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Athletics on the rise

With basketball having a strong season and spring sports just around the corner, Cougar athletics is looking to have one of its best years yet. | PG. 12

Do You Have Adult ADHD?

Local physicians are conducting The MEASURE Study, a clinical research study that is evaluating an investigational medication for adults diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The MEASURE Study will examine the effects of a new medication on inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity in adults with ADHD. It is not a stimulant medication.

TO PRE-QUALIFY FOR THE STUDY, YOU MUST: • Be between the ages of 18 and 55

• Have a diagnosis of ADHD

If you qualify, all study-related medication will be provided to you at no cost.

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with Adult ADHD, consider participating in the MEASURE Study.

713-527-8839

| www.TheMEASUREStudy.com

2 | Wednesday, February 17, 2016

NEWS

thedailycougar.com/news

news@thedailycougar.com

Rebecca Hennes, Editor

CAMPUS

Social media environmental contest challenges local universities' creativity REBECCA HENNES

NEWS EDITOR @BECCAGENNES

ISSUE STAFF Emily Burleson CLOSING EDITORS

Sean Alder Mónica Rojas Glissette Santana

ABOUT THE COVER

The Cougars are on track to have one of their best athletic seasons yet with the spring sports ready to follow up on football.—Justin Tijerina/The Cougar The Shasta Prairie will be the first in a series of expansions.| Courtesy of Sarah Kelly

the Katy Prairie Conservancy is hoping to bring some of that

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AT I E H O L M E S G I V E S A P O W E R F U L P E R F O R M A N C E I N A F I L M T H AT ’ S A N EXAMINATION OF WHAT REALLY SPURS CREATIVITY.”

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-Joe Leydon, Variety

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ABOUT THE COUGAR The Cougar is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters, and twice during the summer and online everyday at thedailycougar.com. The Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees. The first copy is free. Additional copies cost 25 cents.

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

Shasta’s home is at stake, and the community is being asked to help bring it back.

Before the Houston Zoo became home to Shasta, many cougars' native habitats were prairies that consisted of large areas of tall grasses and wildflowers. Now only one percent of one tenth of Texas prairies remain, UH Coastal Center Director Steven Pennings said.

“It’s a very endangered habitat and it’s a very valuable habitat,” Pennings said. “It supports wildlife; it helps minimize flooding… the Houston area would be better off in my opinion if we had more prairies.”

The area UH stands on today used to be solely comprised of prairie land. Now, in collaboration with the Office of Sustainability and Coastal Center,

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”

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-Mark Saldana, True View Reviews

SPIKE LEE

A FILM BY

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i “Much of the UH campus and the surrounding area was a prairie at one point, so in effect we are not bringing something new (but) we are bringing something very ancient back to UH,” Jaime Gonzales, conservation education director for the KPC said. “We want people to see what UH used to be.”

KPC recently launched a fundraiser to build environmental landscapes on Houston universities that include UH, Rice and the University of St. Thomas.

The fundraiser, “Grassroots for Change,” consists of a friendly social media contest between the schools that aims to raise $30,000 total, $10,000 for each university, to build pocket prairies that promote environmental sustainability and biodiversity.

The challenge stems from the KPC’s larger program, the Prairie Builders Schools & Parks program, which works to build pocket prairies in local K-12 schools and public parks. This is the first time the conservancy will be engaged with university level projects.

UH’s pocket prairie will be called the “Shasta Prairie” and will be located south of the Houston Science Center and west of the Science and Research Building 2. Aside from biodiversity protection and supporting native wildlife, the prairie will help promote the UH Coastal

ECOLOGY

Continues on page 4

Center for Student Media uh.edu/csm

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

Part of the Student Life portfolio in the Division of Student Affairs, the CSM is concerned with the development of students, focusing on critical thinking, leadership, ethics, collaboration, inter-cultural competence, goal-setting and ultimately, degree attainment. While our students are engaged in producing and promoting media channels and content, our goal is to ensure they are learning to become better thinkers and leaders in the process.

CENTER FOR STUDENT MEDIA

(713) 743-5350 csm@uh.edu www.uh.edu/csm N221 University Center University of Houston Houston, TX 77204-4015 ADVERTISING

(713) 743-5340 advertising@thedailycougar.com thedailycougar.com/advertising ADVERTISING REPS Jose Salazar MARKETING Nina Nino Antonio Sustaita DESIGN TEAM Jennifer Garcia Courtney Williams

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thedailycougar.com/news 

NEWS

news@thedailycougar.com 

Rebecca Hennes, EDITOR

PARKING

FY17 rate increases to be discussed Thursday REBECCA HENNES

PTS." Browand said the long-term @ BECCAGHENNES parking plan addresses parking Parking and Transportation issues such as repairs, mainServices, in collaboration with tenance and improvements the Transportation and Parking of campus parking lots and Advisory Committee, will submit streets, funding for garage a plan to increase parking rates debt service costs, funding for across campus to the Board of increased operating expenses Regents at its meeting Thursday and improvement and expanafternoon. sion of services.

Under the proposal, Economy While Browand said TPAC passes would rise to $165 from hopes the Board will approve $99, Resident Reserved would the proposal for the 2016-2017 rise to $495 from $445 and fiscal year, he stressed that the Annual Garage would increase increase in parking rates is to $515 from $463. not solely an advisement from "TPAC is not raising the rates," TPAC; it is a long-term plan TPAC director Robert Browand initiated by PTS. 10595-Cougar News Feb 10 Auto Ad Half Page-final.pdf 1 2/9/16 said in an email to the Cougar.

"The increase is needed to "The rates are part of the longaddress necessary repairs to our term parking plan developed by parking infrastructure and to NEWS EDITOR

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Feb.18 BOARD OF REGENTS MEETING Student Center Ballroom

Parking Rates throughout the years Economy

Student Annual

Garage

550 500 450 400 350 300 250

support the operational needs of the department," he said.

Other items on the agenda for the meeting include an update on ongoing UH Athletics facilities, approval for a College of the Arts department on campus and awarding the Bonner Leaders Program the Academic Excel3:49 PM lence Award. news@thedailycougar.com

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thedailycougar.com/news

ECOLOGY

Continued from page 2

Several parking lots across campus are going to be affected by the upcoming Republican Debate next week. | File photo/The Cougar

Parking, transportation to be affected due to GOP debate With the Republican debate coming to campus Feb. 25, parking will be affected in certain lots, according to an email sent out by the University Tuesday. Here's what is going to be affected: Lots 16B, 16C, 16D and 16 G will be closed from Wed., Feb. 24 at 10 p.m. until Fri., Feb. 26 at 3 a..m.

Cullen Boulevard will be closed starting at 10 p.m. on Wed., Feb. 24 until 3 a.m. on Fri., Feb. 26.

The campus loop shuttle will stop running at 10 p.m. on Wed., Feb. 24 and will not run again until Fri., Feb. 26.

Any Metro routes that are on Cullen Boulevard will be rerouted when the boulevard is closed.

Center, which is located in La Marque, about two-thirds of the way to Galveston.

“The UH Coastal Center is one of the premier biological places in the whole greater Houston area and a lot of people don’t know about it,” Gonzales said. “So one thing we are going to do is draw attention to the UH Coastal Center by having a small chunk of it, in a sense, on campus.”

The pocket prairie will also be used as a living lab for students enrolled in ecology and biology courses.

“One of the problems we have with doing any sort of ecology course is that when we want to have a hands on activity you have to go some distance from campus,” Pennings said. “I teach ecology and biodiversity and when I take my students outside…it’s all a pretty unnatural environment. So I think having something that is a lot more realistic, that is a natural environment, will be a great teaching aid.”

news@thedailycougar.com

Rebecca Hennes, Editor

The pocket prairie will serve as a pilot project for UH. Depending on its success, it may be expanded to a few additional acres.

“Our hopes for Shasta’s prairie is to educate the campus and community about the importance of restoring and conserving native habitats,” Sarah Kelly, man-

will get students from the different universities to help each other put in their pocket prairies,” Gonzales said. “We really are going to encourage the students to help one another because we have one shared planet.”

One of the main goals of the Shasta prairie is to provide a habitat for monarch butterflies, which are also another endangered species.

“There will be a lot of monarch visitors to this little prairie because it will be the best place on campus to find nectar-rich plants,” Gonzales Sarah Kelly, Sustainability Office Manager said. “…It’s going to be a very alive ager for the office of sustainability place where people can take in said. “The area will also allow the beauty of nature.” campus members and visitors a While Gonzales admits that place to reflect and connect with as a double alum he does bleed our natural history.”

Cougar red, he is staying neutral The social media challenge in terms of which university will will run until April 22. On April raise the funds the fastest.

23, also known as Earth Day, vol“We are really trying for everyunteers from the KPC, Office of one to win,” Gonzales said. “(But Sustainability, Coastal Center and we also hope to) raise awareness hopefully other local universities of the fact that local wildlife need will all come together to plant the places to be and we don’t need prairie. Gonzales stressed that the them in the countryside - we can challenge is intended to unite stu- have them in our communities dents in their efforts to promote and even on our school camsustainability. puses.”

“I think one of the best things news@thedailycougar.com about this challenge is (that) we

“Our hopes for Shasta's prairie is to educate the campus and community about the importance of restoring and conserving native habitats The area will also allow campus members and visitors a place to reflect and connect with our natural history.”

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Rebecca Hennes, Editor

NEWS

6 | Wednesday, February 17, 2016

NEWS

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Rebecca Hennes, Editor

ACTIVITIES & ORGANIZATIONS

After 60 years, Greek life has no plans to stop growing GLISSETTE SANTANA

met good friends from colleges, but have made good friends through the alumni association When Bob Planck set foot on with other women in chapters, campus in 1966, he was one of the whom I would’ve never met othfew hundred students living on erwise," Frank said. campus. He was away from home The strides UH has made as a and, just like in high school, University have spurred Greek wanted to be active at the Univer- life's growth since she was an sity, so he joined a fraternity. undergraduate here, Frank said.

The fraternity he joined, how"The better UH does academiever, gave him a bad experience. cally, athletically, it does nothing "I voluntarily left the group," but help Greek life," Frank said.

Planck said. "They just didn't have "It’s seems that many people the same values I had." now are looking at UH as their And while that fraternity is no four-year home. When I was in longer at UH, he said having that school, most of the sororities had bad experience allowed his time between 35 and 45 members. For in Tau Kappa Epsilon, a chapter us to practically double, that’s an that helped UH charter, to be full incredible statistic, and we’re very and rich. proud of that."

"It was an idealistic time CFSL is currently in conversabecause in the mid-60s, we tions with a number of groups to thought we'd change the world keep on establishing chapters at for the better," Planck said.

UH, Bergeron said.

That was 50 years ago. Greek "We really want groups here life celebrates its 60th anniat the University of Houston that versary this month and the are going to contribute to the fraternities and University sororities on mission campus are just and who going to keep are going on growing, to contribCenter for ute to the Fraternity and mission Sorority Life Cathy Frank, Chi Omega alumna and values Director Jason of our fraBergeron said. ternity and "I have about sorority a six-and-a-half year history of programs, so we have the opporbeing here at the University, and tunity to be pretty strategic," we’re about 50 percent larger Bergeron said. now than we were six years ago, Bergeron said that in the next as far as the amount of people," five years, there is a possibility of Bergeron said. "The University three or four new groups to estabis obviously growing in student lish chapters on campus. population, but we’re growing at "They’ve been able to come a rate that is more steep, which and find a place here and speak is great." to a population of students who Infrastructure growth and weren't looking at fraternity and additional access to members sorority life and who just hadn’t and programs are a few reasons found an experience that spoke why Greek life has increased so to them yet," Bergeron said. "A much, Bergeron said. new group has the opportunity "Fraternities and sororities to tap into a population of people typically understand pride and who haven’t necessarily explored tradition in really fascinating fraternity and sorority life before ways," Bergeron said. "Having a and engage them in our commufraternity and sorority community." nity on campus helps us to really Frank said that her life wrap our heads around what wouldn't be the same without her it means to be prideful, what involvement in Chi Omega. She it means to have spirit, what it said that her involvement was means to get behind something special because it was a unique and be passionate about it." time in everyone's life.

Chi Omega alumna Cathy "When the fraternities and Frank wasn't sure if Greek life was sororities say 'for a lifetime,' it right for her when she started at really is," Frank said. "You just UH in 1976. But after joining the have so many opportunities Cougar Dolls and meeting two throughout your lifetime to make Chi Omegas who served as her friends, make business contacts. mentors, Frank rushed through It was so valuable to me." that sorority.

"Through Chi Omega, I not only news@thedailycougar.com EDITOR IN CHIEF @GLISSETTETWEETS

Fraternities and sororities from all over the country have chartered at UH, including Alpha Phi Alpha, which first set foot on campus in the 70s after the Civil Rights Movement. | Houstonian 1974

CENTER FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION PRESENTS

SPRING WORKSHOP SERIES

VERSITY community global microagression faith religion transgender social international expression opression privilege ability ss access opportunity tolerance acceptance heterosexuality workshop gender race language colorism multiracial socioeconomic lesbian gay hnicity dream ally DIVERSITY community global microagression faith nsgender belief social international expression opression identity class access opportunity tolerance acceptance heterosexuality MICROAGGRESSIONS WEBINAR & DISCUSSION* Thursday, February 18th Noon-1:30pm - Student Center South-Downtown (Room 261)

*This workshop will provide participants with the awareness and understanding practices that unconsciously and consciously communicate derogatory or hurtful messages to individuals.

For example, have you ever asked someone, “Where are you from?” when trying to determine his or her race or ethnicity? Ultimately, this workshop will provide ways to make sure the intentions behind our statements and actions match our impact towards others.

DREAMZONE ALLY TRAINING* Thursday, February 25th Noon-1:30pm - Student Center South-Bayou City (Room 219) Wednesday, March 2nd Noon-1:30pm - Student Center South-Space City (Room 214)

*This workshop will provide participants with relevant knowledge, skills and resources that will help them to better understand and support the needs of the UH undocumented student population.

facebook.com/UHCDI twitter.com/UH_CDI instagram.com/UHCDI

All workshops are open to UH students, faculty, and staff.

Participants must register online e i for each workshop.

Limited seating available.

For more information please contact 713-743-6047 or visit www.uh.edu/cdi

“When the fraternities and sororities say 'for a lifetime,' it really is.”

Wednesday, January 27, 2016 | 7

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OPINION

opinion@thedailycougar.com

Anthony Torres, EDITOR

STAFF EDITORIAL

The qualities of a good Student Body President

W

ith Student Government Association elections coming up, The Cougar Editorial got together and decided to write about what qualities make a good president.

With three candidates in the running — John Fields, Edwin Mascorro and Shane Smith — there's going to be a lot of different points of contentions. Here are the absolute qualities an SGA president needs to have.

Open to criticism

Approachability

As SGA president, students at UH are going to look up to you, and the candidates have to be completely ready for that. Don't let them down by putting your own self interests before those of the University. Leading by example, whether in a class or while doing student government duties, will reflect on the president, their administration and the students that they represent.

Obviously, the SGA president has to be friendly. They are, after all, representing all 40,000 students in their position. But, they also have to be approachable enough that one of those 40,000 students can go up to them and say "Hey, I have a problem. Can you help me?"

Understand limits of power You're going to hear a lot of rhetoric from the candidates saying they can fix certain issues, includ-

The ideal candidate needs to be open to criticism coming at them from all angles. Being front and center is a huge part of the president's job, so they need to be ready for whatever comes at them, including potential problems that may arise throughout their term.

They need to be poised with the way the handle criticism, regardless of whether they agree with it.

Lead by example

| Pablo Milanese/The Cougar

ing passionate topics like parking.

Many candidates in the past have promised to fix certain issues, but the reality is that all they can do is vouch for the students on their behalf. They need to understand what they can do so they can more effectively make positive changes

for students.

School awareness It's really bad when the representative of your entire student body doesn't know what's happening on their campus. They need to have a keen awareness of prob-

lems that need to be fixed so they can actually tackle issues that students care about. There are a lot of issues that need tackling at this University, and the candidates need to have a good idea of what they need to address.

–The Cougar Editorial Board

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8 | Wednesday, February 10, 2016

OPINION

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thedailycougar.com/opinion

opinion@thedailycougar.com

Anthony Torres, EDITOR

ELECTION

The Latino paradox of the Republican Party

H

ispanics are aiming to break precedent on both sides of the ballot box.

For the first time ever two – yes, two – Hispanics are vying for a shot on the Republican presidential ticket. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas are both solid contenders.

In a strange parallel universe known as the electorate, Hispanics – particularly Hispanic youths – make up a LEAH large chunk of LUCIO OPINION eligible voters.

COLUMNIST They are a force to be reckoned with. Statistics show that every 30 seconds a Hispanic turns 18, which is why Hispanic millennials make up 44 percent of the 27.3 million eligible Latino voters.

Yet these two aren’t meeting in the middle. This dynamic is more of a Batman versus Joker parody: an immovable wall meeting an unstoppable force.

Sure, Hispanic voters aren’t

known for turning out in primaries.

And like all aspects of American politics, there’s a polar split, primary and general elections being no exception.

“The primaries tend to be non-Hispanic whites (who are) more conservative, evangelicals that have nothing in common – except maybe religion – with Latino voters,” associate professor of American and Latino Politics Jeronimo Cortina said.

Rubio and Cruz, both of Cuban descent, have no empathy for the immigration plight, even though Cubans have historically been given refugee status that expedited their paths to citizenship.

Both senators are running stanch immigration reform, anti-legalization campaigns. Or at least Cruz is; Rubio flip-flops on that issue. Both candidates play down their ethnicity to keep in cahoots with the more conservative voters. They’re the difference between “descriptive” and “substantive" representation.

“During the Chicano movement we were fighting to have a seat at the table,” Cortina said. “Now it’s more about substantive, bread and

EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF

Glissette Santana

COOGLIFE EDITOR

Karis Johnson PHOTO EDITOR

MANAGING EDITOR

Justin Tijerina

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Anthony Torres

Mónica Rojas Sean Alder

NEWS EDITOR

Rebecca Hennes CHIEF COPY EDITOR

Emily Burleson

OPINION EDITOR

ASSISTANT EDITORS

Leen Basharat Efren Diosdado Brittaney Penney Trey Strange Sonia Zuniga

SPORTS EDITOR

Though they're the only two Hispanic candidates in the race, Cruz and Rubio have barely reached out to Latinos. | Art by Herschel Levin/The Cougar

Bryce Dodds

butter issues.”

Historically, Latinos have never voted red, nor have they really voted at all recently. A record low for Hispanic turnout took place in 2014 – an estimated 18.3 million out of the total 25.1 million eligible voters didn’t vote. But it’s pretty clear that those who show up won’t be vying for Rubio or Cruz’s descriptive representation.

Which brings up the greatest irony of the Republican primary:

The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The 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 Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole.

STAFF EDITORIAL

Program for Excellence in Selling

SEEK EXSELL ENCE

APPLY NOW!

Application Deadline: April 15th, 2016 Our Website: http://www.bauer.uh.edu/sei/ For any questions or further information, please contact Eric Gibson: esgibson@bauer.uh.edu 713-743-0185

the Trump card.

Latino voters still don’t know how they feel about the majority of the candidates. For the most part, it’s because they still don’t really know the candidates, which is to be expected this far out from the general election. Except with Trump.

The voters' disdain for him is higher than any other candidate.

“Everything Trump has said (about) ‘rapists, criminals'… Latinos take it very personally,” Cortina said.

Latinos are dubbed the least politically active, but can Trump break that losing streak and mobilize 27.3 million Latinos – no matter their specific races and cultures – with his disgusting, racist rhetoric?

As the primary race ticks down, UH will host a GOP debate this month, days before Super Tuesday, and it's garnering attention.

“This will be the first time…in modern memory that Texas will make a difference in the Republican primary,” Paul Simpson, Harris County Republican Party Chairman, said.

Texas has 155 GOP delegates, the second most of any state, on Super Tuesday. Republican turn out is expected to be the biggest yet, an anticipated 300,000 as opposed to 161,250 from 2012. Despite rampant assumptions, that alone won’t ensure Texas stays red.

“The reality of the nation is Texas with our diversity, we are the new political reality,” Cortina said.

The stakes are high. The candidates are polarized. Latino voters might just be ready to throw their weight around.

Should it really take two decades and blatant racism to send Latinos to to the ballot box? Is Trump actually the Dark Knight we all know we don’t want? The real Latino electorate needs to stand up.

Opinion columnist Leah Lucio is a print journalism senior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

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.

GUEST COMMENTARY Submissions are accepted from any member of the UH community and must be signed with the author’s name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Commentary should be limited to 500 words. Guest commentaries should not be written as replies, but rather should present independent points of view. Deliver submissions to N221, University Center; e-mail them to letters@ thedailycougar.com; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.

ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements in The Cougar do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the University or the students as a whole.

The Cougar is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press.

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Wednesday, January 27, 2016 | 9

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Anthony Torres, EDITOR

OPINION

CULTURE

Screenshot: social media is transforming our society

I

arrive to class 10 minutes early, sit in the seat that I have laid claim to all semester and pull out my phone.

Immediately, I scroll through posts across various social media platforms from friends, family and people I haven’t seen since high school. As my mindless scrolling comes to an end I look up and realize something: everyone else in the lecture hall is doing the exact same thing.

Far too often I find myself opening my plethora of social media apps to simply fill the uncomfortable void REAGAN EARNST that comes OPINION with silence.

COLUMNIST I start with Twitter, move through Instagram, check Facebook and then return to Twitter to catch up on what I missed in the five minutes.

My thumb has memorized the routine.

I can’t help but wonder what

this class would look like if we could rewind 20 years. Would we be having actual conversations, perhaps?

Over the last decade, social media use has skyrocketed. Now, we not only have to maintain our real lives, but our virtual ones, too. We rely on these sights in an unimaginable way, but I wonder if our reliance is actually necessary.

CNN Money reported last week that social media giant Twitter lost 2 million users in the last quarter of 2015, and stock shares plummeted to 12 percent.

Apparently, a small fraction of people are gravitating away from Twitter and maybe even from social media in general.

“It’s important to put these numbers in perspective,” news and social media professor Cyrus Saatsaz said. “They still have over 300 million users, which is close to the size of the United States.”

Although the situation does not look promising for the stockholders of Twitter, the drop in users is minuscule in comparison to the total amount of active users.

Social media has revolution-

No one really uses physical photographs anymore, mostly Instagram and Facebook. | Justin Cross/The Cougar

ized the way we get news, track cultural change and keep up with old friends. It allows us to stay up to date with what is happening in the world and our community like never before.

“Instagram (is my favorite) because a picture says a thousand words, and it’s really easy to stay up to date with people’s lives by just a glance at a picture,” public relations freshman Elise Tobias said. “The biggest con would be that it’s more observation than communication."

Physical photo albums are a thing of the past. Without sites like Instagram, many people would have no way to revisit some of their favorite memories. One day we may sit down with our children and show them our Instagram account just as our parents pestered us with photo albums from their college years.

“Social media is here to stay,” Saatsaz said. “There could be a ‘next big thing’ in terms of innovation, technological advancement,

but in terms of individuals having an online presence to engage with others and absorb knowledge, that’s never going to go away.”

Although “social” by name, that these sites are actually making us far more anti-social. In attempts to one-up each other, we use social media to show our friends what we are doing and what they are not.

What started as social networks has turned into machines of comparison.

I fear that we are so consumed by our virtual life that we are missing the real life that may be wasting away right in front of our eyes. It would be a shame to get to the end of our time on earth only to realize we spent years of it staring at a little screen.

My hope is that moving forward we will become more conscious of the time we are spending on social media and that we will learn to truly appreciate the people around us.

Opinion columnist Reagan Earnst is a print journalism junior and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com

10 | Wednesday, February 10, 2016

OPINION

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Anthony Torres, EDITOR

THE OCTOGENARIAN

Peppy and me: my dog changed how I view life

A

bout 12 years ago, I was in the hospital nearly dead from a repeat bout of pneumonia. One day, my wife and son walked into my room carrying a wrapped up bundle, and when they handed it to me, to my surprise I unwrapped a beautiful little Jack Russell Terrier puppy who my son named Peppy.

My health started to improve and on the third day that Peppy came to visit me in hospital, I had her snugKEN gled under the LEVIN covers when OPINION COLUMNIST my doctor came to visit.

Seeing Peppy, he lost it. You see, it turns out that one of his jobs at that hospital was sanitation officer.

No pets or other animals were allowed in the hospital.

On that day, my doctor stopped being my personal physician. He dropped me as a patient despite many years in that capacity.

That didn't stop Peppy's hospital

visits, however. She came to be well known and loved by the security personnel, the nurses, some doctors and many other workers at the hospital who would often ask "is Peppy coming today?" or, "what time will Peppy be here?”

Peppy came to us at the same time that George W. Bush was president. Whenever Bush came on the television, Peppy would react by jumping up and down and barking ferociously. When people asked us about her reaction, we would assure them that Peppy was not political and that we did not know whether the reaction was positive or negative toward the president.

When I got home from the hospital, my wife and son got another puppy, a boy named Willy. Despite my urging to take quick action and get both dogs fixed, they procrastinated long enough to allow for one litter of four pups before taking the preventative action I had suggested.

Both dogs became integral parts of our family and slept on our bed with us.

But Peppy had special duties.

When a family member was feeling

Peppy's arrival to the family seemingly cured Ken's pneumonia. | Art by Herschel Levin/The Cougar

bad or sick, Peppy seemed to have some kind of healing power.

Peppy was also independent.

When we opened a bag of doggy treats, Willy would perk up and come running, begging for his treat. Peppy, on the other hand, would glance over with a look that said, “Do you have something for me? Then you bring it to me.”

On one occasion, before she was full grown, I was walking Peppy when a large Rottweiler

E T A B E D SGA 7

approached us in a less-thanfriendly manner. Peppy lit into that large dog — protecting me, I believe — and chased that poor animal until its owner finally rescued it.

She knew no fear.

At 12 years, both dogs were growing old, something that I can relate to. Last week, it was obvious that Peppy was ill, so my wife and son took her to the vet. They came home with word that they had a

three-month supply of pain and comfort medications, but that Peppy was dying and could go at any time, at any minute.

I sat back on my bed and Peppy cuddled up to my side. I believe Peppy came home from her veterinarian just to say good-bye to me, and as she lay there beside me, cuddled close the way she liked, with me scratching her ear, she left us.

Peppy died as she began with our family, cuddled up to me. I can tell you, as a senior individual, an old man, I have suffered many losses of those who I love, and it never gets easier.

Peppy is and will be missed. My heart is again broken, but I am not alone. Peppy’s body was laid to rest under a tree in our backyard, but she is still alive in our hearts.

We have made adjustments with Willy and have to be careful that he is not over-fed or pampered, but he is getting double doses of love.

Opinion columnist Ken Levin is a political science senior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar. com

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Bryce Dodds, EDITOR

BASKETBALL

Despite stream of injuries, senior is working his way back SHARDANNA JONES

SENIOR STAFF WRITER @SHAYGOTIT

Senior point guard L.J. Rose is a poster child for bad luck, or at least head coach Kelvin Sampson thinks so.

Rose's continuous setbacks with his foot have cast uncertainty over his time as a Cougar and eliminated his possibilities of being dominant on the court.

His right foot broke three times within seven months and he had to undergo surgery twice—once in July 2014 and more recently after breaking it in a game against the University of Cincinnati in January.

“We were leading that game by 10 (points) at the time, and he walks on over, bends over and puts his hands on his knees and says, ‘Coach, I heard a pop,’” Sampson said. “He just shook his head, and when he said that, I knew he’d broken it again or had another fracture.”

Rose's season debut was Dec. 16 against North Carolina Central University, but after listening to his body, he realized that it wasn’t the right time for his return.

“His foot was still bothering him,” Sampson said.

Rose has broken his fifth metatarsal, the bone that goes down to his foot from his pinky toe, as well as the fourth, connecting to his ring toe. Stress fractures, or hot spots, also began to form on his left foot.

“Hot spots are where they’re not shown as fractures, but you can tell that you’re headed that way,” Sampson said.

Rather than stepping back on the hardwood too soon and finding himself back on the bench, Rose applied for a redshirt so he can heal and play

again for the Cougars.

“I didn’t think I would ever have to redshirt,” Rose said. “But I talked to my parents, and then I went to talk to Coach (Kelvin Sampson) and Coach Kellen (Sampson), and we just decided that that was the best thing for me.”

With the season underway, Rose felt it was the best decision for himself and his teammates.

With a season off, Rose has a chance to return to health, but he’ll do so at the cost of watching from the sidelines — yet again.

“I’ve sat out a lot in my career, so I’m kind of used to it,” Rose said.

For Sampson, it’s unfortunate because Rose could’ve been an asset for the Cougars this year.

"There are two point guards, and there’s no question in my mind that L.J. would’ve made those two guys better, too," Sampson said. "He’s a seasoned veteran, a senior. The hardest thing to teach in basketball is instincts — L.J. looks and he sees, he knows how to make people better.”

Although Rose is practicing with the team without problem, Sampson said there are just no guarantees because of his feet's history.

“Even though he’s going to redshirt, you pull for him, but you just don’t know,” Sampson said. “It’s no one’s fault. Some guys are great players and you never realize how good they are because they never got to play because of injuries. L.J. would’ve been a heck of a college point guard because he’s a good player."

All Rose wants is a senior year, and Sampson said he deserves that.

As for Rose, he continues to put extra work in with trainer John Houston and holds firm to the notion that everything that has happened to him thus far was meant to be.

“There are a lot of things that don’t allow me to become derailed or discouraged,” Rose said. “My faith, my love for the game, my support system. I have a great family that supported me all the way through this time and my decision and they made it easier for me.”

Rose doesn’t believe in limiting himself and said he plans to play and pursue his basketball dream for as long he’s able to.

“Fear of what can happen in the future is the least of my concern,” Rose said. “It’s happened to me before; the worst possible outcome is that it happens again.” sports@thedailycougar.com

Senior guard L.J. Rose will redshirt this season in hope of healing before his final season in a UH uniform. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

1-800-SKYDIVE 281-369-3337 Rose has suffered breaks in his foot each of the last two seasons as a Cougar. | Justin Tijerina/The Cougar

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RUGBY

Club rugby benefiting from rise in interest PETER SCAMARDO STAFF WRITER

To the outside viewer, Rugby may seem like a barbaric sport, but the insider would know these are intelligent players who know what to do and when to do it in order to avoid injuries.

Rugby is a game where 15 men battle against each other to try and score points. There are physical encounters such as rucks, mauls, and scrums to try and win the ball and the scoring system is very similar to football.

Rugby is considered one of the fastest growing sports in the country, and the community in Houston has shown that more than anywhere else.

Naturally, this growing interest in the sport has been beneficial for the Cougars. A club team that has been around since the 1980s has seen an increase of players, both those who have experience from high school and those who have no experience with rugby.

“As far as comradery goes, it’s a big help because we have a lot of support from the community,” head coach Connor Rehmet said.

“We have men’s teams and high school teams like Katy and the Woodlands. As far as structure goes, it helps a lot because the more exposed to rugby, the better you are. It’s kind of like football.

If you didn’t watch football growing up, it’d be completely alien to you, and most of these guys are brand new to rugby, so it’s a completely different sport from what they grew up with.”

The team has seen quite a bit of turnover in recent years, according to Ryan "Squirrel" Becker, but he says the involvement this season has been some of the best in recent memory.

“I’ve been here a long time, and I’ve seen many teams come and go,” Becker said. “This team has just been solid. We’ve had

The men's rugby team has been experiencing a boon of growth recently, and is putting that talent to good use. | Kyrie Bouressa/The Cougar

great numbers. We’ve had a lot of people turning up at the games, especially away games. Usually for away games it’s a struggle for us to get fifteen people. But at our away games we have twenty, (maybe) twenty four people showing up. I’m very proud of this team so far.”

The Cougars are continuing to improve on their quality of play every year. This year, the team followed up their success at the Southwest Conference Seven’s Tournament, where only seven men play each other in seven-minute halves.

There, they went 4-1 with notable wins over Rice University and Baylor University. The team began the season competing in

the Texas Cup last September, where the Cougars made it all the way to the semi-finals, beating University of Texas at San Antonio and Texas State University before losing to St. Edwards University, one of the top rugby schools in the state.

“There’s three different conferences in Texas,” UH Rugby president and junior wing Walter Topete said. “The Red River, which has A&M, UT, Baylor — big schools who have been playing for a long time. Then there’s the Southwest, which is ours. And then there’s Lone Star at the bottom tier. So basically the Texas Cup is a good opportunity for those three conferences to play each other, regardless of

standing.”

From there, the regular season rolled along with games against Baylor, Rice, Texas State and the University of North Texas, as well as hosting the Saltillo Rugby Club from Mexico and the Houston United Rugby Team in a sevens round robin with Rice.

Along with Topete and his brother Rogelio, a number of returning players will be massive leaders for the talented players coming in.

But while there has been more commitment from the players and improved performances, the team has been unable to get funds to travel to the championships in Lubbock. This means the team will only finish third

in SWC behind Texas State and UNT. However, the season does not end there for the players. Now, they will transition completely over to the sevens side of the season, competing for a chance to get to the national championships.

“It’s not just one player, it’s all of us, and that’s because of the coaching staff,” Blanco said. “They’ve been working on us all the time and drilling us.

Honestly, our high point is we’re trying to get to nationals. We believe we have the athletes. Now we just need the mental toughness and fitness aspect.” sports@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, February 10, 2016 | 13 713-743-5303

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ROUND TABLE

Will baseball swing for the fences, or strike out looking?

SEAN ALDER Creative director Will the men's baseball team be better or worse this season?

This is a rebuilding year. After losing a strong group of players the past two seasons, but also pulling in a solid recruiting class, the Cougars will have to spend some time establishing a new dynamic and figuring out what type of baseball they’ll be playing.

sports@thedailycougar.com

SPORTS

Bryce Dodds, EDITOR

Cougars games against Bears, Owls, Aggies highlight schedule February 19-21 Villanova University Wildcats

March 4-6

March 22

April 8-10

Rice University Owls

March 29

Baylor University Bears

University of Central Florida Knights

April 22-24

Texas A&M University Aggies

University of South Florida Bulls

May 6-8 University of Memphis Tigers

May 19-21 Tulane University Green Wave

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Who do you think will be the team's MVP? Coming off a stellar freshman campaign that featured a sub 2.00 ERA, look for Romero to build on that and have his way with opposing lineups, leading the team in every pitching category.

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Bryce Dodds, EDITOR

SPORTS

COMMENTARY

Athletics is gaining ground on the elite quickly BRYCE DODDS

SPORTS EDITOR @BRYCEJDODDSTC

Ask the average Texan what the best college athletic programs are and the answer will likely be either the University of Texas at Austin or Texas A&M University.

But it looks like it might be time to consider UH one of the elite few.

The 2015-2016 season has proven to be a culmination of projects many years in the making. Football had its highly touted 13-1 season, ending with the biggest bowl win in school history in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

Men’s basketball is 18-7 on the season, and with five games left, all of which the team has proven it can win, it has a chance to post one of its best records since the 1991-92 season, in just the second year of a rebuilding project under head coach Kelvin Sampson.

But for UH, it’s been the 10595-Cougar News Feb 10 Brand success of the less-talked about programs that contribute to

raise the stature of the athletic department.

One of those programs is track and field, which have consistently been competing for and winning team and individual American Athletic Conference or Conference-USA titles for the past few seasons, as well as sending athletes to the NCAA Nationals.

The men’s and women’s golf programs have thrived over the past few years. The men’s program is storied, with noted PGA-Tour winners such as Fred Couples, Steve Elkington and Fuzzy Zoeller emerging from their ranks.

They’ve also made the NCAA Championships each of the Men's basketball isn't the only program experiencing a revitalization as golf, track past two seasons, finishing 10th and field and baseball hope for successful springs. | Justin Tijerina/The Cougar during the 2013-2014 season with a strong chance to achieve such heights again.

Regionals in just its first year of and singles championships last The women’s team, in just its team competition. season. third year of existence, already The women’s tennis team, The baseball team has also has one team championship to despite a rough start to this been thriving under head coach its name in its first event of the season, is no stranger to sucand UH alumnus Todd Whitspring and is looking to build off cess either, having reached the ting. The Cougars have made Ad Half Page-final.pdf 1 2/9/16 PM of the 2014-2015 season, where it 3:47NCAA playoffs the previous two back-to-back NCAA Regional reached the NCAA San Antonio seasons, including the team appearances, including host-

ing the regional last season and reaching the Austin Super Regional two seasons ago and amassing an impressive 101-38 record over those two years.

UH is also making improvements off the playing field, as a recent effort to improve facilities for multiple teams have resulted in a new football stadium, a state-of-the-art basketball development facility, ground-breaking on a new baseball clubhouse and development facility and imminent plans for an indoor football practice facility.

All of these facets of the athletics program have contributed to UH standing out among the crowd, with hopes of a Big 12 invitation soon.

While UH may not have one of the elite programs in the nation and isn't yet on par with UT or A&M, it's quickly gaining ground on the rest of the major universities in Texas, and it doesn’t appear they’re slowing down any time soon. sports@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, February 10, 2016 | 16 thedailycougar.com/sports

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SPORTS

Bryce Dodds, EDITOR

COMMENTARY

UH coaches had no problem with athletics integration EFREN DIOSDADO

recruit in the nation at the time.

Every major school in the country wanted McVea. With over 70 different scholarship offers, McVea had the choice to play anywhere in the country. McVea also holds a UH record for longest touchdown for a 99-yard touchdown reception he caught against Washington State University in 1966.

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @ EFRECORP

UH was one of the first universities in the south to integrate black and white students in the 1960s, after officially integrating its student body in the summer of 1962.

Philip G. Hoffman, UH president from 1961-1977, said in a news release that integrating the school was the right thing to do although they did not want to publicize the integration to avoid a backlash or riots. UH integrated quietly with the right intentions, which were to secure the students' safety.

“We did not want a Mississippi or Alabama on our hands,” Hoffman said in a news release.

“We decided to integrate in the summer when there weren’t as many students on campus.”

By the summer of 1962, UH was officially integrated. By 1963, however, UH athletics had yet to recruit a black student athlete.

When football head coach Bill Yeoman recruited his first black

Elvin "The Big E" Hayes

Hayes and Don Chaney, were the first African-Americans to play basketball for the Cougars.

In 1968, Houston faced the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins in the first-ever nationally televised regular season college basketball game. They played "The Game of the Century", as it was dubbed, at the Astrodome in front of a record 52,693 fans.

Hayes scored 39 points and had 15 rebounds, while Lew Alcindor, now known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, of UCLA was held to only 15 points as the Cougars defeated the Bruins 71-69. Hayes would enter the 1968 NBA draft and be

Elvin Hayes was one of the first African-American basketball players recruited to play at a major university in Texas. | Courtesy of Houstonian

player, he said he didn't realize people would have a problem with it. He wasn't looking at the color of their skin. Yeoman was simply looking for the most talented athletes to play for UH. The university finally recruited its first black athletes in 1964, thanks in part to the pioneering

vision of head basketball coach Guy V. Lewis as well as Yeoman.

"Wondrous Warren" McVea

McVea became the first African-American to play football for UH when he signed in 1964.

The San Antonio native was unquestionably the most sought

LA

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Don Chaney

Chaney played all 40 minutes of the "Game of the Century". He too entered the 1968 NBA draft and was picked 12th overall by the Boston Celtics. Chaney and the Celtics became the 1969 NBA Finals champions during his rookie year. He then led the Celtics to win the 1974 NBA Finals.

Today, UH remains one of the most diverse schools in the country.

"The University of Houston has had a very rich history in terms of integration and in terms of being the first in many of these activities, and I’m very proud of our diversity, and I’m very proud of the way our students and our faculty staff create a very holistic environment here," President and Chancelor Renu Khator said.

"We have a very proud history and a lot of good role models for all of us to look up to." sports@thedailycougar.com

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