April 26, 2012

Beer Party the

IMAS raises money with brew Pages 6-7

Volume 68, No. 27

Adversity

Broncs optimistic despite recent struggles

April 26, 2012

Changes Ahead By Susan Gonzalez The Pan American

Page 12

Origami

Professor uses folding art to teach math

University employees will soon feel the effects of several policies changes coming from school and UT System administrators. Earlier this month, President Robert Nelsen announced the second round of optional retirement for tenured faculty. The Voluntary Separation Incentive Program (VSIP) offers participating employees a one-time payment equal to half of their base salary. Those who accept the incentive must separate from the University no later than Aug. 31, 2012. The program was implemented by the University last year as a cost-saving measure. Forty-three tenured faculty opted to retire

early, freeing the University to rehire for select positions at 80 percent of the original cost, saving 20 percent. About $400,000 was saved as a result of this program, but $800,000 is still needed to rectify the current financial situation. In addition, the University saves money by “not replacing faculty immediately, so you have their salaries for the months you don’t replace them,” Nelsen said. There are many ways the University is seeking to save money in tough times. Salary compression was one of the reasons this incentive was offered again. According to budget director Juan Gonzalez, salary compression occurs when the difference in compensation between the ranks de-

creased; for example, when an associate professor is making very close to what a full professor makes. “The salary compression results because we’ve kept our salaries down,” Nelsen said. “And the faculty have not had a raise since 2010 and it was only 1.5 percent, it’s virtually nothing.” In addition to saving the University money, VSIP helps prevent salary compression and salary inversion - when a faculty member makes a greater salary than a higher-ranking employee - by hiring new employees that will receive a lower salary. Dora Saavedra, an associate professor in the Communication Department and chair of the Faculty Senate, can see the pros and

cons of the program from a faculty point-of-view. “There are people who’d like to take the (incentive) because maybe they’re tired or maybe they have a family member that is ill or they want to spend more time with their grandchildren, so there are many positives for people to take the voluntary separation program,” she said. “Then there are other people who say, ‘Well I’m willing to teach ‘til I die,’ and that’s an option too.” One tenured professor who is also part of the Communication Department, Jack Stanley, opted to retire. However, he will not be receiving any of the benefits of VSIP because he made official his retirement before the University tendered the option. He did this so his department

continued on Page 4

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Employment

NORTH

U

Recent UTPA graduates struggle to find work

Tenure Review Increased Workload?

Page 4

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ONLINE

Keep up with The Pan American during the summer online daily and every three weeks in print

would have enough time to find a qualified candidate to replace him. “For professors like me who retired before (the incentive was offered), they don’t have to pay us extra money,” Stanley, director of the drama department, said. “It seems they wanted to see who would retire on their own. I didn’t want to put the program in a bad situation. They’ve accepted my retirement, so there’s probably no way I would qualify for the program. I was disappointed for a moment because the funds would have probably helped me move or do things like that. It’s not a life or death thing.” Saavedra, like Stanley, is also concerned about how departments will be affected by losing faculty.

EAST

R

EXIT ONLY

Early Retirement

EXIT ONLY Early Retirement

For Tenured Faculty

R

Faculty, staff experience university, departmental reform Page 10

2

editorial

April 26, 2012

opinion

Letter to the editors

Karen Antonacci News Editor

This is an opinion piece, so I’m supposed to drop some knowledge on you, present a problem, ask for some help, and show my way out. And I was going to do that about current trends in media, but then I thought, “Does anyone really care? Does anyone read this? Will people even make it to the end?”

5 billion

Google searches today. Honestly, at the student newspaper we grapple with this issue every week, with every story. The constant ‘what

#WhatDoWeWant RE: In the Dark 24,000 tweets

do people want?’ question is maddening. Even more honestly, I don’t know the answer. At all. So while an opinion piece is usually introspective and lecture-like, I’d rather use this space for an experiment. Let’s start a discussion about what we want in our media. I’ll ask some questions and you tweet what you think, or hey, some more questions if you got ‘em. I’m @ktonacci and the paper is @thepanamerican. This should make sense right? We, the cross-millennial twenty-somethings, are used to interactivity in our media, right? Will you tweet? I’m not sure. Who knows? I’m flying blind here. You’ll hear many people saying we want instant gratification, to single-handedly destroy civilization with our ‘we want things now’-ness. That’s a theory. But do we? Are we as a generation really on a path to

sent while you were reading this. making absolutely everything, from government data to what we had for breakfast, available in app form? On one hand, we live in a Twitter and Facebook universe, where a new part of journalism is who can get the most accurate 140-character statement out there first. Programming on the 24-hour news network will soon be reporting minute-by-minute tallies in the presidential race. But then there’s the flipside. We are, arguably, also a generation obsessed with quality. With an ear to the ground, you can start to hear the rumblings, of people un-

satisfied with knock-off movie remakes, or kneejerk reactions to tragedies over social media. So which is it? Or do we have to choose? Do we want immediate articles with whatever facts are available, or long-form stories well after the fact, exploring all the angles? How long is our attention span? Did you actually make it to the end? Tweet at me, and let me know. If this is the age of interactivity and customization, let’s start having a discussion about what we want in our media. What would you like to see?

3hoursbillion of video are watched on

YouTube a month.

To whom this may concern, My name is Carlos Romero and I work as a PSO (Public Safety Officer) for The University of Texas - Pan American Police Department. Today I came across your article on Page 4 published on April 12, 2012 titled, ‘In The Dark’. I’m sorry to say that most of the information in that article is erroneous. I am assigned to work at the McAllen Teaching Site every night from Monday - Thursday and the night of the storm I was there. First off, there was no “sirens” as the article says. An intercom in one of the rooms went off because of the power outage, but I quickly reset that and the audible stopped. Also, one of the teachers there moved HER students [about 10] into a classroom in the back, and I gathered all the other students in the main lobby where there was more light. The couple of students that made statements

cartoon

Interactive

cartoon

anybody at UTPA keep a look out for my license & debit card. #h8lyf - magda ‫@ ‏‬juaneau86

thepanamerican@gmail.com 1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 665-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122

Reynaldo Leal Nadia Tamez-Robledo

News Editor:

Karen Antonacci

Sports Editor:

-Nancy Amaro @popcorn_fart

Go to this link

Follow us on Twitter! - @ThePanAmerican

thepanamerican@gmail.com.

The Pan American

Co-Editors-in-Chief:

I had an amazing lunch. I tried cilantro sauce at the student union#utpa #broncbowlwednesday

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

Carlos A. Romero

Vol. 68, No. 27

tweets

Letters to the Editor

in the article might not have known it, but I was in constant communication with our dispatch and our dispatch was in contact with Richard Costello; UTPA knew what was going during the storm. During the storm, I was gathering as much weather information as possible from the areas of Mission, McAllen, Edinburg, and Reynosa in Mexico, since we had 3 classes with students from Mexico. I was also standing at the main door advising the students of the latest weather reports in their area. The article fails to mention certain positive things that were done. One of the services that was provided to the students during this storm was that I personally drove up to the entrance of the building, and took them inside my unit, right to the door of their vehicles (including the student interviewed in the article).

n o i t duc o r P otes N week 14 It’s the last issue of the semester, and I found myself searching for inspiration much the same way I did on my first production night as co-editorin-chief − sitting on the bench outside the COAS with a lit cigarette.

the realization that this is our last paper together. Yes, most of The Pan American staff will return in the summer. However, this is the last time the team as we know it will work together to bring you the latest goings-on around campus. We’ve all got to move on at some point. It’s bittersweet, saying goodbye to what − in many ways − has become a family, but we’re while leaving behind something we can all be proud of. But the conclusion of a semester always gives way to a fresh start. As some of us graduate and move on, new people will

Arts & Life Editor: Norma Gonzalez

Photography Editor: Ruben Gutierrez

Design Editor:

Erick Gonzalez

Francisco Rodriguez/The Pan American A lot has happened between then and now. Most obviously, we’ve revamped the front page, taking cues from some of the news magazines we admire the most. We’ve gotten a lot of praise and just as much criticism for our work. It hurts sometimes, but we’re students learning a trade that puts a premium on realworld experience. At very least we’ve got the bumps on the head and scraped elbows to prove that we’ve done the work. In truth, we’ve been so busy planning this issue that we haven’t had time to sigh sadly at

Michael Saenz

come (we hope) and make their own marks on the newspaper. Though you might have tunnel vision as finals approach, we will keep an eye out for campus news for you. Check us out on the web, Facebook and Twitter for updates during the break (or minimester, for some of you). Good luck on exams, and for those of you who walk on May 12, congratulations!

-Nadia Tamez-Robledo Co-Editor-in-Chief

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

April 26, 2012

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Visit www.utpa.bkstr.com for additional buyback hours and locations.

University Bookstore |

1201 W. University Drive

RENTAL

CHECK-IN Return your rental books now through:

May 12

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April 26, 2012 Continued from page 1

newsbriefs Finals Week is almost here. Exams will be from May 5 to May 10, so for more information on the exam schedule scan the QR code or go to utpa. edu/calendar/final-exams.

There will be an info session May 1 for students preparing a presentation for UTPA’s undergraduate research conference in November. Upcoming workshop opportunities for the summer will also be announced at the session at noon in Business Administration Room 119. Free pizza will be provided.

Changes ahead

“Short-term, it may leave some departments in a pinch because they will be losing a full-time faculty member,” she said. “But in the longterm I think it will...result in savings, which will hopefully result in merit raises for the junior faculty and younger faculty who are here. That will go a long way into promoting a better morale and giving people some hope that this kind of economic situation is not going to be here forever.” WORKLOAD POLICY In addition to the changes that might be brought on by faculty accepting the incentive, Saavedra and her colleagues are also feeling the effect of other departmental changes. Recently, the College of Arts

and Humanities voted on a poll concerning a new workload policy for tenured and tenuretrack faculty. “In our department, what tenure-track faculty do is usually teach three classes in the fall and three in the spring,” she said. “Some do two (in the spring semester and in the fall semester) because they are department chairs. So every year, based on the needs of the department, and presidential releases or any other releases, you determine what your workload is for the year.” Each of the seven colleges on campus has its own approach to workload. In this instance, faculty duties include such things as classes taught, amount of research done, and administrative/service duties.

“It’s an attempt to define what a workload is,” Saavedra said. “Basically, what I think we did was iterate the HOP (Handbook of Operating Procedures) policy on workload. And that workloads mainly need to be adjusted because some people have administrative duties.” POST-TENURE REVIEW In addition to these college-wide and departmental adjustments, faculty members are also facing changes that will affect all UT System schools, after the UT System Board of Regents voted in February to alter the post-tenure review process. The policy now evaluates tenured faculty in teaching, research and service with

four possible grades: “exceeds expectations,” “meets expectations,” “does not meet expectations” and “unsatisfactory.” If a faculty member receives two unsatisfactory annual reviews, they could face possible termination. Prior to this amendment, there were only two categories: “satisfactory” and “unsatisfactory.” Although the amendments were done months ago, the first round of post-tenure reviews made at the university with these amendments in place occurred this month. “We all knew this was coming,” Nelsen said. “I think there’s some people that probably were disappointed. The only faculty that are really upset in the system are the UT-

news

Austin faculty. They’re the ones who have written a couple of letters and things like that in opposition.” However, faculty members are given a chance to improve. “If you get two consecutive annual reviews that are negative, then you have to undergo post-tenure review,” Nelsen said. “[T]hey set up an improvement plan for you…if a faculty member is not really succeeding in the classroom, waiting six years to make a change is too long. And so (the UT System Board of Regents) decided that if there was two consecutive bad years we should talk to that faculty member, so that was the reason behind it.”

The Pan American

Police Beat Thursday, March 19 A student at the COAS building reported the theft of her unattended purse. It was later found at the Student Union. Friday, March 20 A student reported a hitand-run in parking lot U. Monday, March 23 A student reported a twocar traffic collision parking lot A-4. No injuries were reported. Tuesday, March 24 A student reported a twocar traffic collision in parking lot C. No injuries were reported. A staff member reported an incident of graffiti in the Business Administration restroom.

Graduates struggle to find work after college By Reynaldo Leal The Pan American Jennifer Cervantes graduated last May from UTPA, certain she would find a job. The broadcast journalism major gave herself a year to make it in the Valley, and began hunting for work. “I sent out several résumés and had plenty of interviews,” the Pharr native said, “but nothing turned out. I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn’t think it would be this hard.” The graduate intended to leave her part-time job at La Plaza Mall once a television or multimedia positioned opened up, but it never happened. “When I wasn’t getting any calls I just stayed at my work,” she said. “I still send out résumés, but not as many as before. I hope this is temporary.” According to numbers from the U.S. Department of Labor, Cervantes is part of the 38 percent increase in college graduates since 2000; however, the 22-year-old is also part of the 40 percent of recent college gradu-

ates, cited by a 2011 Drexel University “Mal-employment” study, who are underemployed. The study defined underemployment as substandard employment where a person is more educated than the job requires, is involuntarily employed at a job that is part-time or not related to their field of study, has more experience and a higher level of skill than the job requires, or earns less than peers in the same occupation. Although the unemployment rate for young adults 2024 with a college degree (8 percent) is still much lower than age counterparts with a high school diploma (33 percent), the sluggish job growth resulting from the 2007 to 2009 recession is having an impact on the kinds of jobs graduates are applying for. Paul Quintana has been an astronomy teacher’s assistant at UTPA for two years. He graduated a year ago, but has not been able to start a career with his history degree. “I hear about job openings all the time,” Quintana said.

“People tell me, ‘Go check this place out, they’re hiring,’ but when I go they’re either not hiring or I’m not qualified for the job.” The 30-year-old Harlingen native also works with children at the UTPA Planetarium and

“I hear about job openings... but when I go they’re either not hiring or I’m not qualified.” - Paul Quintana Astronomy TA

would like to continue doing so in his hometown as an elementary school teacher. He needs to

get his teaching certificate first though. “I should have gotten it when I was in school,” he said, “but I wanted to get my degree as soon as possible. More time in school and the certificate would have cost more money.” Quintana said the past three months have been the hardest of his life, economically. His student loan is getting harder to pay off through his part-time job. “I feel I just need a full-time job,” he said. “I need to make money and I need to do it now.” According to a 2011 Senate Economic Committee report, the unemployment rates for recent graduates has gone from 3 percent in 2008 to 8 percent in 2011. By taking any available job, the new influx of graduates into the job market is changing the face of the service industry and low-skill level employment. One of the effects of the dash for available jobs is an increase in unemployment for teens and non-degree holders who would usually fill those low-skilled positions.

But for a growing area like South Texas, which has an unemployment rate 1 percent lower than the national average of 8.6 percent, the question that some Valley graduates are asking is, Where did all the work go? Workforce Solutions public information officer Victor de Leon said the amount of highercredential jobs in the Valley are definitely scarcer than in other markets in Texas. Although some sectors have seen growth, de Leon claims that some jobs are simply not in demand in South Texas. Even though Cervantes is not working at her dream job yet, she doesn’t regret her degree choice. “Sometimes my mom will tell me, ‘I told you so, Jennifer,’” Cervantes admitted, adding that her mother wanted her to go into the education field. “But this is what I love to do. I’m not going to give up.”

April 26, 2012

the pan american

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THE PAN AMERICAN

April 26, 2012

Lagers

Beer party raises funds for IMAS By Reynaldo Leal The Pan American Not many things can get 1,200 people to attend a fundraising event, but beer has done the trick for the International Museum of Art and Science in McAllen these past four years. As anyone who has ever thrown a party knows, the simple promise of beer can be the difference between sitting around staring at the wall and having a packed house. According to the “Chairman of the Brew,” local weatherman and beer connoisseur Tim Smith, A Night at the Brewseum is fast becoming one of the most successful fundraising events for IMAS. “We’re raising money for the museum, but we just tell people it’s a beer party,” the KRGV-TV meteorologist said jokingly at the April 21 fundraiser. “It’s a fun event with great food, great music and great beer.” For those lucky enough to get their hands on the $60 ticket, the latest alcohol-infused event offered patrons the opportunity to sample from 50 domestic and imported beers and dishes from 20 local restaurants. After waiting in a line that stretched out across the length of IMAS’s outer edge and into the museum’s parking lot, atendees were greeted by volunteers and event organizers. In exchange for tickets purchased, patrons received a bracelet and a card that allowed them 25 different brew samples. Five feet from the entrance was the first sampling station, and people took

advantage of the proximity of the Shiner Bock to quench the thirst acquired while standing outside. The sampling stations of brew from all over the world continued throughout the museum grounds, sometimes even paired with a particular dish from a local restaurant. One German eatery, Schneider’s Gasthaus and Beergarden, served bratwurst,

“I would probably come anyways because the money goes to a good cause, but all the beer doesn’t hurt.”

- Lucy Ortiz

on attending A Night at the Brewseum red cabbage and a sample of Warsteiner. The little paper plates of sausage topped with spicy mustard disappeared as fast as the owners could set them out on their table. “This is our first year here,” said chef and part-owner Hartmut Schneider. “We were warned it would be busy.” Smith said much needed space was added with two giant tents, which housed the majority of the restaurants and stations, but the number of tickets available did not increase from the previous year’s number of 1,200. “The goal is to keep it here at the museum,” said board member Arthur Hughes, “if we sell more tickets we might have to take it off site.” How coveted are the tickets? According to Hughes, this year’s event sold out

in three days and some tickets had been seen for sale on craigslist.com. “We’re trying to add more events around Brewseum,” said Smith while shaking hands with patrons. “It’s becoming more of a weeklong celebration with a beer dinner and other events leading up to tonight.” One of the events added to this year’s festivities was the “Battle of the Brew,” where local home brewers put their spring ale concoctions to the test. “I usually brew my own beer,” said Battle first-place winner Miguel Ortega, “it’s more intimate. I know what goes in it and how it should taste.” Ortega, who won $275 for his beer “Atodds Honey Blonde,” said more people should try making their own beer. According to the 30-year-old, the process is a lot easier than people think. He considers the domestic beers that most college students drink on the weekend to be inferior in taste and quality to what can be made at home with a brewing kit. As the sun went down, and the amount of empty beer bottles stacked at each station climbed higher, the music from local rock/country band Marshal Law became louder. The mass of bodies weaved through lines of food and beer as the band belted out continuous Southern rock cover songs. Two hours into A Night at the Brewseum and IMAS felt like a packed backyard party full of friends. Except the people were more interesting and there was nobody doing keg-stands or drinking from beer bongs. Lucy Ortiz has been to the fundraiser before and considers it a yearly must. The night has become an opportunity to relax and catch up with friends for the 30-yearold Edinburg native. “You have fun, meet people and listen to good music,” she said. “I would probably come anyways because the money goes to a good cause, but all the beer doesn’t hurt.”

editors’ beer picks Reynaldo Leal 1. Samuel Adams Boston Lager 2. Bohemia (Mexico) 3. Guiness (Ireland)

Nadia Tamez-Robledo

Erick Gonzalez

1. Shiner Bohemian Black Lager 2. Lindemans Framboise (Belgium) 3. Flag Spéciale (Morocco)

1. Quilmes (Argentina) 2. Dos Equis (Mexico) 3. Stella Artois (Belgium)

Page 7

THE PAN AMERICAN

April 26, 2012

Types of beer Ales

Beers made with a top-fermenting yeast, generally strong and robust in taste due to their fast and warm fermentation.

Beers made with a bottom-fermenting yeast, generally smooth and fruity in taste because of their long cold fermentation.

American lager

Typically undergoes

Fruity beer with light malt flavors and a pleasantly dry and often bitter aftertaste. It is one of the world’s major beer styles.

Pilsner

PRIMARY Fermentation at 45-54 degrees farenheit

and then is aged at

Porter

Aromatic, subtly malty and crisp in flavor. Generally regarded as different from a lager, but is actually a style of lager.

32-39 degrees farenheit

Dark style of beer originating in London. Characterized by a malt sweetness and dark grain flavors.

Bock

Beer is the

Third

Stout

Strong lager of German origin. Several substyles exist, including maibock or helles bock, doppelbock and eisbock.

most popular drink

Dark, sweet, full-bodied, roasty ale. Made using roasting malt or roasted barley. Closely related to Porter ales.

IN THE WORLD (Water and Tea are ahead) Sources:

Dunkel

Barley Wine

Lager ranging in color from amber to dark reddish brown. Aromatic and malty in flavor.

Strong ale originating in England.

beer basics Beer is made from 4 basic ingredients:

farenheit

Pale Ale

Pale lager that is gassy, and watery, with a delicate sweetness. Made to be served cold.

Ingredients

Ale 60-75 degrees Lager

is typically fermented at

+

= Malt Sugar

Brewer’s Yeast

CO 2

NM3 (Men’s magazine) The Drunk Yinzer The Barbarian’s Beverage by Max Nelson For Dummies

Carbon Dioxide

C2H 5OH

Beer is created when brewer’s yeast converts malt sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide

Alcohol

art of the brew Water

Hops

+

Barley

Yeast

1 Sanitizing

3 Boiling

5 Bottling

2 Mashing

4 Fermenting

6 Drink Up!

The most important step. Nothing can spoil a batch of beer faster than stray bacteria.

Steep grains in hot water to make “wort,” a sweet liquid that is basically unfermented beer.

Bring wort to a rolling boil and add hops. The flower of the hop plant is what gives the beer flavor. More hops, more flavor. Chill wort and transfer to fermenter. Pitch yeast. Store beer away from sunlight for one to several weeks.

You now have a flat beer. To carbonate it, prime with additional fermentable sugars and bottle it. Then wait at least two weeks.

You are now free to enjoy your beer.

Page 8

the pan american

April 26, 2012

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arts & life

April 26, 2012

9

Poetry corner The Pan American is celebrating National Poetry Month by featuring poems by University students. For more poems visit the Arts and Life section on panamericanonline.com Diolkos Always I hear a train the sound of rails breaking ground to the west the hammering of bolts and steel on desert lands not my own.

Professor promotes math education with ancient

HOW-TO

Make a crane 1. Start

with a square piece of paper. Fold it in half diagonally.

2.

Fold in half from right to left diagonally again.

the bottom 3. Holding three layers of paper,

pull the right side of the top layer.

You get the shape above. Then flip it over.

4.

Fold point B to point A while at the same time folding the crease inward so that C folds into D.

A

B D

C

By Karen Antonacci The Pan American Cranes sit on Kenichi Maruno’s desk. Mostly miniature, angular cranes constructed of flowered paper, kept company by boxes, bugs and other objects made through the folding art, origami. Maruno started practicing origami in his native Kurashiki, Japan, as a child. Now he wants to use the craft he started at age 4 to teach mathematics to UTPA students. “I realized that many students don’t like math. When they’re small, they lost interest,” he said. “Origami is better to show, because using simple paper, you can make any object a 3D object. It’s very interesting that it can just be paper, just 2D, and then using it you make a 3D object, an animal or a bug.” Maruno, an associate professor who has been with UTPA six years and teaches a graduate-level course in applied mathematics, among others, made a presentation to students for Pi+Epsilon Day, March 22. Pi Day was an event held in the Mathematics and General Sciences Building to celebrate two constants in math. The students from the UTPA chapter of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics took notice of the origami presentation and, with Maruno’s help, put together a presentation of their own. Now four to five students come to his office regularly to practice origami and a graduate student in his course is doing her class project on origami and math. The mathematical element to paper folding has been make some 5. Now creases: fold the

right and left sides in to the middle line and the top down along the top line. Keep the top fold down, but onfold the sides.

recently explored by the likes of Erik Demaine, a 31-year-old computer science professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who at age 20 became the youngest faculty member in MIT history. Maruno has a copy of Demaine’s book, Geometric Folding Algorithms, on hand in his office. “(Demaine is) a very wellknown mathematician, the top in the world,” Maruno said. “To do origami, it teaches geometry, and also algebra, computational geometry, discrete geometry.” It is generally accepted that the art form of paper folding cropped up in various countries shortly after the introduction of paper, in 105 AD. Practiced over the centuries, origami was transformed in the hands of Japan-native Akira Yoshizawa, who published 18 books and is regarded as the father of the art. Yoshizawa was honored March 14 by an intricately folded Google doodle featuring his signature butterflies, on what would have been his 101st birthday. Yoshizawa helped create the standardized system of origami diagrams, making an art that previously had to be demonstrated in person available in print. While mathematics governs many of the laws of origami, the journey to a completed project is an exercise in patience and following directions, according to Maruno. “If you want to get some correct origami, you must follow each step exactly, so logic is very important,” he said. “(In math,) if the student misunderstands the procedure, then they get a different answer, and if they do origami they

6.

can train their logical skills, to think correctly.” In recent years, origami has migrated from the hands of artisans and crafters to computer models of complicated engineering projects. Specifically, the ancient paper art has proved useful in solving engineering problems from the airbags in cars to heart stents in people. In 2007, medical researchers in the U.K. developed a stainless steel tube that can shrink to 12 mm wide when it’s put in place. Once there, it can expand to almost double that size to provide a path for blood vessels through a blocked artery. Maruno said he is hopeful that the students who practice origami with him might one day use it to solve an engineering or mathematics problem, but he also wants them to take the artistic aspect with them as well. “It’s just a fun activity,” Maruno said. “You don’t need to think of this as education, this is a hobby, an art.” Maruno mused about a largescale, collaborative origami project with students in the future. He considered the pointed cranes competing for space on his desk. “The famous (origami pattern) is the crane, it’s the beautiful one... and a symbol of peace,” he said, referring to the Japanese legend of attaining a wish by making 1,000 paper cranes. “(The legend says) if you make a thousand, you will have peace and everyone will be happy. No war, no fights and just good activity. So maybe some day we’ll make 1,000 cranes or bugs or dinosaurs or paper balloons.”

Holding on to the bottom three layers, pull the top layer upward until the creases on the sides fold in on themselves and flatten them down resulting in a diamond shape.

Finished crane!

10.

Fold one of the tips in to make a beak/head and tail, and fold the two wings down.

9.

Grab one of the two bottom points and pull it up into itself. Do the same to the other point.

I hear voices from the east carrying picks and shovels their tired arms laying miles of tracks to the cities I will build to the future I will breathe. The path must be laid down before we can live, they say. The past must be laid down before we can live. The clattering from Shinjuku Station wakes me up and it’s Monday morning once again. Passengers move cautiously across the platform they guard their destinations with suits and ties speak only to themselves about themselves. I follow their steps toward the car but I cannot remember which stop is mine who will I ask when the doors seal shut when the tunnel ahead envelopes my cries? Nine months pass and I arrive in Times Square. I’m greeted by a sidewalk of white gloves applauding my return their long skinny fingers point toward the sky

8.

SImilarly to step 5, fold in the sides to the lines. Flip it over and do the same to the back.

7.

Now your shape should look like this. Make sure you make your creases sharp. Flip the shape over and do steps 5 and 6 again.

What high towers your ancestors have raised, they cheer. What geography they’ve forged for our bodies to rest. But I am too distracted to respond to their praise and instead, I follow a stray dog outside of the city into a country of only railroads and workers where, without warning, they hand me an ax, then break both my legs. Now here, they all laugh, still planting old tracks, we must build life again. - Esteban Rodriguez

10

April 26, 2012

Finishing in fourth Broncs drop third-place match at GWC Tourney By Michael Saenz The Pan American Even though the Bronc women’s tennis team was only able to play two home matches all season long, members had the luxury of hosting the Great West Conference season-ending tournament April 21-22. Throwing their 2-12 record out the window, the Broncs had the opportunity to redeem the season with a solid performance at the H-E-B Tennis Center in Harlingen. UTPA knew what it took to win a GWC tournament title in 2010 and was searching for the same kind of magic this time around. “I expected us to come out intense and really ready to fight,” first-year coach Stephanie Vallejos said. “We had been looking forward to this tournament since the beginning of fall. We knew that this was more of an area where we could compete in and we had won this tournament in the past.” The third-seeded Broncs opened the tournament on

Saturday, April 21 at noon against sixth-seeded CSU Bakersfield. UTPA didn’t take long to dispose of the Runners 4-0, with its doubles teams setting the tone. The No. 1 team of seniors Malin Anderson and Suncica Strkic knocked off Julian Mannix and Estefania Limpias 8-2 while senior Dana Nazarova

Suncica strkic and sophomore Wanda Beguelin topped their opponents 8-6 in the No. 2 doubles position to earn the Broncs their first point of the day. It was followed shortly after

by Anderson’s 6-0, 6-1 singles victory and Nazarova’s 6-2, 6-3 win to give UTPA two more points. The clinching point was tallied by Strkic’s win in the No. 5 singles spot 6-2, 7-5 to close out the match. The win advanced them to the semifinals against the second seed, Seattle University. The 13-win Redhawks squad started the scoring off by claiming the doubles point and winning two of the three spots. The team of Anderson and Strkic won the only doubles matchup 8-5 for the Broncs. In singles, UTPA appeared to be in good shape as Anderson, Beguelin and Strkic each won their first sets, but eventually fell to the opponents in three sets, giving the 4-0 victory to Seattle. In the third-place match Sunday, the Broncs faced fifth-seeded Chicago State. The match opened with the Cougars winning the doubles point, but then the Broncs took the first three singles matches, giving them a 3-1 lead and the

momentum. But again, the Cougars rallied and ultimately won 4-3 to take home third place in the GWC tournament. “We fought hard 'till the very end. I do give credit to them for making it this far,” Vallejos said on the team’s performance. “It’s hard to have only six players, they fought, they tried and that’s all I can ask for.” Vallejos ended her first season with the Broncs at 3-14 and a fourth-place finish in the tournament, but hopes to bring pride back to UTPA women’s tennis in the coming years. “I’m looking forward to some of our players returning and seeing them have some experience, and myself having experience with them,” Vallejos said. “As a coach it’s hard coming in the first year to just be able to know each of your players. Everyone is different and everyone needs a different coaching style, but I can look forward to a new start with a new team next year.”

Sports Briefs Broncs earn All-GWC second team honors

The UTPA women’s tennis team competed in the Great West Conference Tournament at the H-E-B Tennis Center in Harlingen April 21-22. In the process of earning a fourthplace finish, senior Dana Nazarova and sophomore Wanda Beguelin were named to the All-GWC second team, as voted by the head coaches. Beguelin and Nazarova have been doubles partners the entire season, picking up three wins at the No. 2 position including one during the conference tournament.

MBB inks three UTPA men’s basketball coach Ryan Marks announced last week the signing of three student-athletes to national letters of intent for the upcoming season. The three prospects set to join the Broncs next season are Justin Leathers, a 6-foot-5 forward from Kansas City, Mo., 6-3 guard Jamal Dantzler out of Chicago, and 6-7 forward Shaquille Hines, also from Chicago. Leathers is a

sports

transfer from Johnson County (Kan.) Community College who averaged 22 points and five rebounds per game, Dantzler comes from Kennedy King Illinois Community College where he averaged 16 points last year, and Hines come from Trent Prep High School in Missouri City and averaged 18 points, six rebounds and two blocks per game.

Lopez sets program record

Senior McAllen native Andrew Lopez set a new program record with his 800-meter run time of 1:50.06 during the Mt. SAC Relays at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in California April 20. Lopez’s finish also bumps him up to 36th on the NCAA West Region top marks list. The top 48 at the end of the year qualify for the NCAA Championships. Lopez broke Phily Acampong’s 1971 record time of 1:51.04. His record-breaking time was good enough for 16th out of 84 runners in the meet.

April 26, 2012

Page 11

the pan american

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April 26, 2012

the pan american

Growing Pains Broncs look to rebound after tough weekend

Next step Junior shortstop Riley Goulding walks back to position during a game against UTSA. The Broncs will face Chicago State Friday, April 27 at 1 p.m.

Adrian Castillo/The Pan American By Michael Saenz The Pan American Junior ace Colby McCasland was able to pop up Utah Valley’s Jake Rickenbach to record the first out in the opening game of the four-game series on April 19, but that was the last out he would record. McCasland was forced to leave the game after re-aggravating an ankle injury, and in essence the Broncs were in flux the rest of the weekend. The Wolverines (12-0 GWC) went on to sweep and outscore the visiting Broncs 43-9 in those four games. But perhaps what was most glaring was what happened after the losses. On this occasion Broncs coach Manny Mantrana looked beyond the wins and losses, and even though the Broncs (8-4 in conference) at times seemed overmatched he feels that his team made a step in the right direction this past weekend. “This is the first group that we’ve had since we’ve been here that was actually hurt after the loss,” the fourth-year coach said. “Everybody’s disappointed when you lose but this group cared, and I saw it in their faces, their dejection and the hurt from the loss. That’s what you’re looking for as a coach because if your players really care, they’re

going to work extremely hard to make sure that doesn’t happen again.” Being on the road, the margin for error for the Broncs was slim to none and they knew that. Especially against Utah Valley, against whom UTPA is now 0-13 in the last three years of conference play. And perhaps the injury to McCasland, who is now day to day, was a glimpse of how the weekend would turn out for UTPA. “Everything that could’ve gone wrong for us did and everything that could’ve gone right for them did,” Mantrana explained. “We played well defensively, swung the bat pretty good, but pitching has to be a little bit better. They have to compete a little more for us.” The Broncs pitching staff had a 12.43 earned run average for the weekend and allowed the Wolverine hitters a .442 average. In comparison, the Broncs’ bats were limited to a .239 batting average for the four games but Mantrana stresses that this weekend’s performance should not be taken as alarming. “Baseball is a long season, kind of like a marathon,” he said. “You can’t have peaks and valleys. What you want to do is keep level and take it one at a

GWC Standings

UVU NJIT UTPA UNC HBU CSU UND NYIT

Overall W L 26 11 16 15 21 11 15 7 15 22 5 27 5 28 3 29

GWC W L 12 0 9 3 8 4 7 5 7 5 3 9 1 11 1 11

time. In reality what you are trying to do is play the best at the end because that is what the championship is for. You just have to stay level.” The Broncs (21-11 overall) still maintain one of the best starts in years and are well on their way to what would be the program’s first winning season since 2000. Mantrana can still remember where the group was when he first arrived for the 2009 season. “When we got here the mentality was that it was okay to lose,” he admitted. “Our mentality has now changed, they think they could win. We knew entering the season that this was going to be our best team. Our first goal is to have a winning season and I think this group can accomplish it. The next goal would be to be conference champions and the ultimate goal in the future would be to get to Omaha and compete for a national championship. But you can’t walk before you crawl or run before you walk. But a successful season for us this year would be to have more wins than losses.” Mindset is everything, especially in a sport where a squad plays three to four days in a row. And if in fact this version of the Broncs has turned that corner, it won’t back down. They will have their next opportunity to right the ship tomorrow as a four-game series at Chicago State (5-27, 3-9 GWC) opens at 3 p.m. “The reason why I feel we’re better now even though the outcome wasn’t what we wanted was because they were hurt and felt dejected after losing,” Mantrana said. “That tells me that we’ve turned the corner.”

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