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Volume 68, No. 11
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November 17, 2011
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OPINION
November 17, 2011
Opinion
Nothing says love like stalking, violent sex and teenage pregnancy
Erick Gonzalez Design Editor When the final Twilight film is released on Friday, hordes of naïve young girls are going to be tingling with anticipation to witness the film adaptation of Stephanie Meyer’s final book, “Breaking Dawn” …except, it’s not the final film. Twilight producers opted to jump on the Harry Potter money bandwagon and release the final film in two parts, implying they need four hours to tell a story about a couple of boring knuckleheads not doing anything, a third idiot not getting the point and an ungodly amount of uninteresting whispered dialogue. There are some monster fights, but that is not what this book is about because an all-out monster brawl is fun and, in this story, fun is against the law. Its popularity coupled with the fascinating psychosexual implications could have made for one of the most interesting pop culture diversions in recent memory. Too bad it sucks. Twilight uses the basic formula of a Christian teen romance novel with doses of vampire soft-core and horror elements (although it’s not scary). The
result in an entire franchise created so girls can experience the woozy thrill of having a schoolgirl crush on a violent bi-polar vampire stalker. After all, Bella does what most girls her age do when confronted with a moody, self-involved, verbally abusive, physically dangerous yet somehow wounded pretty boy: she immediately declares her eternal love and devotion and subdues her entire existence to a co-dependent relationship. This and the unsubtle abstinence metaphor of Edward and Bella wanting to bump uglies disguised as Bella’s desire to become a vampire. Edward denies her lovemaking/vampire request by claiming that he wants her to stay pure because the book wants you to believe that purity until marriage is a major virtue. Isn’t that awesome and noble? How they wait and she stays pure. What strange times we live in, where possibly the best-selling and most popular franchise of this generation can be categorized as: Mormon vampire abstinence erotica. The first title in the series serves as an introduction to more boring brainwashing propaganda to come, the tone and plot of which I covered in my previous paragraph. There is also a fight scene that Edward uses as an excuse to blow some steam since he isn’t getting any. In “New Moon,” Edward takes off to parts unknown out of fear for the safety of his pathologically co-dependent dumb girlfriend. Bella, being the pathetic character that can’t possibly be on her own, pairs up with previously platonic buddy Jacob, who also happens to be a werewolf, though not before a brief road
to suicidal depression (since, after all, this is “Twilight”). Bella wouldn’t be Bella if she didn’t wind up helpless, bloody, beaten, flat on her back and asking for more from the nearest dominant male. It eventually leads to nothing, and they get back to where they were before… except that now Edward proposes. Yay for marriage! Story-wise “Eclipse,” the third installment in the series, manages the impressive feat of being totally pointless, even compared to the previous titles. The whole thrust to the narrative goes to rehashing the Edward-Bella-Jacob love triangle that was already resolved. Because after all, this is “Twilight,” where everything even remotely interesting is forbidden from occurring by law. Anything interesting might distract from the franchise’s all-important mission of teaching an entire generation of young women that being willful and independent will only make them moody and miserable and that true salvation can only be found in codependent submission to an emotionally domineering man in the context of traditional marriage, an event that takes place in the fourth and final installment of the series. In “Breaking Dawn,” Edward and Bella finally get married, so now it’s all good when they give in to their carnal instincts – but only because they are married. As stated, purity until marriage is a major virtue. The lovemaking wasn’t as pleasurable as Bella would’ve hoped since a male vampire is so strong and a human girl is so weak that it is never entirely safe to engage in such
carnal pleasures. The act, ends with her waking up looking like a used piñata, but accepting that it’s her own fault for wanting sex in the first place. The story seems to agree with her, since we all learned in the series that sex is bad and staying pure is good. It’s easy to rag on “Twilight” for its horrible story, uninteresting plot, boring characters, sub-par writing, atrocious acting… you get the point. But that’s all superficial. I’m even tempted to say that the hatred is of control and it’s not even worth the effort anymore, but at least for me, there is something uglier that seems to be underpinning all of this. I’m not someone who is all about attacking things solely for their message. You should be able to make a book, film, song, art, etcetera with any message you want. However, I’m sincerely creeped out by what “Twilight” seems to be drilling into the heads of its young female fans. This seems to be the main overriding messages of the “Twilight” books: marry as early as you can, stalking equals love and the most important thing about you is your virginity. That’s like a blueprint for creating a whole generation of shy, demure, deferential, domestic abuse victims waiting to happen. My views may be extreme, but who knows what messages young girls are getting? I’m a cynic and these messages are quite evident to me. I don’t even want to imagine what subliminal theme a young innocent mind might get from these books and films. However, if I’m even the slightest bit accurate then “Twilight” is actually very scary…and it is scaring the hell out of me.
Vol. 68, No. 11
THE PAN AMERICAN 1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 665-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122 The Pan American is the official student newspaper of The University of TexasPan American. Views presented are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the paper or university.
CO-EDITORS IN CHIEF: Alma E. Hernandez alma.e.hdz@gmail.com Roxann Garcia roxx.gar11@gmail.com NEWS EDITOR: Karen Antonacci keantonacci@gmail.com SPORTS EDITOR: Michael Saenz mike_s2208@yahoo.com ARTS & LIFE EDITOR: Nadia Tamez-Robledo ntamezrob@broncs.utpa.edu PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR: Reynaldo Leal reynaldo_lealjr@yahoo.com DESIGN EDITOR: Erick Gonzalez erick.dgr@gmail.com MULTIMEDIA EDITOR: Pamela Morales pamela.morales13@gmail.com SPANISH EDITOR: Norma Gonzalez nc.gonzalez12@gmail.com ADVISER: Dr. Greg Selber selberg@utpa.edu ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE: Anita Reyes areyes18@utpa.edu ADVERTISING MANAGER: Mariel Cantu spubs@utpa.edu WEBMASTERS: Jose Villarreal josemvillarrealcs@gmail.com Selvino Padilla selvinop3@gmail.com
Delivery:
Thursday at noon Francisco Rodriguez/The Pan American
Letter to the Editor
Discontent with advertisement
Dear Pan American: I would like to express my discontent with the last issue of the Pan American. I call all the contributors to the newspaper to ask yourselves what you think the newspaper stands for. Is the purpose of the newspaper merely to report what happens at school, or is it also to educate the student body by presenting the political issues that affect us all, provide conscious analysis of society, and
above all represent the collective brain of the student body? Everything that is published should reflect your ideology. Furthermore, everything in the newspaper speaks for our university and us, the students. Having said this, I ask you to consider removing your ad on breast implants. Why contribute to the proliferation of some prototype based on superficiality? Why do you present an image of beauty
that condemns the natural woman who accepts herself just the way she is? I do not mean to say that getting breast implants is wrong. I think that women should have the right to decide what they want to do with their bodies (in the case of a mastectomy I would definitely consider it). However, the ad was directed towards a specific audience: college girls. Apparently, it is no longer enough to be young, wrinkle-free, and thin.
Now, we also need a “pair of C’s.” All the girls in the pictures are smiling, showing off their breasts, with the exception of one who doesn’t even show her face, due to the fact that her breasts are the central focus of the picture. Talk about the objectification of women! Is this the image of happiness and beauty that the newspaper stands for? -Lucila Lopez
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 reserve the right to edit submissions for grammar and length. We cannot publish anonymous letters or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send all story ideas to thepanamerican@gmail.com. Individuals with disabilities wishing to acquire this publication in an alternative format or needing assistance to attend any event listed can contact The Pan American for more details.
NEWS
November 17, 2011 November 10, 2011
EXPOSED from Page 1
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‘We’re really sorry’ By Karen Antonacci The Pan American Private information on the more than 19,000 students enrolled at UTPA was available online for two months due to human error, according to an email sent Friday from the Office of Information Security. The spreadsheet containing names, emails, addresses, phone numbers, GPAs and majors was accidently posted online and accessed a total of 15 times, according to Beverly Jones, assistant chief information security officer. Because the information was public and viewing it did not require a login, officials can’t say for sure who looked at the information while it was online. Two factors contributed to the file ending up on Google’s search results. First, one of the University’s colleges possessed a server that allowed users to post files without information security’s approval. Second, a University employee fumbled the
settings on the spreadsheet, posting it online on Sept. 1, according to Jones. “Each file contains permissions to allow different people to access it,” she said. “This one was accidently set to world read, which means it was visible to the world.” When the file was discovered, the University took steps to take it down, removing it from the search results Nov. 2 and notifying all students via email on Friday. Unfortunately, some of the data was still visible through Google’s cache, which is stored memory of something on the web, as recently as Saturday. “The whole file was removed, you couldn’t access the file, but there were still bits of the information in the cache,” Jones said. “It was still a little bit garbled, because you would get a couple of different lines (put together)… it wasn’t clean data.” The Office of Information Security then filed paperwork to have the data taken down from the cache, and it has been, according to Jones. The disclosure of the data violates
both the University’s Privacy Policy and the federal law Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act in disclosing students’ GPAs. “Schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student’s education record,” FERPA states. Because the released information was on a low security level, meaning unlikely to be used for identity theft, there would not be any consequences from violating FERPA, according to Marty Baylor, vice president for business affairs. For senior psychology major Robert de Leon, the nature of the data is not as pertinent as the fact that it was released. “Obviously I just hope the University understands that although the information they feel is not important, information they feel can’t be used for identity theft, they have to understand where I’m coming from, and where other students are coming from,” he said. “The information was
made public and some others may feel it wasn’t right, like myself.” De Leon also wants to know why it took so long, nine days, for the University to tell students about the data exposure. “What were they doing during that time?” the San Juan native asked. The OIS, which falls under Business Affairs, said they were conducting an investigation and gathering the correct information to tell students about how the incident occurred. “We wanted to know exactly what happened, that way we could provide the students with as much information as possible. We didn’t want to release half info,” Jones said. De Leon said the posting of his name, major, phone number, address, email and GPA made him feel like the University broke its promise and made him doubtful if they will be able to continue to protect his information in the future. “What’s to say that’s not going to happen down the road?” he asked.
“That my social was given out to anyone that happens to stumble across that page, or that sort of information.” Jones said the OIS is doing all it can to make sure the exposure does not happen again, including making sure all of the servers belonging to all colleges are under their control. “We’re really sorry,” Baylor said. “We certainly hate to see anything like this happen to anybody, which is why we tried to act as quickly as we could and take the extra measure of really communicating with everybody, ‘This isn’t good, but you need to know.’”
Too good to be true
Student spots scam and contacts secret service By Daniella Diaz The Pan American It started with a radio advertisement and ended with a UTPA student uncovering a potentially expensive mystery shopper scam. In October, Jeanette Rodriguez, a senior psychology major from Edinburg, heard a radio advertisement for a mystery shopper job. According to Rodriguez, the commercial was airing on 94.5, 95.3, 104.1, and others. It had been playing for months. “It’s actually a very well-played commercial. It sounds very reputable,” Rodriguez said. Expecting an extra 30 dollars a week, Rodriguez emailed the company for more information at getjobs450@gmail. com. Something seemed suspicious when the company never gave her a name, address or phone number. Within days, she received her first mystery shopper job: to check out the service at Western Union by transferring money. Rodriguez received a check in the mail for $2,000 and was instructed to deposit it in her bank account, keeping $450 for herself, and then transfer the rest of the check to another account. The setup seemed extremely fishy to Rodriguez, who has worked retail and other mystery shopper jobs in the past. “I used to work at HEB for roughly about 12 years... and I was a Western Union agent for about two years. I had a background with the money (aspect)
and as well as with fraud and shoplifters,” Rodriguez said. She didn’t go any farther with the job, and called Western Union to inquire about the check. Rodriguez ended up contacting everyone from the radio station that ran the ad to the McAllen branch of the secret service. “The secret service responded to my efforts and said they would look into this scam,” Rodriguez said. Eventually the secret service told Rodriguez that the check was computer
According to consumerfraudreporting. org, 27.3 percent of people who fall for scams are under the age of 30. The scam usually works because the bank deposits the bad check and accepts the funds as pending but still doles out the money to the victim, which they are asked to put into the mystery shopper account. When the check is finally rejected weeks later, the original amount is subtracted from the victim’s account. According to the FTC’s web page, “by law, banks must make the funds from
Know your
Scam
Bad check deposited at bank Bank accepts funds as pending, but still gives funds to victim to be deposited into mystery shopper account. Check is rejected weeks later Original amount is subtracted from victim’s account. generated, i.e. a fake. The mystery shopper scam is recognized by the Federal Trade Commission as a common type of fraud that fools cash-strapped young adults.
deposited checks available within days, but uncovering a fake check can take weeks.” The web page also includes tips on how to spot the differences between a legitimate mystery shopper job and a scam.
Besides the lack of company information, Rodriguez was also suspicious that the mystery shopping job did not require a background check. “What company is going to pay their employee that much...for about ten minutes of work and still expect to survive as a company?,” Rodriguez asked. “What company is going to trust thousands of dollars to someone that they haven’t run a criminal background check on?” Rodriguez decided to spread her story so that others would be aware of the scam. She called news channel five and asked for them to report on the scam. She contacted the radio stations and warned them about the fake ad. Lastly, she met with a secret service agent who told her they would start an investigation. “I felt very concerned for people who might go ahead and try (the mystery job offer) out… and right at Christmastime have thousands of dollars removed from their bank account,” Rodriguez said. For others that might be looking for an extra job to help with holiday expenses, Rodriguez said to consider red flags before transferring money or other suspicious job duties. “They should make sure that it’s a reputable company. .. If it sounds too good to be true, then it is too good to be true,” she said.
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NEWS
November 17, 2011
Culture Shock
International Days at UTPA aims to educate, entertain students By Susan Gonzalez The Pan American The Office of International Programs held its annual International Days Monday through Wednesday, although some scheduling issues resulted in locked locations and cancellations. International Days began 11 years ago, and is the result of a collaborative effort with the U.S. Departments of State and Education to further the border community’s grasp on internationalism and cultural appreciation. One of the lectures was “Climate Change Denial Among Catholics” given by Lynn Vincentnathan, an associate professor in the Department of Psychology and Anthropology. The lecture examined the correlation between Catholicism and the denial of climate change, but she clarified that this lecture was in no way meant to offend Catholics. “This is not a Catholic-bashing presentation, most Catholics are good about accepting it,” Vincentnathan, who works extensively with the Environmental Awareness Club on campus, said. Her presentation examined the issue through a multi-dimensional approach. While she discussed how religious beliefs could influence a person’s opinions on environmental issues, she also mentioned how other cultural, social and psychological factors contribute as well. “I am not a cultural determinist, I think there’s social and psychological dimensions in all types of people’s behavior,“ she said. “And there are other cultural aspects, not just religion, that impact people’s thinking and behavior. For instance, their political and economic ideology, and many Catholic denialists, people find out, are conservative politically and economically.” Junior biology major Jasmine Hernandez attended the lecture and found it to be interesting and informational. “I actually really enjoyed it. And like she
said in the beginning, it was not intended to bash the Catholics at all, but she’s just trying to prove that there are some that deny Faith Aguilar/The Pan American (global warming),” Hernandez, member LIFE ABROAD - Junior Charles Danso explains of the Environmental to the audience how studying abroad was A w a r e n e s s a life-changing experience for him. Danso, Club, said. A n o t h e r who is a finance major from Ghana, was lecture that was asked to address the audience at the end of presented was “The the presentation. Americanization of al-Qaeda: The Some students, however, did not Case of Anwar al-Awlaki.” Awlaki was have the same experiences with the a radical American-born Muslim cleric International Days events. Those who who became a leading figure in Al showed up to the “Analyzing Global Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen, where he was Crisis Through Humanitarian Education” killed on Sept. 30 by a missile fired from were met with an empty room because an American drone aircraft. the presenter cancelled. Attendees to the Perhaps the most prominent Englishevening-scheduled “Remembering Steve speaking advocate of violent jihad against Jobs- the Man Who Changed Graphic the United States, his message carried Design Forever,” events found locked extensively over the Internet. The lecture, library doors. given by criminal justice professor Philip “A lot of times what was happening Ethridge, examined how his online is that the professors were putting out lectures and sermons had been linked their own advertisements and they were to terrorist investigations in the United contradicting the schedule of events that States. we put out,” Pamela Garza, the programs “Through the Internet, this guy was coordinator for the office of international able to influence people that he never programs, said. “So more than likely, it met,” Ethridge said. “There are several was just miscommunication and for next of these leaders that have been killed, yet year we will ensure that the programs put the organization (al-Qaeda) still goes on, out are routed through our office first to the activity still goes on, the planning ensure that there’s no mix-ups like that goes on. A lot of the attacks that take anymore. Also, there was a typo on the place around the world…the civilians are schedule of events for the Steve Jobs event, the target.” so that was a mistake.” Juan Mont, a senior criminal justice and Garza is hopeful that there will be an political science double major, attended extra day for next year’s International the lecture since he had previously taken Days, so events will be more spread out. Ethridge’s class on terrorism and found it “For next year, we would probably like to be intriguing. to have an extra day because we have so “I liked it. I thought it was interesting, many great lectures and we’d like to spread how the organizations work and the them out to make sure they’re not double influence on citizens,” said Mont, who booked or overlapping,” she said. “So attended several International Days students have an opportunity to attend as events and presented with political science many presentations as possible rather than professor Sonia Alianak. have to pick and choose.“
A Global Experience UTPA and CAPA join up for second annual Study Abroad By Catherine Ryan The Pan American UTPA is teaming up with the Center for Academic Programs Abroad (CAPA) for a second year to promote global experience opportunities offered through the UTPA’s study abroad program. This year the program is traveling to Florence, Italy for four weeks in Summer I, 2012. “Florence is unique in the world as the birthplace of European Renaissance, and that’s where the art, religion and philosophy that we have today (began) and really (that’s where) the world that we have today was born,” Philip Zwerling, an assistant English professor who has taken a major role in building and promoting the program, said. Zwerling and institutional relations manager for CAPA, Suzanne Rommelfanger, spoke to students and participated in the Study Abroad Fair during International Days on Tuesday.The
that educate students and faculty about various groups and cultures. This summer marks the second year that UTPA has worked with CAPA. The program has been key in providing the satellite campus in Florence for students that spend four out of their seven days in the classrooms. It also provides the logistical services and resources necessary for students to study in another country. “When students first arrive some are struck really hard by the culture shock and they want to throw in the towel; everything seems different and hard,” Rommelfanger said. “Yet, by the end of the program those are the students that have changed the most and they don’t want to go home.” Gabriel Garcia, a 25-year-old double major in history and political science, participated in last year’s trip and has been bit by the travel bug. He has gone on two trips with the University but has also traveled to Europe on his own. The kindness shown to him
“When you get back, you really can’t put a price on all that you’ve experienced. Once you realized what’s out there, why not keep exploring?”
- Suzanne Rommelfanger CAPA Institutional Relations Manager
two emphasized the impact that it could have on students. “For our students it’s a life-transforming experience. Many of them have not had the opportunity to get out of the Valley, to get out of North America, to get on an airplane and then they go to a country and immerse themselves in a culture. They try things that perhaps they didn’t think they could do,” Zwerling explained. He has personally seen the effect that it has, not just on the students’ perspective on the world, but also on the Valley. “I think it works two ways. I think students when they get abroad, they look back at their own culture and see it differently,” he said. “Students (also) get an idea that, ‘gee, the world really is a big place and there’s a lot of different ways of doing things,’ and it kind of just expands their minds.” Rommelfanger sees that the program is not only beneficial for students personally, but also for their career goals. “I think (the program) serves twofold. Personally you’re going to have an amazing, enriching experience, but also professionally it’s going to set you up for future success,” she said. “Currently only two percent of American students study abroad … given that statistic why not put yourself on the top tier of potential job applicants.” Founded in 1972, CAPA has been providing learning abroad opportunities
by Italian natives after he found himself stranded in a small village 20 miles outside of Florence really stood out to him. “Not only did they offer me a ride to get me out of this jam, but instead of just taking me to the train station … they literally dropped me off at my doorstep (in Florence). They refused to take any money from me, and I was just so thankful,” Garcia said. The Florence Study Abroad Program 2012 with the Office of International Programs and CAPA is one of six opportunities for students to study broad. Students from all majors can also go to Costa Rica, England, Salamanca, Puerto Rico and France. The Florence program offers undergraduate or graduate courses in art, history or English. Students are able to take up to six transferable credit hours. Zwerling encourages students to not let the $5,000 fee deter them. “Students hear that and think they can’t do it. The reality is that there are scholarships, loans, and fundraising they can do to easily cover half of that,” he explained. Rommelfanger also feels that the experience is unquantifiable. “I sound like a MasterCard ad, but I do think it’s a priceless experience. When you get back you can’t really put a dollar sign on all that you’ve experienced,” she said. “Once you’ve realized what’s out there, why not keep exploring?”
ESPAÑOL
November 17, 2011
INNOVADORES - (Izquierda-Derecha) Horacio Gutiérrez y
Héctor González son dos representantes del grupo que gano primer lugar en el “Extreme Engineering Challenge.” Son los primeros estudiantes de UTPA que han ganado una competencia de ingeniería a nivel nacional. Reynaldo Leal/THE PAN AMERICAN
Por Estefania Franklin The Pan American “Extreme Engineering Challenge,” o “XEC” por sus siglas en ingles, es una competencia con entrevistas potenciales de 24 horas sin parar. Este programa involucra a equipos, que uno contra el otro averiguan quien puede vencer a quien en etapas de diseño, desarrollo, y promoción. Estas son carreras contra el tiempo, talento, y creatividad. Horacio Gutiérrez, junior de 21 años, y
Héctor González, sophomore de 20 años fueron dos de los representantes y ganadores de esta competencia. Estos estudiantes estuvieron a cargo de representar a la compañía Chevron en donde el equipo se llevó un gran reconocimiento. Este reconocimiento abrirá puertas hacia su futuro en el área de ingeniería y además unos posibles $4000. Cabe mencionar que ellos han sido los primeros de toda la historia de UTPA en traer este premio. “XEC” ayuda a promover las habilidades
de un estudiante de ingeniería, desafiando la imaginación, creatividad, organización y habilidades de negocios para tener una idea innovadora en el mercado. A través de esto se proporciona un entorno estructurado para simular un escenario de trabajo acelerado con plazos, presentaciones, reseñas, y los obstáculos para crear conciencia y las habilidades necesarias en el cumplimiento de ingeniería extrema. Los aspirantes comenzaron por la firma para el derecho de la competencia en el lugar antes de que comience el evento del
Comité Extreme Engineering. De hecho, la competencia tiene un periodo de 24 horas seguidas de trabajo. Los equipos buscan estrategias para poder realizar las tareas necesarias en donde hay un tiempo asignado para añadir su inteligencia, creatividad, imaginación y habilidad de negocios para experimentar el proceso de ingeniería. El comité invita a todos los alumnos matriculados en una sesión de mini entrevista, referido como “QuickXchange” donde se habla y se mezclan todos los
Tapas para la salud Por Mayra Godinez The Pan American En el verano del 2010, Darlyn Chapa, estudiante de educación bilingüe de la Universidad de TexasPan American empezó un negocio aquí en el Valle, junto con su familia, de recolectar tapas de botellas de plástico. Por cada galón el paciente recibe un tratamiento de diálisis gratis. La recaudación de fondos originalmente empezó en Laguna Madre por Mary Flores, miembro del Boys and Girls club, un club donde los niños desarrollan en diferentes actividades. Las tapas de botellas de plástico son enviadas a Driscoll’s Children’s Clinic, hospital, localizado en Corpus Adrian Castillo/THE PAN AMERICAN Christi, Texas. La razón por la cual empezó el negocio GRATIUTO - Darlyn “Dolly” Chapa de recolectar las tapas de botellas de explica como colecta y dona plástico fue porque Flores conoció a una mujer humilde que necesitaba un tapas de botellas de plástico a tratamiento de diálisis y, por lo tanto, Driscoll’s Children’s Clinic para decidió ayudarla. tratamientos de diálisis.
Este negocio llegó al Valle porque Flores conoció a Ester López, la mejor amiga de Connie Villanueva, quien es la tía de Darlyn Chapa. Así fue como Darlyn Chapa siguió con el negocio. “Mi familia empezó con el negocio y yo le seguí en le campus,” Chapa dijo. Chapa empezó cuando trabajaba en BronCard en la Universidad de TexasPan American y su amigo Francisco Fernández se dio cuenta del negocio de la familia Chapa y decidió apoyarla en recolectar las tapas. Pronto empezó a llevarle bolsas de zip-lock llenas de las tapas de botellas de plástico. Después de mas de un año Chapa sigue recolectando tapas de botellas de plástico, con la ayuda de su familia y amigos, con gran éxito. “Una vez me encontré con una nota en la oficina, en una de las bolsas, diciendo que eran parte del personal custodial de la noche,” Chapa dijo. “Me hizo sentir bien saber que tantas personas estaban dispuestas a ayudar a las personas que nunca han conocido.”
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representantes de la empresa patrocinada de un máximo de cinco minutos cada uno. Inmediatamente el comité escoge a los elegidos y los dividen en grupos. Una vez que los equipos se han establecido, todo el grupo de aspirantes, los consultores y el equipo principal del Cuerpo de Ingenieros (moderadores) se reunirán en una sala de conferencias para anunciar los equipos, distribuir los paquetes de desafío, los colores del equipo, explicar las reglas y poner en marcha el desafío. Este año la competencia se llevo a cabo del 26 al 30 de octubre en Anaheim, California. Había aproximadamente 300 estudiantes entrevistándose. Entre ellos se encontraban 20 estudiantes de UTPA. De esos estudiantes solo dos fueron seleccionados. De siete equipos integrados por estudiantes de escuelas de todo el país el equipo de nuestra universidad fue el triunfador. “Se siente muy bien haber tomado la decisión de concursar a nivel nacional, y vivir una experiencia que muy pocos han vivido con gente muy capacitada,” Gutiérrez dijo. “El hecho de haber demostrado que los estudiantes de UTPA somos capaces de ganar, y que estamos aun mas allá del nivel de universidades como MIT, Standford entre otras, se siente muy complaciente.” Gutiérrez y González se consiguieran un orgullo para la facultad de ingeniería tanto como para la universidad. “Fue una experiencia muy gratificante que siempre voy a recordar,” González dijo. “Me permitió saber mis límites y habilidades, además de que tan lejos puedo llegar. Saber que tan capaz puedo ser y mostrarme a mí mismo quien soy realmente” Ojalá que a través de ellos, las posibilidades de ganar los próximos años cada vez incrementen más. Gracias a ellos la universidad cuenta con un gran título en el colegio de ingeniería. “Cuando uno quiere, se puede,” Gutiérrez concluyo.
Concierto: La Habana Club & Grill Sabado, 19 de Nov. Concerito a las 10 p.m. Puertas abren a las 7 p.m. Boletos empiezan en $20 El grupo Cubano, Moneda Dura, ah empezado su primera gira de los Estados Unidos. Aunque no se han cerrado las fechas de la gira Estadounidense, Moneda Dura visitará el Valle este sábado. “Yo tengo muy buenas expectativas,” Nassiry Lugo, líder de Moneda Dura dijo. “Espero que les guste. Por lo menos nosotros vamos entregar todo lo que tenemos.”
Para cobertura de concerito visitan:
www.panamericanonline.com
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THE PAN AMERICAN
November 17, 2011
November 17, 2011
THE PAN AMERICAN
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ARTS & LIFE
November 17, 2011
Overcoming Disabilities
UTPA is home to approximately 200 students with documented disabilities, one percent of the student body. Some must face the everyday challenge of navigating campus while others deal with the frustration of getting help for disabilities that can’t be seen. By Nadia Tamez-Robledo The Pan American
Raymond Salas There is a scar beneath Raymond Salas’ right eye. A doctor cut off a small piece of skin inked with a teardrop and “R13.” It was a reminder of a life the graduate student has been trying to leave behind for nearly four decades. “It was a tough decision. It stripped my identity. A 55-year-old man still walking around with a tattoo on his eye,” he said with a laugh, “still thinking the same way but trying to do it different?” The California native had it removed before he walked the stage to accept his criminal justice degree last December. It was a milestone in his journey from gang member to reformed man. As a child in school, Salas struggled to make sense of numbers and remember how to spell simple words, eventually becoming placed in special education classes. He was diagnosed with a learning disability, though
the exact disorder has not been identified, and was told he had little hope of succeeding in college or the workforce. “I started to rebel, and I started to get into trouble, and then I found myself in…a juvenile institution, so I said, ‘Man, I must be messed up,’” he recalled. “It sort of expanded into this bigger thing where I started to make bad decisions.” Salas credits the beginning of his turnaround to a sudden spiritual awakening he had in 1986. He made an attempt to begin college and worked to steer young gang members away from the streets, though he relapsed into his old ways several times. He moved to the Valley 17 years ago at the behest of his mother, who lived in the area and felt he could start anew with his work, counseling at-risk youth. His learning disability was front and center again as he had to push through
the frustrations of explaining his situation to professors, asking for more time on assignments and reaching out for help. “Some of them will say yes, and some of them will say, ‘No, you can do it,’” he said. “It’s always been a challenge trying to remember. My note taking isn’t very (good), so someone takes my notes.” Salas is pursuing his master’s degree in guidance and counseling. While he can’t erase his past, he is ready to move forward. “Sometimes I do feel this degree ain’t helping me at all because it’s difficult to find a job, especially if you have a criminal record,” he said. “But I understand it because I made those bad choices. Nobody helped me make those choices. I did, so I have to accept whatever comes my way and hopefully someone will say, ‘You deserve a chance.’”
Zach Mayfarth Along with the typical mid-semester worries of homework and exams, freshman Zach Mayfarth may find himself with one more: being able to read the assignment instructions. Mayfarth has cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that affects muscle movements, which has left him legally blind. “If you notice, the muscles never stay still,” the Dallas native said, holding out a noticeably shaking hand. “They’re constantly firing, so I get that in my eyes as well. So most of the time, objects are usually just a very big blur.” Since enrolling as a double major
in political science and Spanish last summer, Mayfarth said he has struggled to get two professors to send classroom materials to Disability Services for enlargement. “It’s fairly frequent, and I imagine it’ll probably be every class that I take,” the 24-year-old said. “Awareness is probably the largest thing we as students with disabilities need, to get together and let professors know we’re here. The smallest people usually have to yell the loudest to get the attention.” Open mindedness and flexibility are paramount when it comes to
Mayeli Sabala Political science senior Mayeli Sabala isn’t afraid to speak up when she notices something that can be improved for UTPA students with disabilities, and proof of that makes its route around campus every 715 minutes. The Brownsville native was part of a push for the addition of a wheelchairaccessible shuttle to the University’s fleet of buses. The effort yielded results when the shuttle was put into operation earlier this year. “I’m very impressed with Pan Am (during) the four years I’ve been here,” she said. “When I do have concerns…for the most part, they listen.” Sabala gets around with the use of a motorized wheelchair. She was born with spina bifida (which causes the spine to
form outside the body), scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and was diagnosed with lupus (an autoimmune disorder that causes the body to attack itself ) at age 16. The now 22-year-old is actively involved with community service as a member of the Delta Xi Nu Multicultural Sorority. She often finds the only student who required a wheelchair lift to travel to Universitysponsored service events off campus. Sabala saw a new shuttle as a practical and economic alternative to UTPA regularly renting a wheelchair accessible van. “I kept telling Ms. (Christine) Carruthers that that made more sense to me, and she was always on board,” she said of the associate vice-president of the Dean of Students. Sabala considers herself an activist
for people with disabilities and raising awareness about their needs. Things like heavy doors and bicycles can impede students with disabilities as they make their way around campus. “I know that small things on campus could be fixed, and I think that (has) a lot to do with the mentality of the students,” she said. “For example…they will use the rail of the ramp (to park bicycles) not thinking that a person in a wheelchair needs to go up the ramp, and their bike might be blocking that path.” Sabala said she’s had her share of questions from strangers but welcomes the dialogue. “I’m an open book,” she said. “If anything, people should become more aware.”
interacting with students who have disabilities, Mayfarth said. “It’s fine that people want to look, but I’d prefer if they’d come up to me, try to get to know me,” he said. For Mayfarth, cerebral palsy isn’t going to stand in his way of his plans to become a disability litigation lawyer. “It used to be a term that I hated,” he said. “I didn’t want to be disabled. I wanted to be normal. I wanted to fit in, and it took me a long time to realize… that even if you have a disability, you have just a good a chance as anybody else.”
ARTS & LIFE
November 17, 2011
Temporary Home
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Students and staff experience the Thanksgiving holiday away from their home and family By Lea Juarez The Pan American The weather is cooling down, and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. For many, the holidays could potentially be a time for briefly forgetting about school or work, getting a few days to relax and share time with their family. However, not everyone has the opportunity to go home during the holidays. For those who are not Valley natives and can’t go home – whether they are international, up state or outof-state – they have to rely on other ways to occupy their time. Jennifer Cadena Lopez, a third-
year student in the UTPA physician’s assistant program, has to spend her first Thanksgiving away from her home in Palm Beach, Fla. A graduate of Florida Atlantic University, she has been living here alone for the past two and a half years because of the program. “I’ve been able to go home for Thanksgiving in the past years,” 26-year-old Lopez said. “Since we don’t have that big of a break for Thanksgiving, it’s not really worth it to go. As far as me here, I’m going to go to my friend’s house.” Originally from Colombia, Lopez and her family adopted Thanksgiving once they moved to the United States. They took on the task of transitioning from Colombian culture to American culture, and integrating the holiday into their lives was one of the ways of becoming more familiar with American customs. Because she and her family didn’t always celebrate Thanksgiving, it isn’t a very significant holiday for her. “When we moved to the States, I would learn about Thanksgiving in school, and my mom and I started celebrating it after I would tell her
about it,” Lopez said. “We liked it because it was a special time for family because it was about being thankful, but it isn’t a big holiday in my family. If it was Christmas, trust me, I would be really depressed. But we get a longer break for Christmas, so I’ll be home then.” Along with students, professors are also sometimes absent from their homes during the holidays. Philosophy and critical thinking professor William Harwood is a native of Jacksonville, Fla., and is in his first semester of teaching at UTPA. Harwood explained this isn’t his first time away from home for a holiday. “Home for me has been my work and friends,” Harwood said. “You have to understand that I come from a large family that all live about 15 miles from each other. It’s like a black hole. It was almost a sin to leave, and everyone always told me I’d be back, but I’ve never been back for more than a week when I do go. Home is something I’ve created wherever I’ve lived.” Creating home where one lives is something that UTPA attempts to do for
their international students that also can’t go home. Diana Huallba, an 18-yearold pre-med chemistry major, is taking part in a hosting event organized by the Office of International Admissions and Services. International students will be paired up with a faculty or staff member to celebrate Thanksgiving. Huallba, a Mexico City native and member of the International Students Association, is looking forward to the event. “Thanksgiving is a new holiday for me because we don’t have that in Mexico,” Huallba said. “It’s important because you get to give thanks to God and family, and it’s interesting, too. I’m excited for it.” Although some students will be separated from their family for the holiday, Harwood remains to have a positive outlook on the matter and believes that distance from family isn’t always emotional distance. “If your home is wherever you are, you become more intimately integrated into the lives of the people around you. It allows for stronger friendship,” Harwood said. “Home is a concept not a place. You create that sense of family.”
What: Multicultural Greek Council Stroll Competition When: Friday, Nov. 18, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. Where: Student Union Theater $2.00 admission fee or $1.00 with your student ID card
What: Enjoy free game play on a large screen with snacks and drinks When: Monday, Nov. 21, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Where: Student Union Commons
Check panamericanonline.com for exclusive web content
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the pan american
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November 17, 2011
Sports
November 17, 2011 November 17, 2011
In the snake pit
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Old face in a new place
By Michael Saenz The Pan American Basketball never stops except for pro basketball, right? Well just a few days ago we learned that the NBA Players Association was going to quit its hand in negotiating and take its chances in court against the NBA owners. In other words, an NBA season is very much in doubt. But don’t worry. The NBA Developmental League is here to save
every pro basketball fan from falling off the face of the earth. The Rio Grande Valley Vipers and first-year head coach Nick Nurse, concluded training camp on Wednesday and headed out to Dallas to open the preseason schedule that begins on Thursday. Nurse, who comes fresh off an NBA D-League Championship a year ago with Iowa, found a very interesting route to the Rio Grande Valley.
“The Rockets moved Chris Finch up so their job was open, I was on a contract up in Iowa. It’s no secret that Chris and I are good friends. We worked together for the Great Britain National Team, so he had a lot of good things to say about me,” Nurse said. “They reached out to me and I was impressed with everything they presented to me. It sounds a little wild maybe, but when you connect the dots, I think people can understand how it happened.” Last year’s Vipers coach Chris Finch was hired by the Houston Rockets as an assistant coach in July. He was the RGV’s first coach and led them to their first D-League Championship in 2010, and to another championship appearance last year, but ultimately fell to current Vipers coach Nurse and his Iowa Energy. This year will be a little different for the entire D-League. With no scheduled NBA season on tap, there will be younger rosters with most of the veteran NBA players going overseas with no pro ball to be played here in the States. “The biggest effect that the no NBA has had is it’s made the league a lot younger. Our team is probably only going to have three returning players, and most other teams are on the same boat,” Nurse said. “The talent level may be a little down until you see those veterans come back from Europe and
overseas in January or February. There will also be less moving parts this year especially with no call-ups, which is going to stop 30 to 40 moving players throughout the year.” Translation: right now the D-League is the only organized pro basketball league that will be played in the States as of right now, and even though there will be many new faces on the team, they share the same goal and mindset as Nurse. “We’re excited about the new season. We started work early so we should be ready to compete,” said Samuel Coleman, who is a 23-yearold center out of Coppin State in Baltimore. “We went 33-17 last year and we want to be better than that. We need to perfect our craft. Coach has given us the formula.” Nurse brings a fast-paced up-tempo style down to the Rio Grande Valley and hopes, along with his players, to continue the success that the Vipers have established in their first three years of existence. “We have a lot of guys with talent and energy, plus we have a good coach who knows what it takes to win,” East Tennessee State product Justin Tubbs said. “We want to get our chemistry right and see where it takes us. None of us have played with each other so it’s going to be a challenge. No one is thrilled about the NBA situation, but we are the next best thing in town.”
“
They reached out to me and I was impressed with everything they presented to me, it sounds a little wild maybe, but when you connect the dots, I think people can understand how it happened.
”
- Nick Nurse
Vipers Head Coach
This is the first installment of our weekly segment on the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Developmental League. You can find continuing coverage on the Vipers throughout the season at www.panamericanonline.com
Table Tennis training New UTPA By Justin O’Donnell The Pan American A new opportunity has opened up for table tennis enthusiasts to have a back and forth with each other. This semester a group of dedicated UTPA students and ping pong hobbyists banded together to form the campus’ first Table Tennis Club. “We got tired of there not being appropriate facilities for us to play,” said Marcelo Martinez, junior pre-med student and president of the club, referring to the old equipment, small number of tables and constant foot traffic through the area in the Wellness and Recreational Sports Complex. “Not only that, but we wanted to get all the players together so we can have a good environment for us to play and learn.” The club already has a history together because most of the
ping-pong club welcomes enthusiasts,beginners members have played together in the past, becoming fast friends through playing the sport together at the WRSC. . Martinez has played with every member before the club had formed. “We were just a bunch of students here who picked up the sport of table tennis about a year ago and just decided it would be nice to have a club,” Arnold Fonseca, physics major and club founding member said. “But not just a club where we get together and just play – but to get better and spread knowledge of the game and our own passion for the game.” One of the main reasons for forming the club was to provide structure and organization. “Being a student organization, we get the opportunity to reserve the tables for club use and reserve an area of the gym for us to play in,” said Martinez, stating that the organization reserving the Multi Activity Courts as well as the number
of additional tables provides for more gainful practices. Even though the club was created only recently, there are plans being formed already to bring advanced players from outside the campus to give seminars and lessons for the club. “We have future plans to hopefully host a tournament here at UTPA so that we can get involved with other universities and their table tennis clubs,” Martinez said, added that there are several upcoming tournaments in Harlingen that he hopes the club will be able to attend. The reason behind the club’s passion for the game is its athleticism and that it is easy to play yet difficult to master. “That’s what our interest is, actually learning and getting better, and of course having fun along the way. A lot of us are really good friends now. That’s a give-in,” Martinez said. Serious as they are, beginners are encouraged to join the club. “I guess you could call us
beginners. As far as all the new members, we’re just like them because we’ve never had that formal training,” Fonseca said. Much of the club’s time will be dedicated to teaching and learning proper table tennis fundamentals. For the club, table tennis is more than a just a sport. “We’re teaching to keep that motivation that you have for anything really, it doesn’t have to be table tennis, but this is a good avenue, if this is something you love, then yes, you should strive to get better at it,” Fonseca said. The UTPA Table Tennis Club meets every Saturday at 5 p.m. in the Wellness and Recreational Sports Complex in the table tennis area. “This isn’t just a bunch of guys who get together and just play around, we all strive to get better. We want this to be more of a learning experience,” Fonseca said. “It’s much more than just playing table tennis. It’s teaching table tennis.”
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the pan american
November 17, 2011