September 8, 2005 by UTRGV Student Media

Bronc Soccer Club set for weekend games

see Page 15

THE

PAN AMERICAN T h e S t u d e n t N e w s p a p e r o f T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Te x a s - P a n A m e r i c a n

September 8, 2005

By MELISSA MARTINEZ The Pan American

SURVIVING Trey and Detrionne Morgan, both 4, play outside the Immanuel Baptist Church Shelter in Hammond, La. Saturday afternoon. Their family’s home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Photos by Melissa Martinez

It’s all about survival

Melissa Martinez, senior communication major and staff photographer of The Pan American, traveled to Louisiana Friday, Sept. 2, and stayed the weekend. Here is her first-hand account of the journey into a state of emergency. HAMMOND, La. - You don’t have to travel into New Orleans to see the devastation that Hurricane Katrina left behind. Just 51 miles north of the city is Hammond, with a population of about 18,000. Along the streets of Hammond, there are 100-foot trees uprooted and billboard signs thrown over the roofs of houses, scattered like toys. The streets of Hammond are chaotic as people honk their horns at the car in front of them. The cars are not waiting for the light at the intersection to turn green; they are waiting to fill up their cars with gas. Lines there are about one to two blocks long. They are willing to wait up to an hour, as gas in these parts is scarce. Some stations are limiting customers to $20 purchases. “I’ve been waiting in this damn line for about 30 minutes now and I don’t know how much longer I’ll be waiting,” said Nick Trinh, who waited anxiously at a Circle K. Despite the situation with the cost of gas, The Red Cross and the Texas Disaster Relief are on the move in Hammond to help victims of the hurricane. Sidney Ray Clark, 51, is a volunteer with the Texas Baptist Unit, one of four units of the Texas Disaster Relief from Dallas who is setting up water at the Immanuel Baptist Church on Pecan Street in Hammond, along with The Red Cross. The other three Texas units are the Tarrant Baptist unit, Odessa unit and the Aubrey Mathis unit. “I’m just doing my part in this whole mess. We’ve been here for about four days now helping out, and we won’t leave until our goals are met,” said Clark. The Red Cross has also been helping the city of Hammond. Workers have also set up at the Immanuel Baptist Church. On Saturday alone, volunteers served about 10,000 plates along with water. Lauren Poche, 17, of Woodland Park, volunteered at Immanuel Baptist Church. “Today we’re serving rice with chili, and some

See LOUISIANA page 11

Customized volunteering UTPA offers assistance By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American There are hundreds of thousands of non-profit organizations in the country, all just waiting for the chance to help someone in need. However, sometimes, even they need a helping hand. Thanks to the new Volunteer Resource Program (VRP) created by the staff at the Non-profit Resource Center at The University of Texas-Pan American Annex, those organizations will get the aid they need. VRP is one of the organizations given grants by the Corporation for

National and Community Service. Of 1,150 applicants, only 13 were chosen. VRP is the only grantee in Texas, as well as the only higher education institution in the nation selected. Flor Zamora, program coordinator, said that it was necessary to create the VRP because of great demand. “Throughout the years, we’ve heard thorough needs-assessment surveys that the non-profit organizations are in need of volunteers who have specialized skills to offer their organizations such as those offered by UTPA kids,” Zamora said.

See VOLUNTEER page 6

By EMMA CLARK The Pan American Jonathan Howe, a junior psychology pre-med student, walked away from New Orleans Sunday, Aug. 28 to piece together a temporary life in San Francisco. With the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina now firmly sinking in around the Gulf states, students from Louisiana are facing a crucial time in their college career. Or what is left of it. The University of New Orleans estimates one-third of the campus is below water, but also expects to have electronic classes available to students in October. It is not known when the campus will

re-open. Howe remains firm in saying that he will return to New Orleans and to Loyola University, sooner rather than later. “There’s not that much water, in the campus or my parish,” he said. “So, I’ll be back in the spring.” Loyola University in New Orleans experienced minimal physical damage, but officials say that rising water is a concern. The doors will open again January 2006. Howe arrived in Houston just over a week ago. He left New Orleans early to beat the traffic, before the mandatory evacuation came into effect. There, he was fortunate enough to stay with friends in

See HURRICANE page 11

Melissa Martinez/The Pan American HOME AND AWAY - Sidney Ray Clark, 51, a volunteer from the Texas Baptist Unit, Dallas unloads water from his truck Saturday for the Red Cross to distribute in Hammond.

EN ESPAÑOL Batalla por la sobrevivencia PAGE 2

September 8 2005 THE

PAN AMERICAN 1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 (956) 381-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122 http://www.panam.edu/dept/panamerican 55th Year – No. 3

Editor Emma Clark thepanamericannewspaper@yahoo.com

The PAN AMERICAN is

News Editor Claudette Gonzalez

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 university.

claudetteelena@gmail.com

A & E Editor Jason Chapa jason.chapa@gmail.com

Sports Editors Joey Gomez joegomez23@yahoo.com

Daryl Gonzales daryl_gonzales2002@yahoo.com

Graphics Editor Dägoberto Pérez dagoberto.perez@gmail.com

Photography Editor Joel de la Rosa delarosa.joel@gmail.com

Layout/Photography Delisa Guadarrama delisaeguad@aol.com

Designers Laura C. Gómez gomez.lc@gmail.com

Lylony Cazares lylony@gmail.com

Reporters Nayelly Barrios Sandra Gonzalez Victoria Guajardo Angela Salazar David Rodriguez Joey Hinojosa

Letters policy The Pan American gladly accepts letters from students, staff and faculty regarding newspaper content or current issues. The Pan American reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and length. Please limit submission length to 300 words. The Pan American cannot publish anonymous letters, or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Letters are printed at the discretion of the editor and must include the writer’s name, class/title and phone number.

Photographers Joey Cortez Melissa Martinez Translator Paola Carrasco Secretary Diana Corpus Garza Adviser Dr. Greg Selber Delivery Anthony Pinal Thursday at Noon

Readers with disabilities may request an alternative format of this publication at The Pan American business office. For special assistance to attend any event listed in this publication, contact the coordinator of the event at least one week prior to the advertised date.

Por MELISSA MARTINEZ Traducción por PAOLA CARRASCO The Pan American Melissa Martinez, estudiante de comunicaciones y fotografa del Pan American, viajó a Louisiana el Viernes dos de Septiembre y se quedo el fin de semana. Este es su informe de primera mano acerca de su viaje al estado de emergencia. Hammond, La. - Uno no tiene que viajar a New Orleans para ser testigo de la devastación que el huracán Katrina causó. Cincuenta y un millas hacia al norte de la ciudad se encuentra Hammond, con una población de aproximadamente 18,000 habitantes. Por las calles de Hammond se pueden observar árboles de hasta cien pies de altura arrancados de raíz, junto con letreros que fueron tirados como juguetes sobre los techos de las casas. Las calles de Hammond son caóticas; los carros pitan sin cesar. Los conductores no están esperando para que el semáforo de la intersección se convierta en verde, están esperando el poder adquirir gasolina. Las filas llegan a medir dos cuadras y los carros están dispuestos a esperar hasta una hora a causa de la escasez de gasolina. Algunas gasolineras han puesto un límite de 20 dólares per capita. “He estado esperando en esta maldita fila cerca de media hora y no sé cuanto más tendré que esperar”, replicó Nick Trinh en ingles mientras esperaba ansiosamente en un Circle K. A pesar de la situación con el costo de gasolina, La Cruz Roja y el Texas Disaster Relief están en Hammond ayudando a las víctimas del huracán. Sydney Ray Clark, de cincuenta y un años, es un voluntario con la Unidad Bautista de Texas, una de las cuatro unidades de el Texas Disaster Relief en Dallas que está ofreciendo agua potable en La Iglesia Bautista Immanuel en la calle Pecan en Hammond, junto a la Cruz Roja. Las otras unidades de Texas son la Unidad Bautista Tarrant, la unidad Odessa y la unidad Aubry Mathis. “Yo solo estoy haciendo mi parte en todo este desorden. Hemos estado aquí cerca de cuatro días ayudando y no vamos a irnos hasta que nuestras metas hayan sido cumplidas”, dijo Clark. La cruz Roja también ha estado ayudando a la ciudad de Hammond. Los trabajadores también se han instalado en la Iglesia Bautista Immanuel. Solamente en un Sábado, voluntarios sirvieron 10,000 platos y agua. Lauren Poche, de diez y siete años de edad y residente de Woodland Park, participó como voluntaria en la Iglesia Bautista Immanuel. “Hoy servimos arroz con chile, y otras golosinas,” ella dijo. “Yo creo que la gente de Hammond está muy agradecida por esto. Sé que yo lo estaría en su lugar”. La Iglesia Bautista Immanuel no sólo sirve como comedor pero también como refugio. Ha protegido a 162 personas que evacuaron de Plaquemines Parish, que se encuentra rodeada por el Golfo de Mexico, está dividida por el Río Mississippi y es el principio de la Great River Road. La directora del refugio en la iglesia es Sally Parks de Sanoma County Chapter. Su liderazgo ha venido con su experiencia como voluntaria en Americacorps. “La gente de este refugio han formado una parte de mi,” admitió, “Ellos también están dispuestos a hacerce cargo del refugio. Algunos de ellos actuaron como líderes y me

Melissa Martinez/The Pan American DESCONSOLADA - Davina Bartheolomew, una residente de Louisiana, esta sentada afuera de un refugio en Hammond, LA.. Bartheolomew ha sido separada de sus siete hijos y no sabe dónde están.

ayudaron en lo más que pudieron. Sí, hemos perdido a algunos y sólo tengo la esperanza de hacer lo mejor por ellos aquí”. Afuera, mujeres cuelgan su ropa en tendederos conectados entre dos autobuses escolares. Dos niños pequeños juegan con un bote de juguete en un charco. Adentro, colchones y catres verdes sirven para ofrecer alguna comodidad para muchas familias que tuvieron que evacuar sus hogares. Al frente de la puerta del refugio una mujer solitaria, con una camiseta de Plaza Sesamo puesta, se encontraba sentada arriba de cerca de tres bolsas de basura y algunas de sus pertenencias. Su nombre es Davina Barthelomew. “Tuve que caminar hasta la preparatoria donde los autobuses estaban esperando", dijo Bartheolomew, de cincuenta y siete años de edad. "Todo lo que recuerdo es un bus escolar viniendo a recogernos. Tengo siete hijos – tres niñas y cuatro niños. Y yo no sé dónde están”, ella lamentó con una mirada vacía. El resto de las familias dentro del refugio estaban tratando de consolarse leyendo cuentos para sus hijos pequeños. Una televisión ofrecía algún tipo de entretenimiento para los pequeños.

"Esto es sólo el inicio" dijo Parks, "He estado aquí alrededor de cuatro días, pero sólo estamos intentando lo mejor para estas personas".

To donate: American Red Cross South Texas Chapter 6914 N. Expressway 83 Harlingen, TX 78552 956-423-0523 Visit your local Wal-Mart or Sam's Club to donate to The Salvation Army's Hurricane Katrina relief effort or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY Louisiana Disaster Relief 877-435-7521 http://louisianahelp.org/

NEWS

Accounting Competition. . . . . . . 4 Unprotected Text . . .

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New Greek Orgs . . . . . . . . . . 4

Bronc expeditions good news for future students By CELINA A. GILPATRICK The Pan American The labyrinth that is university life will soon be less of a mystery for freshman. Nidia Aguirre, assistant director for recruitment – in conjunction with parts of The University of Texas-Pan American family - hopes to prepare prospective students and their parents for life after high school, as well as change any misconceptions they might have about UTPA. “We are hoping to expose prospective students and their parents to the university experience by having them talk and learn from our faculty and students, by guiding them through the

admissions process, and by presenting relevant topics from around the world,” said Aguirre. The new project, Bronc Expeditions, is part of the Launching Tomorrow’s Leaders program, and is expected to attract many high school students and their parents. “We are trying to make this as interactive as possible, and anyone who is interested is invited,” said Aguirre. Many around campus are eager to participate in the new program. Peter Ng, chair for UTPA’s Department of Computer Science, has shown his support by volunteering a number of his faculty members to assist the

expedition. “We’ve done beautiful things at this university, and we need to let students know that,” said Ng. The expeditions are designed to eliminate anxiety or doubts students might have about UTPA and university life. “We are one of the best [universities], and we take care of our students,” he said. “We are interested in the student and their goals; we’re not just going to get them here and dump them.” Michelle Avila, freshman education major and tour guide for prospective and international students, knows what it is like to be

Joel de la Rosa/The Pan American WELCOME - UTPA’s Visitors’ Center is host to a new program called Bronc Expeditions, designed to assist prospective university students.

lost, and amazed by new surroundings. “[High school students] need to know that this program will benefit them and ease their way into UTPA’s environment,” said Avila. The questions most frequently asked at the Visitor’s Center will be answered during Bronc

Expeditions, she explained. The new program is expected to boost enrollment as well as bolster the university’s image. “UTPA is a university that will help you achieve whatever it is you want,” said Ng. “Without Bronc Expeditions, how else would high school students know that we are here for them?”

Environmental efforts underway By ANA LEY The Pan American The University of Texas-Pan American’s hometown is in the process of being revitalized through environment-friendly projects. The Edinburg Environmental Advisory Board (EAB) has recently given City Manager Wendy SmithSturgis several recommendations for the overall enhancement and beautification of the city. Some of those proposed programs include introducing curbside recycling, the ‘Don’t Bag It!’ Joel de la Rosa/The Pan American program, as well as providing muchECO-FRIENDLY - Jose Omar Lopez, an Edinburg Recycling Center employee needed mulchers for the city’s recyof six years, sorts through recyclable goods at the center, located at 3102 S. cling plant. Closner. This is one of many environmental efforts under way locally.

After local residents requested a prettier city, the board also suggested creating supplemental mulch pick-up sites. In addition to the implementation of these programs, EAB also proposed a city acquisition of Ebony Hills Golf Course for a city park/green space. The course’s current owners have a lease until 2013. Since all of these procedures would require a significantly large financial investment from the city, another suggestion the board has made is for the city to take advantage of recyclingrelated governmental and privately funded grant opportunities. Sturgis has not yet given a response to these proposals, which

were made in February and July 2005, but Ramiro Gomez, director of the Department of Solid Waste in Edinburg - who is also part of the sixmember advisory board - says that with as many suggestions as she [Sturgis] gets, it might take a while. “When you deal with these sorts of things, you have to keep the feasibility factor in mind, above all, financial feasibility,” Gomez said. Once a feasibility plan is created, the city manager takes it up to city council, and they’re the ones that ‘yea’ or ‘nay’ it. “If we get approval, we all try to work with pilot programs,” Gomez said, “and if we get an immediate

See ENVIRONMENT page 12

Mission possible: UTPA registar preventing grade fraud By OMAR RODRIGUEZ The Pan American Two employees at a South Florida university currently find themselves at the center of a controversy over grade changes. Could it possibly happen at any university across the country, including the University of TexasPan American? Seven people were involved in the scandal in which, allegedly, grades were altered for university students in exchange for money and sex. Florida Memorial University only recently uncovered the situation after it had apparently been in operation for three years. Ellis

Peet and Clifton Franklin were both employees working in the university’s registrar’s office. Allegedly, the men accepted bribes between $75 and $600. Out of the five students accused of paying off the two men, one offered sexual favors. Peet was a computer technician who had immediate access to all grades that were turned into the registrar’s office. Franklin was a data entry clerk supervised by Peet. The two are fraternity brothers, with a deep level of trust. Currently, Peet is under arrest but Franklin has thus far eluded local police. The charges against both cite racketeering and violat-

ing intellectual property and computer access laws. At UTPA, the registrar’s office is unbending about the precautions it takes against such action. One has to do with the number of people who could potentially do something like this. “We have a limited number of personnel that handle the grade sheets,” University Registrar William (Bill) Morris said. At semester’s end instructors fill in grade sheets that require them to bubble in the grades for all students. They then hand-deliver these scantrons to a specific clerk in the registrar’s office. This assistant clerk reviews the forms as an initial check before they are re-

verified by a supervisor, who then stores these away in a safe place. Call it the Fort Knox of our grading system. When they add up and the supervisor deems it necessary to open up the levee’s gates, the assistant clerk will personally walk them over to the Computer Center where they will be processed. Roy Trevino, assistant director of the Computer Center, said those handling the grade sheets are closely supervised at all times. “We never have the forms to ourselves,” he said. “The clerk from the registrar’s office is always present and overlooks the

software as our machines process them. Once they are in our database we keep records of the transactions and if any changes are made they are automatically recorded. Changes after the initial scanning require approval by the registrar’s office. Many instructors, such as Roksana Alavi of the Philosophy Department, are offended at the thought of students who would actually take that seem ingly easy street. “Attempting to change a grade like that undermines the integrity of the degree that they may acquire, not to mention that it is highly unethical,” said Alavi.

NEWS

September 8, 2005

Page 4

Accounting students win national competition By VICTORIA RODRIGUEZ The Pan American A five-student team from the University of Texas-Pan American accounting department recently won the national championship in the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA) and KPMG National Student Case Study Competition for the second year in a row. Amy Ochoa, Nereyda Bartolo, Mariela Molina, Gloria Proa and Captain Olivia Lopez flew to Miami for the Aug. 8 competition, which was held at the Fontainebleau Hotel. The UTPA team competed against the University of Arizona, Florida International University, St. Thomas University, San Diego State University and University of Texas at Austin, just to name a few. Since the UTPA team was the returning champion, they bypassed the regional competitions held in April and received their case study for the national competition on May 13. The case study that they received dealt with a company that held a license to run a casino. “Accounting for the renewal costs of this license presented a difficult challenge to the students because the Financial Accounting Standards Board currently has inconsistent rules governing this kind of transaction,” said Dr. John Darcy, the faculty adviser for UTPA’s winning team. The team did not hesitate in getting to work. As soon as they received the case study question, they met after classes during the week and weekends when necessary. During these sessions, they all contributed to the group for the greater good.

“We all offered constructive criticism throughout the process to steer the group in the right direction, which really paid off in the end,” said Molina. According to Darcy, the students “favorably impressed the judges (who included partners of national CPA firms and the Inspector General of U.S. Government Accounting Office [GAO] with their ability to reduce the problem to the fundamental principles involved.” Once the students broke down the problem to the basics, they crafted a solution that was consistent with the rules and provided the best financial position for the company. The students also accomplished a comprehensive tax analysis and distinguished the differences that existed in the accounting and tax treatment of the same case. The students outdid the rest of the competition by developing a mathematical analysis that secured the fact that their solution was better than any other alternative that could have been presented. The accounting team also impressed the judges with their presentational skills and polished performance. One judge noted that their presentation “came from the heart.” This couldn’t have been done without the help of Dr. Dora Saavedra from the Department of Communication. She worked with the students in order to help them polish their presentation and work on their presentational skill. The five students volunteered for the team after Darcy announced the competition in his classes as well as in Accounting Society meetings. He also sent letters to qualified stu-

Joel de la Rosa/The Pan American CHAMPS - Students from UTPA’s Accounting Department won the national championship in the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting and KPMG National Student case study competition.

dents asking them to participate in the competition. After the letters were sent out, it was up to the students to decide whether or not they wanted to participate in the competition. Those who chose to participate did well in solidifying some options for the future. All the members of the 2005 team have received invitations and requests for their resumes from KPMG, one of the four largest auditing companies in the corporate world, as well as from GAO. Molina notes that she and her team members agree that it is hard to get accounting firms to take notice of someone just out of college. “Like some of my team members say, it’s usually hard to get them to notice you, and well, in our case, they are looking for us,” said Molina.

Having won this year’s competition guarantees the UTPA team a position in the 2006 National Competition, which is to be held in Fort Worth, Texas. The competition is held each year and is sponsored by KPMG audit firm and ALPFA, which now wants to open a chapter here in the Valley. In fact, the 2005 team members are in the process of helping them get it started. It is bound to bring lots of notice to hopeful future accountants in the future. When asked how it felt to win the competition for the second year in a row, Lopez responded enthusiastically. “An enormous feeling of contentment was all we could feel. Not only had we won, but we had won two years in a row,” Lopez said. “How amazing is that?”

UTPA welcomes greek organizations By HILDA LORIA The Pan American “Frat guys” and “sorority girls” conjure up stereotypical images of loud, intoxicated college students whose only purpose in life is to party. Behind closed doors however, these fraternity brothers and sorority sis-

ters strive to uphold such institutional pillars as brotherhood or sisterhood, service and education to keep university tradition and spirit alive. “Our Greek organizations are known as being active and [having] involved members, whether it’s on campus or off-campus events,” said Dawne Hill, coor-

Joel de la Rosa/The Pan American FRAT BOYS - Six members of UTPA’s Kappa Sigma fraternity met for lunch on Tuesday at the Student Union.

dinator of the Office of Student Development. “They bring in that spirit of campus life involvement, activeness, a social component, and sisterhood or brotherhood to students who don’t have family here, don’t really know anybody.” This school year, The University of Texas-Pan American welcomes Delta Xi Nu, a new sorority rooted in the pillars of sisterhood, culture and education. Citing their five founding mothers at Texas A&M University in College Station, each of whom were of different cultures, the sorority intends to continue the goal of spreading multiculturalism both in the university and the community. “In the Valley [the] minority is majority,” Delta Xi Nu President senior communication disorders major, Karla Reyna explained. “We wanted to open it up not just as a Hispanic sorority, but a multicultural society.” The five founding sisters were formally inducted into Delta Xi Nu in April 2005 after a year-long process of approval and are working to fulfill criteria to become a colony.

Their plans for the school year include Hispanic Heritage Month in September, the Carnival of the Great Pumpkin in October, and as part of their national philanthropy on AIDS awareness World AIDS Day Dec. 1. “Delta Xi Nu [allows me] to make a difference in my community [by encouraging] others to be aware of other cultures and traditions,” said junior English major and Delta Xi Nu vice president Telisa Pena. “The University of Texas-Pan American has students currently enrolled from several countries around the world, and I enjoy learning about their country, culture, language, and traditions.” UTPA also awaits possible national recognition in November for another one of its Greek organizations - Kappa Sigma fraternity. The fraternity currently has 30 members and is classified as a colony, the status given to an interest group fulfilling national criteria in order to become recognized as a chapter of the fraternity. Working on fellowship, scholarship, leadership and service, the fraternity has assisted in various fundraising projects, entertain-

ment for March Madness in October, and Bike to the Coast to benefit the American Diabetes Association. Their biggest philanthropy project for the year is a Hurricane Katrina relief fund to assist the American Red Cross. “Our fraternity is bringing back a new sense of what being in a fraternity is all about,” Kappa Sigma Vice President and sophomore pre-law major Robbie Olivarez said. “We do something here that you wouldn’t normally do on your own.” Kappa Sigma began at UTPA as an existing chapter in 1968 but was removed in 1982. In the fall of 2002, however, Ben Cantu, a brother from St. Mary’s University, transferred to UTPA. Along with 15 other interested students, he decided to restart the fraternity. Kappa Sigma will begin its third year as a colony in November. “Kappa Sigma, in its truest form, [means] becoming a better man,” said Cantu, a senior accounting major and Kappa Sigma’s current social chair. “You have to swallow your pride, [stop] walking around with a big head on your shoulders, and understand that everybody thinks differently.”

NEWS

September 8, 2005

Page 5

U n p r o t e c t e d Te x t

Wake of the flood By DAVID RODRIGUEZ The Pan American There is no doubt Hurricane Katrina was devastating. But even more so is the woe of the aftermath. Stories of heroism and horror have steadily poured out into the country and the breadth and scope of this terrible tragedy have yet to be calculated, much less understood. Although they pale in comparison to the direct ramifications of the storm, other stories are revolving like satellites that should give us pause for reflection about how we as a country react to and reflect on what we can all agree is a dire situation. Here are a few things that have surfaced in the deluge. Seven weeks before Hurricane Katrina poured itself into the Louisiana coast, the TimesPicayune, the local New Orleans newspaper, ran a story featuring a now ominous message from city, state, and federal emergency officials to the people of the coast. The message was, “In the event of a major hurricane, you’re on your own.” In a report by Bruce Nolan, staff writer for the Times-Picayune, Ray Nagin, mayor, Kay Wilkins, New Orleans Red Cross executive director, and Oliver Thomas, city council president, all indicated that the city lacked adequate resources to move the 140,000 people in the city without access to transportation. The officials urged people to make arrangements on their own to leave the city in the event of a catastrophe. Randall Robinson, social justice advocate and author of “The Debt – What America Owes to Blacks,” reiterated a report he was given that “black hurricane victims in New Orleans have begun eating corpses to survive. In his editorial Robinson goes on to describe how he has come to realize America is a “monstrous fraud,” and that New Orleans now “marks the end of the America I strove for.” A few days later, Robinson retracted his report of cannibalism with the following statement: “The claim in the first sentence in my post was incorrect. I had been told this was happening, but these claims have turned out to be unsubstantiated. I therefore retract them – but stand behind everything else I wrote without reservation.” Ged Scott, a British bus driver on vacation in New Orleans, gave a statement to the Liverpool Daily Post that he personally witnessed

police rescuers asking girls to lift their shirts in exchange for evacuation from a flooded area. According to Scott, the girls asked policemen for help, to which they replied “Show us what you got.” They then made signs asking them to lift their shirts. “When they refused the officers said ‘Fine,’ and motored off down the road in their boat,” Scott said. Rapper Kanye West, known best for his single, “Through the Wire,” let his true feelings be known in an unscripted speech Sept. 2 on a one-hour live special to raise money for the American Red Cross. West, visibly nervous, began with, “I hate the way they portray us in the media. You see a black family, it says ‘They’re looting.’ You see a white family, it says, ‘They’re looking for food.’ And, you know, it’s been five days because most of the people are black,” said West. He went on to say, “The way America is set up to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off, as slowly as possible. I mean, the Red Cross is doing everything they can. We already realize a lot of people that could help are at war right now, fighting another way – and they’ve given them permission to go down and shoot us.” West then followed up with, “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.” New Orleans Mayor Nagin, has begun offering the city’s police, fire department, and emergency personnel paid vacations to Las Vegas as National Guard troops begin to make their way into the city to relieve them. This comes on the heels of two suicides of police officers and the resignation or desertion of about 200 other officers. Nagin explained in an interview that he is “very concerned about individuals who have been here, particularly since the first few days, and have been through a lot of hardship. We want to cater to them.” Last, and perhaps least, Sean Penn joined the effort to rescue the stranded by taking a boat with his entourage and touring about a portion of the flooded city of New Orleans. Unfortunately, the entourage, which included a personal photographer, proved too large and the boat began to sink, causing a bystander to ask the aging Spicoli, “How are you gonna get any people in that thing?” This is simply a short list of stories revolving around what is certainly the biggest story of the year. There is no message, only questions. Where do you stand on these? What do you see in these? Do you see a nation growing stronger through adversity or do you see more than levees eroding?

Joel de la Rosa/The Pan American

METAL WORK - From left to right, engineering students Israel Martinez, Christina Nuñez and Duane Guzman work on a project in the Manufacturing Processes lab.

UTPA expands telephone services By LUKE KOONG The Pan American There’s more growth going on at The University of Texas-Pan American than the naked eye can see. In the shadow of building construction are new additions to the campus’s telephone network. Voice over IP (VoIP) telephones, which allow the transmission of telephone conversations over the university’s data network instead of regular phone lines, are one of the new projects currently in works. For off-campus sites such as the Annex on Business 281, Rio Grande City, and the Coastal Studies Lab on South Padre Island, VoIP phone services will enable a more direct connection to the university campus in Edinburg. Callers will be able to connect to those sites with merely a telephone extension, as opposed to an actual telephone number. Because it is a new service, however, university officials want to test it before putting it into full gear. Telephone Services manager Herberto Castillo believes approaching VoIP service slowly will ensure quality service when it is ready in the future. “We want to be able to guarantee [our customers] quality and service,” Castillo said. “People will tolerate an hourglass on their computers, but they won’t tolerate an hourglass on their telephone. So, their phone has to work.” Another project the NameConnector, a full-service, voiceactivated telephone directory, is now available to the university and the general public. Installed last April, the NameConnector service allows any caller, whether on or off campus, to connect to a department or individual by saying a name into the receiver. To utilize the system, users can dial 4000 on campus, while off-campus callers will be greeted by an automated system when they call the university’s main number.

As with all voice-recognition computer systems, it’s not 100 percent correct. When a caller connects, the system will try two times to connect to the proper number. If unsuccessful, it will then direct the caller to the campus operator. That is not to say it will not learn from those failed attempts. A report is generated that lists the number of failed entries and technicians use those reports to improve the system. NameConnector is more than just a new convenience for UTPA. The system will provide better services to individuals who call the university, as well as increase the ease with which people on campus can connect with each other. “It helps take only those calls that really need to go to the operator,” Castillo said. “Those that know where they want to go, they can get transferred to the department or the individual that’s in our directory without having to wait in the queue to get to the operator.” Castillo said the system will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Since going into service, NameConnector has already handled over 46,000 calls, of which nearly half have been made by name requests. Reports suggest that only 5.2 percent of calls are being redirected to the operator for service. Currently, there are 1,648 names entered into the directory. Castillo is happy with the direction campus services are heading and hopes new improvements will continue to be added. “Im very excited about it because I think it’s a direction that we need to move in [to] embrace the new technology,” he commented. “It also opens up a lot of doors as far as options for both the services we do offer and for our customers.” New names are still being added to NameConnector. To be included on the system, interested individuals can send their name and extension requests to Telephone Services located in Academic Services Building, room 1.102D or call Herberto Castillo at 381-2621.

Joey Cortez/The Pan American EXT. 4000 - Students and faculty on campus can now dial 4000 to be connected with the person or office of their choice through voice-dial.

NEWS

September 8, 2005

Page 6

VOLUNTEER continued from page 1 The goal in creating the organization was to eliminate the stresses of looking for volunteer opportunities by becoming a one stop for volunteers. “Oftentimes, students are looking for community service opportunities but they don’t know where to turn to or who to ask,” Zamora explained. VRP also provides a number of services. “We’re in charge not only of referring them to non-profit organizations. We also manage placement, record-keeping of their service in the event they need a record of those hours for scholarship applications,” Zamora said. But what sets VRP apart is the care that the staff uses when placing a student. After receiving an application, they then look for volunteer opportunities to match the individual. Nelly Del Angel, freshman psychology major, was placed by VRP with Mujeres Unidas, a shelter for battered women. “Having this opportunity helped me with my career in psychology because now I have a bit more experience on how to interact with children,” Del Angel said. “It helped me for the future when working with others.” Norma Saenz, volunteer coordinator for VRP, agrees. “It gave her the opportunity to develop as a person and a professional,” Saenz said. Del Angel feels that VRP gave her something she may not otherwise have had. “It gave me experience that I won’t get in the class,” she said. When it comes to future jobs, outside experience is what sometimes puts applicants ahead of the game. “What we find is that more and more Fortune 500 companies are asking, ‘What do you do on your free time?’” Zamora said. “They want to see if there is engagement in part of the youth and community service.” Being engaged in community service is also

important to Cecilia Pena, freshman graphic design major. After attending a food drive with her aunt, Pena became interested in doing more volunteering. VRP set her up with AVANCE, who was looking for someone to give their Web site for Coalition for Valley Families a new, updated look. As a graphic design major, she was surprised at the opportunity. “Volunteering is not just picking up trash,” Pena said. “There are so many different ways you can volunteer.” For many students like Pena, this serves as a chance to gain experience in ways that they wouldn’t be able to get working in a normal job. “Through this program, even though it’s community service and non-stipend, they are able to gain very valuable career-skills in their specific areas,” Zamora said. While Pena’s experience has reassured her that she has chosen the right major, often students see the real side of their future path, and don’t like what they see. “This gives them the opportunity to see if this is the career of their choice,” Zamora said. To get the word out about the many benefits, VRP is asking faculty to engage their students in service learning. “Faculty members who want to give their students a field-based experience can come to us in order for us to coordinate community service projects with non-profit organizations,” Zamora said. Some students, however, take it upon themselves to go to VRP and get involved. In March, a group of 17 UTPA students volunteered at a Youth Leadership Conference held in Edinburg. Zamora said the purpose of the conference was to provide workshops to high school youth in a variety of issues affecting adolescents. VRP will also be coordinating volunteers for some upcoming events. One of these will be for HESTEC later this month, where non-profit organizations will make the public aware of the

services they provide. There will also be some attractions from big-name organizations. “NASA will have a network mobile where children and students can get to know a little more about NASA,” Saenz said. Another event, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), will have several locations across the Valley, including one at UTPA and the UTPA Annex, in which citizens can come and receive help on their tax returns. “The main target client will be the lowerincome family who otherwise wouldn’t be able to pay for tax assistance,” Saenz said. VRP also hopes to do some aid relief for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. “We are currently looking at encouraging our students to donate to the Red Cross,” Zamora said. “If any students would want to actively participate as volunteers, we can provide the information to the agencies that they

could go to in order to do so.” But she also pointed out that at this time, their funders are telling them not to mobilize volunteers yet, as they are still in the process of making the area safe. “What they are encouraging is for them to come to us and we can advise them on how they can better utilize their time and talents in this relief,” Zamora said. While they have high hopes for future projects, they also have aspirations for the program as a whole. “We would love for the program to grow and be a center, and we would hope for people in the community to get involved in community service activities and enjoy volunteering,” Saenz said. For more information on VRP visit their Web site at www.coserve.org/vrp or call (956) 292-7566.

A&E

Walking on the art side . . 8 & 9

Is Cine El Rey selling out or sold out? By JEANETTE FERRY-GOMEZ The Pan American Cine El Rey is spicing up its mix of movies this season, featuring “The Transporter 2” starring British crossover actor Jason Statham. “The Transporter 2,” the first of an influx of more mainstream titles, is a dramatic turn for the movie house renowned for being the champion of alternative and independent films. Among some of the bigger titles planning to be screened are “Cronicas” with John Leguizamo, “The Legend of Zorro” and Tim Burton’s new film, “The Corpse Bride.” The student community at The University of Texas-Pan American speculated on the impact that this new trend could bring. “I really enjoy watching the older movies and I feel like they should keep their old school ways,” said Damarys Rodriguez, a junior television/film major. “They should definitely keep showing horror flicks on Friday nights.” Annette Perez, a senior theater major, commented on the positive effect of Cine El Rey’s change of programming. “I feel Cine El Rey should open its doors to Hollywood movies instead of just independent ones,” said Perez. “I love watching the foreign films but it should also have some

new big names as well.” Some of the faculty at UTPA also had something to say about this turn of events. “Cine El Rey provides a great service to the community and fills a gap that everyone else has left open. It is a real treasure and ought to be preserved,” said Dr. Marian Monta of the Communication Department. Some members of the teaching faculty felt that Cine El Rey’s altered programming will allow it to stay open and service those with alternative tastes. “The fact that Cine El Rey is able to show alternative films is wonderful,” said Jack Stanley, a communication professor at the university. “But there also has to be an understanding of the reality of running a business, somebody has to meet that financial obligation each month or the doors will close for good.” But some, like Brian Warren, a communication lecturer, are worried that Cine El Rey’s new financial strategy could sacrifice the quality of entertainment it provides. “As a somewhat artsy fellow, it was nice to think that at least one place in the Valley would seek out and show avantgarde films,” he said. “I hope the mainstream showings don't cause the owners to

sacrifice show times for the other, more alternative kind of films.” But Cine El Rey doesn’t plan on drastically altering its entire movie schedule. Friday night horror flicks will still be a staple and despite the showing of more conventional films, the theater still plans to keep serving its customers who have a hunger for alternative movies. “We have to prove to the big studios we can get those numbers in,” said Luis Munoz, owner of Cine El Rey. Cine also plans to expand its location into what Munoz, characterized as a “walk-in drive-in,” where customers have a personal stereo at outdoor tables. Cine also hopes to increase its revenue by adding restaurant and bar features. “Something similar to the Alamo Draft House,” Munoz said, speaking of the popular Austin hangout. Cine El Rey’s plans do mark the end of chapter in its history as a movie house. Opened in the 1940s, it provided a cultural brand of entertainment to the community in McAllen for the better part of 40 years. “Initially Cine El Rey was supposed to be a stage and film montage,” said Edward Laredo, former technical director of the drama department at South Texas College.

Jeanette Ferry-Gomez/The Pan American

“Since then it has become a refuge for alternative cinema including the Bollywood series and independent films.” Cine El Rey is evolving into a new animal, keeping some of the old and adding innovation in a century that requires at times a mainstream, pragmatic approach to alternative entertainment. “The Transporter 2,” the top grossing movie over the weekend, opens at Cine El Rey Sept. 2 at 7:15 p.m. and 9:15 p.m., and will run through Sept. 15. Free beverages and $1 popcorn will be available at the premiere. For more information about cine El Rey and the Alamo Draft house click www.cineelrey.com and www.originalalamo.com.

The hottest Scorcher yet West’s sophomore success By OMAR RODRIGUEZ The Pan American To many, The Scorcher is quite simply the event of the year in the Rio Grande Valley. It is unparalleled in the amount of entertainment that is presented. This year’s event is one for the ages and promises to be a day full of activities for all to enjoy, costing just $15 per person. This event is being put on with the cooperation of a number of people, but it is led by the folks at the Dodge Arena with the planning of the Fantich Media Group. Marc Fantich, owner of the Fantich Media Group, has seen this event grow every year. Originally, the one-day show was known as The South Texas Scorcher and was held the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. It began six years ago and was held at Pepsi Sports Park in Sharyland. It began with a car show, a skateboard demonstration and a bikini contest. A dozen businesses with booths showcased their products at the first Scorcher, and a battle of the bands was the highlight of the day. The Scorcher has expanded and the 2004 event was held for the first time at Dodge Arena, setting attendance records at 15,000. The Dodge Arena will house the event again, Sunday, Sept. 11. The day’s events will begin with a 9/11 Tribute to Fallen Heroes. All Hidalgo County Fire Departments will be represented and over 40 fire engines will be part of the tribute. A row of fire trucks with two large ladders extended to represent New York’s Twin Towers

will take center stage, with the ladders falling at the precise time our vision of what it means to be an American was forever altered. The day may begin with begin with tears but will continue with optimism and eagerness Want a custom car show by local car clubs or maybe a car expo showing off the latest editions of your favorite model? The Scorcher’s got it. Want to see Freestyle Motocross? Got it. Want to meet WWE stars? Got it. Like X-Gamers performing stunts and tricks on BMX bikes and skateboards? Got it. Did we mention the Scorcher will also have Indy and NASCAR vehicles on display? Oh yeah, got it. Mexican television station Telemundo will also be present, as well as some novela stars. There is a Miss RGV Magazine Beauty Contest and a Miller Lite Bikini Contest. There are three stages for music with local artists performing, as well as tribute bands covering AC/DC, Guns & Roses, Ozzy, U2 and Metallica. They even have paintball shooting for the weekend warriors out there. There will be a strongman contest and rows of booths occupied by local businesses. For kids, The Scorcher has a Children’s Carnival in the Kiddypalooza section which will feature face painting and other activities. Have you ever been to Disney World or how about Las Vegas? Ever done these major attractions in a day? An impossible task. But it’s exactly how any visitor to The Scorcher will feel. Too much to do, and just not enough time.

By BRIAN CARR The Pan American It’s been a big week for rapper Kanye West. Making news with the Rocafella release, “Late Registration,” and turning heads with public criticism of George W. Bush in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, West has entered an upper echelon of entertainers whose content seeks credibility outside their respective genres. Surrounding himself with an all-star cast, the producer-turned-rapper keeps the collegiate motif alive on his second LP, which feeds criticism that the recent superstar suffers from an inferiority complex ironically offset by a public display of arrogance. In “Hey Mama,” a tribute to West’s matriarch, the artist drops hints as to why the recurring theme endures: “My momma told me go to school get your doctorate/ Something you could fall back on you could profit with/ But still supported me when I did the opposite.” Unlike West’s first release, “College Dropout,” the second endeavor by the hip-hop superstar is lighter on comedy, relying more heavily on blatant social criticism, rather than innuendo to diagram the album’s plot. The resulting sound is that of a darker, more mature West. Like “Dropout,” “Late Registration,” opens with a Bernie Mac soliloquy, but fades quickly into “Heard ‘Em Say,” which effectively criti-

cizes the nation’s social structure from West’s perspective. Unlike “Dropout,” there is no discernable quality of excitement that the young MC brought to his first outing. There are upbeat tracks, but the bewilderment of opportunity that the young rapper showed lyrically on the first work has been quickly replaced with a complacency and jaded view of an industry which for all intents and purposes he is a newcomer to. This is, however, parlayed into excellent lyrical fodder, with West painting the picture of himself as an old hand in a new game. In “Bringing Me Down,” which features Brandy, the lyricist complains that artists seek him to produce their singles. In “Gone,” which features Consequence and Cam-Ron, West takes his producing arrogance one step further and taunts his competition But for some the sacrifices West has made to grow will be detrimental. Those seeking “Jesus Walks” and “Through the Wire” might find the positive element void on the new album, making for a lackluster listening experience. Though the LP does offer heart-tugging family narratives, it is more aptly centered on songs like “Diamonds From Sierra Leone,” wherein West criticizes the diamond trade for relying upon slave labor in foreign countries. Easy listening? Probably not. A fantastic album? Unquestionably.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

September 8, 2005

Walk to Remember A

Story by Meredith LaGrone

Photos by Melissa Martinez

Page 8

September 8

ake a walk through downtown McAllen on a Friday night, and you might see something new and different from last year. The McAllen Art Walk has once again graced the streets of old McAllen with its monthly cultural exposure. “Art Walk is an activity rather than just an exhibition,” said Mayra Brown, owner of Art House. “A group of us got together and decided to open up our galleries and other locations that host art. The Art Walk is always the first Friday of every month.” Brown says the event was first intended to be a walkable one. “Mostly everyone is on or around Main Street,” said Brown. “There are twelve locations this month, and a majority of them are located between Old 83 and Pecan.” Another art gallery participating is the Nuevo Santander Gallery, owned by Becky Guerra, who actually started the show last year. “Everyone works very hard; all our different galleries and hosts work very hard,” Guerra said. “They do 150 percent, and that’s why it’s successful. It’s important for people to know.” Guerra will use the upcoming Art Walk on Oct. 7 to serve as a grand opening for the fall season at her gallery. She is very excited about the events she has coming up. “We have a fabulous piece by Jorge Gonzales Camarena called ‘La Procession,’” said Guerra. “We also have a poet coming to do some readings. Her name is Jan Seale, and she will have a book signing of her new book, which is a compendium of thirty years of work, ranging from 1974 to 2004.” But the featured artists aren't the only ones who benefit from such displays. "Art Walk provides quick exposure for some local artists," said Nancy Moyer, who taught art at The University of Texas- Pan American for 34 years and is a

"Art Walks may be the best place in the McAllen art scene for younger artists to network…Networking is the key to success in the 21st-century art world." – Nancy Moyer, Festiva

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT columnist covering the shows in the Monitor’s weekly Festiva section. "Art Walk has a more varied viewer base than a single venue,” she explained “Also, sales usually take place at special events. Since a regular exhibit is usually up for six to eight weeks, this monthly schedule increases the chance of sales [for the artists who display work]." While Moyer feels that there was groundbreaking, the Art Walk does show promise for future exhibits. "This Art Walk was like a warm-up for Art Walks to come," said Moyer. "I suspect the October Art Walk will be the one to get enthusiastic about. September's was like a reminder for everyone to be ready for this year's sea-

son. Past Art Walks each had their own personality. It's always a surprise for the walker. In part, that makes it fun." Brown is also excited about her upcoming season at Art House. “I’m going to have an artist named Mick Reber,” said Brown. “He’s going to be showing Southwest art, although he’s very well known for his modern cowboy art. He does cowboys Andy Warhol-style: very modern, very out of the ordinary, in a saloon and oversized with the cowboy wearing a cowboy hat and real glasses.” Joining Art House’s exhibition for the September Art Walk was a collection of photographs by UTPA students. Janice Garza, a junior elementary education major, works there and helped show the photography student displays. “I think Art Walk is really great,” Garza said. “I’ve worked here for a year, so I’ve been here since it started. I think this gallery is so neat. The Browns are wonderful, and Reynaldo Santiago is very dedicated. He stays after hours and does so much here.”

Page 9 Santiago is a photography instructor from UTPA who guided most of the students while they were preparing this exhibit. Santiago says undergraduate and graduate students make up the group that prepared the collection. “Most of the photographs are from our trips to Guanajuato and Oaxaca this summer and last year,” said Santiago. “The others are from the digital photography classes. Art majors have to take it, but some people also take it as an elective. We also have professionals come in and take it for their own reasons. We had a medical doctor in the class last year.” "I thought it was interesting in the different points of view that were presented," said Moyer. "Miriam Alcala and Dr. J.L. Hinojosa [two of the photographers] see things worth sharing." Santiago agrees that Art Walk has been a breath of fresh air for McAllen. “The cultural scene has been picking up here in the last year,” he said. “Things like this are changing the face of the Valley. It’s bringing new life into the area and opening doors to artistic activities.” Moyer concurred. "Art Walks may be the best place in the McAllen art scene for younger artists to network," she said. "In one evening an emerging artist can meet venue owners who might be interested in representing their work, or introduce them to prospective buyers. They could also have the opportunity to meet other artists who they may not know. Networking is the key to success in the 21st-century art world." Art Walk resumes Oct. 7, running from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the first Friday of every month. Other venues participating in the event include Espana Restaurant, Jac-Lin’s Florist, Upper Valley Art League, Casa Antigua, Douglas Clark, Fusion, The Loft, S. Klein Gallery, and the U.S. Post Office. “People are very involved in it; they love it,” said Brown. “We have something for everyone, and we’d really love to see more people out here next month.”

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

September 8, 2005

Walk to Remember A

Story by Meredith LaGrone

Photos by Melissa Martinez

Page 8

September 8

"Art Walks may be the best place in the McAllen art scene for younger artists to network…Networking is the key to success in the 21st-century art world." – Nancy Moyer, Festiva

September 8, 2005

A&E

Page 10

NEWS

September 8, 2005

LOUISIANA continued from page 1 other goodies,” she said. “I think the people here in Hammond are appreciative of this. I know I would be.” Immanuel Baptist Church not only serves as a pantry, but as a shelter as well. It housed 162 evacuees from the Plaquemines Parish, which is surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico, divided by the Mississippi River, and is the beginning and end of the Great River Road. Talk about “in harm’s way.” The director for the shelter inside the church is Sally Parks from the Sanoma County Chapter. Her leadership has come from her experience as a volunteer in the Americorps. “The people at this shelter have grown on me,” she admitted. “They are also willing to run the shelter themselves. Some of them act as leaders and help me out as much as they can. Yes, we’ve lost some and I only hope we can do the best for them here.” Outside, women hang their clothes on makeshift clotheslines connected by two school buses. Two small

boys play with a plastic toy boat in a puddle. Inside, mattresses and green cots serve to comfort the many families that have had to evacuate their homes. In front of the door to the shelter a lone woman wearing a Sesame Street T-shirt sits by three black trash bags and some of her belongings. Her name is Davina Bartheolomew. “I had to walk all the way to the high school where buses were there waiting,” said Bartheolomew, 57. “All I remember is a school bus coming to pick us all up. I have seven children - three daughters and four boys. And I don’t know where they are,” she said with an empty stare. The rest of the families inside the shelter were trying to comfort each other and reading stories to their small children. A television provided some form of entertainment for the children. “This is just the beginning,” said Parks, “I have been here for about four days, but we are just trying our best for these people.

HURRICANE continued from page 1 Chinatown. “I didn’t do much really,” he said. “We hung out, and it was very laid back. I think I was just in shock. We were watching the news, trying to make sure everyone was ok.” He then decided to head to San Francisco to stay with family. Already enrolled in The University of San Francisco, Howe is nervous about how the hurricane will affect his college status. “I’m waiting to get advised. School has already been in session for three weeks. As a pre-med student in my junior year this is the hardest time. I’ll have to see how my credit transfers,” Howe said. According to the Louisiana Commissioner of Higher Education, students are encouraged to simply wait it out, with the increasing possibility of losing credit hours. Transferring to one of the universities taking in student refugees is another option. The University of Texas-Pan American is one such institution that has opened its doors to the victims of nature. There have been six phone calls so far, according to Dr. Maggie Williams, dean of Admissions and Enrollment at UTPA. “It’s extremely unexpected, but interesting,” she said. “ Each student has a different story to tell. One was planning to go to Louisiana from the Valley but can’t because of the hurricane. Another has friends here who told them about us.” Williams said currently students are being dealt with case by case. The office is trying to make sure students who do choose to come to UTPA are made to feel as welcome as possible. It was, after all, an unintended transfer. “Once they arrive on campus, we have been physically walking them over to the advisement center, and setting up appointments at the financial aid office,” said Williams. Williams said she feels that this tragedy is particularly heart-wrenching because it’s so close to home and may hit a nerve for many Valley resi-

dents. It was only in late July that Hurricane Emily swept through the Rio Grande Valley, leaving minimal damage in her path. Safety Director Richard Costello explained that during Emily, UTPA did experience some water damage. However, it was cleaned up quickly thanks to an extensive emergency hurricane plan. “We have a multifaceted, comprehensive plan in place,” Costello said. “The Department of Environmental Health and Safety, the Physical Plant and the university police system work together with the academic staff and faculty.” The entire emergency plan consists of more than 100 people working “behind the scenes.” Costello said Emily was a great mock drill for testing university’s plan. “The team was meeting every six hours and making decisions based on that. To close the institution is a very expensive process, but safety is our number one priority,” Costello said. As part of a mutual aid plan, UTPA has teamed up with the University of Texas-Brownsville. In the event of a major catastrophe, the schools would help each other, whether it is with equipment sharing or taking in students. Costello explained two major flaws he noted watching Katrina. “The difference is that we have is that [the university] coordinates well with the city of Edinburg. We have the best, in my mind as a safety officer, fire chief and marshal in the state of Texas. They’re watching our back,” he said. Costello and his response team have also set up a Critical Stress Management Team, as well as a Critical Instance Response Team to deal with students who may be traumatized by disaster that occurs. So while Howe and many other students try to find a way to pick up the pieces after Mother Nature struck their state, UTPA students can be safe in the knowledge that someone has their backs.

Page 11 All photos by

Melissa Martinez

he small cardboard sign on the side of

Interstate 12 says it all: “Thank you for helping us.” Despite having lost everything, most families at the Immanuel Baptist Church Shelter have been appreciative of all the help given to them. All they can do now is

survive and be strong for each other.

NEWS

September 8, 2005

ENVIRONMENT

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continued from page 3

response from the public, then the city council does its best to put it into operation.” Gomez believes the city is making great environmental progress by joining up with national campaigns to promote public awareness. He feels that slowly, but surely, residents are beginning to take advantage of the many options the city offers for eliminating waste and maintaining cleanliness. The City of Edinburg sponsored a Quarterly Clean Up on Saturday, Aug 13 at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium, where citizens were able to get rid of old boxes, furniture, clothes, and appliances. Gomez says there was much public concern about where residents could throw these things away, and they wanted the convenience of having a depositing location closer to home. “With this program, we were able to pick up 8 to 12 tons of waste from alleys, roadsides, and backyards all over Edinburg,” Gomez noted. “The whole thing’s just starting off, but people seem to be very cooperative, and often ask when the next one’s going to be.” EAB Chairman Mark Pena believes each citizen can take an active role in protecting the environment by participating in the city’s voluntary clean-up and recycling programs. “Recycling reduces our demand on natural resources, reduces the need and overall cost of conventional landfill programs, and reduces pollution,” said Pena. Gomez added that the city tries to work with the ideas leaders get from sister cities; often, what seems to work for them will probably work for Edinburg and vice versa. McAllen is one neighboring city whose predominately eco-friendly population exemplifies

much of what Edinburg is striving for. Each year, nine Texas communities receive a share of $1 million as a Governor’s Community Achievement Award prize, funded by the Texas Department of Transportation, and sponsored by Keep Texas Beautiful. The 26 recipient cities receive varying amounts, according to their population and placement in the competition. McAllen was recently awarded $155,000, placing first in Category 8 (population between 100,001-250,000), over second-place Plano and third-place Waco. The city actively affiliates with organizations and campaigns such as the Great American Clean Up, Don’t Mess with Texas, and Project Clean Neighborhoods. Austin’s curbside recycling program inspired much of EAB’s current efforts to implement a curbside pickup program, explained the organizers. Austin distributes its recycling program information as well as other preservation and environmental opportunities via its Web site. Since the 1980s, the city has been doing singlefamily curbside recycling and making many large investments in promoting environmental awareness and education, creating an environmentally conscious population.

Contact Information: Anyone interested in participating in Edinburg’s next Quarterly Clean Up can contact the Department of Solid Waste at (956) 381-5635. An Edinburg garbage bill is required as proof of residency in order to participate in the event.

Joey Cortez/The Pan American

HEAVY READING - Michele Meyers, a sophomore philosophy major at UTPA, searches for books at the University Book Store earlier this week. Students have many books to buy and just as many places to buy them, with choices ranging from local bookstores to online sites.

SPORTS

September 8, 2005

SPORTS CLIPBOARD UTPA lends a helping hand Athletics pledge to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina The University of Texas-Pan American Department of Intercollegiate Athletics pledged to help the children of Hurricane Katrina by establishing a fundraiser in order to aid them in their time of need. “There were a lot of people affected by Hurricane Katrina, and we want to do our part to help the children who have lost all of their possessions. Hopefully, we can receive a large amount of toys in order to give them a little security during these tough times,” said head men’s and women’s track and field and cross country coach Ricky Vaughn. Partnering with the Rio Grande Valley Food Bank, the UTPA Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will be accepting new, unwrapped toys to give to the children of Hurricane Katrina in order to help them reestablish a little of their childhood. Those who wish to donate to the children of Hurricane Katrina may drop off toys or other supplies to the UTPA Athletic Office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday. Due to the severity of the disaster, UTPA Athletics will also be more than willing to pick up toys and other supplies from potential donors, who may call the UTPA Athletic Office at (956) 3812221 for special arrangements. The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will also be accepting toys at all of UTPA’s home volleyball matches during the course of the season. For further information of the effort, please contact the UTPA Athletic Office at (956) 381-2221.

Calling all volleyball players UTPA Volleyball to conduct try-out session The University of Texas-Pan American women’s volleyball team will be conducting a try-out session for potential players on Tuesday (Sept. 13) at the UTPA Fieldhouse from 4-7 p.m. Potential players must be a full-time UTPA student, who is currently taking 12 hours or more in order to be eligible according to NCAA Division I rules. A current physical must be on file with the UTPA athletic training staff before any player is allowed to practice. All players will also be required to fill out other NCAA forms prior to try-outs. Players are required to bring their own gear (kneepads, shoes, etc.). For further information, contact head coach Dave Thorn at (956) 316-7007 or thorndm@panam.edu for a physical form and other necessary paperwork.

Martzall and Moses earn academic honors UTPA grads receive accolades Seniors Jeff Martzall (Fort Wayne, IN/Northrop H.S.) and Amy Moses (Edinburg, TX/Edinburg North H.S.) were honored on Friday (Sept. 2) with selections to the 2005 National Collegiate Division I Track Coaches Association Academic All-American teams. Martzall, a senior pole vaulter, was named to the Academic All-American list for the third consecutive year, which not only honors those with academic excellence but also athletic. The Fort Wayne, IN, native was currently holds the program record in the pole vault in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Martzall finished his final campaign with the Broncs with his third trip to the NCAA Division I Regional Championships. He holds the top 10 marks in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. The UTPA senior finished with a 3.467 grade point average in marketing. Moses, a native of the Rio Grande Valley, currently holds the program’s top marks in the hammer throw and was selected as the 2005 Female StudentAthlete of the Year. She became the first UTPA female student-athlete to earn All-American honors when she finished sixth overall at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field National Championships in Fayetteville, AR. The UTPAsenior set a school record in the 20 pound weight throw with a toss of 71-8 at the Last Chance Meet in Gainesville, FL, which also set a new Canadian national record. She earned Dean’s List First Honors this past spring semester and garnered Dean’s List Second Honors in the fall. Moses possesses a 3.331 grade point average in biology. “This is a great honor for both Jeff and Amy and showcases their excellence as both students and athletes. This is a great honor for the track and field teams as well as UTPA, and these are the individuals that we want to have in our program,” concluded head coach Ricky Vaughn. UTPA Sports Information

Editor’s correction: The Sept. 1 issue of The Pan American incorrectly reported that UTPA soccer ended 15 years ago. The soccer team was a member of the Sun Belt Conference from 1994-1996. It was an independent team in 1997, also it’sfinal year.

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FOR THE RECORD UTPA SPORTS VOLLEYBALL Tuesday, September 6 UTPA Fieldhouse UTPA DEF. TAMUK 30-27, 30-21, 30-19, UTPA: Kills, Heather Bravo 8; assists, Karen Lyons 15; digs, Heather Bravo 7, Karen Lyons 7; aces, Chelsea Blakely 4. record: (2-6) TAMUK: Kills, Shaday Smith 14; assists, Heidi Scheopner 10, Baily Steiner 10; digs, Kara Maughan 10; aces, Heidi Scheopner 3. record: (1-8)

2005 UTPA Men’s Golf Schedule Fall 2005 Sept. 12-13 Fairway Club Invitational Sept. 19-20 Rainee Dev. Group Inter. Sept. 26-27 Fred Marx Invitational Oct. 8-9 MacDonald Cup Oct. 24-25 Shangri La Shootout Nov. 5-9 Battle on the Bend

University of Iowa Wake Forest University UT -Arlington Texas A&M -International Texas A&M -Corpus Christi San Francisco Prairie View A&M Texas State Utah Valley State Texas A&M -Corpus Christi North Dakota State South Dakota State Praire View A&M Prairie View A&M TCU Utah Valley State Texas A&M -Kingsville Texas A&M -Interntional IPFW Nothern Colorado Texas A&M -Corpus Christi TBA TBA

Note: All volleyball home games in bold.

UTPA 2005 Cross Country Schedule Sept. 17 Rice Invitational Oct. 1 Cowboy Jamboree Oct. 15 Pre-Nationals (men) Chili Pepper (women) Oct. 29 Independent Championship Nov. 12 NCAA South Central Champ. Nov. 22 NCAA Championships UTPA Men’s Club Soccer Schedule Lone Star South Sept. 10 Sept. 11 Sept. 17 Sept. 24 Oct. 1 Oct. 9 Oct. 15 Oct. 16 Oct. 21 Nov. 17

A&M Kingsville Texas State UTSA UTB TSU UTSA TAMUK 7 p.m. UTB Region IV Tournament NIRSA Championship Tourn.

UTPA Women’s Club Soccer Sched. Texas Collegiate Soccer League Sept. 11 Sept. 17 Sept. 18 Sept. 25 Sept. 30 Oct. 2 Oct. 8 Oct. 9 Oct. 15 Oct. 16 Oct. 21 Nov. 17

UT -Brownsville UT -SanAntonio 3 p.m. Sam Houston State Univ. Univ. of St. Thomas UT -Brownsville 7 p.m. Tarleton UT -San Antonio Univ. St. Thomas Sam Houston State Univ. Tarleton Region IV Tournament NIRSA Championship Tourn.

Note: All soccer home games in bold. Games are at 1p.m. unless noted

Saturday, Sept. 10 La Feria at Brownsville Lopez open: Edcouch-Elsa, Port Isabel, La Villa.

Spring 2006 Feb. 20-21 Roadrunner Intercollegiate Mar. 17-18 Bearkat Classic Mar. 20-21 Crown Classic Apr. 29-30 Indie Women’s Golf Champs. May 5-7 Nat’l Minority Championships May 18-20 NCAA Central Regl. Champs. May 31-03 NCAA National Champs.

2005 UTPA Volleyball Schedule Sept. 9 Sept. 10 Sept. 10 Sept. 20 Sept. 23 Sept. 24 Sept. 24 Oct. 4 Oct. 8 Oct. 11 Oct. 14 Oct. 15 Oct. 21 Oct. 22 Oct. 22 Oct. 28 Nov. 3 Nov. 5 Nov. 10 Nov. 10 Nov. 11 Nov. 11 Nov. 11

Weslaco at Brownsville Porter Mission Veterens at Hidalgo Lyford at MMA Progreso at Santa Rosa Rio Hondo at St. Joseph Santa Maria at Valley View J.V.

UTPA Women’s Golf Schedule Fall 2005 Sept. 11-13 North Texas Invitational Sept. 22-25 Bay Tree Classic Oct. 2-4 Battle at the Lake Invitational Oct. 30-02 Florida Intl.Invitational Nov. 7-8 UTPA Bronc Classic Spring 2006 Feb. 20-21 Islander Spring Classic Mar. 20-21 UTSA Rowdy Round-up Apr. 3-4 Texas State Bobcat Invit. Apr. 29-30 Indie Women’s Golf Champs. May 5-7 Nat’l Minority Championships May 11-13 NCAA Central Regl. Champs. May 23-25 NCAA National Champs.

RGV Football Week 1 Friday, Sept. 2 non-district Laredo Nixon 38, Rio Grande City 0 McAllen Memor. 37, Mission Memor. 17 La Joya 34, Laredo Alexander 13 McAllen Rowe 10, Mission 3 Weslaco 28, McAllen 9 PSJA North 21, PSJA Memorial 14 Browns. Rivera 27, Edinburg North 7 PSJA 44, Weslaco East 7 San Benito 21, Edinburg 13 Harlingen South 52, Sharyland 28 Browns. Porter21, Browns. Lopez 13 Harlingen 39, Donna 13 Browns. Pace 31, Edinburg Economedes 7 CC Carroll 48, Brownsville Hanna 0 Browns. Porter 21, Browns. Lopez 13 Falfurrias 32, Roma 26 Mercedes 14, La Feria 6 McAllen Rowe 10, Mission 3 Edcouch-Elsa 32, CC Tuloso Midway 7 Monterey Tech, MX 51, Port Isabel 0 Rio Hondo 39, La Villa 0 Lyford 47, Santa Rosa 25 St. Joseph 35, Hidalgo 32 Premont 14, Progreso 13 Mathis 40, Raymondville 14 Week 2 Thursday, Sept. 8 Non-district Edinburg North at McAllen La Joya at Edinburg Economedes Mercedes at PSJA North McAllen Rowe at Brownsville Rivera Friday, Sept. 9 Non-district Brownsville Pace at McAllen Memorial Roma at Rio Grande City Mission at Sharyland Harlingen at Edinburg San Benito at Donna Harlingen South at Weslaco East Raymondville at PSJA Memorial PSJA at Los Fresnos Monterrey Tech at Brownsville Hanna

College Football AP Top 25 Week 2 1. USC 1-0 2. Texas 1-0 3. Michigen 1-0 4. Ohio State 1-0 5. LSU 0-0 6. Tennessee 1-0 7. Virginia Tech 1-0 8. Iowa 1-0 9. Geogia 1-0 10. Florida 1-0 11. Florida State 1-0 12. Louisville 1-0 13. Purdue 0-0 14. Miami 0-1 15. Arizona State 1-0 16. California 1-0 17. Georgia Tech 1-0 18. Oklahoma 0-1 19. Notre Dame 1-0 21. Texas Tech 0-0 22. TCU 1-0 23. Virginia 1-0 24. Fresno State 0-0 25. Clemson 1-0

NFL Week 1 Sunday, Sept. 18 Thursday, Sept. 8 Oakland at New England, 8:00 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11 Chicago at Washington, Noon Cincinnati at Cleveland, Noon Denver at Miami, Noon Houston at Buffalo, Noon New Orleans at Carolina, Noon N.Y. Jets at Kansas City, Noon Seattle at Jacksonville, Noon Tampa Bay at Minnesota, Noon Tennessee at Pittsburgh, Noon Arizona at N.Y. Giants, 3:15 p.m. Dallas at San Diego, 3:15 p.m. Green Bay at Detroit, 3:15 p.m. St. Louis at San Francisco, 4:15 p.m. Indianapolis at Baltimore, 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12 Phiadelphia at Atlanta, 8 p.m. Note: all times central standard time

Boxing Sept. 10 At Los Angeles (HBO), Erik Morales vs. Zahir Raheem, 12 rounds, junior lightweights; Manny Pacquiao vs. Hector Velazquez, 12 rounds, junior lightweights; Eric Ortiz vs. Brian Viloria, 12 rounds, for Ortiz's junior flyweight title. Sept. 17 At Las Vegas (HBO PPV), Marco Antonio Barrera vs. Robbie Peden, 12 rounds, junior lightweight unification; Shane Mosley vs. Jose Luis Cruz, 10 rounds, welterweights; Leavander Johnson vs. Jesus Chavez, 12 rounds, for Johnson's lightweight title. At Phoenix, Julio Cesar Chavez vs. TBA, 10 rounds, welterweights; Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs. TBA, 6 rounds, junior welterweights.

September 8, 2005

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Exhibition hoop sweep Ex-Bronc athlete to By JOEY GOMEZ The Pan American The Lady Broncs first-ever foreign tour was a notable success, worthy enough to perhaps set positive karma on the court this season. Head coach DeAnn Craft’s “trial balloon,” an exercise in player versatility against rivals south of the border, proved that this squad of lady hoopsters has the potential to be very competitive in Division I basketball this season. In winning four games against Mexican college and club teams UTPA outscored opponents by 73 points with a four-day total of 266-193. What follows now is another two months of practice before the first exhibition game on Nov. 18 at Auburn. “There was no question, we were the best team there,” Craft said of the trip. The team seemingly took Craft’s pre-trip emphasis on “chemistry and effort” to heart. The success of the group was accomplished with a combined effort of six true freshmen, four sophomores, one junior, and four seniors. Storming out the gates, the team defeated Monterrey Tech on Sept. 3, outscoring El Tec 17-5 in the fourth quarter to come away with the win, 68-57. Mahogany Daniel and Dominique Montague each notched a team-high 12 points in that contest. Freshman Robin Garrett’s introduction into collegiate ball was a positive one, as the native of

Nacogdoches tallied eight points. Against Universidad Autonoma Nuevo Leon on Sept. 4, the team utilized another late surge in the second half to crush the opponent, 81-49. Freshman Teshay Winfrey finished with a team-high 19 points, with 9 points behind the arc. Junior Joanna Fuentes also added a career-high 19 points and freshman center Whitney Coulson added 8 rebounds. “This is a really special freshman group,” Craft said. “As a whole, there’s a willingness to learn.” Craft said that the real source of pride came from beating the third-best team in Mexico on Sept. 5. The 19-point win over Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua (6041) was described by Craft as some “magnificent minutes.” Senior Stacey Gooden and freshman Rachel Jones each finished with a game-high 10 points. The Lady Broncs finished the tour playing a rematch against Monterrey Tech on Sept. 5 posting a 57-46 victory with senior Montague tallying 14 points to lead the way. “The number one reason we pursued a foreign tour was for those new players to develop bonds (as a team),” Craft said. “There was no coverage for cellphones, or text messaging, so despite having only nine practices the environment allowed for a deeper bond and greater respect. “So at game time there was a certain comfort level, the love for basketball was the focal point,” she added. “There was teamwork and unselfishness.”

deploy to Iraq soon By ANNALISA LIMAS The Pan American As the fall semester begins so does another Bronc sports season. After a summer of conditioning and training, it’s time for the university’s athletes to head to the front lines and show the competition what they’re made of. But while these athletes embark on grueling schedules of head-to-head combat, one athlete will endure another kind. This cross country season, the women’s team will have to do without the help of Megan McGuire, a returning letterman and sophomore on the team. She was deployed to Iraq in late summer and could end up there in the next several months. A native of Grafton, Ohio, McGuire enlisted in the U.S. Army during her senior year of high school. She was recruited to UTPA during her last cross country season at Avon Lake High, but had to complete training with the Army before joining the Lady Bronc team. “I joined the Army mainly because my older brother did,” McGuire said. “I felt if he could do it, then so could I. Like running, it challenged me and I never back down from a challenge.” During her freshman year in Edinburg, McGuire provided a solid performance for both the cross country and track teams. Her best finish was at the Texas State Invitational, where she placed 17th and recorded a time of 19:42. At the Independent Championships in Corpus Christi, McGuire set a personal best with a time of 19:02 and finished third among the Lady Broncs. But while her fellow teammates juggled classes and practices, McGuire had one more thing on her plate. She served as a reserve in the 812th Quarter Master of Harlingen throughout the past year.

McGuire, or Specialist McGuire, is the youngest member in the 812th Company, which will deploy to Iraq at the end of October. In the meantime, she is training at Fort Bliss in El Paso before she starts her 18-month tour in Iraq. “Megan was a good runner for us…it was quite a shock that she got deployed,” said track coach Ricky Vaughn. “She made a commitment to our country and that’s admirable but it’s tough to pull a studentathlete out of school.” Still, McGuire has the support of the entire team behind her. The Lady Bronc Cross Country team plans to mail carepackages and letters to McGuire to keep her spirit up and remind her that the team is thinking of her. Lizet Garcia, a junior cross country runner, said, “She was a key factor on the team, and we all miss her. But we’re proud of her. She’s doing what most of us wish we could, but never would do.” A major in education, McGuire says she’s happy to serve her country but is sad about having to put her life on hold. Her deployment orders scheduled her for 18 months in Iraq, putting her three semesters behind the rest of her classmates. “Eighteen months is a long time and I’m really going to miss my teammates and all the friends I made at Pan Am,” she said. “Still, I knew what I was up for when I enlisted; it’s just part of the job. After her 18-month deployment, McGuire plans to return to Pan Am to finish her degree and continue running for the Lady Broncs. Until then, she says she can’t let something like war keep her from getting her education. “My sister and I are the first in my family to attend college so it’s important to me to finish,” she said. “It might take me longer to finish now because of my deployment, but I’m not going to let it stop me.”

Delisa Guadarrama / The Pan American ON THE RUN - Megan McGuire (far left) trains during morning practice with her former teammates last season. Now she trains with the U.S. Army.

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September 8, 2005

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UTPA golf off the tee box By VICTORIA GUAJARDO The Pan American As the latest season begins, the men’s and women’s golf teams are going on the road to continue strengthening their programs. Sept. 12, the men head to Lincoln, Neb., while the women travel to Denton a day later to get things started. The teams hope to keep last season’s success going. Both won at the National Minority Golf Championship in the spring; the women clinched the crown for a 3rd year in a row and the men took fifth, their best showing of the season. This year the golf squads also hope to build on the accolades won in 2004-05. In May five Broncs walked away with special honors, being honored as members of the 2005 NCAA Division I AllIndependent team. Those named include Stefanie Maynard of Pflugerville, Daniela Cortes of Aguascalients, Mexico, and Crystal Frazier of Coolidge, Texas, who were on the second team. Honorable mention awards were given to A.J. Hohn of Stockton, Calif., and Kyle Tude of Phoenix. The men’s team will be taking flight with a new coach and three

new freshman players on the roster. Andrew Tredway, a former professional golfer, has accepted the position as head coach. “I’m really excited, we have a good group of guys and I am just anxious to get started,” said Tredway. In addition, Tredway is very eager to see his three freshmen in action. “The new guys are good quality players, they are really going to help their teammates and they come from a good background.” Shane Pearce and Brandon Pelletier, both from Carrollton, Texas, near Dallas, join Blake Hughey of Plano, as the Broncs heavily recruited the Dallas-Fort Worth The women’s team is just as prepared with seasoned coach Barb Odale and her seasoned players. “I am excited, I have three seniors that I have been working with since they were freshmen,” said Odale. Experienced seniors Nikki Boychuck (Conroe), Maynard, and Daniela Cortes have played in 27 total tournaments under Odale. The seniors will take on the roles of mentor to their freshman teammates.

“The seniors need to be patient with the freshmen and have to guide them to play well,” said Odale, who also sees an obstacle in new members, “Its going to be a challenge with these freshmen, they are going to have to learn how to play college golf.” Last season, Maynard finished with an average of 76.7 and a low round of 71, while Cortes had 79.5 and a low round of 73. Boychuck finished at 80.6 and a 74 low round. As their respective tournaments near, both teams are doing all they can to be prepared to meet the challenge. “Our goal is to be able to contend for the title and for my seniors to win individually,” said Odale, “Denton is a good opening tournament for the freshman to learn the ropes.” Tredway is looking forward to a cooler climate and achievement in Nebraska. “We want to play as well as we possibly can and lower our scoring average,” he said, adding that the team is working on some new techniques. “You’ll see new things here and there, its minimal changes but there will be real success,” he concluded.

Joel de la Rosa / The Pan American PRACTICE DRIVE - Jeff Hensley practices his drives at the Los Lagos driving range Wednesday morning. The team is in preparation for its first invitational at the Fairway Club Sept. 12-13.

Women’s soccer club kicks off season soon By ABEL SALINAS The Pan American First there was a club, then four team members, then 10, then enough to make a team. Now there are more than 30 players in the Lady Bronc soccer team ready to tackle the season Sunday. The team is just counting the days until the season opener against University of Texas-Brownsville at the UTPA intramural sports field. With the season at hand, the Lady Broncs have possible obstacles to overcome. Inexperience and fan support are the major concerns for the new squad, which marks the university’s return to soccer after a nearly 10-year hiatus. For some team members Sunday will be their first taste of competition in a team sport. However, Coach Anahi Mata is not concerned with the lack of experience in her team. “I have seen some of the teams we will face and they are not much different than our team,” she said. “Aside from the experience we are pretty even.” Club President Mariely Rincon, is one of the players without significant experience, but is improving with every practice. “Her commitment to the team and the club is amazing. She is here (intramural sports field) everyday at 6 a.m. in efforts to get better,” said goalkeeper Caro Alonso

said about Rincon, Mata said she has made a conscious effort to integrate those players with lower skill levels with those of a higher level and make a solid team. “There is good balance in the team. They complement each other well,” Mata said. Lauren Vesseliza, a track athlete turned striker, said of the relationship within the club: “we are like a bunch of sisters. A big family.” The Philadelphia native has plenty of experience playing the sport but always gives credit to the team concept of soccer. Opening day is coming and the team is ready for the challenge, knowing that once they get rolling, winning and support will take care of themselves. “We will start by bringing our family and friends at first,” said Mata. “As we start winning, we will have more people coming in for the games.” The club team hopes to combine athletics and fellowship into one this season, with campus service also part of the plan. “There are other ways to get the club noticed,” said midfielder Daysi Garza. “We were part of Sibling Day on campus and The Last Bash. Hopefully we can turn more people to the club by getting involved in activities as such.” As for the actual sports test which looms this weekend, a grinning Rincon said, “We are nervous, but we are ready.”

Delisa Guadarrama / The Pan American NOTHING BUT NET - (from left) Nina Carrera, Daysi Garza, Mariely Rincon, Lauren Vesseliza, Karen Trejo, and Mariana Ramos pose after practice. The teams first game is Sunday at 1 p.m. versus UTB at home.

SPORTS

Clipboard . . . . . . . . . . 13 Basketball . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Golf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Home victory creates confidence for tourney By DARYL GONZALES The Pan American Tuesday night’s win over Texas A&MKingsville couldn’t have been a bigger confidence boost for the Lady Broncs after a tough 2-6 start. They put away the Lady Javelinas (1-8) in three straight sets, 30-26, 30-21, and 30-19. “I think the team was a little tight in the first game but we pulled that one out, and then started rolling in the second, and in the third game we took control,” Head coach Dave Thorn commented about the matches against Kingsville. “The only thing that I could have hoped for would have been if the first two games were like the third.” “That’s what I was looking for, to get stronger and get more cohesive as the matches went along,” he added. The Lady Bronc offensive seemed to come from everywhere, as five players finished the night with six or more kills. Leading the way was junior Stephanie Bravo who finished with nine, and also had. Stephanie Redd had eight, Kellie Phillips 7, Deanna Schneyer 7, and senior Danielle Holthe 8, respectively. “We have a very balanced offense attack, and that’s what we were looking forward to this season,” Thorn said. “Overall, I think our team’s gelling well. I Delisa Guadarrama / The Pan American like our team chemistry. They’re doing very well, any time you can have a HOMECOMING - (Clockwise from left) Kellie Phillips celebrates with teammates after a big play. freshman step it up and perform for you is Danielle Holthe (16) prepares for the kill. Stephanie Redd fires her trademark spike against A&Malways a play.” he added. Kingsville. Karen Lyons (9) sets the ball in the Broncs first home victory of the season.

Dishing out all the assists for the Lady Broncs was Karen Lyons, who connected with her hitters 32 times on the night. The team made nine total blocks. “I think that Karen is doing a really good job setting the team and I think Chrissie Carrigan is really stepping it up for Libero,” Thorn said. Defensively, Carrigan took charge at the Libero position, finishing the night with 15 digs. UTPA had a good outing from the freshmen as three of them played pivotal rolls in all three games. Phillips and Schneyer contributed on offense, while Chelsea Blakely did her part on defense as setter. This victory puts the Lady Broncs on the right track coming toward this weekend’s Arlington Tournament in North Texas. The team has had a bit of trouble on the road, having won just one of seven games away from UTPA Field House. Thorn told his team before the season that difficult early competition will enable them to be successful against schools like Kingsville and A&M-Corpus Christi. Their performance on Tuesday was a perfect example of that theory. “It does a ton for confidence,” Thorn said about Tuesday night’s victory heading toward this weekend’s tournament. The Lady Broncs will go against Iowa on Friday, followed by a double-header against Wake Forest and UT-Arlington to close the action.

Cross country & track land new assistant By JOEY HINOJOSA The Pan American The university’s cross country teams have a new assistant coach this season, as Brian Cunningham, 29, has already begun his efforts to help UTPA have a successful season. “I’m excited for the upcoming season. I think the teams have prepared very well this summer. I believe they are excited and ready to go,” said Cunningham. “Our first meet is at Rice on the 17th. They are going to be tired because we are working very hard right now, but I expect to see some decent results in some good competitive performances.” Prior to joining UTPA, Cunningham was an assistant coach for two years with The College of William & Mary, his alma mater. While there he helped train middle distance runners, and assisted in producing two NCAA national qualifiers. Cunningham is optimistic about UTPA’s chances of doing well this season. “I’m lucky because I come into a situation where I have the last three Independent champions, two in Westly Keating, and one in Hector Gandara from last year,” said Cunningham. “Those two have, with the rest of the team, prepared very well this summer. They got their mileage in and they are excited about leading. I think they both have a very good opportunity to get to the NCAA Championships in November.” The newest running mentor continued in praise of his veteran stars.

“Westly obviously has three All-Americans under his belt, and his main goal is to win the NCAA championship,” Cunningham said. “Hector is ready to take the step into being a very high performer,” said the Centreville, Virg., native. “Our goal as a team is to make the nationals on the men’s side. On the women’s side we want to place very high at the regional. Our goals are always going to be to make the nationals for both teams.” Cunningham also gave a heads-up on a female runner to watch in 2005. “Karla Hernandez prepared extremely well this summer,” said Cunningham. “Right now she has been very solid for us in these workouts that we’ve had. I’ve been very pleased with the way she prepared herself and came back into school very fit.” Cunningham has eight years of coaching experience, and he feels that he can bring something positive to UTPA’s cross country and track and field teams. “I’ve been around teams that know how to win. Teams that have an air about them that they expect to do well,” he said. “They know what it takes to train hard. They expect to do well at every level. And I think I bring that.” Coaching athletes is something Cunningham truly treasures, and he’s looking forward to doing it at UTPA. “I’ve always enjoyed working with athletes. I’ve enjoyed working toward a particular goal,” said Cunningham. “I enjoy the opportunity and challenges of working with so many different personalities, and bringing them all together for a common goal.

“I keep up with the athletes that I’ve coached from the very first year I coached when I was coaching in high school. Everyone kind of stays in contact and that’s one of the neat things,” he added. “The athletes themselves are just great kids. Cross country runners especially tend to be pretty bright, very driven. You get to surround yourself with these highly motivated individuals and it is absolutely a blessing to be around.”

Mario Orta/ The Pan American FRESH FACE - New assistant track and field/cross country coach Brian Cunningham will head the team this season.