January 13, 2014 by UTRGV Student Media

First WAC season

UTPA sports prepare for new conference

Page 4

Volume 70, No.15

January 13, 2014

ONLINE CONTENT

panamericanonline.com

Candidate meeting

Campus group hosts Q&A with politicians

University police chief resigns after five years

Welcome Back Week

UTPA kicks off spring semester

Williams remembered

Hall of Famer dies

Blog Spot

January TV Preview

STORY ON PAGE 3

opinion

January 13, 2014

#UTPA Tweet at and follow us @ThePan American

School orientation... Why?? -@freddyg956 Shouldda just gone to #UTPA since my first semester -@felixster23

Can’t wait to go back to class #UTPA

-@StephTrevXOXO

So does classes begin on Monday er Tuesday? #utpa er #utrgv whatever its called now lol -@BoiiWonderr12

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 atacks. Please send all letters to:

thepanamerican@ gmail.com

Susan Gonzalez

Editor-in-Chief

Taking over a print newspaper in this day and age is pretty much like taking over a sinking ship, which is exactly what has happened this spring as I take over for last semester’s editorsin-chief. In a digital age where every person seems to have three or more social media accounts, somehow everyone becomes a “citizen journalist” just by tweeting, posting and sharing new information first. As a result, print news is taking a

Steering the ship Changes ahead for UTPA, The Pan American

beating at the expense of immediate gratification. However, what separates print publications, such as The Pan American, from these immediate doses of tidbits and half-stories is the fact that we do it for more than just being first. Sure, breaking news goes up and out as soon as possible, but it’s our

responsibility to give students, faculty and the community the whole, in-depth story every Thursday. And we don’t take

on the tail end of an era with the new university name chosen (University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley) in December; this newspaper may be seeing its last days as TPA. But only time will tell what will actually happen with our name, logo, colors and even mascot (Did anyone else see Bucky at the watch party when

We might be on the tail end of an era... this duty lightly. This semester will bring changes both for The Pan American and UTPA. We might be

the name was revealed? He was like the band on the Titanic that kept playing; poor horse doesn’t know what his fate holds). So, join us for a new semester, as we continue to celebrate our 70th year of journalism. We’ll bring the stories, photos and graphics that keep this ship afloat, no matter how rough and perilous the tides.

ICYMI

Christmas for Kids Parade 2013 Photos by Belen Diaz The Pan American

Vol. 70, No. 15

THE PAN AMERICAN thepanamerican@gmail. 1201 West University, ARHU 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 665-2541 Fax: (956) 361-7122

Children receive free books at the Christmas for Kids Parade in McAllen Dec. 21. This was the 12th year the event was held.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Susan Gonzalez

CARTOON

NEWS EDITOR: Andrew Vera SPORTS EDITOR: Marco Torres ARTS & LIFE EDITOR: May Ortega PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR: Jon Nutt

Families stand in line to receive free toys at the Christmas for Kids Parade in McAllen Dec. 21. There were several entertainment acts including clowns and various local bands.

DESIGN EDITOR: Francisco Rodriguez MULTIMEDIA EDITOR: Michael Aguilar SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR: Jose S. De Leon III COPY EDITOR: Victoria Valdez ADVISER: Dr. Greg Selber ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE:

Anita Reyes

ADVERTISING MANAGER Elva Ramirez WEBMASTER: Josue Guzman 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.

Viviana Valencia (right) reads a book to her friend Yoana Morales; it was given to her at the Christmas for Kids Parade in McAllen Dec. 21. Families in need were invited to the parade at the McAllen Police Department, where they were given fruits, candies, toys and books.

Itzel Lopez/The Pan American

news

January 13, 2014

POLICING A NEW STATE

University police chief resigns after five years By Cynthia Rael The Pan American As students and faculty make their way to their classes this spring, one major figure will leave this semester. Roger Stearns, who has been the chief of police of UTPA since April 2009, is resigning this spring. After five years with the University, he will be taking the position as the new chief of police, effective Feb. 1, 2014, for Kennesaw State University, located just 20 miles north of Atlanta in Kennesaw, Ga. Much like UTPA, KSU is going through a merger with Southern Polytechnic State University. Reasons behind Stearns’ move are the many positive opportunities that will come for Stearns at his new position. “In considering compensation, benefits and quality of life for my family, this is a positive personal and professional move,” Stearns said. “I have the opportunity to lead a much

larger police force, and I look forward to increasing services, programs and partnerships with the campus community.” Stearns further elaborated on the personal benefits from the move. “From a family perspective, there is a good quality of life in the area where my family and I could spend time together,” Stearns said. “The move to KSU allows my family to live in a major metropolitan area with excellent K-12 schools for my boys and greater employment opportunities for my wife.” While it is still not clear who will be replacing Stearns, the UTPA Police Department has seen many changes under his direction. This includes, but is not limited to, the increased use of technology, such as the MyPD app to keep students informed and the establishment of many programs and services. Additionally, the UTPA Po-

lice Department, consisting of more than 60 employees Stearns oversaw, was one of the 25 higher education institutions recognized as a model program by the International As-

department were leadership development, training of the staff and increasing the types and qualities of services provided.” Stearns began his campus law enforcement career at the

Seeing the University... and police department develop was my favorite part of being here. - Roger Stearns Chief of Police

sociation of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators and National Crime Prevention Council in 2012. “We became a much more proactive agency that opened its doors to a lot of partnership opportunities with the campus community,” Stearns said. “The changes I focused on in the

University of Arkansas, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications. Since then, he has amassed more than 20 years of campus law enforcement experience, serving the police departments of the University of Arkansas, University of Texas at Dallas and Vanderbilt University as a senior com-

munications officer, police sergeant and police major, respectively. Additionally, Stearns is the recipient of many honors from previous positions and UTPA, such as the President’s Excellence Award and Success Profile of the Year in 2013. Stearns said his greatest joy during his time as police chief was serving the people and seeing advances to the University. “Seeing the University... and police department develop was my favorite part of being here,” Stearns said. “I’ve been proud of being able to be here and be a part of the progression that UTPA has made...every year that I’ve been here, the police department and University has been better than it was the year before, and I’m proud to have been able to work under the

very positive leadership team here.” Upon his exit, Stearns hopes that the relationship between the community and police department continues to flourish for mutual benefits of both parties, with programs such as the Citizens Police Academy, Law Enforcement Explorers and Community Emergency Response Team training. “I encourage the community to continue being proactively and positively involved with the police department and our services,” Stearns said. “The more participation we have from the community, the safer our community is and the more effective we are as a law enforcement agency.”

Battle for Texas 2014 Campus group focuses on registering students to vote By Jose Canales The Pan American Armed with a laptop, tote bag and a packet of pens, Sarah Chavez is ready for her mission to hunt for unregistered voters. As president of the UTPA chapter of Battleground Texas, the group’s goal is to register as many students as they can before the Texas primary election, the March 4, 2014 election that determines which candidates will represent all political parties. Chavez, a 22-year-old history major, said her personal goal is to register 500 new voters by the beginning of the 2014 fall semester. “We’ve set a group goal for 2,000 by fall, but that’s for everyone in the club,” the UTPA senior said. “We have 10 members so far, but we’re also starting a recruitment drive for the organization over the next two weeks with meetings and tables set up across campus.” Chavez also wants to "deputize" every UTPA staff member that works in an office. Deputization would allow that staff member to register students to vote and send their forms to the county elections department. “If we get all the desk jobs on campus deputized, they’ll be

able to register students as well,” Chavez said. “Our deputization event is coming up on Jan. 22 and that’s where all the people who signed up to become county elections deputies will be confirmed.” Chavez said she also hopes to spread the power of registering students to local high school teachers, so they could all have a sign that says “register to vote here.” The fight to get people deputized has been much harder than the process of getting students registered, however. Chavez noted that many of the events where county officials come in and confirm the deputies are scheduled on weekdays and last for one hour. Usually, the turnout is low. “The county schedules these things at odd hours, so of course people aren’t going to go. This upcoming event on campus should be more accessible though, because it’s on campus.” According to the Hidalgo County Elections Department, out of 305,269 registered voters, only 18,830 ballots were cast for the Nov. 5, 2013 constitutional election, which was a vote determining amend-

ments to the Texas constitution and occurs every two years. In comparison, Hidalgo County posted 141,155 ballots cast out of 307,186 registered voters for the 2012 general election. Battleground Texas members will canvas rural areas outside of Mission, as well as most of Edinburg and McAllen, looking for people who still aren’t registered or newly-eligible 18-year-olds. Chavez will also push for voter registration in the colonias, with groups of deputized members paired with Dreamers to share their stories. Chavez hopes the narrative of the “Dreamers,” that is, children of parents who have immigrated illegally but have lived in the U.S. their entire lives, will motivate people to register and vote; knowing that others who live in the Rio Grande Valley don’t have the right to. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, there are an estimated 1.7 million Dreamers in the U.S. that qualified for deferred action, President Obama's answer to the stalled DREAM Act that would have offered permanent residency to undocumented immigrants that are under the age of 30 and have graduated from an Ameri-

can high school. The story of an undocumented student who can’t vote should resonate with colonia residents who are citizens, but have family and friends who are undocumented, Chavez said. “People from the colonias are often overlooked, but they need to be motivated to vote, especially in local politics,” she said. “There are lots of issues they can get help with, but a lot of people are very apathetic and squander their right to vote because they don’t know the power of their vote.” Chavez's ambitions don't end at the colonias, though. “Our biggest goal right now is to set up a debate between Wendy Davis and Greg Abbott,” Chavez said. “It shouldn’t be too much of a problem because candidates love coming to university campuses." The group brought Davis to campaign in the RGV Nov. 5-6, 2013, and they have set up a candidate fair for Thursday, Jan. 30 at 11 a.m. at UTPA for local candidates on the ballot in the upcoming primary elections, such as Luis Manuel Singleterry, who is running for 92nd District Judge. A full list of ballot candidates for the elec-

tion can be found on the Texas Secretary of State website. The group will set up tables for both candidates and campus student organizations, and will allow for students to meet with candidates and ask them questions about their platforms and their campaigns. Chavez also hopes every student organization table can offer voter registration. "If you look at the history of Mexican-Americans in the

country, we’re really the first generation of people who can’t look back and say ‘Oh, I remember when I couldn’t vote because of a poll tax,’” Chavez said. “We’re free of restrictive laws against minorities, and we have a huge opportunity for growth, so we are here to make that happen.”

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THE PAN AMERICAN

January 13, 2014

Page by Kristela Garza The Pan American

Women’s B-ball *Jan. 16 vs. Kansas City (7p.m.) “We plan to go out and keep competing in every WAC game.” -Guard Alexandria Hill Men’s B-ball *Jan. 30 vs. Utah Valley (7p.m.) “We are a young team with guys that are trying to identify roles” -Head Coach Dan Hipsher *Denotes home game Omar Casas/The Pan American

Men’s Baseball Men’s & Women’s Track and Field *Feb. 14 vs. Texas A&M (7p.m.) Jan. 17 (College Station) “The plan is to work hard through the training and show UTPA had nine players sign a National Letter of Intent for the 2014-15 academic year. up on the day and compete.” *Denotes home game - Head Coach Xavier Richardson Jon Nutt/The Pan American Norma Gonzalez/The Pan American Michelle Garcia/The Pan American

Men’s Tennis Jan. 19 vs. Texas A&M (College Station) “I want to do my best for my teammates, my coach, for UTPA and for myself.” - Sophomore Alejandro Sanoja Women’s Tennis Jan. 17 vs. Our Lady of the Lake University (Waco) “I hope that being a member of the team also teaches them the value of organization and effective communication.” -Head Coach Stephanie Vallejos Adrian Castillo/The Pan American

Men’s Golf Feb. 17 Rice Intercollegate (Houston) Sophomore Ricky Solis won the CSU Cougar Invitational, scoring rounds of 75 and 70 back in September. Women’s Golf Feb. 10 McNeese State University (Broussard, LA) “All my players can play and with more and more confidence we can break more records.” -Head Coach Ofelia Lopez

January 13, 2014

THE PAN AMERICAN

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THE PAN AMERICAN

January 13, 2014

Page by Kristela Garza The Pan American

January 13, 2014

THE PAN AMERICAN

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January 13, 2014

arts & life

Jan. 14

EVENT CALENDAR

RGV Whovians to Meet Up

Jan. 16

“Heart of the Valley” Health, Body, Mind Expo

Mid-Winter Indie and Rock-n-Roll Showcase

Doctor Who fans meet up to share their love of Free health screenings, the long-running sci-fi interactive exhibits for show. “4th Doctor Serial kids and much more. - Genesis of the Daleks” will be screened.

UTPA students discuss winter break and the new semester By Elisa Garcia The Pan American

best thing ever.”

Finals were taken, books were pushed aside and suitcases were packed before UTPA students drove off to enjoy their winter break in December and January. Before classes began Jan. 13, civil engineering major Antonio Reyna spent the remainder of his vacation with his family in Harlingen. “Living on campus has made it difficult to see my family,” the 18-year-old said. “The Christmas break has given me so much time to spend with them. That will definitely be a challenge when school starts again.” According to UTPA resident Jose Gonzalez, Reyna wasn’t the only one who longed to see his family. The biology major explained that even in the midst of finals, what he most anticipated was being united with his family in Harlingen. He also looked forward to seeing his

A FRESH START Across the world, the clock struck midnight while the sound of fireworks and the toast of champagne-filled glasses rang to welcome 2014. Communication major Salinas greeted the new year with open arms and is anticipating summer 2014. “I’m looking forward to studying abroad in Italy,” the 19-yearold said. “The semester is going to fly by and before I know it, I’ll be graduating. This trip couldn’t come at a better time.” Freshman Reyna believes that 2014 will bring him new beginnings. He explained that the previous semester was a struggle for him to keep up grades, especially when it came to a calculus class. “The thing I enjoy the most of the new year is the idea of

I look forward to the outcomes...even if in the end, it doesn’t work - Giselle Salinas out. UTPA student

high school sweetheart, who attends St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. “I enjoy spending the holidays with my family and long distance girlfriend,” the Harlingen native said Jan.1. “Bringing in the new year with my family ...was just what I needed before I head back to school.” For freshman Giselle Salinas, eating three full meals a day has made her holiday season enoyable. She explained that being home has made it easy for her to focus on eating healthy. “When I had classes, I realized I didn’t eat properly,” the Mission native said. “I’ll eat a granola bar and won’t eat (again) until late afternoon. Since school let out, I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s the

having a fresh start to a whole new year,” he said. “It’s a chance to correct and forget any mistakes you made in the past. I know I could have studied more, but I was just too stubborn to ask for help. Now I know that’s something I need to change.” While Reyna anticipates his fresh start and Salinas dreams of eating Italian pizza, sophomore Gonzalez looks forward to catching up with the new friends he made last semester. “As much as I want to see my new friends, I really want to get more involved with my campus,” he said. “I want to have the best college experience I can have so I can look back and say how involved I was.”

Time: 6:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. Time: 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Time: 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. Place: Cine El Rey Theater, Place: McAllen Convention Place: Simon Sez, McAllen Center McAllen

Jan. 20

Jan. 20 Along with a new year and a new semester, students are finding it wise to set up New Year’s resolutions. According to a 2014 study by the University of Scranton, 45 percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions and only 8 percent will actually achieve their goal. The research shows that 38 percent of Americans have made losing weight their New Year’s resolution for 2014. Gonzalez has decided to join the 38 percent by hitting the gym a little harder this year and succeed at his goal of living a healthier lifestyle. He claims it use to come more easily when he was part of his high school’s cross-country team. “My New Year’s resolution is basically like everyone else’s,” he said with a laugh. “I want to exercise more in order to feel more energetic. What brought me to this decision was when I was taking a look back at some high school photos and seeing how fit I used to be.” While Gonzalez hits the gym, Reyna made working harder in his classes his resolution. And way before Salinas boards her plane to Italy, she hopes to have landed a job in order to save up for her adventure. “I look forward to the outcomes,” Salinas said. “You know, people see New Year’s as the day to start fresh, and it’s a nice feeling of wanting to start something new. Even if in the end, it doesn’t work out.”

Pinky Swear, Blight Night, Jesika & the Pajama Blues and Krux perform. $2 cover. Ages 21 and over only.

Jan. 21

4th Annual MLK Jr. 10th Annual Harlingen McAllen International Winter Texan Appreciation Food Festival: Tour Day of Service Around The World Fiesta Guests may come together to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. and what he lived for.

Arts and crafts, a classic car show, live music and more are part of this annual festival.

This annual McAllen Chamber event will feature a range of RGV restaurants engaging in friendly competition.

Time: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Time: 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. Time: 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. Place: Cine El Rey Theater, Place: Harlingen Munic- Place: McAllen Convention Center ipal Auditorium McAllen

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January 13, 2014

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