Houston quarterback Zeon Chriss (2) runs the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Houston, Texas. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar

The Cougars take on the TCU Horned Frogs this Friday in Fort Worth.

Houston seeks to break a nine-game losing streak against TCU dating back to Oct. 30, 1993.

They will also attempt to put their first point on the board in two weeks after suffering two straight shutouts at the hands of Cincinnati and then-No. 18 Iowa State.

History of the matchup

These two teams have matched up against each other 26 times and are tied with 13 wins a piece.

The Cougars dominated the early going, when the rivalry was first established, winning their first eight matchups against TCU.

However, the tides have turned over the past three decades, with UH’s last victory against the Horned Frogs occurring during the 1992 season.

The opponent

TCU made a name for themselves in 2022, when they finished the regular season undefeated.

Despite a heartbreaking overtime loss to Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship, TCU’s undefeated regular season earned them a spot in the College Football Playoff.

TCU defeated Michigan in a shootout 51-45. The Horned Frogs fell short of their national title hopes as they suffered a 65-7 blowout loss to the Georgia Bulldogs.

Currently, TCU holds a 3-2 record this season and is coming off an 11-point upset victory against Kansas on the road.

The Horned Frogs are led by sophomore quarterback Josh Hoover, who has passed for almost 1,800 yards and 14 touchdowns this season.

TCU does not rely on the run as heavily as the Cougars do. TCU’s leading rusher, sophomore running back Cam Cook has only totaled 259 yards on the season.

Instead, the Horned Frogs are led by their air raid offense with most of their scoring coming by the pass.

Senior wide receiver Jack Beck is the main threat for the UH secondary as he has totaled 647 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

Identity crisis for Houston

On the other side, the Houston Cougars have been working hard to establish their identity as a team as penalties have plagued the Cougars this season.

Through five games, UH has managed 37 penalties for 353 yards.

After a challenging 1-4 start to the season, the Cougars are determined to turn things around and translate what they do in practice to the games.

Houston, led by head coach Willie Fritz, will focus on translating their practice plan to the game and minimizing unforced errors.

“I just think we can play a lot better than we are playing”, Fritz said. “We just got to go out on the field and execute it.”

UH has been searching for answers on the offensive side of the ball all season.

The team has not scored in two weeks and only narrowly escaped a shutout in week one.

Last week the team alternated between both senior quarterback Donovan Smith and sophomore Zeon Chriss, neither excelled in the passing game.

This will be a crucial game for the Cougars to show out on offense against a weak Horned Frog defense, as TCU ranks 51 in total defense in the nation and has allowed a whopping 31 points per game.

Defensively, Houston needs to step up to the challenge with TCU’s explosive offense, which has tallied almost 39 points per game this season.

The Cougars have been solid in their defensive performances this season, and this game will be yet another test.

Rising to the moment

As the Cougars prepare for the game this weekend, they are aware of the significance of this game.

Snagging a win against the Frogs and breaking the long-term losing streak against TCU would give the Cougars confidence and much-needed momentum to carry through the coming weeks.

Whether it’s the Cougars breaking through to reclaim the series lead or the Horned Frogs continuing their recent success, this matchup has all the ingredients for a competitive game.

Houston will attempt to get their first Big 12 points of the season when they meet TCU in Fort Worth, Texas on Friday, Oct. 4 at 6:30 p.m.

sports@thedailycougar.com

—
“Week six preview: Houston looks to break historic losing streak against TCU” was originally posted on The Cougar

Even in an environment where sports have been transformed into global, multi-billion dollar industries, football is full of romantics.

Over the summer, several student resource centers closed due to H.B. 261. Since then, the mental health resources offered through those centers have had to find a new home.

In addition to the University Counseling Center (UCC),  the University of Utah had offered access to mental health counselors through student resource centers like the Center for Equity and Student Belonging (CESB), the Women’s Resource Center (WRC), the LGBTQ+ Resource Center and the Black Cultural Center.

Lori McDonald, vice president of student affairs, explained that the closures have led to the reallocation of these mental health resources. They haven’t gone away, students just need to know where to find them.

Where to Find Mental Health Support

When speaking on the reallocation of mental health resources, McDonald gave the CESB as an example. Before H.B. 261, the mental heath support staff embedded in the CESB were counselors from the UCC. They spent a certain amount of time per week in the CESB. Since this center’s closure, the counselors now spend this time in the new Center for Student Access and Resources (CSAR) and the Center for Community and Cultural Engagement (CCE).

“We wanted to ensure that there were still student mental health counselors in these support offices even though CESB needed to drastically change,” McDonald said.

The WRC and LGBTQ+ Resource Center also staffed mental health counselors. Those counselors now also reside in the UCC. 

The closed resource centers had mental health counselors because many of them had unique training that applied to the center they worked in. For example, the WRC offered counseling that used a feminist multicultural framework. This framework implements feminist and multicultural perspectives into a counselor’s practice. Not every counselor at the U has received this kind of training, however. 

Just because these specific counselors can’t be found in these centers doesn’t mean that they are no longer available to students. McDonald pointed out that when a student goes to the UCC, their first appointment is an “intake appointment.” At this appointment, a student will speak with a counselor about their mental health needs and goals. Then, they will be assigned to a counselor who is best fit to help them.

Additionally, to increase student access to mental health resources, student affairs has embedded counselors into some of the colleges on campus.

“Engineering students are doing their labs and homework from morning to night,” McDonald said, “And having a counseling office there and having a counselor they see all the time can help them access counseling a little more easily.” 

Mental Health Support and Its Regulations

The U has a variety of mental health resources accessible to students to ensure they are getting the support they need. This includes a 24/7 crisis line, individual counseling, group counseling, couples counseling, psychiatric medication services and more.

The state of Utah doesn’t directly require public institutions to provide mental health counseling to students. According to the Department of Education’s interpretations of Title IX, schools should help provide resources and support for those experiencing sex-based discrimination, harassment or violence. But, there is no requirement that an institution provides treatment or counseling.

McDonald explained that in many ways, the lack of specific regulations surrounding mental health counseling at public institutions has been beneficial for the U. This is because the resources the U chooses to provide are “market driven.” This means that faculty can continuously assess the needs of students and create resources accordingly.

“We have to adapt to student needs, and I think our students over the years have demanded of us more wellness resources,” McDonald said. “Our student government supported a mental health student fee many years ago that helped fund a number of our counselors.”

The mental health fee was implemented in 2018. Each student contributes $15 per semester as a part of their tuition and fees. This money goes towards student resource centers on campus. It also ensures that students don’t have to pay a fee for some counseling appointments. Group, couples and individual therapy sessions are offered to the campus community at no cost. Services like psychiatric medical evaluations and medication management appointments are offered at a fee.

Mental Health Education for Staff

There are also several resources for U faculty and staff to learn more about providing mental health support for students. McDonald said that becoming a JED Campus has been one way that faculty and staff can learn more about mental health in younger generations and provide support to students. The JED Foundation created the JED Campus program. It’s designed to help campuses assess community needs and create plans to address them.

Additionally, McDonald pointed to the Center for Teaching Excellence. This center helps faculty understand their role in student mental health. It can also help them implement mental health support in their own teaching practices.

McDonald said that younger generations have done a great job at reducing the stigma around mental health. She added faculty at the U are here to support students however they can.

“I think we need to constantly remind students to please, ask for help,” McDonald said. “Don’t be afraid. Don’t be hesitant. Sometimes [it’s as simple as] just asking if we have something that can help, and I don’t think that’s a weakness in any way.” 

The post Where to Find Mental Health Support After H.B. 261 first appeared on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

For the past five weeks, in between Willard O. Eddy Hall and the Education Building on Colorado State University’s campus, passersby may have noticed a table set up most days, typically between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Maria Moya, who is with a nonprofit Latinx community voter registration drive based in Fort Collins, occupies a table where students are given the opportunity to register to vote in Colorado.

“Our focus is on registering voters who are traditionally underrepresented in elections, which is why I am here on campus because this age group is traditionally underrepresented,” Moya said. “I think I’m in the sweet spot here because I’m averaging about eight to 10 registrations an hour.”

While Moya is not directly employed or brought to CSU’s campus by the university, her occupancy comes during CSU’s thematic Year of Democracy and Civic Engagement, in which students are encouraged to participate in civil discourse and related events ahead of the upcoming 2024 election. Information about how and where to register to vote is also made accessible for students, and Moya said she wants to make the process as easy as possible.

“It’s good mainly just (having) the reminder. I know how to vote. I know that it’s easy to register, but it’s literally on the way to lunch — it’s so helpful. I probably wasn’t going to do it until like two days before if it wasn’t in transit.” –Jack Olson, CSU student

“So many of them say, ‘Oh, I’ve been meaning to do it; how long will it take?’” Moya said. “Two minutes, here you go. Let me know if you have any questions. Students are busy. Why make it hard for them?”

Registering to vote, especially for students who have never participated in an election before, can be daunting. Moya makes it quick and easy for students running low on time. CSU student Jack Olson was pleased with the convenience of registering to vote with Moya.

“It’s good mainly just (having) the reminder,” Olson said. “I know how to vote. I know that it’s easy to register, but it’s literally on the way to lunch — it’s so helpful. I probably wasn’t going to do it until like two days before if it wasn’t in transit.”

Fellow CSU student Marcus Webster was surprised by how simple registering to vote with Moya ended up being.

“I was a little intimidated by it just because it seems complicated, but I came up to this table, and I did it in about five minutes,” Webster said. “It was really quick.”

The challenge for many students is that this will be the first election they can participate in. For students like Webster, voter registration can be especially difficult for those coming from out of state. Moya said questions about absentee voting and the process of registering were a commonality in her visitors.

“Probably as many students who sign up, I get an equal if not (higher) number asking about absentee balloting (and) that they’re registered in another state,” Moya said.

To keep students engaged and informed ahead of the upcoming election, Moya said she wants to ensure students are given an equal opportunity by providing valuable information about voter registration and absentee ballots.

“I’m getting a lot of 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds — this is the first election that they’ve been able to participate in, and they don’t understand how it works,” Moya said. “It’s been a delight. I see a lot of hope in this age group because there is a level of engagement that gives me hope.”

For students who still need to register to vote, Moya said she will generally be on the Eddy Lawn between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. most days leading up to the election Nov. 5. Further information on voter registration can also be found on the #RamsVote section on the Associated Students of CSU website.

Reach Claire VanDeventer at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.

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The post Classifieds – October 2, 2024 appeared first on Daily Trojan.

Boston City Council passed a resolution recognizing October 2024 as Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month during its Wednesday meeting at City Hall Plaza.

Bestselling Book Embraced by Millions as an Antidote to Toxic Positivity “Have a panic attack. You’ve earned it.”  When writer Dave Tarnowski shared these words over a serene nature photo on Instagram, he knew the meme would strike a chord with people who felt alienated by the relentless positivity memes inundating social media denying what […]

Metro Transit is adjusting bus and light rail frequency to meet the high demand for public transit around campus.

Adding extra trains and buses, hiring more operators and drivers, and coordinating with the University are all ways Metro Transit is addressing the needs of riders, Metro Transit Chief Operating Officer Brian Funk said. 

“We’re looking at more of a surgical approach, so where do we need the capacity specific to address the high travel times when these classes start,” Funk said.

Starting in August, Metro Transit lowered wait times for trains at light rail stations from 15 minutes to 12 minutes after 10 a.m., Funk said.

“We know that when trains are coming every twelve minutes, even if they’re the shorter two-car variety, that we’re not seeing (rider) numbers that are overwhelming,” Funk said.

Metro Transit is also looking to add extra trains during busy travel times, Funk said. This is meant to address the high number of people riding the train near the University campus, specifically the Prospect Park, Stadium Village, East Bank and West Bank stations. 

“We’re looking at strategies to be able to insert an extra train during those really high periods so we can just have one come through and scoop up people three or four minutes ahead of the planned train,” Funk said.

Funk said Metro Transit is addressing the high demand for buses in similar ways by scheduling extra trips near the University. However, construction around campus, particularly along 4th Street in Dinkytown, has complicated those efforts, Funk added.

“(The construction) eventually is going to lead to really good service, but in the meantime, it causes us to get delayed, primarily buses,” Funk said.

In addition to inserting extra trips into the schedule, Metro Transit is continuing to hire new bus drivers and train operators, Funk said. Metro Transit is currently training 50 new bus drivers and 17 new train operators.

To ensure Metro Transit buses run smoothly alongside University buses, Metro Transit has collaborated with the University for many years on coordinating their schedules with the University to prevent traffic and backups at bus stops, Funk said.

Metro Transit also collaborates with the University through combined public safety efforts with the Metro Transit Police Department and the University of Minnesota Police Department, Metro Transit General Manager Lesley Kandaras said. 

“Our police department has been partnering with the University police department to have them help patrol trains at certain points in time, but in general, there’s a strong partnership,” Kandaras said.

Kandaras said Metro Transit is “actively implementing” the Safety and Security Actions Plan created in 2022.

“One key part of that is increasing official presence on our system,” Kandaras said. “In addition to the Metro Transit Police Department, we’ve added additional layers of presence.”

Sometimes the “presence” is in the form of security, but it is also achieved through the Transit Rider Investment Program (TRIP) agents, Kandaras said. 

“Our (TRIP) agents are not police, but they are out riding the light rail, checking fares, assisting customers, answering questions, and really being eyes and ears out there,” Kandaras said.

Funk said since the program launched in February, Metro Transit has between 35 and 40 TRIP agents and hopes to have 100 by the end of next year. 

While ridership on campus is high, Metro Transit is still looking to accomplish its goal of increasing ridership across the city, Funk said.

“Even with the increase in ridership over here on campus, we’re still not anywhere near where the ridership was before the pandemic,” Funk said.

Fast-paced rhymes and riddles, satire and sexual innuendos will leave you exhausted from laughter. You might want to take your wig off if you have one.

Written by Davis Ives, “School of Lies” is a modern comedic adaption of the French playwright Molière’s play “Le Misanthrop.” The play is directed by Steve Keim in Bas Bleu Theatre‘s production.

While the setting is 1666 Paris, the play has many nods to the past, including the set, stage and costumes. This aids in the audience getting lost in the quick wit and impish humor, with not a single slip in the tongue-tying language.

An opening monologue is given by Philinte, played by Brett Schreiber, setting the stage with fast-paced chatter and whimsical body language.

The play follows several other characters but no one more crude and blunt than an aristocrat traveler dressed in all black: Frank, played by Jeffrey Bigger. The name seems off for a French man from the 17th century, but I digress. The play begins with Frank getting himself into some trouble with his quick wit and pompous attitude.

Frank then meets his match in Celimene, played by Julia Jones, who has an equally the satiric tongue. Celimene is an intelligent young widow who is involved in a lot of unwanted gossip and scandal — some even coming from the mouth of her closest friend Arsinoe, played by Kelly Foerster, who is very beautiful and desired.

Celimene comes along with three other unwelcome suitors. The first is Clitander, the rich one, played by Miles Horne. The second suitor is Oronte, the “romantic” one, played by Dimitri Balasopoulov. And the third suitor is Acaste, the simple one who comically and anxiously waits for her to choose one of them, played by Kaleb Hacker.

The play follows the trials and tribulations of these characters while getting themselves into some overtly and quite hysterical sexual situations, leaving many of them at odds. An example of this is seen in the relationship between Celimene and her very demure but ultimately very loud and brash cousin Eliante.

The play progressively keeps you on your feet, and I doubt you’d be able to predict the ending. The acting was spectacularly hysterical all around, specifically that of Sashko Conrad, who plays both Dubois and Basque, two contrasting characters with frequent outfit changes.

This production comes at an interesting period of culture when overtly sexist or stereotypical jokes are often frowned upon for good reason. Not to feed into trendy pop culture phrases, but it’s not that deep. I personally viewed such jokes in this play — like how the woman characters fit the trope of being naive, clingy or superficial and the obvious gay jokes that poked fun at the straight male characters — to have added to the ridiculousness and comedy of the play.

This play offered a playful break from reality, in which these tropes and stereotypes aren’t comedy and people live in real fear of being discriminated against, and I don’t think that we should take that lightly; however, I don’t think that this play was meant to completely combat the hypocrisies of society. I do believe that satire can be an excellent use of exposing hypocrisy and preventing further negative stereotypes and tropes. I also believe it would be a disservice to discard the incredible acting in this play because of the satire done — and done well.

The performance went by surprisingly quickly for a two-hour stint; losing track of time is easy when the persistent humor is so captivating. It will make you question where the time went and make you question if you could also pull off a periwig as well as some of the actors did.

This play is not something you’d want to miss. “School for Lies” runs from now until Oct. 13 with show times 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights and 2:30 p.m. Sunday nights.

Reach Jenna Landry at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.

Bestselling Book Embraced by Millions as an Antidote to Toxic Positivity

“Have a panic attack. You’ve earned it.” 

When writer Dave Tarnowski shared these words over a serene nature photo on Instagram, he knew the meme would strike a chord with people who felt alienated by the relentless positivity memes inundating social media denying what he knew to be true: “It’s OK to not be OK.” 

In a little over a year, Tarnowski’s Disappointing Affirmations Instagram account grew to 2.3 million engaged followers, and inspired a national bestselling book, Disappointing Affirmations: Unfollow Your Dreams! published by Chronicle Books this year, resonant as a funny-because-it’s-true, sneaky self-help book for anyone who isn’t happy all the time.

“After a long sleepless night of catastrophizing and rehearsing my inadequacies, I take strange comfort in Dave Tarnowski’s new book, Disappointing Affirmations.”―The Washington Post

Fans of Disappointing Affirmations have praised it not only for Dave’s humorous approach to hitting back at negative self-talk and our harshest inner critics, but also as a resource that has helped them feel less alone in times of struggle.

“That’s why I started making and sharing these Disappointing Affirmations,” says Tarnowski. “By making light of the negative thoughts we all have, I’m shining a light into the darkness where these scary things live and trying to show that they’re not so scary after all, nor are they unfamiliar. I’m inviting people who suffer in silence to feel seen, to look at a Disappointing Affirmation and say, ‘That’s me.’”

In addition to a nationwide bestselling book, the Disappointing Affirmations publishing partnership with Chronicle Books includes both a shareable 30-Postcard set ($12.95), and a Pencil gift set ($15.95) bearing Tarnowski’s witty and astute observations.

With the arrival of fall, its waning sunlight, and the approach of the holidays, Dave Tarnowski knows that some readers might feel seasonal loneliness creeping in. To that Tarnowski says, “It took me years to see. I was just one of many (many, many, many) who felt the same exact things. It took most of my life, but I finally learned how to feel less alone…” And eventually it brought him to one of his most popular memes, “Accept yourself for the hot mess that you are.”

Perfect for college grads, those entering the workforce, anyone facing burnout and fatigue, as well as fans of satire and sarcastic humor, Disappointing Affirmations: Unfollow Your Dreams! is available everywhere books are sold.

About the book

Disappointing Affirmations: Unfollow Your Dreams!
By Dave Tarnowski
ISBN:  9781797226668
96 pages, Price: $14.95

Publicity Contact
April Whitney
Chronicle Books
April_whitney@chroniclebooks.com
415.537.4253

About Chronicle Books 

Founded in 1967 in San Francisco, Chronicle Books is one of the world’s most admired publishers and distributors of illustrated books, gifts, and games for all ages. Its highly acclaimed list spans art, photography, food, lifestyle, pop culture, humor, self-help, wellness, children’s books, and stationery, among other categories. Chronicle is the home of numerous award-winning authors, bestselling series, and trend-setting titles. Chronicle Books is committed to partnering with artists and writers who represent the diversity of our world and to maintaining an inclusive and equitable working environment for its employees and business partners. For more information visit www.chroniclebooks.com