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Written by: Amy Diaz Hollis

No parent ever wants to hear that his or her child is sick, much less sick with an incurable, degenerative disease that can cause bone deformities, learning disabilities and cancer.

But that’s exactly what happened to Olivia Lococo, U.S. Navy reservist and legal studies major at UHCL.

In 2010, Parker Lococo was born a healthy, happy baby boy, but at four months of age, Olivia noticed abnormal eye movement. She took Parker to an ophthalmologist who felt he was too young for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and was dismissive of Olivia’s concerns.

A few months later, Parker had a cold and Olivia took him to see his pediatrician. Upon seeing him, the pediatrician urged Olivia to take Parker to get an emergency MRI due to Parker’s worsening eye movement, or nystagmus, and his enlarged head.

Olivia took him to Texas Children’s Hospital, where a CT scan was performed.

“I’ll never forget it,” Olivia said. “[The doctor] came into the room, walked over to the wall and braced herself.”

The CT scan revealed a mass in Parker’s brain. He was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis, a rare genetic condition that causes tumor formation in the brain, spinal cord and nerves. There are three subsets of neurofibromatosis: NF1, NF2 and Schwannomatosis.

Parker needed immediate surgery to have a shunt inserted into his brain to alleviate brain fluid build-up.

The shunt was successful; the nystagmus stopped. But two weeks later, Parker’s belly was hard and swollen. The shunt had failed and Parker’s belly was holding two liters of fluid.

Parker would undergo 87 weeks of chemotherapy.

After treatment, the brain tumor shrunk over halfway, and Parker’s health stabilized. He is now 6 years old and loves going to school. His mother, Olivia hopes to go to law school after graduating from UHCL.

Parker, who wants to be a fire-fighter or a police officer when he grows up, and Olivia were invited by the Houston Fire Department – Station 94 to visit the fire station.

“We love it when Parker comes by,” said Nigel Codrington, captain of the a-shift. “We think he’s really brave, and he inspires us.”

In August, Parker went in for a routine MRI and the doctors found that the tumor had grown, but due to its location, behind the eye, it is inoperable.

Parker began a 52-week round of chemo on August 18.

In order to improve the efficacy of treatment, Parker needs genetic testing to determine which type of neurofibromatosis he has. Without a definitive diagnosis, Parker risks a chemotherapy treatment that could cause leukemia.

Olivia’s military TRICARE insurance covers only two of the three tests Parker needs, but the lab can’t single out the two the insurance will cover and run those alone.

The UHCL Office of Veteran Services hosted a raffle to help raise the money needed for Parker’s test. The raffle was drawn on Sept. 28, and the goal of $1500 was exceeded, although it’s still not quite enough to cover the test. At this time there is no crowdfunding set up for Parker’s medical expenses.

While Olivia is busy juggling her studies, military service and taking care of Parker, she finds her motivation from seeing her son’s daily fight.

“I get my strength from him,” Olivia said. “If he can do this, I can do this.”

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Written by: Lindsay Floyd

William Staples, the University of Houston-Clear Lake’s longest standing president, has announced he will retire from the role of president at the end of August 2017.

“I am, of course, disappointed President Staples will no longer be providing the enlightened and effective leadership that has allowed UHCL to move steadily forward toward excellence during his remarkable 22-year tenure,” said Renu Khator, University of Houston System chancellor, in a letter to UH System colleagues. “But, on a personal level, I understand his desire to leave the role and am very happy for him in that regard.”

Staples joined the UHCL faculty in 1979 as an associate professor of marketing in what was then the School of Business and Public Administration. Before becoming president in 1995, Staples served as professor of marketing, program director, associate dean and dean of then School of Business and Public Administration.

“President Staples will leave behind an astonishing legacy,” Khator said in her email.

During his time as president, Staples has overseen a number of major milestones for UHCL including: the approval of the first doctoral program in 2007 and a third this fall, the opening of the UHCL Pearland campus in 2010, as well as the transitioning of UHCL to a 4-year university in 2014.

“I am very proud of what we have achieved together at UHCL,” Staples said in an email to UHCL employees. “These accomplishments will make UHCL a very attractive opportunity for the university’s next president. I applaud the work of our faculty, staff and administration for reaching major milestones in UHCL’s history.”

Staples will leave the role of president at the end of August 2017, before the first freshman class of UHCL graduates.

“The university is in a great position for a new president to make an impact,” said Glen Houston, interim senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, on why he feels Staples decided to leave the role of presidency at an appropriate time. “President Staples will start Spring 2017 off with the 85 session of the Texas Legislature; so when a new president steps in, they will have time to learn the university and have time before a new legislative session starts.”

Bryan “A.J.” Johnson, Student Government Association president and master of business administration major, said he is honored to have known and worked with Staples.

“The amount of influence Dr. Staples has had on my life is irreplaceable,” Johnson said.

Staples is not slowing down in his final academic year of presidency with numerous ongoing plans for UHCL. A substantial new facility development at UHCL is underway with four new buildings breaking ground in 2016-2017. Construction for the Police Building is scheduled to be completed December 2016. The STEM and Classroom Building and the Recreation and Wellness Center are also scheduled for construction at UHCL main campus, while the Health Sciences and Classroom Building is scheduled for construction at UHCL Pearland campus.

Staples is also seeking approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering, which will create a new undergraduate degree plan in engineering education.

Khator said Staples’ retirement from the presidency is no doubt a great loss for UHCL as well as the UH System.

“Obviously, finding a replacement will be a considerable task,” Khator said in her email.

Khator announced plans to form a search committee this semester to find a successor for Staples.

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Created by: Kerry Kiehl

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Written by: Aaron White

Two students in wheelchairs were stranded on the Student Services and Classroom building’s (SSCB) third floor Sept. 13 from approximately 6:30 p.m. until 9 p.m.

The UHCL police department confirmed two students, both with disabilities that confined them to electric wheelchairs, were stuck on the third floor of SSCB after their evening classes ended when both elevators malfunctioned due to a possible short-circuit. It is believed a motor went out and tripped the breaker for both elevators, rendering them inoperable.

Staff from the Office of Counseling Services were among the first to arrive and offer assistance. Disability Services, Facilities Maintenance and Construction (FMC) and police personnel were called for help.

Pam Groves, FMC director of maintenance and utilities, called a service company to fix the elevators.

The two students were not carried down because, among several reasons, neither could go home without their wheelchairs.

“The danger with that,” Darlene Biggers, associate vice president of student services, revealed, “is responders have to take individuals down since the wheelchairs are too heavy to carry by hand and risk injuring the student if they are untrained.”

Biggers said she received a call from Cindy Cook, executive director of counseling, health and career services after staff attempted to resolve the situation for over an hour.

“There was a part where no information was being relayed to reassure the students that someone from FMC was on the way,” explained Cook.

Gavin Steiger, director of disability services, arrived after 7 p.m. to assist.

Since the situation was not life threatening, emergency services were not notified.

“If it was an emergency, a different course of action would have been taken,” Steiger said. “Emergency responders would respond, get them out of the wheelchair…get them outside to a safe location.”

Around 9 p.m. both elevators were fixed.

After the incident, Biggers asked Tim Richardson, executive director of academic support services, to bring together everyone involved to develop a communication plan between different departments for faster response times.

“There was a little confusion as to what was the police role, what was FMC’s role and what was Disabilities Service’s role,” Biggers explained.

SSCB has one set of elevators and no alternative routes for students with disabilities that prevent them from taking the stairs, other than emergency options. Currently, there are no ramps, manual lifts or generator-operated elevators/lifts stationed in the building.

“Sometimes I think we see if something isn’t a problem for a large number of people it doesn’t rise to the top as much,” Biggers said.

Steiger said there are methods to build ramps halfway, but current interior designs for UHCL buildings would not support interior ramps that would comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility guidelines.

Steiger suggests a concept called “universal design,” which strives to create an environment that is as user-friendly and accessible as possible to everyone that could be used in future construction.

Steiger explained the principal using automatic doors at a grocery store as an example; it helps individuals using wheelchairs, families with strollers or people with grocery carts equally.

“Incorporate that mentality and thought process to make things more user-friendly for everyone not just those with disabilities,” Steiger said.

Allen Hill, interim chief of UHCL police, said if the elevators are out of service, students should contact the police department at 281-283-2222.  The police dispatcher will contact FMC, who will come out and assess the situation. If FMC is unable to get the elevators working, they will call out a service company.

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Written by: Thomas Gomez

UHCL has one official gender neutral/family style restroom and one single-stall men and women restroom on campus.

The one family restroom is located on the first floor of the SSCB. However, it doesn’t appear on the SSCB map and, until last week, students had to request a key to access this restroom.

The single-stall men’s restroom and single stall women’s restroom reside on the third floor of the Neuman Library in the Bayou Building.

“It occurred to me that that could be something that people could use if they needed to,” said Casey Roberson, coordinator of library research services. “I just passed along that if someone needed a single use restroom, the ones here could be used.”

Multiple universities around the nation are adding gender-neutral bathrooms to their campuses such as the University of Buffalo and California State University, which added 15 before the beginning of the Fall 2016 semester.

The inclusion of gender-neutral facilities would create more options for those who have small children and for those with disabilities who require a caretaker. It would also address safety issues for people who are transgendered while the debate about being able to enter restrooms based on gender identity is resolved.

Ashley Green, coordinator for women’s and LQBTQ services, in the office of Intercultural Student Services, agrees.

“The average life expectancy for a trans woman of color is 35,” Green said. “One of the places where most of that violence is experienced is in the restroom.”

A report published by the Anti-Violence Project in 2013 shows that of all the victims of hate crime-related violent homicides, 72 percent of them were transgendered women. 67 percent of those victims were transgendered women of color.

Hate crimes against transgendered people have also occurred on college campuses in the Houston area. In June 2010, Lance Reyna, a transgendered man, was a victim of a beating and robbery at knifepoint while in the men’s restroom at Houston Community College.

“By having gender neutral bathrooms, you’re creating a space where transgendered people don’t necessarily have to put themselves into these scenarios,” Green said.

Josephine Tittsworth, the executive director of the Texas Transgender Nondiscrimination Summit, is a former UH and UHCL student. In April 2006, Tittsworth was instrumental in changing the UHCL non-discrimination policy to include protection against discrimination for transgendered students, faculty and staff.

Tittsworth pointed out that more than just transgendered people would benefit from the inclusion of gender-neutral bathrooms.

“It would be a positive thing,” Tittsworth said. “It would absolutely provide more options to people like a mother with a young son or a father with a young daughter.”

Gavin Steiger, director of disability services, acknowledges that while all bathrooms on campus are ADA compliant, adding gender-neutral bathrooms could provide more options.

“That can be one additional place to put ADA accessible bathrooms, and it would provide to all with a different gender identity and those with families,” Steiger said.

The federal government’s recent interpretation of Title IX states that all transgender students have the right to access bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity.

On May 15, 2016, President Obama’s administration released a letter to all public schools stating that they must not discriminate against anyone on the basis of sex or gender on the condition of receiving federal funds.

“A school may not require transgender students to use facilities inconsistent with their gender identity or to use individual-user facilities when other students are not required to do so,” the Obama letter stated.

The letter goes on to mention that the building of individual, gender-neutral bathrooms for those who seek additional privacy is encouraged but optional.

This interpretation was announced on the heels of the controversial House Bill 2 that was passed in North Carolina in March. The bill forbids transgendered people from using restrooms in government-funded buildings that do not match with the gender listed on their birth certificates.

This bill has sparked both support and outrage across the country. In May, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit stating that it violates the civil rights of transgendered students. In response to this, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory filed a counter lawsuit claiming that the bill is not in any way discriminatory, but this lawsuit has since been dropped due to budgetary reasons.

Texas law regarding transgender bathrooms rights is poised to go in the direction of North Carolina. Plano Republican State Representative Matt Shaheen plans to introduce a bill similar to the HB 2 to the state legislature. In the same way as North Carolina, this bill will force transgendered people to use bathrooms that match the gender on their birth certificate.

“They don’t understand what gender identity is,” Tittsworth said in regards to the controversy. “Your brain defines gender. Your body defines sex. Gender identity is fluid.”

The outcome of these events and how they will affect the rights of transgendered individuals remains to be seen, but both The Obama Administration and The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) have released guides on how to best accommodate transgendered students in public schools and universities.

“Schools should reduce or eliminate the practice of unnecessarily segregating students by gender,” states the model released by the NCTE. “In situations where students are segregated by gender, students should be included in the group that corresponds to their gender identity.”

As construction begins on the five new buildings on campus, Steiger hopes the university will keep gender-neutral bathrooms under consideration.

“Gender neutral bathrooms give more options to students,” Steiger said. “As more buildings are built on this campus, I hope that the architects keep this in mind.”

Genesis Granados, a student ambassador for the ISS office and the co-chair for the LBGTQ Student Coalition, said having gender-neutral restrooms are important because it creates a safe space for the people who need it.

“It is important to tell those that are in power that we are students,” Granados said. “We paid to come here, this is what we need.”

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Written by: Editors

The University of Houston-Clear Lake is experiencing growing pains. With the expansion into a four-year university, we have outgrown our current facilities. In total, five new buildings are coming to the campus including student housing, a recreation and wellness center, a STEM building, a police building and the Pearland campus is getting a health-sciences building. The estimated cost for all these new buildings is $153,575,000.

While it’s exciting to see UHCL expand into a larger campus, the buildings we already have need updates and better accessibility. Upkeep on the university’s existing buildings is suffering and needs to be addressed. Not only does this have an adverse effect on current students, but it also promotes a lackluster first impression on new students.

New students may be less inclined to attend a university with sliding doors that don’t open, spotty Wi-Fi, stained carpets, chipping paint, battered road signs and elevators that consistently break down.

Our facilities, maintenance and construction employees do their best to keep up with the demands with what resources they have, but they are understaffed, overworked and underfunded.

So, at what point do we as a campus body insist on more funding for maintenance and upkeep? Maybe if it challenges accessibility.

Two wheelchair-bound students were stranded for over two hours on the third floor of the Student Services and Classroom Building (SSCB) when the elevators quit working. University police were contacted numerous times, but it took approximately 40 minutes for police to arrive and discuss the situation with the stranded students. A group of students and student services staff stayed with the stranded students until they could safely return to the ground floor.

It is absolutely unacceptable to not have a contingency plan in place for exactly this kind of situation that does not require first responders in non-emergency situations. If ramps are not an option, then we require a service elevator or lift that operates either manually or on a backup generator.

This isn’t the only incident involving accessibility issues on campus. The Office of Veteran Services, located on the third floor of the SSCB, also has accessibility issues. The office is situated behind a series of two doors, neither of which are disabled-friendly. A quadriplegic student, for example, would need to call the office to ask for the doors to be opened, assuming he/she could get a signal on his/her phone.

There is also the challenge of restroom accessibility. If you are a breastfeeding mother, the parent or caretaker of an individual of the opposite gender or a transgendered individual you are out of luck. There is one family-style, gender-neutral restroom located near the Health Services Office in the SSCB, and a single-stall male and female restroom (one of each) on the third floor of the library in the Bayou Building.

This family restroom in the SSCB, however, is locked. There is no signage informing potential occupants that they should ask for a key, or from whom they should acquire said key. Upon inquiry, the keeper and location of the key is unknown. In addition, those who know of its existence believe the bathroom is not even operational.

A single, hidden, locked and non-functioning gender-neutral restroom defeats the purpose of accessibility. Each building on campus should have at least one gender-neutral/family-style restroom with a nursing chair, changing table and large handicap stall that is properly marked with an unlocked door in order to accommodate accessibility. Adding this restroom accessibility doesn’t have to come with an exorbitant price tag. At least one existing restroom in each building can easily be converted into a gender-neutral/family restroom.

There are five things every human body requires: air, water, food, sleep and elimination. Human dignity is compromised when we require a wild goose chase to utilize the facilities. We undermine human value when we make our campus inaccessible. Accessibility must be addressed in our existing buildings and be considered a priority in the construction of any new buildings on campus.

It is great to see growth at UHCL, and it’s wonderful that the campus is getting several new state-of-the-art buildings. While it’s normal to expect growing pains, challenges to accessibility should not be among them. It seems with all of the growth here at UHCL, some things have slipped through the cracks and UHCL is in need of some TLC.

As an update, in light of work on this story, the family style restroom in the SSCB is now unlocked.

If you see anything on campus that may need fixing, tweet a photo using #UpdateUHCL

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Written by: Anthony Huynh

Xioadong Ma, professor of psychology, adult development and aging, died Sept. 13 in an automobile accident. She was 39 years old.

Ma became a professor at the University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) in August 2010, obtaining her Ph.D. in philosophy from Bowling Green State University earlier that same year.

Ma spent her time at UHCL teaching classes in social science and psychology. Born Jan. 12, 1977, in China, Ma accomplished many things in her short period of teaching including a study conducted along side Chris Ward, professor of psychology and neuroscience at UCHL.

Ma and Ward did a study pertaining to the correlation between “Sleep and Depression,” later publishing their collaborative analysis into a research journal. Ward said he was impressed by Ma’s sheer work ethic and overall personality. Both were asked by a journal reviewer to re-analyze the data on their project using a technique Ward found unfamiliar. Ward said Ma took the lead.

“Xioadong just said, ‘I got this’, and had it completely re-analyzed and written up the next day,” Ward said.

Ma’s accomplishments can be traced back to her success at Bowling Green State University (BGSU). Graduating with a Ph.D. in philosophy, Ma was guided and mentored by professors in the Department of Psychology at BGSU. Ma’s dissertation advisor, Yiwei Chen, professor of psychology at BGSU, sent a few kind words to the memorial.

“Xiaodong was my graduate student and dear colleague,” Chen said. “During her graduate study at the Psychology Department of [BGSU], she was remembered as a diligent student, a cooperative colleague and a lovely person full of positive energy.���

The chair of BGSU’s Psychology Department, Michael Zickar, also sent his condolences to Ma’s family.

“The faculty, students and staff in the Department of Psychology at [BGSU] all remember Xiadong as a gentle soul, someone who always walked the halls with a smile and someone who cared deeply about using psychology to make the world a better place…we grieve her loss,” Zickar said.

Ma not only made an impact on her former professors and colleagues but on her students as well.

“I always loved her gentle nature…it was easy for me to see that she was genuine and sincere and tried her best to help,” said Samantha Grant, psychology major at UHCL.

Grant added that outside of class she would visit Ma in her office and realized how greatly Ma adored animals.

“She kept pictures of her pets in her office, and we’d share stories,” Grant said.

Because Ma was an avid animal enthusiast, in lieu of flowers, her family asked that donations be sent to ASPCA, Bay Area SPCA, Houston SPCA or The Humane Society.

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Written by: Trey Blakely

Person’s style reflects his interests as a child and the places he grew up. Elements of blues, southern rock, motown and classic rock can be heard among his tracks. His personal style on guitar is reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix and Dave Navarro, while his voice is harder to place. Zach Person sounds like Zach Person when he sings and plays, and there’s something to be said about talent so young to sound like themselves.

Person’s journey into music, from childhood to the edge of celebrity, has been driven and focused. His mom showed him music when he was young, mainly motown and blues. When Person was around 9-years-old, he remembers going skateboarding and discovered rock music. He received a guitar shortly after, and his mom, a local performer in North Carolina, gave him homework: Three Doors Down, Jonny Lang, Joe Bonamassa and Carlos Santana.

When he was 10-years-old, Person began receiving guitar lessons from Baxter Clement in Southern Pines, NC. Three years later he and his family moved to Houston where he started gigging with the band Project-X. Eventually, his solo career was born and he continued playing venues solo up until his graduation in May of 2015.

“Somewhere in the middle of the summer I saw ‘American Idol’ while living at my grandma’s house and thought, ‘I could do that, I could do at least as good as those guys,’” Person said.

Person auditioned online and flew out to California that August.

Person put his school on hold to pursue “American Idol,” but he did not put his music career on hold. He continued to tour and play shows, utilizing the publicity to gain experience and “independence.”

After the buzz from American Idol settled down, Person decided to take on more responsibility with his music career. Life after American Idol, and the time he spent on the road and on his own, changed his perspective.

“Even though I’ve been doing music for a long time, it feels like I’ve just started. People say, ‘You’re only 19! You’ve got your whole life ahead of you!’ But I felt like I needed to be out supporting myself, taking responsibility,” Person said.

Person said the hardest part about being young and a touring musician is trying to find balance between his life as a touring musician and his life at home. Person focuses on family to keep himself grounded.

“A whole week might go by that I don’t talk to my mom! It’s ridiculous. The other thing is to be patient and enjoy the ride. Success is a journey, not a destination,” Person said.

Zach Person is a rarity for his age. For as many musicians as I’ve met and spoken to, few seem as driven as he is. Even fewer have the experience to show for it in their sound and schedule.

Person recently released an album titled “Working on Tomorrow.” He’s also working on another EP, and is hoping to land a spot on the lineup for SXSW. In the meantime, he’s continuing to book gigs around and outside of Houston. He is currently competing in the  International Blues Challenge, where he will soon be on his way to the finals in Memphis, TN.

Zach Person is playing a show at the University of Houston – Clear Lake Bayou Theater Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. He will also be performing at the Kemah Boardwalk with his full band Oct. 1 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. When not playing shows, you can find him long-boarding with friends downtown in dark sunglasses, more than likely with a guitar not too far away.

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Written by: Joana Castillo

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Contributed by: Leigh Ann Shelfer, administrative assistant in office of university advancement

“A Fraud in Figlandia”

On the prairie, 40 miles northwest of Galveston, Texas

Thursday, September 12, 1895

Part 1

Could this be any flatter? The coastal plain spread to the horizon in every direction; the carpet of prairie grass lay still in the ruddy light of the late afternoon. Mosquitoes buzzed in the humid air, causing the man to wave his hand to prevent an insect from landing on the end of his patrician nose. Sweat trickled down his forehead. He mopped his brow with a worn, linen handkerchief before the salty water could spill over his brows and sting his eyes. Nothing like home, he thought. How I miss… No.  Looking back hurt. He would not think about the past. One regret would lead to another and another. Too many for a man only twenty-six-years-old. And then he would be paralyzed; unable to plan. He looked down at the once-fine handkerchief in his hand. New clothes. Definitely new shoes, he thought, noticing the scuffed toes of the ones he wore. People notice details even when they’re missing the big picture. There should be enough left. The purchase of the 3,200 acres he was perusing took most of the money acquired in his recent, gold mine venture down in Mexico. I’ll need a fancy buggy. Rent on a nice room. The best food when I dine. Handbills. A meeting place. Ticking off the items led to the realization that he must make haste before his funds dwindled to nothing. He wiped the sweat from his face again, dropped the crumpled handkerchief into the grass, and then turned to walk back to the rented buck-board parked by the railroad tracks that ran from bustling Galveston, up through newly-minted Alvin, and then north to the backwater town of Houston. Tomorrow I’ll need to start early. He stared across the barren plain again before turning the buck-board around.

Thirteen days later, a white, revival-style tent marked the spot where he had stood. The air was warm and the early-afternoon sun was bright, but the light had changed from the harsh glare of summertime to the golden wash of early autumn. He watched as the buggies and wagons approached from different directions, some alone, some in pairs, some in groups. He strode across the ground to extend his gloved hand to the woman in the passenger seat of the first arriving wagon. After assisting her descent, he bowed over her hand, eliciting a school-girl giggle from the gray-haired woman, around the age of fifty. As her husband and son rounded the wagon, the man raised his frame to its full 6’1” height and clicked his heels together before bowing. His short, light brown hair was parted on the left and combed into waves. He sported a generous mustache and a short, pointed beard below his full, bottom lip. He wore a dove-gray coat with covered buttons and a matching vest. His black bow-tie flopped artfully over the turnover, winged collar of his white shirt. The polished toes of his new, black shoes peeped from beneath the hem of his steel-blue trousers. “Good afternoon, sir,” he said, in an indistinct European accent that bore a British cadence touched with a Slavic undertone. “I am Count Wilhelm Zielinski of the Golden America Land Development Company. So glad you could join me today.” He decided in that moment to pronounce his first name with a soft “w” rather than the harsh “v” of his native tongue.

The woman’s husband responded, “I’m Pinky Van Horn, and this here’s muh wife, Eula Mae, and muh boy, Jordy.” A serious-faced boy, about fifteen years old, with a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles perched on his nose, stared at Wilhelm. “Reckon we wanted to see what this new town bizness is all about,” Pinky continued,  starting to offer his hand, then deciding to attempt his own heel click and bow, stumbling in the process.

The Count reach to steady Pinky while offering, “Please seat yourselves while I greet the other guests. I have an informative presentation which I’m certain will answer all of your questions.” Count Zielinski smiled at Eula Mae, prompting another giggle, and then turned to speak to the next couple as they alighted from their buggy.

The growing crowd, which included many who were well-acquainted with each other, mingled while Wilhelm introduced himself to each person, smiling outwardly in greeting and inwardly at the response to the handbills he had placed at strategic locations throughout the surrounding countryside. He had just responded to a question about his accent with the answer that he was from Poland but had attended university in London, when the loud bark of a dog startled him. Wilhem turned to see a stooped, wizened man enter the tent and remove his hat to reveal a shock of white hair. The man’s rumpled work-shirt bore a coating of dust which began as a light sprinkling on his shirt but grew thicker in a path down his pants to his muck-coated boots. The Count approached the new arrival only to find himself embraced by a shaggy, yellow dog who had reared up on his hind legs and placed both paws on Wilhelm’s shoulders, panting in his face. “Down, boy, down!” the owner commanded, and the dog dropped to the ground, but not without giving a sloppy lick to Wilhelm’s stunned face. Wilhelm drew a crisp, linen handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the slobber from his face. “Sorry ’bout that. He loves meetin’ new people,” the man offered.

“Oh, that’s certainly alright,” Wilhelm countered. “How charming that you brought your dog –”

“Honk!”

“- and your,” Wilhelm paused and looked down, “duck,” he concluded, forgetting to close his mouth at the end of the word.

The man laughed. “Oh, this ain’t no duck. This here’s muh goose.”

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Written by: Jeremy Gingrich

A recent study done by the Association of American Universities found that 23 percent of more than 150,000 female university students surveyed in the U.S. said that they experienced nonconsensual sexual contact during their college experience. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center also reported that 1 in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college.

The Sept. 2 release of Brock Turner, a Stanford University student convicted of raping an unconscious woman, from prison after serving a reduced term of three months has renewed attention to the issue of sexual assault on college campuses.

“I would agree that universities and colleges have often not handled sexual assault cases very well, but at the same time I’d argue that the criminal justice system hasn’t either,” said Amy Lucas, assistant professor of sociology and women’s studies. “The recent Brock Turner case, for example, shows how even when a conviction occurs, the outcome still suggests that perpetrating sexual assault is not considered a serious crime nor is it sentenced as such. So I think the issue is more widespread than solely a problem on college campuses.”

The reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2013 and the broadening scope of Title IX interpretation to include sexual assault on college campuses were two efforts by the federal government to provide more help for victims of sexual assault on college campuses.

“Those acts required universities to spend a greater amount of time and be more serious about paying attention to and reporting the number of sexual assaults on campus,” said Interim Dean of Students David Rachita. “There was also a greater emphasis placed on the level of confidentiality needed to keep the victims safe.”

Christine Walther, assistant professor of psychology and women’s studies faculty member,explained that many student victims across the country have felt that their complaints were taken lightly by the university they were attending. She also acknowledged that some campuses are much more proactive about investigating and addressing sexual assaults than others.

“Many victims of sexual assaults on campuses, both men and women, report being questioned about their role in the assault, being dissuaded from filing charges because of the challenges of prosecuting sexual assault cases or being put through a burdensome process only to have an assailant receive a minor penalty,” Walther said. “These experiences are not necessarily unique to college campuses, but universities have a vested interest in keeping sexual assault statistics low.”

UHCL implements the University of Houston System Sexual Misconduct Policy, which defines and describes prohibited sexual conduct. The policy also provides the procedure for a fair and impartial investigation and resolution of complaints of sexual assault by the university.

“The fact that this school is a smaller university makes me feel safer than a larger university,” said Jaelyn Greeson, accounting major. “However, a small issue I do have here is that the school does not have emergency call stations in the parking lot and the cell phone reception is horrible. So that does make me feel a little less safe here.”

The Dean of Students Office, Health Center, Human Resources Office, Police Department and the Counseling Center are the most recommended places for students who have experienced sexual assault to get the help they need.

“Regardless of who you go to on campus, we are going to get you all of the resources that you need in order to make you feel safe,” Rachita said. “One of the first questions we’re going to ask is if the student is safe right now and see what they would like to be done to feel safe.”

All students in the University of Houston system can download the Circle of 6 U app for their iPhone or Android phone. The app allows students to send a group message very quickly to 6 people whom they trust as a safety precaution, request for help or even to seek a timely interruption.

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Written by: Jonathan Chapa

Cristina Henríquez, book and magazine author, gave a talk titled “The Unknown Immigrant” Sept. 22 followed by a Q&A, reception and book signing.

Henríquez, who grew up half-American, half-Panamanian, will speak about identity and addresses common narratives about immigration. Henríquez is the author of “Come Together, Fall Apart,” a collection of stories published in various magazines including “The New Yorker,” “The World in Half,” and most recently her novel “The Book of Unknown Americans.”

Henríquez discussed the subject of immigrants in the U.S. and how people do not know about their backgrounds. She also talked about why there are immigrants in the U.S. and how conversations surrounding immigration are often over simplified and polarizing.

Henríquez’s book “The Book of Unknown Americans” is UHCL’s Common Reader choice for this year.

Wanalee Romero, director of the First-Year Seminar Program and faculty in humanities and Latino/a and Latin American Studies, said a committee made up of students, staff and faculty from all four colleges selected this year’s Common Reader. The goal is to stimulate intellectual conversation throughout the greater UHCL community, so the committee examines texts that will encourage readers to consider identity and points of view.

“So basically what the Common Reader Program is, is that we choose a book every year and throughout that year everyone on campus—staff, students, faculty—are all encouraged to read the same book, and we have conversations about it,” Romero said.

In writing “The Book of Unknown Americans,” Cristina Henríquez was inspired by her father’s Panamà-to-U.S. immigration story and other experiences of real people in Delaware, where she grew up. The book brings to life the varied human stories behind the ongoing debate about immigration through the eyes of characters from all over Latin America.

Jackie Rodriquez, literature major, states “The Book of Unknown Americans” is important because it reminds American readers that what is different from them is not always bad.

“People should read the text in order to open their cultural views up to that which may be foreign to them,” Rodriquez said. “They should read the text to experience a part of America they only hear about in political conversations or to connect to those that have had this experience.”

Rodriquez said there are many lessons that can be learned from this text, but there is one in particular she hopes that readers will take away.

“People who have brain trauma or any kind of disability are treated very similar to those immigrants,” Rodriquez said. “So many things were assumed about Maribel’s intelligence, what was best for her and even what she could achieve. This is something that happens to immigrant people as well, therefore I think that we, as a society, need to evaluate the way that we treat people who are not the same as us.”

Romero hopes what people learn from the event is to not be so quick to overgeneralize about who Latinas/Latinos are, to understand that everyone has a story/history and that there are a lot of things people can learn from one another as a community.

UHCL’s Common Reader Program will have more upcoming events this semester that are free and open to the public. Lupe Méndez, poet and educator, will explore dimensions of activism and citizenship in “Words on Education, Cultura, and Empowerment,” Sept. 27, at 3 p.m. in the Student Services and Classroom Building Lecture Hall. A film screening of “A Better Life,” will be held Oct. 8, 7 p.m., in the Student Services and Classroom Building Lecture Hall. Oscar Hernández of United We will lead a discussion of the DREAMer movement Nov. 9, 11 a.m. in the Bayou Building, Garden Room.

For more information about the Common Reader Program, visit http://newsroom.uhcl.edu/news/public-events-enhance-uh-clear-lake-common-reader-program or contact Romero at romero@uhcl.edu.

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Written by: Jhonatan Guerrero

Let’s be honest guys, waiting to get a hold of Apple’s new iPhone 7 or Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 is similar to waiting for a girl to finish her shopping spree, counting every minute on the clock for that particularly painful class to be over or, in my case, waiting for my girl J. Lo to answer back to my tweets.

For smartphone consumers, knowing what kind of phone to buy is important. I was able to narrow it down to two phones: iPhone 7 or Galaxy Note 7. But that was as far as I could decide without help. Which of the two phones offers a better design and features? Camera resolution for all my selfies? Type of software? Display resolution? Battery life? And finally, how much do they cost?

Obviously, these are questions to ask a retail phone expert.

On an expedition I go! Upon arriving at the AT&T store, I had a little bit of time to inspect and play around with the phones before a salesperson spotted me. One of the first things I noticed was the design of the phones. As I’m pondering which phone is going to make me look like a “Jefe” and fit my style, a salesman showed up to offer his expertise.

Pros of each phone:

The Galaxy Note 7 has a 5.7-inch display vs. an iPhone 7 with a 4.7-inch display and the iPhone 7 plus with a 5.5-inch display. The Galaxy’s S pen is even better now; it writes like a real pen. With a Galaxy Note 7, you can take photos like a pro.

The Galaxy Note 7 is water resistant, plays HDR videos and it is more securable than the iPhone. One new security feature is the “Iris Scanner.” With this new option, you can unlock your device by simply looking at your phone.

Both the iPhone 7 and 7 plus come in more variety of colors; they are both 25 percent brighter and have 3D touch. Both iPhones have an A10 fusion chip, making them the most powerful and efficient iPhones to ever be built. Even the LTE and Wi-Fi connections are better. Now, for the first time, both iPhones come with stereo speakers. This innovation is way different from last year’s model. Both iPhone 7s have the capability to crank up the volume really high.

Cons of each phone:

Samsung has recalled one million Galaxy Note 7 phones due to their batteries catching on fire. Some airlines are not letting Galaxy Note 7 passengers bring their phones on board with them. It has too many features; the majority of consumers won’t use most of them.

The new iPhones comes with EarPods that have a lightning connector. No headphone jacks could be a problem for some consumers. Don’t worry, you can still use your old headphones with a 3.5 mm headphone jack adapter (it comes included). Coming late October, Apple will release the new AirPods. These are wireless headphones that iPhone consumers can buy.

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus makes a hissing sound during calls.

My choice:

I decided to go with the iPhone 7 plus.

When it comes down to the price, both iPhones 7 are cheaper than the Galaxy Note 7. As a college student, the more money I can save the better. Also, I did not want to risk the Galaxy Note 7 catching on fire. With the IOS software, I get to download music, movies, books, games and magazines from a push of a button. I can also save that same media to another Apple device.

After listening to the salesman and trying out both phones, I found that Apple was easier to use, easier to understand, and easier to download games from the App store. Since an iPhone is easier to navigate, it is easier for a girl to type in her cell phone number. Come on guys, you got to be one step ahead of the game!

The iPhone 7 also made it easier for me to edit my selfies on Snapchat by using the puppy filter, the Coachella flower crown filter and the butterfly halo filter that all girls like… right ladies? Now, I’m convinced the ladies will watch my Snapchat stories instead of skipping them! My views are going to go from zero to a 100, real quick, thanks Drake!

The screen of the iPhone 7 plus is almost as big as the Galaxy Note 7, meaning that it will still be easier to swipe right or left on Tinder.

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Written by: Kate Gaddis

The University of Houston Clear-Lake held its annual university-wide meeting in the Garden Room Sept. 15 for all benefits-eligible employees.

This year, the meeting entailed a presentation on the school’s enrollment trends, academic program development, new buildings, budget and the 2017 legislative session, as well as the new opportunities and challenges ahead.

The first presenter was Glen Houston, interim senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. Houston spoke about the university’s enrollment numbers for undergraduate students and graduate students. The enrollment numbers increased for undergraduate students since 2013 but have been declining for the graduate students since Fall 2014.

“If you look at the total headcount from last year, we’re down one and a half percent in headcount,” Houston said.

UHCL is entering its third year as a four–year university. In Fall 2014, when the university opened its doors to freshmen and sophomores, there was an increase in undergraduate enrollment by 62.2 percent from the previous year. The number of undergrads who enrolled at UHCL increased from 5,386 in 2014 to 5,743 in 2015 to 5,950 in 2016. However, between Fall 2014 to fall 2015, there was a decline in the graduate program by 3.5 percent. Between Fall 2015 to fall 2016, the graduate enrollment has dropped another 10.7 percent.

Houston highlighted UHCL new accomplishments including the new name changes for the schools: College of Business (BUS), College of Education (COE) , College of Human Sciences and Humanities (HSH) and College of Science and Engineering(CSE); a new Ph.D program in psychology, and four new bachelor of science degrees in counseling (COE), early childhood care and education, information technology, and mechanical engineering.

The next speaker was Michelle Dotter, vice president for administration and finance. She spoke about the five new buildings planned for the Pearland campus and the Clear Lake campus. On the Clear Lake campus, the first building that is slated to open in July of 2018, is the Recreation and Wellness Center. Two buildings are set to follow in August of 2018: a Student Housing building and a STEM and Classroom building. Bayou Loop Road should be constructed by August 2018 to connect the new buildings. In January of 2019, the Health Sciences and Classroom building will be open at the Pearland Campus.

A new police building is in the process of being built on the Clear Lake campus and should be completed by December of this year. Renovations to the Arbor Building are also slated to be completed by the end of the year. The total cost for all the construction projects is $153,575,000.

Dotter said that the school was going to invest in making a ‘student gathering’ area.

“You walk around this building you see students everywhere, so we’re building in that type of gathering space,” Dotter said.

Staples returned to the lectern to discuss the financial matters, the Legislative Appropriation Request, part of the state budget process, which the university submitted this year minus 4 percent.

Staples also used the meeting to announce his retirement. He will be stepping down effective August 2017. Staples joined UHCL in 1979 and became president in 1995. He is the university’s fourth president.

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Created by: Ciara Suesberry

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Video by: Joana Castillo

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Written by: Liz Davis, Editor-in-Chief

The alt-rock band Garbage has always been one of my favorite bands and been an anchor in my music collection. (Yes, I am one of those girls who enjoys angry chick music.) The band has been around since 1993, so I have been listening to them for the majority of my life. They have consistently released amazing music, and though their sound has changed over the years, it has stayed true to the original form. When you’re happy, heartbroken, misandristic or so completely overwhelmed that you are experiencing all emotions at once, you can turn on Garbage, and they have a song waiting for you.

When I heard Garbage was coming to Houston’s Revention Music Center Sept. 9, it was a dream come true. The past few times they came to town, I wasn’t able to make the show. This venue was the perfect location for the show because it is small enough that no matter where you are you have a decent view of the stage. At the Jack Daniel’s Bar, they even had specialty cocktails named after Garbage songs including “I think I’m Paranoid” and “Only Happy When It Rains.” They looked disgusting, but luckily the bar was fully stocked with pretty much any bourbon you can want.

There were men and women of all ages and backgrounds in attendance. I’m pretty proud to say that Garbage caters to a larger audience than they get stereotyped for.

While the opening band, Cigarettes After Sex, performed well they were a little underwhelming for a Garbage headlined concert. Once Garbage finally came out to play, I became a 13-year-old girl again. Even though they are touring to promote their new album, “Strange Little Birds,” they played all the classics including “Cherry Lips” and “Special.” Lead Singer Shirley Manson came out sporting bright pink hair and jumping around like a ball of energy. She came out on stage and kept going and going like the Energizer Bunny until her batteries ran dry around “I Will Die For You.” Due to his leg injury, Drummer Butch Vig wasn’t able to make most of the tour, but he was back on the skins for the Houston show. While Bassist Duke Erikson and Guitarist Steve Marker engaged with the audience by asking us to clap, Manson stole the show.

One second she was bouncing around then the next she was crawling on the floor. When they played “Vow,” Manson looked like she was about to explode with angst. Her fists tightened with rage, her face twisted with hatred and you felt like she was singing these lyrics directly to someone. Manson’s on-stage presence was an emotional rollercoaster that anyone would be happy to ride along.

I’d have to say I was pretty impressed with Garbage’s performance. For a band to have stuck together for this long and still be able to put on that good of a show and entertain an audience of all ages really says something about their ability as a band. As a fan, I enjoyed every second of the show because not only did I get to see one of my idols in person, but she lived up to to my every expectation.