January 24, 2008 by UTRGV Student Media

Thursday Jan. 24, 2008

59th Year No. 16

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER

SEEN AND CAPTURED

Onydia Garza/The Pan American WACKY WEATHER - (Above) Pre-med biology students Daniela Garza and Omar Doria embrace Tuesday afternoonʼs warmer weather after a week of wind and freezing drizzle. (Left) On Wednesday, Fernanda Polaez bundles up and drinks a warm beverage after another cold front moved into the region. Forecasters expect the cold, rainy weather to stick throughout the work week.

Q&A W/ CARDENAS

CRIME

Student stabbed, suspect still at large University By VERONICA GONZALEZ The Pan American

THIS WEEK

After she got the call that Thursday evening, Elizabeth Ramos was scared to continue walking to the Wellness Center, where she was headed for an evening work out. The University of Texas-Pan American, the police department was searching for a man suspected of stab-

bing a student, her friend on the phone told her. “She called me right after the stabbing happened,” the junior nursing major said. “We were right in front of Bronc Village. We ran to the rec.” Ramos, a resident on campus, admits being scared to walk out of the building after working out. They ran all the way back to the dorms, she said. “This is where a lot of students are

supposed to be. It’s supposed to be safe,” she said. But Ramos has now made it a point to no longer walk out past 8 p.m. despite her tight schedule. She refuses to take the chance in becoming a victim. Ramos admits she finds herself looking around at people more, keeping her eye on suspicious ones. “Robbers don’t care who you are,” Ramos said.

Ramos is aware of the escorting service offered for years by campus police offers, but has never taken advantage of it. “I never used it because I hardly ever went out past 8 p.m.,” she said. “We don’t realize that crime can happen anywhere.” The student was stabbed in the abdomen at approximately 8:25 p.m. while walking to his car in Parking Lot C from the Wellness and Recreational

New studies show porn is more acceptable See Page 3

A&E Writer’s strike spells frustration for students See Page 8 & 9

SPORTS Lopez pulls double duty with golf team See Page 16

By ABIGAIL MUNIZ The Pan American Alectxe Guerra’s remembers her fall 2007 freshman orientation fondly. Advisement and the prospect of soon being classified a mechanical engineering major were the highlights. But the downer: knowing that a law limiting the number of courses dropped would add

on the pressure and possibly affect her undergraduate career. “I really didn’t think much of it because [as a mechanical engineering major] I have to really review what classes I have to take,” the 18-year-old Hidalgo native said. “But now you have to think about dropping a class twice because you know it’s going to count against you.” The new state law was put into effect for anyone entering college in or after the fall 2007 semester. State Representative Fred Brown wrote the

The Pan American

law, which limits the number of dropped courses to six. According to Rebecca Lothringer, president of the Texas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (TACRAO) executive committee, at this preliminary stage, officials are not sure how it will affect students. “The effect of this bill on students is yet to be seen,” Lothringer said. “However, at the end of the spring semester, it is expected that there will be a number of students who will be affect-

See RULE page 11

See CARDENAS page 11

See STABBING page 11

Incoming freshman warned New law limits courses dropped

By SANDRA GONZALEZ

The University of Texas-Pan American community knows its president well, on the outside at least. In the second installment of a twopart sit-down interview with The Pan American, Blandina Cardenas speaks more candidly than has been typical for the third year president, about the upcoming semester, lessons her recovery from cardiac bypass has taught her, and even the upcoming presidential election. What exciting things will be going on this semester? We’re going to be hosting a meeting for the Board of Regents on campus in early February. That happens about once every 10 years, so we’re working very hard to make sure they have a good experience at UTPA and that they become more aware of the tremendous changes that are going on here, as well

ACADEMICS

NEWS

faces budget crunch, more in new year

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O PINION

January 24, 2008

THE PAN AMERICAN

REALITY CHECK

AS I SEE IT

Keeping tabs on teens Cowboys do it again: DISAPPOINT BY: VERONICA GONZALEZ

was trying to catch myself up on Valley happenings about a week ago when I stumbled across this headline: ‘Juvenile curfew reaction lukewarm.’ What? It was hard to believe what I was reading. Harlingen City Hall is in the final decision-making stages about a city-wide juvenile curfew. Is that even possible? Kudos to them for thinking about the safety of the 17-and-under generation, but is it necessary to take the curfew-giving-power out of parents’ hands? It could be that the number of teeny-boppers at the movies every night has finally driven them to insanity. I wouldn’t blame them for that, but when I see the state stepping in to call the shots with the home life, I see huge red flags. In reality, I think it comes down to something bigger — the parents. It’s the parent’s job to have a handle on their kid. Who in their right mind would let a 14-year-old out till midnight on a school night, unless it’s for a legitimate reason (I consider midnight movie premieres a good reason). My parents kept tabs on my priorities and whereabouts. They’d get up in my business and tell me what to do. Of course, it irritated me. But looking back on my childhood, I have to admit that my parents knew what they were talking

about every time. They taught me how to make decisions and live a balanced life by rolling up their sleeves and getting involved (which meant a good slap across the face every once in a while), which is something many parents are afraid to do now. They had a handle on me— although some of my friends could say that it looked more like an industrialstrength grip. What they said happened...for the most part. What matters is that they held on until they had to let go. Parents, these are your kids! You’re supposed to keep their wellbeing in mind and tell them what to do. The legal age is 18. Until then, you speak for them. You can’t be afraid to confront them. I’m so tired of seeing the state make decisions for us around every corner. We aren’t helpless; we’ve just become lazy, uninterested, and uninvolved. The thing is, many parents have no idea how to get involved in their kid’s life, partly because they parents weren’t shown the right way either, So, now we have this never-ending cycle of bad parenting that is just going to get worse until someone gets a grip, even if it’s an industrial-strength one.

BY: RAMIRO PAEZ

Am I too insensitive for you? Let me know: vdgonzalezz@gmail.com.

fter all the national attention, hype and popularity this year, the Cowboys continued to do what they seem to do best…disappoint their loyal fans yet again. But honestly, you have to admit that you saw it coming. Dallas is probably the most beloved team out of all 32 franchises, but it’s funny to watch America’s Team as the center of controversy. It seems like the media do it on purpose; it’s like if you’re the most adored, you must suffer the repercussions for it. And who would have thought that the setbacks the Cowboys faced this year would have come from the guy who brought the organization back from the trenches? By now, I think it’s safe to say that the Cowboys game plan starts and ends with Tony Romo, literally. He is certainly the leader of the group and has carried the team on his back for the past two seasons, but ironically, he and his personal life have twice ended his team’s hopes of lifting the Lombardi trophy in February. I’m sure most fans would like to forget Dallas’ debacle two years ago when Romo couldn’t properly place the ball for a game-winning field goal

that a handicapped person is not allowed to ride with a student as long as they're on campus. Appealing the ticket sounded like a fair outing, but to my dismay I fell in the traps set for the unsuspecting student. There are no times past 1 p.m. to go, the appeals are only available on Wednesdays, and you only have one week to dispute it. When you get there you will be Editor-in-Chief Sandra Gonzalez................................................. sandra_panamerican@yahoo.com

against Seattle that would have moved them into the divisional round of the playoffs and closer to a Super Bowl trip. This year it got much worse for our quarterback friend. Romo turned Hollywood in the midst of the Cowboys’ success, which inevitably led to team distractions. Even though girlfriend Jessica Simpson had no part in the way Romo performed at the end of the season, it is a little weird that the ‘Boys went 1-3 in their last four games since Blondie first made her appearance at Texas Stadium. I guess you be the judge of that. But behind all this nonsense comes the real point: winning. I would be lying if I said Dallas established itself this year as a team to be reckoned with in years to come, because they have had legitimate chances the last two seasons to prove they can win. I don’t know if anyone will ever believe that the Cowboys are for real until they actually win a Super Bowl. The way things have gone for them the last two years, not even making it to the Super Bowl will be enough for inpatient Dallas fans.

JANUARY 24, 2008 THE

PANAMERICAN 1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 381-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122 www.utpa.edu/dept/panamerican

News Editor Veronica Gonzalez...................................... vdgonzalezz@gmail.com A&E Editor Jeanette Perez.........fae_myst@yahoo.com Sports Co-Editors Greg Garza...............the_nataku@yahoo.com Ramiro Paez...................ramiropaez@aol.com Photography Editor Nicholas Dodd.................................................. fathernicolow@gmail.com

January

The Student Union presents Hotel Rwanda-Educational Spotlight at 4 p.m. in the Student Union theatre

Homecoming Week begins

The Distinguished Speaker Series presents Rwanda humanitarian Paul Rusesabagina at 7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium. Doors open at 7 p.m. for students with ID

Newsinbrief

PRE-LAW

greeted by an unethical, rude, and so called "unbiased" officer who will first, trick you into signing a piece of paper you think is a confirmation of your presence, when in fact you are signing a confirmation of his decision. But there's nothing that you can do about it because appeals are final. They will put a hold on everything in your student records from registration to disbursement.

I have never pleaded to so many people to help me as I have done so these past two weeks. So good luck if you get a ticket because things will only get worse if you fight it, and you'll certainly lose. Even, if it's not against the law. Sincerely, Sandra Gonzalez senior criminal justice major

Lawrence Sager, dean of The University of Texas at Austin Law School, visited UTPA Jan. 17 at an event sponsored by the Pre-Law Society. Sager, one of the nation’s finest constitutional theorists, spoke to a group of pre-law students and participants of The University of Texas- Pan American’s Law School Preparation Institute about the challenges of entering into law school. Once part of UTPA’s LSPI, Art Villarreal, also an alumnus, accompanied Sager and addressed the students about the skills and preparation needed to be successful in law school.

Design Editor Roy Bazan........................rbazanzz@yahoo.com

Adviser Dr. Greg Selber..........selberg@utpa.edu

Assistant News Editor Abigail Muniz..............abby.muniz@yahoo.com

Secretary Anita Casares..........areyes18@utpa.edu

Designers Rick Gamez Juan Torres

Advertising Manager Samantha Quintana.....spubs@utpa.edu

Can the Cowboys pull out of this one? Tell me: ramiropaez@aol.com.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR To the editor: I can attribute my journey along the bureaucratic ladder, to one word accompanied by a series of numbers: Ticket #: 07E0001646, has triggered a series of unfortunate events. One month and some change ago, an officer decided to leave me a yellow folder on top of my windshield all because I did not have a STUDENT handicapped permit. I guess that means

Savethesedates

Reporters and Photographers Bobby Cervantes Leslie Estrada Onydia Garza Laura Garcia J.R. Ortega Russen Vela

Assitant Advertising Manager Jacqueline Iglesias................................... jiglesiasz@broncs.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.

N EWS

January 24, 2008

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THE PAN AMERICAN

STUDENT LIFE

Study: porn more accepted among students

By ANA VILLAURRUTIA The Pan American Curtained sections, sleazy theaters, brown wrappers, age requirements…at least those were the ways most people used to identify pornography and its users. But today, more college students across the country see pornography as an acceptable expression of sexuality, according to a recent study. In its report, The Journal of Adolescent Research found that 86 percent of college males reported seeing porn within the last year, along with 31

percent of college females. Half the women surveyed also agreed that viewing porn was acceptable. The study also found that one in five males reported viewing pornographic material daily. The older generation was more conservative on the issue with only 37 percent of fathers and 20 percent of mothers surveyed saying viewing porn was acceptable. The study shows the emergence of a generation more accepting of pornographic material. At The University of Texas-Pan American, students have their own opinions on whether porn should be accepted by society. Monica Garza, a 22-year-old junior graphic design major, believes free will is key when it comes to pornography. “You should be free to watch what you want,” she said. She added that her 20-year-old brother is an avid porn viewer, “Him and his friends watch it

and talk about it a lot.” Meanwhile, Stephany Lapides, a 21-year-old junior psychology major said porn has its negative effects and she has begun to see a change in its presentation. “I saw on the Tyra Banks Show that there’s a new type of porn made by women that is becoming more acceptable,” said Lapides about a new wave of feminist porn. Feminist porn is acceptable to feminists because it is not degrading to women and it is made specifically for and by women. A lesser-known risk, according to Chris Albert, clinical supervisor for UTPA’s Counseling and Psychological Services, is addiction. He claims that porn addiction does happen and it can take over someone like a drug or gambling obsessions do. “The visual content may be sexual-

ly gratifying,” Albert said. “But people can excessively view porn instead of studying or working, and it can become a compulsive behavior.” Albert went on to say that not every person will become addicted to porn, because some people just don’t have it in them to become addicted. He warned that if a student has become addicted they should seek help. Oneida Colunga, a 23-year-old interdisciplinary studies freshman simply said, “It’s nasty,” wrinkling her nose as she answered. “I think viewing other people is just nasty,” she said. “What people do as far as that, should be kept private.” Colunga said it is her traditional Catholic upbringing that has influenced her thoughts on this issue. The American Decency Association, an advocate for a porn-free

See XXX page 12

FACULTY

DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER SERIES

Real Rwandan hero Prof. nominated for excellence By J.R. ORTEGA The Pan American When the 1994 Rwandan genocide occurred, luxury hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina’s only intention was survival, not world recognition. But not only did he save his family, he also saved the lives of more than 1,000 refugees that took shelter in his hotel. Considered the Oskar Schindler of Africa, Rusesabagina will share his account of the experience with The University of Texas-Pan American Wednesday night. The genocide erupted when tension between the Hutus and the Tutsis, two major peoples native to Rwanda, became restless after a plane carrying the president of Rwanda along with the Hutu president of Burundi was shot down on April 6, 1994. The event caused

a massacre that lasted more than three months leaving nearly one million dead. Gary Mounce, associate professor of political science, said he always encourages his students to attend speaker events. Mounce highly recommends that before they attend, students watch Hotel Rwanda, starring RUSESABAGINA Don Cheadle. “The movie itself, Hotel Rwanda, and his experience is very depressing about the cruelty of man to man and the incredible excesses and extremism that can cause people to practice genocide,” he said. “But at the same time it is very uplifting…probably religion and their spiritual life played a lot in terms of their motives.”

See RWANDA page 12

By LUPE A. FLORES The Pan American When she is not helping local and federal law enforcement identify human remains with her forensic archaeological skills, Shelia Pozorski, professor of anthropology at The University of Texas-Pan American is out doing othercountry fieldwork in hopes of making a

modern day discovery. In recognition of this and much more, Pozorski has been nominated for the Minnie Stevens Piper Professor award. For 42 years, the award has been distributed by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation and is presented to 15 professors throughout the UT System. “Being nominated is really exciting

and special to me because it’s my fellow teachers who nominated me based on my interactions with students,” Posorzki said. “It is a higher honor when your colleagues nominate you. That’s why it is particularly meaningful.” QUALIFICATIONS The MPSF selection committee's

See AWARD page 12

TUITION

UTPA advances its ‘advantage’ By BOBBY CERVANTES The Pan American When students arrived last week for a new semester at The University of Texas-Pan American, many returned in a considerably better financial situation

than before. Still in its first year, the UTPAdvantage program was “created to help the neediest of students and families,” according to William Morley, assistant director of Student Financial Services at UTPA. Now it has been revamped.

“UTPA administration and the UTPA Financial Aid Office worked together to create and implement this new program…to help satisfy many needs,” he said. But recent changes have brought this opportunity to more students.

See TUITION page 12

January 24, 2008

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January 24, 2008 NEWS

January 24, 2008

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ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

January 24, 2008

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THE PAN AMERICAN

I MUSIC SCENE

Weslaco Music Festival showcases various talents By RUSSEN VELA The Pan American Music festivals are a big part of what makes the Rio Grande Valley special and unique. Each year many music festivals are held all across the United States and are diverse as the music itself. These festivals are unique to the valley, because they bring all races and ethnic groups together for some fun, some laughs and of course to come and relax themselves with diverse music for all tastes. The City of Weslaco Department of Culture is joining the party by bringing the community the “Weslaco Music Festival,” a series of live concerts introducing and showcasing local and international artists Sunday afternoons in January, February and March. Audrey Hazlett, an Illinois native, is Weslaco’s museum coordinator and was both enthusiastic and honored to be sponsoring the event since it was her first year doing it. “All our performers are awardwinning members of the musical community,” Hazlett said excitedly. “This year we have a pianist Dan Oettel, three different guitar groups and a singer Denise Pulliam, who leans toward songs by Patsy Cline, Ray Price, and Roy Orbison.” All these talents and more will be performing at the newly renovated

Mayor Eugene A. Braught Memorial Theater at 525 S. Kansas, between the Weslaco Library and Museum complex. If one is a fan of Latin sounds like Bossa Nova, which is most commonly performed on the nylon-string , played with the fingers rather than with a pick, then The Veronica Sanchez Trio, combining a thrilling highly exotic voice, acoustic guitar and upright bass, will present jazz standards on Sunday, Feb. 17, at 3 p.m. McAllen native and Weslaco High School chemistry teacher Johanna Hinojosa is a huge fan of jazz, especially the bossa nova style. “When I went to Brazil for my honeymoon, I just fell deeply in love with the music,” Hinojosa said. “The feel to it was so exotic and groovy, I bought like ten CDs there.” Because some may prefer other types of music, there is always the good old piano player nearby. Oettel, a well-known Valley pianist, will return for piano concerts Feb. 10 and March 9 at 3 p.m. Oettel, from Staunton, Ill., began taking organ lessons at the tender age of five, and has been playing music for the past 48 years. “I was a teacher until a year and a half ago, I suppose you could now saw that I am a musical entrepreneur/pianist/performer/composer,” Oettel said laughingly. With influences ranging from jazz

pianist Keith Jarrett to Chopin, Oettel calls himself a “new age pianist,” adding that he would characterize his compositions as “contemporary piano music.” He also confesses that music festivals these days are growing but “are growing†primarily geared toward a specific clientele” such as Winter Texans and youth. He also exclaimed with much enthusiasm that the Weslaco Festival is “right on target” with its selection of musical groups. Weslaco native Andi Rogers, a senior at Weslaco High School, was eagerly excited to hear that Pulliam, an accomplished singer in the classic ballad style, was going to be at the festival this year. “I like the early 1940s to late ‘50s kind of music,” Rogers said excitedly. “Patsy Cline is one of my idols, and I always sing her songs when I am driving to school.” One of Pulliam’s most coveted songs which will no doubt be performed Jan. 27, her interpretation of Cline’s most famous song “Crazy.” Pulliam, a Missouri native, has been a huge fan of Cline’s for 50 years. “I have known the song ‘Crazy’ all my life, Patsy Cline is so wonderful and I am happy to sing her songs wherever I go to perform,” said Pulliam. Tickets can be purchased at the Weslaco museum or theater ticket window before the concerts; $7 general admission and $5 for senior citizens.

Ben Briones/The Pan American ACOUSTIC - The RAMA Duo, brothers Neba and Rade Amanovic of Serbia, performed classic guitar at the festival last Sunday. They are only a few among the expected performers throughout the months of January, February and March.

I GAMING

Video gamers, students find new form of exercise By LAURA GARCIA The Pan American If statistics are any indication, health is on the decline in America. More than 15 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight, according to kidshealth.org and with more and more households getting their hands on computers and game systems, the chances of kids getting fit are slimming. But due to new features and bundled packages, one game system, Nintendo Wii, is actually proving to be good exercise. The console comes bundled with a sports package, Wii Sports, that offers gamers a range of sports like tennis and baseball. The fact that the games enable

users to interact and move around - versus simply commanding a sports figure on the screen to do so - has led some to believe that playing them may serve as an actual workout.

I “I don’t think the Wii provides adequate fitness since it requires almost no form of physical movement to move the on-screen cursor.” - Adrian Vallejo computer science major

“Your mind is entertained and you won’t even notice you’re working out,” said Ricardo Hernandez, a member of

The University of Texas-Pan American’s Gamer’s club. Some gamers have even coined the term “Wii elbow,” a condition suffered through engaging in online tennis matches. The supposed fitness craze comes as an added bonus. What happens is that most people are having too much fun to realize that they are actually getting the 30 minutes of exercise a day that most doctors recommend. Maybe kids who don’t like going outside to play can now get some form of aerobics just by playing video games. A new add-on to better enhance the workout is the Wii balance board, included with the Wii Fit game. The board enables users to do yoga, stretches and other activities, allowing a full body workout.

The system has been shown to give real results. Mickey De Lorenzo, a Philadelphia man, has many buzzing about his weight loss due to the Wii system. He claims that just by playing gamer sports 30 minutes a day he lost nine pounds in six weeks. His Web page boasts before and after photos, along with his vital stats. De Lorenzo credits the game with forcing him to get up and use his body instead of just pounding on the controller. But while the system may provide some form of activity, some say it still isn’t a substitute for traditional exercise. “I don’t think the Wii provides adequate fitness since it requires almost no form of physical movement to move the on-screen cursor,” said computer science

major Adrian Vallejo. “If you’re really lazy and just wanna win then all you really have to do is move your wrist.” Greg Schuller, administrative assistant of cultural arts and entertainment for the City of McAllen, agrees. “You still can't beat having kids get out of the house, in the fresh air, and physically playing games like baseball or soccer,” he added. Schuller, whom hosts Wii parties at the McAllen Creative Incubator, notes that it is at least a positive step. “I do not think that any game on the market today gives anybody, adults or kids, adequate exercise,” he said. “I do, however, believe that the concept of the Wii system, having to actually get up and interact with the game, is a good start in the right direction.”

January 24, 2008

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January 24, 2008

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Popular shows, programs still feeling effects of picketing writers N

CampusViews What are you watching during the strike? “Cartoons, actually. I don’t really watch TV shows. It hasn’t really affected me personally.”

-Robert Tellez sophomore political science major “I’ve been watching Criminal Minds and Ugly Betty. Having limited things to watch and watching reruns is getting kind of boring. I’m already losing interest in those shows and moving on. It just brings back bad memories.” -Crystalina Sanchez junior philosophy/history major “There’s a writer’s strike? I watch Heroes, I’m a big fan. Now I’m really depressed. When they stopped showing it I just figured it was over. They all should come to an agreement.” -Tony Delgado freshman massage therapy major

o settlement has been reached between the Writer’s Guild of America and production studios. WGA employees have exchanged their pens for signs and are picketing outside of studios such as Disney, FOX and Warner Brothers. Liana Villarreal, a junior interdisciplinary study major, supports the writer’s strike. “They should get paid more instead of the actors” said the 20-year-old Edinburg native. “Anyone can act, it takes more thought and creativity to write a good story.” The writers’ decision to strike came about on Nov. 5 of last year. The studios refused to adjust revenues for releasing television shows, movies, etc. through other outlets of media other than television and theatres. This includes viewers’ ability to watch repeats of television shows on the internet and downloading them from iTunes. The writers also requested pay for any further media updates that could possibly happen in the future. Seth Meyers, an actor on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, said in an article for USA Today that he does consider himself lucky to have the job he has. “We’re not asking for much. (But) you have to change the rules because people are watching TV in a different way,” said Meyers. In a New York Times article, president of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, J. Nicholas Counter III, said that there wasn’t a way of telling how much would be profited from the new forms of mediums. The strike has been going strong for nearly two months and has put networks and their shows in jeopardy. “The networks should just give into the demands because money is being lost right now and they will continue to lose more in the end,” said 20-year-old, Felicia Rodriguez, a sophomore Biology major. Professor Frederick Mann, a UTPA journalism lecturer, said that it is difficult to fight against these big networks. “The writers will lose in the end. It could spread into newscasts and it could end in disaster,” he said. Jay Leno, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Craig Ferguson, and Jimmy Kimmel aired new episodes of their late night talk shows on Jan. 2. With the exception of Letterman and Ferguson who came

to an agreement with their writers, the others came on air with their own written monologues. Scribe Vibe: Variety’s WGA Strike Blog reported the shows’ ratings on Jan. 3. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno averaged in 7.2 million viewers. It was a 40 percent increase from the show’s season average. Late Show with David Letterman brought in 5.5 million viewers, a 34 percent increase of the season average. A 2.8 million viewership tuned into Late Night with Conan O’Brien. The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson pulled in 2.2 million viewers. Jimmy Kimmel Live was able to pull in 1.8 million viewers. Hilda Del Rio, a junior graphic design major, is glad to see the talk show hosts back on air. Although she does miss their trademark material. “It shows how important the writers are to a show and how much they are depended upon,” said 20-year-old Del Rio, an Edinburg resident. Even though the popular late shows seem to be doing well without writers, what is becoming of the primetime shows? Heavy hitters such as ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, FOX’s 24 and NBC’s Heroes are all dwindling a fine line. With each show not being able to fulfill the quota they originally planned for the new seasons, what are the networks to do? CBS and ABC have something planned during these unfortunate times. CBS will air a new season of the summer hit reality television show, Big Brother. Airing the show is a strategic move since it airs three times a week during its regularly scheduled time. It will fill three key primetime spots. Variety reported that ABC is bringing back the reality show The Mole. It has been four years since the show last aired. Will other big networks follow suit by filling in open slots with reality shows? According to an article on MSNBC, FOX, CBS and The CW were all working on ideas for reality shows. Reality television has the stature of being unscripted, but that is not necessarily the case. They still employ writers to carry out a story for the show. These writers are not employed under the WGA which is why many networks are depending on them while the strike continues.

The thought of reality shows filling primetime isn’t a pleasant sight to all. “I think that people, including myself, will become annoyed because it is going to be one reality show after another. There is only so much a person can take of those kind of shows,” said 20-year-old sophomore management major, Chelsea Lyssy. Junior and undeclared major, Jaime Villarreal, 20, said the networks are pushing reality television to the limit and it is getting out of hand. “American Idol is fine, but do people really want to see Snoop Dog raising his kids,” said the Edinburg resident. The strike has affected some of entertainment’s significant showcases. The People’s Choice Awards turned from a glamorous night to a two-hour pretaped event and the ratings were roughly less than half than last year’s. Acceptance speeches were pretaped. Joaquin Phoenix used cue cards to make his speed. The cards read, “I’m speechless without the writers. Seriously.” The Golden Globes were canceled at the beginning of the month. Instead on Jan. 13 the awards show aired in a news conference format. The music industry’s popular award show, the Grammys, is now on the radar to be boycotted. No comment has been released by the Record Academy. “The union is killing everything,” said Mann. As shows begin to return from their hiatuses, networks will air the last bunch of their new episodes. The question that arises is what will the fans’ reactions be knowing that their favorite shows will end sooner than expected. Nikita Peña, 20, a sophomore public relations major and an avid watcher of Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and Gossip Girl, hopes the WGA will come to an agreement. “I would be upset if the alternative happened and the shows were cancelled because production companies wouldn’t be willing to negotiate a deal,” said the Rio Grande City native. Cynthia Saenz, a sophomore broadcast major and fan of The Hills and America’s Next Top Model, said she doesn’t see why the production companies won’t give the writer’s fair pay. “Without the writers, there is no show,” said 21year-old Saenz.

January 24, 2008

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January 24, 2008

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Popular shows, programs still feeling effects of picketing writers N

CampusViews What are you watching during the strike? “Cartoons, actually. I don’t really watch TV shows. It hasn’t really affected me personally.”

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January 24, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

I TV CORNER

I MOVIE REVIEW

Cloverfield: not the average terrifying monster flick By RUSSEN VELA The Pan American When the teaser trailer for Cloverfield first premiered on movie screens across the United States, many of the theater’s audiences were puzzled and a bit confused at what they were seeing. Was this another Godzilla movie? Was it another film about a terrorist hitting the heart of America? Well, the marketing genius that is Paramount Studios has served America some of the most frightening minutes of their entire lives. Cloverfield has become the first monster hit so far in 2008, opening with an estimated $46 million during the Martin Luther King weekend. Throughout the entire film, the audience views the most horrendous things a disaster film has ever showcased. Sure some could argue this is War of the Worlds Part 2 or even Godzilla Part 50 or 80, but what makes Cloverfield truly scary is that the movie draws one in, makes the viewer a part of the experience (the film again is shot entirely with a camcorder style) and succeeds in scaring folks because of two things: what one sees and what one hears. So, “What does the creature look like?” is the most-asked and most annoy-

ing question about Cloverfield, but it’s the wrong question. The movie works because it’s filled by people one learns to care about. What the monster does to their lives and their loved ones counts more than what it looks like. The movie, which does not have a major actor stealing the screen, treats just about everyone equal. The viewer can feel part of the group thanks to a first-person view, feeling connected to the characters through their loss, their quest to set something right whether that means they

leave their city in ruins, or stay to fight the monster which destroyed it. The movie is brought to viewers by many of the people who make television’s Lost, including J.J. Abrams; Lost is a series not known for being either obvious or direct. The same can be said about Cloverfield, which offers a refreshing and heart-pounding update on the classic genre of a big monster stomping a major metropolitan city into ruin while military fly jets around it. New York civilians are in a dazed panic trying to escape before it’s too late.

Monster movies aren’t generally known to be intelligent, but Cloverfield is smarter than the genre’s usual offering. The filmmakers wisely avoid giving viewers everything, instead showing only bits and pieces of what’s going on, a technique that really fuels fear and blood running cold in a viewer’s veins. Cloverfield will grab people in its sharp intelligent jaws, toss them around like an old toy for a shocking 80 minutes (yes, it’s a short but “so worth it” disaster film) and still leave one panting for more.

movieweb.com ATTACKED - Marlena (Lizzy Caplan) runs wild through the New York City streets as military attempt to fight off the monster. Most of the film is shot a laʼ Blair Witch style, using a regular camcorder to capture the charactersʼ fear.

What You’re

Not

Watching “Terminator...” By JEANETTE PEREZ The Pan American

lthough lately all that seems to be showing on television sets are reality shows like the return of American Gladiators and The Biggest Loser, TV has not yet converted into all-reality. Fox’s debut of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles earlier this month shows promise of a good season run. The show follows after the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day and revolves around the lives of Sarah Connor (Lena Headey), her 15-year-old son John (Thomas Dekker) and their other-worldly protector, Cameron Philips (Summer Glau) as they go on the offensive against the enemy - computer network, Skynet. Sarah and her son time travel to the future to prevent the birth of Skynet and stop the beginning of Armageddon. Watch as they fight against the future that would ultimately end humanity, Mondays at 8 p.m. on FOX.

Page 11

January 24, 2008 NEWS

CARDENAS continued from page 1 as the assets of our students. Then, we will be celebrating [the Festival of International Books and Arts]. I think this is the year FESTIBA will really take off....so I’m really looking forward to FESTIBA becoming another signature event. Are there any other projects, for example research, you’ve heard about that are interesting to you? The College of Social and Behavior Sciences is really moving very aggressively in the area of homeland security and public administration. The work they are doing with the Center for Academic Excellence, that sent 10 students to China last year, I think that college is going to be sorting out over the next couple of years how to use those opportunities to build their own strength. We also have a number of doctoral programs coming to the point where we would be seeking approval. One of the things that is most gratifying things for me to see is the work being done by undergraduate students and their involvement in research. That is paying off in wonderful opportunities for these students to go off to graduate schools in some of the top institutions in

the country. So, we’re coming. Watch out world, here we come. Speaking of other universities, I heard a while back we were going to be extending our recruiting efforts to other parts of the country. Where does that stand right now? That is part of our enrollment management plan for the long term. We’ve begun some of that in the San Antonio area and it’s interesting, we’re getting a lot of interest in our better-known programs like our Baylor medical school program and our physician’s assistant program. They are attracting students. Unfortunately, they tend to be the programs that have far more people who want to be in them than we can absorb. So, what issues, either student- or university-wise. are you hoping to address in 2008? One thing that the Student Government [Association] has really sensitized us to is the whole issue of conservation and the ‘green’ issues. We’re going to be looking for ways to make the university more efficient in use of resources. I think the student body will have to live in a more environmentally conscious way and part of our responsibility is to teach by

example. Being environmentally conscious costs money. But we are going to take to heart many of the recommendations of the student government and make that part of our way of being for the next several years. The issues are always about making choices about to put resources. We will be going through our budgeting cycle in a very different way than we have in the past. We are on a tighter budget than ever. When I came here, the university had substantial reserves, meaning we had money in the bank. We have spent a lot of that money. We’ve spent it on Oracle, Banner and spent some of it on making the university wireless. We’ve spent it on improving technology in the classrooms. We don’t have those kinds of reserves we used to have, so it’s going to be a much tighter process. At the same time, we’re working on delegating choicemaking to the colleges, with some oversight from the provost. It’s changing the mentality, so the people who are doing the work are making the choices. It’s pushing the authority and the responsibility for choices further down, if you would, into the organizational

hierarchy, making sure everyone understands they have to live with the choices they make because there is no more money at the central administration level. If you push the money down, there is no more money in central administration to redistribute. Speaking of choices, we’re all going to be making a big choice this year: a new president. What are you looking for in a president in terms of higher education? It’s a very tough time. What I want more than anything is for the student body to educate themselves about the presidential race. To be aware and understand that the choices that are made will impact their lives in very profound ways. There are so many ways for students to get information, of course there are blogs and even Comedy Central. I find Comedy Central very informative. When my son is here, we watch the Colbert Report and its really interesting stuff. That’s going to win you some fans, I think. [laughs] Then there’s that other one...Jon Stewart [The Daily Show]! Of course that information has to be evaluated. But most of all I want students to

turn save the state money and allow institutions to be more efficient. “Their concern was students dropping a lot of courses and not graduating,” McMillan said. “We’re hoping students will focus on their program and think very carefully before they drop a course.” However, McMillan worries that students aren’t aware of the new law, which he said the university has tried communicating to students since it went into effect. “One of the concerns we have is communicating the law to students,” he said, adding that sending e-mails to new students is one way they hope to get the word out. Blanca Gonzalez, a senior interdisciplinary studies major from

See PRESIDENT page 12

STABBING

RULE continued from page 1 ed by the bill and may have even met their max number of drops.” The TACRAO, a professional association dedicated to the advancement of higher education institutions, has universities such as Texas A&M Kingsville, Sam Houston State University and Schreiner University as part of its membership. “But the committee did make recommendations and [it] provided a timeline that would help institutions implement the requirements,” Lothringer added. Dennis McMillan, associate vice president for enrollment and student services at The University of Texas-Pan American said that the law passed because of a growing concern observed by the state legislature. The law will in

know that this is not a game. Very often the news media talks about the elections as if they are some sort of Super Bowl. They affect people’s lives and literally mean life and death. It affects the nature of people’s lives, whether they are lives of opportunity or without opportunity. Given that, we have tough choices to make. Of course, I think the best choice we can make is to invest in education. But we have a lot of demands on human resources, like health care. And as someone who recently went through a serious situation, I understand the demands of health care. And there are going to be many people my age who are going to be making demands on the health care system. What’s important is that we have a president who is committed to investing in the development of our human capital. There are developing countries all over the world that are making huge investments in education and they are making those investments because they know that’s the only way to compete. And the only way that this country is going to be able to continue to compete in a global economy is if there are very

Palmview knows about the law and thinks it is a good idea. “With the law, students will now have to take careful consideration how [classes] may fit their needs as a student,” she said. “Now, students can’t say ‘I don’t like this class, I’ll just take it with another professor at a more convenient time later.’ They are going to have to apply themselves to make the right decision the first time,” Gonzalez said. According to Lothringer, drops surpassing the allotted six will be considered “F’s” and can hinder a student’s GPA. “[It will make] it more difficult to transfer or graduate,” she said. “On the other hand, the fact that students may only be allowed to drop six courses may encourage them to be thoughtful of the

courses they select during registration and may encourage students to work harder to pass courses.” A policy on exceptions to the law is currently being developed by the university in compliance with the law’s outline on exemptions. Severe illness, death of a family member, active military duty and a change in work schedule outside of the student’s control are some exemptions whose relevance will be determined by the university. Other attempts to push students to be more efficient and graduate in a timely manner can be seen with another Legislative statute known as the 30hour rule. The law limits the number of classes students can take in excess of a set degree plan to no more than 30 hours.

continued from page 1 Center, according to UTPA Police. The 22-year-old victim was approached from behind by the male suspect and was asked the time. The suspect then demanded his wallet and pulled out a knife, taking an undisclosed amount of money. According to the Police Department, the slender built 5 feet 6 inch male Hispanic suspect was last seen wearing a dark blue baseball cap, gray cloth gloves, gray ski jacket with hood and blue jeans. The suspect left in a green four-door Pontiac Grand Am or Grand Prix with paint peeling off the rear bumper. Anyone helpful to this investigation can contact the University Police Department at (956) 316-7151 or at crimeline@utpa.edu.

January 24, 2008

Page 12 NEWS

TUITION continued from page 3

AWARD continued from page 3

Initiated in the fall 2007, the program was only open to Texas residents with an annual family income of $25,000 or less, had met the priority deadline of March 1, and were enrolled in at least 15 undergraduate credit hours per semester, making satisfactory academic progress while enrolled. Though the Texas residency requirement and mandatory 15 hours per semester still apply, the newest modifications to the program, as of fall 2008, increase the income threshold to $30,000 max annually, and push the application date back to April 1. The program is offered to qualified students for a maximum of eight semesters or until graduation. Students who participate must be making satisfactory academic progress, as defined by financial aid officials. Those meeting the new qualifications will have all their tuition and fees during fall and spring semesters paid for by scholarships and/or grant aid. Morley said the changes were implemented to help more people benefit from the program.

expectations are firm, as careful attention is paid to the nominee's administrative duties; organization sponsorship, community involvement and grants received to conduct research. Pozorski’s resume surpasses expectations with more than 37 years of experience in college-level teaching and leading, 20 of those that have been spent at UTPA. Pozorski has also dedicated her life to conducting archaeological research in Peru alongside her husPOZORSKI band and colleague Thomas Pozorski. During her archaeological research she allows undergraduate students to perform fieldwork with them, something she said is essential for students in helping decide whether the anthropology field is for them. "I try to give this opportunity to my students (like I had when I was an undergrad at Harvard), so they can decide precisely about their career choice, while giving them an advantage because not that many undergraduates get field experience," Pozorski said. Pozorski’s "for the students" atti-

I “[The program] was created with growth in mind.” - William Morley Assistant director of Student Financial Services “By raising the income threshold, more families will be eligible to participate in the program,” he said. “And by extending the priority deadline by one month, students will have more time to complete their FAFSAs [Free Application for Federal Student Aid].” The program was expanded at an expense of only $60,000 to the university, according to President Blandina Cardenas. “So to extend that benefit for that small amount of money made a lot of sense,” Cardenas explained. “We have to struggle how to balance this push for

higher quality without making things so costly where nobody can afford them. That’s one of the toughest part of my job.” As for the future, this may be the first round of many changes afoot for UTPAdvantage, according to Morley. “[The program] was created with growth in mind,” he said. “The raising of the income threshold and extension of the priority deadline were very big and positive steps forward in an already impressive program, especially considering we are still in the program’s first year. I would anticipate that as the university’s student population continues to grow, so will programs like the UTPAdvantage.” In 2007, approximately 500 students were able to qualify, said Morley. But early figures estimate an additional 1,000 people will be able to receive funding in 2008. Students like Crystal Sanchez, who has benefited from it for one year, find its financial assistance extremely helpful; her situation before UTPAdvantage required Sanchez to carefully plan every transaction. “It was difficult for me to pay for my classes,” Sanchez said. “I had to maintain two jobs to pay for my living expenses. I had to make every penny count, either for transportation, food, or books.” After she paid college expenses before the program through Stafford Loans, Sanchez said that it has greatly eased her concern about her financial status at UTPA. “I no longer have to worry about paying for my tuition and fees,” said the rehabilitation services major from Edcouch. “I don’t have to take out too many loans for my living expenses.” In addition, Sanchez she would like to see the program grow even more. “I think these changes will open up more opportunities for students like me,” she noted. “I think the program should grow, and hopefully it can later help out graduate students too - because I will be one of them.”

enlighten students about how the power of their voice in a democracy can transform the present and future. “I assume he will say this to our students, that as feeble as it is, the United Nations is the only solution here and we have to work to make the United Nations stronger,” he said. “The Bush administration has worked to cut down the U.N. and make it weaker, so we’ve got to reverse and go the other way.” Rusesabagina is the third guest of the Distinguished Speaker Series this academic year and was chosen by the Distinguished Speaker Series committee composed of faculty, staff and six students from each of the UTPA colleges. Edna Zambrano, Student Union

INSPIRATIONS Since its founding in 1950, MSPF, has supported charitable, scientific and educational activities related to the UT System. Not only does the private, nonprofit organization settle on recognizing teacher-excellence but student academic achievement as well; a practice the corporation has based its principal purpose on. When Mario Rodriguez, a junior broadcasting major found himself taking two of Pozorski classes, little did he know that anthropology would end up weaving its way into his future. “People usually don’t like waking up for early classes, but for her class, I did,” he said. “Every time I was there, I felt what she was teaching.” EVERYTHING IN TIME At the end of 2006, Pozorski stepped down after eight years as Assistant Dean for the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Today, she serves as program coordinator and advisor for the General Studies and Applied Arts and Sciences programs. The award winners will be announced on May 8, 2008. Previous winners include now retired English Professor Will Davis.

PRESIDENT continued from page 11 substantial investments in education. And I think UTPA is a wonderful example. We had over 3,000 graduates in 2007. I would say that at least 75 percent of those graduates come from homes that would not be expected to have a college graduate. But because we made that investment, those familes have forever been transformed. The earning power of those families is double, tripled if they had no graduated. What in 2007 really taught you something? It’s interesting because in some

ways you can say 2007 was a very hard year for me, starting at the end of spring semester when there were accusations made about this office that were very, very hard for me to live through. And then my illness, which really was not...it was major surgery, but I didn’t see it as hard. I was never afraid or worried, it was just something I had to get through. And through both of those situations, I experienced so much support, what came across to me as genuine affection and caring from so many at the university and so many in the community.

So in a sense, even though there were some hard times in 2007, I see it as a good year. I don’t see it as a bad year. I think I will remember it [laughs], but I just feel so fortunate, so very, very fortunate as a human being and as a person. I feel very good about 2007. I’m glad it’s over, but I feel good about it. In 2008, I’m going to try to be more conscious about my body and listen to it more. I don’t think I ever thought about that before. And then the other is that I’m just so very fortunate to be here, with these people, in this place.

XXX continued from page 3

RWANDA continued from page 3 Four years after the killings, President Bill Clinton visited the African nation and read a formal apology now known as “Clinton’s apology.” At the time of the crisis, the United States did not intervene in Rwanda and instead suggested that the massacres taking place did not constitute an actual genocide. “We’re not very good about intelligence and research on Africa in general, the government isn’t very specialized in that area,” Mounce said. “Then of course if there is no strategic interest like with oil in Iraq we [government] don’t get too involved.” Mounce added that Rusesabagina will probably scold America for ignoring Africa’s needs in the past and will also

tude has made her a strong candidate for an award that recognizes excellence in education. Two decades ago she was approached by a student who asked if she would sponsor a student-driven Anthropology club she accepted and has served as the advisor ever since. Also under the wind of Pozorski is Lambda Alpha, the anthropology honor society. Through the club and Honor Society, the nominee along with her students and members has participated in numerous community service activities, including the Adopt-an-Angel Program and regular volunteer work at the local food bank. Pozorski also lends a helping hand to the local and federal law enforcement, often using her skills to identify the gender and presumed time of death using skeletal remains. As a returned favor, the local and federal agencies loan Pozorski the unidentified remains for use in her Archaeological Methods class. “Bare bones don't bother me, I had worked with lots of skeletal material in Peru,” Pozorski said. “It is super important to be sure everything is treated with great respect and to be sure all the remains are handled properly so nothing breaks.”

director, assists the committee in taking care of logistics, and said the committee likes to see “diversity” when selecting a potential candidate. “Here we’ve had two white males come, we had Gorbachev and Kennedy, and so they like to see a roster that is more diverse,” Zambrano said. “They want to see women, they want to see minorities and they want to see people from other countries; that was another reason for choosing him [Rusesabagina] as he brought a different world perspective.” The event will be held in the Fine Arts Auditorium at 7 p.m. Admission is free for the public and students, faculty and staff must show their UTPA ID.

world, disagrees with the pervasive viewing habits of today, including Victoria Secret ads. Along with listing what have long been the industry’s supposed negative effects, the group notes some historical changes in acceptance of the form of entertainment. “Porn can create a climate for unthinkable acts and desensitized views on nudity,” said Bill Johnson, president of the ADA. “Playboy models used to be thought of as sluts, it was taboo.” Johnson and the ADA believe porn can lead to sexually active behavior, violent behavior and an increase in STDs. “Young couples are getting ideas from porn videos… men can become inflamed by what they see and (women)

can become an object.” He added that watching porn could precede incidents such as rape. Johnson remembers an incident that happened in the greater Detroit area of a young woman he came to know. “There was a situation of a young college gal who was going to a party with a fraternity guy who had just watched a porn movie,” he said. “She thought she was ‘OK’ and then he took her to a corn field where he raped her. The study also indicates that porn users are generally linked to “risky behaviors” like binge drinking and are more likely to have sex with multiple partners. However, these suggestions have yet to be empirically substantiated.

Page 13

January 24, 2008 SPORTS

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Broncs edge Huskies, dump Rams at home By RAMIRO PAEZ The Pan American The holiday season may be over, but the University of Texas-Pan American men’s basketball team couldn’t have asked for a better gift this winter. The Broncs picked the right time to get hot as they will begin a three-game road trip Saturday, taking something with them they haven’t had consistently during the season: momentum. UTPA, 12-10, is riding a fivegame winning streak after back-to-back home wins over Huston-Tillotson and Houston Baptist University that have the Bronc faithful and second-year head coach Tom Schuberth feeling good. “Five in a row, that’s a good feeling,” Schuberth said. “This team is capable of winning every game from here on out, but as I remind them every day, they’re capable of losing every one too. We go on the road for three straight... We’re trying to keep this win streak alive and our goal of winning 20 games is still reachable.” HOUSTON BAPTIST When senior guard Paul Stoll walked over to the bench at the 11:29 mark of the first half in Tuesday’s matchup, the Michigan native had garnered 14 of the team’s 21 points,

including 4 of 4 from behind the arc. Stoll continued to pour it on the Huskies throughout the game and finished with a career-high 37 points in front of a raucous crowd that witnessed the Green and Orange claim an 82-68 win over Houston Baptist University. “Guys were giving me open shots, that’s my teammates,” Stoll said. “I was getting the easy part, easy shots. They were setting screens and setting me up, so I just got fortunate enough that I was getting open because of them.” With UTPA leading 11-6 early in the first half, the men went on a 17-0 run to pull ahead by 22 points. Out of their first 28 points, the Broncs connected on six 3-pointers. Houston, though, kept it close late in the first half and cut the deficit to eight at 70-62 with 3:35 remaining in the game, but key Bronc baskets and turnovers plagued the Huskies’ chances of making a remarkable comeback. “At the end of the half, they kind of came back,” senior guard Brian Burrell said. “I was kind of upset with that because we could have put the game away early.” Stoll added nine assists, seven rebounds and went 16-of-16 from the free-throw line, while Zach Trader recorded 18 points, 12 rebounds and four assists on 8-of-16 shooting.

HUSTON-TILLOTSON While the Huston-Tillotson Rams don’t play at the Division I level, they came out looking like they did as the game began in a fast pace that the Broncs aren’t accustomed to. The Green and Orange found themselves pressured in the backcourt and trying to force shots, but it was a shortlived disruption as UTPA quickly turned things around to solidify an 80-60 rout of the Rams on Jan 16. “It’s a good feeling to win by 20 and win four in a row,” Schuberth said. “We didn’t play our best basketball and we certainly didn’t play our worst…It’s a sign of a good program when you can play not your best game and still win and play everybody.” The Rams did have a glimpse of hope early in the first half as they seemed to have the home side riled, but with the scored tied at 13, the men awoke and went on a 15-2 run during a 7-minute stretch to pull ahead for good. Sophomore forward Nathan Hawkins, who scored a careerhigh 23 points, contributed to the team’s outbreak as he torched the Rams inside for 11 straight points during the run. The Broncs took a comfortable 3922 lead into halftime and did not let up in the second, shooting 58.6 percent. Burrell was one of three Broncs who scored in double figures, finishing with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Onydia Garza/The Pan American STEPPING UP - UTPA guard Paul Stoll fends off a Husky defender in Tuesday nightʼs 82-68 victory over Houston-Baptist. Stoll recorded a career-high 37 points, receiving recognition on ESPN.com.

Basketball Schedule Jan. 26

## Player 32 Trader, Zach.......... 05 Burrell, Brian......... 04 Stoll, Paul.............. 02 Hawkins, Nathan... 10 Jones, Emmanuel . 15 Shankle, Dexter..... 01 Puente, Danny....... 12 Weiermiller, Nick.... 11 Franklin, Damon.... 33 Buck, Ryan............ 24 Smith, Ben............ 20 SILVA, Steven....... 40 Trader, Jacob........ TEAM...................... Total........................

|----TOTAL----| |-----3-PTS-----| |--REBOUNDS--| GP-GS Min--Avg FG-FGA Pct 3FG-FGA Pct FT-FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO A TO Blk Stl Pts Avg 22-22 22-22 22-22 22-22 13-0 20-20 22-2 21-0 10-0 13-0 16-0 3-0 10-0

750 737 728 593 230 538 248 280 52 142 87 5 35

34.1 124-241 .515 33.5 113-291 .388 33.1 71-154 .461 27.0 92-174 .529 17.7 43-81 .531 26.9 43-98 .439 11.3 19-50 .380 13.3 18-43 .419 5.2 10-17 .588 10.9 9-15 .600 5.4 4-28 .143 1.7 1-3 .333 3.5 4-8 .500

0-4 54-157 55-123 0-0 0-1 27-64 17-43 9-23 0-2 0-1 4-22 0-1 0-0

4425

551-1203 .458

166-441

.000 .344 .447 .000 .000 .422 .395 .391 .000 .000 .182 .000 .000

72-94 26-33 90-104 73-115 31-47 17-30 8-9 11-11 3-6 8-15 8-10 1-2 0-2

.766 .788 .865 .635 .660 .567 .889 1.000 .500 .533 .800 .500 .000

46 27 5 42 22 3 4 3 2 7 2 1 1 36

102 84 52 56 38 38 8 22 12 14 9 0 2 31

148 111 57 98 60 41 12 25 14 21 11 1 3 67

6.7 5.0 2.6 4.5 4.6 2.1 0.5 1.2 1.4 1.6 0.7 0.3 0.3 3.2

56 55 58 58 31 45 16 21 4 23 11 1 7 1

2 48 49 1 1 32 55 2 3 159 69 4 1 11 23 2 0 11 17 10 1 34 16 2 0 34 17 1 1 23 21 0 0 2 7 0 0 9 7 0 0 9 4 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 3

13 31 48 2 7 5 6 7 1 1 1 0 0

320 306 287 257 117 130 63 56 23 26 20 3 8

14.5 13.9 13.0 11.7 9.0 6.5 2.9 2.7 2.3 2.0 1.3 1.0 0.8

.376 348-478 .728 201 468 669 30.4 387 10 373 289 23 122 1616 73.5

@ New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ 12:05 p.m. Jan. 28 @ Chicago State Chicago, IL 7:05 p.m. Jan. 30 @ Northwestern Evanston, IL 7:05 p.m. Feb. 2 vs. Chicago State UTPA Field House 6:05 p.m. Feb. 5 @ Texas-Arlington Arligton 7:05 p.m. Feb. 9 vs. New Jersey Institute of Technology UTPA Field House 7:05 p.m. Feb. 12 vs. Cal State-Bakersfield UTPA Field House 7:05 p.m. Feb. 22 @ Cal State-Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA 9:05 p.m. Feb. 28 @ Savannah State Chatham County, GA 6:05 p.m.

January 24, 2008

Page 14 SPORTS

PRO BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Viper’s record falls to 10-15 against Albuquerque By ALEJANDRO DEL BARRIO The Pan American Things have been tough lately for the Valley’s D-League hoops team. For the third consecutive game, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers could not hold on to a half time lead as they dropped their fourth straight game, to the Albuquerque Thunderbirds 95-93 Wednesday morning at Tingley Coliseum. The Vipers have not won a true road game since Dec. 29 and are now a season-worst five games below .500. The game was tied at 23 after a back-and-forth first quarter of play that saw eight ties and seven lead changes. The Vipers took control of the game in the second, where they capped off a 9-0 run at the 1:11 mark after two Desmon Farmer free throws to lead by 12. The Vipers took an 11-point lead into the break and led by as many as 15 in the third quarter. However, an 11-2 run by the Thunderbirds to close out the period pulled Albuquerque to within four entering the fourth quarter. Neither team would have a lead of more than four in the final period. Kris Collins, who played his collegiate ball in Albuquerque at New Mexico and was cut from Thunderbirds in training camp earlier this season, made two free throws at the

2:18 mark and gave the Vipers a 91-85 lead. The Thunderbirds finished the game on a 10-2 run to grab the come from behind victory, its second over RGV. The Vipers were without forward Stanley Asumnu who was out with flulike symptoms, and were forced to dress only seven players. “Words cannot express the way I am feeling right now after that loss,” Vipers Head Coach (and former Bronc coach) Bob Hoffman said. “We deserved to win that game as hard as we played. We just have to find a way to get the one on Friday night.” Five Viper players scored in double figures, including Farmer’s game-high 30 points along with Collins’ 14 points, his third straight game in doubles. Five Albuquerque players scored in double digits including Ali Berdiel’s teamhigh 26 points. Elijah Ingram added 18 for the Thunderbirds as they broke a four game losing streak with the win. Thunderbirds Head Coach Jeff Ruland was ejected in the third quarter for over-excessive complaining about the officials. The Vipers will continue their current six-game road swing in Albuquerque on Friday as they will face the Thunderbirds for the third time this season. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Lady Broncs suffer sixth straight loss Opponent’s second half runs plague UTPA By RAMIRO PAEZ The Pan American Fourth-year University of TexasPan American women’s basketball coach DeAnn Craft had her team heading in the right direction throughout the first nine match-ups of 2007-08. The women started the season 6-3 and looked well on their way to posting a winning record, but their fortune quickly turned after that. In their last 11 matchups, the Lady Broncs have only posted two wins and after almost a month since their last victory, the Green and Orange are in the midst of a six-game losing streak, including consecutive losses on the road. CHICAGO STATE After suffering their third home loss of the season on Jan. 12 to Cal-State Bakersfield University, the women traveled to Chicago, Ill., Saturday to begin a threegame road trip against the Lady Cougars of Chicago State University. The women hoped for better results as they looked to get back into the win

column, but CSU’s offense became too much in the second half as the Lady Coogs outlasted UTPA, 63-48. The turning point came in the second period when the Lady Cougars went on a 9-1 run to increase their lead to 18 points with 4:48 remaining. Senior guard LeKeisha Gray was one of two Lady Broncs who scored in double figures, finishing with 15 points on 6-of-18 shooting to go along with four assists and three rebounds. IPFW While the men were wrapping up their fifth straight win Tuesday, the women suffered their sixth straight loss at the hands of Indiana University-Purdue-Fort Wayne.

Coming off a fresh five-point win over Oakland, the Lady Mastadons notched their seventh win of the season after outscoring the Lady Broncs 45-31 in the second half. The potential victory once again slipped away from UTPA during a second-half sprout when the Lady Mastadons opened the period on a 10-2 and never looked back. After shooting 28.6 percent from the field in the first half, IPFW finished the game at 43.6 percent on 24-of-55 shooting. Only two Lady Broncs recorded double digit figures as Gray finished with a game-high 25 points, plus five rebounds, while senior Tamara Vaughn added 11 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Women’s Basketball Schedule Jan. 28 Feb. 1 Feb. 2 Feb. 9 Feb. 18 Feb. 23 Mar. 1

@ New Jersey Institute of Technology Longwood Chicago State @ Utah Valley University Texas A&M-Corpus Christi @ Cal State-Bakersfield Houston Baptist (Exhibition)

Mar. 6 Mar. 7 Mar. 8

TBA TBA TBA

Newark, NJ UTPA Field House UTPA Field House Orem, UT UTPA Fieldhouse Bakersfield, CA UTPA Field House

6:05 p.m. 7:05 p.m. 8:05 p.m. 4:05 p.m. 7:05 p.m. 9:05 p.m. 2:05 p.m.

National Independent Tournament UTPA Field House UTPA Field House UTPA Field House

TBA TBA TBA

January 24, 2008

Page 15 SPORTS

TENNIS

Green and Orange record home sweep over Southwest Women win by default due to health reasons By GABRIEL SALDANA The Pan American

Onydia Garza/The Pan American READY TO RESPOND - Sophomore Brett Bernstein angles himself for a proper return in Saturdayʼs contest against the College of the Southwest.

The University of Texas-Pan American tennis programs waited almost four months for their first home event of the 2008 campaign, but the women will have to wait a little longer than expected after posting a victory by default over the weekend. It was up to the men to garner 7-0 laurels and they did just that by clinching a win over the College of Southwest at the Orville Cox Center Saturday afternoon. The women were denied. “At the College of the Southwest, two of the women were injured and two were sick and they were left with two,” tennis coach Rob Hubbard said about the women’s matchup. “During warm-ups, one of the women wasn’t feeling well so we won by default.”

TRACK AND FIELD

The University of Texas-Pan American men’s and women’s track and field team opened their 2008 indoor season last Friday with unsatisfactory performances at the Leonard Hilton Memorial Invitational hosted by the University of Houston. The Green and Orange had high expectations entering Friday but ranked at the bottom for most of the competition and undoubtedly planted a seed for the will to improve. “Taking into consideration that it was the first meet of the season, overall I would say we did okay,” track coach Dennis Darling said. “Of course the results we got were not the ones we expected, so I would definitely say that

Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Schedule Feb. 1

Feb. 16

Feb. 23 Mar. 1 Mar. 8

Houston Invitational Host - University of Houston Houston UH/Run Sport All-Comers Meet Host - University of Houston Houston USA Indoor Championship Boston, MA Border Olympics Laredo Bobcat Open Host - Texas State San Marcos

Shashank Vij claimed a 6-0, 6-1 matchup against Villalobos to close out the action at the tourney. Hubbard commented on the day’s event and the first showing of the newly signed players on the 2008 campaign. “We had the three freshman in the starting lineup and all three did very well and took care of business,” Hubbard said. “They carried through with all the fundamentals. The freshman looked very good.” Both teams now look forward to weekend match-ups when they face “two of the toughest competitions” in Texas Tech and Clemson, said Hubbard. Hubbard stated that the goal for this season would be to get back in the regional hunt. “When you’re in the regional rankings you go on the hunt for nationals,” he said. “We’re taking steps trying to get to that level. I think that if we’re playing well and they [nationally ranked teams] are not looking for us, they could have themselves a dogfight.” The action kicks off at 5 p.m. in Lubbock.

SCHEDULES

Track team struggles in Houston By ALVARO BALDERAS The Pan American

The day began with doubles action where Sugarland native Brett Bernstein and freshman newcomer Ashwin Vijayaragavan notched an 8-1 win over Adam Fawl and Pete Garcia. Oakburn College Prep alum and Australia native Marcus Dornauf, along with the newly-inked Andrew Irving of Hamilton, New Zealand, posted an 8-1 victory over Josh Baker and Taylor Crossland. Texas Southern University transfer Ivan Avila and Enrique Montemayor, from Brownsville Hanna High School, edged out their opponents 8-2. “They did fine,” Hubbard said. “It’s the first 7-0 we’ve won in a while. I expected them to win but you never know until you get that… match under your belt.” Singles action yielded victories for Avila and Vijayaragavan, both notching 6-0 victories over Fawl and Garcia. In a matchup against Crossland, Bernstein clinched a 6-1, 6-3 mark, while Lira succumbed to Dornauf in a 63, 6-0 match to continue the Bronc lead. Sophomore Finland native

there’s a major upside for improvement.” One key issue raised by the Bronc coach was the lack of responsibility by the team to remain in peak physical condition during the winter break. “I was pleased by the excellent work we accomplished before we left to break but no doubt the time off messed us up as we came into our first competition,” Darling said. “Not using it as an excuse, but we need to take it more seriously in order to develop a competitive edge against our opponents.” In addition to UTPA, the University of Texas, Rice and Texas A&M were among 11 other schools participating at the event. The Longhorns captured the men’s team championship, scoring 108 points. Stephen F. Austin finished as runner up with a score of 65.20, while the Broncs placed last with a score of 5. Four UTPA athletes participated in the men’s one-mile run with Edinburg’s Wally Gonzalez finishing a Bronc-best 23rd with a time of 4:33.10. Rolando Vela followed in at 29th, Angel Ramirez 31st and Vidal Ruiz at 35th. Gilroy Martinez’ fourth-place finish in section 2 of the men’s 800-meter run was definitely a positive result on the men’s side. “I am excited that Gilroy had a good performance in the 800-meter run. I liked what I saw in his running and the potential he has for the rest of the season,” Darling said. Bronc All-American Will Littleton did not travel with the team to Houston

because of his appearance the same day in the Wildcat Invitational at Kansas State University, where he participated in the exclusive men’s high jump invitational. Of the top seven male leaders in the nation who were invited, Littleton finished fifth with a jump of 7-0 1/4. On the women’s side, the team championship went to Rice with a cumulative score of 125 that edged out Sam Houston State at 95. The Bronc women finished 11th overall, out of 15 universities, with a score of 15. Performances by sophomore sprinter Vanessa Brown and junior thrower Michelle Elizondo brought some positive reinforcement for the Broncs. Brown received a solid fourth-place finish with a time of 57.79 in the 400-meter dash, while Elizondo placed fifth in the weight throwing event with a strong throw of 14.6 meters. “Even though I wasn’t at 100 percent, I’m pleased that I had a decent outing,” Brown said. “I’m not that concerned on how I placed but instead happy on my performance, especially with having to worry about keeping in shape during winter break, which was a real concern.” Other women’s results include senior Liliana Cavazos, who finished 23rd in the long jump, and Cecilia Lott, who placed 22nd in the 60-meter dash with a time of 8.07. The Broncs will return to action Feb. 1 when they will travel back to the Gulf Coast for the Houston Invitational.

Men’s Golf Feb. 3 Feb. 4 Feb. 5 Mar. 3 Mar. 4

Jack Brown Memorial Tournament Jack Brown Memorial Tournament Jack Brown Memorial Tournament Braveheart Classic Host - UC-Riverside Braveheart Classic Host - UC-Riverside

Feb. 3 Feb. 4 Feb. 5 Feb. 25 Feb. 26

Jack Brown Memorial Tournament Jack Brown Memorial Tournament Jack Brown Memorial Tournament Islander Spring Classic Host - TAMU-CC Islander Spring Classic Host - TAMU-CC

Jan. 26 Jan. 27 Feb. 2 Feb. 3 Feb. 9 Feb. 10 Feb. 17 Feb. 22 Feb. 23 Feb. 24 Mar. 9

Texas Tech Clemson vs. Centenary College vs. Prairie View A&M vs. Tennessee Tech vs. Arkansas - Little Rock vs. Monterrey Tech @ Nicholls State @ Southeastern Louisiana Southern University Southern Methodist University

Jan. 25 Jan. 26 Feb. 1 Feb. 2

Texas Tech Air Force Stephen F. Austin Centenary College Louisiana Tech Central Arkansas Tennessee Tech Arkansas - Little Rock Texas State Monterrey Tech Nicholls State Southeastern Louisiana Southern University Prairie View A&M Rice University

Laredo Laredo Laredo Beaumont, CA Beaumont, CA

All Day All Day All Day All Day All Day

Laredo Laredo Laredo Corpus Christi Corpus Christi

All Day All Day All Day All Day All Day

Women’s Golf

Men’s Tennis Lubbock Austin Nacogdoches Prairie View UA-LR Little Rock, AR Orville Cox Tennis Center Thibodaux, LA Hammond, LA Baton Rouge, LA Dallas

TBA 9 a.m. 10 a.m. 10 a.m. TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA 1 p.m.

Women’s Tennis

Feb. 8 Feb. 9 Feb. 16 Feb. 17 Feb. 22 Feb. 23 Feb. 24 Mar. 8

Lubbock Lubbock Nacogodoches Nacogodoches Nacogodoches Conway, AR Little Rock, AR Little Rock, AR Orville Cox Tennis Center Orville Cox Tennis Center Thibodaux, LA Hammond, LA Baton Rouge, LA Prairie View Houston

5 p.m. TBA 3 p.m. 9 a.m. 3 p.m. 3 p.m. 10 a.m. TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA 9 a.m. 2 p.m.

Page 16

S P O RT S

January 24, 2008

THE PAN AMERICAN

GOLF

StatsAtAGlance

5 5

The number of games the men’s basketball team has won consecutively

By GABRIEL SALDANA The Pan American When first-year University of Texas-Pan American golf coach Ofelia Lopez accepted the position to take over the helms of the women’s program, she couldn’t have anticipated what would be asked of her next. Lopez was hired back on Aug. 8 as the third women’s golf coach in program history, but 15 days later, men’s coach Andrew Tredway resigned for the same position at Mercer University. Tredway’s absence left an opening for the men’s golf program, but instead of hiring a replacement, UTPA handed over the duties to Lopez, leaving her with bigger responsibilities and pressures to make the 2008 campaign a successful one. Lopez talked about the experience and the help she’s received this season to lighten the load. “It’s been going really great,” she said. “I have my new assistant Tim McCabe who will be able to help me out with the men’s program. I think he’s going to do a great job and it’s been great working with someone I know. I see the men’s team going nowhere but up.” Indeed Lopez knows how much pressure is on her on the men’s side after Tredway led the Broncs to back-to-back National Minority College Golf Championship titles during the 2006 and 2007 seasons. But with the season already underway and now the addition of McCabe, Lopez plans to build on the demeanor of the team entering the 2008 season.

“The mental aspect of the game is good but it just needs a little fine tuning. I like to try to get them outside the box,” she said. “I teach them what you can control and what you can’t control, like the weather.” Lopez continued to add her expectations on the women’s side. “The women are doing great. We ended the fall on a really good note and we’re still ranked really well,” she said. “I’m taking them to Laredo as the warm up to get ready for the season. I have high expectations for them because of what they’ve been bringing to the table.” THE LONG JOURNEY Still in her first year, the Southern Mississippi grad recalls the long road to success and talked about the path she took to become a head coach at UTPA. “I was at Southern Mississippi for two years as the assistant coach. I’d played there for four years,” she said. “I was looking for another job and kept applying online and getting the rejection letters. They said the job here was closed so I thought they found somebody.” Lopez was unprepared for the series of events that followed. “When I found out the job had reopened I contacted human resources,” she said. “I was packing up all my stuff to go back to San Antonio where my family lives when I got the call to come in for an interview.” Lopez was 8 years old when she took to the course and has played the sport ever since, she said. The coach discussed some of the experiences that

Roxy Solis/The Pan American BIGGER TASKS - UTPA Golf Coach Ofelia Lopez and senior Jeff Hensley practice swings at Los Lagos Golf Club in Edinburg for the upcoming season beginning Feb. 3. Lopez was hired as the womenʼs head coach in August and in addition, was given responsibility for the menʼs program.

have contributed to her knowledge of the game. “Golf is the one thing that I know inside and out,” she said. “Working as an assistant pro and coordinator you run over eight tournaments a year.” After more than 10 years of golf experience, Lopez still works toward the goal of playing professionally at some point during her career. “That’s always been a big goal of mine,” she said. “But I always said that if I didn’t play professionally I’d like to coach. That’s the next best thing because you get to give back. There are so many people

that you thank during a golf career that you want to help somebody yourself.” Behind the leadership of Lopez, the team will kick off the 2008 season after more than three months off in Laredo at the Jack Brown Memorial Tournament Feb. 3.

The number the New England Patriots are aiming for as they take their 18-0 record to Super Bowl XLII against the New York Giants

37 37

Number of years since Al Ogletree led the Bronc baseball team to a fourthplace finish at the College World Series

ShortSports UTPA BASEBALL Former University of Texas-Pan American baseball All-American and current Tampa Bay Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey is set to appear as the celebrity guest at the fifth annual UTPA Baseball Scholarship Golf Tournament on Saturday at the Monte Cristo Golf Course & Country Club. The event will begin with registration at 7:30 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at 8:30 am. There will be five sponsor levels to sign up for, ranging from $200 for individual packages to $1,750 for platinum ones. This will be the fourth time Hickey has come to the event, and the turnout has been excellent in the past. He earned first-team All-American selection in 1983, leading the Broncs to a school-record 64 wins by winning 16 games that year. Currently, Hickey is heading into his second season with the Rays after two and a half seasons as a pitching coach with the Houston Astros. The event began in 2004 in order to increase proceeds for the UTPA baseball scholarship program. The NCAA dictated that a maximum of 11.7 scholarships that could be handed out to players.