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CAMPUS NEWS page 2
Vol 66 | Number 13
THE TSU HERALD | March 26, 2014
SWAC CHAMPS!
CONGRESSIONAL HEARING HELD AT TEXAS SOUTHERN
LIFE & STYLE page 5
LUPITA N’YONGO: BELLE OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY
SPORTS page 7
Photo credit: Buck Bedia TIGERS HOST TSU RELAYS AT DURLEY FIELD
OPINION page 6
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO STAY ON TOP OF SPRING FEVER?
Springing into trends: 5 must-have for this season
page 4
page 7
Sports Rundown BY LENZI CAUSEY
BY BUCK BEDIA
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Campus News Congressional hearing held at Texas Southern University COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS The Rod Paige Education Building Auditorium played host to the official House Congressional Homeland Security committee field hearing “Combating Human Trafficking in Our Major Cities” March 20. Law enforcement officials Adrian Garcia, Harris County Sheriff; Steven McGraw, director, Texas Department of Public Safety; Brian Moskowitz, Houston Special Agent in Charge Immigration Customs and Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Ann Johnson, assistant district attorney, Harris County; and Charles McClelland, chief, Houston Police Departmenttestifiedbefore the committee chaired by Michael McCaul, ranking member Sheila Jackson Lee, Al Green, Gene Green, Ted Poe, and Blake Farenthold to help them better understand human trafficking in major U.S. cities, specifically Houston. “Human trafficking is hidden under a veil of underreporting,” McCraw said.
“I can tell you how many vehicles were stolen in the cities of Houston, Dallas and San Antonio, but no one can tell you how many times children were prostituted on the streets of these cities.” Sheriff Garcia recommended that passing a comprehensive immigration reform bill, legislation supporting victims of human trafficking, and clearly defined laws spelling out human trafficking versus human smuggling would aid in reducing and prosecuting this horrific crime. The same factors that make Houston attractive for commerce and growth, e.g., international airport and shipping port, I-10 and US-59 corridors that stretch across coasts and countries, as well as the constantly expanding population and labor, also make it a “perfect storm” for human trafficking. Chief McClelland noted that he
EDITORIAL STAFF
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MECOLE’ HAYES Campus News Editor MARIEA BOYD Life & Style Editor SENORA HARRIS Sports Editor BUCK BEDIA Opinion Editor LINDSAY GARY Publications Manager TIYOSHA TURNER Advisors SERBINO SANDIFER-WALKER MICHAEL BERRYHILL
The TSU Herald is published by the students of Texas Southern University. Opinions expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the administration. The newspaper is printed biweekly, except during holidays and examination periods. For additional information, call (713) 313-1976.
recently authorized the formation of a Houston Police Department Human Trafficking Unit. Of particular concern to the committee was the recent discovery of 110 individuals held against their will for ransom in southwest Houston. “We must and we can solve the problem of human trafficking. We must recognize that human trafficking is a problem ‘hiding in plain sight’ that needs direct action. Too many of our major cities are being used by human traffickers to buy and sell humans as chattels,” Congressman Al Green said. “An important first step in addressing this issue in the U.S. is reforming our immigration system such that traffickers can no longer breach our borders and exploit the fear of reporting dastards.”
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Cover Story
TSU tops Prairie View for SWAC championship BY BUCK BEDIA Sports Editor
For the fifth time in school history, Texas Southern earned a bid to compete in the NCAA Tournament after defeating nemesis Prairie View 78-73 at the Toyota Center during the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament. TSU started fast out the gate but later in the first half had cooled off and trailed at intermission by seven shooting on 33 percent. In the second half, TSU stormed back and battled off the Panthers shooting 65 percent the rest of the way. “We played poorly as a team in the first half and we were only down by six or seven,” Coach Davis said. “Once we got the lead, I knew it was going to be very difficult for us to lose the game.” Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Aaric Murray put the Tigers on his back and recorded his 7th double-double of the season, leading all scorers with 27 points and 10 rebounds. “I owe it to my team, I was riding for the last six or seven games, when teams were doubling and tripling me,” Murray said. “I would kick it out to them and they made the plays to get us here.” It was definitely a team effort with four players scoring in double digits for the Tigers. Madarious Gibbs contributed 15 points
and 5 assists, and helped keep PV at bay with key free throws late in the second half. Other top performers for the Tigers were Jose Rodriguez with 13 points, D’Angelo Scott with 10 points and 5 rebounds and Ray Penn Jr. with 9 points who knocked down three critical three-pointers in the game. After the game Jose Rodriguez was asked to comment on his journey through the season. “I’m so happy, from the preseason this was our goal,” Rodriquez said. “Coach believed in us, he made us believe, and it wasn’t easy, he pushed us and now we are champs.” “They believed, they wanted it really bad, and I’m really happy for them to get to compete in the NCAA Tournament, not a lot of players get to do that,” Coach Davis added. TSU Exits in Opening Round Texas Southern traveled to Dayton, OH for the opening round of the NCAA Tournament for their first ever meeting against Cal Poly and lost a heartbreaker, 81-69. Unfortunately, the offense struggled in the first half of the game and Cal Poly went on a 13-4 run midway through the first half as they took a 44-32 lead into the locker room. The second half was an even battle but
the Tigers could not make a comeback like they did to win in the SWAC Championship. Aaric Murray carried the load for the Tigers, scoring 38 points in 32 minutes, but the only other Tiger who landed in double-figures was Rodriguez with 14. The big story of the game was points off turnovers. TSU only scored seven points while Cal Poly capitalized on mistakes converting 23 points off turnovers. Murray set an NCAA Tournament game record scoring 38 points in the contest, going 14-23 in the field and even showcased his range hitting 3-5 from behind the arc. “I think their defense was pretty good,” Murray said. “They just played some good, tough defense.” The Men’s basketball team finished the season 19-15, and boasted the best player in the conference in Aaric Murray. The 2013-14 Tigers is the third team Coach Davis has taken to the NCAA Tournament. Davis’ goal was to keep his team’s spirits up after the game. “We played a really good basketball team tonight, they’re well-coached, but we had a really good season, and I’m really proud of this team,” Davis concluded.
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Life & Style Springing Into Trends: 5 must-haves for this season BY LENZI CAUSEY Contributing Writer
Spring has finally arrived and everyone is ready to toss their heavy coats to the back of their closets and pull out their lightest and brightest pieces for spring. With the winter season behind us, it is time to catch up on trends and put our fiercest fashions forward. Here are a few trends and affordable pieces that will have you springing into the latest trends in no time: Pastel colors of course! Nothing says “spring” like cool lavender or smooth yellow. Those along with peach, sky blue, sage, and powder pink make great staples in anyone’s spring wardrobe. Pastels can easily be worn as accessories such as belts, shoes, or jewelry, or take it a step further by wearing a pastel top or a pair of bottoms. Many come in prints on dresses, tops and scarves in several looks such as floral, tribal, striped and even watercolor. Regardless of how you wear them, pastel colors scream spring. Pushing through the pages of Elle, Vogue, and Glamour are tea-length or midi
skirts. Most times, wearing a flattering highwaist skirt is always appropriate for a school or work setting, which is why these skirts are a great add-on to your spring wardrobe. The wonderful thing about these skirts is that they can be dressed up or down and can be worn pretty much anywhere (aside from nightclubs). They pull together nicely with a basic top or cropped jacket for a feminine and polished look. If tea-length skirts (or skirts period) aren’t really your thing, detailed bomber jackets (resembling school letterman’s) are viable options. These are also great for those nippier days of spring or to endure those “April showers”. Some come studded, printed, in leather and adorned with sequins and beading. In saying that, basically there’s a bomber jacket out there that would compliment anyone’s personal style. These can also be dressed up or down to compliment dresses or simple shorts, and have recently been seen on many style icons, including Beyoncé.
Another popular trend is athletic striped trousers. They are sometimes referred to as tuxedo striped pants, because of the thick stripe along the side of the pants which resembling menswear. These are great if you are going for a more refined look, but depending on how you choose to style them, they can also be very casual. Last but not least, are spring knits. These are the lighter sweaters in your closet that are most appropriate for spring weather. Stray away from the darker colors like eggplant and maroon for the spring, and stick to the neutrals and pastels. Blush pink was a huge color last season, and could possibly be worn during this spring as well. These can be cropped at the sleeve and laid over a skirt, or dressed up with straight, athletic, or wide legged trousers (also big this season) for a complete look. Overall, after being inspired by this list, one can be easily noted as one of the most stylish students on campus.
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Life & Style Lupita N’Yongo: Belle of the black community BY SENORA HARRIS Life & Style Editor “When I look down at this golden statue may it remind me and every little child that no matter where you’re from, your dreams are valid.” That was the last thing Lupita N’Yongo said before exiting the stage on Oscar night with her award for Best Supporting Actress. The audience from the theatre, as well as at home, watched on as she walked away smiling and clutching her shiny golden statuette. Across all forms of media, the actress has been showered with adoration within the black community as well as outside of it. So unless you have been living under a rock, you have definitely heard her name before. N’Yongo’s story began 31 years ago in Mexico City, Mexico. She was the second of six children to be born to Kenyan parents. Growing up, the actress lived in different places, including Mexico, New York, and Kenya. Living in different cultures molded her to learn different languages, which include English, Swahili, Spanish, and Luo, a native language in Kenya. Before studying for a Master’s degree
at the Yale School of Drama, N’Yongo got her first onscreen role in a Kenyan soap opera called “Shuga” in 2009. The role earned N’yongo some attention, but it wasn’t until last year that things changed for her. N’Yongo’s film debut in “12 Years a Slave” has been her greatest breakthrough to date. Her portrayal of slave woman “Patsey” has earned her widespread critical acclaim, in addition to an Oscar. Aside from her acting talents, the actress has been lauded for her beauty, which contrasts to that of the many pale skinned and straight haired actresses that represent Western beauty standards. Because of these standards, N’Yongo has said that she had issues with accepting her darker hued skin. When receiving her award for Essence’s Black Woman in Hollywood, N’Yongo spoke about growing up and not seeing herself as beautiful. “I put on the TV and only saw pale skin, I got teased and taunted about my night-shaded skin and my one prayer to God the miracle worker is that I would wake up light skinned,” N’Yongo said. “I tried to negotiate with God, I told him I would stop stealing sugar cubes at night if he gave me what I wanted.” N’Yongo credits the rise of Sudanese supermodel, Alek Wek, with her beginning to accept her “night-shaded” complexion. At the Essence ceremony, N’Yongo addressed how important the same kind of representation from people who look like her is to fellow young black women. “And so I hope that my presence on your screens and in the magazines may lead you, young girl, on a similar journey,” N’Yongo said. “That you will feel the validation of your external beauty but also get to the deeper business of being
beautiful inside, that there is no shade in that beauty.” Award season may have come to an end, but N’Yongo’s reign as America’s new “It Girl” seems to only have begun.
“And so I hope that my presence on your screens and in the magazines may lead you, young girl, on a similar journey. That you will feel the validation of your eternal beauty but also get the deeper business of being beautiful inside, that there is no shade in beauty.” - Lupita N’Yongo
31-year-old Lupita N’Yongo as Patsy in Steven McQueen’s, 12 Years A Slave.
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Opinion What are you doing to stay on top of “Spring Fever”? BY SIDNIE HOLMES Contributing Writer With only six weeks left to go in the Spring Semester, one can easily become distracted by the thought of that time frame. The sun is shining, the air is warm, and the wind is slightly cool which means that is clearly the time to kick back on the yard, and then head on over to the next event right? Wrong! Although the spring semester is quickly coming to an end, students should still be encouraged to stay on top of their grades, health, scholarships, and anything else that has to do with school. Again, we only have about six weeks left; there are a few important dates that you should remember: Friday, April 11th will be the last day to drop or withdraw from a class with the grade of a W. April 14th is the first day that students will be able to start registering for the first and second summer terms and ending on May 31st for the first term and July 5th for the second term. May 2nd will be the last day of classes with final examinations beginning on that Saturday and ending on the 9th day of May. Before you mentally check out for the semester, there are several things you can do to stay on top of your grades without getting sick with “Spring Fever.” Make a schedule or list This may sound redundant but this may be the most accurate way to stay in front the chaos we create for ourselves during the weeks. Pay attention to when assignments are due and place them on your calendar in order. If you have never done this before, now would be a great time to see if this strategy works for you. Make sure once you complete the task you have written down that you check them off. Make time for the harder projects first
and your fun and relaxing time last. You are very well deserving of breaks, and you may take them accordingly to help you find your outlets, be it to be dancing, singing, going to a movie, or playing street ball. This is a great time to also look at your calendar to verify due dates and set up new ones. Stay on top of your calendar if you use this, it will be a great tool to add as an employee while interning. Get started early on assignments When that professor assigns the 10page paper, use your calendar and prioritize how you will complete the upcoming assignment. Set aside the proper time and tools needed to accomplish the assignment before its deadline. This will come in great handy when you take those random breaks and enjoy yourself to get reenergized to finish the projects you’ve started. Ask questions This is the perfect opportunity to make sure that anything you are working on is in line with what your professor is expecting. If you are unsure about it, ask about it. Talking to your professor about what you don’t understand is not a bad thing; please do not be intimidated by this. You can also find good focal points to study for an upcoming test. Go over old tests to see what you have missed so that you can correct and understand the material for
the upcoming final. This is also a great time to set up appointment times with your advisor to make sure you are still on track with your degree plan, and also to get registered for any summer terms and the fall semesters prior to deadlines. Sleep Believe it or not, resting is probably one of the more important things to do as a survivor of spring semester. Being well rested allows your brain to function better the next day or after a nap. It’s okay to take a nap in between projects so that you don’t wear yourself out. The quality of your sleep affects your quantity of sleep. Make sure that you are comfortable when you are ready to tap out. Find time to wind down before sleep. “There are data that sleep loss leads to learning and memory impairment, as well as decreased attention and vigilance,” Dr. Kushida, an associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University Medical Center said.
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Sports Tigers host TSU Relays at Durley Field BY BUCK BEDIA Sports Editor Texas Southern played host as the legendary TSU Relays were held over the weekend at Durley Field. Tierra McGowan had the best finish for the Lady Tigers when she placed second in the 800m with the finish time of 2:10.04 on Saturday. In the triple jump, Terralyn Johnson took 3rd place with a leap of 39-10.5 and Trisha Williams finished 6th with a jump of 38-01.25. Freshman Breana Dockery took 4th place in the 200m dash with a 24.98 while Asia Roberts was 8th, 25.26 in the 200m dash. The TSU women’s 4x100m and 4x200m relay teams both took 4th place which consisted of runners Adriana Berkhalter, Breana Dockery, Whitney McDonald, Asia Roberts. In the 4x100m relay, the team finished
with 47.09 while in the 4x200m relay they posted a time of 1:37.88. The Texas Southern men’s 4x400 meter relay team had the highest finish for the Tigers at the Relays. The team of Jeffry Lacroix, Michael Holmes, Jeff Lacroix and Erik Montano, placed second with a time of 3:14.94. Travis Sanders had the best individual results with his 3rd place finish in the high jump, 6-04.00. Raphiel Baptiste placed 6th in the same event. Demetrious Williams took 4th in the triple jump with a distance of 46 feet 4.75 inches. Ian Williams was 5th 45-09.75 in the triple jump. The men’s 4x100 meter relay team of Brian Baskin, Jeffry Lacroix, Jeff Lacroix,
Sports rundown BY BUCK BEDIA Sports Editor Lady Tigers drop last two of season Dallas- After losing to PV in the SWAC Title game, the Lady Tigers were invited to compete in the Women’s NIT Tournament and lost in the first round to Southern Methodist University 84-72. Brianna Sidney led all scorers with 21 points and Morgan Simmons finished with 9 points and 12 rebounds. Down by 9 at the half, the Lady Tigers fought back and tied it up early in the second half but then SMU went on a 15-2 run and put the game out of reach and ended TSU’s season. The Lady Tigers finished the season 20-13, second in conference for the regular season and the SWAC Tournament, boasted the conference’s best player Jazzmin Parker and All-SWAC honors went to Morgan Simmons along with Jazzmin Parker.
Lady Tigers softball takes 3 out of 5 in SWAC Round-Up Longview, TX- The Lady Tigers went on the road to face SWAC foes from the Eastern Division and came out winning more than they lost. The Lady Tigers defeated Alabama A&M, Alcorn St, and Mississippi Valley State and suffered losses from Jackson State and Alabama State. Top performers at the plate for the tournament were; Briana Parker who went 7 for 19 with 2 homers and 8 RBI, Tomi Garza, 9-19 and 5 RBI, and Krystalani Yockman, 7-15, 5 RBI and a home run. Pitchers Brianna Bryant, Madison Staton and Jeniece Tillman all picked up wins for the Lady Tigers.
Erik Montano, took 4th place with a time of 41.02. TSU will be competing in meets in Austin and here in Houston at Rice this weekend.
Join Our Staff Today! Gain professional experience and work your way up to a paid staff position. We are seeking dedicated and professional students. Call (713) 313-6710 or stop by Room 221 in the SSLC Tiger Baseball sweeps PV over the weekend TSU (8-14, 5-2) hitting dominated PV (7-13, 3-5) at MacGregor this past weekend taking all three games. At the plate, Chris Deleon went 4-11 with an RBI, Samuel Terry went 5-12 with an RBI, Zach Welz knocked in 5 runs on two hits including a homer and Andrew Garza also went deep and knocked in 3 over the weekend. Pitchers Michael Starkey, Frank Cruz IV and Devin Konarik all collected wins for the Tigers. Tiger Awards: Bowler Brianna LeForbes was name to the Bowling All-SWAC First Team. Devin Konarik was named SWAC copitcher of the Week.
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What’s Happening on campus & around town
Monday - 3/24
Tuesday - 3/25
Wednesday - 3/26
Recreation Center presents: Feeling Fit Expo 11 a.m. Rec Center
Monday - 3/31
Tuesday - 4/1
Thursday - 3/27 UPC - Forum II Committee presents: What’s Love Got To Do With It 7 p.m.
Wednesday - 4/2
Thursday - 4/3
Friday - 3/28
The Weekend 3/29 & 3/30
National Preview Weekend Friday - 4/4
The Weekend 4/5 & 4/6
Honor’s Day
Tiger Yearbook Week Our calendar is reserved for the advertisement of on and off campus events. If you are interested in having your event placed on our calendar, then please stop by room 221 of the Student Center or call us at (713) 313-6710.
20 Questions
1. When will older students leaders let the younger ones take over? Anonymously 2. Why do campus orgs. always give last minute notice for everything? submit your 3. Why can’t TSU have a full working website? 4. Why is every other link on the page “Under Construction”? questions via 5. Why is it ok for policies and changes regarding campus orgs. to take place, yet there Ask.Fm is no effort to make them known to students? 6. Why does it look like TSU’s Greek life will drastically decline in the next 5 years? today 7. Why does TSU promote Hispanic/Latino recruitment, then forget about them once they’re here? 8. Why do people start to pick up their GPAs only to join a fraternity or sorority? 9. When did guys start wearing 32 inch weave on campus? DISCLAIMER: The questions are submitted 10. Why are students more concerned about the next student rather than their GPA? by the student body and are not the views of The 11. Who’s Vine famous? TSU Herald or Texas Southern University as a whole. Feel free to bring your questions to room 12. Has anyone seen the Young Fly Red video? 221 of the Student Center. Questions are printed 13. Has social media allowed people to take things too far? at the discretion of The TSU Herald. 14. Why is everyone using shade like its a new word? 15. Do people know that “Shade” and “Read” are terms coined by the LGBT community? 16. Who really runs the university? 17. Why do people have so much to say when they have no pull? 18. When will people learn that their opinions don’t matter? 19. Have you ever tried to pay a bill with someone else’s opinion? 20. Did it work, or nah?
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