues to admit the restrictions on available while they are taking classes. a high volume of new students housing, shows that the This is despite the demolition each year. The University University has a shortage of of the Quadrangle in the needs to adjust enrollment to residential housing options Spring 2017, which resulted in allow for parking to catch up that are available and the loss of 407 bed spaces that with the growing student body. attainable to all students. have yet to be replaced. As of Friday, 160 bed spaces Dining difficulties Problem parking were available across campus The University has Parking and Transportation between the remaining eight experienced a marked Services declined to comment complexes, said executive decrease in the number of or provide information about director of Student Housing available dining options on the availability of parking and Residential Life Don campus over the last year. This on campus. However, those Yackley. decrease has resulted in longer who oversee on-campus However, not all students lines and wait times at the are eligible to live in just any of parking have made an effort eating establishments that are to increase the number of these available spaces. currently available spaces. Certain residences, such as CATHOLIC operational. MASS ON CAMPUS SUNDAYS: After a brief reopening in Future plans for parking the University Lofts, require 10:45 AM - Religion Center 6:00 PM - Catholic Center WEEKDAYS: the spring, the Student Center expansion include the tenants to be a specific age or Tuesday—Friday 12:00 Noon CATHOLIC CENTER for Satellite isNEWMAN again closed construction of a new classification in order to move SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE Confession: Before or After Masses Office # (713) 748-2529 renovation. The facility has parking garage. However, this in. These requirements may First Service: 7:15 not been in operation since construction has theampotential serve as a barrier to students Second Service: 9:00 am the end of the last academic to have negative impact on seeking on-campus housing. Third Service: 11:00 am Fourth Service: 1:00 pm year. Its closing eliminates parking availability while the In addition to restrictions Sunday nine potential dining options garageSchool: is in progress. on housing eligibility, the cost 9:00 am for students looking for a place In addition to the potential of housing may also prevent WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY to eat. parking availability in some students from being able loss12ofnoon & 7:00 pm The arrival of more food the future, the cost of parking to live on campus. Depending Bible truckSunday options on Class campus is has continued to increase. on the residence, the price intended to fill this gap, but From the last academic year of housing has increased does not provide enough hours to the current one, the cost anywhere from a couple and locations to balance out of some permits increased by hundred to several hundred the closure of the Satellite. dollars, based on a comparison up to $55, depending on the food trucks are present location. of housing costs between the IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING IN WORSHIP The DIRECTORY , for only a few hours each day. It is a well-known fact that last academic year and the CONTACT A SALES REPRESENTATIVE AT 713-743-5356 The limited hours of operation on-campus parking is not current one.
worship DIRECTORY
may not align with students’ schedules and could prevent them from taking advantage of this service. In addition to having limited hours, the food trucks only park in certain locations around campus. The location of the food trucks may be geographically problematic for some students, who don’t have the time to grab a bite to eat and make it to their next class on time. The limited hours of operation and few locations make the food trucks into a nonviable option for certain students and fail to fill the gap in dining options left by the closure of the Satellite. A shortage of dining options is not the only shortage that the University faces as a result of the outsized student population, which available resources cannot adequately support. The University should be admitting only the number of students its resources can serve. Being more selective in its admissions process and keeping incoming classes small will allow UH to keep the student body proportional to its offerings. editor@thedailycougar.com
Wednesday, September 19, 2018 | 11
VACANT, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/OPINION
OPINION
OPINION@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
713-743-5304
POLITICS
'We disagree with you, but we still respect you' W henever people ask me what I believe in, I usually sidestep the question or try to vet the person asking so I know it’s safe to answer with the truth: Republican. Otherwise, there is a significant chance that I will be labeled racist, sexist or just a privileged white male who can’t have an opinion on anything because I have not experienced societal discrimination or oppression like they have. Viewpoint discrimination is the common experience of Republicans on college campuses. In class, when asked for their opinion on a topic, Republicans sometimes give what they think is the leftist answer or they phrase their actual opinion in an alternate viewpoint that they would never agree with. This is usually out of fear of being targeted by a mob in the class or having a negative relationship with the professor. Republicans’ hesitancy to express their beliefs is because we all know that our ideas are considered toxic to the left. There is an attempt by many to push mainstream Republican thoughts and ideas outside of the Overton Window, the range of ideas seen as acceptable in public discourse. This is why most Republicans have experienced being called a Nazi, a fascist or a white supremacist on campus, even though we find all those labels and their associated ideas to be evil and completely unacceptable. Since large segments of the left have pushed most ideas to the right of mainstream Republicans and some Democrats outside of the window of acceptable discourse, they have created an environment in which nearly all ideas that they disagree with are akin to Nazism. Originally, in American thought circles and debate, ideas such as Nazism and Communism were considered outside the Overton Window, which means they are so radical they aren’t worth giving a platform to speak or debate. Now that large segments of the left try to push mainstream Republican thought outside of
the Overton Window, many can’t distinguish between Nazi rhetoric and basic Republican ideas on capitalism, individualism and self-determination. The left’s attempt to declare mainstream Republican thought as radical and evil encourages people to engage in unnecessary behavior toward the right, such as creating Twitter outrage mobs. Many Republicans on campus feel that just by sharing their beliefs or disagreeing with a feminist, there can be serious social consequences for them in or outside of class. I know many people reading this will shrug this off and say this is an over-privileged white man complaining about how oppressed Republicans are on campus when he has never experienced real oppression. He has never had to live with the consequences of his ancestors being slaves. Who is he to lecture us about discrimination? The answer is, you’re right. I am not oppressed, and neither are you. Republicans believe in the basic founding ideas that have made the United States the greatest and most prosperous nation on the planet. We believe in the rights of life, liberty and property. We believe in capitalism and free markets. We believe the person who best knows how to spend your money is yourself, not the government. We believe you are responsible for your own life and the greatest minority is the individual. We believe in self-determination and that you have a right to equal opportunity, not equal outcome. The United States has all of these things, and you have the ability to be and do almost whatever you want. Mainstream Republican thought is about empowering the individual, not the group. Here lies the central problem for the left and why they attempt to push these ideas outside the Overton Window. Basic Republican ideas are in direct contrast with intersectionality and the idea that the group trumps the individual. When we say that you are responsible for yourself and not your group, according to intersectionality, we are actually
attacking your identity, so we must have an ulterior motive and secretly be racist or sexist. The truth is, we’re not. This is why Republicans feel uncomfortable on campus. However, we are not ashamed. We believe our ideas are correct, and we will push them when we can. That’s why the first College Republicans meeting had approximately 50 people in attendance. There are many of us on campus, and we do have a presence. The biggest thing we want from people who disagree with us is just to be civil and show some respect. We disagree with you, but we still respect you. John Douglas is political science junior. He is a guest columnist and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com
Republican John Douglas says other students of his political affiliation can experience social consequences for their views. | Corbin Ayres/The Cougar
worship DIRECTORY
CATHOLIC MASS ON CAMPUS
SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE
SUNDAYS: 10:45 AM - Religion Center 6:00 PM - Catholic Center WEEKDAYS: Tuesday—Friday 12:00 Noon CATHOLIC NEWMAN CENTER Confession: Before or After Masses Office # (713) 748-2529
First Service: 7:15 am Second Service: 9:00 am Third Service: 11:00 am Fourth Service: 1:00 pm Sunday School:
9:00 am
WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY 12 noon & 7:00 pm
Sunday Bible Class
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12 | Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy Parker September 19, 2018
ACROSS 1 Region 5 In no time ____ 10 Touched land 14 Easy win 15 Major web portal 16 Busch Gardens attraction 17 Egomaniac’s dream 20 Sharp pens? 21 Broadway offering 22 Carve, as initials 25 Do retail 26 ___-di-dah 29 Talk casually 31 Look for 35 Busy commotion 36 Old-style excited 38 IV bag’s innards 39 Mechanically smoothed 43 Shaking fit 44 Hot-weather ermine 45 Brief commercials? 46 Bun variety 49 Has dinner 50 AI game participant 51 Plunge 53 Have the look of 9/19
55 What some make out of nothing 58 Loamy deposit 62 Performed with sincerity 65 Shamu, for one 66 Latin American plain 67 Ensemble of three 68 Hitter’s hot streak 69 Country near Oman 70 Like dry ground DOWN 1 Softball pitch shapes 2 Ginseng, for one 3 An acting award 4 Trillion dollar co. 5 Skipper’s yes 6 Use a shuttle 7 Guttural interruption 8 Scene of an event 9 Sets free 10 Some drawers are in there 11 Old Italian bread? 12 Massive star
13 ___ Aviv 18 Chinese nut (var.) 19 Cairo’s waterway 23 Julie on TV 24 Loathes 26 Holy Tibetans 27 Tried-andtrue saying 28 “Pocus” go-with 30 Massachusetts school 32 Back-tohealth program 33 Formal belief 34 Possessed, per King James 37 Prayerful 40 Caps and helmets
41 Shirt tag locale 42 In ___ (intrinsic) 47 Long skirt 48 Fair way to split 52 America’s bird 54 Castle defenses 55 Dig into 56 Sunworshiping empire 57 Fertile earth 59 Island republic 60 Incite in a bowl? 61 Monopoly token 62 j thing 63 RBIs on a solo homer 64 Slip into, as clothing
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OVER HERE By Timothy E. Parker