Some students are reporting being addressed as their deadname in University-wide emails, despite changing their preferred name in the UH system. | Christopher Charleston/The Cougar
LOGAN LINDER ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR @LOGANL_WRITESSome UH students and faculty members have voiced their concerns about their deadnames being used in recent emails about mental health resources, sparking conversation about the University’s acknowledgment of preferred names. Media production junior Melle Matney said they are more accustomed to their deadname than other transgender
individuals but understands how upsetting it can be to be referred to by your deadname.
In general, Matney’s preferred name has been used after they changed it in the system, but they have run into issues when receiving official emails and other documents.
“I saw the email from the president about the task force and stuff they were doing to help with mental health and then with Agnes Arnold Hall, and I don’t know what made it different that something just flagged my brain,” Matney said.
Matney also highlighted last semester’s visit from right-wing speaker Matt Walsh, whose presence led to a protest against him and in favor of transgender rights.
“Maybe that’s just my political view, but the line’s kind of drawn when this person is directly harming your community,” Matney said.
With a sibling who is a senior in high school, Matney doesn’t want their sibling
to worry about their deadname if they choose to attend UH.
“I do not want them to have to interact with their deadname whatsoever while they’re here because I know that for them, it’s a lot more jarring,” Matney said.
Students are not the only ones being affected by this, however. Adjunct women’s, gender and sexuality studies lecturer Liam Stone and current Ph.D. candidate has dealt with an increased use of his deadname since becoming a faculty member, despite starting his master’s in 2014.
“For a long time, my deadname was used in students’ class rosters, meaning they would sign up for a class with someone with my deadname, and I would have to clear this up on the first day of class,” Stone said. “This had me outing myself to students, which isn’t a big deal now, as I am primarily an Intro to LGBT Studies instructor.”
Stone eventually got the issue resolved
after multiple semesters of waiting and contacting the English department. With frequent emails from the University about their mental health efforts, Stone notes the irony in deadnames being used in these messages.
“Continuing to use trans individuals’ deadnames does not promote their mental well-being,” Stone said. That being said, Stone also notes that the University is not intentionally discriminating against transgender people and the issue of names sometimes defaulting to legal names is instead an IT problem.
“However, it is worth questioning why this continues to be the case and why something has yet to be done earlier, given my vast history of trying to get my preferred name consistent across the system,” Stone said. “Perhaps it is now time to fix this once and for all.”
news@thedailycougar.com
LISA EL-AMIN NEWS EDITOR @LISAELAMIN17Last year Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick proposed to end tenure for professors teaching critical race theory courses. Still, in March this year, a bill was filed to end tenure for any public college or university professor hired after September.
Executive Director of faculty affairs, Sarah Castillo defines tenure and gives insight into how this could affect the University.
“A tenured appointment is an indefinite appointment that can be terminated only for cause or under extraordinary
circumstances such as financial exigency and program discontinuation,” Castillo said.
Castillo shared that the importance/ benefit of professors obtaining tenure is to safeguard their academic freedoms.
According to the University’s 2022-23 Promotion and Tenure Guidelines, it is awarded to professors based on scholarship, creative work, teaching and service that is consistent with the school’s mission.
Critics of the proposed bill expressed that a tenure ban would create hesitation in determining what is acceptable to analyze and discuss in classrooms, according to the Texas Tribune. Castillo said that it is unclear
at the time what the consequences of this legislation passing might be.
While further action remains unknown to faculty affairs, the University is aware of the proposed tenure ban and is tracking the legislature’s progress with the bill, Castillo said.
“The University is committed to offering the highest quality instructional and research opportunities for our students,” Castillo said. “This will remain the University’s focus, regardless of any current proposed legislation.”
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Donna Keeya
MANAGING EDITOR
Jhair Romero
WEB EDITOR
Denise Miller
NEWS EDITORS
John Lomax
Lisa El-Amin
SPORTS EDITOR
James Mueller
OPINION EDITOR
Cindy Rivas Alfaro
STAFF EDITORIAL
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.
Access to
MALACHI KEY
Arnold Hall has been restricted following two recent deaths there.
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
@MALACHISKEY
Following the death of a student last month at Agnes Arnold Hall, the building has been temporarily closed to student access.
Shortly after the student’s death was made public, anyone trying to enter the building would find themselves met with blocked stairways and signs reading “Access Restricted.”
As the building sits empty, students and faculty alike have sparked pitched discussions over what should be done with a building that seems marked by tragedy.
“No boards, no nets, UH must want us dead,” was one of several chants featured at a recent protest, referring to some students’ opinion that the University neglected to adequately restrict access to the building following the student suicide in February.
“The university’s inability to respond in an appropriate or timely fashion about suicides in Agnes Arnold hall is shameful,” said Middle Eastern studies professor Emran El-Badawi. “Had this happened back in 2017, we would have thanked the administration. Now it is too little, too late.”
For El-Badawi, who has taught in the building for the last 10 years, the recent incidents bare echoes of a similar suicide several years prior, but his concerns about the aging and controversial structure run much deeper.
“[The building] is a decaying colossus housing departments in the humanities,” El-Badawi said. “Its antiquated ‘open-air’ architecture gives the public free access to seven floors through over a dozen entryways and is entirely unsecured 24/7.”
Agnes Arnold Hall was constructed in 1967 by Kenneth Bentsen Associates and was designed entirely by graduates of the University’s College of Architecture and Design.
Named for the daughter of University benefactor Roy G. Cullen, the building was considered cutting-edge for its time, featuring Brutalist influences, a unique “corduroy” textured finish on the concrete, and even escalators that were later replaced with stairs.
While the structure was thoughtfully designed, El-Badawi said that it has led to increasing issues as the building has aged, including flooding, physical and sexual assault on the premises and a fire that damaged around two dozen office spaces.
“The effects of each suicide, security breach, and continued malfunction upon faculty and staff have been devastating,” El-Badawi continued. “There is a feeling of widespread helplessness and betrayal, especially as the Humanities undergo
more budget cuts.”
Many students echo El-Badawi’s concerns, but some fear that focusing too much on one building distracts from more pressing issues surrounding how mental health is handled on campus.
“The anger feels misdirected,” said nursing freshman Alicia Thomas. “Let’s say the building does get shut down. Does that really help? The actual focus here is mental health, knowing how to spot when someone is struggling with it and how to cope with it.”
The University did unveil plans in 2017 to update Agnes Arnold and other older buildings on campus with construction to begin in Summer 2024. But for some faculty, the anticipated changes are simply “too little, too late.”
“The faculty and staff have expressed that they want Agnes demolished or totally renovated from top to bottom,” said El-Badawi. “The administration has said all options are on the table, but again, there is no money for Agnes Arnold, CLASS, or the Humanities.”
The University has assembled a task force to discuss what to do about the building, and they are expected to make their recommendation by May 15th.
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.
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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) 7435384. All submissions are subject to editing.
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“Had this happened back in 2017, we would have thanked the administration. It is too little too late.”
Emran El-Badawi, Middle Eastern studies professorALUMNI
@JDM2186
The task was nothing new. Jim Nantz, the veteran of all veteran broadcasters, prepared to do something he had already done 31 times before — call the NCAA Division I men’s basketball national championship game. Yet, Nantz felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time when Monday, the day of the national championship game, arrived.
Nantz began the day by attending an event at the Nantz National Alzheimer Center at Houston Methodist Hospital, which he helped open in 2011 as a way to honor his father, whom he shares his first name with, who battled Alzheimer’s for 13 years before his death.
The emotions started flowing from there.
“It tore me up,” Nantz said. “I knew I needed about two hours by myself just to kind of gather myself because I felt like my emotions were right there at a tipping point.”
STARNS LELAND
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
@STARNSLELAND
Sophomore outfielder Cameron Nickens hit just four home runs in his freshman campaign in 2022.
In late March 2023, he knocked five pitches out of the park in one week.
Add in a walk-off base hit in the series opener against No. 8 East Carolina —a series UH would win — plus another hit a day later, and Nickens’ hit streak went for an astonishing nine games. In those games, the sophomore batted a ridiculous .350 on 40 plate appearances, drove in 11 runs and crossed home plate himself 10 more times.
Thanks to the sophomore’s heroics, the Cougars are back to .500 on the season and winners of nine of its last 12 games, just in time for conference play.
“It felt like you just couldn’t get him out,” said senior infielder Ian McMillan. “Everything he hit was hard.”
Before his hitting explosion, Nickens had gone 16 at-bats without a single hit and had yet to log a homer all year. What
Continued page 4
After spending some time alone, Nantz headed to NRG Stadium to put on the headset and call his 32nd and final national championship.
With him, Nantz brought three pictures. The first was of Nantz alongside Bill Raftery, Grant Hill and Tracy Wolfson, the crew he has called countless NCAA Tournament games with. The second came from the vault as it pictured Nantz and the base crew he worked the first 20 years of his career at CBS with. The last was of himself and his longtime courtside partner Billy Packer, who died in January.
He placed the pictures on the table in front of him, where they remained throughout the course of the night.
“I wanted them to be sitting with me at the table tonight, symbolically,” Nantz said. “Because all of them were on that journey (with me).”
As tipoff drew near, the lights inside NRG Stadium went down and Nantz got on the public address microphone and opened with his patented greeting.
“Hello, friends,” Nantz said.
As a student at UH, Nantz was the public address announcer for UH basketball games at Hofheinz Pavilion.
It was there that his great love for college basketball was born. It has continued to this day.
changed? The 19-year-old from Magnolia, TX said it was just a matter of making contact.
“I was just trying to focus on hitting the ball more and putting it into play,” Nickens said. “The power just kind of showed up.”
Nickens’ ability to hit was never a concern when head coach Todd Whitting brought him to UH. The lightly-recruited batter hit .404 in
“I’m hopelessly in love with it,” Nantz said. “It’s a love affair that will take me all the way to my grave. No one can love college basketball more than I do. There will be people that love it as much, but no one can love it more.”
Sitting just a few miles down the road from where his career started, Nantz grabbed the microphone one final time on Monday night.
As he has done for years, Nantz proceeded to announce the starting lineups for Connecticut and San Diego State. One by one, Nantz called off each player’s name with perfect pronunciation, yet inside he experienced an emotional rollercoaster as the 63-year-old thought back to the way he kickstarted his career.
“Maybe the hardest thing for me was doing the starting lineups. That really got back to my roots,” he said. “I’ll never do them again. I’ll never do the PA again. It seems probably pretty easy but for me, I don’t know, it wasn’t. Because that’s how I first worked with a microphone right inside Hofheinz Pavilion.”
From Birmingham, Alabama, to Kansas City, Missouri, Nantz had been showered with love throughout his farewell tour.
Blaine McCallister, Fred Couples and John Horn, Nantz’s college roommates, all reached out to their good friend. Colleagues, including former Dallas Cowboys quarterback turned CBS color
Magnolia. Two of his former high school teammates, Josh Groshans and Adam Kloffenstein, were drafted in the first and third rounds of the 2018 MLB draft. Another teammate, Preston Hoffart, plays for the No. 21 Texas Longhorns.
“I was facing good competition every single day I stepped on the field,” Nickens said. “So I think that really helped me as a player.”
Despite being battle-tested out of high school and an instinctual hitter, what has impressed Whitting the most this year is Nickens’ fielding.
been in a game as an outfielder,” Nickens said. “My first year was kind of like a learning process.”
A year later, thanks largely to outfield coach and UH alumnus Tyler Bielamowicz, Nickens has found his footing, and it has shown on the field. In the Cougars’ second game against ECU, Nickens had another highlight when he leaped into the outfield wall for a critical home-run robbery. A day later, he caught the series clinching out on a routine line drive.
his senior year and won district MVP while at Magnolia High School.
“He has that knack for driving runs in,” Whitting said. “Every time you’d show up at the ballpark (to watch him), he’s not only getting hits, he gets big hits.”
Nickens began playing baseball as a toddler and grew up playing at a high level of competition at
analyst Tony Romo, gave Nantz a call. Even legendary Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski reached out to extend his congratulations to Nantz. Those are just a few of the many names Nantz said he had heard from.
“I felt a lot of love,” Nantz said. “And that love was swelling up my heart to the point I was afraid that it might spill over.”
All of it led to Monday night in Houston, a city dear to his heart.
“This was the perfect place, as I had hoped it would be,” Nantz said. “It meant a lot to me to do this in Houston. I felt the love of the community.”
While appreciative for all the love he had been shown, Nantz once again reiterated that he didn’t want the night to be about him. He wanted the spotlight on the student-athletes on the court.
As soon as the ball was tipped it was business as usual for Nantz.
Internally, Nantz realized his time calling college basketball games was winding down with each second that ticked off the clock. But he didn’t let it affect the way he called the game, keeping the focus of every word he spoke on the two teams on the court.
Late in the game when it was clear that UConn had the title secured, Raferty brought Nantz’s name into the broadcast.
He was quickly shut down.
“I just didn’t want this to be about my farewell,” Nantz said.
“Raft brought it up late in the game
“One thing that’s gone a little bit unnoticed with Cam is how much he’s improved his defense,” Whitting said. “Last year, I think every time late in the game we had a lead, I would put a defensive replacement out there. Now, I’ll leave Cam in the games.”
Though an infielder for much of his life, Nickens was forced to make the transition to the outfield when he became a Cougar. It was a tough switch, and it came with its share of growing pains.
“I was a little uncomfortable out there last year… (having) never
and I said, ‘I love you but with all due respect this a moment that belongs to UConn.’”
Once the final buzzer sounded, Nantz finally took a moment to bid his farewell and express his gratitude for the journey college basketball had taken him on.
With emotions flowing, he signed off one final time with a riff on his famous “Hello friends” greeting.
“To you, to everybody in the college game, to the CBS family, my family, all the viewers, thank you for being my friend,” Nantz said.
After the confetti had fallen, Nantz took the platform at midcourt to conduct the postgame ceremonies one last time.
Nantz congratulated the Huskies and interviewed head coach Dan Hurley and several players.
Then came the sweetest moment of all.
While UConn went to cut nets, Nantz stepped down from the platform and went to find his oldest daughter, Caroline. Moments later, Nantz put his left arm around her. Caroline put her right arm around her father. Then, the two shared a ritual that goes all the way back to when she was just 11 months old.
They both looked up at the big screen and watched “One Shining Moment,” the annual montage of highlights from the tournament set to the iconic song written by David Barrett in 1986, from the court one final time.
Nickens’ growth and Houston’s run of big wins could not have come at a better time. UH will enter conference play with incredible momentum and, if it continues, will have its eyes set on the American Athletic Conference tournament and potentially its first NCAA regional appearance since 2018.
“It builds confidence for everyone, not just me, but everyone on the team,” Nickens said. “Every day is a new day, and we’re just trying to win that day ahead.”
sports@thedailycougar.com
Sharing this special moment with his eldest daughter from the court one final time, Nantz, visibly emotional, cherished every second of it.
Typically, Nantz would bolt out shortly after the conclusion of the iconic video and get on a plane to Augusta, Georgia, to prepare to call The Masters. But Nantz could hardly take a step without hugging someone or giving out a handshake. All Nantz could feel was gratitude. He summed up the magical night by borrowing a line from his favorite Christmas carol, “O Come All Ye Faithful.”
“Tonight for me was joyful and triumphant,” Nantz said.
Nantz will still call golf’s greatest tournament later in the week, but he decided he will do something he has never done before.
Instead of heading straight to Augusta, he will not arrive until Tuesday or on Wednesday.
There’s another pressing matter Nantz feels the need to take care of first.
He wanted to go home and hug his kids.
“I realized I’m running on empty, and I need to get refueled,” Nantz said. “To do that, I’m going to do something I’ve never done before between the Final Four and The Masters. I’m going home. Back to the place where I belong.”
The Student Government Association has had a rocky few weeks as former President Joshua Martin lost the re-election he contested that deemed Benjamin Rizk of the Students Unite party the winner.
This is not the first time an administration has caused a rift in the elections nor the first time SGA has done something to make the students wonder how they got there. It is vital that students know the recurring patterns that are seen throughout each administration as it sets up the stage for the incoming one.
Some might think that the discrepancies of this administration start with the election code changes or the increase in campaign spending caps enacted by Martin but although these are all red flags, the real issue lies within the culture of SGA and its inability to work together to reach a common goal.
A common theme throughout each administration is how members of SGA feel discouraged by the process that ends up pulling opposing parties apart rather than working on compromising.
Senior psychology major Esmeralda Ledezma was a senator for the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences in the 59th administration but ultimately left her position.
“What drew me to SGA at the beginning was having the opportunity to represent my college, especially knowing
that there were a lot of issues in CLASS and wanting to be part of the solution,” Ledezma said.
“I genuinely just did not look forward to the meetings anymore, because I knew they were going to be unproductive. And the reality is that we weren’t going to compromise on things that the opposing (party) ran on and the party that I ran on,” Ledezma continued.
This sentiment can be seen in the 58th administration when senior political science major David Paul Hilton was the former Speaker of the Senate who resigned from his position after experiencing a continuous lack of communication among the organization and unnecessary meddling from the Supreme Court.
“There was a move to push a bill that would amend the recall special election code to basically allow for campaigning,” Hilton said. “That went through the Senate (which) was then brought to the Supreme Court and they said that it was unconstitutional.”
“Just by bringing that to the floor, we were all barred from student government until the first of January,” Hilton said.
These are just a few instances throughout the years where former members of SGA have called out the organization for prioritizing their personal agendas rather than focusing on the task at hand.
As adults in college, there shouldn’t have to be a lesson on how to work with other people who do not share the same views as you.
Arguably, it could be a place to learn how to gain these skills but if each administration is unable to pass those skills down to the next administration
because of a petty rivalry, is that really student government?
Even then, future students who want to become involved in SGA have to learn about its history and current predicaments to make sure the same mistakes are not repeated. Its lack of accessibility makes it difficult for students with different perspectives and backgrounds to get involved.
It’s also safe to say that a majority of the students do not hold this much time or dedication to be able to reconstruct SGA entirely. The culture and politics of SGA are something that can only be reconstructed through years of collaboration of administrations, not a single academic year.
If each administration is unaware of the goals and workings of the previous administration, how can they become better for the student body?
How can they become more inclusive and collaborative if they are blind to previous mistakes?
It’s a hard task to tackle and an even harder truth to accept: SGA needs to reconstruct its current culture because the current system is not where it needs to be.
With the incoming administration, members of SGA should be clear about their goals and expectations. They should be able to make suggestions, accept rejections and take in criticism without taking it personally.
As an organization meant to represent its students, it’s vital that SGA strives to fix this overarching issue not just for the future of SGA but for the students they claim to serve.
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ISSUE STAFF
CLOSING EDITORS
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Jhair Romero
COVER
Jose Gonzalez-Campelo
DENISE MILLER WEB EDITOR @PAPERBAMBIIn The Cougar’s bi-weekly anonymous advice column, I discuss working on campus and relationships. To submit your questions for future issues, click the Dear Denise button on our home page.
Dear Denise, I currently work for a department that oversees student organizations. I feel like my concerns are never listened to, and it does not help that the leaders can be passiveaggressive. I don’t know how I can get through the rest of the semester.
I really want to keep this job because it would look good on my resume. Should I continue or just quit?
Hey Anon! I’m sorry this has been your experience as a student leader. No job is more important than your mental health, so I will advise you to put yourself first! You should definitely quit. It will be a win-win situation after you do.
You can keep the position on your resume (because you did do the role), and you get peace of mind because you will no longer stress over your job.
When you look back in a few years, you can either think about the time you wasted or the calm experience you had here at UH.
My best friend got broken up with, and I want to support her during her ‘grieving’ period. When is the right time to tell her I never liked her ex? She has to know. No way she doesn’t! I would keep an eye on her and wait until you think she is relatively okay and then break the news. Saying it too early can ruin her grieving period if she takes it to heart.
What to do when your future mother-in-law disses Beyonce?
I fear you just have to move on. Pretend you didn’t hear it, and walk down the aisle! arts@thedailycougar.com
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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. 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, intercultural competence, goalsetting 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.
Refuse to let emotional matters take over your life. Think your plans through from beginning to end and find a practical solution that helps you and the people you love. It’s OK to dream, but when it comes to what matters most, a reserved attitude will help you find the most efficient way to get things done to your liking.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Anger will impact your performance. A change of plans shouldn’t cost you financially. Examine details before you agree to something. Efficiency will be the key to your success.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Think before you act. Have a foolproof plan in place before you begin. Use your imagination to find an exciting way to attract interest, and everything else will fall into place.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -Keep an open mind, but refuse to believe everything you hear. Verify information before you accept it or pass it along. Spend time learning, developing and preparing for the future.
CANCER (June 21-July 22)
-- Do what’s required, and don’t look back. Now is not the time to let others take charge or beat you at your own game. Put your energy to good use and finish what you start.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Look for opportunities instead of piggybacking on someone else’s good fortune. Think for yourself and follow your heart and dreams. Use your charm and take the initiative.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
-- You’ll discover valuable information if you listen and observe. Your ability to size up situations and turn whatever
you do into something worthwhile will make you a popular leader.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23)
-- Hide your feelings until you know how others will react. Don’t make a fuss or start a feud that can influence the outcome of a partnership or proposition. Immerse yourself in quality control and getting things right the first time.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov.
22) -- Don’t hang back when embracing life and what it has to offer is required. Engage in conversations with someone close, and you will build a strong relationship. Make domestic changes.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- It’s OK to do things differently if you are prepared to prove your point. Trusting and believing in your ability will convince others to do the same.
Don’t fold under pressure.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- A change is necessary if you want to protect your position and reputation. Put more thought into how you run your personal life. Pay attention to how you look and represent yourself to others.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- Listen closely and you’ll come across information that can help you avoid making a mistake. Don’t feel compelled to be someone’s puppet. Hold on to your cash.
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- A solid investment will change your life. Join forces with someone who cares about things you care about. Love and romance are on the rise. Move into the future with a glad heart.
- Eugenia Last
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