Issuu

Monday, September 24, 2012 // Issue 16, Volume 78 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

THE DAILY COUGAR

T H E

O F F I C I A L

S T U D E N T

N E W S P A P E R

O F T H E

U N I V E R S I T Y

O F

H O U S T O N

Khator talks concerns, UHPD doesn’t comment

S I N C E

1 9 3 4

OPINION

Security fails students LIFE+ARTS

Students should report any information to UHDPS or UHPD. The station is located on the corner of Scott St. and Wheeler Avenue | Hannah Laamoumi/The Daily Cougar Julie Heffler News editor

After a string of robberies and attempted robberies on campus this past week, the UH Department of Public Safety has stepped up its efforts to protect students. However, the department declined to comment very extensively on what they will do in the upcoming semester in response. On Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday, three students were held up at gunpoint. The first two students were robbed in broad daylight, while the last student was held up in the evening but did not have any valuable possessions on his person at the time of the incident. “(The connectedness) will have not been determined because the officer is still working on the report,” said Lt. Dina Gonzales of the UHDPS and on-duty public information officer, last week before the third incident. “Once our investigation compares the two, they’ll be able to make the determination whether or not the two are connected. They’re following-up on the previous report, the previous case, and they’ll also be doing the same with this (one).” UHDPS was not available to comment further over the weekend because of administrative hindrances. UHDPS must clear all statements with the Department of Media Relations before their release to the public.

As of Saturday, no new developments have been made, said Executive Director of Media Relations Richard Bonnin. However, UH as a whole has not remained silent. President Renu Khator sent an email to students Friday addressing the safety concerns many students and parents have had. “The University of Houston Department of Public Safety, under the leadership of Chief Ceasar Moore, has today (Sept. 21) established a dedicated task force whose focus for the next 30 days will be investigating and solving the armed robberies that

took place this week,” Khator said in the email. Khator stated in her email that many parents and students have emailed her with concerns. Avery Rabon, vocal performance freshman, is one of the students with concern about the recent incidents. “I was slightly shocked, just because you don’t expect so many thefts to happen in such a short period of time,” Rabon said in an email. More seasoned students like Elliot Kudisch, a political science and Spanish junior, were not as surprised by the events, but still felt that something

more needs to be done. “(I was) surprised, but not shocked. I was in Bayou Oaks at the time of the most recent attempted theft,” Kudisch said in an email. “I most definitely will be more alert to suspicious behavior, but at the same time, UHDPS needs to understand that parking a vehicle at the furthest corner of a parking lot with your lights off is not protecting anyone. There needs to be more done to ensure the safety of the students and faculty.” Elementary education junior

Student radio’s first birthday SPORTS

Soccer tied up for the weekend GET SOME DAILY

ROBBERY continues on page 11

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ONLINE XTRA U.S. News ranks UH in top-colleges list

TOMORROW Metro talk at Texas Tribune Fest

COUNTDOWN

Days until the new dining hall opens.

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2 \\ Monday, September 24, 2012

For more information on events,

CALENDAR Today Free lunch: From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the A.D. Bruce Religion Center Atrium. Get Involved (RSO Training and Development Workshops): From 2 to 3 p.m. at the UC Bayou City Room.

DEADLINE: OCT. 1ST

Guest Master Class: From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Dudley Recital Hall. Percussion Ensemble: From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m in the Moores Opera House.

Tuesday Free Lunch: From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Hillel Lounge of the A.D. Bruce Religion Center.

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Cougar Conversations: At 1 p.m. in the UC, room 279A. Food from Mexico Cooking Lesson: From 3 to 5 p.m. in the UC Spindletop room. Education and the Election: A Panel Discussion: From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Kiva Room in Farish Hall.

+6 @6< /(=, 0990;()3, )6>,3 :@5+964,& Baylor College of Medicine is testing a treatment for adults 18-60 years of age.

Wednesday College of Technology Career Fair: From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the UC Houston room. Gender Talk: From 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the UC’s room 279A.

Volleyball vs. Tulsa: From 7 to 8 p.m. in the Athletics/Alumni Center. Cougar Nights: From 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday in the UC.

Thursday

Saturday

SBIR/STTR Application Strategies Workshop: From 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the UH Small Business Development Center, 2302 Fannin, Suite 200.

Fourth Annual UH vs. Rice Chili Cook-off: From 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Reliant Park.

Workshop: Conducting Research Using Surveys and Focus Groups: From 1 to 2:30 p.m. in 112N Cougar Village.

Football vs. Rice: From 2:30 to 5:30 p.m at Reliant Stadium. Serious Money: From 8 to 9:30 p.m. in the Jose Quintero Theatre.

Sunday

Bauer Honors Annual Fall Mixer: From 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Bauer Hall.

Volleyball vs. SMU: From 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the Atheletics/ Alumni Center.

GET INVOLVED InfoShop: From 4 to 5 p.m. in the UC Spindletop

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Closing editors

ABOUT THE COUGAR The Daily Cougar is published Monday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and Wednesdays during the summer and online at thedailycougar.com. The Daily Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees. The first copy is free. Additional copies cost 25 cents. SUBSCRIPTIONS Rates are $70 per year or $40 per semester. Mail subscription requests to: Mail Subscriptions, The Daily Cougar, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-4015. NEWS TIPS Send tips and story ideas to the editors. Call (713) 743-5314, e-mail news@ thedailycougar.com. A “Submit news” form is available at thedailycougar.com. COPYRIGHT No part of the newspaper in print or online may be reproduced without the consent of the director of Student Publications.

David Haydon Amanda Hilow THE DAILY COUGAR IS A MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS.

Monday, September 24, 2012 // 3

The Daily Cougar

NEWS

EDITOR Julie Heffler EMAIL news@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/news

STATE

Khator speaks at Texas Tribune Fest David Haydon

and the depth of research they do, Khator focused on students “Student success is not only our number one priority, it is our no excuses priority,” Khator said. When Texas Tribune Moderator

Managing editor

AUSTIN — Renu Khator, representing UH as Chancellor of the University System, sat with Chancellors from five other public universities in a talk the Texas Tribune called the “Chancellor Confidential” at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin this weekend. “I wear two hats,” Khator said as she introduced herself, referencing her responsibilities as both UH president and system chancellor. After Texas A&M Chancellor John Sharp talked about the 11 universities that made up his system

Reeve Hamilton asked if they petitioned Texas legislators for funding as a group, the chancellors agreed that working together was TRIBUNE continues on page 11

Jess Hewitt 713.305.3133 jess.hewitt@valic.com Securities and investment advisory services are offered by VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc., member FINRA and an SEC-registered investment advisor. VALIC represents the Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company and its subsidiaries, VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc. are VALIC Retirement Services Company.

UH President Renu Khator sits with fellow Texas university chancellors at Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, TX. | Christopher Shelton/The Daily Cougar

FOOD

Expanding nutrition, not waist size Paulina Rojas Contributing writer

UH and ARAMARK food services are working hard to change the stigma that college students gain weight and eat unhealthy when coming to campus. “We provide a variety of healthy options for students on campus,” said Amber Arguijo, marketing manager for ARAMARK - Higher Education at UH. “Both residential restaurants, The Fresh Food Company at Moody Towers and the RFoC in Oberhotlzer, offer portion sizes that conform to USDA standards and make sure to include low-fat and fat-free options every day.” With obesity being a nationwide epidemic, a recent study conducted at Auburn University tracked the changes in body, weight, body mass index and body composition of 131 college students over a fouryear period. They found that the percentage of students classified as overweight or obese increased to 31 percent from 18 percent. Mathematics freshman Jessica Garcia feels it’s easier to supply her own food. “I just usually bring food from home to school with me because I think it’s cheaper and healthier,” Garcia said. While many students will have

access to more healthy options around campus, others are pleased with the current selections. “I’m pretty satisfied with the food that is available on campus,” said engineering graduate Rachel Zhang. Dining Services will be launching a new mobile app, Campus Dish, which will be available for free download on the iPhone, iPad and android app stores. The app will make it easy for students to search for meals that meet their own unique requirements. By simply putting the amount of calories and grams of fat desired in meals, students will be able to see menu options that fit those criteria and where they are available on campus. Freshii, a new restaurant among the new restaurant’s choices to open once phase two of the UC is completed, specializes in healthy and sustainable food choices including customizable soups, salads, rice bowls and wraps. Still, pricing weighs heavily on college students reasons for resorting to fast food. “Students on a meal plan can select any of the healthy options in the residential restaurants for under five dollars per meal in many cases,” Arguijo said. “Subway offers five dollar foot longs and low pricing on combo meals.” news@thedailycougar.com

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The Daily Cougar

4 \\ Monday, September 24, 2012

OPINION

EDITOR Lucas Sepulveda EMAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/opinion

Students need reliable assurance Patrick Larose Opinion columnist

n the past week, a series of muggings took place along the outskirts of the campus. The suspects were quick. They looked to swipe wallets and cell phones and had very little discrepancy in using what valuables laid inside. They preyed on the students isolated from campus, whose cars were far off. These assaults have gotten a lot of attention, but they aren’t particularly out of the ordinary. What makes theses crimes significant specifically, is that they were reported. Statistically the odds that you will be the victim of a campus robbery are low, though certain measures taken can increase or decrease your chances. But it is not the statistics that make people afraid, it’s the simple, tangible fact that this has happened to someone just like you, and the person or people doing this remain uncaught. UH has more than 200 security guards and around 50 police officers. Roughly 40,000 students attend UH. It’s unreasonable to say law enforcement isn’t doing their job, as many students have said. UH sits on more than 600 acres, and it would be impossible for their limited number to cover all that at once. And even if they did have a larger force, crime couldn’t be predicted, time or place. All of last week’s muggings happened randomly at gunpoint, two out of the three in broad daylight. The economy parking lots are desolate places, often devoid of any human life. The security towers in certain lots, while helpful, only cover a fraction of ground. Here, the student is most vulnerable.

President Renu Khator issued a press release to assure students they need not be afraid, that there are people hired to track down whoever is responsible and bring them to justice, and that there are now a total of five new patrol officers added to the force. This news is hardly comforting, but the act of an unsure hand. The chances of the suspects being caught are becoming less-likely with each passing day.

The wallets and cellphones have undoubtedly been disposed of and the money’s been spent. Maybe muggers will realize these robberies are too risky and they’ll stop entirely, but that doesn’t fix the problem. It won’t bring an end to student victimization. Likewise, these increases in security may prove a temporary solution to a larger problem. If the muggings decrease, it’s

easy to imagine the new precautions dwindling away as the memory of last week’s assaults fades. This act then is not a way to make us safer but a way to make us feel safer for the time being. Though campus officers are around to prevent as much crime as possible, students can only rely on them so much. They’re human and don’t have the superhero abilities we’d hope. What is needed is a constant,

reliable assurance of protection, and a small dose of personal responsibility. Security cameras or more towers, while costly, give a type of security that may not catch whoever is at large but will offer an environment that’ll help to dissuade future and similar attempts. Patrick Larose is a creative writing sophomore and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

The Price of Safety by David Haydon

THE DAILY COUGAR

STAFF EDITORIAL The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Daily Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole.

including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to Room 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax to (713) 743-5384. Letters are subject to editing.

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ASSISTANT EDITORS

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Daily Cougar welcomes

GUEST COMMENTARY Submissions are accepted

Ellen Goodacre, Bryan Dupont-Gray, Christopher Shelton

letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 words and signed,

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EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR NEWS EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR LIFE & ARTS EDITOR OPINION EDITOR

Joshua Mann David Haydon Amanda Hilow Julie Heffler Andrew Pate Allen Le Lucas Sepulveda

Monday, September 24, 2012 // 5

The Daily Cougar

TWITTER

Students socialize over security concerns Picked up @ TheDailyCougar to read about a student held at gunpoint! Do you stay late on campus? How do (you) stay safe?! #UH #News — @Monica4397, 18 Sep

Stay alert, Coogs! Be safe. — @Miss_TeacherG, 19 Sep

NEED A NEW JOB? READ THE CLASSIFIEDS AND SEE ALL THE JOB OFFERS. IN PRINT OR ON THE WEB

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THE DAILY COUGAR

Grow your own way

Not surprising. It ‘s Houston. — @M4ri43rik4, 19 Sep

This is getting out of hand and needs to stop. I’ve always said UH is a safe campus, but now im looking like an idiot. — @louistizzle, 20 Sep

Every career path is different. That’s why we help you design your own. We’ll provide the training, coaching and experiences that allow you to build relationships and take advantage of career opportunities. You decide what happens next—at PwC or beyond. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. www.pwc.com/campus

With the amount of incidents that have been occuring in parking lots, why not have security officers monitoring the lots? — @RyanCorns, 21 Sep

Unfortunate that we can’t even figure out the car make/models of these suspects... we need to step our security up obviously — @Unreal_IR, 21 Sep

The Daily Cougar

6 \\ Monday, September 24, 2012

SPORTS

EDITOR Andrew Pate EMAIL sports@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/sports

SOCCER

Two ties keep UH undefeated over weekend

The soccer squad enjoys a light-hearted moment together in preparation for their upcoming contest against SMU on Friday. | Nikki Taylor/The Daily Cougar Monica Rojas Staff writer

UH head soccer coach Chris Pfau vocalized his distress over uncalled fouls Friday and was awarded a yellow card. “No comments on the refs,” Pfau said. The first yellow card of the season was thrown out during the Cougar’s first Conference USA game, only a player was not at the receiving end — Pfau was. Yellow card aside, the game

against Southern Methodist University culminated in a 2-2 tie, despite going into double overtime. “SMU’s been a hard team every year,” said enior forward Katelyn Rhodes. “You never know how things are going to come out. SMU is also going through the same things that we’re going through, they got a new coach, and they’re probably trying to learn new things like we are. It (was) a good way to see where we stand in Conference.” Rhodes netted the first goal 16 minutes into the first half, a lead

which the cougars kept until SMU’s Kenzie Scovill tied two minutes into the second half. “We did some good things in the first half,” Pfau said. “We came out to compete and we didn’t sit back. The second half we were a little nervous without a lead. It happened (against) Arizona. We let them get on top of us. We have to learn to deal with that. I think we just have to get more games (that) will help us get through that.” UH takes advantage

In the fifth minute, sophomore forward Kelsey Zamora was taken out by an SMU player and awarded a penalty shot which she turned into a goal. Despite a cluster of Cougar defenders, SMU’s Rikki Clarke managed to get the ball into the net two minutes later and returned the game to a tie. “I think when we came out after the second half, we were really tired,” Zamora said. “After the second half we could have pressured more. Coach said we weren’t organized but within five minutes, got

organized so we could have come out more organized. The ultimate moments were the last two minutes of every half because their offense was pressing ours and our offense was pressing them.” Regardless of blunders, Pfau said he was content with the outcome of the game. “We had a couple of chances there to win it but at the end of the day it’s a long conference season and we got a point, you need SOCCER continues on page 12

VOLLEYBALL

Cougars pick up C-USA win on strong senior performances Harrison Lee Staff writer

The Cougars’ march across Dixie started with a loss but ended in victory. After absorbing a 3-2 loss to the UAB, UH bounced back to win 3-1 against the University of Memphis. The first match on Friday in Birmingham against the Blazers was a

five-set affair that saw, at one point, UH win two straight sets after dropping the opener. The first set saw UAB win 25-18, before UH rattled off two straight wins of 25-20 and 25-15. The fourth and fifth sets saw UAB flare back and two win 3-2. The Cougars showed aggressive offense and defense in both matches, as some players put up

career bests. Along with getting to five sets, the third time Houston has accomplished the feat this season, the match saw senior Katie Norris and sophomore Caitlin Ogletree rack up double doubles. Norris put in 13 kills and 18 digs while Ogletree added 28 assists and 10 digs. The 18 digs were a career high for Norris. Sophomore Taylor

Whiteman saw a star game with a career-best nine kills. By Sunday, the Cougars found themselves in Memphis in the shadow of Graceland. High numbers were the order of the match as Houston racked up a total of 54 kills, 43 of them coming from three seniors. Katie Norris, Stephanie Nwachukwu and Chandace Tryon led

the scoring with a total of 43 kills. Houston dropped the first set 25-19 before storming back to win three sets in a row and taking the match for the second win of the season to improve to 1-2 in C-USA play. “Today was a great team win,” head coach Kaddie Platt said after the game. “Abby (Simmons) played SENIOR continues on page 12

The Daily Cougar

7 \\ Monday, September 24, 2012

SPORTS FOOTBALL

Stewart makes impact as true freshman Christopher Shelton Assistant sports editor

Senior corner D.J. Hayden recognized Trevon Stewart’s potential as soon as Stewart stepped on the field. “I knew when we first went out here for 7-on-7 drills and (Stewart) started backpedaling. I was like, ‘Yeah, he’s going to be pretty good,’” Hayden said. “You can tell athletes by how they run and I knew he was going to be a really good player.” Stewart was playing in Patterson, La. last season, and in his first season at UH, has been willing to adjust to new positions. Stewart began the season as starting nickleback but moved to safety in preparation for UCLA, a position where he has limited experience. “This last game coach just threw him into the fire at safety. And it’s his first time ever really playing safety. He adjusted well, came down and made a couple tackles,” Hayden said. “I think Trevon has got the idea that he’s probably going to have to step up and have a starter’s role. I think he’s doing a great job,

Trevon Stewart makes one of 14 tackles against UCLA | Courtesy of Tim Bradbury/ The Daily Bruin especially coming in a freshman.” Stewart has made an immediate impact on the team with 29 total tackles this season, 19 of which are unassisted. Stewart was a bright spot in the secondary versus UCLA against the run and the pass.

Stewart had 14 tackles in his first start at safety and snagged an interception, though the play was overturned by a penalty. Stewart was also a big help around the line of scrimmage, helping hold Heisman Candidate, Johnathan Franklin

significantly under his torrid early season pace. Secondary coach Zac Spavital said he sees good things when he turns on the game film. “Very instinctive. He’s got a natural knack of finding the ball,” Spavital said. “One thing that has impressed me lately is his ability to tackle. He’s a true freshman and we threw him out there at safety for one game and he led the team in tackles.” Stewart, unlike some freshmen, did not fear the big lights of major college football. He was ready to contribute immediately. “He’s got a mindset -- that’s one thing I liked about him since high school. He’s a mature kid, he’s very focused and that hasn’t changed,” Spavital said. “It didn’t take but about three or four practices until we realized that he has a chance to do a lot of things. He’s very versatile. He can play slot, he can play corner, and he can play safety. He’s physically a gifted athlete.” His game was just as multi-faceted in high school. He contributed on the offense as a receiver and

running back, earning Class 3A AllState honors at both positions. On defense Stewart intercepted four passes last season at Patterson High School. Even for talented players like Stewart, the transition from high school to college competition is difficult. The on-field maturation process may have been expedited when Hayden took Stewart under his wing. “I help him out as much as I can. He may ask me about a call. I tell him what I’m reading on a play and what he should be reading. I think that I do help him because everyone wants someone they can compete with,” Hayden said. And the competition is building a better secondary. “I feel like him trying to compete with me and me trying to compete with him makes us both better,” Hayden said. sports@thedailycougar.com

Monday, September 24, 2012 // 8

The Daily Cougar

LIFE +ARTS

EDITOR Allen Le EMAIL arts@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/arts

MUSIC

Coog Radio turns one, celebrates with live music University’s student-operated radio station enjoys accomplishments of past year, sets sights on future goals Desiree Alvarez Staff writer

Fans, students and good music were all present for Coog Radio’s first anniversary celebration Thursday evening at Mango’s music café. The University’s student-operated online radio station welcomed more than 100 people to the venue and organized a set list that included various local and non-local performers to entertain the crowd for the night. The set list featured 2012 “Houston Press” Music Award winners, a two-member female band from Austin and a local classic-bluesrock infused band. More specifically, there were: Josiah Gabriel, The Roosevelt House Band, FLCON FCKER, Agent Ribbons and The Beans. Director of Music Alex Segura, Director of Public Relations and Marketing Joyce Lin and disc jockey Giovanni Guillen were all smiles Thursday and proud to talk about Coog Radio’s performance throughout the past year. A year’s worth of hard work and long hours put in by the station’s staff paid off when their website, coogradio.com, was named “Best

Coog Radio broadcasts live from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. from campus everyday. The radio station was recognized for its website and original mixtapes. | Courtesy of Nine Nguyen/The Daily Cougar Music Blog” by the “Houston Press” in June. “We’ve had two pretty successful music compilations that we produced on our blog, which is part of the reason we won the award,” Segura said.

UH alumnus Christian Puente was there to support the radio station and expressed his excitement for the night. “I’m so stoked to be here. I drove all the way from Austin to catch this tonight,” he

said. The staff explained that the station’s devoted listeners and social media presence continues to make Coog Radio a successful destination for music lovers everywhere. “We actually have a lot of international attention. Our use of social media — utilizing Facebook, Twitter, Reddit got us a lot of listeners,” Segura said. The staff acknowledged their international following, but are ambitious to capture many more ears in 2013. “2013 — the year of Coog Radio. We have many plans in the works for next year,” Segura said. The plans include live broadcasting playby-plays of athletic games, collaborating with the Student Video Network and getting into music journalism. “Were going to get physical with the station,” Guillen said. “A lot of the publications in Houston focus on specific scenes and genres. We don’t hide from our diversity. We like music in different languages. Music with genres that shouldn’t mix, but they do. If you look at anybody’s iPod it doesn’t just have rap, it has everything.” arts@thedailycougar.com

THEATER

Comedy misses mark, feels inappropriately insulting

“Girls Only — The Secret Comedy of Women,” which only stars a two-women cast began running in early September and will end in mid-October at the Main Street Theater in Chelsea Market. | Courtesy of RicOrnel Productions Laura Gillespie Staff writer

Media directed toward women often has a bad reputation. Women’s comedies always seem badly written and tired with plots about

screaming, middle-aged women who obsess over clothes and men. Lately, Hollywood and other media have been trying their best to shake this stereotype with movies such as “Bridesmaids” and proving very successful — both critically and

commercially. However, instead of trying to defy the stereotypes, “Girl’s Only — The Secret Comedy of Women,” a sketch play created by Barbara Gehring and Linda Klein, embraces them in a play that is not only painfully

unfunny, but is a downright bore to sit through. Before the play even begins, the audience is hit over the head with two nameless characters played by Tracy Ahern and Keri Henson sitting in a bright, pink bedroom in their underwear singing along to “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” This sets the tone for the rest of the play, as the actresses bring in the audience to simplify the complicated female experience into bras, puberty and sanitary napkins. The play uses skits, puppet shows, commercial and PSA clips, and audience participation to haphazardly jump from jokes about life as a young girl, to the history of women, to jokes about life as an adult woman. The only real laughs come from the improvisation, as Ahern and Henson show that they can work with the audience and bounce off of them organically. However, this was ruined as they sometimes overstepped their

boundaries. In one skit they took two purses from the audience members and dug through them, flashing the contents to the audience. Henson even took out a phone and put it down her shirt. The cherry on top of the cringecomedy sundae proved to be one skit consisting of a “crafts corner,” where the actresses dressed as old women and joked about crafts that could be done using sanitary napkins. Tampon angels were flung onto the crowd and Ahern awkwardly tried to skate on the floor with pads stuck to her shoes, as all semblances of dignity or subtlety were downright obliterated. At its heart, the play comes off more as created by a 30-year-old man whose only interaction with women is from ‘80s chick-flicks, rather than two real women. The entire play is one big inside joke, which proves rather awkward for the people who PLAY continues on page 9

The Daily Cougar

9 \\ Monday, September 24, 2012

LIFE+ARTS COMEDY

Comedian focuses on various cultures, has mass appeal Stand-up comedy routine draws humor from current events, evokes laughter from diverse audience members Susan Moosavi Staff writer

Dancing his way on stage at the Houston Improv Comedy Club to “We No Speak Americano” on Friday evening, Iranian comedian and headlining act Maz Jobrani got the crowd pumped from start to finish. Jobrani immediately engaged with the audience as he started with a few light-hearted ethnic jokes and conversed with the diverse audience while he gave a dance show all at once. The energy was high throughout the show as Jobrani kept his routine alive with different styles. He touched on everything from family life to current events to social and political issues. From the roaring laughter of the crowd, it was obvious that

everyone could relate to Jobrani’s stories about his family life. He shared hilarious stories about dealing with his young children on a daily basis as he touched on everything from going to the theater with a group of toddlers to the struggles of putting a baby to sleep. The crowd’s response to these jokes made it apparent that a majority of them had dealt with very similar situations. It was almost impossible to keep a straight face for even a moment during any part of the show. Jobrani, who was born in Iran and raised in California, was spot on with every accent that he imitated while he shared a hilarious story with the crowd. He was extremely knowledgeable of many cultures as well as

Iranian comedian Maz Jobrani drew influences for his stand-up comedy routine from his diverse background. Courtesy of mazjobrani.com

current events going on around the world. Through many first-hand experiences with a variety of cultures, he was able to share personal stories and encounters with audience members. He also joked about stereotypes from different ethnic groups, all of which could be found in the crowd. Jobrani brought up the current riots going on in Islamic countries and then added his own commentary on what exactly is happening. He joked about how Iran doesn’t even have a U.S. embassy to attack and how the Lebanese attacked a KFC restaurant — maybe through some confusion. The fact that Jobrani could touch on such controversial world issues and still make a crowd burst with laughter was really enjoyable to see.

With such diversity in the house, there was no telling what kind of reaction there would’ve been. However, the response was great from every section of the audience. With all the issues creating social boundaries, Jobrani was able to break them down and united a room of culturally diverse people. The audience’s age group was also very diverse and the comedian had everyone laughing from young adults to their grandparents — he demonstrated his appeal and talents well. Jobrani concluded the night with a short meet and greet to take pictures and chatted with anyone who wanted to stop by after his performance. arts@thedailycougar.com

MUSEUM DISTRICT

Houstonians enjoy night out at museum with drinks, gift bags Maria Romero Staff writer

The Museum of Fine Arts Houston Mixed Media designed by IKEA brought out Houston’s socialites to enjoy a night of art, dance and live high-energy music Friday evening. The MFAH was transformed into a club-like atmosphere designed

entirely by IKEA Houston. “The real idea behind this event was to bring art and culture and bring kind of a youthful experience into the Museum of Fine Arts,” said Kim Castillo, IKEA Houston’s marketing manager. New York City artist Drop the Lime and disc jockey sets by Ceeplus Bad Knives and Damon Allen were the night’s entertainment.

In addition to the performers, IKEA Houston also worked with museum curators to help promote other talent. The first 100 guests who entered were treated to exclusive limitededition gift bags that featured artist Ali Rapp’s textile design. The guests also received bottles of Neuro and flyers for Art Crowd, the museum’s membership group

for young art enthusiasts. Partygoers were also treated to a variety of food trucks as well as vargtass drinks, a specialty cocktail mixed with IKEA lingonberry juice and vodka. “The demographics of the event says a lot of the art community and diversity of Houston,” Castillo said. The party area was filled with

museum regulars and stylish young adults. From sneakers and T-shirts to polished suits with suspenders, attendees did not disappoint in the fashion department. The diverse crowd of Houstonians as well as the unique overall style of the event defined the night. arts@thedailycougar.com

PLAY continued from page 1

aren’t in on it. Ahern and Henson segmented jokes about memory boxes, Girl Scouts and locked diaries with a wink and a “Right, ladies?” as if these are experiences shared by all women. As a result, a play that should be catered toward all women becomes a play catered toward straight, white, middle-class and middle-aged women. And even then, many of the jokes fall flat anyway due to awkward delivery and poor acting. At its best, the play does service its very specific audience. At its worse, the play downright demeans and insults women, with stereotypes and tired jokes that prove women’s comedy still has a long way to go. arts@thedailycougar.com

Presenter: Mark H. Henry, Founder, Grow Emerging Companies LLC Pay at the door Price: $99 Pay On-Line Price: $79 Register at www.grant.uh.edu Learn how to access federal grants to fund research and development of your idea through the federal government’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. This 1-day (8am-5pm) workshop will cover program requirements, preparing to write your application, planning and strategy, and producing competitive Phase I and Phase II proposals.

The UH SBDC is a center of the University of Houston SBDC Network. The UH SBDC Network serves 32 counties in Southeast Texas. SBDC programs are nondiscriminatory and available to individuals with disabilities. Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ $OO RSLQLRQV FRQFOXVLRQV RU UHFRPPHQGDWLRQV H[SUHVVHG DUH WKRVH RI WKH DXWKRU V DQG GR QRW QHFHVVDULO\ UHÀHFW WKH YLHZV RI WKH 6%$ 7KH 8QLYHUsity of Houston is an EEO/AA institution. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact UH SBDC at 713-752-8488 for accommodations.

The Daily Cougar

10 \\ Monday, September 24 2012

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COMICS

ACROSS 1 Pitchers’ gloves 6 Mine access 10 “I Walk the Line” singer 14 Rule of conduct 15 Site of a lopsided landmark 16 German chancellor ___ von Bismarck 17 Butcher’s offering 19 Rush week venue, for short 20 Tranquil 21 West of old Hollywood 22 Computer menu heading 23 “Sands of ___ Jima” 25 Quack’s offering 27 Clipped, in music 32 It’s slapstick material 33 Better Than ___ (’90s band) 34 Steps leading down to a river 36 Composition for eight 40 Ball game postponer

41 Goosefleshmaking 43 Mystical emanation 44 Madagascar money, once 46 Dreamer’s eyeball movements 47 “Sack” attachment 48 “___ Day Will Come” 50 Dwindle 52 Lists of items to discuss 56 “Norma ___” (Sally Field film) 57 Tulip start 58 “Timer” or “wheeler” lead-in 60 Turkish pooh-bahs 65 Ali ___of children’s fiction 66 It may be spread before dinner 68 Chemist’s compound 69 Succulent emollient 70 Like forbidden fruit 71 Dismal cry 72 It may be pressing 73 Walk like Frankenstein’s

monster DOWN 1 National League team 2 “What’ll ___?” (bartender’s question) 3 Thunder god 4 Spork part 5 Lovely to look at 6 Inclined (to) 7 Day, to Claudius 8 Stern who bows 9 Begin, as hobbies 10 Sweet treat 11 Sunlit courts 12 Try to delay 13 Monopoly player’s purchase 18 It flows underground 24 Not yet named 26 Carnival city, casually 27 Drudge of yore 28 Winter Palace resident (Var.) 29 Operatic performance 30 Projectile of old

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UH Huh . . . by Roberto Torres-Torres

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want more? Check out more Studentdrawn comics online...

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31 Competed at Henley 35 Parking meter component 37 Deli sandwich choice 38 Victorian and Romantic 39 Carton sealer 42 Feat by Houdini 45 Cow’s mouthful 49 Basket material 51 Isn’t passive 52 Westminster attraction 53 Fertilizer from bats 54 Middle of a sleeve 55 Low-lying wetland 59 Instrument among the reeds 61 Bed frame segment 62 Stereotypical rail rider 63 Molecule building block 64 Carpentry class 67 Paved the way

Monday, September 24, 2012 // 11

The Daily Cougar

NEWS

continued from page 1

Ashley Nwokedi agrees with Kudisch in the sentiment that the placement of the campus itself may not be the most ideal. “We are in the third ward, but I am still a little more cautious of what time of day it is and what area I am in. I know that around Bayou Oaks, when it gets a little later, something might happen,” Nwokedi said. “I feel that last year, the crime was more spread out. This year it seems like they are back to back to back, just

FREE TUTORING

Learning Support Services Room N109 Cougar Village (Building # 563) Schedule available at www.las.uh.edu Mon - Thurs 9:00 am - 9:00 pm Friday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Saturday 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Sunday 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Khator made sure to point out that students and employees at the University are the most important barrier to keeping themselves safe. “You can play an important role in taking care of yourself and of each other. I urge faculty, staff and students to verify and update your emergency contact information in PeopleSoft to ensure that you receive all important security alerts,” Khator said. Additional reporting by Amanda Hilow. news@thedailycougar.com

eas from d i t S

news@thedailycougar.com

camera.’ That would probably be costlier, but in my eyes, more effective,” Kudisch said. However, students may not be completely satisfied with these measures. “In my visits to other college campuses, I have noticed that in relation to ours, their campuses are well lit at night. At UH, most of the exterior parking lots are dark and present prime setting to commit crime. If the University were to invest in new lights for the campus extremities, it would pay dividends for students taking night classes or studying late on campus,” Kudisch said.

Learning Assessment Services

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essential. “I call them and ask for advice,” Khator said. “The question is what kind of partnerships we can build.” Chancellor of the University of North Texas System Lee Jackson said working against each other would be like “crabs in a bucket.” “Crabs pull each other back in every time one of them starts to make progress,” Jackson said. Khator also mentioned the U.S. News & World Report college rankings, which lists UH at 184. “There is no ranking that is flawless,” Khator said. “The way we use them is in the operationalization of goals. It has helped us to have razor-sharp focus.” “In that sense I’m a fan of rankings because it helps me set a direction and help keep others in that direction. The area that is hurting us most is the graduation rate,” Khator said. “( The ranks) don’t tell you ever ything but they tell you something.” “Khator knocked it out of the park. The audience applauded for her right away,” said Student Government Association Chief of Staff Lauren Rosenbaum. “Everything she said … everything revolves around the students. She kept bringing it back to student success.” Khator, along with several members of the SGA, viewed a talk called “An 83rd Legislative Session Preview” between Republican and Democratic senators of the Texas Legislature. “It was a lot of fun and really informative,” Rosenbaum said. “Some of the legislators were very different. Things got pretty heated up, it was going back and forth.”

UHDPS force this week, with a goal toward being a better, stronger and faster police department.” “UHDPS also will be increasing and adjusting its patrol shifts to better safeguard parking lots and areas on the perimeter of campus, where these incidents took place. Communication and coordination with personnel who staff observation kiosks in campus parking lots also will be improved,” Khator said. “As a student, I would feel much more comfortable seeing new cameras placed at all parking lots, cross walks, side walks and bus stops, with signs reading, ‘Smile! You’re on

TRIBUNE

every day. I hope that the UH Police Department can do something about crime and keep students safer.” The task force Khator mentioned would not be the only improvement coming to campus. The increased number of officers on patrol is also hoped to help stem the tide of robberies. “Along with this action, UHDPS will be hiring a full-time crime prevention officer who will be stationed in the M.D. Anderson Library and be accessible to faculty, staff and students,” Khator said in the email. “Five new supervisors and five new patrol officers were added to the

Bri g

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Week

Topic

Time management – Schedule planning

Maintaining balance for college success

Mon. 9/10 @ 3 pm

Note taking tips

Tues. 9/11 @ 10am

Maintaining balance for college success

Mon. 9/17 @ 3 pm

Reading strategies for college level courses

Mon. 9/17 @ 10 am

Maintaining balance for college success

Mon. 9/24 @ 3 pm

Improving concentration

Mon. 9/24 @ 4 pm

Maintaining balance for college success

Mon. 10/1 @ 3 pm

Using APA Writing Style

Mon. 10/1 @ 2 pm

Thurs. 10/4 @ 2 pm

Preparing for exams

Tues. 10/9 @ 10am

Fri. 10/12 @ 11am

Studying for natural science courses

Mon. 10/8 @ 11 am

Thurs. 10/11 @ 3 pm

Learning beyond memorizing

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Fri. 10/19 @ 4pm

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Mon. 10/15 @ 4 pm

Wed. 10/17 @ 3 pm

Giving professional presentations

Mon. 10/22 @ 2 pm

Thurs. 10/25 @ 11 am

Effective study groups

Tues. 10/23 @ 11am

Fri. 10/26 @ 3pm

Studying for natural science courses

Mon. 10/29 @ 3 pm

Fri. 11/2 @ 1 pm

Studying for Math/Statistics/Accounting

Tues. 10/30 @ 1pm

Fri. 11/2 @ 3pm

Time management – School/Life balance

Mon. 11/5 @ 11 am

Tues. 11/6 @ 3 pm

Analytical Reasoning

Wed. 11/14 @ 11 am

Thurs. 11/15 @ 1 pm

Boosting memory

Tues. 11/20 @ 2pm

Tues. 11/20 @ 4pm

Reducing test anxiety

Tues. 11/27 @ 5pm

Fri. 11/30 @ 4pm

Overcoming procrastination

Mon. 12/3 @ 3 pm

Thurs. 12/6 @ 4 pm

Coping with finals

Tues. 12/4 @ 3pm

Wed. 12/5 @ 1pm

Time #1

Tues. 9/4 @ 1pm

Time #2

Fri. 9/7 @ 1pm

STAY ON TARGET Retention Programs

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r $IBMMFOHFS Program

Tues. 9/18 @ 1 pm

GET AHEAD

Thurs. 9/27 @ 3 pm

University Testing Services r "DDVQMBDFS r $SFEJU CZ FYBN r "EWBODFE Placement r *OUFSOBUJPOBM Baccalaureate r (3& r 1MBDFNFOU UFTUT

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The Daily Cougar

12 \\ Monday, September 24, 2012

SPORTS

SOCCER continued from page 6

Tulsa visits Robertson For the second consecutive game

the Lady Cougars ended in a tie despite double overtime. “Fridays and Sundays are ugly to begin with,” Pfau said. “It’s a tough turn-around especially going into overtime.”

With even seconds on the clock, Tulsa had procession of the ball. The Cougars raced to the goal box. Tulsa shot. The ball rebounded off a Cougar. Tulsa raced to get it back, just as the buzzer goes off. Game over.

The Cougars have remained undefeated. Cougars shift strategy In addition to a more aggressive play, the Cougars narrowed their

president’s 2012 fall

a ddress

You are cordially invited to the fourth annual

PRESIDENT’S FALL ADDRESS 10 A.M. s WEDNESDAY, 10/3 s MOORES OPERA HOUSE How do we top Tier One? By continuing to strive for excellence! It’s only getting better at the University of Houston, thanks to the outstanding efforts of our Cougar Family. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear President Renu Khator — we look forward to seeing you there. Persons requiring special accommodations should contact Erika Green at 713-743-8838 by September 26, 2012.

focus on the field and changed their wide-play approach for a more centered one. “When we play wider we get stretched out which gives them better passed through so coach Pfau wants us to play more compact,” Slayton said. The team will continue working on keeping ball possession, said assistant coach Suzanne Grech. “The first half I thought we outplayed them certainly, taking control of the game which gave us a lot of opportunities going forward,” Grech said. “Defensively I think we came out hard. It’s learning to take care of the ball, learning to play feet instead of consistently losing the ball and having to defend.” According to Grech, the games left her proud of the team. “Overall, I’m very happy with the weekend,” Grech said. “I would have liked to come out on top obviously but they left it out on the field, two back-to-back games, 110 minutes each is not easy. I’m very proud of them in that sense.” Next up the Cougars will travel to Orlando to face UCF. “Going forward I feel very confident,” Grech said. “It’s going to be a tough weekend on the road with UCF and Southern Miss, but I think we can compete with anyone at this point and give them a run for their money.” sports@thedailycougar.com

SENIOR continued from page 6

extremely well at the setter position and made smart decisions all day for us. Stephanie also had one of her best matches by being a solid block along the net, while producing smart attacking decisions.” Senior setter Abby Simmons aided the UH cause with 43 assists while sophomore Kaiti Waters chalked up a trio of service aces. As a team, UH rang up a so-far season high of 22 block assists, beating the previous season high of 18. Senior Chandace Tryon led with seven assists and a single solo block. Sophomore Natalie Keck led the squad with 18 digs. The match saw Norris pile up her fifth double of the season with 18 kills and 17 digs. “We worked hard and showed discipline while competing through tough competition,” said Platt. The Cougars return home to face Tulsa at 7 p.m. Friday and rival SMU at 1 p.m. Sunday. sports@thedailycougar.com