Kristopher Sharp, UH-Downtown vice presidential candidate for the Student Government Association, was targeted in anonymously posted fliers across campus that attack him for being HIV-positive. | Courtesy of Kristopher Sharp

The UH-Downtown police department launched a criminal investigation last week into the circulation of fliers that targeted the sexual orientation and HIV-positive status of a potential candidate for student body vice president.

Social work junior Kristopher Sharp, and his planned running mate, applied mathematics junior Isaac Valdez, meet the stipulations for running and are working to complete all the required paperwork but have not yet been approved.

The front of the flier had the words “WANT AIDS?” above a picture of Sharp with a large X on it, and “Don’t support the Isaac and Kris homosexual agenda” at the bottom. On the back was medical information from a physician visit, including his HIV status and prescribed medication, along with his home address and telephone number.

Director of Media Relations Claire Caton said the university is seriously addressing the situation and trying to find the person responsible.

“We’re taking this incident very seriously,” Caton said. “Of course, any time our students’ rights are violated, we take that very seriously.”

When Dean of Students Tommy Thomason called Sharp into his office Tuesday morning, Sharp said he thought he wanted to talk to him about the election — the actual objective was to gather information for campus police to begin an internal criminal investigation.

Sharp said the first thing he wondered about when he found out was how quickly he could change schools.

“I knew my sexuality could possibly be an issue — I didn’t really think it would be since it’s 2013,” Sharp said. “I was expecting some attacks, maybe some debates, but I never would have thought it would go to the level it went to.”

He was shocked to hear everything was protected under the First Amendment and could not be considered hate speech because proper words, like AIDS and homosexual, were used on the flier.

He said Thomason told him if slang had been used, it could have been considered slander. He said he was basically told there was nothing they could do about it.

The clinic Sharp goes to, Thomas Street Health Center, is a few blocks away from the school, and patients will not be seen without proper documentation — even with an appointment. He doesn’t have a car, so he brought a folder of the required medical information with him. As a student senator, he shares a common office space with the other members of the Student Government Association and believes someone got the information from his briefcase when he was away.

While some students have been giving him a hard time, he has not lost the support of his running mate.

“(Isaac’s) been a trooper,” Sharp said. “If I was him, and I was straight, I’d probably drop me.”

Sharp sent an email to several news outlets and posted a response on Facebook, making it clear they would not respond to the negativity by engaging in illicit behavior.

“We will instead continue to progress in our campaign to enhance the student experience at the University of Houston-Downtown for all students — no matter their race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity and expression.”

The LGBT community rallied in support of him, and when he told friend and social worker January Leo that he wanted to quit, Sharp said she told him if he did that, “the other people win.”

Shap said Leo encouraged him to keep moving forward and helped him find the silver lining in the situation.

“A lot of negative stuff came out of this, but in the end, I think one positive thing is that we’re bringing light to the stigma associated with HIV because it’s still socially acceptable to ostracize someone who is HIV positive,” Sharp said.

He said he thinks it’s important if the LGBT community is trying to change the way people view AIDS/HIV, to be open and show there are people with the virus who are doing normal things and living normal lives.

“It’s not as debilitating as it was in the ’80s or ’90s – I take one pill a day,” he said. “They decided to play off the stigma of AIDS and orchestrate this: ‘You don’t want this guy to be your leader because he has AIDS.’”

Sharp is planning to talk to the police about the situation before the end of the week. He anticipates them asking if he wants to pursue charges and said he will say no. He doesn’t want anyone to go to jail — just an apology and the rest of his medical information.

“I just want to know why they did it,” Sharp said.

“Truth be told, we can keep that between us, as long as the person comes forward and speaks to me. I’ve been able to reflect, and I really just want an apology.”

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Teaching fellows of the English department sent President Renu Khator, Interim Provost Paula Short Short, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Dean John Roberts and Chairman Wyman Herendeen a letter Monday addressing the lack-luster standards they work in.

The letter laid out their complaints in bulleted points and included their ideal solution.

“We have a set list of requests we feel are reasonable, given the living wage in Houston,” saidAllie Rowbottom, doctoral candidate in creative writing and literature. “We are looking for a conversation with the administration.”

In the letter, the fellowship requested that their salary be raised to $19,213, the living wage in Houston, a full remission of fees that adds up to $1,685.70, and the $766.71 in student insurance expenses to be covered by the University.

The letter can be found at ipetitions.com/petition/uhenglishgrad

TFs UNITE meets Monday at 5:30 in the Graduate Lounge with updates and information about the next steps they plan to take.

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“There are so many things I am excited about getting done,” said Student Government Association President Cedric Bandoh about his new term. “I really look forward to involving even more students in the decision-making process and empowering them to get involved in developing innovative solutions. | Natalie Harms/The Daily Cougar

At the Student Government Association’s inauguration banquet for the 50th administration on Friday, SGA President Cedric Bandoh was sworn into office for a second time — something that has happened only a handful of times at UH.

Bandoh is also the youngest student body president to be elected at UH. More notable is not his fact sheet, but his undeniable dedication for the university he serves.

“I live, breathe and eat the University of Houston,” Bandoh said. “I have a unique passion for the University, and it is a honor to serve my fellow students and be the chief advocate for the students.”

Bandoh has the unique opportunity to continue his administration, continuing his work on some of his efforts.

“I want to provide some continuity for SGA and see the full implementation of some of our major ongoing initiatives. This administration saw some major changes within SGA, and another year would allow me to work with my colleagues to put us on a smooth course for the future,” Bandoh said.

In the ending 49th administration, Bandoh held his presidency with Former Vice President Turner Harris working alongside him.

The duo took office in an unusual way. The president-elect and vice president-elect were disqualified after a court hearing determined they were involved in election fraud. Rather than conducting a new election, the Election Commission allowed the party with the second-most amount of votes: the Bandoh-Harris ticket.

For the two students, there was no better time to come in and make a difference in UH’s chapter of SGA.

“Adversity often times yields better outcomes, and the election scandal forced the organization to clean house to better serve our fellow students,” Bandoh said. “And as a result, we have a better system of governance today.”

“It was chaotic for us at the beginning. However, it truly re-energized us for the journey ahead. This caused no hesitation for me to run for re-election. If anything, it motivated me to continue to challenge the status quo and direct our efforts at developing innovative solutions for our challenges and opportunities.”

Bandoh and Harris have spent the last year working to improve the campus. The two have had a successful run together, seeing resolutions on concealed handguns and immigration reform pass, among many other things. Bandoh made it his personal goal to see that changes were made.

“It has been such a joy to watch Cedric grow and lead the Student Government Association,” said UH President Renu Khator. “Cedric is a strong and impactful leader because of his convictions that give him his inner strength.”

“His stand on issues is always what’s in the best interest of the students and once he is convinced, he does not give up. To top it off, he does it with a charming smile. I have no doubt that Cedric will be a strong leader in his life’s journey as well,” Khator said.

Although Harris made the decision to not seek re-election, he has announced that he plans to continue working with SGA under a new role until his graduation because he says he is eager to continue his work with Bandoh as well as the rest of the new administration.

“When I first joined SGA during the last administration, I naturally gravitated toward Cedric because I thought he was a senior,” Harris said. “He, at least in my opinion, was the most intelligent and level-headed person in SGA. I was honestly floored when I learned that he was a freshman at the time and didn’t believe the person who told me until I asked Cedric myself. I then learned about his track record and accomplishments in high school — it’s incredible how much large-scale leadership experience he’s had.”

While Harris isn’t Bandoh’s right-hand man for the next administration, he said he will have a position in some capacity as well as always being his biggest supporter.

“In my opinion, leaders can generally be broken into two groups: the visionary group that always has the best idea and the ‘clear sighted’ group, who can take any idea and break it down into realistic, actionable steps,” Harris said. “It’s uncommon to find somebody who caries both of those traits and Cedric definitely has both.”

The 50th administration will assemble today, and Bandoh and the newly elected SGA vice president, Rani Ramchandani, say they plan to make great strides with the new senate for the campus they have a great deal of love for.

“University of Houston students are one of a kind,” Bandoh said. “Cougars are diverse, motivated, driven and entrepreneurial. Nothing has been given to us, and we excel if given the challenge — no matter our backgrounds. Many of us are the first in our families to go college, many of us our non-traditional students and many come from humble beginnings.

“As the student body president, it is a rare and rewarding opportunity to represent and serve as the chief student advocate for a university that embodies all of these characteristics.”

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Honors College Students can attend The Great Conversation for free if they sign up and complete a centerpiece for one of the themed tables. | Courtesy of Alexander’s Fine Portrait Design

From whiskey and wine tasting to discussions about politics and apocalypse, The Honors College’s 21st award-winning fundraiser, The Great Conversation, welcomed a variety of conversations between professors, students and donors during its banquet.

The Great Conversation began in 1993 through the collaboration of founding Dean Ted Estess and alumna Jane Cizik and has served as The Honors College’s most important fundraiser, raising more than $2 million in the past 20 years.

“The event has been kept alive and is still very vivid and successful. It is a fundraiser, which is very important, but more than that, it helps raise the profile of the University and The Honors College in the city,” said Cynthia Freeland, a professor at the college and chair of the Department of Philosophy, who has attended the event since it began.

“Every year, I look forward to meeting new people and seeing how the conversation goes,” Freeland said.

True to its name, The Great Conversation’s purpose is to provide an atmosphere similar to the freshman Honors course, The Human Situation, where students are engaged in a year-long Socratic dialogue with professors and influential literature. Every table at the banquet has a different topic on which the professors, students and donors discuss over a three-course dinner.

This year’s discussions brought guests to muse over art, literature, philosophy, science, politics and even wine through topics such as “Frenemies: American Foreign Policy in the Middle East” and “Apocalypse When? Post-Nuclear Dystopias in the Movies.”

“I’ve enjoyed Dr. (Lawrence) Currey’s take on the topic this year: “The 1960s in America: A Decade of Hope and Horror.” I’m the only one at my table who didn’t live through the 1960s, so it’s been interesting listening to everyone’s stories,” said political science senior Markley Rogers.

“They’re talking about what they were doing when Kennedy was shot, where they were when man walked on the moon for the first time. It’s just a great opportunity to hear these first-hand accounts and to show the donors my appreciation,” Rogers said.

As all proceeds from the banquet go toward scholarships and funding for the University, it is a wonderful opportunity for students to meet and thank their benefactors.

“Last year, I received a scholarship called The Great Conversation Scholarship,” said psychology freshman Katelyn Travers. “I joined the committee to help with the event this year because this scholarship was really important to me. As an out-of-state student, I was able to get in-state tuition.”

Because of its importance to The Honors College and its students, many alumni and donors help tremendously with the event, and this year’s banquet was of record success.

More than 20 years ago, donors exceeded expectations by contributing $25,000 at the first fundraising event. Yet, The Great Conversation raised an outstanding $314,000 for student scholarships this year, said Beth Borck, director of Development in The Honors College.

Although the banquet is a delight for professors and students alike, many alumni enjoy the opportunity to reconnect with their alma mater each year.

“This is my third year to attend, and I have thoroughly enjoyed every year of it,” said alumnus Chuck Gremillion. “This year, especially, the thrill for me is that the conversationalist is Dr. Lawrence Curry, who taught me American History my only year at the University of Houston 40 years ago, and I made an A in his class both times.”

Of course, the heart of The Great Conversation rests in its alumni and benefactors, like Gremillion, who sponsored an entire table.

“I’m so impressed with the students,” Gremillion said. “For me, meeting the students really energizes me. I walk away thinking, ‘Man, these kids are so sharp,’ and it makes me wonder if we were this sharp when we were in college.”

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Potential million-dollar ideas are born every day from the simplest situations but because of lack of necessary knowledge and support, they might never leave UH students’ imaginations.

It was with that in mind that clinical assistant professor Hesam Panahi at the C.T. Bauer College of Business created RED Labs, a new startup accelerator that seeks to transform entrepreneurial ideas into businesses.

Panahi said students work on projects in their classes and at the end of the semester, these ideas are abandoned and turned into a waste of effort. He realized UH didn’t provide students who want to start a company with space and support.

“We have the entrepreneurship major, but what about the other 40,000 students?” he said.

Accelerators are programs designed to support the development of entrepreneurial companies by providing different resources and services such as mentoring, training and events as well as networking for a three-month period, Panahi said.

“The mentors are one of the biggest things of the program,” he said. “They can instruct students in ways that textbooks can’t because they are real people with real-world experience.”

The program also helps students through sponsorship. The idea is for students to come in with a prototype for a product and develop from there through the resources provided.

RED Labs’ designated space at Melcher Hall is open 24/7 and is equipped with Wi-Fi, Ethernet, flat screens, storage lockers and unlimited coffee and ramen noodles.

The inaugural class is developing six potential businesses using innovative technologies and applications, and it consists of 12 students and one alumnus who work in teams. The only condition is that at least one of the team members is an actively enrolled UH student.

One of these projects is an e-commerce platform being developed by supply chain management juniors Hamza Amir and Timur Daudpota along with computer science alumnus Jesus Hernandez. The trio is working on their neon-colored skateboards called Kandy Kruisers.

“Our idea is to transform dark, sad-looking skateboards into something fun,” Amir said. “They are not just skateboards. They are a lifestyle.”

Their team consists of nine people who have been essential to their progress, which includes architects, industrial designers, photographers and graphic designers, among others.

“RED Labs provides us with talented people to help,” Daudpota said. “There are so many things behind starting a business, and they have the knowledge to instruct us. The space is also really important because it makes it more convenient for our team to meet.”

Panahi intended for RED Labs to be complementary to the 3 Day Startup, an entrepreneurship initiative hosted by the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship in which students spend three days on campus working on tech companies that are pitched to a panel of judges on the third day.

“Our main goal is to give students firsthand experience at building a business,” Panahi said. “We want to give them the resources to deal with real issues like legal and financial and other questions that must be addressed.”

“Even if the ideas developed here don’t turn into the businesses that make these students successful, they will definitely be one step closer to their goal after this experience.”

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The Hotel and Restaurant Management Green Team partnered with Center Point Energy for Recycle Mania 2013 to put together two films to inspire people to make a change to better the Earth.

Lecturer Anthony Caterina became the facility adviser to the HRM Green Team and helped put together screenings for “Tapped” and “WALL-E” at UH to help spread the word to go green and help people realize that small steps can make a big difference.

“I hope people can take away from this a view they have never seen before,” Caterina said. “The sustainability of our planet is money faceted; there are a lot of different directions and a lot of different views people have of what is going to save the planet.”

In the first movie, “Tapped,” the audience got a look into the bottled water industry and the harmful effects it has not only on our health but on our wallets as well. The film shows that the bottled water industry is almost completely self-regulated and says the water and packaging contains harmful substances.

The movie suggests that drinking faucet water is a lot safer than bottled water because of the stronger regulations placed on faucet water. According to the film, water from the faucet is tested numerous times a day with strict regulations, whereas the bottled water industry has been known to test their product within the company and have the results sent to the FDA.

“The point of this film was for people to see that there are alternatives out there and to get a better look of what you are actually buying into,” said HRM senior and green team president John Courter. “If you don’t buy it, they don’t make a profit.”

The second film, “WALL-E,” was shown in an effort to show what may happen if people don’t start making changes to help preserve our planet. It is important to remember that if everyone participates in recycling and makes small changes, it can go a long way.

“We need to make a better change for tomorrow … or else what you see in the movie will happen,” said Courter.

Recycle Mania 2013 is a national competition in which UH has won first place two years in a row. This year’s goal for the competition was to help UH reduce its trash intake and educate people on recycling.

According to a study done on the University’s trash intake, UH spends $43 per ton on trash and $13.11 on recycling. Out of all the trash collected, only a quarter of that is actually being recycled.

“Students are the management of the future; they can affect changes when they become management,” Caterina said. “I hope that people get inspired and that’s what I was hoping people would take away from these films.”

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The campus experienced a minor mold infestation in the Quadrangle during Spring Break. Some students had to temporarily relocate to other dorms while the problem was resolved. | Esteban Portillo/The Daily Cougar

While Spring Break kept most students out-of-town or at home with their families, a form of fungi vacationed at the University’s Quadrangle.

During the break, the executive Director of Student Housing and Residential Life Don Yackley received a report about a room with discoloration in the bathroom that appeared to be mildew and mold. Upon notification, housing inspected all rooms in the Quadrangle area.

“We had a few rooms in each building that had some mildew and mold growth. We contracted with a company to have these specific rooms professionally cleaned, painted when necessary and tested,” Yackley said.

“Some residents had to be put in temporary rooms for a few days. All rooms have been taken care of, and all residents are back in their rooms. There are no outstanding issues.”

Civil engineering freshman Jonathon Dreith, who lives in Taub Hall was aware of the mold, mainly after hearing it from other students living in the Quads.

Dreith said if it had happened to him, he would have been annoyed, but is more willing to forgive UH because of how quickly the problem was resolved.

“I figure it’s kind of expected because they are the oldest dorms, but the University could have taken better care of the Quads,” Dreith said.

Chemical engineering junior Paola Garcia-Agreda who lives in Settegast Hall was unaware of the problem because she went home during the break. Garcia-Agreda said she couldn’t imagine having mold in her room. She tries to clean her dorm as often as she can to prohibit dirt and mold growth.

“It makes me feel a little grossed out, knowing that there was a mold outbreak in the building I live in. When I think of mold I usually picture something decaying and forming a green-like fuzzy texture, it’s definitely something you’d want to avoid,” Garcia-Agreda said.

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Frontier Fiesta came to a close at 1 a.m. Sunday with concerts by VerseCity and Justin Van Sant as well as an awards ceremony to finish off the three-day festival.

UH’s annual Frontier Fiesta took over two parking lots for March 21 to Saturday, offering free concerts and activities to students. | Nichole Taylor/The Daily Cougar

The Fiesta was considered an all around success by the board, but public opinion was mixed. However, there were a few visitors unaffiliated to UH, like Lauren Kelly who tagged along with her alumni friends, who had a positive view of the festival.

“It’s a great way to get the community of UH together. It’s set up nicely, organized, and a lot of fun,” said first-time guest Lauren Kelly.

The fiesta had a wide turn out for the musical performances all three nights, and a record goal of $11,500 was raised in scholarship funds.

“The turnout for Frontier Fiesta was awesome. With the new location, everyone who came out to Fiesta was able to move throughout the city in an effective and efficient way,” said Frontier Fiesta chair Jeff Syptak.

“I firmly believe we were able to get the crowds we did because of the new location and because of the curiosity of what Frontier Fiesta is all about. Throughout the week, students, faculty, staff, and alumni, saw our city come alive and the progress we were making.”

The new location was originally considered a point of contention for many students; but come Frontier Fiesta weekend many expressed a liking of the location due to its accessibility and the fact that many students were able to find the festival simply from walking by the city.

With the festival now over, the Frontier Fiesta Board will be electing a new chairman and planning for 2014.

“This year, we have built a great relationship with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and hopefully we can continue this relationship and make it stronger. Our family fun day still has more room to grow and with this renewed partnership with HLSR, it will continue to be bigger and better,” Syptak said.

“The last thing I would like to see improved is finding more items for students who are not involved in an organization. This year we had a university tent which all were welcome, but I do not think students utilize it enough. There is much more growth there.”

Some guests agreed with Syptak, saying that there was a lack of interesting things to do, yet others said that they loved what the festival offered.

Many of the ones who were most excited about the Fiesta were the Greek organization members who gave variety performances throughout the weekend.

“(Frontier Fiesta is) really awesome because tons of organizations from all around the university come together and have a common goal to raise money for the university that we love,” said communications sophomore and sorority student Amy Davis.

“Although we are separate, we love the same thing.”

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Senator Eduardo Reyes and the other student leaders worked diligently in the last meeting of SGA’s 49th session. | Shaimaa Eissa/The Daily Cougar

With almost every seat filled in the audience, the 49th Student Government Association Senate went out with a bang Wednesday at its final meeting.

SGA President Cedric Bandoh announced SGA will move forward in searching for Higher One replacement.

A Transparency within Graduate Courses Bill passed with one opposition: the passage of this bill will make it required for UH to provide graduate students with a syllabus and curriculum to help them choose the best teacher for their needs.

The bill to limit summer senate powers did not pass. Some of the argument for the bill’s passing included a comment from economics sophomore Eduardo Reyes, who said committees cannot meet without a senate in session so they will be unprepared in the fall.

Among bills discussed was the Administration and Finance Committee’s University Bill to Improve Parking Lot Way Finding, authored by Bandoh; however, a vote did not go through as the Senate chose to table this bill.

“This bill aims to rename majority of our signage, in particular our parking lot signs,” said SGA Vice President-Elect Rani Ramchandani, a supply chain management junior and chair of administration and finance. “Can you honestly tell me where Lot 19A is located? Well it just so happens to be the Melcher/Bauer Parking Lot.”

“My committee and I strongly believe that this bill will help faculty, students and visitors to navigate the campus with ease.”

SGA members also offered a few parting words in the meeting before their final adjournment.

“At the beginning of the administration, I challenged all of us to find our passions, and the one thing you were really passionate about was to give back to the student body,” Bandoh said. “You guys really went above and beyond to either address academic issues or social issues.”

Bandoh will take his inaugural oath for his re-election Friday, and the 50th administration will begin Monday.

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The State Bar of Texas has honored a UH Law Center professor emeritus as Outstanding Texas Tax Lawyer for 2013.

Ira Shepard became the 10th recipient of this prestigious award along with others who are considered masters in tax law such as Vester Hughes and Buford B. Perry.

Elizabeth Copeland, chair-elect of the Section of Taxation of the State Bar of Texas, and also one of the several to nominate Shepard, repeatedly said how amazed she was at Shepard’s ability to maneuver so effectively through a field of taxes which she found to be very complex.

“Ira is an iconic figure in tax law,” Copeland said. “It is very rare to find someone who can compete with Ira’s knowledge and wittiness. He really is larger than life.”

Shepard, who taught at UH from 1975 to 2011, played a large role in establishing the school’s LL. M.  Taxation Program. The program ranked nationally in U.S. News and World Report’s latest survey.

Shepard has chaired the Continuing Legal Education and Research Committee of the American Bar Association as well.

Shepard said he was humbled about winning the award.

“The nomination came completely out of the blue,” Shepard said. “I was very surprised and incredibly gratified. I am grateful for the years of support that I received from the law center.”

Shepard said how happy teaching made him, and that it is what he always wanted to do. When talking about his accomplishments, he said how he was able to teach thousands of students about a topic he loves — tax law. He suggests that all students can and should pursue their passions, even if it isn’t related to taxes.

“I have always told my students, for years, that their primary goal in life should be to understand the idea that you can do whatever you want to do, and still get paid for it,” he said.

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