Febuary 13, 2014

Don’t have a Valentine? What it means to be single

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Volume 70, No. 19

February 13, 2014

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Lunar New Year

Museum celebrates Asian holiday

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Lunar New Year at IMAS

Building Anew

University Center takes on renovations

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By Elisa Garcia The Pan American

Jose Gonzalez, a sophomore at UTPA, watches 21 Jump Street with his girlfriend of seven months, Maria Martinez. Once the movie is over, the high school sweethearts chat about their day over some popcorn and an hour goes by before they end their Skype date. According to a 2012 study by Statistic Brain (SB), 14 million American couples say they are in a long-distance relationship. SB’s research suggests 32.5 percent of those 14 million couples are college students.

Gonzalez, a biology major, explained that not being able to see Martinez is difficult, since she attends school at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, but he believes the distance is somewhat of an advantage when it comes to trust. “I know besides talking on the phone, prayer and reading the Bible together over the phone really helps keep our relationship strong,” the 19-year-old said. “The love we have is really strong and distance doesn’t make it feel any less.” Along with Gonzalez and Martinez, Los Fresnos High

School sweethearts Itzayana Sanchez and Ezekiel Silva also found themselves joining the 32.5 percent when Silva got accepted to Texas State University in San Marcos in January 2013 and Sanchez made herself at home at UTPA’s Troxel Hall last August. “I miss him. We miss each other,” 19-year-old Sanchez said. “But it’s not hard because I know I’m gonna see him soon and I’m not looking for a guy. I trust him.” Before Sanchez and Silva became an ‘item,’ Silva contacted Sanchez through Facebook Mes-

senger and asked for her number in October 2011. The couple became official soon after and have been together for one year and 10 months. “In high school, we would write letters to each other,” said Sanchez, a pre-pharmacy chemistry major. “And now that we’re in college, we have this journal that we write in to each other, but with school going on, (Silva) hasn’t mailed it back in a while.” While Sanchez puts a care package together, stuffed with Hershey’s Kisses, Starbursts and a love letter for Silva, Marti-

nez finishes some lastminute studying in San Antonio before pressing speed dial 5 for her goodnight call to Gonzalez. Martinez believes modern technology plays a major factor in keeping her relationship strong. “It’s nice hearing (Gonzalez’s) voice, even though he’s four hours away,” the 18-year-old said. “Technology helps us communicate. Period. Even if it’s just a simple text and a kissy emoji, we’re happy.”

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February 13, 2014

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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.

February January13, 31,2014 2013

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Ahoy there Rare course docking at UTPA By Ashley Hernandez The Pan American

For all the underwater archaeology fanatics out there, UTPA has the booty, literally. The University offers the course Shipwrecks, Pirates and the Sea that counts as both a history and anthropology 4307 credit. This course is unique because only four other institutions nationwide offer it, including Texas A&M University, East Carolina University, the University of West Florida and Brown University. UTPA is able to give the class on Mondays because of the onfield experience and background in both archaeology and history that Professor Russell Kent Skowronek possesses. Skowronek serves as the founding di-

rector of the Community Historical Archaeology Project with Schools (CHAPS) at the University and is also a research associate of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution at Washington, D.C. In addition, Skowronek is also the author and editor of dozens of articles and several books including X Marks the Spot, the Archaeology of Piracy, with Charles Ewen in the year 2006 and HMS Fowey Lost…And Found! with George Fischer in 2009. The course title - Shipwrecks, Pirates and the Sea - may seem unfamiliar because its former name was Maritime Archaeology. The name change went into effect in spring 2014. Skowronek, professor of history and philosophy, said the enrollment for the class has in-

creased and recalled the discussion of the name change. “The comment was that nobody knew what maritime archaeology was,” Skowronek said. “So... my colleagues basically said, ‘ You’ve got to tart this up, you got to m a k e the name sexy.’ Well, OK, like what? And since I like names in three parts, we came

up with Shipwrecks, Pirates and the Sea.” Currently enrolled in the course, Amy Longoria said that she was unaware of the previous title but thinks that students have reacted positively to it. “I do think that the name change makes the

course sound more appealing and interesting to students,” said the 28-year-old.

“Most people consider shipwrecks to be one of the only types of sites to explore in underwater archaeology, and pirates are a fascinating time in maritime history, which could lead to more interest in the maritime anthropology course.” Skowronek, who has taught the course each semester for five years, said the purpose of it is for students to become informed and to find a deeper appreciation for the social and economic ties between underwater archaeology and history. “I try to get people to think broadly in our modern time,” Skowronek said. “We also talk a little bit about prehistory and I like to ask the question, ‘Where are the nicest places to live?’, and have students realize that the places they consider became

prosperous because of docks and trading...to understand the significance of traveling by ship.” Longoria, who is pursuing a double major in anthropology and biology, said that she will have to transfer to another university to earn a degree in marine archaeology because UTPA does not offer that field of study. However, she is happy to have stumbled upon this class. “I appreciate that this course also sets out to explain the difference between underwater salvage and underwater archaeology,” Longoria said. “As well as the increasing necessity for archaeological work to be conducted on sites to recover as much information about the past as possible.”

Election season for SGA Debates, competition for senate, executive hopefuls By Andrew Vera The Pan American This month marks the beginning of the Student Government Association election season. Like seasons past, it begins with candidate meetings and campaigning by students hoping to take roles of the senate and executive leaders. The Student Union hosted the event to meet the candidates Feb. 11 at noon. This meeting comes one day after the campaigning began. In the mix of candidates were more than 30 students, the majority of them running for senate positions and four running for executive positions, which include president and vice president. UTPA has seven colleges,

which all hold senator positions through SGA. Some colleges, such as Health Sciences and Human Services, have as many as five senator positions available while other colleges, such as the College of Education, have only two senator positions. Aside from these colleges, the SGA also has a graduate senator position as well as seven senator-at-large positions, each with a set number of constituents. After students meet with the candidates and hear their platforms, what he/she stands for and plans to do during their term, a debate will be held Feb. 18 in the Student Union Theater. Candidates running for senate positions will be given the opportunity to present and

Jon Nutt/The Pan American Bianca Blanco and Johnathan Weisfeld-Hinojosa campaigning at the 2014 Student Government Association candidate fair Feb. 11.

debate their platform alongside other candidates from noon - 1 p.m. Later in the afternoon, executive position candidates will be given the same opportunity from 6-8 p.m. The executive ticket holds both the president position as well as the vice president position. One ticket lists Bianca Blanco, an English major, for president and her running mate Johnathan Weisfeld-Hinojosa, a political science major, for vice president. While both candidates said they feel honored to potentially be the last executive team under the UTPA name, their platform of campus sustainability and moving forward with a “green campus” was their main concern at Tuesday’s candidate meeting. “We want to promote a more sustainable campus. Recycling is a big deal,” Blanco said. “We want to go green because a lot of campuses are already green, and we’re not as green as we’d like to be. We’re almost there, but we’re not there.” In opposition, the other executive ticket holds Alberto Adame, a finance major running for SGA president, and vice presidential candidate Carla Peña, a rehabilitation services major. The platform they stand on consists of extended library hours, better parking lots and healthier food options in the Student Union. “We want to set the foun-

dations for the University. We don’t want to forget UTPA,” Peña said. “So many people are focused on UT-RGV already that they are forgetting that we still have a lot to do here (at UTPA).” Once students have met the candidates, heard their platforms and seen them defend them at the debate, the voting process will begin. Starting Feb. 24, students can login to their myUTPA page and look for the elections tab. There, students will be able to vote for president, vice president and the senator for their respected college. For example, if the student’s college is Social and Behavioral Sciences, that student will only be shown senator candidates running for that position. All students will be able to view and vote for senator-atlarge positions. Students will have until Feb. 28 to vote online and the election results will be posted to the UTPA website the following day. According to the SGA constitution, the official term ends April 13 and the new round of senators and executives will take their positions April 14. An inauguration ceremony will be held in the Student Union common area that day from 1-4 p.m., welcoming the newly elected officials and kicking off their one-year term in their respected positions. The executive team to be replaced is pres-

ident Aaron Barreiro and vice president Erik Sanchez. This year’s elected SGA team will be the last to serve a full year under the school name UTPA. With the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley coming into effect in fall 2015, next year’s elected officials for SGA will split their term between the two named schools. Candidates spoke about what that means to them at this week’s candidates meeting. “I think it’s very important to be the last president and vice president of the student body here at Pan Am, not only because of the legacy we are leaving behind...but also because we have the power and the ability to do things that are going to benefit the students at the new university,” said Alberto

Adame, SGA president candidate and finance major. The SGA holds meetings every Friday at 1 p.m. in the Education Complex in room 1.102. These meetings are open to all students, faculty and staff and SGA members encourage anyone to attend. Meetings are open for student discussion and debate about issues around campus. “A lot of students don’t know too much about student government, the only main thing that they do is vote,” Blanco said. “That’s as involved as students get, and what we want to change is to promote student government enough that students feel they are a part of (it).”

Jon Nutt/The Pan American Alberto Adame (center) and Carla Peña speak with a student about their platform for the 2014 Student Government Association election.

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February 13, 2014

THE PAN AMERICAN

February 13, 2014

THE PAN AMERICAN

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Does your relationship status matter on Valentine’s Day? By May Ortega The Pan American

VIRTUAL HEARTS The couple finds a variety of ways to keep their relationship fun and exciting, despite the separation, by using the technology that’s available. Researchers from the City University of Hong Kong and Cornell University found that couples who live apart have more meaningful interactions than those who see each other daily by communicating through phone calls, texting, emailing and video chat. “We try new things, such as different types of dates, like Skype dates,” said Silva, a criminal justice major. “Another big thing that keeps our relationship interesting is planning

what our relationship will be like in the future and planning future goals together.” The couple has discussed marriage and according to research group SB, 10 percent of all U.S. marriages start as long-distance relationships, but that’s only 2.9 percent of the population. On average, 40 percent of all long-distance couples will break up within a four-and-half-month period. Researchers at Pew Research Center surveyed 586 long-distance couples and found that 49 percent have used dating sites and applications. Martinez, a St. Mary’s dietetics major, explained how smartphone applications such as

Couple, a mobile app that provides a messaging service for two people, have made communicating fun. According to Loving from a Distance, a website with ideas and activities for people in long-distance relationships, a long-distance couple will visit each other at least once a month. However, Gonzalez and Martinez don’t have the luxury of hopping in their cars whenever they please. “I wish I could visit more often, but I don’t have the privilege of having a car,” said Gonzalez, a biology major. “I was able to visit (Martinez)

I was so happy that I was actually hugging him and not looking at him through a computer screen. - Maria Martinez St. Mary’s student

twice l a s t semester, and one of those was a surprise visit. I still remember the shocked expression on (Martinez’s) face….it was priceless.” Gonzalez explained that the trip was only meant for Martinez’s parents, but he thought it would be a good opportunity to see his girlfriend. “I was so happy that I was actually hugging him and not looking at him through a computer screen,” Martinez said. “It was truly the sweetest surprise ever.” In line with Physics Universe (PU), short-distance commitments come with the advantage of the couple seeing each other every day. The analysis shows that as the relationship progresses, being hand-inhand all the time can make things feel unnaturally rushed, somewhat like meeting the parents too soon.

GOING THE DISTANCE Individuals who are in longdistance relationships - or have a respectable distance between them every day - look forward to big weekend dates and stolen

opportunities that they usually wouldn’t be able to do, according to PU. “I think our relationship has gotten stronger as a long-distance one,” Sanchez explained. “We don’t argue as much, because when we do see each other we try to enjoy the little time we have together.” Both couples agree that there are several disadvantages to being in a long-distance relationship, such as failed phone signals and the absence of physical interaction, but they don’t let such factors affect their relationships. However, each couple holds a different perspective when it comes to their mate. For Silva, there are many elements that have contributed to his lasting commitment. “Honestly, I think a big factor is that we haven’t had sex and I know that’s a lot to take in,” he said. “Sex can make you very attached to someone and it’s a very emotional thing, so I think that plays a big part in keeping our relationship strong.” Gonzalez believes the only way of truly coping with the distance and maintaining

faith throughout the absence is through prayer and knowing that he will be reunited with Martinez soon enough. “The (phone) signal fails and we don’t get to see each other physically, but you have to overcome that,” he said. “Our trust in the relationship grows stronger. If we ever have to be apart for something, we know without a doubt we’d get through it because we’ve already gone through so much more.” LOVE STRUCK As Valentine’s Day approaches, the couples anxiously plan their Skype dates and await the care packages they put together for each other. On average, a consumer will spend $116.21 on Valentine’s Day gifts with 61 percent of the American population celebrating the chocolate-giving day. Despite heavy prices, Gonzalez and Martinez are excited for Valentine’s Day this year, something neither of them could have said a year ago. “This will be the first Valentine’s Day that I’ve actually had someone to share it with,” Gonzalez said. “I know we won’t be able to physically see each other, but that’s OK. The fact that I’m spending it with (Martinez) makes it perfect.” A quick visit on Valentine’s Day doesn’t seem to be in the cards for San-

chez and Silva, either. Nevertheless, this will be the couple’s third holiday spent with each other and the pair is looking forward to being reunited during spring break. “Being away from (Sanchez) can be tough,” Silva said. “But it also makes it more exciting when I finally get to see her.” As the semester wears on, the couples anticipate summer 2014 and fully intend on spending as much time as possible together before heading back to school in the fall. For Gonzalez, it looks like his relationship will no longer be long-distance because Martinez will be coming to UTPA in the fall. “It’s not that we can’t handle the distance. We can,” Martinez explained. “But we talk of a future together and being in a longdistance relationship isn’t the best way to start off that future…being back home and going to school with (Gonzalez) is something I intend to make the very best of.”

Valentine’s Day, or Singles Awareness Day as Time Magazine has called it, is almost here. The smell of love and roses lingers in the air, bringing joy to some and nausea to others. “It’s gross,” said Humberto Ramos, a UTPA student without a date or plans for Saint Valentine’s Day, which falls on a Friday this year. The 21-year-old advertising major said he has never had a date for the red-and-rose-themed holiday, but that has little to do with his distaste for it. “Well, not that it’s gross. I just think people take it way over the top and it’s so hypocritical at the same time,” the junior explained. “Why aren’t they like that the rest of the year? Why is it just on that one day?” According to research firm Harris Interactive, 24 percent of men and 16 percent of women said they would rather have a root canal than be single on “that one day.” But what is it about this ancient holiday that invokes concern over someone’s relationship status? Ramos feels that Valentine’s Day is accompanied by love, affection... and a social stigma. “I don’t mind not having a date, but there is a stigma where it’s like, ‘Oh, those people are single. Sucks to be them today,’ but not really,” the Weslaco resident said.

Ramos went on to give examples of his own experiences with other’s expectations for the holiday. “People ask, ‘What are you doing for Valentine’s? Do you have a date?’ And I’ll just say no, and they’ll be like, ‘What do you mean?’ and I just say I have no date for Valentine’s,” he explained. “They think it’s sad, but at the same time, not everyone is revolving their entire year around it.” Russell Eisenman, a psychology professor at the University who specializes in human sexuality, in addition to other topics, disagrees with Ramos. As a single man, the Savannah, Ga. native does not find a stigma attached to this day. “I think it is mostly in people’s heads if they worry about it. Of course, different subgroups or different cultures could have different reactions,” he explained. “The holiday could make being single worse for some, as it emphasizes people being together. Kind of like people getting more depressed on Christmas if they do not have a family or friends present to relate to.” To avoid any loneliness, or just to have a good time, some people will have singles get-togethers on Valentine’s Day, also known as Anti-Valentine’s Day parties. At these events, individuals who find themselves without a date join forces to have a fun Valentine’s Day of their own. Ramos, who moved from Monterrey, Mexico, to the States at the age of 9, believes that gatherings like these aren’t rare,

and that a variation of them is the norm in Mexico. “Valentine’s isn’t always about love. It could also be about friendship, or even loving your family,” he said. “Since I’m from Mexico, they celebrate it as El Dia Del Amor y La Amistad, which is the Day of Love and Friendships, so it doesn’t necessarily have to be couples. Friends can hang out, your family can hang out.” One place where Broncs can get together with friends, family or a significant other on the romantic holiday is in the UTPA Ballroom. As a part of Homecoming Week, there will be a Roaring ‘20s-themed dance starting at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, which will include a photo booth, music and free food. With the chilly weather that has been visiting the Rio Grande Valley lately, Ramos said it will only add to the intensity of the upcoming holiday on campus. “The cold weather, then mix it in with Valentine’s, people are going to be holding hands and cuddling and whatnot,” he said. “It’s just going to make it more…ugh. It won’t be very pleasant, I’ll tell you that.” Two years ago, Time Magazine wrote that 70 percent of individuals who are single on Valentine’s Day would not be opposed to a blind date for the holiday. Ramos agreed and said he would enjoy a romantic dinner Friday night. Despite the frustrations he feels during Valentine’s Day, Ramos said there is one thing he likes about the celebrations, whether he is single or not. “I do like seeing couples really happy together, but how I said, why aren’t they like that the rest of the year?” he said. “It’s really good seeing people happy with each other, but at the same time I wish it were like that more often.”