Issue 21, Volume 84

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Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Issue 21, Volume 84

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Who’s got your vote?

SGA HADRIAN BARBOSA @HADRIANSWALL_ The vice-presidential candidates took to the stage Monday evening at the Student Center Theater for the 2019 Student Government Association Vice President Debate, co-sponsored by the SGA Election Commission and The Cougar. The candidates debated on and campaigned for several issues they and their respective parties hope to fix if elected.

This year’s election features three presidential candidates, each with their respective parties and platforms: Students Unite presidential candidate Allison

Lawrence and her running-mate, vice-presidential candidate Maysarah Kazia; Coogs Unite presidential candidate Moiz Syed and his running-mate, vicepresidential candidate Nader Irsan; and EVERY COOG presidential candidate Claude Johnson and his running-mate, vice-presidential candidate Natasha Ulow.

“A great way to get to know the candidates is through the debates,” said Chief Election Commissioner Bo Harricharran.

“All of the candidates that are running for the presidential ticket are really great and they’ve been out campaigning.”

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Burned out

Our society has conditioned individuals, especially students, to believe they must spread themselves thin. | PG. 7

The debate was moderated

by Jorden Smith, Opinion Editor for The Cougar, and Sofia Sutterby, a representative from the SGA Election Commission.

The lineup featured both general questions that were posed to all candidates and candidatespecific questions that were drafted prior to the debate.

Moderators also asked questions tweeted in from audience members.

A particularly heated topic at Monday night’s debate were Irsan’s controversial resurfaced tweets, posted to his Twitter account in 2016 and 2017, which were recently deleted from the

social media platform. In the tweets, Irsan used a racial slur and made comments that have been construed as homophobic.

“I did tweet those things and I was wrong, and I understand how I was wrong in doing it, and in hindsight it is an issue that should be brought up,” Irsan said.

“I’m bettering myself every day, isn’t that what the University of Houston is about? Bettering ourselves every day, becoming a phoenix and rising from our ashes, and bettering ourselves?”

In a rebuttal shortly afterwards, Ulow said her intelligence and connection with marginalized communities

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extended far beyond what Irsan’s were when he published the tweets.

“In the context, they were not used in a racially motivated way.

They were not derogatory in the use of them,” Irsan said.

Kazia also rebutted to Irsan’s statements concerning the tweets, saying they were, in fact, derogatory in nature.

“When you’re saying (the tweets) are not derogatory in nature but you’re saying you’d rather die than be gay, I believe that is derogatory,” Kazia said.

VP DEBATE

Continues on next page

OPINION

No. 2 seed in sight Candidates vie for The Cougars are positioned to your vote take a top two spot in the NCAA Tournament, but the team might need a little help in the remainder of the season. | PG. 12

The 2019 SGA election will open to voting at midnight Thursday. In the meantime, meet your presidential candidates. | PG. 13

2 | Wednesday, February 20, 2019

NEWS

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SGA

VP candidates clash over tweets in live debate

ABOUT THE COUGAR The Cougar is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters 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.

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

ISSUE STAFF CLOSING EDITORS

Jasmine Davis Cristobella Durrette COPY EDITING

Morgan Horst COVER

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ABOUT CSM

With voting opening Thursday through Get Involved for the 2019 Student Government Association election, Monday night saw the first of two planned debates between executive candidates. Vice-presidential candidates faced off in the Student Center South Theater from 7-9 p.m., tackling topics from zone parking to controversial tweets. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar

JUMP HEADLINE

Continued from cover In further commentary regarding the tweets, Irsan said he has matured and that he never believed in the things he tweeted.

“Those were never my views, and my views have never changed,” Irsan said. “I am neither racist nor homophobic.”

Parking problems

Following a tweet-in question from an audience member, zone parking was another hot topic Monday night.

“If you were parked in one spot of the school and you have to go up all the way to the other side for class, when you’re coming back at night there’s a lot of different things that can happen on the way there,” Ulow said. “(With) the zones being so far out on campus, there aren’t a lot of policemen circulating the outer edges on campus as well as the inner core.”

Ulow said later that she believes parking closer to campus should be zone-free and that there should be more police patrols along the “outer edges” to prevent crime.

“I know zone parking has really been a big thing right now — there’s a lot of students who were really confused by it or not in favor of it,” Kazia said.

“I think it’s important to remember that we’re a University of over 40,000 students. There are always gonna be students who have issues.”

Irsan said in his response that he believes there are positives and negatives to the zone parking issue.

“I definitely think zone parking is a step in the right direction,” Irsan said.

“It’s definitely a foundation

laid for us to build upon in the coming years, but I feel like it is something that still does need to be addressed and will always need to be addressed when it comes to parking and commuters.”

Involvement In a lighter “rapid fire” round following intermission, candidates were asked questions regarding their favorite Vine video, their favorite long-serving SGA justice, if they preferred

VP DEBATE

Continues on page 4

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, 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.

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Screenshot of one of the tweets from Irsan's now-private Twitter. | The Cougar

Two of four tweets sent out by Irsan containing a racial expletive. | The Cougar

Wednesday, February 20, 2019 | 3

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Apply today! *Based on data from 2018 UH commuter and resident students.

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VP DEBATE

Continued from page 2 James Harden or J.J. Watt, their least useful skill, and their least favorite vegetable.

“I would say my least useful skill, although it should be most useful, is my ability to speak multiple languages,” Ulow said. “I haven’t been able to showcase that here in the United States because English is used so regularly.”

Candidates were later asked whether they, as VP candidates, should be familiar with Registered Student Organizations, Greek Life and their respective issues on campus, which none of the candidates were particularly familiar with.

Irsan said he knows the senators in his party involved in Greek Life, but that he “(doesn’t) know what fraternity or sorority” and that they “kind of all sound the same (to me).”

Kazia said she knew the senator in her party involved with Greek Life, and Ulow said she could name all the candidates from her party, of which there are five total.

The conclusion of the debate featured full closing statements

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS

by Ulow and Kazia, however, Irsan was unexpectedly cut short of the full two minutes.

Chief Election Commissioner Harricharran, who kept time during the debate, has already issued an apology.

“I believe that the last 30 seconds of the debate was wholly unfair due to the skewing of time,” said journalism sophomore and Communications Director for Coogs Unite Tweegee Nuguid. “I expect a better moderation panel in order to keep the (presidential) debate as fair as possible.”

Media policy and political science sophomore Melanie Louch, who is running for CLASS Senator with Students Unite, said she thought each candidate had equally good representation, but hopes to see more from the presidential candidates in that debate.

“I know (Syed) is a really charismatic, well-spoken guy, so I want to see how he can kind of make up for what happened tonight,” Louch said.

Political science sophomore Kaden Lewis, who is running for Undergraduate Senator-atLarge with EVERY COOG, said he thought it was important that

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Irsan’s tweets were addressed, but that there are also “two very strong, female (vice-presidential) candidates” that students should focus on.

“What I do hope to see, at least from the three presidential candidates, is a true passion for representing students and a true passion for creating an environment where students can flourish and be successful,” Lewis said regarding expectations for the presidential debate.

On expectations for the presidential debate, Nuguid said she wants a fair debate and hopes to hear about policy implementation from each party.

“I hope to see a debate on policy and how each party addresses their initiatives because after all, one of these candidates will be the face of our university for the next year,” Nuguid said.

“I truly want to see how they will enact their own policies so I will keep them accountable for what they promise to do.”

The Presidential Debate will take place from 7-9 p.m.

Wednesday in the Student Center South's Houston Room.

The debate will be moderated by

representatives from both The Cougar and the SGA Election Commission.

Students will again have the option to tweet in questions for candidates using #SGAszn19. *** Editor's note: In an effort to make fair the situation in which VP candidate Nader Irsan's closing statements were cut short, The Cougar agreed to publish his closing statement here. This statement has not been edited.

Irsan's closing comments: My opponent’s character assassination attempt on me was ill fitting behavior of a VicePresidential candidate. Keeping a level head in the midst of that chaos displays my qualifications for the position of Vice-President.

President Barrett who is running with Students Unite exemplifies hypocrisy by allowing current members of SGA to run again when last year he campaigned against the very thing he is doing. Over half of Students Unite’s party is currently in SGA. Regarding my past tweets that were brought up. I take full responsibility for my actions, but at the same time ask you the students to understand my situation and

713-743-5314

have an open mind.

Being placed in Child Protective Services for almost two years and being taken in by an African American family for most of that time played a big part in those tweets, but this is not an excuse.

To anyone that has never made a mistake in your life, you have an absolute right to criticize me, but no one is perfect, myself included.

We have all made mistakes. I have learned from my mistakes and have grown as a person because of them.

As students we need to raise each other up and not tear each other down. That is what the University of Houston is all about; overlooking each other’s flaws and mistakes.

To judge someone not based on a mistake, but rather to look at what they have done to help others and make an assessment on their character based off that.

In that regard I feel my character and accomplishments make me the most qualified candidate for Vice-President and I hope you will stand with me in this endeavor. news@thedailycougar.com

SGA

SGA presidential candidate wants to increase security GREG FAILS

FEATURES EDITOR @GREGFAILS

For Moiz Syed, one of the most pressing issues facing the University of Houston is that many students don’t know what’s happening on campus.

A political science and marketing sophomore, current CLASS senator and presidential candidate for the Coogs Unite party, Syed said the issue really became apparent to him after a lackluster turnout at a CLASS Career Fair he worked on last year.

“What typically happens is students go in and out without really getting involved in the University,” Syed said. “The best way to give them as many opportunities as possible is to let them know what’s going on.”

While running for the position of CLASS senator last year, Syed said he realized most students don’t know much about SGA. It’s been the same this year, he said.

Syed said while campaigning during this election he asked many students if they know what

SGA is or who their senators are.

“I don’t get much of a response,“ Syed said. “I want it to be at the point that students will know who their senators are and could see them walking and ask them about what’s going on.”

One of the initiatives Syed hopes to accomplish if elected is instituting a grade replacement policy, which he thinks would help students who struggled to maintain their grades in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. “(Harvey) hit us hard and really bad, and a lot of people were focused on rebuilding their houses and making sure their families were intact and weren’t able to go to school and, as a result, failed a lot of their classes,” Syed said.

One key component to the Coogs Unite platform is campus safety. They hope to accomplish this by making sure resources are used correctly and that security guards are present in “high crime rate areas on campus,” he said.

One specific action Syed plans to take to increase security is expanding the Cougar

Pack escort program, which was started in Fall 2018. The program, which sees students escorting other students from the M.D. Anderson Library to their dorms and cars, operates from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, but Syed said he hopes to extend the program to run all week.

“I want to make sure that commuting students can get to their cars safer and students can get to their dorms safely,” he said.

In preparation for the presidential debate Feb. 20, Syed said he’s been reading up on University of Houston policies and his campaign has been working on setting up a website.

Since he plans to graduate in 2020, Syed said he wants to do as much as he can for the University before then.

“Realistically, I’m only going to be here a year, and what I want to do in that year is make sure I help as many students as possible and make as much positive change as I can,” Syed said.

News@thedailycougar.com

Progress necessities micro-finance; emergency response board of directors.

Cross-agency coordination foundation long-Evolution, safety implementation.

Moiz Syed standing in front of TDECU. | Courtesy ofMoiz Syed of Coogs Unite

Wednesday, February 20, 2019 | 5

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SGA

SGA presidential candidate calls for more representation GREG FAILS

FEATURES EDITOR @GREGFAILS

Student Government Association presidential hopeful Claude Johnson, who is with the EVERY COOG party, spent last semester working on the political world stage.

Alongside serving as the vice president for the Phi Beta Sigma, Johnson, a political science junior, has interned at the United Nations in New York, an experience that he said taught him about making bills and drafting legislation as well as the day-today side of politics.

“I was dealing with time-sensitive matters on my own that gave me experience that I think I can bring back to the student government and be of use to the student body,” Johnson said.

One of his main focuses in this campaign is sustainability, especially student sustainability when

it comes to issues like mental health.

“We believe student health should be at the forefront of the University by revitalizing the CAPS system and making it more accessible,” Johnson said.

“Hopefully lowering the price for low-income students so they don’t have to put their mental health as a choice.”

Another key component of Johnson’s platform is inclusiveness and representation. Though the University of Houston is one of the most diverse campuses in the United States, and in one of the country’s most diverse cities, Johnson said he doesn't think that has translated to the highest levels of the school.

“Our plan is to create an intersectionality council with people from different demographics so we could truly have an accurate representation of what is needed at this University,”

Johnson said.

The third and final main component of his campaign is accountability and increasing student access to and interaction with SGA, Johnson said. While he said the current administration has done good work in general, he wants to go further, especially with reaching students.

“We want to bridge that gap between student government and the students,” Johnson said.

Johnson said he answers any questions that come to his inbox on Twitter and has been tweeting his location on campus almost daily so students can come ask him about EVERY COOG, the election and how they can get involved in the campaign.

“We want to be a representation of all students, and we can’t do that without student support,” Johnson said. news@thedailycougar.com

HOUSTON

Claude Johnson spent six months last year interning with the United Nations in New York City as an advisor for Belize . | Corbin Ayers/The Cougar

6 | Wednesday, February 20, 2019

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SGA

SGA chief of staff hopes to be next president GREG FAILS

FEATURES EDITOR @GREGFAILS

Allison Lawrence has spent the last semester shadowing the current Student Government Association president — the position she hopes to have next year.

Lawrence, a political science junior and the current chief of staff for SGA, said her experience over the last year and the relationships she has built with UH administration officials during that time make her a strong SGA presidential candidate.

“I understand the way the University and the administration works because I’ve been working in it for the last year,” said Lawrence, who is running to be the SGA president with the Students Unite party.

One specific initiative Lawrence hopes to accomplish

in the 2019-2020 school year is the raising of the minimum wage on campus from $7.47 to $9 an hour, and she said she’s been working toward that goal with UH Administration and Finance.

“They support this initiative and have been helping us make a timeline for when we will actually see the implementation of this,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence said she also has had meetings with the associate director of the Health Center about allowing students to use third-party insurance to pay for services at the Health Center.

Currently, the only options for payment are a student insurance plan and paying out of pocket. “(The Health Center) has been really open with me about their policies and steps that it would take to get third-party insurance at the Health Center,” Lawrence said.

Other goals for the Students Unite campaign are increasing awareness and discussions about Title IX within SGA and establishing a Green Fund for environmental sustainability initiatives on campus, Lawrence said.

Students Unite has been working on a website and also has social media where students can find out more about Lawrence’s campaign, she said.

Lawrence said much of her prep-work for the presidential debate Feb. 20 has been simply talking to students across campus.

“I’ve learned so much by just talking to students and figuring out what are their concerns on campus,” Lawrence said. “I think it gives you the best insight.”

News@thedailycougar.com

Allison Lawrence served as the current administrations chief of staff over the last semester after running under Cameron Barret | Corbin Ayers/The Cougar

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LIFE & ARTS

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Self-sabotage: Why do students spread themselves so thin?

one, one that can knock even the

concerning exams, self-esteem and

The more coffee students drink

If talking to your friends is not

8 | Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Wednesday, February 20, 2019 | 9

10 | Wednesday, February 20, 2019

SPORTS ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR

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BASEBALL

Upperclassmen gunning for Omaha in last outing ANDRES CHIO

SPORTS EDITOR @CHIOANDRES

The Cougars baseball team has been a premier team in the American Athletic Conference for over five years, and this year's senior class has been a part of the team's greatest highlights.

The senior class has won league titles, Player of the Year awards and almost every other accolade possible, except for one thing: making it to Omaha and the College World Series.

The Cougars have had the talent to make it there, said head coach Todd Whitting, but it just hasn't worked out due to a couple key outs here and a few whiffed swings there. The team has made it far into the playoffs but just has not had the killer edge at the finish line.

Setting a standard With five conference titles in five years, the Cougars have expectations of making regionals

every season.

"The expectation level has been raised over the last couple years.

You can make that pressure, or you can make that pleasure," Whitting said. "We take pleasure in the fact that big things are expected of us."

After winning its first regularseason title in the American Athletic Conference in 2015, expectations were high for the Cougars.

The last three years have had its ups and downs, as the Cougars had a rough regular season in 2016 but managed to heat up near the end of the season to win the conference tournament.

The next season was a hallmark year. The Cougars won not just the 2017 tournament title but the regular-season title and hosted an NCAA Regional, an honor reserved for the top 16 teams of each year.

Pitchers dominated 2018 and lifted Houston to a regular-season title, though it fell short at the tournament and regionals.

Whitting praised the seniors

Senior Joe Davis has the most career home runs in UH history with 36. The slugger will be relied on to anchor the batting order, but the team has a lot more firepower than last season and there are no weak outs Davis said. | Ahmed Gul/The Cougar

and their leadership in the locker room for raising the team to its championships and said this

year's seniors have carried on the tradition..

SENIOR CLASS

Continues on page 11

SPORTS

Wednesday, February 20, 2019 | 11

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TRACK AND FIELD

Senior thrower in midst of historic season American Athletic Conference Championship would be the icing on the cake of an excellent season.

Record setting

Senior Taylor Scaife said she has elevated her game in 2019 due to her work ethic in the weight room and help from coaches. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

ANDRES CHIO

SPORTS EDITOR @CHIOANDRES

Senior thrower Taylor Scaife has established herself as one of the elite throwers in UH history. Scaife won five meets this indoor field season and reached a ranking as high as No.

SENIOR CLASS

Continued from page 10

Leadership Senior slugger Joe Davis said it was easy to lead this year's newcomers due to their drive and competitiveness.

"They came in with their own expectations, and they all want to be great. There hasn't had to be too much leadership involved with these guys," Davis said.

Still, Whitting praised Davis and the other seniors for their contributions both on and off the field. "(Davis) has been a leader of our offense along with some other guys. He's not the only weapon in the lineup, but he has been Mr. Consistent," Whitting said.

Davis has been a leader on the field since he arrived on campus.

As a freshman, Davis won the AAC Rookie of the Year award and

1 nationally.

Scaife has dominated the field so far this season. She has not lost a weight throw this year and has consistently performed at a high level.

It has been a long journey from Mississippi to Maryland to Houston, but winning the

he became the all-time home run leader in UH history last season after a steady career.

This season, Davis said the team has no easy outs in its explosive offense and will challenge the pitcher at the plate at every at bat.

"This is the most complete offense that I've been a part of," Davis said. "The energy, attitude and effort toward getting to Omaha is something special."

Scaife had her first appearance of the season in the Leonard Hilton Memorial meet. She threw over 20 meters on her last throw of the competition. The effort was good enough to win the event and was almost two meters further than the runner-up at the meet.

In her next meet at the Red Raider Invitational, she threw under 20 meters on only two of her six throws. She picked up her highest throw of the day on her third when she threw 20.93 meters, which set a new school record.

Scaife came back to Houston in the following meet to beat that same record once again. In the Houston Invitational, Scaife threw for 22.65 meters after she won the AAC Female Field Athlete of the Week award the week prior.

"It was a really good feeling having that big throw," Scaife said. "My teammates are doing well, and practice has been super fun."

While she has not broken the record again since, she is still undefeated this season, and she beats the next-closest competitor by an average of 2.26 meters.

To give her performance this

2019, and he said being a Cougar has been more than just success on the field.

The team has allowed Padgett to play the game he loves and has been a source of strength and comfort in challenging times, like he had last March when his cousin Blain Padgett died.

season a little perspective, she has beaten the men’s all-time school record, 19.10 meters, in all but two of her throws and broken the women’s record three times. But her performance this season is not necessarily surprising.

She had much success in her previous three seasons, and this is just the latest since she has arrived in Houston.

Big city living Born and raised in Mississippi until middle school, Scaife knew she wanted to move back south for college after finishing high school in Maryland.

Her only other qualifier?

Getting into a big city and away from sleepy little towns. Her research into universities led her to Houston, which had open slots on the throwing roster due to graduating seniors.

"I came to a family reunion here in Houston during my junior year and I was like, this city is amazing," Scaife said.

Between the people and the food culture, she fell in love with the city and made the first move toward securing her future in Space City.

She reached out to coach Will Blackburn about attending UH and competing for the Cougars, and he went out to a Junior Olympics track meet in Humble. As Scaife said, "the rest is history."

Padgett wears his cousin's initials on his cap and said, "I'll have those initials with me for the rest of my life. He's in my mind with everything I do."

Although his cousin, who he said was more like a brother than cousin, is no longer on this Earth, Padgett said he has gained new

After making Houston her new home, Scaife quickly had success. But this offseason, she pushed herself to new heights with a new lifting routine.

"It was the weight room that had a big impact," Scaife said.

"Just doing things that transfer over to the throws has been a big piece."

This weekend will be a big test for Scaife and one of the Cougars' toughest tests of the season at the AAC Championships.

Scaife won bronze in 2017 in the weight throw, but she is competing at a level she has never been at before, which has given her confidence.

"I'm super pumped," Scaife said. "We're doing some great work out here, and everyone is zoned in and focused. I took the weekend to study some film and rest."

Scaife will have another chance to add to her legacy at this season’s AAC Championships in late February.

The women's indoor track and field team will need her to produce if it wants any chance to win its first ever Indoor AAC Championship.

"The goal is to throw big, throw far and win an individual conference championship and a team conference championship, which I believe without a doubt that we can do," Scaife said. sports@thedailycougar.com

connections and family he will never forget.

"It goes a lot further than baseball," Padgett said. "Baseball is very important to me, but at the end of the day, the relationships I've made, the connections that I have and the family members that I've gained from the program are things that I'll never take for granted." sports@thedailycougar.com

Finale Davis said it was nice to finish 2018 strong, but his expectations for himself have not changed heading into 2019.

"I feel pretty good about this year. I have my own expectations for myself. I feel comfortable and don't really feel any added pressure this year," Davis said.

Senior outfielder Grayson Padgett is another of UH's best upperclassmen remaining from

Title hunt

Senior Nolan Bond will be one of the key depth players in the pitching rotation to that could help push UH to Omaha. | Ahmed Gul/The Cougar

12 | Wednesday, February 20, 2019

SPORTS ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS

SPORTS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5303

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Things to keep an eye on as Houston moves toward No. 2 seed JHAIR ROMERO

STAFF WRITER @JUSTJHAIR

It is that time of year again, and March Madness is less than a month away.

With the clock slowly ticking toward the NCAA Tournament, the No. 9/8 Cougars are hoping to earn a top seed with just four games left to play in the regular season.

Houston, who is in the Top 10 for the first time since the days of the legendary Phi Slama Jama teams from almost four decades ago, has already been predicted to be a No. 3 seed by notable bracketology experts.

If UH expects to receive a higher seed and an easier path in the tournament when Selection Sunday rolls around, a number of things will have to happen for the Cougars.

Houston has had almost no problems in the American Athletic Conference, but because the AAC sits just outside of the

Top Five, its wins are just not worth as much as some teams with two or more losses.

Fortunately for the Cougars, the selection committee is doing something different this season that might just catapult it to a more appealing seed.

The selectors will be factoring in the new NET rankings, in which UH is currently No. 4. NET rankings rely heavily on quality wins. Given Houston’s victories against then-Top 25 teams like Oregon, LSU and Cincinnati, it should fare better when seeded.

The Cougars must also hope that a couple teams ranked above it lose in the coming weeks if it wishes for a higher spot.

One of the biggest teams Houston must look out for is Kentucky, which lost last week to then-No. 19 LSU at home while ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll and NET rankings.

Kentucky still has its two toughest games of the season ahead of it, both against the

No. 5 team in the country — Tennessee.

Although UK only dropped to No. 5 in the NET, it lost to a team UH beat, strengthening the Cougars’ case for a better seed.

Houston should also keep its eye on the rivalry up north: No. 7 Michigan and No. 10/11 Michigan State.

The Wolverines and the Spartans are meeting twice in the next three weeks in games that have major implications for the Cougars’ fate.

Michigan, which just lost to unranked Penn State last week and which some have placed as the No. 2 seed above Houston, must split the games with its archnemesis and lose somewhere else for UH to move above them.

Both teams currently sit just a few spots behind Houston in the NET rankings. If one were to win twice, then the wins would ultimately boost it ahead, but splitting games gives UH a chance to stay above.

The No. 2 seed at the NCAA Tournament would undoubtedly help the Cougars.

Bracket Matrix, a site that averages the most accurate bracketology predictors over previous seasons, has Houston facing ff against UC-Irvine, No. 102 in the NET, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Having the No. 2 seed could

place the Cougars in Jacksonville, Florida against Radford, No. 133 in the NET. How the Cougars will be seeded isn't set in stone until March 17, nor who or where they're playing, but the right combination of skill and luck will decide their future. sports@thedailycougar.com

Houston finishing the season with just one or two losses is key for the team to take a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. | Ahmed Gul/The Cougar

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Wednesday, February 20, 2019 | 13

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THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/OPINION

OPINION

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713-743-5304

SGA ELECTION

SGA Presidential Candidate: Allison Lawrence of Students Unite ALLISON LAWRENCE

a larger variety of menstrual products on campus. The Cougar Card office collaborated with unning for SGA president me to pass the Transgender requires experience, Inclusion Act that allows knowledge of the preferred names on course University and passion to help rosters and on University the students around you. documentation.

Throughout all of my positions I worked to combat food on campus, I have strived to insecurity on campus by drafting make an impact and reach out to a survey to measure the problem as many students as possible. of student hunger and facilitated I started out as an ambassador a food drive on campus that to the Women and Gender collected 555 pounds of food.

Resource Center and LGBTQ I addressed the concern of Resource Center, which gave campus security by establishing me the opportunity to lobby the Cougar Pack, a safety escort at the U.S. Capitol on behalf of program run by student leaders UH. I became a Get Involved that functions as a supplement ambassador and spoke to over to UHPD’s current escort 10,000 students at every 2018program.

2019 New Student Orientation, As president, I would work Transfer Orientation and on attaining higher wages for International Orientation. students by raising the minimum I am currently the Chief of wage on campus from $7.47 to Staff in SGA, and I have worked $9.00, and eventually to $10.00. on many initiatives, including I have already started working negotiating with Cougar Chartwells to on this initiative by meeting 10-11760 News February_print.pdf 1 2/1/19 11:00 AM get better quality, cheaper and with Auxiliary Services and STUDENTS UNITE @STUDENTSUNITEUH

R

Administration and Finance, who support this initiative and are currently working with us to set a timeline for its implementation.

It’s important to advocate for higher wages because college is extremely expensive, and our goal is to help reduce the financial burden many students have had to undertake by simply attending college.

I met with the associate director of the Student Health Center to discuss the process of taking third-party insurance.

The Student Health Center is a service that every student pays for but very few can easily use.

I want to change this by advocating for students and their right to healthcare. I have begun working with the Office of Sustainability to start a Green Fund by reallocating a portion of student fees for a secure pool of

SGA: ALLISON

Continues on next page

Lawrence has a wealth of experience within SGA and has accomplished many initiatives that have helped students. | Photo courtesy of Allison Lawrence

14 | Wednesday, February 20, 2019

OPINION JORDEN SMITH, EDITOR

SGA: ALLISON

Continued from previous page funding for any green initiatives on campus.

It is vital that the University shows its support for sustainability, especially since we are located in Houston — a city with an economy fueled by oil.

I want to run for SGA president because I want to continue my impact at this University that I love.

Our students are the future — future doctors, lawyers, professors, and our future matters. I want to provide every student with the best experience possible at the University and support their aspirations through improving UH. Becoming SGA president will give me a platform to finish the initiatives I have started, accomplish new goals and help as many students as possible.

Allison Lawrence is a political science sophomore and is running for SGA President on the Students Unite ticket. Find out more about her campaign and goals by visiting the Students Unite website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/OPINION

OPINION@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5304

SGA ELECTION

SGA Presidential Candidate: Claude Johnson of EVERY COOG CLAUDE JOHNSON

EVERY COOG @UH_EVERYCOOG

T

he EVERY COOG party stands for the sustainability and inclusivity of the students and members of the Third Ward community, as well as the accountability of the members of the Student Government Association in its entirety. We strive to not only revitalize our community but to make sure that it is in line with the student body's voice.

I should be president of the SGA because I strive to represent not only my own demographic but all different walks of life here at the University, to serve as an amplifier and give the voices of all students the chance to be heard. My personal qualifications fall directly in line with my platform goals and ability to perform the duties of the president of the SGA. First, I spent more than six months working at the United Nations, which gave me skills in

The EVERY COOG party wants to connect the University of Houston with the Third Ward. Johnson brings leadership from various on-campus organizations and as a resident assistant at Cullen Oaks. | Photo Courtesy of Claude Johnson

communication and negotiation and gave me the knowledge on how to properly write bills and motions.

I have leadership experience on campus, such as being the vice president of Phi Beta Sigma and

the public relations chair for the Caribbean Student Organization.

This experience has given me the skills to plan large-scale events, operate budgets, work under severe time conwstraints and properly operate a team.

Finally, I have held two jobs while living on campus. I've worked at the member service desk of the Campus Recreation Center and as a resident assistant

SGA: CLAUDE

Continues on next page

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OPINION

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SGA: CLAUDE

SGA ELECTION

SGA Presidential Candidate: Moiz Syed of Coogs Unite EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF

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MOIZ SYED

COOGS UNITE @COOGSUNITE2019

I started out as an emerging leader in student government. It was during my time as an emerging leader that I wanted to focus on communication because that is the first step in representing the students.

This continued during my time as a senator, in which I played an active role in the implementation of the CLASS Career Fair alongside the CLASS ambassadors and University Career Services.

Throughout my time as Senator, I have tried to pass the town hall bill, which unfortunately didn’t end up passing. The bill would ensure that the senators are implementing town halls in order to effectively represent the students, and I hope to bring this up again as president.

Furthermore, I co-authored the Committee Transparency Act. This was a bill to make committee members public to the students so that if they had any specific questions regarding a certain committee, it would make it easier for the students to get involved and express their concerns or praise with committee members directly.

Communication has been the prime focus in plenty of my bills and my attitude.

Right now, I plan on running as president and making sure that students are successful around campus and making sure that the senators are accountable for their actions because, in the end, it is all about helping the students in everything that can be done.

I want a student government that represents the students to the best of its abilities and grants them as many opportunities as possible, and that is why I have placed so much trust in my senators and my VP. It was disappointing to me that we tend to flaunt the name of Student Government senator, but in reality, we are not truly representing many students to prove this. You can look over the voting results where roughly 9 percent of campus voted.

Now, this could be because of two reasons. First, not many students have adequate knowledge about the student government.

Second, many students have lost their trust in student government.

That is what my party is here to change, to represent the students and make sure we can make positive change for them.

We are here to help the students as much as possible. That is why we represent Coogs Unite, so we can stand together united in the

Syed has been a Senator in SGA for a year and has been involved in a variety of bills and events geared towatd communication. | Photo courtesy of Moiz Syed

face of struggle, because students matter.

Moiz Syed is a political science and marketing sophomore and is running

for SGA president on the Coogs Unite ticket. Find out more about his campaign and goals by visiting the Coogs Unite Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Continued from previous page at Cullen Oaks. These jobs helped me gain the ability to listen to people's issues and problem solve quickly.

On top of that, they've given me personability, which I believe is crucial to bridging the gap currently found between the students and the student government.

All of the qualities I have gained over my three years here on campus have made me into what I believe is a great candidate — a leader with a recognizable face due to my widespread involvement and a strong track record of success, who can be approached and held accountable for all that was said along the campaign trail.

I hope to be a pillar of change for the UH community and to be able to set the precedent for future administrations in the fields of philanthropy, campus outreach and overall enjoyment of student life here on campus, all while representing the voice of EVERY COOG. Claude Johnson is a political science junior and is running for SGA President on the EVERY COOG

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OPINION JORDEN SMITH, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/OPINION

OPINION@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5304

SGA ELECTION

Grading the debate performance of the VP candidates ANTHONY CIANCIULLI

ASSISTANT OPINION EDITOR

T

he vice presidential candidates for the Student Government Association gathered for their first and only debate Monday night. Candidates Maysarah Kazia, Nader Irsan and Natasha Ulow each represented their parties respectfully.

NATASHA ULOW Ulow is an out-of-state immigrant freshman running with EVERY COOG. Her campaign looks to increase campus diversity and inclusion for students of all backgrounds. She entered the debate with the least experience of the pack, but made up for it with her fiery passion and gumption.

Confident from the start, Ulow looked to erase any doubts about her inexperience. Confidence does not always equate to competence, however, and her lack of knowledge on several issues — including the Student Fees Advisor Committe and the responsibilities

of vice president — was exploited.

But like a true politician, Ulow capitalized on the follies of her adversaries — more specifically, those of Irsan.

Overall, her performance was commendable and exceeded expectations, despite her status as a freshman. Fellow underclassmen would benefit greatly in displaying Ulow’s level of maturity and leadership. For this, I have named her the runner-up of this year’s debate champion.

well-versed and knowledgeable in most of the issues discussed and gave clear answers to questions.

Despite his clear responses, Irsan's entire debate was overshadowed by prior tweets that could be construed as racist and homophobic. While he apologized for them and cited a lack of maturity for their cause, his response seemed disingenuous and lacked a sense of sincerity.

Rather then apologizing and simply moving on from the discussion, Irsan gave excuses for his previous remarks. It left him open for attacks and ultimately spoiled his night. While composed, Irsan lost the debate and receives last place honors.

NADER IRSAN Irsan is running with Coogs Unite and has the second most experience in SGA among the candidates. He has previously served as the Deputy Attorney General and his campaign focuses on campus safety and senate approachability.

Irsan kept his composure over the course of the debate despite being the victim of countless rebuttals and personal attacks from the other candidates. He was

MAYSARAH KAZIA Last but not least is Kazia. She is running with Students Unite and has the most experience of all candidates with over three years' involvement in SGA under her belt. The campaign she represents looks to implement higher wages

The VP candidates fielded general and direct questions, along with questions from Twitter to varying degrees of success. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar

for student workers and affordable health services on campus.

Kazia started the debate a little shaky. Her responses were wellrounded but she seemed nervous.

This anxious demeanor evaporated completely after a few rounds of questions and she quickly displayed her superior knowledge of the association’s practices. She was quick to correct her opponents when they made a false statement and had the cleanest debate.

She joined Ulow in attacking Irsan for his tweets as the two politely took turns jabbing at his

positions. It was a tag-team effort of WWE proportions. Kazia and Irsan did agree on one thing, that Ulow's desire to implement offcampus outreach to the greater Third Ward area should be focused on students first, then community.

Overall, her experience shined through as Kazia secured the spot as this year's vice presidential debate champion.

Assistant Opinion Editor Anthony Cianciulli is a broadcast journalism senior and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

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