February 26, 2009

Hedda Gabler runs beginning of March; See pages 8&9

Volume 65, No. 21

THE PAN AMERICAN

February 26, 2009

MAINTENANCE

Furniture still vandalized after refurbishing

By Naxiely Lopez The Pan American It cost the University of Texas-Pan American $25,000 to revamp the Student Union furniture, and with only less than a month since its completion, there are already signs of vandalism.

The 75 pieces of chairs, stools and sofas were in place since the Student Union’s opening eight years ago. In

December the furniture was sent out for refurbishing which changed the upholstery design and sanded down and polished the carved chair arms.

However it didn’t take long before the vandals were at it again.

“We’ve already seen some problems. There were two sofas that had punch spilled on them. We’ve also noticed that students stuff all of their trash inside the chairs, and they trace

the edges of the arms in pen when they’re bored,” said Student Union Director Edna Zambrano. “The other day, they dropped a milkshake and smeared it on the table and nobody told us. The furniture has been damaged, and these are our brand new sofas.”

Zambrano also says that Student Union work-studies have to clean up after others.

“Our students have to put on latex gloves to get in there and dig it all out.

And if we leave it, before you know it, we’ll have fleas and ants all over the sofas,” she said.

Mercedes Zepeda, 19, is one of 25 students working at the Union. As part of her duties, she helps maintain it.

“I don’t mind cleaning up,” said the nursing major. “But I think they’re already adults. It’s common courtesy to

pick up your mess.”

Furniture, however, is not the only victim of to vandalism. The men’s bathroom was also tagged with sexually explicit material.

“It was vulgar stuff,” Zambrano said. “Two of the panels were damaged so bad we had to have them removed and put in brand-new ones, and that was more or less $1,200 for both

See UNION || Page 5

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

MEChA, SWU gather to demonstrate concerns ECISD denies uncooperative allegations

By Ana Villaurrutia The Pan American Two local organizations rallied together in front of the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District’s administration building on Tuesday to air complaints regarding the alleged school districts lack of cooperation.

Around a dozen members of The University of Texas-Pan American student organization Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán and the Southwestern Workers Union participated in a demonstration to express themselves to the Edinburg community. Five mem-

bers of MEChA, a student organization concerned with the Chicano and Latino community, held signs proclaiming the union’s complaint. Three students held one large banner reading “Southwestern Workers Union Demandamos Justicia” (demands justice). “(We decided to help) when we heard that the school board was not supporting SWU, a lot of the students attended these districts so it’s important for them to help out,” MEChA President Nadezdha Garza said. “I think it went well, just to see that community members are here to support them (auxiliary workers),” The local SWU was created last summer and is an affiliate of the San Antonio-based union; it has members from Donna, Edinburg and PSJA school districts. They advocate for the school district’s auxiliary employees such as

See SWU || Page 5

Ben Briones/The Pan American

JUSTICE DEMANDED - Danny Cobos, a MEChA member(right), and Nadezhda Garza, an English major, stand across the street from the ECISD building expressing complaints Tuesday afternoon.

ACADEMICS

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

Civil Engineering may be offered in fall Distinguished historian

By Ana Villaurrutia The Pan American It has not always been a smooth journey for the passage of the civil engineering program at The University of Texas-Pan American, but the College of Science and Engineering is hopeful that students will be able to have another choice for a major in engineering by the fall semester.

Since 2002, mechanical engineering Professor Robert Jones and other professors and staff have been pulling

INDEX

for the program. Jones, who has written various proposals for it, believes with its inception, the engineering wing of the college will be complete and will keep students from moving to a different university.

“It will make us a full engineering school, with electrical, mechanical plus manufacturing,” said Jones. “Students will have little reason to leave the Valley.”

The degree is pending approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the final step before

OPINION PG. 2

UTPA can offer classes. With President Barack Obama’s recent push toward more infrastructure spending, the degree will come at a perfect time.

Civil engineering will offer students the expertise needed to work in designing and overseeing construction, plus building irrigation fields, roads and bridges.

Dean of the COSE Edwin Lemaster said civil engineering would help the community immensely since the Valley has many firms and employment

See CIVIL || Page 5

NEWS PG. 3

talks borderland history

By J.R. Ortega The Pan American As part of the Organization of American Historians, distinguished lecturer Lisbeth Haas invoked through writers and painters to speak about the indigenous histories of Spanish and Mexican California to a crowd in the University Ballroom Wednesday night.

In her talk, Haas, an associate pro-

ARTS & LIFE PG. 11

fessor in the University of CaliforniaSanta Cruz’s Department of History, talked about prominent Native American dignitaries and the importance of colonialism.

“It is what colonialization means to the mapping of our society,” she said, discussing one of the themes of her presentation.

See HAAS || Page 5

SPORTS PG. 13

Page 2

THE PAN AMERICAN

February 26, 2009

Opinion

Sidewalk crossover needed for Sugar Road J.R. Ortega Editor in Chief Living on campus is different.

There is no commuting long distances, fueling up on gas, worrying about leaving with enough time to ensure making it to class, or even sharking for that perfect parking space which never comes.

Driving down Sugar Road earlier this week, I saw that traffic was extremely congested. Not only was it bumper to bumper, but schools of campus residents were flooding through the only pedestrian cross-walk with a pedestrian-light activator.

If you build it, it will flow.

This is the phrase, a tweaking of the phrase from “Field of Dreams,” of course, that has pushed enough buttons to pose the question: why don’t we have an overhead crosswalk?

Pressing that silver button halts traffic hundreds of times a day, breaking flow.

Having been a commuter and resident at the university, I can say that it is pretty annoying when the button is pressed just for one person to cross. I know it has to do with safety, but…

But from the resident perspective, it is not much fun debating whether or not

shoes should stay on or off when crossing a road that floods quite frequently and easily.

An overhead crosswalk could be the solution.

No longer will residents and students have to get their feet wet and annoy drivers already running late for class. No longer will drivers have to make an extra stop. This is a highly trafficked area, both by pedestrians and automobiles, and the overhead crosswalk idea is concrete and should not be kicked to the curb.

It is understood that there may be a reason beyond the comprehension of those who may feel an overhead crosswalk may be the solution. Perhaps the light does help traffic flow and its elimination would mess up the system.

Regardless, we do not know this. The research, time and deliberation and exploration of the idea can help get these answers.

Students should ask the Student Government Association to get their own feet wet and advocate the idea of possibly adding this improvement to the university’s road infrastructure. Let it be understood that the SGA is the voice of 17,000 students and its voice can help facilitate ideas and propositions that can help drive this university down the right road.

Vol 65, No. 21

Feb. 26, 2009

1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 381-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122 EDITOR IN CHIEF J.R. Ortega / ortega.e.jr@gmail.com MANAGING EDITOR Brian Silva / brian.silva2@gmail.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ana Villaurrutia / parker687@hotmail.com A&L EDITOR Laura Garcia / laurad500@hotmail.com ASSISTANT A&L EDITOR Isaac Garcia / izek_el@yahoo.com SPORTS EDITORS Ramiro Paez / ramiropaez@aol.com Gregorio Garza / the_nataku@yahoo.com PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Ben Briones / ben.briones.jr@gmail.com DESIGN EDITOR Roy Bazan / rbazanzz@yahoo.com ADVISER Dr. Greg Selber / selberg@utpa.edu ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE Anita Reyes / areyes18@utpa.edu ADVERTISING MANAGER Samantha Quintana / spubs@utpa.edu

**Delivery** Thursday at noon The Pan American is the official student newspaper of The University of Texas-Pan American. Views presented are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the paper or university.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Pan American accepts letters of 300 words or less from students, staff and faculty regarding recent newspaper content, campus concerns or current events. The Pan American reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and length. The Pan American cannot publish anonymous letters or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send all story ideas to thepanamerican@ gmail.com.

Individuals with disabilities wishing to acquire this publication in an alternative format or needing assistance to attend any event listed can contact The Pan American for more details.

Illustration by Anthony Salinas

Editorial

University should be thoughtful As fallible human beings, we realize that each and every one of us occasionally commit a mistake that adversely affects other people.

When it comes to the relocation of the Office of Students with Disabilities, the same may perhaps be true.

It was reported in last week’s issue of The Pan American that the current office location will be moved to the third floor of the University Center.

The office offers an array of resources to help students who suffer from various disabilities.

Members provide the coordination of efforts to accommodate students as well as possible.

Among those are students confined to wheelchairs. Let’s just say that maybe one day there’s a fire emergency while some students, who are wheelchair bound, are up at the office seeking help. Well, the elevators are no longer an escape route.

It should be noted too that the elevator in the University Center

isn’t exactly the best elevator on campus. In fact, it’s just about the opposite.

The elevator, which greets you with a sign that says “in case of a fire, please use stairs” on its doors, has a rather awkwardly old smell to it when you step inside it. After pushing the respective floor button the doors begin to close. After about what seems like a minute, the doors close. Then the creaky elevator slides up at about the pace of a turtle.

What’s left? The stairs.

How might they get down? The only way is to be carried down the stairs. Hopefully there are some caring and able-bodied people to do so.

However, it just might be better to channel the caring nature of university staff toward making the office as easily accessible as possible for those with disabilities. Putting the office on the third floor seems a bit more challenging, when it really shouldn’t be. It seems to be counterproductive in regard to the

task of accommodation.

It’s something that we ask university staff to remain aware of in the future. It is a great thing to be caring for our friends who are disabled. Not only do we want to ask that students are fully accommodated, but staff and faculty.

There’s a professor on campus that received a new office on an upper floor of a building. However, this professor is disabled and confined to a wheelchair. Wouldn’t logic dictate that he be given a first-floor office if at all possible?

The professor has already had an experience where a fire alarm went off and he had to be carried down the stairs. It just isn’t considerate.

There are other instances. However, without listing them all, we’ll simply just ask that the university be more thoughtful and considerate in the future. We know the project for the new disabilities office is already under way, but in the future we must all be more logical.

Dates to Know: 36th Annual Career Day and Networking Social Thursday, Feb. 25 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

WRSC February 26, 2009

THE PAN AMERICAN

Thesis and Dissertation Workshop Tuesday, March 3 Noon to 1 p.m.

Engineering building Page 3

F INANCIAL AID

College Goal Sunday assists students with FAFSA Recession may decrease state financial aid

By Nadia Tamez-Robledo The Pan American Students and parents received help filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid at the Valley Outreach Center’s third annual College Goal Sun-

day at the UTPA Visitors Center. Priority deadline for the FAFSA is April 1.

Petra Lopez-Vaquera, director of the Center, estimates that turnout in the past has generated 25 applications but hopes that the program is able to help at least 60 students complete their FAFSAs this year.

The federal government uses FAFSA and university to determine how much financial aid each student receives.

“The earlier they do it, the more opportunity they get,” Lopez-Vaquera said.

“We help them fill it out step by step so

that they can fill it out correctly.”

Lopez-Vaquera said that the Valley Outreach Center worked closely with the College Assistance Migrant Program and Migrant University Summer Experience to make sure that students who come from seasonal-worker families get the extra help they need.

“They are here only a certain amount of the year, and when they come into schools they have already missed out on a lot of programs that the schools offer throughout the year,” she explained. “A

lot of [their parents] say, ‘How is this going to help my child? All I know is my child dragged me over here because he or she said this would help them get into school.’”

Iris Madrigal, a business analyst for the Financial Aid Department was on staff to help walk-ins.

“There are also of misconceptions about financial aid,” she said.

“If you’re not eligible for a grant, you could still be eligible for a loan, which is still financial aid.”

Madrigal said that it is still somewhat unclear what effects the worldwide recession will have on financial aid.

“Congress has passed a new bill that’s going to increase the federal Pell Grant, so more students eligible would be eligible for more money,” she said. “State funding maybe affected, but federal loans, federal Pell Grants and other federal grants won’t be affected.”

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was signed into

See AID || Page 6

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

Political campaigns begin early, remain continual

By Abigail Muniz The Pan American With the presidential election already in its place in U.S. history, many may think political organizations such as The Young Democrats at UTPA are taking a break after a busy year of campaigning and supporting their respective candidates. But Amber Arriaga, new Young Democrat president, says members are continually seeking student involvement in the community.

“I want (students) to realize once the presidential election is over, it’s not over for us,” Arriaga, a senior political science major said. “Once you have elected people that have gone into office, you need to be on them to make sure they follow up with their campaign promises.”

Arriaga also notes that recently, local Valley politicians have started contacting the organization for its

support, and to get the word out on upcoming primaries.

“Although it’s a year until the primaries, it’s never too early to start,” Arriaga said.

Terry Canales, an attorney at Solis and Canales law firm, visited campus Tuesday in an event sponsored by the organization. He affirms that the election process is continuous and that it’s important for the Young Democrats to continue doing their job.

“I think it’s very important for the simple fact that the elections process is a never-ending process,” said Canales, a candidate for the 275th district judge position. “There is always a necessity to get involved in the election process… it’s crucial.”

Canales also says that starting to get involved early is always a good thing.

“It’s very important that (students) begin now,” he said.

See POLITICS || Page 6

Ben Briones/ The Pan American

POLITICAL FRONT - Political Science majors Miki Ehimika (right) and Mark Allen have a quick talk about Valley politics after Terry Canales made a presentation Tuesday afternoon in the SBS Building.

HEALTH

Women’s support group aims for student connection

By Abby Flores The Pan American For many people, talking about personal struggles and experiences can be challenging. However the Hidden Treasures Support Group for Women has tried to create an atmosphere of self-expression.

Women who are part of Hidden Treasures at The University of Texas-Pan American, a group originally called the Venus Support Group, find talking about their concerns cathartic.

Faculty member, Mirta Rodriguez, who has been counseling students

at UTPA since 1996, believes every student should be able to enjoy their college experience by connecting and interacting with other students.

“UTPA doesn’t have a strong student connection like other universities do. This helps the women share stories and concerns and learn from one another,” Rodriguez said. “This is a unique experience for students trying to adjust to college.”

Meetings are held every Thursday at noon for eight weeks at the University Center suite 109, which began Feb. 12. All meetings are confidential and are protected within the support

group.

Besides trying to make each students’ college experience a unique one, the other goals are for members to share personal stories, grow as people, and learn from one another.

Each week the girls participate in a different activity which helps boost self-esteem and allows them to feel comfortable sharing their problems such as domestic violence, suicide and coping with their sexual orientation.

According to the National Violence website, a woman in an abusive relationship will attempt leaving her spouse or significant other seven times

before successfully breaking free from the relationship.

“These are the main goals we want the girls to accomplish once the semester is over,” Rodriguez said. “To grow as women and feel comfortable to share what they want.”

Each semester brings a variety of students to the support group with various classifications and ages, including single mothers and married students as well.

Rodriguez plans different activities each week that will be helpful in allowing these women talk about their problems to one another.

“As a result, a lot of personal growth has come from each person who joins the group. It is also a very positive environment and non-judgmental,” Rodriguez said.

An event done for the first time in spring 2008, Create Your Own Mask, originated from the Hidden Treasures support group during fall 2007.

This activity is meant to help express thoughts and feelings in which many cases have been suppressed.

“The girls are able to express their feelings by painting these masks. We

See WOMEN || Page 6

Page 4

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February 26, 2009

February 26, 2009

NEWS

SWU continued from Page 1 cafeteria workers, custodians, and bus there be no unions in the schools. drivers. They claim that the school district “The workers at the school are just as has barred them from entering campuses mu ch a part of the school,” said Gasto recruit for the union, and has not al- ton Perez, a MEChA member and UTPA lowed for union dues to be deducted from alumni. “Our aim is to expose the issue to the commutheir members’ paychecks for “If they’re not complying we’ll still nity.”

The demthis semesters hold he protest...it’s about getting onstration was pay periods.

“That keeps our rights and they’re denying our p r e v i o u s l y advertised as us financially a protest, howafloat, as far as access to campus.” ever Labor Ororganizing and ganizer Camino buying other Garza said necessities by Camino Garza another meethaving dues ing was then deducted from Labor organizer scheduled with workers pay the school district for further discussion checks,” Garza said.

According to a SWU press packet, the on the union’s grievances.

Representatives from SWU met with demonstration was the result of a meeting held Feb. 16 with Assistant Superinten- the superintendent yesterday and judging dent Rigoberto Abrego and the district’s on how proceedings go, the union may attorney, Jacque Trevino to discuss the make further decisions on the protest. union’s grievances. The SWU group says For now the protest is still scheduled for the school district members were diffi- March 5. Garza stressed that they would cult and said Abrego told labor organiz- hold a peaceful demonstration.

“I think there are amicable ways ers Anayanse Garza that he would prefer

Page 5

UNION continued from Page 1 of solving our problems. If they’re not complying we’ll still hold the protest,” he said. “It’s about getting our rights and they’re denying our access to campus.”

Trevino responded to the allegations in an interview on Wednesday. He denied that the district was uncooperative at the meeting and defended the school district’s stance on SWU grievances.

“The comments they made about the district are not…I don’t know where she came up with them,” said Trevino, adding that 60 percent of school district employees are part of a union.

He explained that union’s request for coming on campus was denied because such a visit would disrupt the workers.

He also stated that deducting union dues for auxiliary workers’ paychecks was unfeasible for now because there are very few pay periods left but would be able to do starting the fall school year.

MEChA members plan to attend the upcoming protest. MeChA and the SWU have worked closely in the past few years organizing protests and meetings. Half of MEChA’s 25 members are a part of the 3,000-member RGV branch of the SWU.

HAAS continued from Page 1

of them.”

Criminal justice major Joe Caraveo saw the graffiti and says the Student Union is not the only place he’s seen it.

“I’ve seen it around campus in different restrooms,” said the 22-yearold. “It’s dumb. Who spends their time writing in restrooms? Then, you have other people responding to it, and it’s just stupid.”

Students do contribute to the repair of vandalized furniture. In 1997, students approved of a Student Union fee in a campus election. Every semester, students are charged $30 in order to help operate the building. Zambrano said this fee paid for the refurbishing and will help buy more furniture for the building.

“We want to buy more sofas. The money that we saved recovering versus buying will be used to purchase more furniture and increase seating.”

Zambrano said.

She says they hope to buy more student-friendly furniture by summer so that it will be ready for the up-coming fall semester.

“Students will always group them no matter what we do, (so) rather than buying something really bulky to discourage it, I’d rather buy something lightweight that they can have fun with,” she added. “So that even when we move it as staff, it’s not that heavy or as much work.”

Zambrano is also looking into buying tables with electricity so that students have enough outlets for their laptops.

In the meantime, the three student Union custodians along with the workstudies will continue to maintain the building so that all students can enjoy the services of the union. They will continue to keep an eye out for vandalism in hopes it will someday stop.

If you are caught vandalizing, Zambrano says, you will face the consequences.

A police report will be filed, followed by an investigation. Disciplinary action will also be taken by the university, including a restitution fine and or suspension, depending on the gravity of the offense.

“We just want students to take care of things. They pay a fee to be in the building.”

Student Union workers have already dealt with what used to be their most problematic section- the area next to the stairs.

They removed the television, and the sofas and chairs were placed in a different location. This area will now be used as floor space for other activities held at the union.

And as for the inevitable wear and tear, they will start rotating the furniture every other Sunday night so that it can wear-out evenly.

CIVIL continued from Page 1

Ben Briones/The Pan American

VIVA BORDERLANDS - Lisbeth Haas, a distinguished historian speaker, presents Hispanic and Mexican culture to a full crowd of students, staff and faculty Wednesday night in the UTPA Ballroom.

Haas has written award-winning books like “Conquests and Historical Identities in California, 1769-1936,” which won an OAH award in 1997.

“To be equal is to be different,” she said, borrowing the essence of Pablo Tac, a Native American in the 1830s who mourned the decline of his people. “The concept of being equal but different at that time was a radical concept.”

Haas was chosen by the UTPA Department of History and Philosophy.

David Carlson, an assistant professor at UTPA and part of the department’s outreach committee, helps choose which historians and philosophers will present during the year.

He said that they chose Haas because of her work in borderland stud-

ies, imagining that the Rio Grande Valley’s proximity to the border could spark interesting questions about border security and culture.

“With our particular locale, we are uniquely situated to host this event,” he said about Haas’ presentation topics.

The series honors Dr. Rondel Davidson, a late professor at the department who taught French history. In the past, the Davidson History Lecture series has included distinguished historians like John Charles Chasteen from the University of North Carolina and Leon Fink from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

The speaker touched in current events as well as history. Concerning last week’s Reynosa border violence, Haas said in an exclusive interview

with The Pan American prior to her evening presentation that she believes the legalization of drugs may be the best answer for diluting the violence and ending tensions between the United States and Mexico.

Haas said legalizing drugs might alleviate some of the violence involved when drug cartels battle for possession of territory.

“We may be flooded with drugs, but not flooded with users,” she said about how America would react to drug legalization. “It wouldn’t destroy our nation and it certainly wouldn’t destroy Latin America.

Carlson said they plan on inviting other distinguished historians to their semi-annual series. Future speakers for the year have yet to be set.

teresting and convenient for me, my opportunities for them.

Lemaster added that mechanical whole family is here,” said Garcia, engineering is similar to civil engi- who has worked in construction for 10 neering, students were either leaving years.

If the program is passed in time for the university or settling for a degree the fall semesin mechanical, limiting their “Civil engineering companies from ter, the college chances in a vaupstate had trouble recruiting people would have a limited time to riety of fields.

The COSE in the Valley because we didn’t offer hire new staff.

However Lewrote in a promaster said posal that 40 this program.” that this probstudents would lem could be major in civil solved with onengineering if it Edwin Lemaster line interactive were offered. classes from “Some of Dean of CoSE universities like those students have already transferred out, if they the University of Texas at San Antonio wanted to stay here they would have and by hiring local civil engineers to to settle for mechanical engineering,” teach.

“I can bring classes down here like Lemaster said. “We’ve been telling them it’s coming, but it’s been taking a I did when electrical engineering got started,” said Lemaster. “We have long time to do it.”

Jones stressed that sentiment when enough civil engineers, I can have it came to finding upstate recruiters in- them work for us.”

The major will require 127 hours of terested in UTPA students.

“Civil engineering companies from credit for students. Students who are upstate had trouble recruiting people interested in the major should contact in the Valley because we didn’t of- Lemaster for more information. fer this program,” he recalled. “They won’t come down here if we don’t MAJOR REQUIREMENTS create opportunities for students to learn.”

The major will require Carlos Garcia, a mechanical en127 hours of credit for gineering graduate from Donna, said students. Students who the addition of civil engineering will are interested in the be beneficial for many students in the major should contact Valley since it will not require students Lemaster for more into change schools. formation.

“I would like to do it, it’s very in-

Page 6

February 26, 2009

NEWS

WOMEN continued from Page 3 took this idea to a suicide prevention war, also have a difficult time dealing convention in Denver, and decided with past experiences.

After offering the support group to make this an event for students throughout campus,” Rodriguez said. for veterans last year, and not having “We had a great turnout last year, and a successful turn-out, the counseling center plans to look forward to this year’s re- “UTPA doesn’t have a strong student add the support sult.” connection like other universities do. group again for all veterans who This event will be held This helps the women share stories may have trouble adjusting to in the Student Union for any and concerns and learn from one an- civilian life after being in war students want- other.” zones. ing to attend on “It’s difficult March 5, 2009 to keep them from 9a.m. to 4 Mirta Rodriguez coming to the p.m. sessions, many But not only Faculty member which are men, do women on campus have struggles to cope with. prefer to keep everything to themMany veterans, both men and women selves,” Rodriguez said.

According to the Suicide Prevenwho have toured in Iraq during the

POLITICS continued from Page 3 tion Resource Center, seven suicides have been confirmed with 17 others pending. If the other 17 deaths are confirmed, which the army believes they will, more soldiers will have killed themselves in January than died in combat.

INFORMATION The Counseling and Psychological Services is located in UC 109 and is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. For more information call (956) 3812574.

Eden Ramirez, the organization’s vice president, says that the Young Democrats at UTPA allows students to take part in something that can have an influence locally and nationally.

“What’s different about us is that (the organization) gives students a chance to be part of something that can have an effect on the real world,” Ramirez, a political science major said. “Our job goes beyond the boundaries of campus.”

With about 100 members in the organization, Ramirez says it continues welcoming students from all walks of life, and even implores students with differing political views to visit an event or meeting.

“We ask not only Democrats to come to meetings, but students of any affiliation are welcome,” Ramirez said. “At the end of elections, whether

the candidate is Republican or Democrat, we need to continue being informed on what is going on.”

One of the upcoming events the organization has planned has caused controversy in some places in the United States, says Arriaga. The “Eyes Wide Open” exhibit is a traveling show that started in 2004 in Chicago.

“A lot of people think it’s an antiwar exhibit,” Arriaga said. “If anything, it’s pro-troop. It’s about the troops out there and the exhibit shows that we still support them despite what position people have on the war.”

The “Eyes Wide Open” exhibit, provided by the American Friends and Services Committee, features rows of boots and shoes representing deaths in the war, and will make its way to the university’s quad Thursday.

package totaled $9,149.

Romeros, who works as an accountant, sat at a table in the Student Financial Services Express Lab while going over a paper copy FAFSA. “I live and work filling out forms, and I had trouble filling out the darn thing,” he said. “So far, [this event] has been very helpful.”

Laura Flores, a 21-year-old biology senior from Mission, handed out additional information on financial aid at the GoCenter table. As she prepares to graduate and apply to graduate school,

she said that the state of the economy is on her mind.

“Graduate students receive less financial aid [than undergraduates],” she said, citing the fact that students are no longer eligible for the Pell Grant after they earn their first Bachelors degree. “It’s mainly loans, and that part of the economy hasn’t been doing so well, so that’s something I’ve defiantly been thinking about.”

The VAC is also responsible for 20 GoCenters throughout Valley high schools and at public libraries in McAllen and Edinburg about college admis-

AID continued from Page 3 law by President Barack Obama Feb. 17 and will increase the maximum amount of the Pell Grant by $500, adding to $5,231.

Financial Aid Assistant Martina Thomas was at the event to promote some of UTPA’s institutional aid programs such as the UTPA Advantage.

This incentive is awarded to eligible students who file their FAFSA before April 1 and aids about 2,000 students.

“The sooner you get it in, the better. It will pick up any slack that you’re lacking as far as covering your tuition or cov-

ering the amount of your tuition ff you don’t qualify for other things,” she said.

“As long as you maintain your 15 hours every semester, then you’ll be fine. “ McAllen resident Eduardo Romeros attended the event to get an early start on gaining familiarity with the financial aid process fort his daughter, a sophomore at Lamar Academy.

“The future looks uncertain for all our investments, not just the recession but the whole economic picture,” he said. “We need to be sure that we have sufficient funds because we need all the

help we can get in case the economy gets worse.”

According to Student Financial Services, the cost of taking 12 credit hours at UTPA is $2,152.

Among full-time undergraduates, 8,703 were deemed to have financial need for the 2008-2009 school year and 8,465 were awarded aid, according to the Common Data Set compiled by the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness. The same report stated that, on average, 70 percent of students’ financial need was met. The average financial aid

February 26, 2009

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THE PAN AMERICAN

February 26, 2009

(Left to right) Edgar Ituarte, Alexandra Garza, Rick Rosales, Billie Padilla, Eric Wiley

By: Andrielle Figueroa

C

ampus productions are put on several times per semester. There are usually posters up all over the university, especially in the Communications Arts and Sciences building, advertising auditions and opening nights. And the insiders come.

The plays come and go, with

healthy crowds in the Jeffers Theater for most of them. But what the non-acting world doesn’t know is what goes into each practice and performance. Learning to hold an action or character for minutes on end is a long and difficult process.

Director of the latest effort, Henrick Ibsen’s play “Hedda Gabler,”

will be Professor Eric Wiley.

The play begins March 4 and runs through March 8. Previous productions this semester included Sylvia in August and The Piper & the Rats in October. Students can look forward to upcoming productions such as Wait Until Dark on March 26 to 28 and Plaza Suite opening on April 22

to 26.

Wiley is originally from Philadelphia but has acquired degrees from Reed College, Louisiana State University, and the University of Texas at Austin. He started at UTPA in 1999.

Wiley has been teaching for nearly 10 years and is excited to bring this play to the stage since it will

February 26, 2009

only be the second Ibsen play on campus in 35 years.

The story, written in 1890 contains four acts, which is quite a stretch of time for actors to stay in character. The play tells a story of a woman who realizes she has wed too soon, having done so only because it is what society expected of her at her age. It describes her difficulties of staying in a marriage and how she keeps herself entertained.

Bringing a tale to life requires more then just raw talent, the director and actors have to work hard and stay in focus.

“Even memorization alone can be tough,” Wiley explained.

“Actors have to be able to take direction and be aware of where they are on stage.”

Practices are held just about every day leading up the run of performances, and the director is a guide to each actor. In the early stages, actors have to memorize lines. Slowly but surely every scene is blocked, directors explain to actors where they should stand, and go over the mannerisms they should use. Through this process a mutual relationship grows between teacher and student.

“Some plays like farce (comedies) that are more mechanical, that kind of bond isn’t so important,” continued Wiley. “If you are going to try and help them create a character, you have to have some sort of bond.”

Many famous Hollywood and Broadway actresses have inhab-

THE PAN AMERICAN

ited the infamous role of Hedda Gabler. Oscar winner Cate Blanchett took on the role in 2006 at the Harvey Theater in Brooklyn Academy of Music. The production gained spectacular reviews, especially for Blanchett, who won a Sydney Theater award for Best Actress in 2006. Mary Louise Parker from the hit Showtime series “Weeds” is now performing the role at the American Airlines Theater since January.

While experienced older actresses took on the role and made it their own, Alexandra Garza a 19-year-old Hidalgo native, takes on the role for the UTPA production and hopes to bring something new to Hedda and make the character her own. In her sophomore year, Garza is eager with anticipation to perform in her first production as Hedda Gabler.

Garza who has been acting for five years is really proud to be working with her fellow cast members who have stepped on stage many times. She draws inspiration from them, and found some comfort performing for the first time on stage.

“This is the first time all of the teachers will see me perform, since I am new to the department.

I am nervous, but I am excited,” Garza stated.

Though it’s her debut role, Garza added that she can somewhat relate to her distraught character. Hedda is a jealous, malicious woman who does what she pleases and likes to cause

Page 9

chaos wherever she goes. She has destructive tendencies and is considered deviant by the male characters she surrounds.

“She’s not very sure of what she is doing, anyone can feel like that,” Garza continued. “We don’t always know what we are doing and where we are going.”

Billie Padilla, 25, is studying for her master’s in theatre and has the role of Mrs. Elvsted. The character of Mrs. Elvsted is a meek, passionate woman who is the complete opposite of Hedda.

She even suggests that while in school together, Hedda would torment her. So Elvsted pushes herself to be a better, loving person. This is Padilla’s first semester at UTPA after she graduating from the University of Texas at Brownsville; acting with a new cast was not a huge hurdle.

“Since day one the whole cast and crew has got along very well,” Padilla said. “We just feed off of each others and energy and we motivate each other to make our characters stronger.”

With the learning and practicing behind them, all the team can do now is run through the show and perfect it for opening night. As long as each person discovers something new or takes a leap of faith, Wiley believes he has done his job.

“Whenever an actor learns to try new things or take a risk as an actor that is my favorite part of directing,” he commented.

“When they do well I feel better about the work I am doing.”

Alexandra Garza

Photos by: Ben Briones

Design by: Roy Bazan

Page 8

THE PAN AMERICAN

February 26, 2009

(Left to right) Edgar Ituarte, Alexandra Garza, Rick Rosales, Billie Padilla, Eric Wiley

By: Andrielle Figueroa

C

ampus productions are put on several times per semester. There are usually posters up all over the university, especially in the Communications Arts and Sciences building, advertising auditions and opening nights. And the insiders come.

The plays come and go, with

healthy crowds in the Jeffers Theater for most of them. But what the non-acting world doesn’t know is what goes into each practice and performance. Learning to hold an action or character for minutes on end is a long and difficult process.

Director of the latest effort, Henrick Ibsen’s play “Hedda Gabler,”

will be Professor Eric Wiley.

The play begins March 4 and runs through March 8. Previous productions this semester included Sylvia in August and The Piper & the Rats in October. Students can look forward to upcoming productions such as Wait Until Dark on March 26 to 28 and Plaza Suite opening on April 22

to 26.

Wiley is originally from Philadelphia but has acquired degrees from Reed College, Louisiana State University, and the University of Texas at Austin. He started at UTPA in 1999.

Wiley has been teaching for nearly 10 years and is excited to bring this play to the stage since it will

February 26, 2009

only be the second Ibsen play on campus in 35 years.

The story, written in 1890 contains four acts, which is quite a stretch of time for actors to stay in character. The play tells a story of a woman who realizes she has wed too soon, having done so only because it is what society expected of her at her age. It describes her difficulties of staying in a marriage and how she keeps herself entertained.

Bringing a tale to life requires more then just raw talent, the director and actors have to work hard and stay in focus.

“Even memorization alone can be tough,” Wiley explained.

“Actors have to be able to take direction and be aware of where they are on stage.”

Practices are held just about every day leading up the run of performances, and the director is a guide to each actor. In the early stages, actors have to memorize lines. Slowly but surely every scene is blocked, directors explain to actors where they should stand, and go over the mannerisms they should use. Through this process a mutual relationship grows between teacher and student.

“Some plays like farce (comedies) that are more mechanical, that kind of bond isn’t so important,” continued Wiley. “If you are going to try and help them create a character, you have to have some sort of bond.”

Many famous Hollywood and Broadway actresses have inhab-

THE PAN AMERICAN

ited the infamous role of Hedda Gabler. Oscar winner Cate Blanchett took on the role in 2006 at the Harvey Theater in Brooklyn Academy of Music. The production gained spectacular reviews, especially for Blanchett, who won a Sydney Theater award for Best Actress in 2006. Mary Louise Parker from the hit Showtime series “Weeds” is now performing the role at the American Airlines Theater since January.

While experienced older actresses took on the role and made it their own, Alexandra Garza a 19-year-old Hidalgo native, takes on the role for the UTPA production and hopes to bring something new to Hedda and make the character her own. In her sophomore year, Garza is eager with anticipation to perform in her first production as Hedda Gabler.

Garza who has been acting for five years is really proud to be working with her fellow cast members who have stepped on stage many times. She draws inspiration from them, and found some comfort performing for the first time on stage.

“This is the first time all of the teachers will see me perform, since I am new to the department.

I am nervous, but I am excited,” Garza stated.

Though it’s her debut role, Garza added that she can somewhat relate to her distraught character. Hedda is a jealous, malicious woman who does what she pleases and likes to cause

Page 9

chaos wherever she goes. She has destructive tendencies and is considered deviant by the male characters she surrounds.

“She’s not very sure of what she is doing, anyone can feel like that,” Garza continued. “We don’t always know what we are doing and where we are going.”

Billie Padilla, 25, is studying for her master’s in theatre and has the role of Mrs. Elvsted. The character of Mrs. Elvsted is a meek, passionate woman who is the complete opposite of Hedda.

She even suggests that while in school together, Hedda would torment her. So Elvsted pushes herself to be a better, loving person. This is Padilla’s first semester at UTPA after she graduating from the University of Texas at Brownsville; acting with a new cast was not a huge hurdle.

“Since day one the whole cast and crew has got along very well,” Padilla said. “We just feed off of each others and energy and we motivate each other to make our characters stronger.”

With the learning and practicing behind them, all the team can do now is run through the show and perfect it for opening night. As long as each person discovers something new or takes a leap of faith, Wiley believes he has done his job.

“Whenever an actor learns to try new things or take a risk as an actor that is my favorite part of directing,” he commented.

“When they do well I feel better about the work I am doing.”

Alexandra Garza

Photos by: Ben Briones

Design by: Roy Bazan

Page 10

ADVERTISEMENTS

February 26, 2009

Dates to Know: Student-directed play “The Monkey’s Paw” March 5, noon COAS 107 February 26, 2009

Eyes Wide Open exhibit Friday, 6:30 p.m.

Archer Park, McAllen

THE PAN AMERICAN

Page 11

ART

F ILM

Graffiti collective gathers local artists

Winslet performance rewarded

by Oscars

By Marco Carbajal The Pan American Valentine’s Day may be over and done with, but love is still in the air.

Elements of Style, in collaboration with Seventh Level Studio, DJBookclub. com and Big Day Photography, hosted “My Painted Valentine,” a graphic arts exhibit at the McAllen Creative Incubator on Saturday, Feb. 21.

The atmosphere was cool and casual with music provided by local DJs Radar and Ottix Hill. The crowd enjoyed food and drink as they took in pieces from roughly 20 artists in a variety of mediums including graffiti, acrylic, oil, wood, sculpture, digital art and body painting, all keeping in line with the night’s chosen theme, love.

Steve Morin, a painter and student at South Texas College in McAllen, was one of the masterminds behind the event.

Morin, who goes by the graffiti name Saran One, and his friends 2 Ser, Phonic, Sirc, Swifty, and Solo, are all members of Elements of Style, an organization of friends and artists who have left illegal graffiti tagging behind and now design artful murals around the community.

“I started liking doing murals for the city because I felt like I was helping out the owners,” Morin said. “Some of those people don’t have money to pay designers to beautify and personalize their buildings. We like helping people; it almost feels like our duty.”

Last year, when Morin suggested Elements of Style do a large-scale collective exhibit during the month of

February, it was decided that “love” would be an appropriate and obvious theme for this time of year.

“There are many different types of love,” Morin explained. “It’s got a better twist when you show people’s perceptions of what that is. This exhibit showcases more than romantic love, my pieces are more about love of yourself, family, or community.”

Morin says most of the artists who participated in the exhibit were people he just happened to invite after finding out by chance they were artists. He also stressed the number of people who helped pull the event together free of charge, simply because of their desire to help promote the local arts scene.

Joe Taylor, graphic artist from McAllen whose studio is in the Incubator, thought the night’s theme was appropriate and universal, and that events such as this are always good for artists and art lovers alike.

“I think love inspires art,” Taylor said. “Love is an emotion and art is a very emotional part of life. This exhibit is a great way for artists to get exposure and for the public to be exposed to new art forms as well.”

Taylor thinks that shows like this aren’t as common as they should be in the area, but thanks to groups such as Elements of Style, they’re becoming more common as art awareness and the desire for art increase.

Val Ortiz, a graphic artist and English major at UTPA, first attended an Elements of Style show last November at Moods in McAllen and knew its latest

By Russen Vela The Pan American

Ben Briones/THE PAN AMERICAN BREATHING CANVAS - Edinburg native Dorthy Butler gets her body painted by a local artist Friday night at the My Painted Valentine art show at the Incubator in McAllen. show would not disappoint. Ortiz said that aside from showcasing different art forms into the mainstream, the show also showed how graffiti art can be a positive thing.

“It‘s just shows how something that

has a negative connotation can actually be beautiful and help others,” Ortiz commented. “This show allows you to appreciate art different from your own style as well as inspiring you in your own medium.”

Sunday night Kate Winslet won her first Oscar for Lead Actress due to her haunting performance in “The Reader.”

“The Reader” tells the tale of Michael Berg, a German lawyer who as a teenager in the late 1950s has an affair with an older woman, Hanna (Winslet). The affair consists of Michael and Hanna making love, and then Michael reading to her.

Then Hanna disappears without a trace.

She resurfaces later when Michael now in law school witness a war crimes trial with Hanna as one of the defendants, stemming from her actions as a concentration camp guard in World War II. As Michael watches the trial play out he realizes that Hanna was/is keeping a secret, one that she believes is worse than her Nazi past. Michael is played

by German newcomer David Kross in his teen years and the elder Michael is played by Ralph Fiennes (“The Duchess”). But in truth “The Reader” is the Winslet show.

Hanna is hard to sympathize with, but in the end the character comes full circle, when her secret is revealed toward the last minutes of the film. It’s weird feeling sympathy for a Nazi, but Winslet makes it believable and utterly heartbreaking.

She also appears in the film in quite a few nude scenes, and instead of the audience being distracted, they tend not to notice it because of Winslet’s brilliant acting.

CAMPUS

Organization advocates sexual, reproductive awareness

By Isaac Garcia The Pan American VOX: Voices For Planned Parenthood is a student organization that has chapters spread out around universities across the nation including The University of Texas-Pan American.

The VOX chapter at UTPA is the state’s 14th, and is headed by a group of colleagues seeking to promote sexual awareness and reproductive rights on campus by educating students at concerts, at Planned Parenthood centers and by advocating for reproductive rights.

Reproductive rights are defined as the freedom for individuals to carry out decisions regarding sexual reproduction void of discrimination and violence. In recent times, there have been a series of confrontations over the issue. Soon after taking office, President Barack Obama ordered an executive order repealing the Global Gag Rule, which prevented free

speech and open debate on abortionrelated issues overseas.

Because VOX is a new organization on campus generating student interest, getting people to attend meetings and become members is a key. For more information VOX members can be contacted at 6883705.

Marcy Balquinta, a 22-year-old junior psychology major, is one of those who have helped bring VOX to UTPA. “I’ve been working with Planned Parenthood as an intern for almost a year now and since then I have noticed a lack of knowledge that students have when it comes to sexual health,” said the VOX member. “It is vital for students to be aware of information that VOX has to offer in order to secure maximum sexual health for college students.”

Unlike Bacchus & Gamma, another sexual health organization on campus, VOX is working on a broader scale, advocating sexual health as well as reproductive rights

across the country and works directly with Planed Parenthood.

“As far as I know Bacchus & Gamma has similarities with sexual health issues that VOX deals with,” Balquinta said.

“The difference is that VOX supports local Planned Parenthood health centers and encourage students and other young people to speak out for reproductive rights. And it serves as a coalition partner for state, national, and international reproductive rights efforts.”

One of the first things on VOX’s agenda is Lobby Day taking place at the state capital March 12, where members will be speaking out for pro-choice rights and asking that the state set aside more funds for sexual awareness.

Working on the Planned Parenthood end of VOX is Kathryn Hearn, community service director.

Planned Parenthood has increasingly grown involved with student events and participated at the “Wrap Your Weiner” held

on Feb 12 where representatives passed out condoms and spoke to students about STD facts, like how Edinburg ranks among the top cities in the state for STD rates, as well as options students have for testing and birth control. Members also participated at Battle of The Bands,Tuesday.

“The better students are about sexual health, the more they can control their sexual health,” Hearn said. “We see reproductive health and sexual health as vital information to helping students succeed in college.

Unplanned pregnancy is a leading cause of dropouts for women and men, and we want to see people succeed and have a family when they are ready.”

Students seem to have welcomed VOX to the UTPA community and for the time being the group has not encountered any negative feedback from pro-life groups.

Carlos Villarreal, a 26-year-old senior communication major, is happy to hear that VOX is bringing a different message than that which many Hispanics in the

Valley have grown accustomed to.

“I’m glad VOX is here to educate with a different message for women’s rights. I feel that our culture is overshadowed by religion in this matter, but its 2009 and women should have the right to choose,” he said. “Having the means to prevent unwanted pregnancy and STDs is a step in the right direction.”

According to VOX members their main purpose is to spread sexual awareness. But maybe its most paramount cause is to further the rights of reproductive choices like prochoice, birth control and advocating free thinking among peers.

Hearn believes that VOX will impact student life positively and hopes that students become part of the organization.

“We would rather students worry about their studies rather than Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and HIV,” she concluded. “Our interest with UTPA students is keeping them healthy and in college.”

Page 12

ARTS AND LIFE

T COMMUNITY

February 26, 2009

T SEEN AND CAPTURED

Art tour spans across two cities

By Marc Solis The Pan American The Brownsville Museum of Fine Arts will be opening its 38th International Art Show March 6, marking one of the biggest art-related events of the year, then chartering a bus to McAllen to attend the ArtWalk, a self-guided tour of art galleries in one of the oldest areas of McAllen.

Geared for art lovers of all ages, the tour will give participants the chance to experience the artistic offerings of the Upper and Lower Valley in a guided setting.

Barry Horn, executive director of the Brownsville Museum of Fine Arts, elaborated more on the art show and some of the artists who will be contributing.

“A total of 52 artists will be represented in the exhibition which will open on Wednesday, March 4, during an Opening Night Benefit Fandango featuring mariachis and a fiesta atmosphere,” he said. “Some of the regional artists represented include Chris Leonard, Fafi Melquizo, Nellie Garcia, Cliff Welty, Bertha Filaponne, Felix Trejo, Peggy Karnes and Berry Freitz.”

The museum’s “Through the Generations” Initiate 2009 is a youth art education program taken into area schools, public and private, and designed to lead South Texas youth to personal excellence through self-expression and exploration of family heritage.

This important initiative is funded

in excess of $100,000 through the following entities such as City of Brownsville, Brownsville Independent School District, and The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Some of the new things the museum will offer are derived from building upon the museum’s history. Horn believes it is his duty to stand upon the shoulders of those before him where he sees opportunities to ascend to new levels.

“For almost 75 years, the Rio Grande Valley and northern Mexico have had the Brownsville Museum of Fine Art as a resource where men, women and children could come to create, cultivate, communicate, collaborate, captivate and curate,” he explained.

“The Museum is not just a repository for efforts of expression that vary from angst to the sublime, but it is also a space for living.”

The deal will begin at the museum at 4 p.m. with a tour of the BMFA 38th International Art Show, and then a bus will depart the museum at 5 p.m. bound for the McAllen ArtWalk.

Museum trustee Gene Allen will provide an orientation en route, by profiling artists on display.

“I’ll be issuing out an updated Brownsville Museum of Fine Arts to McAllen Art Walk chartered bus tour fact sheet this week,” Allen said. “I am waiting to learn of one additional performing venue at the McAllen Public Library before I issue the updated

itinerary. The library staff has been exceedingly helpful to me in support of this tour and I appreciate their hard work and efforts.”

Places of interest where art will be on display with other crafts include the Art Expressions, The Spanish Room at Casa de Palmas, and The Art House. Other places include Jac-Lin’s Florist, the Art District Business Center, Manichaus Modern Art Space, Baeg Piano Academy, Niu Urban Living

by Casa Antigua, and the McAllen Memorial Library where world famous author Mona Sizer will be doing a book signing. She is known for penning novels such as “Texas Money” and “The King Ranch Story: Truth and Myth.”

Will Everett, BMFA marketing and communications coordinator, emphasized the hectic time schedule he has been on while preparing for the event.

“We are all on a big deadline, but I’m positive about the work that’s being done,” he enthused. “Everything is going to turn out rather well.”

A wine and cheese gathering will take place in McAllen at The Art House courtyard at 8:30 p.m. featuring performances by flamenco dancers from Reynosa and the Valencia dance troupe.

Tickets are available at the museum for $20, while museum admission fee is $5. BMFA is located at 660 E. Ringgold in Brownsville. To sign up for the tour, contact BMFA at (956) 542-8909 or Gene Allen at (956) 371-2070.

Ben Briones/The Pan American FAT TUESDAY - Mike Mauthe intrigues a group of students with his balloon art Tuesday afternoon in celebration of Mardi Gras, at the Student Union Commons.

Dates to Know: Baseball

Al Ogletree Classic Friday through Sunday Edinburg Baseball Stadium February 26, 2009

THE PAN AMERICAN

Track and Field

Great West Championships Saturday Vermillion, S.D. Page 13

FEATURE

UTPA runners set new standards by breaking records

By Pedro Perez IV The Pan American When it comes to running, The University of Texas-Pan American track and field athletes Wally Gonzalez and Sara Hernandez can tell people they hold records in the 800-meter dash and 60-meter hurdles, respectively.

Gonzalez, a junior Edinburg native, marked a 1:53.76 at a meet two weeks ago at Texas A&M University, giving him a new school record that had stood for 17 years. Gonzalez also owns the 800-meter dash record at Edinburg North High School, having broken the one set by Joe Medina in 1996.

“I feel really good about it,” Gonzalez said. “Being that it’s been there so long and for me to come break it, it’s just a big accomplishment.”

Gonzalez started running in seventh grade when the advice of Manuel Molina, now a hurdles coach at North, got him out of hurdles and into long distance.

For Gonzalez, inspiration and motivation have always come from his coaches.

“My coaches Hugo (Cervantes), my head coach from high school, and Molina from junior high,” are the ones he remembers best.

Right now, Cervantes seems to have a major impact on the Bronc.

“He pushes me to the limits and

whenever I feel bad he’ll get in my face and push me,” Gonzalez said. “It’s constructive criticism, he’ll tell me what I do wrong and he’ll help me correct it.”

These days Gonzalez and Cervantes work on the former’s form the most.

Cervantes has been pushing Gonzalez about his technique since day one and right now they’re both in agreement about it. According to Gonzalez his arm form was never his strong point but he feels confident about it now.

Gonzalez is ready for the 800 this weekend at the Great West Conference meet. He’s been telling himself that he’s number one coming into the meet.

“I better finish in first,” Gonzalez said. “It will be a big disappointment if I don’t win the 800-meter dash.”

The person Gonzalez looks forward to competing against is Tim Rowberry from Utah Valley State, whose personal best is 1:53.70, sixth-tenths of a second better than Gonzalez’s record breaker.

Gonzalez says he can’t wait until they meet and that when they do, he’ll simply say, “Good luck and see you at the finish line.”

STORMIN’ SARA Hernandez, a native of Matamoros, Mexico, got into track and field on her own will. When she was in fifth grade, she told her mom she wanted to run and her mother finally said yes after she got tired of hearing

GOLF

RECORD BREAKER - Junior Wally Gonzalez (left) and sophomore Sara Hernandez (right) broke two of UTPA’s record at the Texas A&M Invitational Feb. 13 and 14 where the men’s and women’s teams finished 12th and 10th, respectively.

UPCOMING MEETS Feb. 28

Great West Championships Vermillion, S.D. March 7 Border Olympics Laredo March 13 Bobcat Open San Marcos NCAA Outdoor Championships College Station March 21 Kingsville Invitational Kingsville

Isaac Barrientes/The Pan American the youngster ask.

The Lady Bronc sophomore said her first event wasn’t the hurdles, though.

“My coaches back in Mexico wanted me to do speed-walking because Mexicans are good at that,” Hernandez said.

But after using some tires as a training device, her coaches saw that she could jump and moved her to the hurdles.

For Hernandez, breaking a school

Isaac Barrientes/The Pan American record was not especially surprising because weeks before it happened, her coaches were telling her that she was within two-tenths of a second from doing it.

“I didn’t want to think about it because when you run to break a record, that’s not a real reason you should run,” Hernandez stressed. “You work hard and all you want to do is drop your times, the record is just applause to the satisfaction of knowing you did your best.”

Hernandez knows what it’s like to be on both sides of the pen. As a sports writer for The Pan American she understands the feeling of being an athlete getting drilled by pesky reporters.

“During the assignments you write about it, it’s pretty cool because when they (athletes) tell you stuff you actually know what it feels like,” Hernandez said. “When they (athletes) lose, you know how it feels to lose and to be frustrated knowing you tried hard and didn’t improve at all.”

BASEBALL

Programs finish in top 10 Season opens with heart-breaking losses in separate competitions

By Sara Hernandez The Pan American

By Pedro Perez IV The Pan American

The Lady Broncs participated in their first tournament of the semester, the Stripes Islander Classic Golf Tournament The University of Texas-Pan Amer- and they captured ninth place, shooting ican men’s and women’s golf teams 314-316-320 for 950 over two days. hit the links on Monday for a 54-hole Senior Guatemalan Mariale Camey, match in Montgomery and Corpus who dropped a hole-in-one at a practice Christi, respectively. earlier this week, led the Lady Broncs The Broncs, who are fresh off a first- with an eighth place finish in Corpus, place finish from shooting 11-overlast week, competpar 230. ed in the SFA BillThe Lady Hill Classic in East Broncs hit the Men’s Golf Texas, where they links again in two finished in fifth April 13 Red Wolf Classic weeks at the 2009 place. As a team the Jonesboro, Ark. Claud Jacobs InBroncs shot 316tercollegiate Golf 328-311 for 955 in Women’s Golf Tournament, Monthe two-day event.

March 9 2009 Claud Jacobs day March 9 at Junior and OrIntercollegiate Texas State. The egon native Armen San Marcos Broncs have over a Kirakossian led the month of practice Broncs with his second top ten finish time until the Red Wolf Classic, Monof the spring, shooting 11-over-par 227 day, April 13 at Arkansas State. for sixth place.

Upcoming Meets

The University of Texas-Pan American baseball team opened the 2009 season last weekend with a series of four games against Texas Tech and Southern Utah at Dan Law Field in Lubbock, where they came up short in all four (6-5, 6-5, 8-1, 10-4).

The Broncs (0-4) began the season with Texas Tech Friday. The action started when Tech’s Kevin Whitehead scored in the second inning for a 1-0 lead. After a scoreless third inning, UTPA returned with two runs by infielder Abraham Garcia and senior catcher Jordan Rutenbar. But the lead was short-lived as their opponents responded with four in the bottom of the fourth for a 5-2 score.

Although the Broncs scored in the following inning and again in the seventh to tie the score at 5, Tech’s Jeremy Mayo made the difference with an RBI in the bottom of the seventh.

Jose Mendoza of Corpus Christi led

the Broncs, going 2 for 4 with two RBI. “It was a good game, there were a lot of positive energies,” the sophomore infielder said. “The guys really took it in, went out and performed.”

The second game, against Southern Utah Saturday morning, was a similar situation for the Broncs. Mendoza scored the first run followed by Rutenbar’s home run in the top of the fourth inning.

Southern Utah took the lead after five runs n the fourth inning and although UTPA worked its way up to tie the score at 5 in the sixth, the Thunderbirds closed the eighth inning with Kyle Hamman scoring on a wild pitch.

Mendoza, Rutenbar, and Billy Donaho finished 1 for 4.

The Broncs concluded the weekend with a doubleheader against Tech and Southern Utah that began Sunday morning.

Although Mendoza scored for UTPA in the first inning against Southern Utah, it was the only run the team was able to muster. The Thunderbirds all but sealed in their victory in the

second inning by plating seven runs.

UTPA fell to 0-4 on the season after Tech handed them 10-4 loss in the final game of the round robin tourney.

The Red Raiders took a quick lead with six in the second inning, while the Broncs didn’t score until the top of the fourth, when Garcia and Donaho, who waited on third and first base, scored after Andrew Perez doubled to the right field.

Through the four games, UTPA rotated pitchers. Sophomore David de Leon opened the series and finished with a 0-2 score while Dough Roth, Nathan Molina, and Garcia got 0-1 each.

“We did well; it was a good opening game,” first-year head coach Manny Mantrana said. “We just have to correct some things that didn’t go to well this weekend, keep working and keep progressing.”

The Broncs will kick off the home season with the Al Ogletree Classic at Edinburg Baseball Stadium against Illinois, Texas-Arlington, and Stephen F. Austin beginning Friday at 3 p.m.

Page 14 TENNIS

SPORTS

February 26, 2009

Despite woes Broncs earn first victory of spring season

By Peter Perez IV The Pan American

Ben Briones/The Pan American

EYE ON THE BALL - Tennis player Andrew Irving rushes the net during yesterday’s match against Nicholls State, which resulted in the first win for the Broncs of the spring season.

The University of Texas-Pan American men’s tennis team stood and cheered expectantly Andrew Irving, the last player to finish his match against Nicholls State Wednesday afternoon. The Broncs were facing the Colonels, who in a similar fashion, supported their man, Abrhaya Prakash from the opposite side of the court.

Although the UTPA sophomore lost 2-6, 6-0, 7-6, it didn’t keep the Broncs from completing their first win of the spring season. The team won just one doubles match but was focused for singles, beating the visiting Colonels, 4-2.

In singles, nationally ranked Aswin Vijayaragavan beat Radu Ionescu 7-5, 6-4 in the first spot of the rotation.

Brothers Brett and Beau Bernstein controlled Phenyo Matong and Sami Mouline 6-3, 6-2 and 6-4, 6-0, respectively. Soph Marcus Dornauf dominated Rohan Shetty 6-0, 6-3.

The two losses were by junior Nirvick Mohinta (6-2, 6-1) against Erick Fisher, and Irving’s nerve-breaking setback to Prakash (2-6, 6-0, 7-6).

In doubles, the Indian duo of Vijayaragavan/Mohinta lost against the Inunescu/Prakash duet 8-4, while Brett Bernstein and Dornauf fell 8-6 against Matong and Fisher, while Beau Bernstein and Irving won 8-3

Mohinta was the only Bronc to go into three sets, falling 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 with Gustave Diep.

On third day of competition, the men dropped a close decision against Idaho, 4-3. Once again, the Bernstein brothers stepped up as junior Brett beat Robert Chalkley 6-2, 7-5 and freshman Beau won in three sets 7-6(3), 3-6, 7-6(5) against Timothy Huynh.

ROAD WOES The women suffered drastic setbacks The home win erased the bad taste of a tough road trip. The Broncs, 2-6 starting Friday with a 6-1 loss against on the season after winning by default UTEP. Freshman Malin Andersen was the only Lady Bronc against College to get a win against of Southwest Jan. the Miners, defeating 17, had a difficult Ximena Fuentes (6beginning of the Men’s 2, 7-5). season.

After The Lady Broncs three consecutive March 1 Southern Methodist Univ.

Dallas Noon (now 2-7) dropped a losses, the men and 7-0 decision against women’s tennis Women’s host New Mexico programs traveled March 6 Central Arkansas Saturday. to Las Cruces, Orville Cox Tennis Center 3 p.m. State Junior Megan N.M., last weekend.

Budeau gave stiff Both teams suffered competition to setbacks on all three days of activity, in a tourney hosted by Stephanie Fusebe, but fell 7-6, 4-6, 11-9 the same as Andersen, who lost New Mexico State University.

The men started with a 4-3 loss 7-6, 1-6, 10-8 against Aleksa Costa.

UTPA came up short once again on against Montana State. Sophomore Vijayaragavan defeated Corey Smith Sunday, 7-0 versus Northern Arizona.

The men will travel to Dallas 7-6, 7-5 in the top spot. Brett and Beau Bernstein won their matches in the Sunday to face Southern Methodist fourth and fifth spots against Fletcher University while the women wait to receive Central Arkansas March 6 at 4 Keyes and Alberto Fuentes respectively.

Then UTPA got swept badly 7-0 by p.m. at the Orville Cox Tennis Center New Mexico State on the second day. in town. against the Sheity/Mouline coupling.

“Any time you win is a satisfactory feeling,” interim head coach Chris Gill said. “But to win this was when everyone played so well is exciting… to finally see some of the things worked on coming together and actually getting good results.”

Upcoming Meets

February 26, 2009

SPORTS

Page 15

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Broncs take last home games, vie for double-digit win total

By Ramiro Paez The Pan American

Roxy Solis/The Pan American

TAKING IT TO THE HOLE - Senior forward Emmanuel Jones dunks it after making a steal in the last minute during Saturday’s nail-biting game against NCCU. Jones contributed 31 points for the win.

There’s not a program in the country who wouldn’t love a player like Emmanuel Jones on its team.

Jones exemplifies every characteristic that comes with the game of basketball: commitment, heart and passion. He is the kind of player who loves his coaches and teammates, and will stop at nothing to win.

It’s evident that The University of Texas-Pan American men’s basketball team hasn’t experienced the kind of season it’d hoped for, but even after a rough year nothing has affected Jones’ enthusiasm on the court. The senior from Washington D.C. showcased a prolific performance in his final home game as a Bronc Monday night, scoring a well-earned 31 points and helping UTPA extend its winning streak to three games after a 60-53 victory over the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Jones was all smiles after the win and celebrated in a feverish manner, taking off his No. 10 jersey and tossing it in the air. After rejoicing with the UTPA pep band and few baseball players in attendance, Jones walked pass the scorer’s table and passionately said, “I love this!”

“I love this game. I love it,” Jones said. “It’s fun. To me, (basketball) is a fun thing to do and I just love it.”

Jones’ performance against the Highlanders almost seemed to be coincidental since Monday night marked Senior Night for he and Julius Allgood. But for those in attendance, the Bronc faithful witnessed a player on a mission, creating the ideal ending that only movies portray.

With the Broncs holding a 49-47 advantage late in the game, Jones connected on a long-range jumper that gave UTPA a 51-47 lead, which ignited even third-year coach Tom Schuberth. The basket forced NJIT to call a timeout and Schuberth raised his arms in the air for the crowd to rally behind the men. As Jones walked over to the bench, he hollered, “Let’s go, let’s go!” with a commanding tone.

On the ensuing possession, Jones laid his body on the floor and snatched the ball away from the Highlanders, and the hustle play eventually sent newcomer P.J. Turner to the free-throw line after NJIT committed a foul.

The Highlanders trailed 58-53 with less than a minute remaining and tried to cut into its deficit, but sophomore guard Nick Weiermiller came up with a pivotal steal and passed to the ball to a streaking Jones.

Jones attempted a one-hand dunk but the ball rimmed out and he dangerously landed on his back after being fouled. However, not even a lame foul was going to stop the 6-7 forward. He stood right back up and connected on his two free throws, sealing the victory for his team.

“I feel good,” Jones said. “It’s our last game and we came out with the win. It’s the best thing that I had. It’s my Senior Night and I feel good about it. I’ve been through a lot of things with basketball and I never quit, so I got to stick with it and I got to make something out of it. I’ll do anything to win, whatever it takes.”

Jones missed nine games last season because of an illness but didn’t skip a beat when he returned, finishing first in

total blocks with 17 and fifth in scoring.

This season, he ranks first in scoring and rebounds, averaging 17.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, while still claiming the blocking title with 21 swats.

UTPA sits at 9-16 and will have two chances at a double-digit win season with road games at Chicago State Saturday and NJIT Monday to conclude the latest campaign. If the men can capture at least one victory, they will have recorded double digits in the win column in all three years under Schuberth’s reign.

The Broncs can credit narrow home wins against Longwood University (86-82) and Saturday night’s homecoming thriller against North Carolina Central (67-66) for allowing them to reach this point.

Against the Eagles, the Broncs found themselves trailing 66-64 with 18 seconds remaining after Michael Glasker connected on two free throws. NCC committed a foul on the ensuing possession and sent Turner to the line, where he made the first but missed the second.

Tuner, though, grabbed his own miss and failed to capitalize on his jumper.

But Allgood, who was left uncovered under the basket, was there for the putback as time expired, crafting the first magical night of the two seniors.

Allgood scored a team-high 14 points with seven rebounds.

“I love these guys,” Schuberth said of his team’s character. “There’s not a team in the country that has better people.

I wish we had a better record, but their character is phenomenal. They come to practice every day, they like one another, they’re gentlemen on and off the court, so that’s what you’re really most proud of.”

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Lady Broncs break home record, trying for all-time best victory mark

By Ramrio Paez The Pan American We haven’t seen a whole lot of Robin Garrett this season.

Averaging a mere 9.6 minutes a game, Garrett’s play has been condensed into a package that has her stepping on the court whenever The University of Texas-Pan American women’s coach DeAnn Craft feels a bigger lineup is a more ideal matchup, rather than the small-guard lineup fans have been accustomed to seeing this year.

And on Saturday night, that former matchup materializes. Just like Craft said in her postgame interview, “It was the Robin Garrett Show.”

Garrett finished her Lady Bronc career at home on senior night, scoring a game-high 18 points and helping UTPA grab its 13th win of the season after a 68-56 victory against New Jersey Institute of Technology.

“I still have a big role, I just don’t have as many minutes,” said Garrett, who also hauled in a team-high five rebounds in 20 minutes played. “We do have a freshman (Epiphany Smith) who’s been working her butt off and she gets a lot of things done so I’m basically used as needed. I like my role

better now because I feel like when (Craft) calls my name, I step in and I get it done. I like it better this year.”

Garrett finished as the leading scorer or rebounder in 10 games last season. She ranked third on the team in points (6.9) and rebounds (3.4) per game, while averaging 17.4 minutes in all but one of the season’s 29 games.

The ’08-’09 year has been a different tale, though. Garrett has played in 25 games with eight starts, averaging 4.0 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.

But even with the significant drop in play, she leads the team in field-goal percentage (.514) on 37-of-72 shooting and is tied with teammate Teshay Winfrey in free-throw percentage (.813) for 26 of 32 free throws.

Remember that, “I step in and I get it done,” comment? It sounds about right.

With emotions running high Saturday night after Homecoming and Senior Night festivities before tipoff, it could have been easy for Garrett to get tangled up in the lively drama, but instead the 6-foot-3 center says she had only one thing on her mind.

“I was just thinking about getting the win tonight and it feels good to have the win,” she said. “This team

(NJIT) has been in our butts every time we play them and it just feels good to come out on top.”

With the Lady Broncs holding a 62-49 advantage at the 4-minute mark, Garrett snatched an offensive rebound off Rose Esther Jean’s miss and scored on a short jumper to increase UTPA’s lead to a comfortable 13-point margin.

Senior guard Winfrey, who leads the team in points and rebounds, also ended her Lady Bronc career at the Field House, scoring 14 points and tying Garrett’s five boards.

Winfrey was benched with seven minutes remaining for committing an offensive foul that infuriated Craft. She sat for no more than two minutes and 11 seconds after stepping on the court, and redeemed herself by hitting a clutch 3-pointer that lifted the Lady Broncs’ lead back to double-digits (58-47).

The women now sit at 13-13 with only one game remaining in the regular season, a Saturday road game at Chicago State, before the National Independent Tournament March 5-7. The Lady Broncs have tied their 13-win total that came during the ’03-’04 season and with a win at Chicago State, they will record their first winning season since

Roxy Solis/The Pan American

SPECIAL DELIVERY - Senior center Robin Garrett shoots for the basket during the Lady Bronc’s last home game, bringing in the 68-56 win.

2005, when they finished 14-14.

Big game? Just ask Craft.

“It’s our last actual single-season game and then we have the tournament,” Craft said. “We’re two victories away from establishing an all-time record. We have four games to go. We’re

one win away from tying the all-time record and if we can go get that done at Chicago State, a team we’ve already beaten, it would be monumental for us. We’ve given ourselves a chance and now we just have to go out and perform.”

Page 16

THE PAN AMERICAN

February 26, 2009

Sports Book Review

HONORS

An interesting read from local legend’s memoirs

By Kevin Stich The Pan American

By Kevin Stich The Pan American History gathered in an orderly fashion Saturday as family members, friends, coaches, staff, and press slowly drifted in for The University of TexasPan American Athletic Hall of Fame banquet. The tables were set and the servers ready for the afternoon’s main event at the UTPA Wellness and Recreation Sports Complex.

Classic brass played in the background of tribute videos, while the attention belonged to the champions who have forever forged their mark on the university. The 2009 class, which featured the 1971 College World Series team, marked the third group to be inducted into the Hall.

UTPA’s legendary coach Al Ogletree, head coach of the ’71 CWS team, stood proudly, holding up his trademark cane fashioned to resemble a baseball bat, as the cameras flashed trying to capture a piece of the story. The team and its players were true underdogs, but churned out 44 victories in that historic season – an all-time record for any Texas college or university at the time.

“It means a lot to me,” said James Tyrone, member of the 1971 squad. “It’s like when I gave my speech, I told myself I wasn’t going to be emotional, but once I got up on the podium it just hit me.

So, that just kind of tells you how much it meant to me.

“It brought back the memories of all the guys

I played with, how close we were, how much of a family we were, how much fun we had together and when that happened it just something you miss.”

His brothers, Wayne Tryone, and Leonard Tyrone, were also part of the 2009 class and were inducted as individuals.

James “Jim” McKone and Guadalupe “Lupe” Garcia, two men who were able to see great teams like the ’71 Broncs and played an integral role in UTPA sports history, were the first people to be inducted this year.

McKone served as sports information director from 1969 to 1999 and played a big part in popularizing the school’s athletics. Garcia, more than just a bus driver and equipment manager, was a mentor and motivator for many teams in his 35-year career.

“I never expected to be a lead off for anything,” said McKone, the first of the new members to speak at the banquet.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing and these are some of the greatest athletes we’ve ever had in nearly a century now,” he said after his speech.

“I always believed in the Broncs and I’ve think they always deserve more than they get from the public… I think the university benefits by having champions and good teams and we’ve had them over the years.”

The class also included Delilah Johnson, the first female inducted into the Hall. Johnson could not attend due to a family emergency, but her former

/The Pan American

HERE BE GIANTS - Coach Al Ogletree (top) chats with Mariza Peña during the Hall of Fame induction ceremony for the Class of 2009. Ogletree was the coach for the ‘71 College World Series baseball team. (To right) Wayne Tyrone (left) and James Tyrone accept their award and their brother Leonard’s, as part of the first individuals to be inducted en masse. The Tyrone brothers played for the Broncs in the ‘70s.

coach, Doug Erickson, read a speech in her absence, in which she thanked McKone personally for sending stories and results back to her hometown paper in Mt. Pleasant, in East Texas.

“I was many miles away from home, but it never felt like it,” wrote Johnson, an All-American in track and field in the early 1990s.

Abe Lemons’ daughter, Jan Lemons Smith, was there on his behalf to accept the honor, and gave a tissue-clad speech as she couldn’t help but tear up. Lemons coached basketball for 34 years and enjoyed three outstanding seasons with the Broncs in the mid-1970s.

“He just would have been very honored,” she said of the deceased great. “I think he kind of brought them to the map. He helped bring attention to the university, and also by the people he knew and people that knew him, and the teams that he would bring in to play. That brought them notoriety and notice.”

Another basketball legend, Jim McGurk, the man who helped lead the Green and Orange to victory in the 1963 NAIA basketball championship, was inducted as well; he ranks third all-time in rebounds with 948 and 10th in points with 1,281.

The ceremony concluded with applause, and deservedly so. The remarkable people who comprised the class of 2009 will forever have a place among the trophies, plaques and future teams that will echo in the halls of UTPA.

I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up legendary UTPA baseball coach Al Ogletree’s book “Take Two, Hit to Right, and Slide Against the Wind.” In this day and age, the only books written about baseball seem to be focused on steroid usage and tattle-tales (see Jose Canseco).

But even though Ogletree’s book manages a long-winded title, it is mostly far removed from the era of asterisks and A-roid, taking the reader back to days when baseball’s biggest scandal was still the 1919 Chicago White Sox World Series fix.

The book is a chronological account of Coach Al’s memories and journey through baseball, spanning from 1935 to 2007. He won well over 1,000 games as the greatest Bronc baseball coach ever.

The book is not particularly well written; as Ogletree himself admits, “an English teacher told me that I would never get English, so I guess I believed her because that was always my worst subject.”

Once I managed to get past that, I found that many of Ogletree’s stories were extremely intriguing. He starts from the beginning, as a kid growing up in Austin and quickly moves forward to his playing days and eventually his coaching career, all the while tying in short anecdotes, some baseball-related and some not.

During his playing days he remembers hitting a home run off Terry Fox of the Detroit Tigers, the pitcher that allowed Roger Maris’ 58th home run not 57th as Ogletree originally thought.

Ogletree coached against players like Gary Gentry and “Mr. October,” Reggie Jackson, both part of major league championship teams.

Unfortunately, large parts of the book are littered with stats and rosters, often displayed right at the end of a paragraph.

These would have been better left for the end of the book displayed by year.

What I would have like to have seen in the book was elaboration on the stories.

Although it is a collection of memoirs, the section dedicated to the 1971 College World Series team - which had eight players go on to the majors - seems all too brief, with only three pages of text.

His coaching days are accounted for all the way up to 1997, when he retired as the college baseball’s winningest coach at the time with 1, 217 victories.

After this, the remaining years in the book are spent on baseball after his coaching days, and closes looking forward to his UTPA Athletic Hall of Fame induction in 2007.

Overall, coach Ogletree’s journey through baseball is an interesting one, with many tales to be told. I would venture to say that this man did more for UTPA sports than almost any other person at the university and although he won’t win any literary awards, he has passed on valuable pieces of history for die-hard Bronc fans.