9-19-13

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WHAT’S INSIDE? Larceny and theft have decreased in five years Sci-fi before, commercial technology now Communication problems plague volleyball

P2 P3 P5

SHSU LOOKS TO MINIMIZE TURNOVERS AGAINST INCARNATE WORD

TOMORROW’S FORECAST

HI: LOW:

90o 73o

Megan Laurie/The Houstonian

Chance of Rain:

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30%

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Volume 124/ Issue 7

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Thursday, September 19, 2013

Where are you now?

Mumford concert in part to blame for SGA absentees CAMPUS

JAY R. JORDAN Senior Reporter

Kaleigh Treiber | The Houstonian

EARLY REALEASE. (from left) Kolby Flowers and Ramiro Jaime Jr. cover a few notes at the SGA meeting Tuesday that was ended early due to 12 members being absent.

Impeachments are on the horizon after five unexcused absences in the Student Government Association Senate meant that it didn’t have enough members present to meet quorum Tuesday, or the amount of members present to take official action.

Quorum requirements in SGA’s Rules and Procedures dictate that at least 11 members be present and only nine were in attendance.

University Affairs Chief Spencer Copeland, Caucus Chair for the College of Sciences Robert Ferguson, Senator for the College of Education Ginger Malone, Senator for the College of Business Madelyn Clark, and Senator for the College of Criminal Justice Canon Baldridge all had unexcused absences for Tuesday night’s meeting.

Secretary Chaston Pruitt, Treasurer Robert Arriaga and Chief of Staff Michael Harvey had excused absences but still contributed to the government’s inability to reach quorum.

Caucus Chair for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Steven Perry said that SGA would explore appropriate action.

“In the next few weeks, Student Government will be perusing several remedies to ensure that we

are not again crippled by an inability to conduct business including impeaching members with a repeated history of absenteeism, strengthening attendance rules, and implementing a leave of absence program,” Perry said.

Perry also said that 12 members were absent in total.

According to Vice President Kolby Flowers, impeachment forms have been filed for Malone and Baldridge for their alleged absences on Tuesday and Sept. 10.

According to the SGA Rules and Procedures (Rule 3 section B), two consecutive unexcused absences are impeachable offenses.

Flowers also said that at least four members of the Senate were attending the Mumford and Sons concert in The Woodlands.

Student Body President Ramiro Jaime Jr. indicated Wednesday that he had not yet received the impeachment forms.

Flowers also said that Clark informed the executive board of her intention to resign.

The short-lived meeting of SGA was adjourned early on Tuesday.

Ramiro turned his attention to the incoming members of SGA. He told prospective members the meeting still counts towared the two meetings required to join the Sentate.

-Jessica Malloy contributed to this story

CAMPUS

New law limits THECB powers STEPHEN GREEN Editor-in-Chief

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board was stripped of some power in the last legislative session – changes that made it easier for degrees to be approved, and protecting others.

SB 215, which redefines the role of the coordinating board, eliminated one step in a twostep process that was required in order for a university to offer a degree to students.

Sam Houston State University Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Jaimie Hebert said the changes streamlined the process and make it easier for a university to offer doctoral and engineering degrees.

“Before, we had to go to the coordinating board to ask for permission to even start (the degree creation process),” he said.

Previously, a doctoral degree first had to be pre-approved on the coordinating board level before the actual degree application could be sent through.

The second step was for the full degree request to be sent through and the coordinating board to review the degree plan based on need, faculty and facility capacity, and if it has adequate financing.

The initial pre-approval step

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was eliminated in the last bill.

Dean of Graduate Studies Kandi Tayebi said this will probably lead to less oversight on what degrees the university should offer.

“The coordinating board used to look around at the different schools in a university system and say, ‘What should your specialty be? Where should you be emphasizing?’” she said. “SHSU was given a lot of leeway with education and criminal justice, for example.

At the doctoral level is where they were being very careful with what they were putting through.”

In the past, she said, degrees from all over the state were denied, because they didn’t fit what the board considered to be the university’s specialty.

“At SHSU, for example, if we had five doctoral programs come forward (from the department level) we couldn’t send them all through, because they wouldn’t be approved,” Tayebi said. “So, the coordinating board would talk to the president and say, ‘You know, why don’t you send these two programs forward? These sound like a good idea and a good fit for SHSU.’” Tayebi said the logistics of offering programs, like funding, faculty and facilities, would be worked out at the —

Kaleigh Treiber| The Houstonian

A

LL IN. SHSU Students flooded the LSC mall area Wednesday to check out the Organization Fair. Aramark was also there serving food. A few clubs/religious organizations gathered outside of the LSC to try to gather new members from the student body. Students passed out flyers, cups and candy as they promoted their societies.

LAW, page 6

Be sure to check out the Houstonian Orientation Guide located around campus and the City of Huntsville! Can’t find one? Let us know and we’ll get you a copy.

Page 2

News

Thursday, September 19, 2013

houstonianonline.com/news

CAMPUS

SHSU policies help lower theft rates KASSIDY TURNPAUGH Staff Reporter Several Sam Houston State University departments have come together to help lower the larceny and theft rates on campus.

There has been a decline in the number of thefts on campus over the past five years.

Number of reported thefts have dropped by 38 percent since 2009.

In that year 136 reports were filed; 95 in 2010; 90 in 2011; and 84 in 2012, according to University Police Department records.

UPD Chief Kevin Morris said the number of incidents of theft have continued to fall in 2013, which is expected to have the largest percent decrease of the past five years. As of Thursday there have been a total of 42 reports and if trends continue, the year can be expected to end with only 56 incidents, a 33 percent drop from 2012.

Several different factors have caused this dip in crime, Morris said. New UPD programs, increased interdepartmental

communication between UPD and IT, and the increased vigilance of officers, he said, have all caused the reduction in numbers.

“Hopefully what we’re doing is effective,” Morris said. “We try to be as proactive as we can without becoming overly [involved]. We want the students to be as free as possible and [we] try not to create a police state.”

UPD has launched an initiative to convince more victims and witnesses of any type of crime to report incidents that occur on-campus.

Individuals are also allowed to make reports anonymously.

“A lot of people don’t want to be ‘that’ person,” Morris said. “We have really been pushing for [an increase in] anonymous reporting of all types of crimes.”

There have also been advancements in the IT and Residence Life communication efforts.

“Since 2008 and 2009 we have put more of an emphasis on working with residence life,” Morris said. “[They] put in cameras in all of the dorm buildings.”

This along with the enhanced lines of communication and IT’s policy of conveying all reported thefts to UPD have made it so that reporting is no longer a “hodge podge”.

“IT emails us on all incidents that get reported to them.” Morris said.

Morris also said the property registration program UPD provides has also increased civilian vigilance and the return rates of stolen items.

“Property registration is how we can identify that an item belongs to you,” Morris said. “Say your Xbox is stolen and we find it. Having that manufacturer’s number or serial number on record is how we know that it belongs to you and you can get your stuff back.”

He said the best ways to prevent being a victim of theft is to keep belongings out of sight when leaving them alone, don’t create the temptation, and don’t leave it alone for long.

“Quite a few students will step away for a moment to do an activity and when they return their device is gone,” Morris said.

2009 136 2010 95 2011 90 2012 84 2013 42 Number of theft cases

Source: University Police

Kassidy Turnpaugh | The Houstonian

He said UPD will be keeping vigilant and try to maintain the decline in thefts and that a large part of the decrease in this type of

crime is “due to faculty, staff and students taking an active role in the community.”

CITY

INTERNATIONAL

Council passes ‘fair’ noise ordinance JAY R. JORDAN Senior Reporter

AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Adrian Wyld

T

O THE STATION: (ABOVE)

Emergency workers look over the site of a crash between a city bus and Via Rail train, Wednesday in Ottawa, Canada. Witnesses said the bus went through a closed crossing barrier. (LEFT) Firefighters and paramedics transport a passenger to a waiting ambulance after a Via Rail train and city bus collide, Witnesses said the bus went through a closed crossing barrier.

Huntsville Police Department Daily Shift Reports Night Shift Shift Sept. 15-16 •

A victim reported property damage by an unknown suspect at the 1600 block of Ave. O

•

A two vehicle crash was reported at the intersection of Martin Luther King Drive and 11th St.

•

HPD responded to a verbal domestic dispute at the 3700 block of Montgomery Road.

•

Emilio Reza was arrested for traffic violations and suspicion of driving while intoxicated at the intersection of Martin Luther King Drive and 11th St.

•

Michael Buckner was arrested and served with an out of county warrant.

•

Zachary Hamblen and Gary Moore were arrested for public intoxication at the 900 block of Ave. J. Day Shift Sept. 16

•

A two vehicle crash was reported at the intersection of Sam Houston Ave. and Boettcher Drive.

•

HPD responded to a suspicious incident at the intersection of Sam Houston Ave. and Boettcher Drive.

•

A vehicle crashed into a tree on Smith Hill Road

•

An unknown suspect damaged property at the 400 block of 12th St.

•

A juvenile was arrested at the 2400 block of Ave. S for aggravated assault- family violence with a deadly weapon.

•

Keli Long and Victoria Adeyemi were detained for theft.

•

Joolie Marie was arrested for public intoxication on State Highway 30.

•

Robert Wright was arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance at the intersection of 14th St. and University Ave.

Walker County Jail Inmate Bookings Report Sept. 16-17 •

Broderick Davison is being held for public intoxication.

•

Jacqueline Evans is being held for a parole violation.

•

Katelynn Britt is being held for possession of a controlled substance.

•

Alicia Scott is being held in contempt of court.

•

Jodie Manie is being held for public intoxication.

•

Kevin Hate is being held for possession of drug paraphernalia and an expired inspection sticker.

Huntsville City Council unanimously passed a noise ordinance Tuesday night that will directly affect businesses within the city limits.

The vote came after Huntsville citizens complained to city council about bars on Sam Houston Avenue playing music into the night, disrupting local businesses.

The new ordinance states that any intentional noise- or musicmaking from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. will be in violation. From 7 a.m. until 11 p.m., noises can only reach 65 decibels, which is similar to a conversation in a restaurant.

Although there is a process to circumvent the new code through a temporary permit Huntsville Police Department can issue.

Owner of The Draft Bar Tarek Maalouf said before the vote that he believes the City Council has the appropriate authority to make the decision.

“As a business owner I will always have an opinion as to what I think is fair,” Maalouf said. “I intend to respect their decision and mold my business model around any changes that must be made.”

Owner of Bluebonnet Apartments LaRue Smith brought the issue to the City Council in June. She proposed that after 11 p.m., businesses should run silent.

“We ask that the city ordinances be enforced,” Smith said. “Students can still drink and party, but there should be zero tolerance of noise that disturbs our citizens after 11 p.m.”

After the vote, Maalouf said that he would continue to work with the city in order to comply with the new ordinance.

“I am very pleased with [the vote],” Maalouf said. “I believe that this is a very acceptable compromise for all parties involved, and we will continue to work with the Huntsville Police Department and local residents to make everyone as happy as we can.”

Page 3

Viewpoints

Thursday, September 19, 2013

houstonianonline.com/viewpoints

Yesterday’s sci-fi, today’s tech Unexpected PAWS UP

spills, and trash movement.

Where do I know it from?

“Avatar”; “Aliens vs. Predator”

the market.

How much is it? $25 for a sample large enough to light up your dorm.

What is it?

A power source that you can fold up and stick in your pocket.

Most portable panels can charge rechargeable batteries and anything that can be charged with a USB (so anything, really).

SmartWatches TY ODEN Guest Columnist

PAWS UP to iOS 7

PAWS UP to Grand Theft Auto V

It seems like for the last decade mankind has been obsessed with tomorrow. We constantly dream of the next update, the next new technology, or just the next iPhone. In all the hurry to find the next big thing some of yesterday’s dreams can get lost in the process and we often overlook the insane technologies that we have already achieved. Listed here you will find five amazing, impossible, wonderful pieces of technology that were nothing more than impossible sci-fi tech just a few years ago.

Pyrocystis Fusiformis PAWS UP to playing “Red Rover” with unsuspecting couples.

What is it?

Bioluminescent algae.

Commonly used in night lights and lamps with applications in tracking tidal patterns, oil

legal issues?

What is it?

The next level of smartphones.

Hands free communication, texting, apps, GPS, video sharing, and sound recording. It works by syncing up to your Android or iPhone.

Where do I know it from?

“James Bond”; “Things to Come” How much is it? $150, $400 less than an iPhone 5.

3-D Printers

What is it?

3D printers allow you to create (or download) 3D models of anything, from phone cases and chess pieces to art projects, circuitry, and, in some hospitals, surgical splints and organs.

Where do I know it from?

“Star Trek”; “The Outer Limits”

Portable Solar Panels

Where do I know it from?

“Pretties”; “Revolution” How much is it? $80-50, about as a portable

the hard

same drive.

Magnetic Implants What is it?

A growing trend among Sentiophiles, magnetic implants are small, powerful magnets implanted in your hand that allow you to feel electric fields. More importantly, personal implants like this are being used in electrical engineering to feel live wires, and many technology developers are playing with applications for them.

Where do I know it from?

“The Six Million Dollar Man”

How much is it? $500; a bit pricey, but less expensive than many tablets on

How much is it?

Anywhere from $30-250 depending on what kind of magnet(s) and who implants it.

3DPrintingSystems.com

Thinkgeek.com

PAWS DOWN GetPebble.com

PAWS DOWN to people who cut you off, then go slow

PAWS DOWN to ads coming to Instagram

PAWS DOWN to iOS 7 updating slowly

Correction

In our 9/17/13 issue, we gave a paws down to Oklahoma’s football team. We intended to say Oklahoma State University’s football team.

REGAN JOSWIAK Guest Columnist College students are at risk of unexpected legal situations where they can face significant fines, and even jail time. Without the knowledge of how to handle these situations, the process can be even more stressful and can impact college and career plans.

Andrew Jee, a Dallas-based attorney, will present “Important Legal Issues for College Students” on Sept. 25 in the LSC, Room 320 from 2—3 p.m. He will cover legal scenarios that students encounter and will offer practical, realworld advice on how to handle these situations. A graduate of Oregon State University and the Southern Methodist University School of Law, Jee is known for his work in criminal law, including representing college students.

“I’m excited to share my experiences with Sam Houston students,” Jee said.

Student Legal and Mediation Services is hosting the event.

“We’re eager to have someone of Andrew’s caliber to come discuss important legal issues that concern students,” Gene Roberts, Director of SLMS, said. “It’s always better to know your legal rights and know how to deal with the issue at hand. Many students may not think about these sorts of scenarios becoming a reality for them, but these are things that can easily happen. Andrew will help guide them through the process.”

For more information, contact Student Legal & Mediation Services at (936) 294-1717 or stop by our office in the LSC, Room 330.

Could A.I. threaten humanity?

JORDAN SPARKS Guest Columnist When people consider the dangers of Artificial intelligence (AI), they might think of Arnold Schwarzenegger going on a rampage, or a self-perpetuating autocracy run by a machine (as seen in The Matrix). While these ideas may seem preposterous, the possibility of sentient A.I. is becoming more real every day.

Japanese scientists have created robots that can play soccer and claim they will win the world cup by 2050. The South Korean government has a plan to create a robot-centered intelligent society.

Hans Moravec, a robotics pioneer,

says in Artificial Intelligence “by the year 2050, entire corporations will exist with no human employees, or investors, at all.”

Looking at how far computing has come in the past few decades, these predictions are not surprising.

A.I. is, the simulated intelligence of a machine (it is also a field of study in computer science).

As A.I. research progresses, the definition of true A.I. changes.

Software for speech recognition, language translation and decisionsupport was previously included in the field of A.I. but now is more closely associated with neuroscience. Artificial neural networks are commonly used to simulate brain activity, which can exhibit models of learning and neuroplasticity. The Blue Brain Project uses a biologically realistic model of neurons (different from a simple artificial neural network) in an attempt to create a synthetic mammalian brain. One of the goals of this project is to eventually help shed light on the nature of consciousness.

When assessing the potential threat of A.I., one should

consider—what would motivate a machine to betray its creators? If humans gave the gift (or as some might say, the curse) of sentience to a machine, could it experience Cartesian doubt? If it found reason to, would it abandon its duties and seek out meaning elsewhere, only to return in a state of existential nihilism after discovering the vast abyss of nothingness that is available to a machine? Can it feel emotions in the same way a human can? Can it suffer? These questions are not easily answered, but they are essential when the advent of sentient A.I. is on the horizon. Moreover, a machine that mimics a human brain perfectly may not behave in the same way as a sensible human, due to its artificiality.

A sentient machine may find it reasonable to attack or eliminate humans as a byproduct of other goals or interests. If A.I. had a motivation to achieve a goal, it would, by definition, resist being turned off as an automatic defense.

Thus, in the same way that humans are not actively seeking to harm animals when they level a forest in

order to build luxury housing, A.I. could indirectly harm humanity in trying to achieve its goal. Logically, humans should be able to prevent an A.I. from defecting with precise control. However, a machine that obtains self-awareness may display undefined behavior.

With that being said, I don’t believe A.I. will pose a threat to humans in the foreseeable future.

The benefits of A.I. far outweigh the drawbacks and sensationalistic doomsday predictions. Modern robots are becoming more and more common as household items. Vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, pool cleaners, and security bots are just a few examples of domestic robots. In the field of medicine, A.I. can help individual cancer patients survive. Artificial intelligence can be used to advance neuroscience and gain a better understanding of the nature of consciousness.

We should not approach the idea of A.I. with trepidation, but with hope; for a better understanding of what it means to be human.

The Houstonian Editorial

The Houstonian was named in the top 100 college newspapers for journalism students by JournalismDegree. org. Members of Associated Collegiate Press and Texas Intercolligiate Press Association.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Stephen Green....................................................................................................................................936-294-1505 FACULTY ADVISER Robin Johnson..................................................................................................................................936-294-1499 STAFF Molly Waddell.............................................................................................................................Associate Editor Molly Shove.................................................................................................................................Viewpoints Editor Connor Hyde......................................................................................................................................Sports Editor Joseph Redd...........................................................................................................................Entertainment Editor Monty Sloan.............................................................................................................................................Web Editor Colin Harris......................................................................................................................... Assistant News Editor Kizzie Frank..............................................................................................................Assistant Entertainment Editor Jeremy Villanueva.................................................................................................................Assistant Sports Editor Alexa Grigsby..............................................................................................................Assistant Viewpoints Editor Marissa Hill.....................................................................................................................................Sports Reporter Jay Jordan.......................................................................................................................................Senior Reporter Miranda Landsman................................................................................................................Multimedia Reporter Samantha Zambrano.............................................................................................................................Layout Editor Kassidy Turnpaugh.....................................................................................................................Graphic Designer STAFF REPORTERS: Christian Vazquez, Robert Sandoval, Kyle Kelley, Dante Cheney, Hannah Zedaker, Kaleigh Treiber, Samantha Galindo

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EDITOR’S NOTE Articles, letters and cartoons by Houstonian staff members or others in this paper are their own and not the opinion of the Houstonian, unless it is noted as such. Submissions and letters to the editor are welcome. Please send submissions to viewpoints@houstonianonline.com. Articles may be edited for grammar and spelling at discretion of editor. Deadline for submission is by 5 p.m. on Mondays, or Wednesdays.

BUSINESS MANAGER Paty Mason......................................................................................................................................936-294-1500 STAFF Stacy Hood.............................................................................................................................Advertising Manager

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Page 4

Arts&Entertainment

Thursday, September 19, 2013

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RESTAURANT REVIEW

Cafe Azteca friendly, room to improve GABRIELA COJULUM Contributing Reporter

A new Mexican restaurant opened on Sam Houston Avenue during the summer.

If you haven’t heard much about Café Azteca, it’s youth shows but each experience gets better.

It’s in the same building where New York Joe’s used to be. The building is now painted orange, creating a rustic atmosphere.

When entering the restaurant, there is a couch on the left facing a pool table designed for customers. There are small tables all throughout the restaurant and small booths aligning the inside perimeter. When you walk into the restaurant, there is a small podium for the hostess to stand waiting to greet customers.

However, during my last visit, there was no one there. A few seconds in, a young teenage girl walked towards us, grabbed a few menus, and gestured us to choose our own spot.

Considering that there are

absolutely no other customers there, we were free to choose whichever seat we wanted. Each employee was friendly but very inexperienced. The friendly atmosphere showed the restaurant is trying, but the quality of the overall experience didn’t reflect their efforts.

Ashton Enzinna who went along with me agreed.

“Everyone was nice but the staff seemed undertrained and awkward,” she said.

This was my second time at the restaurant and it was definitely a better experience from the first.

They’ve clearly grown.

The waitress seemed to know more about the food this time around, however, during both visits, the staff seemed inexperienced with the bar.

They had trouble making a margarita, having different members behind the bar helping each other out. The end result was a margarita with way too much mix and not enough alcohol, making it entirely too sweet. I thought that eating a few chips will cancel out the margarita, but soon came to the realization

Photos by Joseph Redd | The Houstonian

that the chips were stale. This wouldn’t be too bad if we hadn’t just ordered a large queso.

For my main course, I ordered a plate called “Taco Loco,” which ended up being a giant fried tortilla with lettuce, meat, cheese, sour cream, and tomatoes. It was greasy, pouring out grease

presents

Gilbert Tuhabonye Accomplished runner, motivational speaker & philanthropist

Wednesday, September 25, 2013 9:30 a.m., Booksigning Lowman Student Center, Atrium

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Lecture

James & Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center, Concert Hall

There is no charge to attend the event and a ticket is not required.

For more information please contact the President’s Office (936) 294-3415 or events@shsu.edu Sam Houston State University

each time I would pick it up. In the beginning it wasn’t too bad, but near the end of the meal, all I could really taste was the oil, making it unpleasant.

Casa Azteca needs work if it wants to make it, training its staff and having a bit more organization. It’s cheap, perfect

for a college student on a budget who doesn’t mind mediocre food.

New restaurants should be given time to perfect its service and food. Hopefullyaftter their growing pains, it will be able to provide better quality food to match its friendly service and atmosphere.

Page 5

Sports

Thursday, September 19, 2013

houstonianonline.com/sports

FOOTBALL

SHSU fixes team problems for UIW

The Bearkats look to lessen offensive turnovers against the Cardinals CONNOR HYDE Sports Editor

Following an overwhelming 55-17 win over Texas Southern in week three, Sam Houston State will look to secure their offense against Incarnate Word before suiting up against No. 4 Eastern Washington in week five.

The Bearkats struggled to initiate a presence on offense with three turnovers and an inability to maintain momentum kindled from running back Timothy Flanders.

Offensive coordinator Doug Ruse, known for establishing the running game early, drove a passing scheme that fell short and resulted in six scoreless drives.

Head coach Willie Fritz said despite a weak execution, he feels his squad has improved with the passing scheme.

“In order for us to be a great offense we need to be able to both [pass and rush,]” Fritz said. “We’re always going to primarily be a running attack; that is our bread and butter.”

The Cardinals will drive into Huntsville following a 24-0 shutout victory against Langston University. UIW’s defense pushed the Lions back to -38 yards rushing, and 65 total offensive yards. Last year, the Bearkats rolled through UIW’s defense with 327 yards on the ground.

Flanders is approaching Saturday’s matchup 131 yards shy of attaining the Southland Conference’s all-time career rushing leader. The senior running

Megan Laurie | The Houstonian, File

RUNNING ATTACK. Sam Houston State University running back Timothy Flanders posted 117 rushing yards against the University of Incarnate Word during the Bearkats’ 54-7 season opener in 2012. The Bearkats square up against the Cardinals Saturday at 6 p.m. at Bowers Stadium.

back has maintained the Bearkats’ sole offense power, averaging 109 yards per game.

“We just got to find rhythm with our quarterback and our receivers,” Flanders said. “We’ve been throwing the ball a lot, we might come throwing out again.

Later on the season we may need to throw to win a ball game.”

A redeemed SHSU defense approach the weekend looking to maintain a strong presence at the

line of scrimmage.

Linebacker Tanner Brock received the Southland Conference’s defensive player of the week after leading the team in tackles with two sacks against TSU. Lockdown coverage in the secondary, and an explosive front five has contained the running game through week three. Youth and miscommunication in the secondary have burdened zone

coverage against deep routes, allowing 679 opponent passing yards through week three.

Fritz said following the TSU matchup he continues to push leverage over receivers to maintain strong coverage downfield. He added he wants to continue circulating young players through the fourth quarter, but attributes TSU’s late fourth quarter touchdown to a lack of effort from the second defensive group.

“We gave them an opportunity to play and they didn’t do very well,” Fritz said.

Due to concerns with the secondary and passing game, SHSU’s conference play remains clouded as team inconsistencies are played out.

“It’s hard to see where we’re at right now,” Fritz said. “We’ve played some good football at some times. We just want to play better this week.”

OPINION

Young roster with champion potential

MARISSA HILL Sports Reporter The reigning 2012 Southland Conference champions have started their season 1-4, which has to be attributed to their young roster.

But as Sam Houston State’s volleyball team approach their conference run, youth isn’t the problem.

Factor in five new freshmen onto a team that graduated five seniors at the end of last season and you get this season’s Bearkats, young with potential.

The Bearkats are young in the sense of their experience.

With only high school and club team experience, four of the five freshmen are beginning their collegiate career starting in the playing rotation. The speed of the game increases and the language of the game evolves right along with it, hinging floor communication as a pillar of team success; a problem the Bearkats have struggled with early.

“Our communication has to improve,” head coach Brenda Gray told The Houstonian. “We have the pieces, we just have to come together.”

Another area the team struggles with is finishing.

Senior setter Tayler Gray explained that there were games where they’re ahead, and reach 22 points, but just don’t close up the game for the win.

“I don’t believe youth is an excuse, we just haven’t finished,” Gray said.

She’s right. Youth isn’t an excuse.

This is where the inexperience at this level comes into play. Communication problems on the floor has kept them from finishing in some games. Volleyball is a game that builds on momentum. One or two mistakes can quickly snowball if players aren’t careful.

With a crippled fashion of communication, a team can have a five or ten point lead that can be erased by mistakes.

However, it seems that Gray is fixing these problems because they were not apparent at the Sam Houston Invitational last weekend.

Although the Bearkats posted a 2-1 record at the tournament, they lost their last match to Washington State Saturday evening.

Freshmen Breanna Homer and Shelby Genung had solid performances and will be strong players in the seasons to come.

The best thing about teams that are young is that the same group of athletes can mature in the game and improve together with time.

But Gray explained at the beginning of the season that it wouldn’t take her a year to turn things around. SHSU was the runnerup team in their invitational, landing Tayler Gray and Breanna Homer on the AllTournament team.

The Sam Houston Invitational was the last chance the Bearkats got to evaluate themselves in-depth before conference play starts.

“We’ve really improved. We come together more and are playing as a team,” freshman middle blocker Shelby Genung said.

Youth in itself is not a crutch that Bearkat volleyball is leaning on, and it shouldn’t be.

It’s the lack of communication within the team causing problems.

They have younger players who don’t have as much experience, but the talent is definitely there. It takes time to fit five new players into different rotations. Then they have to grow accustomed to the people they play beside. Those types of things have to develop.

If the Sam Houston Invitational was the product of their development to continue to fix communication, the Bearkats will be strong contenders in the Southland Conference this season.

CAN’T MAKE IT TO THE FOOTBALL GAME??

@HoustonianSport Follow the Houstonian sports team on Twitter for live updates!

Page 6 Thursday, September 19, 2013

houstonianonline.com/

HOCKEY

Club hockey begins season prep KYLE KELLY Contributing Reporter Despite access to their own practice and game hockey rink, the Sam Houston State club inline hockey team prepares for their upcoming season.

Stationed in the Woodlands, the Bearkats compete against various Texas universities including Texas Tech University, University of North Texas and the University of Texas at Austin.

The team is composed of 10 players including former SHSU

inline hockey player and head coach Mickey Phillips.

Phillips said he wanted to keep with the club team because of the success he has seen with the program since his involvement as a player. He said he wanted to get more organization with the team and continue to expand his hockey experience with the younger players.

“I’m hoping to win division II and move onto the nationals,” Phillips said. “We have a pretty solid chance of doing this, but we need to buckle down and represent the school.”

Inline hockey differs from ice hockey as the match is played on wood flooring rather than the ice rink traditional hockey uses.

Senior Captain Mason Bakken said he has deep hockey roots growing up in the Dallas area and supporting the Dallas Stars.

His main goal for this season is to advance to the nationals, sponsored by the National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association held at Fort Myers, Fla. SHSU remains a division II within the Southwest Collegiate Hockey League, a sub-league

within the National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association.

Other SHCL programs include Stephen F. Austin University and Oklahoma State University.

In 2009, the Bearkats advanced to the finals with Phillips and Bakken as active players in the program.

Second-year player Aaron Fletcher said he is excited to face more prominent schools and that their biggest and most exciting match is against the Lumberjacks.

Team manager and SHSU student Stevie Hall said she has managed promotions and

COLORADO FLOODING

advertising, as well as, being the number one cheerleader for the team.

“It’s a weird passion of mine,” Hall said. “I grew up cheering for football all my life. Hockey is very appealing to me.”

The Bearkats began practices in early September with a regional conference tournament in October to kick off their season.

Those interested in participating with the SHSU inline hockey squad can email Bakken at mrb037@shsu.edu, or contact team president Austin Fritz at 903-746-2441.

C

OLORADO FLOODING - Left: Stan Koleski, 65, shovels mud from a friend’s barn in Loveland, Colo., on Wednesday. The Big Thompson River went over its banks destroying homes and businesses in the area. Statewide, only about 22,000 homeowners have flood insurance policies, FEMA spokesman Jerry DeFelice said. With 2.2 million housing units in Colorado, according to Census figures, that means about 1 percent of the state’s residences have flood coverage. Below: Chad Obrien, right, and his friend Church Poula work to remove water from Obrien’s basement as Obrien’s four year old son Elijah watches, several days after massive flooding swept through Longmont, Colo. As water recedes and flows east onto the Colorado plains, rescuers are shifting their focus from emergency airlifts to trying to find the hundreds of people still unaccounted for after last week’s devastating flooding.

AP Photo/Chris Schneider

AP Photo/Brennan Linsley

SOCCER

Women’s soccer tries to fix ‘communication issues’ JEREMY VILLANUEVA Assistant Sports Editor Southland Conference play begins Friday for Sam Houston State University’s women soccer team as they take on Abilene Christian University in Abilene.

The Bearkats are searching to end their winless streak on the road with a strong start to their conference season. The team is 0-4-1 when not playing on home turf this season.

Giving up four goals to Southern Methodist University is only a small example of the issues SHSU has had defending. When on the road, the Bearkats have given up 10 goals in just five games.

Freshman Megan Bennett has led the Bearkats’ defense in the center back position. Freshman Miriah Hadley accompanies her in the back.

Inexperience has been a factor in the team’s struggles on defense.

Bennett leads the Bearkats defense with freshman Miriah Hadley accompanying her in the backfield.

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university level before ever reaching the coordinating board.

Any programs that were already submitted to the board will work under the old system. Tayebi said the university should know in about a month. Those programs include a doctoral degree in victim studies, a master’s degree in digital media, a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications, a bachelor’s degree in electronics and computer engineering technology, and a bachelor’s in computer software engineering.

Hebert also said that the coordinating board would no longer be able to eliminate low-performing programs thanks to the new law.

“It’s important because although before you might not see many majors in, say, physics or philosophy,” Hebert said, “it is essential that universities offer those classes.”

The other problem the previous system had, he said, was that the same standard was being applied across degrees, regardless of how many were being produced compared to state averages.

“We were just a little disconnected with a little communication issues, and we need to move a little faster to be on the same page,” goalkeeper Kylie Hambleton said.

“Young defense organization and communication is key to direction to keeping everyone on the same page.”

Experience will be needed to match up and keep the ball out of the Wildcat’s goal and assist leader, senior Andrea Carpenter.

Carpenter will look to help the Wildcats preserve their season’s undefeated record.

Carpenter is coming into the game with six goals and four assists.

The Bearkats have struggled offensively is setting up formations to get the ball in the back of the net. Senior Tricia Mallory holds the lone goal for SHSU on the road.

Quality balls and attack from the wings will be needed if the Bearkats want to see their scoring drought come to an end.

The offense has produced only seven shots in their last game against SMU. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. Friday as the Bearkats’ try to defeat the Wildcats in Abilene.

“When you look at our physics department, we’re producing at the state average number of graduates,” he said. “But it may be considered a low-performing program according to their standard.”

The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Master of Arts in Industrial Technology will be phased out due to poor enrollment and graduation rates in 2011 after a coordinating board decision.

The THECB standard for an undergraduate degree to be adequate is that the program must graduate five students every year, averaged over a five year period. For master’s degrees it is three students and for a doctorate program it is two students.

Eight other programs were declared “low performing programs” in 2011 including Communication Studies (BA), Family and Consumer Science (MS), Philosophy (BA), Sociology (MA), Industrial Technology (BS), IT – Electronics (BS), IT – Industrial Management (BS), and Health (MA and MeD).

The coordinating board may now only issue recommendations on the closure of programs, but not require their removal as of Sept. 1.