The Cougar Cupboard helps students battle food insecurity and their new location allows them to help on a wider scale. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar

In preparation for the Cougar Cupboard’s grand re-opening this past Friday, TDECU donated over $20,000 to help provide additional materials to the pantry and lessen food insecurity on campus.

The funding comes as part of TDECU’s continued support for the University and its $20 million partnership.

“With the funding that we have here, I can say about half the food that we’ve purchased is because of that funding,” said Cougar Cupboard program manager Jessica Haney.

The grand re-opening allowed students to tour the new location and familiarize themselves with it. Students attended different booths to be entered in a giveaway and enjoyed refreshments. 

Part of the celebration, senior executive chef Chad McDonald demonstrated how to make overnight oats using ingredients from the cupboard.

“We’ve done a few different teaching kitchens now with the Cougar Cupboard,” McDonald said. “In the same essence, we wanted to get the word out there about the Cougar Cupboard and then also let the students know that here are the ingredients and this is how it comes together.”

The support for the new cupboard has been nothing but positive, according to Haney.

“I feel like there’s such a communal feel,” Haney said. “Everyone’s here to celebrate this project that I’ve been leading for four years so it’s really special.”

The cupboard’s new location is connected to the University Lofts and opened in early April after starting construction last October. It is nearly three times the size of the old location.

The pantry’s new location is nearly three times bigger than the previous location at the Rec Center. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar

The cupboard was originally located in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center but closed last July when the Rec started its phases of construction.

At the original location, students could visit the pantry unlimited times throughout the week as long as they stayed under the 30 limit. The new cupboard only allows one visit per week but will still follow the 30 pound limit, and will be open throughout most of the week.

With new hours of operation, Cougar Cupboard volunteer and biology senior Abigail Napitupulu is looking forward to no longer being outside in the heat for distribution days the most.

“Not everybody can be there on Friday and they end up missing the opportunity of getting free food,” Napitupulu said. “Having it on campus and having it open multiple times throughout the week is really helpful for them and I’m very excited about that.”

Students must sign up before getting resources from the cupboard, but all UH students are eligible.

“I’m excited to see how it improves but also I’m excited to see students’ reactions to it if they haven’t already been in,” Haney said.

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“Cougar Cupboard reopens, TDECU donates $20,000” was originally posted on The Cougar

Jose Gonzalez-Campelo/The Cougar

A joint effort by the University of Houston Muslim Student Association and the Arab Student Association, the inaugural CougarEidFest will be held on April 25 at Lynn Eusan Park.

Through local food and retail vendors, organizers are looking forward to uniting the UH community and allowing non-Muslim students to experience their culture.

“You can get a little taste of Muslim culture,” said ASA Operations and public health sophomore Nour Khattab.

The event is free to enter, but all vendors will charge for their products. Money raised will be donated to the Muslim Coogs Alumni Network, which disperses funds to various Muslim organizations on campus.

In part with the two student organizations, food blogger You Had Me at Halal has helped get in touch with restaurants and promote the event to their nearly 65,000 Instagram followers. All available food is Halal, with cuisines including Indian, Pakistani, Mediterranean, Yemeni, Persian and some American places as well.

“We were very strategic about trying to represent the Halal food scene in Houston,” said EidFest committee chair and finance and marketing junior Abdullah Ghafoor.

The organizers are slowly announcing the restaurants on their Instagram, as a way to increase engagement and give students something to look forward to.

“I think people are going to be really excited because we just have so much diversity of what’s gonna be offered; a little bit of everything and a lot of people will have favorites that they will want to go to,” Ghafoor said.

While there will be mostly food vendors, students can get henna done or purchase hijabs, abayas and thobes from retail vendors.

Students are also encouraged to attend in their cultural outfits as there will be a small “Best Dressed” competition.

In the future, Ghafoor hopes to have more activities for students to participate in, aside from food and retail vendors.

“We were thinking about doing activities, but since it’s our first time organizing this and we definitely have some higher costs than we would have in the future, we wanted to not do activities for now,” Ghafoor said.

Planning for the event began in December and has been a growth opportunity for everyone involved, but has been going smoother than expected and support from the Center for Student Involvement has made the entire experience easier, Ghafoor says.

“Any questions we had, they (CSI) answered them,” Ghafoor said. “They gave us advice that we didn’t even know we needed.”

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan and was celebrated on April 9 and 10 this year. 

“We have two major holidays and this is one of them,” Khattab said. “We wanted to kind of share that joy with everybody on campus.”

By holding CougarEidFest after the actual holiday and closer to the end of the semester, students can take a break and enjoy the festival before heading into finals week.

“I just want it to become a yearly tradition hopefully, and I’m hoping it becomes a bigger UH thing,” Ghafoor said. “I want everyone at UH to be excited about it every single year and we just want to keep making it better.”

The festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Lynn Eusan Park.

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“Inaugural CougarEidFest to host local vendors, celebrate community” was originally posted on The Cougar

Salinas hopes his journey will inspire others to achieve their dreams. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar

A short-circuit fire in his home left 6-month-old Jesus Salinas in and out of treatments and surgeries, with doctors thinking walking was out of the equation for him.

Now a business sophomore, Salinas has gained the attention of the University and its community through his running videos on Instagram, one of which has over 600,000 views and counting.

“Anybody can go out and run if they wanted to but no one’s doing it, that’s the thing,” Salinas said. “You’ve got to take action. If you’re scared to do it, start right now.”

Despite initial hesitation to post himself and his runs, Salinas was convinced by a friend and realized that it’s not about him, but about what it represents.

“People are watching it, and it’s inspiring other people to chase whatever they desire and hopefully it impacts somebody in a positive way,” Salinas said.

Salinas’ most popular video called out to the University, promising he would run a half marathon around campus if the post received a comment from UH’s official Instagram account, which shortly followed. 

With the University and hundreds of thousands of viewers behind him, Salinas donned his UH red and knocked out the half marathon.

This, however, was just a step toward running a full marathon, which Salinas completed only one week later after five weeks of preparation.

“That took a toll on my body after but seeing a dream that you think is impossible and then actually doing it, there’s no better feeling than that,” Salinas said.

Before the big race, Salinas ran 169 miles in 31 days, averaging 28 miles a week.

Finishing a marathon was Salinas’ goal before turning 20, but he’s not stopping anytime soon with an upcoming 5k and plans to run next year’s Houston marathon.

“Who knows what I’m gonna do for 20,” Salinas said. “20 can be something different, but just having something once a year that kind of scared you but you accomplished it anyway, that’s just amazing.”

Salinas ran nearly 200 miles in preparation for his marathon. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar

As part of his journey to the finish line, Salinas found support through Team Catapult, an organization “that aims to catapult physically challenged individuals” in different sports, and Freaks Run Club.

Both organizations align with Salinas’ goals and values, and he’s worked to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with them, as they get support from each other.

Salinas started running at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and since then, has found ways to adapt to challenges thrown at him. Unable to hold a water bottle while running, Salinas found a vest that holds a compressible water bottle and his phone.

“For running specifically, I think the hardest thing for me was just being consistent and figuring out what I have to do to get to the end goal,” Salinas said.

On top of running, Salinas is making the most out of his university experience and is working toward joining the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship, and is currently part of Spirit of Houston, Undergraduate Real Estate Scholars, Bauer Honors and volunteers for New ELMNT, who recently held Taste of Texas.

In order to balance his classes, organizations and running schedule, Salinas woke up early and slept late and while it wasn’t always the easiest, he knew the only way to achieve his goal was to work for it. 

“It was really hard getting up really early,” Salinas said. “You’re the only one out there, there’s nobody out there cheering you on.”

While Salinas says most people in his position might have self pity for themselves, his relationship with God, living each day like it’s his last and doing what scares him has kept pushing him forward.

“There’s only so much I can do but God gives me the strength to do all this other stuff,” Salinas said. “And without him I really wouldn’t be here, so every day is just a blessing.”

Salinas’ close friends and family, namely his mom, have been his biggest supporters.

“She’s taught me everything I need to know and she always pushed me to be independent,” Salinas said. 

After spending his younger years in and out of Shriners Hospital for Children, Salinas praises his nurses and doctors for teaching him his values.

“I grew up with nurses instead of classmates,” Salinas said. “They were the ones that pushed me to be independent and to think for myself and just adapt in different ways.”

As Salinas ventures deeper into the entrepreneurship world, he hopes to someday be the one providing support for the hospital.

“My ultimate goal with business is to create something or take over a business, but be able to give back to community. Give back to Shriners, that’s my ultimate goal is just to give back to them the way they gave back to me,” he said.

For people struggling with motivation, Salinas said to simply ask yourself how badly you want it.

“If you’re not acting on your goals and desires, then they’re just dreams,” Salinas said. “You really don’t want to live life with regrets, live life to the fullest.”

At a campus with over 40,000 students, Salinas hopes to reach at least one person and show “what it means to be a Cougar.”

“Maybe you can’t reach everybody, but you could reach that one person that really needs it and impact their life,” Salinas said. “Everything I’ve been doing is just to prove to myself that there’s another barrier that you could break and there’s something else after that.”

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“Indomitable: UH student barrels through injury, adversity in inspiring half-marathon” was originally posted on The Cougar

Len Duenas/The Cougar

For days you have a long trek around campus, the weather isn’t in your favor or you just need a more convenient option, the Cougar Line shuttle is available to all students and will take you to and from various locations on campus.

While the Sugar Land shuttle requires a permit, the routes around campus don’t require one and are easy to hop on and off.

The UHGo app is the key to unlocking the shuttles. Once opening the app, select “Getting Around” from the menu and all of the information needed to work the shuttles is displayed.

There are three routes: North, Student Center/Zone D and Philip Guthrie Hoffman/Zone E. Parking and Transportation Services’ website lists the stops for each route, making it easy to decide which works best for you.

Also available is a live tracker, which allows you to track the shuttles active location and see a map of the routes. Between the live tracker and map, the shuttle services are relatively user-friendly.

Cougar Line is available Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., but UH has you covered after hours with Cougar Ride.

The late night service can drop you off at any of the designated shuttle stops that Cougar Line offers, along with the MD Anderson Library and Cougar Village/Moody Towers.

Unlike Cougar Line, rides must be requested by each user when utilizing Cougar Ride. The service is available Monday-Thursday, 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., and users can begin requesting rides at 6 p.m. through the UHGo app.

However, Cougar Ride notes that it doesn’t operate when there are home football games and hours might change due to holidays or unforeseen circumstances.

If there’s a more specific location you need to go to and feel unsafe doing so, the UH Police Department has a security escort service which provides users with an officer to escort you around locations across campus.

The options provided by Parking and UHPD make getting around campus a breeze, so test them out and see what works best for you.

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“Shuttle guide: Breaking down campus transportation options” was originally posted on The Cougar

Student organizations were asked to stop chalking after Students for Justice in Palestine chalked in Butler Plaza. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar

In recognition of Israeli Apartheid Week, the University of Houston chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine is hosting on-campus events and showing support for Palestinian liberation.

While SJP’s initial plan was to chalk outside of Butler Plaza the entire week, student organizations were emailed by the Center for Student Involvement assistant director Allyson Yolland on Tuesday that they aren’t allowed to “chalk” on campus.

“Please note that if your organization is found doing so, you could get reported to the Dean of Students office and your organization could get suspended,” the email read.

The UH Freedom of Expression page also explicitly states chalking is not allowed.

“We wanted to take the opportunity to remind student leaders of existing policies, community standards, and ensure that we are all being good stewards of our space on campus,” said CSI Director Katy Kaesebier.

However, some SJP members have noted that other student organizations, such as the UH chapter of Young Conservatives of Texas, have chalked previously without interference.

“UH is uncomfortable with students chalking against genocide but not uncomfortable with the fact that their investments fund genocide,” SJP said in an Instagram story.

The organization also posted on Wednesday that they were moved from Butler Plaza but despite this initial hiccup, SJP switched gears and is now using large strips of paper and color markers to display their message near the side of MD Anderson Library.

“The student body will not be silenced,” SJP said in an Instagram story. “We have shown the administration where we stand and we will continue to find different methods of expressing our demands.”

Aside from the visual projects, the organization’s speaker-led events are continuing without interruption.

The first IAW event, Empire Abroad, consisted of a student-led panel discussing imperialism and its impact on not only Palestine, but also other countries including the Philippines, Kashmir and other regions.

“We’re connecting the resistance struggles there and the militarism that has been backed mainly by the U.S. and global superpowers that continuously subjugate the people and take advantage of the region or materials,” said an SJP officer who preferred not to be identified.

On Thursday, Empire at Home will focus on internal oppression in the U.S., such as in Puerto Rico, Hawaii and Houston.

On top of the weeklong events, SJP is also asking students to participate in a complete economic strike and to sign a pledge urging UH leaders to divest from “companies that profit from apartheid, militarism, and death.”

This isn’t the first time this movement has occurred. UH Divest and SGA successfully passed a resolution in 2022 to ask the University to cease their investments in multiple arms manufacturing companies.

Students raise awareness of brands sold on-campus to boycott. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar

In the most recent Student Government Association election, over 60% of voters were in favor of the removal of Starbucks and McDonald’s, something SJP is advocating for.

“We’re trying to get the University to divest from arms manufacturers and also get rid of the McDonald’s and Starbucks on campus, and also Sabra and any company that essentially invests or funds genocide in any kind of way.”

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“Washed away: Palestinian students asked to cease chalking” was originally posted on The Cougar

The temporary installation Havah… to Breathe, Air, Life  has caused UH students and alumni to call for its removal. | Anh Le/The Cougar

The campus’s newest temporary art exhibit, Havah… to Breathe, Air, Life has sparked controversy among the UH community. The uproar ranges from some who believe the work is inspired by “satanic” themes, to others who have simply objected to it’s placement in one of UH’s few green spaces. 

The sculpture is a co-commission between the Public Art University of Houston System and Madison Square Park Conservancy, and is “a grand allegorical female figure that allows for multiple meanings and possibilities,” according to UHS Public Art.

While the opening ceremony of Shahzia Sikander’s exhibit isn’t until Feb. 28, that hasn’t prevented students and alumni from expressing their disdain toward the artwork.

“I absolutely despise it,” said global hospitality leadership junior Aaron Stollings. “I want it to be removed immediately. It’s satanic, and it represents evil values.”

Some alumni have also expressed similar opinions, adding the belief that the artwork is a dedication to “child sacrifice.”

“It is a Satanic monument to child sacrifice and it should be burned with fire,” said alumnus Joe Wilson. “Any medical professional will tell you of the pain and suffering a fetus experiences when he or she is ‘terminated.’ Don’t take my word for it, look it up. Hedonism will destroy this country.”

In a published Q&A about the collection, the University of Houston System Public Art Committee discussed how it came to the decision of displaying Sikander’s work, saying it “gives representation to diversity of the University and the city.”

The committee also elaborated on how elements in Sikander’s exhibit are a testament to the glass ceiling, “resilience of the feminine” and the ability to have roots across multiple cultures.

“I like to believe that the function of art is to allow multiple meanings and possibilities, to open up space for a more just world,” Sikander said. “How we experience art, how we respond to it and how we interpret it is an open-ended premise.”

Despite the uproar, the sentiment behind the piece resonated with some students. For anthropology sophomore Emme Tomasello, the controversial nature of the sculpture is a testament to its allure.

“I think the statue is fine—rather, I think it should stay up even more after seeing everyone complaining about it,” Tomasello said. “Art should spark conversation, and as a secular university, having satanic imagery is simply not enough of a reason to tear it down.”

Others, like geological and earth sciences student Noah Monreal, are in support of the sculpture and criticized the assumptions some students have made, but also dislike the statue being placed near the Cullen fountains.

“I also believe that those who say the statue is demonic clearly haven’t done their research on the piece and the artist,” Monreal said. “My only critique is that the location could’ve been nicer, I liked sitting in that patch of grass and listening to the water.”

As a temporary installation, the exhibit is set to be removed Oct. 31. While the University has not made any official comment in response to the backlash, the Student Government Association introduced a resolution at its most recent meeting calling for the removal of the sculpture. 

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“Between good and evil: Campus divided over new public art installation” was originally posted on The Cougar

The Transportation and Parking Advisory Committee proposed plans to gradually increase permit rates. | File photo

In a virtual town hall, the Transportation and Parking Advisory Committee proposed plans to gradually increase permit rates in most garages and lots.

TPAC, which is comprised of students, faculty and staff, considered five factors when determining new rates: unknown expenses, convenience, decreasing the price gap between zones and garages, reducing parking citations issued in the first two weeks and preparing for the future.

“These rates are proposed and are actually pending the approval of the University of Houston System Board of Regents,” said Assistant Director of Parking & Transportation Richard Zagrzecki. “They will be meeting later in February so these aren’t actually approved yet. They’re the proposed rates so they won’t actually go into effect or be approved until after the BOR votes on them.”

If the new rates are approved, the most in-demand lots — B and C — will see a 15% increase in the next three years and evening out at a 3% increase after. By fiscal year 29, the East and Gateway garages and Zones B and C will be the same price at $765 each.

The only garages to see a potential price decrease — the East and Gateway garages — are also the least in demand, according to TPAC Chair Salik Faisal. Current rates start at $800, but the proposed rate bring that price down to $700 followed by a 3% increase each year after.

“It allows us to, over time, close the gap between the most in-demand zone parking and the least in-demand garage parking,” Faisal said. “Doing it over a portion of three years basically allows us to incrementally target that issue.”

Parking’s projected revenue and expenses will break even, with the majority of revenue being generated through student permits and the majority of expenses spent on debt payments. The full breakdown of the department’s expected revenue and expenses can be viewed through its recorded town hall.

“One of the things that we wanted to look at is a way that we can make this relatively more predictable and stable so that students can expect to know what they’re getting over the next few years whenever they’re planning financially for their academics,” Faisal said.

If approved by the Board of Regents during their meeting on Feb. 21, the proposed parking rates will go into effect beginning FY25.

Parking rates have been a hot topic for years and in 2022, the 58 Administration of the UH Student Government Association attempted to implement a $25 fee for all students, which would freeze permit prices for two years.

The required fee would go towards funding amenities like Cougar Ride and Cougar Line, but was ultimately struck down as it failed to gain the senate’s vote.

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“Parking proposes rate hikes at recent town hall meeting” was originally posted on The Cougar

The Cougar Cupboard’s new location is on track to open later this spring. | File photo

The on-campus food bank, Cougar Cupboard, is on track to open their new location April 5.

The new destination will replace the old parking office in the University Lofts and will be nearly three times the size of the cupboard’s previous location in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center.

“We’re on the first floor of the residence hall, so it’s gonna be a lot more accessible and a lot more visible, which is really, really important to us,” said Jessica Haney, a Cougar Cupboard program manager .

The plan to move was announced last summer and construction started in October. With the first phase of construction finishing ahead of time, the cupboard’s employees have extra time to complete the second and final part of the new location.

“We were told that it’d be ending in February and then they finished right before we got off for break,” Haney said. “It was the best holiday gift.”

Phase one of construction consisted of redoing the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to make it more suitable for the pantry’s needs, according to Haney. The improvements included installing an air curtain and changing the electrical wiring to support multiple refrigerators and freezer units.

“It feels like it’s been more tailored for us, which is really nice,” Haney said.

Phase two relies more heavily on the cupboard’s staff. They will be responsible for the finishing touches of organizing the food racks, messing around with floor plans and training new employees.

Aside from size and location, students will also notice that they are now allowed only one visit per week instead of the come-as-you-go method. However, students can still take home up to 30 pounds per week. Haney said she’s seen students even get creative by bringing suitcases and friends to help carry all their extra groceries.

Due to ongoing construction at the Rec Center, the cupboard’s previous location closed last July.

With continuous support from the Houston Food Bank, weekly distributions are continued to be held outside Student Center South.

A grant recommended by the Student Fees Advisory Committee would help provide the cupboard freedom to purchase staple items they might not always receive from their suppliers, such as bread and milk.

Because distributions are currently once a week instead of three to four times per week, Cougar Cupboard 2 or the Personal Early Educational Performance Support Pantry, collaborated with Cougar Cupboard to increase their hours and keep the pantry well-stocked with non-perishables.

“We know that it’s not a perfect solution and that it’s not the same as when we’re open full-time, but we feel like there’s at least some options for students and we also know it is temporary,” Haney said.

Once the main cupboard reopens, PEEPS Pantry will continue to keep everything stocked but will likely reduce their hours.

“Cougar Cupboard 2 will still serve the needs of the students and as we have for the past two years, will continue to collaborate with Cougar Cupboard whenever possible,” said PEEPS director Laura Lee. “It’s a team effort.”

Since opening in 2020, the cupboard has had nearly 7,000 enrollments and before its closure last spring, was seeing 800 visits per week and supplying students with pantry staples, frozen food, household essentials and more.

Any student regardless of income, classification status and housing status can use the Cougar Cupboard. The only requirement is to currently be enrolled in at least one class and to fill out a sign up form before visiting the cupboard. 

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“Cougar Cupboard new location to open in April” was originally posted on The Cougar