Issue 13, Volume 91

UH unveils first student-selected billboard artwork with “Starship” debut

ANJALI MARTINEZ NEWS ASSISTANT EDITOR

@ANGI3_M415

UH hosted the 2026 Billboard Bash on April 2, celebrating the debut of “Starship” by MFA student Ashley Anika Herndon. The event marked the first time a studentcreated piece has been featured on the campus billboard, and the first selected through a student voting system.

According to the curator of Public Art for the University of Houston system Michael Guidry, the project reflects a new curatorial direction for the billboard project, which has existed since 2020. The shift places emphasis on student involvement in both the selection process and engagement with public art.

“It’s not just walking around and seeing the work but also learning about how it’s made, how we select the artist, really demystifying the process,” Guidry said.

Full-time students were invited to vote from a selection of 5 finalists for the billboard project, and Herndon’s piece received more than 32% of the vote.

“We wanted to make it democratic so that the whole community would have a voice in the art instead of us making the decisions all the time,” Guidry said.

Herndon celebrates “Starship” as a piece for the UH community but also a reflection of her broader practices and artistic upbringing. Growing up as a military kid, she said art became a form of stability as she frequently moved. Themes of space and universal exploration appear in “Starship” as a way to describe Herndon’s internal reflections.

“We are all sitting on this big rock that’s hurling through space, so it gives us this community here on earth,” Herndon said. “I’m constantly thinking about the moon,

STUDENT FEES

stars, planets, starships and all that comes through in my work.”

For “Starship,” Herndon combined existing pieces in a form of digital collage using various artistic software. She also made certain choices to help integrate the piece into the campus space.

“I really wanted it to be site-specific,” Herndon said. “UH students have a hustle about them. I often see them running to class, so I wanted those geometric shapes to be sharp and colorful. I also incorporated red in my piece to integrate it into that UH color scheme.”

Yogita Pal, a recent materials science PhD graduate student who attended the Billboard Bash, says her studies in the STEM field also parallel the artistic work of Herndon.

“I see science as an art,” Pal said. “If you really do it with all your heart, your science flows so well. Otherwise, it will not work. Like the artist’s heart has to be involved in their work, the scientist’s heart has to be involved as well.”

Suman Rai, a third-year biology and biochemistry doctoral student, says the piece resonated with her interpretation of growth and progress.

“When I first saw this billboard, the first thing I saw was the small ladder in the piece showing that we are climbing somewhere,” Rai said. “I see that I’m stepping up on that ladder, slowly, and there is a starship and I am going somewhere. The girl in front of the ladder feels like celebrating a victory and that there is an end goal.”

Herndon’s intention with the billboard was for viewers to slow down and understand the person they are becoming. It was important for her that the artwork read quickly, almost like a logo in its simplicity and abstract design.

“This is an incredibly pivotal moment for students, so I wanted to remind people of this incredible person that they’re becoming at UH or any college campus,” Herndon said. “While you’re literally running to class, you can see the piece and remind yourself that ‘I’m a person that’s transforming, I’m a person that’s changing, I’m a person that’s approaching something new’.”

news@thedailycougar.com

SFAC’s funding plan with focus on new campus program

KAREN WEI

NEWS ASSISTANT EDITOR

@KAREN_FEIWEI

The Student Fees Advisory Committee released its recommendations for the 2026-27 fiscal year last November. The 2026-27 recommendations include widespread budget reallocations to support the establishment of the Cougar Experience Board, a new University-

sponsored organization designed to enhance campus life through expanded weekend programming.

SFAC is made up of five students and four presidential appointees and is charged with recommending funding allocations for Student Services Fees. The committee met last October to hear funding requests from students and faculty.

All units received a 2% trim in the base budget from the 2025-26 fiscal year and an additional 1% trim into the coming fiscal year, with the exception of: the Center for Student Empowerment, Veteran Services, Cougar Family & Parent Engagement Center, Cougars in Recovery, Justin Dart Jr. Student Accessibility Center, A.D. Bruce Religion Center, Debt Student Service for Athletic Facilities and the University Student Health Center.

Although the committee recommended a $20 increase in Student Services Fees, the fee remained $260 per semester for the 2025-26 fiscal year.

Highlights from the report

The highest funded unit is Athletics Facilities at around 4.4 million; however, it is important to note that this funding is calculated from the $45 Athletic Facility Fee, which is part of the $260 Student Service Fee.

In spite of funding cuts, Counseling and Psychological Services will be the second-highest-funded unit, receiving

around $4.2 million in funding for the upcoming fiscal year.

Athletics will be the third-highestfunded unit at around 4.1 million. There is also $100,000 not included in the base budget allocated for postseason football and basketball support.

The Student Health Center will receive approximately $2.1 million in funding for the upcoming fiscal year.

Units receiving over $1 million in funding for the upcoming fiscal year include:

• University Career Services

• Vice President for Student Affairs Office

• DSA IT Services

• Dean of Students

The lowest-funded unit is the Blaffer Art Museum, which will receive $19,812 for the coming fiscal year. SFAC will receive $9,215 for its operations in the coming fiscal year.

news@thedailycougar.com

‘They are trying to wipe out the last 50 years’: Faculty respond to memo

KAREN WEI

ASSISTANT EDITOR

NEWS

@KAREN_FEIWEI

UH is the first university system in Texas to complete the curriculum review required by Senate Bill 37, but the monthslong effort to reach this target has sparked dissent from faculty and students.

Last November, President and Vice Chancellor Renu Khator asked faculty to align with the University’s academic commitment to teach, not indoctrinate students.

In February, deans of several colleges, including the Honors College and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, sent out a memorandum with similar wording, which faculty were asked to sign.

Professor Robert Zaretsky, who has a dual appointment in the Honors College and in the CLASS Department of Modern and Classical Languages, did not sign either memo.

“The very notion that I have spent the last 36 years of my life as a professor here at UH indoctrinating my students, I was indignant,” Zaretsky said. “It outraged me.”

Zaretsky authored an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle and spoke on Houston Public Media’s Houston Matters show shortly after receiving the memos.

SB 37, which went into effect in January, establishes comprehensive reviews of university core curriculum to ensure “breadth of knowledge” but does not mention indoctrination by name.

Although SB 37 only applies to the core curriculum, UH extended the standards of the bill to all other University curricula in a separate, parallel review process.

“Our students deserve confidence that their tuition dollars and the public investment in the University are directed toward courses that meet the highest standards of academic quality and prepare them for the workforce and life after

college,” said a University spokesperson.

“By rigorously evaluating all courses, the University is ensuring that every hour spent in a UH classroom represents a meaningful investment in students’ future success – one grounded in critical thinking, disciplinary rigor and intellectual openness.”

UH has stated that faculty remain free to teach contested topics so long as students are free to question and are not graded on agreement.

According to Zaretsky, the CLASS memo referencing indoctrination has since been subject to revision. Faculty have not yet received the revised document.

“This is an occasion for faculty to grasp how fragile all that we’ve accomplished over the years is, this quest for a more equal, more just society,” Zaretsky said. “More specifically, our quest to make UH truly a Tier One university. Not just in the number of colleges we have, the number of students we have, or the graduation rate or the grants that we bring in. To be a true research university, just the very idea of university entails the willingness to think for oneself.”

Zaretsky, who called indoctrination the antithesis of critical thinking, said that his teaching approach is Socratic.

“I have never, to the best of my knowledge, sought to indoctrinate,” Zaretsky said. “In other words, simply impose upon my students that these things are true, these things are false. Don’t ask me why that first category of things is true, just accept my word for it. That’s indoctrination. And my guess is that all of my colleagues at UH, rather than doing what I’ve just described, their approach is socratic.”

Resistance to the memo at UH coincides with similar pushback from students and faculty at Texas A&M University, where earlier this year, 200 courses in the

College of Arts and Sciences were set to be affected by a recent ban on race and gender ideology topics, as well as topics related to sexual orientation and gender identity.

English professor Maria C. Gonzalez, who also openly refused to sign the indoctrination memo, cited controversies over the curriculum at A&M as part of her decision to dissent.

“When A&M did their silly thing and banned Plato, what I told everyone was, you tell me to ban Plato, you have to show me the policy that tells me to ban Plato,” González said. “What I’m going to do is double down and teach more Plato and I’m going to sue you if you fire me.”

González, whose research interests include Chicana writers and feminist and queer theory, came to UH over 20 years ago. At that time, González remembers that the University was welcoming to her research and teaching.

Courses on Native American literature, Jewish literature and gay and lesbian literature were approved, as well as ones on feminist and queer theory.

These courses are now on the books and part of the curriculum as these are all intellectual fields, González said.

“My colleagues understand intellectual fields. What makes people uncomfortable is that administrators are vulnerable to the politics of the state of Texas,” González said. “I’ve never had a dean directly challenge my work, but the caution with which some of the administrators speak about the diverse fields I teach in has given me pause more than once.”

Students are not immune to these tensions. On March 24, the UH branch of Young Democratic Socialists of America, in collaboration with the Texas State Employees Union, hosted a discussion with Texas State University professor Tom Alter.

Alter was fired after videos of him speaking at an online socialism convention

were published online and has since become a prominent figure in the debate over free speech in academia.

“Even before students can generate the curiosity in a topic, the material in and of itself is neutered in a way to make it apolitical, non-ideological, nonindoctrinating,” said political science senior Cody Szell, who was also present at the event. “It already limits the ability for students to gain the material. Overall, it just completely limits discussion.”

Szell found the indoctrination memo to be insulting to the faculty and detrimental to learning.

For the most part, faculty are being more careful in what they say in class. But writing on feminism, Marxism, Chicana theory and queer theory still have a place in the course on American literature, González said.

news@thedailycougar.com

“I don’t know any other way to teach it. I do all this stuff that the legislature is trying to dismantle, but it’s too late. They’ve already lost. The battles may still be going on, but they have lost. They are trying to wipe out the last 50 years, and they can’t. It’s done.”

Maria Gonzalez, English professor

sports

MEN’S BASKETBALL

A season of determination: Houston basketball’s 2025 season recap

MICAH CLAY SPORTS EDITOR

@MC_5ONE

The Houston Cougars basketball team entered the 2026 season with determination under head coach Kelvin Sampson, who reinforced a standard of discipline, dominance and a suffocating defense that kept Houston among the best teams in the country. From the first game of the season, Houston made it clear that they were delivering excellence and consistency.

Although they fell short, losing to the Illinois Fighting Illini in the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen round, one thing remained clear throughout the season: dominance and toughness. The Cougars posted a 30-7 record and ranked No. 5 in the country, showing the nation that they sustain greatness instead of chasing after it.

After a loss in the National Championship last year, the Cougars started this year on a hot streak, going on a 17-1 streak to open the season. Houston won tough games against then-No. 14 Texas Tech, No. 14 Arkansas, No. 16 BYU and No. 14 Kansas. These victories showcased their resume as one of the most physical teams in the nation.

In the NCAA Tournament, the Cougars entered as the No. 2 seed in the South Region. In the tournament, the Cougars swept the Idaho Vandals 78-47 and defeated Texas A&M 88-57. However, Houston was in a dogfight in the Sweet Sixteen against Illinois. With this game

deciding who stays and who leaves, the Cougars put everything they had on the table. Unfortunately, it was not enough, as Illinois won against Houston 65-55 and advanced to the Elite Eight.

Houston’s identity was defined by an elite defense, as they held their opponents to 62 points per game. Houston wore their opponents down and controlled them every second they messed up. The Cougars’ physicality and discipline gave them an advantage against their opponents.

This season also showed the rise of freshman guard Kingston Flemings, who averaged a team-high 16 points, five assists and a steal per game. Flemings showcased speed, patience and veteran play despite being a freshman. With all this, Flemings was named to the John R. Wooden All-America Team. By being on this team, Flemings became the first Cougar freshman to receive All-America recognition and sits among Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler to receive this status.

Another freshman standout is forward Chris Cenac Jr., who brought Houston physicality, dominance near the rim and defense to the Cougars. Junior forward Joseph Tugler also helped on defense with his size, tone and court presence. Both forwards became the pillars of the defense, averaging a total of 13 rebounds and two blocks per game.

Finally, senior guards Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan glued this team together and became the leaders for Houston.

Averaging 15 points per game, Sharp has

shown confidence, experience and elite knowledge of the sport. His ability to knock down 3-pointers allowed him to gain the record for the most career 3-pointers in Houston’s history. Meanwhile, Uzan provided the Cougars with experience, which serves as a facilitator and defensive anchor. His knowledge, awareness and intelligence made him a defensive threat.

Bench players like senior center Kalifa Sakho, freshman forward Chase McCarty and freshman guard Isiah Harwell also contributed. Sakho provided another pillar to the defense when Cenac or Tugler were in foul trouble, adding height. McCarthy brought in points when it mattered most, excelled in defense and energy when the

Cougars were lacking. Harwell maintained the point guard role when Sharp or Uzan were on the bench and facilitated the offense.

With this season ending, seniors like Sharp, Uzan and Sakho are leaving, whether it be to pursue the NBA or another dream they want to chase.

Although their season is over, the Cougars are eyeing next season and looking to claim the title of National Champions. With coach Sampson confirmed to come back to Houston and a plethora of transfers as well as recruits, Houston is reloading for another year of success. Only time will tell where this team will be next year.

sports@thedailycougar.com

Cougars bite back: Houston wins 2 of 3 in Lubbock series

DAVID SOTO SPORTS WRITER

@SMIRRRRK

After being swept by the Baylor Bears at home, the Houston Cougars were looking for redemption on the road, heading into Lubbock to face off against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The Cougars came home with the series win, which brings their overall record back up to .500 for the season.

Game one

In game one, the scoring started off at the top of the second inning with Houston scoring three runs to begin the game with an early lead. After Houston scored three more runs at the top of the fifth, Texas Tech would respond and go on its own scoring run. They would add three runs before the end of the fifth, making the score 6-3.

However, the momentum from Houston would allow them to score two more runs heading into the seventh inning, putting the score at 8-3. Texas Tech tried to rally for a comeback in the bottom of the seventh, nearly catching up to Houston by scoring an additional three runs. However, Houston would not allow any more runs for the remainder of the game and escaped with the victory for their first win in Lubbock since 1996.

Game two

In the second game of the series, the scoring began with Houston putting up

three runs in the first inning. Texas Tech would respond in the bottom of the first when junior outfielder Logan Hughes singled to right field, allowing junior center fielder Kyeler Thompson to score the first Red Raider run of the game. In the third inning, both teams continued to score to sway the game in their favor. Houston would put points on the board first when freshman infielder Blake Fields grounded out to short, but Texas Tech then responded with two runs to close out the inning and added one

more run in the next inning. With the score now close at 4-3, Houston decided to step up and build on their lead, getting three more runs and making the score 7-3 at the top of the fifth.

The Red Raiders would not be outdone at home and went on a scoring run over the next four innings while Houston went through a scoring drought that lasted until the ninth. These efforts would put the Red Raiders up 10-7, giving Houston pressure to finish the game strong. Houston would then close out the game,

scoring three runs each in the ninth and eleventh innings to bring the final score to 13-10. It was a climactic ending to a shootout of a game that saw Houston take home its second win in Lubbock in the last thirty years.

Game Three

The third and final game of the series was much quieter for the Houston offense, as the Texas Tech pitching staff found a way to vex them. The Cougars only scored two runs in the second inning, taking the lead early only to find themselves unable to maintain it heading into the later innings.

The Red Raiders began their scoring spree in the fourth inning and would continue their dominance throughout the rest of the game, as Houston would not score for the remainder of the night. This left the score at 11-2 in the eighth inning, with the win going to Texas Tech to end the series.

What’s Next?

The Cougars managed to take the series with two spectacular victories to start, while falling flat in the final game. They now look to bring their overall record to above .500 when they go to Huntsville for another test on the road against the Sam Houston State Bearkats on April 7, in which they have an all-time 55-36 record against them.

sports@thedailycougar.com

Cougars tennis seals final home victory 4-1

GIA MEJIA

SPORTS WRITER @GIA.MEJIA

The Houston Cougars’ final home match for the 2026 season was played against Kansas State at the Barbara Wallace Winston Tennis Facility on April 5. Alongside the match, Houston honored seniors Gabriela Cortes, Sophie Schouten, Elizaveta Morozova and Chems Doha Zeghlouli. Houston prevailed over Kansas State 4-1.

Doubles Recap:

Houston junior Petja Drame and Morozova dominated the court with their first serves. The Wildcats tried to make a comeback and gained three games. However, Morozova held down with shots down the line for the win 6-3.

Houston juniors Iva Sepa and Valeriia Krokhotina followed suit. The Cougars gained early momentum, winning their service games even though the Wildcats did not let the Cougars gain total control of the match. The Wildcats tried to put pressure and force errors on the Cougars. However, Houston was able to overcome and won 6-4.

Singles Recap:

The Cougars went into the singles round looking to close out the chilly Houston day early.

Krokhotina outplayed the Wildcat from the start. The Cougar managed to outlast rallies and would go on to win important points for the Cougar victory 6-1, 6-1. Sepa matched Krockhotina’s rhythm. The Cougar forced errors with powerful crosscourt forehands. Sepa only allowed the Wildcats a total of four games in the entire match. The third point for the Cougars was won in a matching set 6-2, 6-2.

Drame sought to close out the day for the Cougars. Drame controlled the Wildcat with pinpoint serves. Although the Wildcat tried to move Drame around the court by switching up the pace, the Cougar stabilized. The Cougar swung to hit absolute winners and the final victory for the day, 6-3, 6-3.

The Cougar victory disrupted the remaining courts and concluded the rest of the Sunday matches.

What’s Next?

With this final home victory, the Cougars are set to hit the final season stretch on the road. The Cougars head to face off against the West Virginia Mountaineers on April 10 at the Mountaineer Tennis Courts. sports@thedailycougar.com

Women’s sports are winning. So where’s the credit?

SPORTS KELSEY WILLIAMSON STAFF WRITER

@KELSEY_WILLIAMSON_

If you consume any type of sports media, I can almost guarantee you’ve heard this at least once: “Nobody watches women’s sports.” This is a common, patriarchal attitude that is often directed at female athletes. Despite this, women in the United States have been among the most decorated competitors at the Olympics.

In both the Summer and Winter Olympics, U.S. women have outperformed men and received more medals for six consecutive games.

If the United States prides itself on having the best athletes, then the recognition should go to the women who have won multiple championships and medals, because they are driving the country’s success.

Women’s sports are dominating every level

In the most recent Summer Games, whenever anyone mentioned the Olympics, it was easy to automatically think about Simone Biles dominating gymnastics, Katie Ledecky in swimming or Sha’Carri Richardson in track. They all stood at the top of the podium with gold around their necks. The women’s basketball team also won gold, going undefeated since 1992.

This year, women dominated the Winter Olympics, winning 17 medals, including six gold. The big faces of these Games were Alyssa Liu, who won gold in figure

TEXAS

skating and the women’s hockey team, which also won gold for the U.S.

Women’s sports are not only dominating at the professional and Olympic level, but also in college athletics. Players like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers have completely changed the landscape of women’s college basketball, drawing record-breaking viewership and selling out arenas across the country.

The 2024 NCAA women’s championship game drew nearly 19 million viewers, surpassing the men’s final for the first time in history. Proving that interest in women’s sports is actively growing.

Success without recognition

Even with these incredible achievements, there was little recognition, as seen in a video of a phone call between the U.S. men’s hockey team and President Donald Trump. During the call, the

president invited the men’s team to the White House, then joked that he would “have to” invite the women’s team or face impeachment. The sarcastic comment was met with laughter.

However, this should not have been treated as a joke. The comment undermined the women’s team’s success. It showed a significant lack of appreciation, even though they have medaled consistently since women’s hockey was added to the Olympics. The men’s team hadn’t won since 1980.

This blatant disrespect displayed with women showing up, showing out and proving that the U.S. has some of the best athletes only adds to the notion that women’s efforts will continue to go unnoticed. Much of it is tied to gender bias.

It should not be treated as a joke to

watch women’s sports. If women are the ones dominating, then they should be the ones receiving the most credit. All competitive sports are exciting, so there should be more interest and support for women’s sporting events overall.

Women are not only outperforming men in the Olympics; they are also outperforming men in other sports. The women’s national soccer team has won four World Cups while the men’s team has won none. In tennis, Serena Williams has won 23 Grand Slam titles.

Talent isn’t the issue; perception is

Female athletes have had an incredible cultural impact. From having little to no coverage or professional opportunities to now dominating across multiple titles, they continue to inspire women across the nation and around the world.

Their displays of strength and talent should be celebrated by all. The sexist narrative that no one is watching or caring about women’s sports is false. So many feel the impact and inspiration that female athletes have.

Viewership continues to grow rapidly in women’s sports, and surely their achievements will too. Instead of acting like women’s sports are boring or mean nothing, female athletes should be given far more credit than they currently receive. They continuously defend the claim that the US is the best sporting nation, so they should be continually praised and lifted up. They should not be brought down by sexist ideals.

opinion@thedailycougar.com

Daylight saving time is outdated, Texas should move on

ALAN ZAMORA

STAFF WRITER

Throughout history, humans have rejected what were once considered established societal norms in favor of practices that have bettered society. Daylight savings should join those oncecommon practices as an idea of the past. Texas has outgrown the need for seasonal clock changes, yet the practice continues largely out of habit rather than

necessity. What was once justified for efficiency now creates more disruption than benefits, affecting sleep, productivity and overall well-being. If the goal is to serve the public, it is time to treat daylight saving time like the outdated system it has become and leave it behind.

An outdated system

Daylight saving time was created on the outdated premise that it lowers energy consumption and promotes a more active society. In Texas, those arguments made

some sense 100 years ago, but make little sense today.

The idea of daylight saving time was adopted by the U.S. in circumstances vastly different from today’s. Biannual daylight saving time was first introduced in 1918, when the U.S. faced a coal shortage due to World War I, and later reinstated as yearround during World War II.

When daylight saving time was widely incorporated in the U.S. after the passage of the Uniform Time Act of 1966, the share of electricity used for lighting was much higher than it is today. In 1970, almost a quarter of total U.S. energy consumption was used for lighting. Inventing the LED lightbulb alleviated much of lighting’s energy use. Now, lighting accounts for only 14% of total U.S. energy consumption as of 2020.

The bigger picture

When debating whether to keep or eliminate daylight saving time, there is conflicting evidence on the health benefits and societal effects on both sides, but overall, adopting standard time in Texas would be much more beneficial.

Many of the arguments for daylight saving time are based on sociocultural norms that can be changed. Supporters

argue that it increases business revenue by boosting daytime activity and reduces crime because light acts as a natural deterrent. These examples are more reflections of learned behavior in our society than concrete aspects of our way of life.

People can adapt to shopping and daily activities without natural light, making it the cultural norm rather than relying on daylight. In addition, crime deterrence in the evenings is more easily achieved when more people are out at these times, and lighting can be readily added to trouble spots.

These are issues based upon our natural reality as humans and cannot be so readily changed as collective behavior in society. For Texas to move forward, we must ditch many outdated traditions that no longer make sense in today’s world. The current daylight savings standard has served its purpose in the past, but we are far removed from it being a necessary part of Texas’s future. What worked in the past no longer serves Texas today.

opinion@thedailycougar.com

life and arts

FRONTIER FIESTA

Frontier Fiesta 2026: What to expect

CELENE BOURESLAN

STAFF WRITER

SENIOR

@CELENE_BOURESLAN

Frontier Fiesta, one of UH’s longest-running spring festivals, will be held from April 16 to April 18.

Founded in 1939, Fiesta is a student-led carnival held annually in the TDECU Stadium parking lot. The event features live entertainment, themed programming and a newly repainted mural.

Popular events include the mechanical bull riding contests, silent disco and the annual Cookoff.

One notable event is the Cultural Showcase, which is a spin-off of the old tradition of UH’s fraternity and sorority members pairing up for Variety Shows. This year, alongside these fraternities and sororities, various student organizations will be sharing their cultural music and dance.

The event aims to empower all sectors of the student body and to boost school spirit.

“Fiesta at its core is an event run by students for the students,” said vice-chair of the event’s board and psychology junior Lauran Willard. “So we want to make sure that this is an event that is not just for one specific group or one specific person. We really want everyone to feel welcome.”

The carnival is free for all students and non-student guests

to attend. Each year features a new theme. The theme for this year is “Stars Over Fiesta.”

Here is a list of what to expect during the three days:

Themes

Each of the three days has its own mini-theme as well along with a general dress code.

Day one’s theme is “Western Night,” day two’s theme is “Latin Night” and day three’s theme is “Family Fun Day.”

Willard suggests that students dress in fun Western-themed attire, such as wearing a pair of Western boots and red clothing.

New Events

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

-- Do your homework, follow the proper protocols and stay within budget. Do what you can yourself, but when an expert is essential, don’t scrimp. Use intelligence and consider every angle.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20)

-- When in doubt, say no. Pursue facts, get the lowdown, enforce rules and regulations, and refuse to spend a penny on anything that you think is unnecessary. Your opportunities will come from patience and paying attention to detail.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -Keep your thoughts to yourself and avoid joint ventures and shared expenses. Look out for your best interests and say no to temptation. Focus inward. Make clarity, adaptability and getting

things done your goals.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

-- Keep moving. The more time you spend mulling over what to do and how to do it, the more frustrating and unproductive your day will become. Just wing it.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -Open your mind, try something new and put your energy into new beginnings, creative imagination and making a difference. Fight the battles that mean the most to you instead of working tirelessly for someone else.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

-- Keep track of your money, possessions and important documents. You’ll need to make payments or adjustments to avoid penalties. A disciplined mindset and unique approach will pave the way to satisfaction.

This year’s Frontier Fiesta board has planned several new events for new and returning guests:

Friday

Friday will feature several events including Boots and Bling Bandanas at the Lisa Sachs Hall where guests can unleash their creativity at a DIY station and customize their boots and bandanas with bling, fringe and Texas-themed charms.

Coog Radio will also DJ spin playlists from various musical genres in their very own Coog Radio Boiler Room at the City Hall. Attendees can enjoy a brand new gyroscope ride at the Programming Pad alongside the festival’s classic

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

-- Initiate change. Keeping an open mind and finishing what you start will pay off. Partnerships help you address concerns and make a difference in your community. Keep a level head and your eye on your target, and something good will transpire.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -Keep moving. What you achieve will depend on how much time, money and effort you are willing to put into your pursuit. Reach out and join forces with other hardworking individuals.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

-- Use your charm to get others to pitch in and help. A lifestyle change that soothes the soul will get you back on track and ready to take a new direction. Personal growth will broaden your awareness.

WENDOLEE T. GARCIA MARTINEZ

EDITORIAL BOARD

EDITOR

ISSUE STAFF

Mechanical Bull riding.

Saturday

For Saturday, alongside other programming machines, there will be a new Human Claw Machine game for guests of all ages to enjoy. Saturday will also feature the Art Showcase and Clown Hall at the Lisa Sachs Hall where students will showcase their custom cowboy hats and artworks.

Attendees will also get the opportunity to watch the Renaissance-themed fashion show at the City Hall, organized by the Fashion and Business Association, spotlighting student models. news@thedailycougar.com

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

-- Wait and watch. Time is on your side, and avoiding premature changes will position you for success. Attend events that spark your imagination. Start conversations, listen intensely and observe what others do.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Get the ball rolling, ask questions, promote and market your skills, and focus on what’s possible. You owe it to yourself to follow your heart and to pursue your dreams. Avoid paying for someone else.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Tone down emotional rhetoric. If you act on gut feelings, you’ll end up backtracking. Refuse to participate in emotional mayhem and instead project a positive attitude. Say less and do more.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 words and signed, 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 N221, University Center; 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.

ABOUT THE COUGAR

The Cougar is published biweekly on Wednesdays during the fall and spring semesters and online daily at thedailycougar.com. The Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees. Copies of The Cougar are free.

COPYRIGHT

No part of the newspaper in print or online may be reproduced without the consent of the director of Student Publications.

ABOUT CSM

The Center for Student Media provides comprehensive advisory and financial support to the university’s student-run media: The Cougar newspaper, CoogTV and COOG Radio.

CENTER FOR STUDENT MEDIA (713) 743-5350 csm@uh.edu www.uh.edu/csm

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