The Last Show the
Senior BFA majors to present final project Page 8
Volume 68, No. 25
GWC Time
Broncs sweep NYIT to move 4-0 in conference play
Page 10
Fun in the Sun
Spring Cleaning April 12, 2012
Students play during post-Spring Break event
Page 9
Meningitis
Less contagious form of disease detected on campus Online
panamericanonline.com
DegreeWorks
ONLINE
New online program to help students and advisors
UTPA students, admins to address sustainability during Earth Week Pages 6 - 7
2
editorial
April 12, 2012
opinion
Norma Gonzalez Arts & Life Editor
April is home to many deserving causes, but as organizations and clubs bring awareness to Autism, Earth Day and Sexual Assault, I can’t help but think of another that strikes close to my heart. This month is also National Child Abuse Prevention Month. It hits so close to home because I was abused as a child. Many people that I went to school with didn’t, and still don’t, know. It was something that was hidden so well. Growing up, I remember hiding with my twin sister Claudia, crying as we heard my dad fighting with my mom or my older sisters. Since we were the babies and twins, he considered us a special gift, so he didn’t hit us as often. But it only lead to more verbal abuse. Second grade was one of the worst years. Claudia and I had been transferred to a different elementary school for the GT program. It was hard enough making new friends, going to harder classes and being in a school we weren’t familiar with, but at the end of the school year another bomb dropped. My older half-sister Lyly blamed herself for my dad’s
Not afraid anymore
“
Child Abuse Prevention Month sends message home
behavior. She thought she reminded our dad of his ex-wife, and that’s why he would take it out on us. One time he gave her a busted lip before she was to sit for a high school picture. Another time he screamed at her and hit her when he got home
I never felt good e n o u g h for my dad.
I
never
to
be
the
home.
time
high
wanted
I
school
By
was
I
in
was
10 different activities/ organizations so I involved in about
could
keep
myself
busy and out of the house.”
and found one dirty dish in the sink. She got tired of his abuse. So she decided that we would be better off without her and ran away from home. I remember she took all of her clothes and explained
to my twin sister and me that she was just taking it to the neighborhood lavandería down the alley so she could start getting ready for college. At that age I didn’t know how college worked. She was going to graduate from high school in a couple of weeks, and I didn’t know when she was supposed to be at school, so I believed her. I got into a fight with my older sister Cynthia a couple of hours later, and I thought, “I don’t have to take this,” so I ran down the alley to Lyly. When I got to the lavandería, Lyly, nor any of her stuff, was anywhere to be seen. I collapsed to the floor and hid under a counter, holding myself, crying. Cynthia finally caught up to me, and instead of still fighting with me, she led me back to the house and put me into bed. When my parents got home that night, Cynthia gave them a letter. I don’t remember seeing their reaction, all I remember is a lot of screaming. I was never told what was in the letter, and to this day I still don’t know. Instead of things getting better, they got worse. I never felt good enough for my dad. I never wanted to be home. By the time I
was in high school I was involved in about 10 different activities/ organizations so I could keep myself busy and out of the house. I would walk to places, hitch rides, even with teams, just so I wouldn’t have to ask my parents to take me anywhere. It’s funny, according to Prevent Child Abuse America one of the signs that children are being abused is that they come to school early, stay late, and don’t want to go home. No one ever realized that I was so active in school because I didn’t want to leave. Sometimes, especially when watching Lifetime-style movies about abuse, I feel like maybe I wasn’t abused enough. Like I shouldn’t complain because someone has it worse than me. Truth is that no one should ever have to watch their dad beat up their mom or sisters. No one should ever be told they are worthless and won’t amount to anything. Most importantly, no one should ever be told they are a disappointment of a daughter like my dad told me when I was 16. Prevent Child Abuse has a lot of information on how to recognize and prevent child abuse, but somehow I slipped through
the cracks. My dad always told us not to tell anyone what was going on because no one needed to see our dirty laundry, and so I camouflaged my problems with “happiness.” I’m always all smiles and laughs. I can be having the hardest day in my life, but as soon as I see someone else, a switch goes on in me and I act like nothing is wrong. Maybe I just needed someone to pay closer attention to me, to be able to see behind my façade. Don’t get me wrong. My dad wasn’t some kind of monster. I have plenty of good memories with him, and I attribute a lot of myself to him. He just made quite a few bad decisions. Sadly, he passed away four years ago, but the last six months we had with him he was the best father a child could ask for. I wonder what my life would have been like had he not been abusive, but I don’t think I would be the woman I am today. Not everyone is as lucky as I was. If you recognize child abuse, please call 1-800-CHILDREN.
Recognizing child abuse:
The following could signal an abused child. If you notice these behaviors in a child you know, please notify local law enforcement or call 1-800-CHILDREN. Signs of physical abuse • The child comes to school early, stays late and does not want to go home. • Has fading bruises or other marks after an absence from school. • Is overly compliant, an overachiever or too responsible.
Signs of neglect • Begs or steals food or money from classmates. • Lacks needed medical or dental care, immunizations or glasses. • Is consistently dirty and has severe body odor. • Lacks sufficient clothing for the weather.
Production Notes week 12 I walked into my Conservational Biology class a few minutes late last week. My professor, Robert Edwards, poked fun at the fact that the “head honcho” of the paper thought it was OK
to come late to class. One of the hazards of the job, I guess. But almost as soon as he had “pwned” me in front of 16 other students, he gave me the perfect
Signs of sexual abuse • Suddenly refuses to change for gym or to participate in physical activities. • Demonstrates sophisticated sexual knowledge or behavior. • Becomes pregnant or contracts a venereal disease, particularly if under age 14. • Runs away from home.
idea for this week’s paper. “You know who you need to talk to?” he asked. “No,” I responded, still a little embarrassed from the attention. “Itzel,” he exclaimed. “She’s doing some great stuff with her group.” And she was. In fact, the Environmental Awareness Club was starting a campaign to change the way students looked at waste. Particularly, how many plastic bottles they used at the WRSC.
Signs of emotional maltreatment • Shows extremes in behavior, such as overly compliant or demanding behavior, extreme passivity or aggression. • Is either inappropriately adult (parenting other children, for example) or inappropriately infantile (frequently rocking or head-banging, for example).
Source: Prevent Child Abuse America
This is how the idea for the spread and the front page began to take shape, out of a moment of shame and a suggestion. Sustainability and utilitarianism are tough topics to explain, but between Michael Chavez’s data collecting, Karen Villarreal’s graphics, and Nadia Tamez-Robledo’s story, The Pan American highlights what student organizations and University departments are doing to address the subjects. Earth Week is important to me because, as an Environmen-
tal Science major, I feel it’s an opportunity to share with students the different options we have to make our planet a better place to live. I hope you will read what we worked so hard to collect for you, and you take some of the information to heart. Now if we can only figure out a way to not use so much paper. -Reynaldo Leal Co-Editor-in-Chief
Vol. 68, No. 25
The Pan American thepanamerican@gmail.com 1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 665-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122
Co-Editors-in-Chief:
Reynaldo Leal Nadia Tamez-Robledo
News Editor:
Karen Antonacci
Sports Editor:
Michael Saenz
Arts & Life Editor: Norma Gonzalez
Photography Editor: Ruben Gutierrez
Design Editor:
Erick Gonzalez
Multimedia Editor: Pamela Morales
Adviser:
Dr. Greg Selber
Administrative Associate:
Anita Reyes
Advertising Manager:
Mariel Cantu
Webmasters:
Jose Villarreal Selvino Padilla
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.
Delivery:
Thursday at noon
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. We cannot publish anonymous letters or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send all letters to thepanamerican@gmail.com.
tweets Got the #harrypotter lit course accepted! Hogwarts, welcome to #utpa!
@dr_abc
I rode for like two hours on my bike today. Near #UTPA
@gonher93
What section of the Pan American do you read first? Tweet at us!
- @ThePanAmerican
April 12, 2012
the pan american
Earn $95 this week Donate your plasma to help save the lives worldwide. If you qualify as a new donor, you can earn up to $95 this week. TPR_1010_A_1001
500 S. Bicentiennial Blvd. Ste. 200 McAllen, TX (651) 501-0800 Monday: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Tuesday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Saturday: 8:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m. www.talecrisplasma.com In addition to meeting the donation criteria, you must provide a valid photo I.D., proof of your current address and your Social Security or immigration card to donate.
Page 3
4
news
April 12, 2012
In
November 10, 2011
the dark
Storm hits, students at off-site campus stuck with no word from UTPA By Ayesha Zahid The Pan American When the sirens went off at the McAllen Teaching site during the storm March 29, graduate student Veronica de la Garza immediately thought, “Well, there goes my pickup truck. It’s going to be up in the air soon.” The winds approaching north McAllen with speeds up to 75 mph caused de la Garza’s worry. She was attending a night class at the building on South Main Street when the lights flickered and went out at about 9 p.m., leaving the building in complete darkness for a few moments. Professors dismissed students from courses, saying they could leave if they wanted to. “But then we heard the sirens,” de la Garza said. “And I grew up in the Midwest, so when I hear sirens, I automatically think, ‘Okay, we’ve got to get out of here.’” Several students left the building; about six stayed behind. There was no word from the UTPA administration regarding the weather or safety precautions, according to de la Garza and Laura Cavazos, the latter a graduate student who was in the building at the time. “It just seemed like UTPA wasn’t aware of what was happening,” de la Garza said. “And there was no direction.” Professor Shirley Mills, one of the professors who stayed behind, took control of the situation and directed
students to a windowless classroom at the back of the building. “I guess my ‘mom’ instincts took over and I wanted everyone to be safe,” wrote Mills via email. According to the students, Mills let them know the danger of immediately leaving the building. “She actually asked that we stay … and not leave,” Cavazos said. “She did really great, moving us into a classroom and just making sure we were safe.” ‘LIKE... AN ISLAND’ The lights eventually went out again, for a longer
stretch this time. According to students, there were no emergency lights in the building. “If it weren’t for a couple of guys who had flashlights, it would have been pitch dark,” she said. “Everyone just pulled out their cell phones.” The McAllen Teaching Site has been rented out to the University since 2009. Maintenance is working currently on installing an emergency lighting system. In the classroom, students depended on their electronic devices to stay updated on the storm.
“There was this girl in our classroom, she had an iPad,” de la Garza said. “She showed us that there was a major storm hovering in our area and there was another one coming up behind it.” Email alerts went out to students a few hours before classes were cancelled due to Hurricane Dolly in 2008 and Hurricane Alex in 2010. “There was actually a conscious decision not to send out a Bronc Alert,” said Richard Costello, director of Environmental Health and Safety. “It wasn’t appropriate in this case.” The decision on whether to send out an alert is made by the Immediate Response Teams, made up of the UTPA Police Department, Physical Plant, and the Department of Environmental Health and Safety. According to Costello, an alert is sent out in case of a tornado warning, infra-
structure emergency, or police-related issue. The IRTs did not anticipate hailstorm reaching the magnitude that it did. “There was some ambiguity regarding whether or not there was going to be a hailstorm,” said Costello. “Was there going to be wind? Was there going to be water? We didn’t know yet.” He added that an individual from the building called him to inform him about the situation. Costello planned on driving to the teaching center, but the hailstorm made it unsafe to be out on the roads. Costello also said that the teachers in the building made the right decision by cancelling classes. “(For the entire University to cancel classes) is a pretty significant move on the part of the institution,” said Costello. “President Nelsen has to talk to the Board of Regents about it.” The Bronc Alert system required students to sign up on their own in the past, however, due to low turnout of students signing up, the Department of Environmental Health and Safety took matters into their own hands. “What we’re doing now is taking information from the registrar and using that to alert students,” said Costello. “But there’s an issue with that, too. A lot of the names and numbers aren’t correct because students don’t update their numbers. If we had sent out an alert, what percentage of students would have been notified, anyway?” The most recent alert for students was sent out in February when Brenda Dominguez, a high school student, died on campus and classes were cancelled in the Science Building. McAllen took the brunt
of the storm with baseballsized hail and flooding. Firefighters responded to about 200 calls from people stranded and looking for shelter. According to a team of meteorologists from the National Weather Service, no tornado touched down. However, the damage to McAllen buildings included blown-off roofs and broken windows. The McAllen Police Department also suffered damage to their roof and equipment. Cavazos had been on her way from Willacy County to class when she heard about the approaching storm on the radio, but dismissed the news. “I didn’t think it would hit Hidalgo County,” she said. “And I didn’t think it was going to be as bad as it turned out to be.” The students were worried about the possibility of staying overnight at the teaching center when they didn’t hear anything from the UTPA administration. “We didn’t even know if we could spend the night there at all,” de la Garza said. “It was very odd that the University didn’t let our professors know if they should have let us go earlier or not.” According to Cavazos, being at the teaching site during the storm was “like being on an island.” “I feel like because we were at the teaching site, we were away from the University and they left us out,” she said. Costello admitted that the external campuses like the teaching center could use more attention. “In most cases, the majority of things happen on the main campus,” he said. “We probably need to demonstrate more diligence in making sure (the external campuses are) taken care of.”
Photo Illustration by: Reynaldo Leal
UTPA student passes away in tragic accident By Michael Chavez The Pan American
Walter De La Rosa Jr., an amateur film connoisseur and a cinematography student at the University, passed away March 27 in a traffic accident. He was 28. According to the Combes Police Department, while driving on the frontage road outside of Combes, Walter De La Rosa Jr.’s vehicle lost control and burst into flames upon Courtesy Photo colliding with a pickup truck. Walter De La Rosa Jr.
He was born in Weslaco on Nov. 1, 1983 to Walter and Phyllis De La Rosa and is survived by his parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins. Walter De La Rosa Jr. studied creative writing along with cinematography, and would often perform at and attend Valley poetry readings. “Walter loved to use his creativity. He always told me it was part of living life to the fullest,” said Phyllis De La Rosa,
his mother. “Walt pursued an education so he could follow his ultimate creative dream of becoming a filmmaker.” After studying at Stephen F. Austin State University, Walter De La Rosa Jr. transferred to UTPA to be closer to family. “He was already a senior at SFASU; he had even worked on a film in Nacogdoches called Christmas with the Dead when he decided to come back,” said Phyllis De La Rosa. “About 30 of his hours didn’t transfer though,
so Walt lost about two semesters of credits.” But even the loss of a year didn’t discourage Walter De La Rosa Jr. “Even setbacks were opportunities to Walt,” his mother noted. “Another year in college meant another year of learning, practice and growth. Walter always found opportunities to grow and dream, and helped his friends do the same. He actually helped his roommate meet his fiancée.”
Fittingly, Walter De La Rosa Jr. quotes James Dean’s famous saying on his Facebook profile, “Dream as if you would live forever, live as if you would die today.” “That was his slogan, he must have said it every day,” said Phyllis De La Rosa. “I take comfort in knowing that when he passed, he was living life to the fullest. He was always creating, dreaming, doing. Finding new ways to say ‘I love life.’”
news
April 12, 2012
1102 ,01 rebmevoN
5
Potential improvements for Valley education newsbriefs By Daniella Diaz The Pan American
Second VistaSummit to be held at UTPA
Big-name funders will be visiting UTPA listening to initiatives and possibly contributing, when the UT VistaSummit: Focus on Education happens Tuesday, April 17. The summit is a step forward from October’s VistaSummit in Brownsville, which ended in resolutions supporting advances in education, economic development and health care in the Valley. Representatives from Ford, Gates, Lumina, Dell, Communities of Texas, Educate Texas, and Greater Texas Foundation have been invited to attend as contributors on Tuesday at the Haggar Building. The representatives will decide whether to help fund initiatives to improve education in the Valley. “The important thing is that the students know that the United States and all of these big funding operations are looking at the Valley,” said
UTPA President Robert Nelsen. “They’ve taken notice of what we’re doing at Pan Am, and they want to be involved.” Nelsen and UTB President Juliet Garcia decided on the four initiatives from 13 fundable project ideas proposed by the P-16 Council, which is made up of Texas state legislators and representatives from the governor’s office, university systems, and other state agencies. The four initiatives will benefit students in the Rio Grande Valley—middle school, high school, and college and university students, as well as teachers in Valley districts, according to Nelsen. THE DEAL The first initiative is a plan to appoint a group of counselors who will advise the same students from eighth grade through their sophomore year in college. “Early College High Schools,” the second initiative, plans to increase the number of dual enrollment courses, or courses that give high school
students college credit, to Valley students. According to the UTPA Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, 66 percent of entering freshmen surveyed in 2010 said they enrolled in the University with college credit from concurrent enrollment or AP testing. The third initiative, titled “Academy of Distinguished Teachers,” involves certifying all Valley high school teachers to teach in their discipline, and eventually requiring them to earn a Master’s degree. According to Nelsen, currently 30 percent of Valley teachers instructing Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) courses are not certified to teach in their discipline. Additionally, the initiative would give every high school teacher teaching dual enrollment courses the certification training necessary to teach these courses. The fourth initiative, titled “Four-Year, Accelerated Bachelor’s + Master’s Degrees,” involves eventually offering four-year master’s degree tracks
Finishing in Four By Susan Gonzalez The Pan American A tuition increase proposed for fall 2013, which has been discussed since last semester, will be presented to the UT System Board of Regents and the University will know within two to three weeks if the plan is approved. Money from this increase will go toward programs and incentives meant to help students graduate within four years. “The tuition and fee proposal hasn’t been approved yet by the Board of Regents,” Vice President of Student Affairs Martha Cantu said. “The funding increase is going to be given right back to the
December 2012 General tuition increase proposed
5-7% increase
students to help shorten their time to degree.” If approved, undergraduate students who currently pay $3,054.77 for a 15-credit hour course load would shell out $159.67 more. Graduate students who currently pay $2,470.91 for a nine-credit hour course load would pay an extra $180.45. In a university survey of 121 people, more than 60 percent of students, faculty and staff opposed the tuition increase and fee changes. But Cantu assures students that this is part of a larger initiative to help them graduate without taking excess hours. “A lot of our students graduate with way too many hours, so
January Extra credit-hour increase voted in by UTPA administration and SGA $363
in select majors. Students would come to the University with dual enrollment credit and graduate in four years with a bachelor’s and master’s degree. The University has already begun planning for the four-year master’s degree. Administrators want to improve the quality of education at the school districts even if the representatives do not offer the funding, according to Nelsen.
I think they will make a tremendous difference in the Valley. We’re going to start some of these initiatives no matter what. -Robert Nelsen President of UTPA
Ruben Gutierrez/The Pan American
it’s extremely costly and we just want to make sure the students are advised properly,” she said. “And that they know exactly what courses they need for their degree plan.” GRADUATION AIDS DegreeWorks is one tool students have at their disposal to help them graduate in a timely manner. This new program, purchased from SunGard Higher Education, provide students with complete academic information: classes they have taken, grades earned, courses needed to complete their degree, grade-point averages and what advising they still need. “It’s a little confusing because
(advisers) are telling you all these classes you need,” freshmen art major Bilma Flores said. “Sometimes they get them wrong. And while they can be very helpful, sometimes you don’t have time to see them, so you’re sort of just wondering ‘well, what classes can I take for the following semester?’ So I think DegreeWorks is really good and super helpful.” While some students like Flores are enthusiastic about this program, others think it is a temporary solution to a larger problem. “Arbitrarily saying that DegreeWorks is going to fix all these problems is premature,” senior social studies composite
March
April
DegreeWorks, a program to help manage college career progress, introduced
General tuition increase will be sent to Board of Regents for approval
How to get there: ASSIST
students, faculty and staff opposed
$90
Amount of money per hour after 150-hour cap
Rob Forbes is a designer who founded PUBLIC Bikes, a business with a mission to reduce the nation’s dependency on cars. April 13, he will speak as part of the UTPA Library 2012 Innovative Voices Speaker Series at the Engineering Auditorium, Room 1.300 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The first 100 people seated will receive a neon-colored bicycle lapel pin.
New program aims to aid students until completion of degree, not all pleased
my.utpa.edu
60%
“I’m hoping (the Summit) brings us a lot of money,” Nelsen said. “I think they will make a tremendous difference in the Valley. We’re going to start some of these initiatives no matter what.” ---For more information, please visit the UT Vista Summit website at www.vistasummit.com
“Fronteras y Puentes Understanding and Transforming Borders through Social Science Research” is the title of the Sixth Annual Research Conference at the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences April 12-13. It is open to students interested in research involving border issues. For more information on the events and where they will be held, visit utpa.edu or scan the QR code below.
Student Services Student Records
Degree Works
major Mark Allen said. “It may be the best thing ever, but we don’t know how well it’s going to work.” In addition to this concern, Allen, a member of the Student Government Association (SGA), also questions the University administration and SGA’s decision to increase extra credit-hour tuition from $90 a credit hour to $363 when a student exceeds 150 hours. “The argument for increasing the fee was to make up for that loss of formula funding, the difference between the $90 and what we’re losing from the actual state,” Allen said. “So the intent of this fee was to make up for that gap. So the fee shouldn’t be over $150 to $200.” Cantu clarifies that this fee was approved by the Cost of Education Committee (COEC), which is composed of students, faculty, and staff. It reviews tuition and fee proposals and makes recommendations to the president of the University. “(Allen) had expressed a concern about the excess-hour cost increase,” she said. “Excesshour cost increase is to discourage students from taking so many hours that are not on their degree plan. It’s very expensive and very time-consuming.” In addition, students who are concerned about paying for this extra credit-hour tuition are allowed to appeal. “We do have a process in place for students to appeal and we’re going to look at each case individually,” Cantu explained. “If a student has a very good reason for
why they’re in the excess hours we will look at it very carefully.” AND FROM HERE? In addition to the extra credithour tuition increase, which will go into effect in two years, there are incentives in the proposal to increase tuition for fall 2013 that will also encourage students to graduate on time. One, the 4x4 Plan, encourages students to graduate in four years by offering $500 for every semester during which they take 15 hours or more. “At the end of the four years you could possibly receive $4,000,” Cantu said. “It’s an incentive program for students who are not on need-based aid.” The proposal also includes plans for summer grants, which will help students pay for summer school. In 2011, Congress voted to do away with the availability of Pell Grant money in the summer. Since then, students have demonstrated an increasing need for funds to pay for these courses. “We also recommended the summer boost grant,” Cantu said. “This is also helping students decrease their time to graduation and it’s encouraging them to come to summer school. This is kind of helping fill the need that we were filling with the summer (Pell Grant).”
For a video about DegreeWorks visit The Pan American’s YouTube channel
The
April 12, 2012
THE PAN AMERICAN
April 12, 2012
Art of going Green
BOTTLE
Water
The Pacific Institute
The equivalent amount of oil barrels used to produce the United States consumes in one year. The Pacific Institute
Environmental Awareness Club events Re-Movement Rally at WRSC on April 17 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Earth Day Festival at the Quad on April 26 Time TBA
For updates and future events, find the EAC on facebook or at ecautpa.tumblr.com
Office for Sustainability Workshop “Sustainable Health in a Changing World” ITT Building, International RM 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
McAllen Green Festival “Vida Verde” Quinta Mazatlan World Birding Center 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
University focuses on bike-friendly, sustainable initiatives during Earth Week
By Nadia Tamez-Robledo The Pan American The warnings painted across the covered walkway’s support beams no longer silently scold students, faculty and staff for riding their bicycles under the shaded corridors. “SAFE BICYCLE RIDING ALLOWED,” they now read in red paint. The changing of a single word is indicative of the shift the University has made toward facilitating cyclists on campus and the surrounding community. “There’s been a huge increase in cycling here in the Valley, and we’ve seen it grow tremendously just in the past two years,” Director of Sustainability Programs Marianella Franklin said. “We’re seeing more and more student
cyclists on campus.” UTPA kicked off its Earth Week events early with an April 4 workshop that invited community leaders to learn how keeping cyclists in mind when revitalizing business districts can boost the local economy. “A car will pass by a business at speeds that are pretty quick,” Franklin said. “[The] proper shading, the proper widths of sidewalks, the proper buffers, all of that will attract more pedestrians and cyclists to a business.” The University is developing five sustainability
initiatives, which are at various stages of development and range from waste management to alternative transportation. The closest to completion are the several bicycle repair stations Franklin said the University hopes to have up and running by late April or early May. “This is going to help our campus community promote more cycling, which is wonderful in terms of sustainability because it promotes alternative transportation,” she said. “It’s great for our health, and it’s great in terms of our
finances as well because it saves a lot of money.” The stations will allow campus cyclists to hang their bikes up on a hook while repairs are made. Students, faculty and staff will have access to an air pump and be able to choose from tools that are attached to the station by retractable wires. “It’s very basic, but it’s very helpful for those who come out of class and find that they have a flat tire or that a chain is loose or something like that,” Franklin said. The idea originated from students and staff who approached the Office of Sustainability with concerns about parking a n d
aved /seme s 1 5 s 3 ter $ ved / s a s 0 8 em 2 $ e .0 saved /se 21
$140 .i - 70 sav .- $ sav i
UTPA
m
campus cycling. The department directed them to UTPA’s Committee for Transportation, led by Chief of University Police Roger Stearns. “We’re here to be a resource more than anything,” Franklin said of her office. “We’re here to provide guidance to the campus and the campus community to help them operate in more sustainable ways, do research, and also to tie into curriculum.” The theme of cycling continues to weave itself into UTPA’s Earth Week agenda with a presentation by designer Rob Forbes in the Engineering Building Friday at 6 p.m. Forbes founded the San Francisco-based company Design Within Reach and the PUBLIC Bikes line of bicycles. Student organization Artists
ed ed
17 million
”
April 21
City of Edinburg Arbor Day/ Earth Day Festival Edinburg City Hall Courtyard 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
ter es
just a 1L plastic water bottle.
“ ” “
April 20
1m
3L 1L
$5
April 17
Rob Forbes “Finding Design in Public Places” Engineering Lobby and Auditorium 6 p.m.
2m
90%
$20,000
Moving Forward
25%
4,000% markup
April 14
Earth Day Baseball Game UTPA Broncs vs UTB Scorpions Edinburg Baseball Stadium 7 p.m.
$0.0003125 $1.25 That’s a
April 13
er st
The plastic bottles that sit in cup holders of stationary bikes or on the sidelines of intramural basketball games at the rec center will look much the same in a few thousand years. That’s if they end up at the bottom of a landfill. The Environmental Awareness Club is teaming up with Artists Unanimous to give students some perspective on what tossing their plastic water or energy drink bottles adds up to in the long run. The organizations’ members have been collecting a month’s worth of bottles placed into the Wellness and Recreational Sports Complex’s recycling bins. They plan bottled water brands on turning the bottles sell repackaged tap water. into works of art to be And often, municipal tap unveiled during a rec water undergoes more center event honoring rigorous testing than the Earth Day April 17. bottling companies’ water. The actual holiday falls National Resources Defence Council on April 22. With approximately 100 to 120 bottles accumulated every day, the Environmental Awareness Club estimates that the of the cost for bottled water WRSC recycling bins is for the bottle itself. generate 3,000 bottles per month. Belmont University “And we’re just counting the recycling spaces. We’re not counting the trash,” said senior Itzel Mora, a member of the EAC committee organizing the event. “The goal is to make It takes 3 Liters of people realize that water to produce
we’re [producing] all this trash and just make them think.” Students are reconstructing the plastic into cost of 20-oz. eight sculptures of larger cost of 20 oz. of tap water bottles, which will stand bottle of Dasani nearly 6 feet tall. The sculptures will then be tap water filled with remaining plastic bottles collected from the building. “We thought, what did we want the sculpture to say to the people seeing them?” said Xavier or the equivalent of paying Castillo, vice president of Artists Unanimous. “And for a Subway footlong. we agreed that we needed to do a little bit of a shock State of Connecticut value. We needed to put the bottles in people’s faces…” be replaced with water refillClub members hope to encour- ing stations similar to the ones The goal is to age fellow students to reduce the installed at the University of make people realize amount of plastic bottles they use, Texas at Austin. that we ’ re [ producing ] as well as educate them about the “Once you build up proper way to recycle what they do enough awareness, little by litall this trash and just purchase. tle, it opens people to the idea make them think. Four University departments are of an alternative,” she said. “It currently responsible for on-campus would be rad to do that here, recycling, which includes everything but because of the fact that -Itzel Mora from plastic and paper to motor oil for the most part, the UTPA EAC member and hazardous waste. community is not aware of this In addition to an information stuff, it would be difficult table, the EAC will have a booth on to push that initiative and site to be used for a photo petition. gain support for it. But Once you build Students can take pictures of them- if we have these events, up enough awareness, selves with messages encouraging starting at the rec and University administrators to follow moving forward to other little by little, it opens in the footsteps of other colleges that buildings, it could crehave instituted policies to reduce ate that momentum that people to the idea of an campus waste. could really help us shift alternative. Political science major Alexis Bay the campus away from said that the Environmental Aware- the waste in plastic.” ness Club hopes that the University -Alexis Bay will eventually develop a campusPolitical science major wide recycling program and consider a ban on plastic bottles, which could
April 12
Global Lens Screening The Light Thief Library Auditorium 6 p.m.
Student organizations join forces to raise awareness about campus waste By Nadia Tamez-Robledo The Pan American
Page 7
UTPA Earth week events
3m i.$
THE PAN AMERICAN
5m ile 4m s i
Page 6
Money saved by biking to school by distance
Unanimous’ exhibition Impact of Bikes will be on display in the Library First Floor Art Gallery through May 5. The show features paintings, drawings, and multimedia pieces integrating actual parts of bicycles into the artwork. Representatives from The Office for Sustainability will also be present during Edinburg’s Arbor Day Festival Saturday and for McAllen’s “Vida Verde” festival at the Quinta Mazatlan World Birding Center April 21. “We’re not doing everything here because we truly want to be a regional resource. We can’t do it alone,” Franklin said of promoting sustainability. “We need the support of everyone to do it in a collective manner.”
The
April 12, 2012
THE PAN AMERICAN
April 12, 2012
Art of going Green
BOTTLE
Water
The Pacific Institute
The equivalent amount of oil barrels used to produce the United States consumes in one year. The Pacific Institute
Environmental Awareness Club events Re-Movement Rally at WRSC on April 17 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Earth Day Festival at the Quad on April 26 Time TBA
For updates and future events, find the EAC on facebook or at ecautpa.tumblr.com
Office for Sustainability Workshop “Sustainable Health in a Changing World” ITT Building, International RM 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
McAllen Green Festival “Vida Verde” Quinta Mazatlan World Birding Center 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
University focuses on bike-friendly, sustainable initiatives during Earth Week
By Nadia Tamez-Robledo The Pan American The warnings painted across the covered walkway’s support beams no longer silently scold students, faculty and staff for riding their bicycles under the shaded corridors. “SAFE BICYCLE RIDING ALLOWED,” they now read in red paint. The changing of a single word is indicative of the shift the University has made toward facilitating cyclists on campus and the surrounding community. “There’s been a huge increase in cycling here in the Valley, and we’ve seen it grow tremendously just in the past two years,” Director of Sustainability Programs Marianella Franklin said. “We’re seeing more and more student
cyclists on campus.” UTPA kicked off its Earth Week events early with an April 4 workshop that invited community leaders to learn how keeping cyclists in mind when revitalizing business districts can boost the local economy. “A car will pass by a business at speeds that are pretty quick,” Franklin said. “[The] proper shading, the proper widths of sidewalks, the proper buffers, all of that will attract more pedestrians and cyclists to a business.” The University is developing five sustainability
initiatives, which are at various stages of development and range from waste management to alternative transportation. The closest to completion are the several bicycle repair stations Franklin said the University hopes to have up and running by late April or early May. “This is going to help our campus community promote more cycling, which is wonderful in terms of sustainability because it promotes alternative transportation,” she said. “It’s great for our health, and it’s great in terms of our
finances as well because it saves a lot of money.” The stations will allow campus cyclists to hang their bikes up on a hook while repairs are made. Students, faculty and staff will have access to an air pump and be able to choose from tools that are attached to the station by retractable wires. “It’s very basic, but it’s very helpful for those who come out of class and find that they have a flat tire or that a chain is loose or something like that,” Franklin said. The idea originated from students and staff who approached the Office of Sustainability with concerns about parking a n d
aved /seme s 1 5 s 3 ter $ ved / s a s 0 8 em 2 $ e .0 saved /se 21
$140 .i - 70 sav .- $ sav i
UTPA
m
campus cycling. The department directed them to UTPA’s Committee for Transportation, led by Chief of University Police Roger Stearns. “We’re here to be a resource more than anything,” Franklin said of her office. “We’re here to provide guidance to the campus and the campus community to help them operate in more sustainable ways, do research, and also to tie into curriculum.” The theme of cycling continues to weave itself into UTPA’s Earth Week agenda with a presentation by designer Rob Forbes in the Engineering Building Friday at 6 p.m. Forbes founded the San Francisco-based company Design Within Reach and the PUBLIC Bikes line of bicycles. Student organization Artists
ed ed
17 million
”
April 21
City of Edinburg Arbor Day/ Earth Day Festival Edinburg City Hall Courtyard 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
ter es
just a 1L plastic water bottle.
“ ” “
April 20
1m
3L 1L
$5
April 17
Rob Forbes “Finding Design in Public Places” Engineering Lobby and Auditorium 6 p.m.
2m
90%
$20,000
Moving Forward
25%
4,000% markup
April 14
Earth Day Baseball Game UTPA Broncs vs UTB Scorpions Edinburg Baseball Stadium 7 p.m.
$0.0003125 $1.25 That’s a
April 13
er st
The plastic bottles that sit in cup holders of stationary bikes or on the sidelines of intramural basketball games at the rec center will look much the same in a few thousand years. That’s if they end up at the bottom of a landfill. The Environmental Awareness Club is teaming up with Artists Unanimous to give students some perspective on what tossing their plastic water or energy drink bottles adds up to in the long run. The organizations’ members have been collecting a month’s worth of bottles placed into the Wellness and Recreational Sports Complex’s recycling bins. They plan bottled water brands on turning the bottles sell repackaged tap water. into works of art to be And often, municipal tap unveiled during a rec water undergoes more center event honoring rigorous testing than the Earth Day April 17. bottling companies’ water. The actual holiday falls National Resources Defence Council on April 22. With approximately 100 to 120 bottles accumulated every day, the Environmental Awareness Club estimates that the of the cost for bottled water WRSC recycling bins is for the bottle itself. generate 3,000 bottles per month. Belmont University “And we’re just counting the recycling spaces. We’re not counting the trash,” said senior Itzel Mora, a member of the EAC committee organizing the event. “The goal is to make It takes 3 Liters of people realize that water to produce
we’re [producing] all this trash and just make them think.” Students are reconstructing the plastic into cost of 20-oz. eight sculptures of larger cost of 20 oz. of tap water bottles, which will stand bottle of Dasani nearly 6 feet tall. The sculptures will then be tap water filled with remaining plastic bottles collected from the building. “We thought, what did we want the sculpture to say to the people seeing them?” said Xavier or the equivalent of paying Castillo, vice president of Artists Unanimous. “And for a Subway footlong. we agreed that we needed to do a little bit of a shock State of Connecticut value. We needed to put the bottles in people’s faces…” be replaced with water refillClub members hope to encour- ing stations similar to the ones The goal is to age fellow students to reduce the installed at the University of make people realize amount of plastic bottles they use, Texas at Austin. that we ’ re [ producing ] as well as educate them about the “Once you build up proper way to recycle what they do enough awareness, little by litall this trash and just purchase. tle, it opens people to the idea make them think. Four University departments are of an alternative,” she said. “It currently responsible for on-campus would be rad to do that here, recycling, which includes everything but because of the fact that -Itzel Mora from plastic and paper to motor oil for the most part, the UTPA EAC member and hazardous waste. community is not aware of this In addition to an information stuff, it would be difficult table, the EAC will have a booth on to push that initiative and site to be used for a photo petition. gain support for it. But Once you build Students can take pictures of them- if we have these events, up enough awareness, selves with messages encouraging starting at the rec and University administrators to follow moving forward to other little by little, it opens in the footsteps of other colleges that buildings, it could crehave instituted policies to reduce ate that momentum that people to the idea of an campus waste. could really help us shift alternative. Political science major Alexis Bay the campus away from said that the Environmental Aware- the waste in plastic.” ness Club hopes that the University -Alexis Bay will eventually develop a campusPolitical science major wide recycling program and consider a ban on plastic bottles, which could
April 12
Global Lens Screening The Light Thief Library Auditorium 6 p.m.
Student organizations join forces to raise awareness about campus waste By Nadia Tamez-Robledo The Pan American
Page 7
UTPA Earth week events
3m i.$
THE PAN AMERICAN
5m ile 4m s i
Page 6
Money saved by biking to school by distance
Unanimous’ exhibition Impact of Bikes will be on display in the Library First Floor Art Gallery through May 5. The show features paintings, drawings, and multimedia pieces integrating actual parts of bicycles into the artwork. Representatives from The Office for Sustainability will also be present during Edinburg’s Arbor Day Festival Saturday and for McAllen’s “Vida Verde” festival at the Quinta Mazatlan World Birding Center April 21. “We’re not doing everything here because we truly want to be a regional resource. We can’t do it alone,” Franklin said of promoting sustainability. “We need the support of everyone to do it in a collective manner.”
8
arts & life
April 12, 2012
Issues never sleep By Lea Victoria Juarez The Pan American The semester is coming to a close and bachelor of fine arts seniors are gearing up for the opening of their semiannual exhibit, featuring the work of their final project before graduation. The exhibit, “Digilante Manifesto: Issues
Never Sleep,” covers social issues and will be on display in the Fine Arts Gallery (FIAB 135) April 16-27. “Digilante Manifesto” is a combination of the words digital and vigilante. The students were asked to choose a social issue and create a campaign to boost awareness and explain its importance. By highlighting the
Ruben Gutierez/The Pan American
Sex ed - Senior BFA student Krystal Duran will present her manifesto about sexual education on April 20 in Room 135 of the Fine Arts Building.
issues, using creative knowledge in graphic design, the seniors are playing the role of digital vigilantes. “Most of the issues that we are covering go undermined and nothing is done to resolve them,” Diana Luna, 22, said. “We, therefore, created our own ‘manifestos,’ doing a public declaration of principles and intentions to resolve these issues.” Luna’s project, which addresses domestic violence, is based on her own personal experience. As a former victim of domestic violence, this project is much more than a requirement for graduation. Luna wants to use her campaign, “Break the Cycle of Domestic Abuse!,” to promote empowerment and self defense among women. “This exhibit represents closure and a new beginning in many ways,” Luna explained. “Closing a chapter that has hurt me so much, yet wanting to help other women to become survivors and not part of the death statistics
from domestic abuse.” The graphic design professors chose this theme specifically because they wanted students to put their skills towards a cause that can be more helpful to the public than a regular advertisement. “You can create a million bucks doing other campaigns working for Nike, working for all these mega-huge companies,” graphic design professor Leila Hernandez said. “But you know you also have to think about devoting a little bit of time to non-profit, to helping others with social issues.” Hernandez explains that in the past students haven’t been satisfied with their final project and disappointed because their work wasn’t being put out into public. This year, the students were required to go out into the field and get feedback on their projects. “It’s been a long research stage for a month and then from a month until now it’s basically just designing and making drafts and reworking them over and over until we get the final product,” explained
BFA Senior Exhibit
“Digilante Manifesto”
voices social discontent
“
Most of the issues that we are covering go undermined and nothing is done to resolve them. We, therefore, created our own ‘manifestos’ doing a public declaration of principles and intentions to resolve these issues.
”
Krystal Duran, 22, of Alamo, who covered sexual education. The seniors have faced a number of challenges throughout the semester, all leading up to the day they receive a diploma. “Issues never sleep and neither do we, graphic design students,” Luna said, alluding to the exhibit title. “With constant critiques and with five to six major projects due per day, we rarely sleep, but the struggle is definitely worth it.” On Monday, the students will give oral and PowerPoint
Diana Luna Fine Arts student presentations in the Engineering Building, Room 1.300, describing their issue and process for creating the piece. The reception for the exhibit will be held on Friday, April 20 in the Fine Arts Gallery. “I feel that, as graphic designers, they have the power to educate, to change, to convince and do all these fantastic things with type and image,” Hernandez said. “And create a message that’s meaningful, that is actually going to change, hopefully, one day humanity.”
Stories you haven’t heard series
UTPA leaves lasting impression
Student to embark on 2-year overseas mission
By Norma Gonzalez The Pan American
Norma Gonzalez/The Pan American
Swing - Colton Van Komen up to bat for the Broncs during the 2011 season. He is currently taking a leave of absence from the University.
By Norma Gonzalez The Pan American As senior Adrian de la Rosa was getting ready to go to bed late Wednesday night, someone rang the doorbell. He wasn’t expecting company and looked through the peephole. No one. He hesitantly opened the door, slowly peeking his head out past the threshold. What he saw was what he least expected. De la Rosa rushed over to his three baseball roommates Mike McCarthy, Vincent Mejia and Richard Bandrich on the couch, stammering, “You will not believe who is here.” Colton Van Komen entered the Veranda apartment. No one made a sound, instead silently taking in the sight of their former teammate standing in the same room. As if suddenly awakened, the guys flew off the couch to greet their friend, calling him m’ijo. They’re still in shock that Van Komen traveled about 1,500 miles to see them. No one knew he was coming, that is, except for sophomore
Brandon Roush. He had simply told the team he would be picking up his “brother” that night, but no one made the connection. Van Komen attended UTPA last year, but in that one year he made strong relationships with people; he had to come back one more time to say goodbye before taking off overseas. The 20-year-old Utah native spent his freshman year at UTPA, choosing this school over others because of the baseball program. “I had offers from a few other schools, primarily for football,” Van Komen said. “But they didn’t offer what Pan Am offered. I didn’t want to ride the bench.” Although he is still enrolled at the University, he has taken a leave of absence. On April 18, Van Komen, a practicing Mormon, will start a mission in Belgium and The Netherlands. He will be overseas for two years, with very limited communication. This prompted him to spend Easter weekend with his team, the guys he spent the dog days with and started his college experience with.
“They [my family] know how much my friends mean to me,” Van Komen said in regard to enjoying the holiday weekend away from his family. “They said, ‘You’ll regret it if you didn’t do this.’ It’s just another day.” Last year, Van Komen was one of five incoming freshmen joining the baseball team. Sophomore Jason Webb, a Miami native, recalls the first time they met. Webb, accompanied by his mother, was in line at the Student Academic Services Building, waiting to get his picture taken for an ID. He noticed Van Komen in line with a noticeably miserable look on his face as well. Webb, who thought Van Komen looked like a baseball player, approached him. Turned out they would not only play for the same team, but would become neighbors at Troxel dorm. “From then on, we grew,” Webb, a kinesiology major said. “Us five, we bonded so closely. I’ve never had that with anybody.” The players remember how devoted to his religion Van Komen was while at the University. He would refrain from drinking,
smoking, and partying. “It comes out of him every day,” said Roush, a 20-year-old business management major. “You can tell his virtues and morals weren’t affected by college and peer pressures.” Just as Van Komen inspired team members, he is thankful for the people he was surrounded by. Since he played catcher on the team he spent the majority of the time with senior McCarthy, also a catcher. “I have a load of respect for him,” Van Komen said. “He thought me how to act. I went to him for all of my questions.” McCarthy was picking up his sister from the airport during the Christmas break when he received a phone call from Van Komen, letting him know he was going on the Belgium/Netherlands mission. “He’s that passionate. He dedicates his whole life to it, and if that’s the case, then do it,” the 22-year-old McCarthy said. “He makes everyone look at themselves. Makes me want to be a good person.”
arts & life
April 12, 2012
Spring Fling ‘12 Photo essay by Natalia Rocafuerte and Pamela Morales
The Pan American Spring Fling 2012 brought free fun for students Tuesday. Filled with games, live music, and a photo booth, the event provided activities for students free of cost. The event, which was originally scheduled for March 27, was held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in sunny weather at the Quad. The Student Union funded the postSpring Break on-campus “stress relief” event. Students who attended received wristbands that allowed them to enjoy bungee jumping, water slides, sumo wrestling, free T-Shirts and food. RGV Beats was present with a live DJ Ray and a costume photo booth. Students dressed up in quirky sunglasses and feather boas to take snapshots with friends. Others donned sumo wrestler suits and tackled each other down or competed in “sliding skills” on inflatable water slides. Whether you brought your friends or made new ones, Spring Fling 2012 was nothing but a good time.
Clothesline
project By Norma Gonzalez The Pan American
Clotheslines stretch across the north side of the Quad with white T-shirts pinned on them. One shirt shares the story of how a girl was raped by her brother. Another begs people to stop the abuse of women and children. Messages from victims flap in the wind in an attempt to break the silence. The Clothesline Project, an event held April 11 and 12, addresses the issue of violence against women. The program was founded in 1990 in Cape Cod, Mass. “It’s been held at UTPA before, but not for a few years,” said Caroline Miles, director of the Gender and Women’s Studies program. “It’s a serious problem here in the Valley. It’s important to bring awareness and provide support.” Priscilla Flores, sexual assault program coordinator, and Victoria Hernandez, supportive counselor coordinator, represented Mujeres Unidas, which provides shelter and programs to victims of violence and sexual abuse in the Rio Grande Valley. Although Texas is seven percent above the national average in rape risk, Edinburg is 41 percent below the average.
Adrian Castillo/The Pan American
fabric painters - Juniors David Coward (left) and Kirk Teegarden (right) paint T-shirts for the Clothesline Project Wednesday in the Quad. The Clothesline Project promotes awareness about abuse. “We’re bringing information from an outside perspective,” said Flores, a UTPA alumna. “We’re invited for support and in case students need help or information.” Sandra Martinez, a 23-year-old English major, decorated her shirt with motivational words that she hopes will help victims speak out. “I know a couple of people who’ve been hurt,” Martinez, a Weslaco native said. “Some are still in denial, pretend it didn’t happen. Some move on, but still worry. It’s important so others know they’re not alone and get support.” “Stop Rape” and “Be nice to girls” are what criminal justice major David Coward wrote on his T-shirt. Having dated a victim of abuse inspired him to partake in
the event. “It feels like some people just don’t get the bigger picture,” 23-year-old Coward said. “The concept of abuse and how it affects your life. It damages you for a long time.” Although sophomore Magaly Garcia has not had someone close to her go through abuse, she is supportive of the cause because she wants people to love themselves. Her shirt read, “Look for the one that makes you whole, not the one who breaks you.” “There are so few people that actually speak up, this way they can be anonymous,” the 18-year-old Garcia said. “There’s always that one person who will love them no matter what.”
9
10
sports
April 12, 2012
Conference roll Broncs sweep NYIT Bears to open GWC By Matthew Padron and Javier Cisneros The Pan American
no outs, and executed exactly as Torres had. His two-run double made it 4-1. That little spurt from the Broncs proved to be huge, as 4-1 ended up being the final score. “We are doing really good. Everybody is, you know, working hard and pitching really good,” pitcher Colby McCasland said about the pitching staff’s performance this weekend. McCasland had a great night to open the series on April 5, throwing 80 of his 134 pitches for strikes (59.7%) with 11 strikeouts on the night. As a whole the Broncs pitching staff only allowed nine runs
In a game that was decided in the first inning, the Broncs showcased power and stingy defense which allowed them to beat the Bears from the New York Institute of Technology 4-1 in the second game of the opening four-game conference series on April 7. That game would also sum up the weekend as a whole for UTPA. The Bears started the game off with their first and only lead of the game, 1-0. The Broncs (167) quickly took it back in that
Adrian Castillo/The Pan American
strike - Junior pitcher Bryan Maxwell releases a fastball during Friday's doubleheader against NYIT.
same inning. In the bottom of the first, the Broncs loaded the bases with no outs and junior catcher Chris Torres responded with a two-run double to right field that gave the Broncs a 2-1 lead. The next batter was senior Mike McCarthy, who was hit by a pitch. Then, déjà vu. After the walk, junior right fielder Will Klausing stepped up to home plate with the bases loaded and
Pitching
throughout the entire weekend with Dusten Knight, Bryan Maxwell and Dylan Badura picking up the victories after McCasland’s outing. The Broncs controlled the Bears the rest of the way with good defense and the pitching of Badura. “Defense today was sloppy at the beginning. We had some routine plays that we boxed, and they were able to score the run,” coach Manny Mantrana said.
ERA
W
L
SV SO
HBU
4.53
11
15
4
136
UTPA
4.64
16
6
5
144
NJIT
5.04
10
13
3
161
UVU
4.15
17
11
4
151
UNC
7.18
9
13
1
118
NYIT
8.73
2
19
2
91
CSU
9.23
0
22
0
100
UND
9.80
2
20
0
90
“But as the game progressed [we] played a lot better.” Mantrana pushed his club to play consistent defense throughout the game, knowing that any little lapse could be the difference between a win and a loss, and eventually, maybe the conference title. Knowing that the stakes are higher in these conference games, the Broncs managed to win all four games 11-1, 4-1, 13-3 and 5-4 with two of those clashes ending by mercy rule. “We try and stress that out in all of our guys, that this is what our season is all about the next 26 games,” Mantrana said. “There should be more intensity.” The UTPA Broncs went on to sweep the New York Institute of Technology Bears and are now 4-0 in conference play. The team will continue its conference action tomorrow when they open a four-game series with the University of North Dakota at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium at 7 p.m. Roger Bernal continued his success as the NCAA’s leader in batting average, going 6 for 17 on the weekend and now maintains a .465 average entering this weekends action. The team’s batting average of .327 ranks third in the nation and has helped the Broncs to a commanding 13-1 record at home this season.
Ruben Gutierrez/The Pan American
At bat - Third baseman Angel Ibañez (above) and shortstop Riley Goulding (right) swing during their back-toback victories over the New York Institute of Technology Bears.
“It sets a tone for the rest of the way,” said senior Adrian De La Rosa said regarding the opening series sweep against NYIT. “At the end of the day we just want to do our best and come out with wins and set the tone for the rest of the conference season.”
GWC Standings
Overall
UTPA
W L
16 7
GWC
W L 4 0
UVU
17 11
4 0
HBU
11 15
4 0
NJIT
10 13
3 1
UNC
9 14
1 3
NYIT
2 19
0 4
UND
2 20
0 4
CSU
0
0 4
22
Adrian Castillo/The Pan American
Batting
G
AVG
AB
731
239
UVU
28
.307
944
290
19
UNC
23
.301
765
230
6
NJIT
23
.282
790
223
14
HBU
26
.275
876
241
4
CSU
22
.255
714
182
5
NYIT
21
.238
686
163
6
UND
22
.212
688
146
7
UTPA
23
.327
H
HR 8
sports
April 12, 2012
Slipping Away
Men’s tennis in jeopardy of missing conference tournament By Eder Castillo The Pan American With a spot in the Southland Conference men’s tennis tournament on the line, the UTPA Broncs entered the April 9 tennis match against the University of Texas at Arlington with much at stake. The Broncs started with an advantage, home court. However, in the end, the Mavericks left the Orville Cox Tennis Center as victors with a 6-1 win, when all was said and done. Although the Broncs fell to UTA, dropping them to 7-9 they made the Mavs work for every point when it came to singles after being swept in doubles to start off the day. “We didn’t play well in doubles,” Broncs coach Paul Goode admitted. “We made
a lot of mistakes early on, dug ourselves in a hole and really just played from behind the whole time in doubles. In singles I felt like we came out pretty well, and we did a lot of good things early on. We played well and got some momentum as a team.” Despite losing the doubles point after the best efforts of the Bronc teams of Beau Bernstein/ Chetan Panditi, Sebastien Job/ Ricardo Hopker and Victor Alves/Rolf Niederstrasser, UTPA managed to shake off the loss and give its best foot forward heading into singles. The Broncs looked as if they were going to take advantage of the early momentum they had after winning a few of the beginning sets in the singles matchups, but the Mavs were able to overcome
in each match, except against Panditi, who claimed the only victory for the Broncs. Panditi beat Nicolas Moreno 6-0, 6-3 to score the Broncs their first and only point. “It looked like we were going to turn it around there, but they were just too tough, they hung in there and weathered the storm a little bit,” Goode said. “We went on a little run but we couldn’t sustain it.” Although this loss puts a damper in the Broncs hopes of making the conference tournament, it’s not going to stop them from playing with the same intensity going into the April 14 regular season finale match against Lamar, also a Southland Conference foe, at the Orville Cox Tennis Center. “We have to win against
On the Green
Lamar on Sunday to have a shot, even then I don’t know how it would work out depending on other teams records,” Goode said. “Either way, we just want to come out and win our last regular season match at home against Lamar. I think it’s a winnable match, they’re a good team. I think if we play well it can give us a good chance to win. We just have to keep working hard and try to be as ready as possible. Just go in there and compete well.”
motivational - UTPA men’s head coach Paul Goode steps off the court after speaking with Sebastien Job and Ricardo Hopker.
Bronc golf set for championship run
By Jonathan Salinas The Pan American
The regular season for the UTPA women’s golf team has come to an end, and it had its ups and downs. But now with the Great West Conference Tournament two weeks away, Broncs coach Ofelia Lopez looks for senior Majo Camey to lead the young team to victory and a conference championship. “I know that she’s gonna step it up,” Lopez said. “She’s the one player that, day-in and dayout, every single tournament, she’s consistent. The rest of her team needs to be on that same page. They need to get her competitiveness, and in order to do that, they got to have that killer instinct.” The Broncs are scheduled to compete in the Great West Conference Tournament on April 23 in Orem, Utah. They had a rough start during the HBU Husky Invitational last week and dropped to the bottom of the rankings with a score of 329 after the first round. They tried to climb out the hole dug for themselves on day two but were in way too deep.
“I think our first round was a little sketchy. I wasn’t expecting that,” Lopez admitted. “The second and third round, I believe they bounced back. Once you get into a rough start it’s hard to play catch-up.”
“
I believe in my team 110 percent and I know that on any given day, if we play aggressive,
”
then those rings are coming back to the
Valley belong.
where
they
- Ofelia Lopez
Director of golf operations Camey finished with a threeround score of 233 and placed 16th out of 65 golfers at the Husky Invitational April 3. She improved in every round - six strokes after the first and four
more strokes after the second round, a performance that merited her GWC golfer of the week honors. As a team, the Broncs finished with a total score of 963, ninth out of 12 teams. Edinburg native Samantha Garcia finished with a total of 247, leaving her tied for 38th place. “I’ve seen Sam progress this year,” Lopez said. “Last year, she was a little unfocused. I have to give her credit this year. She’s matured and her golfing has gotten better. She hit the ball a long way and we need to focus on her chipping and putting. She can be another standout player as well.” The future of this young team has yet to be decided. Whether they will emerge as Great West champions is still unknown. However, Coach Lopez believes that the fans will not be disappointed. “I think we’re going to come home with a championship,” Lopez predicted. “I believe in my team 110 percent and I know that on any given day, if we play aggressive, then those rings are coming back to the Valley where they belong.”
Sports Briefs Women’s tennis
The UTPA women’s tennis team played three matches in three days last weekend. The Broncs opened up on Friday, April 6 against Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, falling to the Panthers 4-3, but picking up three individual wins from Malin Anderson, Wanda Beguelin and Suncica Strkic. The Broncs then continued the road trip against No. 36-ranked Rice University April 7. This time UTPA wasn’t able muster any team points against the highly ranked club and lost 7-0. The Broncs then closed their regular season with a 7-0 loss against the University of Houston in an Easter matchup April 8. The Broncs close the season with a 2-12 record and will compete in the Great West Conference Championships on April 21 and 22 at the HEB Tennis Courts in Harlingen. Golfer of the week
Ruben Gutierrez/The Pan American
Broncs volleyball to compete in Kingsville By Michael Saenz The Pan American
Two weeks ago the UTPA volleyball team returned to the court for the first time in live competition since the 2011 season ended. Now the Broncs will complete the spring competition on Saturday at the University of Texas A&MKingsville. The first tournament, which the Broncs hosted, was a bit of a disappointment as UTPA fell in all four matches. The Broncs lost to defending NAIA Champion University of Texas at Brownsville, the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and Texas A&M International. Though the Broncs did not win, coach Brian Yale feels that each match was a steppingstone for the upcoming season. “I saw a good defensive effort,” he told the UTPA Broncs Website after the first spring tournament. “I saw improvements in our servereceive game as the day went on. We got better, and those are the steps we need to take.”
11
Ruben Gutierrez/The Pan American
ready - Freshman outside hitter Diara Reynolds gets ready to dig the ball during UTPA’s spring tournament. The Broncs do have the advantage of returning every starter from last season, but along with that comes the difficulty of having to deal with youth. Some may view having a young team as a good thing, but at the same time there is going to be a transition phase. Six out of the Broncs 10 players were freshmen last season and were experiencing division I volleyball for the first time. The Broncs also recently added Nycole Masaki, who transferred over from Laredo Community College.
UTPA women’s golfer Majo Camey earned Golfer of the Week honors after a strong showing during the Broncs’ first four tournaments of the spring season. In the season-opening tournament at the Claud Jacobs Challenge Presented by SCOR Golf Feb. 19-20, the Guatemala native finished in a tie for 33rd. In the second event of the season, Camey finished eighth by scoring a 227 (77, 77, 73) leaving her just seven strokes off the lead at the Islander Classic Feb. 27-28. She followed with a 22nd-place finish at the Ladyjack Crown Classic at Stephen F. Austin March 5-6, putting together a three-round score of 251. In her strongest performance of the season Camey finished in a tie for fourth with a tworound score of 150 and six strokes off the pace at the Lady Eagle Invitational, hosted by the University of Southern Mississippi March 12-13. Texas State Invitational The UTPA track and field team throwers took part in the Texas State Invitational last weekend in San Marcos at the Texas State Track and Field Stadium. On the men’s side, Oscar Barrera placed fourth in the men’s hammer throw and recorded a distance of 53.48 meters (175.46 feet), while Scott Bann finished in seventh with a throw of 44.84 meters (147.11 feet). In the women’s hammer throw, Brittany Talamantez placed ninth with a 41.40 meter (135.83 ft) throw. The Broncs will be back in action on Saturday, April 14 in the Trinity Alumni Classic in San Antonio.
Page 12
April 12, 2012
the pan american
IS LOOKING FOR IS LOOKING FOR
A NEW
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
PEOPLE IN SALES AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
Hours of Operation Monday - Thursday 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. Friday 7:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Come Visit us in the our NEW location inside the Engineering Building For more information please contact The University Texas Pan-American Dining Services 1201 West University Drive Edinburg, Texas 78539 (956) 665-7485 www.utpadining.com