March 16, 2006 by UTRGV Student Media

NCAA March Madness tournament kicks off 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

March 16, 2006

ICC in the crosshairs

Deans speak on progress

By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American With President Bush’s approval ratings at an all-time low, it seems like few people are pleased with the status of the government right now. And some students at The University of Texas-Pan American don’t want that government’s Department of Defense on campus. But it’s probably coming to town, anyway. A proposal is being drafted that would bring the Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence to UTPA. The focus would be on constructing new critical thinking, analysis, research, writing, and oral communication courses in every college on campus. This would be accomplished by way of a grant estimated to total more than $1 million stipend over a three-year period. Van Reidhead, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, learned about the program, which is

See PROGRAM page 11

see Page 14

By LUKE KOONG The Pan American

Joel de la Rosa/The Pan American EYE CATCHING - Alvaro Orozco (left), a sophomore biology major, and Fidel Elizondo, a freshman mechanical engineering major, discuss the “Fuera CIA” or “leave, CIA” sign outside the SBS building.

Work never stops at The University of Texas-Pan American. Even as students return from spring break and look ahead to summer, each college at UTPA is continuing to improve the quality of education and provide more opportunities. For several, those opportunities include the addition of new programs and faculty, while others are working to improve students’ learning environment. The College of Education is breaking in a state-of-the-art facility and other colleges look forward to getting new homes. With over 17,000 students, the university and colleges have ideas that mesh with the overarching program while still benefiting their constituencies directly. This week, The Pan American provides a cursory behind-the-scenes look at each of the six colleges and what each is striving to do.

See DEANS page 4

SGA reflects on year-to-date accomplishments, failures By ANA LEY The Pan American As Student Senate election days near at The University of Texas-Pan American, the Student Government Association (SGA) is ready to welcome new members to the group. Joey Nichols, vice president of SGA, believes that since most of the current senators are new to the organization, a steep learning curve

exists which does not allow things to flow as smoothly as planned. However, he thinks that compared to past years, the organization has grown much stronger. He says SGA is currently working on beginning a snowball effect with various projects members are conducting, so that the university can eventually grow into something better. “Our snowball’s still tiny right now, but we hope it can build speed and get bigger in coming years,” he said.

PLANNING AHEAD - Joey Nichols, SGA vice president, discusses the future of SGA with senators and members of the Freshman Year Internship (FYI) program.

Not concerned with leaving a definitive mark on the university, Nichols said the organization has “a less tangible idea in mind.” “We’re not going to fix the parking problem, for example. We don’t want a plaque named after us on campus,” he said. “What we’re striving for is a model for an effective student government.” Last September, SGA issued its inaugural State of the Student Union

See SGA page 11

Rebeca Cavazos/The Pan American

Former prof. dies

Davenport dismissed

Arevalo farewell

Sammie Sides, former professor from the College of Science and Engineering, passed away March 10.

UTPA athletic department fires basketball coach Robert Davenport after second season proves disappointing.

See PROFESSOR page 3

See DAVENPORT page 16

A farewell reception for Rodolfo Arevalo, provost and VP for academic affairs, will be held March 17 in the UTPA Ballroom from 3-5 p.m.

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March 16 2006

OPINIONS UNPROTECTED TEXT

A friend in deed for a friend in need...of Spring Break PAN AMERICAN Life and times of RGV residents during Texas Week THE

1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 (956) 381-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122 http://www.panam.edu/dept/panamerican 55th Year – No. 22

Editor Claudette Gonzalez claudetteelena @gmail.com News Editor Sandra Gonzalez sandra_panamerican @yahoo.com A & E Editor Meredith LaGrone meredith_lagrone @hotmail.com Sports Editors Daryl Gonzales daryl_gonzales2002@yahoo.com Graphics Editor LyLony Cazares lylony@gmail.com Photography Editor Joel de la Rosa delarosa.joel@gmail.com Designers Brian Carr carr.ba@gmail.com Erika Lopez lopez475@yahoo.com Laura C. Gomez lm.gomez@yahoo.com Advertising Mgr. Rafael Villarreal spubs@panam.edu Reporters Adriana Garza Ana Ley Angela Salazar Claralexis Rios David Rodriguez Frank Calvillo Jorge Hinojosa Luke Koong Maria Mazariegos

The PAN AMERICAN is the official student newspaper of The University of Texas-Pan American. Views presented are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the university.

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.

Trey Serna Photographer Joey Cortez Translator Mercedes Cantu Adviser Dr. Greg Selber

Secretary Anita Casares

Delivery 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. Articles are written and published at the discretion of The Pan American newspaper. Should readers wish to submit story ideas to the editor, please allow two weeks for processing.

By DAVID RODRIGUEZ The Pan American I got a call from a friend last week. He wanted to come down for Spring Break and was wondering if I would mind putting him up for a few days and showing him around the Valley. “Yeah man, I’m not sure what we’ll do but I’d love to have you down.” As I agreed I wondered what we would do. I knew we’d end up bowling, but I wasn’t sure how many nights in a row he would put up with that. My celebratory Michael Jackson leg kick and robot admittedly get a little old after a while. But I’m working on a new Justin Timberlakeinspired number. I just need to find a willing partner, preferably female, to play along. So after the first night and some terrible bowling on my part I realized we were going to have to go to South Padre Island or SPI or Sodom and Gomorrah. Don’t get me wrong. I love the

Based On A True Story:

beach. Sand is cool and the way it gets everywhere and lasts for days is great. The ocean is poetry. It’s nice and murky and salty and there are really delightful things to step on like shells, jellyfish, broken Corona bottles… I love the beach. I just wasn’t sure we were going to be able to get in. I don’t have a tan, my “sup baby” yell is really pathetic and I don’t own one pair of board shorts. In fact, if pressed hard enough I would have to admit I’m not really even sure what elements must be present for simple shorts to become board shorts. But what the hell? My friend had never been to South Padre and furthermore he had never been to a Spring Break “hot spot” during Spring Break. So we had to go. First of all, I’d like to say that I remember the exit sign being a lot bigger. I know construction is going on in that area but really. The sign is so tiny it’s like it’s whispering, “Psst, that way guys. But don’t make a big deal about it.” After yo-yoing between 45 mph and 20 mph for about 30 miles and seeing about nine cars pulled over (each driver had the same A&M look of utter befuddlement like “We’ll hell Cody, uh Spring Broken

coulda sworn it said 45 back there. Pass me the ‘Cope,’”) we eventually made it over the bridge. Since it was only Monday and Texas Week had just begun it wasn’t too bad. But by not “too bad” I mean it was still pandemonium. But it was educational insanity. For instance, I learned that if you are a group of guys of at least three or more and you yell at a group of girls, they are required by some sort of island ordinance to yell back. Each exchange ended in a “woohoo” for good measure. I also learned that you can strap beer cans to your belt loops via the plastic rings they come with. Now I know this may frighten parents and dolphins, but I’m going to personally endorse this method of beer conveyance. Not only does it keep your hands free to make obscene gestures of a very sexual nature to passing cars, but it just looks cool. Also, orange is apparently a hot color this year. I don’t mean orange clothes. The less girls were wearing on South Padre Island, the more orange I saw. So many girls had fake tans it was blowing my mind. I mean it was like a University of Syracuse pep rally except with fewer blondes and lower cumula-

tive GPAs. Another good lesson I took from this experience is that there will always be hippies and they will always be slaughtering some Grateful Dead song on acoustic guitars. My friend and I walked past a deluge of color and hemp and we found ourselves in the midst of a circle of hippies who were completely destroying a Dead song. Jerry Garcia could have been on heroin, ecstacy and huffing Scotch Guard and he would still probably wince at this particular rendition of “Turn on Your Lovelight.” He could be in Hell and their version would still be a buzzkill. He would have renounced pacifism it was so bad. I could go on. The last lesson I learned on my way out. I really need to invest some money in speakers for my car. Everybody and their one-night stand had amazing systems in their car. I drove past a white ’99 Lumina that sounded like a freaking Busta Rhymes (Rhymez?) concert. I could have totally cranked some Leon Russell and maybe then I would have gotten at least one “WHOOOOHOOO.” Please send all hippie hatemail that starts with, “Harsh man!” to davideric@gmail.com by Laura C. Gomez

NEWS

College Updates. . . . . . . . . . . . 4

En Español . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Informal meeting presents marketing research By ADRIANA GARZA The Pan American On Tuesday, March 14, Michael Stevens, management professor, shared his research on “Applications and Implications of Measuring Global Competencies” with graduate students, faculty, and others. He spoke at the second session of the marketing department’s Brown Bag Seminars, new for this semester. The seminars are opportunities for faculty and graduate students to share their ideas and research. It is informal. In fact, the name “Brown Bag” simply means you can eat or drink while the discussion is going on. It is an informal way to present research, get feedback, and learn from each other’s work. The main goal is to provide business graduate students with another way to learn. “I’m going to spend about an hour or so present-

ing on a research topic that I’ve been currently at work on,” Stevens said prior to the seminar. “Some of the other faculty members and some of the students in the Ph.D. program are curious about what other people are doing, so I’m going to take a turn and share that with other people in the program.” Stevens’ ongoing research has to do with crosscultural competencies. His research shows that every person is affected in a different way when exposed to a culture other than their own. Tuesday he explained how and why cross-cultural competency is measured. The seminar feedback has been good so far. “Events like this are very important, where people can just get together and talk to each other, find out what each other knows and find out how each one can contribute to furthering, developing, and improving what each other knows,” said Fuat Firat, marketing

See BROWN BAG page 12

Ronald Claflin/ The Pan American RESEARCH - Michael Stevens, management professor, presents his marketing research on Tuesday in Room 223 of the College of Business Administration building.

Bush budget may endanger federal education funding By HECTOR CANO The Pan American President George W. Bush recently released his budget proposal for fiscal year 2007 and it contained the largest cuts to federal education funding in the 26-year history of the Department of Education. Most notably, it took a big bite out of the working budgets for federally funded programs GEAR UP and Head Start, to the disappointment of many educators. “It’s unfortunate. GEAR UP has already shown

promise,” said Tina Atkins, an administrator from the office of middle school education. “Just in the Valley, between Region One and UTPA GEAR UP, we have seen increases in numbers of students who intend to attend postsecondary institutions, and who have filled out applications to do so.” GEAR UP, which started in 1999, has helped many low-income students pursue their education. The budget cuts will eliminate services associated with GEAR UP that currently serve over 18,000 students, their parents and their schools Another program being affected is Head Start,

Fiscal Year Texas Head Start Funding and Enrollment 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Funding $361,846,000 $429,075,102 $454,292,444 $465,421,856 $474,091,773

Enrollment 63,171 67,572 67,664 67,764 67,785

Fiscal Year National Head Start Funding Year 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Actual $5,266,211,000 $6,199,123,000 $6,536,570,000 $6,666,783,000 $6,776,909,000 * Figures do not account for inflation

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb/index.htm

See CUTS page 12

Hidalgo H.S., UTPA partner Mexican political parties visit for early college program By CAROLINA SANCHEZ The Pan American

By CAROLINA SANCHEZ The Pan American A new partnership between the Hidalgo High School district and The University of Texas-PanAmerican will start in 2006, allowing an increase in the number of graduate students and also providing a better future for kids of the area.

A combined total of 60 hours can be earned in the following subjects:

* English * Biology * History * Algebra

According to Gloria Salazar, administrative associate of the UTPA College of Education, though the program is similar to others already in progress, this is one is improved and will encourage more students to attend to college. UTPA President Blandina Cárdenas outlined the program. “The goal of this program will be to create a culture and atmosphere where students have a vision with the focus to succeed,” she said. “The program will strive to provide the opportunity for all incoming freshmen entering Hidalgo High School to achieve up to two years (60 hours) of college credit tuition free while earning a high school diploma.” According to Ana Maria Rodriguez, interim provost and vice president of academic affairs, the program will be coordinated under the Department of Academic Affairs and will be headed by Maria

See PARTNERSHIP page 12

The upcoming Mexican elections are a major concern for Mexican and American citizens. Mexico is facing a dilemma where for the first time three parties have equal opportunities to be elected. In order to inform UTPA students and Valley

residents about the issues and magnitude of the elections, the Department of External Affairs, together with the department of political science, will hold a U.S.-Mexico Relations forum. The free event will be at 7 p.m. today and open to the public at the Student Union Theater. Representatives for candidates Roberto

See POLITICS page 12

Former professor passes away By ANA LEY The Pan American Sammie Sides, former professor and biology department chair at The University of Texas-Pan American, died last Friday at the age of 65. Sides worked at the university from 1972 to 1995. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Tarleton State University in Stephenville, and

his master’s degree from Texas Tech University. Sides then taught at UTPA from 1965 to 1970, subsequently leaving to work on his doctoral degree at North Carolina State University. He returned two years later to serve as department chair for the school’s biol-

Sides

See PROFESSOR page 12

NEWS

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March 16, 2006

Colleges prepare for future Deans outline achievments, keys to growth DEANS continued from page 1 ARTS AND HUMANITIES The Mariachi Musical Festiba was held by the College of Arts and Humanities (CAH) March 2-3. While this year’s event was a success, CAH would like the event to include the rest of the colleges next year in the celebration. Additionally, CAH is looking for 50 new faculty members to bolster the current corps of nearly 200 professors. This need for more faculty is a direct result of the student growth the college is experiencing. Several of its departments, including communication, are among the fastest growing at UTPA. A master’s of fine arts degree in creative writing is nearing completion and is awaiting approval from the UT System level. There are also hopes of starting a Ph.D. program in English, a department that has grown immensely in recent years. Wallace Tucker, interim dean, indicated that the college is also looking to build a program that focuses on issues pertaining to the population of the Valley. “Latino Studies is the direction we’re heading and getting faculty with expertise in. We’d like to develop a center and a [Latino studies] Ph.D,” Tucker said. In addition, a search committee is at work finding a permanent dean to replace Tucker, who has served in interim capacity since replacing Rodolfo Rocha over a year ago. The committee has narrowed the poll down to five

candidates and will facilitate the rest of the process as the spring continues. BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION The College of Business Administration (COBA) is working on a formal admissions process for the business school. “We’re doing whatever we can to help students matriculate more efficiently,” said John Emery, COBA dean. Emery also said the college is participating in a pilot project that helps students with the registration process. This process will be maintained by a computer and will check to make sure students have the proper prerequisites before enrolling them in a class. COBA is also working on adjusting degree plans in accordance with HB 1172. The bill affects all of the colleges at UTPA and requires that each bring their degree requirements to within 120124 total units. In terms of growth, the college is in the programming stage for the addition of a new building and renovation of the existing 30-year-old building. Finally, Emery wants to continue working on providing for students’ educational needs. “In the short-term, I would like to learn a lot more about how to do [our job] well,” he said. SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES Van Reidhead, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, highlighted several things he and his college a r e

focused on at present. “We’re in the process of thinking who we are as a college, what our funding opportunities are, where we are going to go, and how we’re going to get there,” the first-year leader reported. That process will be facilitated through the strategic planning process retreat to be held Friday. Some issues that will be addressed are the assessment of faculty interests and laying down a strategic foundation on which the college can build for the next five years. Reidhead informed The Pan American that his college is in the process of sending proposals to the President’s Office and the provost to create a Ph.D. program in clinical psychology. They are also in the early planning stages for a department of anthropology. As part of its growth plan, SBS would also like to develop educational programs that create job opportunities for students with government agencies and local businesses. SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING The College of Science and Engineering is undergoing a major construction project. Renovation of shell space in the present building has been taking place throughout the semester, and faculty and students stand to benefit. “The budget ran short [in 1997], so they went ahead and built the building, but left some space empty,” said dean Edwin LeMaster. “We’ll have them ready for occupancy this fall.” Those spaces will provide offices for 24 faculty members, four new teaching labs, and allow for increased r e s e a r c h capabilities with

the addition of two research labs. Science and Engineering just added a master’s degree in chemistry this year and is looking to add five more programs that include bachelor’s degrees in computer engineering, civil engineering and environmental science. The college would like to add a master’s for engineering management and a Ph.D. in manufacturing engineering too. The addition of a Ph.D. program would be the college’s first. HEALTH SCIENCES AND HUMAN SERVICES New digs are the word, as the Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC) will have its grand opening on April 25. According to Bruce Reed, dean for the College of Health Sciences and Human Services, the co-op pharmacy program will be completing its move to their new facilities this week. The RAHC will also house faculty for the College of Science and Engineering, as well as researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. The clinical lab sciences program is running a regional bio-tech mobile lab which travels to area public schools to help train students in related fields. In terms of new programs, HSHS is planning on offering an Masters of Science in health sciences. The degree will allow individuals working in hospitals to advance in their careers, and curriculum will be available online to help those individuals. By 2007, the college would like to have a Ph.D. in rehab counseling. Reed said the college is focused on providing community health workers with quality education. The hope is to encourage more people to

enter into health professions, in an area long in need of it. “We all know there’s not enough qualified health care professionals in our community,” said Reed. “Especially as the population grows in the area, we desperately need more health care providers.” EDUCATION The College of Education is adding a new field based interdisciplinary teacher education program. The program will bring theory and practice together as students spend half of their time working in a school environment. The department of educational psychology is in the planning stages of opening an 8,000 square feet clinic for fall 2006. The clinic, which will be used in conjunction with the department of psychology, will be used to train and develop graduate student counseling and assessment skills. “They will be developing the infrastructure to establish itself as a clinic that helps to address and serve school districts’ and community’s needs,” said Velma Menchaca, interim dean of the college of education. Pre-service early childhood education students will benefit from the addition of two demonstration classrooms. Both classrooms will allow students to view real-life situations in a clinical setting. The Educational Technology Resource Center is integrating technology and teaching. By providing services such as wireless Internet access, mobile labs and other electronic equipment, the center will bring about a new way o f teaching a n d learning.

LeMaster

Reidhead Emer y Menchaca

Reed

Tucker Photography: Joel De la Rosa, Rebecca Cavazos, Ronald Claflin, Joey Cortez, Sam Iglesias

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NEWS

March 16, 2006

Advertisement SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF STUDENTS If It's Happening to You... WHAT IS IT? The first thing students should know about sexual harassment is that it is a serious matter. In fact, sexual harassment is illegal and The University of Texas-Pan American has a specific policy on this issue. According to our policy, sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: 1. Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individualís employment or education; or 2. Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for academic or employment decisions affecting that individual; or 3. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual's academic or professional performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive employment, educational, or living environment. WHAT IS THE UNIVERSITY’S POLICY? Sexual harassment is against the law. It is prohibited by University policy, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the 1972, Educational Amendments to the Civil Rights Act. The University of Texas-Pan American condemns sexual harassment of the students, staff, and faculty of the University of Texas-Pan American. Any form of sexual harassment will be considered a serious matter to be dealt with accordingly. It is the policy of the University of Texas-Pan American that supervisors and faculty shall not enter into any type of romantic or sexual relationship with staff under their supervision or with students enrolled in their courses. Such relationships will be looked upon as potentially detrimental to the working and learning environment, considered inappropriate and unacceptable, and grounds for disciplinary action including termination of all appropriate parties involved. In short, students at The University are entitled to study and work free from the threat of sexual intimidation and discrimination from other students at The University and University employees. WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT SEXUAL HARASSMENT Sometimes victims of sexual harassment try to ignore the behavior in hopes that it will go away. Sometimes victims of sexual harassment might even blame themselves. These are mistakes. It is important for victims to know that there are actions they can take to stop such unacceptable behavior: 1. Speak up at the time. Say “NO,” clearly and firmly. Tell the harasser that his or her advances are unwelcome and you want them stopped. There is a small chance that the harasser did not realize that his or her behavior was offensive to you. Don’t delay. Pay attention to cues or comments indicating harassment. If a person’s behavior makes you uncomfortable, say so. 2. Seek advice. Most victims find themselves confused by sexual harassment and reluctant to discuss it with anyone. Victims usually fear reprisals. Harassers count on their victims’ silence. It is important to seek counsel to protect not only yourself but others from unwanted sexual attention and sexual advances that are known to interfere with academic or job performance. To determine whether your discomfort is really sexual harassment, seek help - the earlier, the better. The campus office designated to assist with student complaints (or faculty or staff complaints against students) is the Office of the Dean of Students. 3. Tell someone, such as fellow students or co-workers. Sharing your concern helps to avoid isolation and the tendency to blame yourself. Sexual harassers tend to be “repeaters”; they are likely to have harassed others, too. This may also mean that there are other individuals who have been harassed by the same person and will support you if you file a formal complaint. 4. Keep Records. Keep a journal and any letters or notes received. Note the dates, times, places, witnesses and the nature of the harassment – what was said, the tone and how you responded. HOW TO REPORT IT Charges of sexual harassment within the University community are sensitive and complex. The University recognizes the complexities of complaints related to sexual harassment and has asked the Office of the Dean of Students (University Center 104, 381-2262) to review complaints of this nature. (Complaints that do not involve students are handled by the Office of the President). The process usually begins with an informal, confidential conversation with the Dean of Students or his designee. After discussing the situation, students will be provided with options on how to deal with harassment. These options will include receiving suggestions on how to discourage the harasser, and informal approaches such as reporting in confidence your concerns to the harasser’s supervisor to ask him or her to talk with the harasser, or asking that the supervisor provide a general policy making statement to the entire staff or faculty of the department where the harasser works to remind them of the University policy against sexual harassment. The Dean or his designee may suggest other actions less formal than filing a written complaint. Filing a formal written complaint is also an option and follows these steps: Step One: The student writes, signs and submits a formal complaint to the Dean of Students. The signed statement must include the name of the harasser and a detailed narrative of the sexually harassing incident or incidents. Step Tw o: Investigation and resolution of the complaint will be through the Office of the Dean of Students. Every effort is made to protect the rights of individuals involved, both the complainant and the alleged harasser, which includes hearing from both sides and maintaining confidentiality to the extent permitted by the law. Step Three: Upon completion of the investigation, the University will take appropriate administrative and/or disciplinary action. If the investigation demonstrates reasonable cause that the harassment occurred, the Dean of Students will notify the complaint and begin conciliation efforts. If the investigation does not find reasonable cause that the harassment occurred, the Dean of Students will notify the complainant of such finding. The Dean of Students Office’s policy is to seek full and effective relief for victims of sexual harassment. Remedies are tailored to the circumstances-and may include: - Corrective, curative or preventive actions taken to cure or correct the source of the identified harassment and minimize the chance of its recurrence; - Stopping the specific discriminatory practices involved in the case; - Severe discipline for proven violations, including discharge, if warranted. IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS BEING HARASSED - Support those having harassment problems. Help him or her cope with it. - ncourage anyone having harassment problems to take action, either informally or formally. - Remind them that it is not their fault they are being harassed. - Don’t accept sexual harassment as “the way things are” or treat it as a joke. PREPARED BY THE OFFICE OF THE DEAN OF STUDENTS THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN UNIVERSITY CENTER 104 381-2262 Adapted from sexual harassment policies, information and materials from The University of Texas-Pan American, The University of Texas at Austin, The University of Texas at El Paso, and the Center for Women Policy Studies Washington, D.C.

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NEWS

March 17, 2006

SGA refleja sobre su trabajo Por ANA LEY Traducido por MERCEDES CANTU The Pan American En cuanto más se acerca el día de elecciones para Senado de Estudiantes en The University of Pan American, la asociación de gobierno de estudiantes SGA esta listo para recibir nuevos miembros al grupo. Joey Nichols, vicepresidente de SGA, cree que como la mayoría de los senadores corrientes son nuevos a la organización, hay una curva empinada que no deja que muchas cosas fluyan sin incidentes como fueron planeadas. Comoquiera, el piensa que comparado con años pasados, la organización ha crecido mas fuerte. Dice que SGA por el momento esta trabajando por empezar como el efecto de una bola de nieve, con los proyectos que varios miembros esta, conduciendo. Así la universidad crecerá en algo mucho mejor. “Nuestra bola de nieve es muy pequeña aun, pero tenemos la esperanza de que con el tiempo agarrara mas fuerza, será mas rápida y crecerá en los siguientes años,” dijo. Sin estar preocupado por dejar una marca definitiva en la Universidad, Nichols dijo que la organización tiene una idea menos tangible. “Nosotros no vamos a arreglar el problema de estacionamiento de la universidad, por ejemplo. No queremos una placa con nuestro nombre,” dijo. “Lo que nos interesa en el momento es un modelo par un efectivo gobierno estudiantil.” El pasado septiembre, SGA emitió su inauguración dirigiéndose en el Estado de la Unión Estudiantil. No solo fue con intenciones de promover el compromiso de los estudiantes con la universidad, sino también una oportunidad para Edward Adrian Sandoval, presidente de SGA, para hablar con los estudiantes sobre los logros obtenidos y las metas para el actual semestre. Mientras que no todas las metas desde la perspectiva de Sandoval se han alcanzado, Nichols dice que la manera para la organización funcione es dejando que cada uno de los senadores explore temas por los cuales sienten alguna pasión. “Todos están trabajando en sus propios proyectos,” dijo. “Nosotros (El y Sandoval) no estamos concientes de lo que cada uno hace, ya que son muchos.” Uno de los miembros, Crystal Gonzales, cree que el asunto de mayor presión para la SGA en cuanto al desarrollo de los estudiantes es la educación. “Hemos creado el Comité de Costos de Educación este año. Este es una de las muy pocas oportunidades que tienen los estudiantes para ser parte de los cambios dentro de la universidad,” dice Gonzales, estudiante de filosofía, quien ha sido senador de SGA por un año y medio. “Probablemente este sea el logro mas grande que hemos tenido recientemente.” Tony Matamoros, estudiante de español y también senador, cree que SGA pone a los estudiantes un paso mas cerca a la administración por medio de proyectos tales como este. “El Comité de Asuntos Estudiantiles, con el que trabajamos muy de cerca con el decano de estudiantes (Jerry Price), deja que los estudiantes y la facultad trabajen para los

asuntos estudiantiles,” explico. Mayra Hinojosa, estudiante de educación primaria, decidió hacer un esfuerzo para entrar al senado de SGA después de haber encontrado asuntos sobre el campus que sintió que debían ser dirigidos. “No me gustan algunos aspectos de cómo el departamento de educación se lleva acabo, así que esta fue una razón por la que decidí unirme al SGA,” comento. No es todavía miembro, ha atendido a tres juntas del senado de SGA y espera ser designada a la organización este semestre. Como Nichols, Sandoval admite que es difícil estar al corriente de todos los proyectos de SGA. “Seria presuntuoso de mi parte dar respuesta a cada pregunta especifica de proyectos que cada senador este trabajando, especialmente por que no estoy aquí en persona,” dijo en una entrevista por teléfono. Por el momento en Washington D.C., cree que su ausencia no ha hecho daño a la organización y su proceso. “Somos una organización. No estamos definidos por una o dos personas,” explico. “Somos un equipo, trabajamos juntos, tratamos de hacer el cambio. La ausencia de una persona no debe de afectar lo que SGA hace. El trabajo continua y son muchas las personas trabajando para la universidad.” La preocupación de muchos alredor del campus ha sido la nueva póliza de comienzo. Estudiantes que no terminen todas sus horas exigidas para su carrera no podran graduarse este verano. Algunas colegíos han instituido la regla de que uno debe de estar a mas de seis horas de terminar para poder asistir a la ceremonia. Mientras Sandoval dirigió un discurso en septiembre al comité de estudiantes diciendo que SGA presiono para que la administración permitiera la representación de estudiantes en el comité de comienzo, muchos no sabían sobre el cambio de póliza hasta Marzo, dos meses antes de que caminaran. “Uno de nuestros senadores ha tomado la decisión de hablar sobre este asunto con los administrativos,”dijo. “En realidad no puedo comentar sobre la falta de comunicación pero puedo decir que debemos tratar de encontrar solución a esto.” Ambos estan de acuerdo en que el asunto más importante para SGA son las elecciones del senado de estudiantes. “Es importante para los estudiantes el unirse a los comités del campus. Cualquiera puede unirse y es una manera de regresarle a la universidad,” dijo Sandoval. Nichols dijo que las elecciones son el asunto mas importante para los estudiantes. “Preguntamos a los estudiantes que es lo que quieren, y nosotros hacemos el mejor trabajo posible para lograrlo. Para que el siguiente año SGA tenga éxito como lo hemos tenido, necesitan mucha organización en la oficina de elección. Mas aparte es una manera excelente para que los estudiantes resuelvan asuntos,” dijo. Hay más de 150 posiciones estudiantiles en varios comités de SGA en el campus. La organización esta en el momento aceptando peticiones para nominaciones de vacantes en el comité. Las aplicaciones están accesibles por Internet, en la oficina de SGA, y en la oficina del Decano de Estudiantes. PLANES - Joey Nichols, vicepresidente de Student Government Association (SGA), planéa el futuro de la organizacion con miembros del programa Freahman Year Internship. La organizacion ha logrado exito en solucionar problemas estudiantiles.

Rebeca Cavazos/The Pan American

A&E

Tejano Walk of Fame. . . . 8 & 9 Nueva Onda Poets’ Cafe. . . .10

UTPA dancers ready to perform new pieces

By CLARALEXIS RIOS The Pan American The University of Texas-Pan American’s Dance Ensemble, directed by Dana Shackleford and Melinda Blomquist, will perform its spring concert on March 23, 24 and 25 at 7:30 p.m. and March 26 at 2 p.m. at the UTPA Fine Arts Auditorium. The dance event is set to feature many different pieces. Some have been choreographed by UPTA faculty, while others are by outside sources. This concert will highlight a new piece, “The hand is just so…,” by Fred Darsow, UTPA dance professor, who continues to explore the infinite movement possibilities of uniting modern techniques with Flamenco. Shackelford’s piece, “Taking Root to Fly,” investigates the contrasts within Leon Parker’s music of tribal drum rhythms set against the melodic line of a flute. According to Shackelford, the contradictory title refers to the foundation one needs in order to find flight, as well as honoring our own tribal connections to one another. Guest artist Wally Cardona worked with faculty members and students to create “Walking with Strings.” The piece is built on a set containing 63 markers placed every

four feet to reenact the act of walking. The markers become the landscape navigated by the dancers and the walking becomes the “jumping off point.” Raymond Shaw returns for a second time to create a new work titled “La Ferente, group piece #63.” He said his process for creating it involved sensitivities toward issues of control within relationships, such as dominant vs. submissive and getting caught in a feeling choked situation. Using the characterization of a vintage French clown, Pierrot, choreography and movement was created to represent empathetic, ironic situations. According to Shaw, simple gestures, such as a finger to the mouth, were used to create, inspire and develop movement. A solo work, “The Invisible Woman,” was choreographed by the late David Berkey for Tamara Schreiber’s graduate thesis work. To honor the memory of Berkey, and in conjunction with the University of Iowa’s “David Berkey Retrospective Concert,” she is performing this work once again. It features three songs by composer Ennio Morriconte from the Italian movie, “Malena.” Berkey is a national icon in his field who created more than 80 dances for university-based and professional dance comBrad Paisley

panies throughout the United States. His work has also been performed in China and Germany, where he danced professionally before inspiring hundreds of students as a professor at the University of Iowa. Schreiber, a UTPA dance graduate student and ensemble production manager, said Berkey’s work motivated her to dance this piece for a second time. “Having seen and been profoundly inspired by the artistry of his work, I was fortunate to have him create a beautiful dance for me,” she said. The Dance Ensemble was created in 1984 by Laura M. Grabowski, who directed the company from 1984 to 2000. Since that time the dance program has been directed by Shackleford, Blomquist and Darsow. For the past two years, though, they have been co-directors, since Darsow became the program coordinator. “The Dance Ensemble is primarily modern dance-based, but also involves different genres as well,” Schreiber said. Modern dance is a theatrical art form that started in the 20th century, primarily in the United States and Germany. The art form uses all kinds of ideas for movement and began as a rebellion against classical academic ballet and show dancing. Since the form sometimes requires

extensive organization, the faculty at times invites choreographers to come in and coordinate different dances. Shackelford has specific qualifications in mind when determining whom the faculty will invite. “When we decide on choreographers to help us with these concerts, they have to own their own companies and work on new stuff,” she said. “They are usually acquaintances of the faculty.” To prepare for a concert, Shackelford said that dance students practice during a class required for their performance credit on Tuesdays and

Thursdays from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. “During rehearsal time, students practice on choreography and bring their own individual expression on their own piece,” she said. While most dance students say they joined to gain more performance experience, Artemio Piña, 22, junior dance/music major from Edcouch-Elsa expressed a different reason. “I joined because I wanted the opportunity to perform with the girls and express my heart and passion for dance,” he said.

Tamara Schreiber LET’S DANCE - Dancers perform at last semester’s fall concert. The department is excited about the opportunity to show off their new moves.

Ongoing art exhibit uses nature as metaphor for life By FRANK CALVILLO The Pan American It’s a common misconception that all art of true quality has to be strictly highbrow or only cater to certain individuals. Local artist George Lorio is dispelling the myth with his new exhibit at the International Museum of Arts and Sciences (IMAS) in McAllen. Titled “Structures of Nature,” Lorio’s new exhibit displays an array of sculptures and statues that can be found in the natural elements of the earth. The pieces on display are for the most part black and white and made out of wood. While one may not think to look at nature as a typical creative outlet for an artist, others believe differently. Erica Thompson, a junior at The University of Texas-Pan American, is able to see a direct correlation between both nature and art. “Nature can definitely be considered art,” the art major said. “When artists create, they just go with the flow and see what happens. Nature works the same way.”

Lorio, a New Orleans native, explains that his show is a reflection of his short time here. “The works are from the past six years but mostly from the past five years,” he said. “This is the duration of my time living in the Valley and how the landscape and culture influenced my imagery.” Additionally, Lorio insists that it was the Mexican-American way of life that seemed to have deep meaning for him.

“Learning about the very patriotic Mexican-American tradition inspired me to consider the position of many families in the Valley as well as the wonderful mysticism that is part of the Valley mentality,” he added. An artist for nearly three decades, Lorio’s work has been praised in The San Antonio Express News, The Washington Post and The Atlanta JournalConstitution, among others.

Joel de la Rosa/The Pan American NATURE - Everado Zavala, Jordan Yerkes, Nick Castro and Karen Gardner admire one of Lorio’s sculptures at IMAS.

Lorio currently teaches sculpting classes at the University of TexasBrownsville and has also held teaching positions in Washington and Illinois. While he enjoys many forms of art, Lorio’s use of nature as an art form is one which he has been employing for more than a decade. “Even though I have been making art for over 25 years, this present direction of metaphors on nature has been my interest for the past 15,” he said. Lorio hopes people who view his exhibit understand and apply the use of metaphors in his art. “I want people to consider the metaphor of nature by placing it in the context of their everyday lives and see how nature possesses cycles,” he said. It appears as if the metaphor has been taken to heart, according to Lorio, who has been informed that his work has resonated with the people of the Valley. “From what I understand, the museum staff has stated that the reaction to ‘Structures’ has been very positive,” he said.

Tommie Marroquin, an exhibiting artist and UTPA senior, had only favorable comments about Lorio’s latest work. “It seemed to have an abstract feel to it, which was aesthetically pleasing,” she said. Marroquin, an art major, went on to say that the various pieces of the exhibit flowed well together. “What I noticed was that there was a lot of harmony in all of the pieces,” she said. “Structures of Nature,” which was made possible by the Rio Grande Valley Arts Council, will be available for public viewing until the end of April. However, the end of its run at IMAS does not mean the end of the exhibit, as Lorio plans to display “Structures” at Houston’s Lawndale Art Center in May and at the Galveston Art Center in July. Furthermore, Lorio says that his art work will always mirror his own life. “I will continue to make images which reflect on my experiences,” he said. That is, after all, what most artists do. For more information, visit http://www.imasonline.org.

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March 16, 2006

By: Angela Salazar

iving in deep South Texas is being in a world unto its own. Cultures, traditions and music mingle to form a unique blend of living. Growing up here, young ears are exposed to different types of music and one of the most traditional and common is, of course, Tejano. The unique blend of instruments ranging from accordions to electric guitars brings to life a spirit of Texas unique to the region. Tejano is not just a combination of Mexican and Texan society; it also brings in instruments and sounds from the diverse backgrounds that transformed it into what we know it to be today. It began in the early 1900s when German and Czechoslovakian immigrants found themselves living in the Rio Grande Valley. With them came influences from home, which included fast, upbeat accordion music known as polka. According to bookrags.com, the fast-paced polkas combined with the “bajo sexto,” a 12-string guitar, and Spanish lyrics to create a foundation for Tejano music known as “conjunto,” or “together.” Along the way to becoming a more mainstream form of music, Tejano took some pages from other musical genre books such as country, rock and roll, hip-hop and rap. Not until the 1990s did the world see the potential of Tejano artists with the enormous popularity of acts such as Selena and Emilio Navaria. The success of their crossover albums helped the world realize the influence Tejano had and has on music. Through programming like “The Johnny Canales Show,” all one has to do Sunday mornings is turn on the television to see and hear all the popular Tejano artists. The city of Edinburg has found a way to honor this great tradition in Texas music. In 1995, the Tejano Walk of Fame was created and the first five members were inducted: Roberto Pulido, Johnny Canales, Laura Canales, Carlos Guzman and Gilbert Garcia. Each October during Hispanic Heritage Month a group of five artists will be added into the Walk of Fame, located at 415 W. McIntyre right next door to the Edinburg Auditorium. Like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, each inductee is given a star that is engraved in marble with his or her name on it. It is then placed on the walk with the other fellow artists. There are now 36 inductees including Selena, Los Dos Gilbertos and Little Joe, just to name a few. Even students are excited to hear about the city honoring such a long-standing tradition in music. “This entire region has never had so much as an

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

inch of recognition,” said Javier Omar Garcia, a music performance student at The University of Texas-Pan American. Garcia also stated that in order for most Tejano artists to become popular and well known they usually they get their start somewhere else. “Why can’t they get recognized here?” he asked. “They have to go to Mexico!” A student of Benny Layton, a long-time musician and educator at Edcouch-Elsa High School, Garcia found it important to learn from him and help support this craft. Roberto Pulido, a pioneer of Tejano music, began his long career back in 1965 as a young saxophone player. In 1973 he formed his band Roberto Pulido y Los Clasicos. “Back in those days,” said Pulido, “not even my mom bought a record during the first three or four years.” By blending a then unheard-of combo of accordion and saxophone, Pulido came up with his signature sound. “Guacamole,” he said when describing his sound. “A little of this, a little of that, have a little bit of everything because we play a little of everything.” The UTPA grad also has an endowment in his name for those who wish to pursue music as a career. He thinks of it as a way to give back to a new generation of musicians and artists. The big boom of Tejano popularity came in the early ‘90s, which may leave some to wonder about its future. The “MTV generation” is now occupied with hip-hop and reggaeton music. “Today’s generation, the 18-to-25 set, only know the modern Tejano groups,” said Garcia. “They don’t know Grupo Mas or La Mafia. They have countless albums, but nobody knows them.” Today’s artists such as Los Lonely Boys, a group composed of three brothers, credits Tejano for helping them base a foundation for their music. Their father played in the conjunto band The Falcones back in the ‘70s and influenced them and their music. Local musicians considerTejano is a staple in the music world, whether or not it is in the spotlight. In the past few years it has taken a backseat to new incoming artists and genres of music; however, very slowly it is expected to come back to the ever-waiting audience ready to reconnect to its Texas roots. Locals say traditional music is and always will be a musical force for those who live in the Rio Grande Valley, and now the Tejano Walk of Fame is a way to not only honor those who paved the way for artists of today, but encourage future musicians of tomorrow.

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March 16 , 2006

March 16, 2006

By: Angela Salazar

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A & E

March 16, 2006

Nights at Nueva Onda cafe Poetry, culture unite at Edinburg eatery It’s Saturday Night at the Nueva Onda Poets’ Cafe. By the set-up, it is hard to believe the place was once a convenience store, now transformed into a cafe. The lights are dimmed and the ones in front shine down on the small stage that holds three stools and a few guitars. On stage is poet Amado Balderas, owner of the establishment, who is also a history teacher at Economedes High School in Edinburg. Since its opening in October 2005, the Nueva Onda Poets’ Cafe has housed writers and poets like Richard Sanchez, Rolando Serna, Danyal Abdullah and Ileana Anahi Madrid. Musical acts have included La Libre, Sinsensura and Johnny Gil, a 15-year-old solo artist from Edinburg who has composed two songs inspired by the cafe. In 1994, Balderas wanted to open a place where people could explore their experiences in the frontera through writing but didn’t have the money or backing for such a project. “I remember going to conferences, and sometimes we would have to leave because we were hungry,” recalled Balderas. “So the idea was to open a place, a taqueria poets’ cafe… where the community merges with the artist, and the artist becomes one with his c o m m u n i t y. ” The Nueva Onda is just one of the many ideas Balderas has had in his lifetime. In his youth, he formed the Valley’s first hip hop/rap group called the Rocket Crew. By the midnineties, he became a Chicano student activist, founding a MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan) chapter at The University of Texas-Pan American. “I named the Pan Am chapter ‘El Sexto Sol de Mecha.’ The idea was that our movement was a new movement,” explained Balderas. “A new Chicano movement based on the idea of an indigenous consciousness.” Balderas has also started a Chicano studies class at Economedes and plans to write a book giving instructions on how to teach the subject at that level. He is currently writing a collection of poetry titled “52 Poems plus One: An Attempt at the Nueva Onda Poets’ Cafe.” With the cafe, Amado hopes to change the way Valley poets, writers, musicians and artists exhibit their work, allowing neophytes as well as veteran writers the chance to get recognition from the community that inspired them. “I think the Nueva Onda will actually change the Valley writers if more of the veteran [writers] come and attend,” suggested Rolando Serna, a 37-year-old UTPA senior. Although the Nueva Onda hardly features an established or published author, Reynosa-born Ileana Anahi Madrid, an 18-year-old frontera poet from Edinburg, is grateful that a place like it exists because it gives her the courage to take the stage

and express her emotions through poetry. However, students and young people are not the only ones who believe the cafe is a much needed outlet. “Amado’s Nueva Onda Poets’ Cafe is the sort of venue all young writers need to attempt,” wrote Rene Saldana, a UTPA creative writing professor, author and friend of Balderas. “It’s part of the writing, rewriting and publishing process.” Saldana will also be urging his creative writing students to read at the cafe’s open mic night and hopes to arrange readings there during his summer creative writing institute. Even though the Nueva Onda has dubbed itself a Mexican cafe and a place where frontera poets can share their work, there are no limits to styles. Danyal Abdullah, a 25-year-old college graduate from Columbia University who moved to the Valley last August from Austin, was originally discouraged about the fact the poet on stage was reading in Spanish. He later got over his fear before taking the stage and dropping lines of his poetry, which mixed English with Arabic slang. “It’s all about presentation,” Danyal advised anyone who wants to read at the Nueva Onda. “You can have the best thing, but if it’s not presented right, how is everybody going to know what it is?” Balderas urged anyone interested in performing at his cafe to stop in and get on stage. Nueva Onda is open Tuesdays through Thursdays from 9 a.m to 9 p.m.; Fridays from 9 a.m.-10:30, with acoustic/music nights from 8 p.m.-10:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 7 a.m.-11 p.m., with featured and open mic poetry at 8 p.m.- 10 and Sundays from 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Nueva Onda is located at 2717 North McColl (on the corner of Rogers and McColl) in Edinburg. For more information, e-mail nuevaondapoetry@hotmail.com or call 386-0960.

Meredith LaGrone/The Pan American FLOW - Amado Balderas, owner of the cafe, speaks his mind about what it’s like to be a Mexican American in the Rio Grande Valley. Balderas contributes his own poetry during open mic nights and also emcees the event.

Meredith LaGrone/The Pan American

By GUILLERMO CORONA The Pan American

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS - At top, La Libre, a duo formed by two cousins, entertains the crowd before the poetry readings begin. Bottom, Marisol Hernandez reads her favorite poem, “Chicana Que,” about her experiences as a Latina.

ART - Both the outside and inside of the cafe feature works of art inspired by Mexican Americans’ culture and history. Through the colorful wall-hangings inside, the remnants of a convenience store can still be seen.

Meredith LaGrone/The Pan American POETRY - La Nueva Onda Poets’ Cafe sits at the corner of Rogers and McColl in North Edinburg. The cafe, which is a renovated gas station, features local poets every Saturday night.

March 16, 2006

NEWS

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SGA continued from page 1

in the intelligence community were Anglo-Saxon males,” he said. “There’s a relatively small number of females, ethnic minorities, small numbers of people who speak other languages, etc.” Reidhead said the most important thing to recognize is that the intelligence community acknowledges that they have problems and are trying to fix them. “What they have recognized…is that their intelligence workers are specialized, which is good. But they don’t have good connecting knowledge,” he said. “They don’t know how people in other specialties approach and solve problems. They have a hard time talking to each other and understanding what each other do.” Part of the program’s FEELINGS OF curriculum will focus on UNCERTAINTY teaching methods of While Reidhead research for students in all is now spearheading disciplines. Reidhead said the effort to get the this will aid in the reform. program and grant, “What this does for he notes he was a bit them [the intelligence uncertain at first. community] is that it pro“When I first vides them with a pool of came into this, I people who they can interapproached it with view for jobs that they skepticism. I had know have a broad educawhat I thought were tion across the curriculum difficult questions. in critical analysis,” And the President Reidhead said. (Blandina Cardenas) But some, like did the same,” he Samantha Garcia, a senior said. biology major and member However, that of the University Socialist skepticism still Forum, say that no amount remains in some stuof reform will ever change dents like Josi Mata, intelligence groups like who graduates in the CIA. May with a degree “That’s not necessariin anthropology. Joel de la Rosa/The Pan American ly true since the CIA, his“The program PROTEST - Multiple signs have been posted torically, has not changed,” is a very poor choice across campus in objection to the ICC. she said. “They can’t be for our particular student body,” Mata, a member of the University reformed. They do the same thing over and over Socialists Forum (USF), said. “There are certain peo- again.” ple on campus that want to steer our students in the direction of the CIA and the military. They do not CURRICULUM ISSUES Control over curriculum choices is another have their best interest at heart. They are using us.” issue among opponents of the ICC. According to Garcia, there are conflicting reports as to how much ULTERIOR MOTIVES? Mata said that USF has conducted research control professors will have over the subjects they and reported those findings on large posters across teach as part of the ICC. “What we’d like to see is Dean Reidhead to campus. According to that research the CIA and FBI are looking to recruit students who would be give his presentation to everyone. He’s given two willing to carryout undercover operations in Latin presentations…and there’s conflicting information,” she said. America. Garcia said in one presentation given to facul“That is really problematic because the CIA in particular has a horrible history of atrocities in ty of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Latin America,” Mata said. “They view that popu- Reidhead claimed there were “no strings attached.” lation as expendable. And that’s not an exaggera- However, when she spoke to him, she claims he said there would be advisers from the CIA to tion. That’s an understatement.” Reidhead said the past of the CIA should not approve curriculum. “We want to get the story straight. We want to be ignored. To make sure that does not happen, he says it is written in the proposal that a course dis- invite the professors who voted for and against the cussing ethics will be implemented as part of the ICC,” she said. “One professor from the English department said that if this does happen, he will curriculum of ICC. However, Mata said that bringing this pro- seriously consider leaving. “ Reidhead stated that there will be advisers for gram to UTPA creates an ethical problem that each college but they will be composed of faculty should not be ignored. “The university is pushing these types of agen- already at the university. To clear up this and other issues concerning cies at this population. Our population is poor…Latino, geographically isolated, and some- ICC, Campus Activists, a hub of all the proactive what removed from the political process,” Mata said. groups on campus, will be holding a forum on Friday Reidhead said the CIA is looking to use stu- at 6 p.m. in the Library Media Theater. While the dents, but not in that way. He said that Congress group extended an invitation to both Reidhead and mandated that the intelligence community reform Cardenas, both have declined to attend. For more information on the forum please itself and increase diversity. “Congress recognized that most of the people email utpa_activists@yahoogroups.com.

Address. Not only a means for the members to promote student engagement in the university, it was an opportunity for Edward Adrian Sandoval, SGA president, to come forth and fill students in on what SGA achievements incumbents had attained, and speak about goals for the current term. While not all the goals put in perspective during Sandoval’s address have been reached, Nichols says that the way the organization functions is by allowing its individual senators to explore issues they personally feel passionate about. “Everyone’s working on their own projects,” he said. “We (he and Sandoval) are not always aware of what happens in each of them, because there are just too many.” One member, Crystal Gonzales, believes that the most pressing issue in regard to student development for SGA is tuition. “We’ve created the Cost of Education Committee this year, and this is one of the very few opportunities students get to be part of their university’s change,” said the 21-year-old philosophy major, who has been an SGA senator-atlarge for one and a half years. “This is probably the greatest achievement we’ve had recently.” Tony Matamoros, a 19-year-old sophomore majoring in Spanish and also a senator at large, believes that SGA puts students a step closer to administration via projects such as this. “The Student Affairs Committee, in which we work closely with the dean of students (Jerry Price),

under the Department of Defense, while in Washington last summer preparing for Hispanic Engineering Sciences and Technology (HESTEC) events. “We want curriculum to be grounded in all six colleges of the university. We want students who think they want to do intelligence work,” Reidhead said. “We want them to have a broad critical thinking research skill education across the curriculum of the colleges.” Reidhead noted that though it is a “competitive proposal process,” he remains hopeful UTPA will beat out other applicants, one of which is the California state school system.

Q “We’re a team, working together, trying to make a difference.” -Edward Adrian Sandoval, SGA president lets faculty and students work to target student issues,” he explained. Mayra Hinojosa, a 20-year-old junior majoring in elementary education, decided to make an effort to join SGA after finding issues on campus she felt should be addressed. “I don’t like some aspects of how the education department is run here, so that was one reason I decided to join (SGA),” she commented. Not yet a member, Hinojosa has attended three SGA Senate meetings and hopes to be appointed to the organization this semester. Like Nichols, Sandoval admits that it is hard to keep track of every SGA project. “It would be presumptuous of me to answer any specific questions on projects that our senators are working on, especially since I am not physically there,” he said in a phone interview.

Currently on a UT System-sponsored internship in Washington D.C., he believes his absence has not greatly hindered the organization’s overall progress. “We are an organization. We are not defined

Q “What we’re striving for is a model for an effective student government.” -Joey Nichols, SGA vice president by one or two people,” he explained. “We’re a team, working together, trying to make a difference. The absence of one person should not affect what SGA does. Work continues, and a lot of people are working for the school.” A concern that many have shared across campus has been that of the new commencement policy. Students who have not finished all their course work were discouraged from trying to walk early this spring, and some colleges have instituted a rule stating that one must be within six hours of completion to go through the ceremony. While Sandoval told the student body in his September speech that SGA had recently lobbied the administration to allow student representation on the commencement committee, many were unaware of the policy change until early March 2 months before they were due to walk. “One of our senators has taken the lead of talking to administration about the issue, and a few members have raised the issue,” he said. “I can’t really comment on the lack of communication, but I can say we should try to work toward a resolution.” They both agree that currently, the most pressing student issue for SGA is Student Senate elections. “It’s important for students to join campus committees, anybody can join and it’s a great way to give back to the school,” said Sandoval. Nichols adds that elections are the most important issue for student out of necessity. “We ask students what they want, and we do the best job we can of securing success for attaining it. In order for next year’s SGA to have as successful a year as we have, they need a wellorganized electoral office. Plus, it’s an excellent way for students to raise issues,” he added. The last appointment process for new members was on Oct. 1, and their term will end on Sept. 21. There are over 150 student positions on various SGA campus committees. The organization is currently accepting requests for nominations for the vacancies on the committees. Applications are available online, the SGA Office, and the Dean of Students Office.

Major SGA State of the Union Address achievements and goals Goals Achieved

Goals Not Acheived

zLobbying of administration to allow student representation on the commencement committee

Expansion of dining options on the east side of campus

zRevamping of UTPA’s ID system zVoiced support of shuttle expansion and upgrading of campus lighting zImplementation of a comment card program for student feedback zCreation of the Senate Committee for Safety and the Senate Committee for Recycling

Access to the decision-making process for students The increase of parking ability Formulation of a new proposal for a recycling program on campus

Source: SGA

NEWS

Page 12

BROWN BAG continued from page 3 department chair. “This is the whole idea as a university. It’s written into the meaning of a university.” John Sargent, management professor, presented his research Feb. 28. It was titled “Is Chinese Export Competition Causing Mexico’s EPZ to Upgrade? Capital Intensity, Technology Intensity, and Human Capital Development in Startup and Expanding Maquiladoras.” His work examined the full effect of maquiladoras in Mexico. It also shows how China’s rising exports impact our regional economy on both sides of the border. “Chinese exports to the states has gone up $140 billion since 2000, much of it in sectors, where we’ve been getting a lot of stuff from Mexico before,” Sargent said. “Some people in Mexico now

have to do different things.” The Brown Bag Seminars provide an even exchange of ideas in the university business community. It also helps graduate students learn how to conduct their own research and how to go about presenting it, and that is in line with the university’s ongoing plan to enhance the research capabilities in all colleges. “It’s very important for our doctoral program to be exposed to research ideas, how others are doing research, what kinds of research are in the limelight, in terms of being in the agenda, of people doing research, how and where our knowledge generation is moving toward in this point of our lives,” Firat said.

PARTNERSHIP continued from page 3 Chavez, who will serve as the program director. Rodriguez said the university wants to increase the numbers of students enrolling at UTPA. In addition, Hidalgo High’s unique students have proven their abilities by consistently scoring well on standardized tests, encouraging the creation of this project. According to Rodriguez, students will not have to pay any fee to receive credits. In other words, the first two years of college will be free. “This program is a dream come true, it will help a lot of kids to get through college, and will save them almost three years of college and also money,” she said. By getting students ahead, Rodriguez hopes that the Hidalgo Early College High School program will also boost UTPA’s graduation rates. The program will be funded for four years by a $1.4 million grant from the Texas High School Project through the Communities Foundation of Texas, with a huge assist from high-tech friends. The Texas High School Project has been funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and recently supplemented by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. “After the first four years that the foundation will cover, the school district will be paying to support it,” Ana Maria Rodriguez said. Many in the community are happy with the new program, such as Luis Angel Rodriguez, father of a student at Hidalgo High School.

“I am glad about this program. It will benefit thousands of families, like mine, to give a better education to our kids,” he said. The program will start next fall, with credits covering history, algebra, biology and English. In order for students to receive these credits, UTPA professors will be visiting the high school, students will be brought to the university, and in other cases the high school teachers will have to get their master’s so they will be able to teach. Hopes are that the program will encourage many Hidalgo teachers to further their education and be more prepared. Students at Hidalgo High are excited. Valeria Garza, a junior, hopes the new program will expose her to higher education. “For me, this will be a taste of what I am going to see in college, and also it will give me the experience to find out that the university is not something to be afraid of,” Garza said. “Going to college is something possible to everyone that wants to work for it.” Among the many benefits, Rodriguez says the greatest of all will be the money saved on future financial burdens. “It definitely will help my family, and I am sure I am not the only one who thinks this is a great idea,” he said. “If our kids will be getting 60 college credits, it means that we will be saving at least two years of money in the university.”

POLITICS continued from page 3 Madrazo Pintod (Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI)), Felipe Calderon Hinojosa (Partido Accion Nacional (PAN)), and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (Partido de la Revolucion Democratica (PRD)), will be presenting during the forum. Gary Mounce, a UTPA professor of political science, will be the moderator, together with Argelia Arreola, vice president of the Political Science Association (PSA). Both will be asking questions and conducting the debate. Representatives from the different parties have been invited to the forum, but at the moment only PRI has confirmed the presence of Maria Fernanda Salazar and Luis Ernesto Ruiz Duarte. In addition, three students will also be pitching their support for the three parties. Raul Cervantes, senior communication major, will represent PRD, Alfredo Conde, junior political science major, for

PAN and Juan Carlos Triana, a freshman finance major, for PRI. The event is a collaborative effort by the Department of External Affairs, the department of political science and the dean of students. According to Mounce this will be a unique experience, as such an event is possible only every six years at election time, and offers a very good opportunity for Valley residents to better understand the situation in Mexico. Mounce said the event will help present different viewpoints for Valley residents to consider. “The PRD is ahead with some points right now, but the main concern is what is going to happen in the case that this party wins,” Mounce said. “What if Lopez Obrador does not want to have the same relationship with the U.S as the PAN and PRI do? This will change totally the situation of both countries.”

March 16, 2006

CUTS continued from page 3 which provides services to low-income children ages 3-5 in the areas of education, health, mental health, dental health, social services and nutrition. According to Edmundo Garcia, assistant Head Start director, the Department of Health and Human Services at the federal level has appropriated 1 percent less funding for the Head Start Bureau. There are currently 3,570 children receiving Head Start services in Hidalgo County. The program manages 44 sites with 196 classrooms and close to 800 employees. According to Garcia, many changes will be made to adjust to the new budget if it passes. “First, we do our best not to reduce services, that is to say reduce hours of operations, lay off personnel or stop providing transportation,” he said. In addition, the budget committee has decided

to freeze all hiring of personnel other than classroom staff to make certain that essential services can be provided. Even though the cuts are pending, GEAR UP has not lost hope in getting back the help that may be taken away. According to Garcia, the programs have local politicians on their side. “We have two very strong advocates for Head Start in Congress at this time, Congressmen Ruben Hinojosa and Lloyd Doggett,” said Garcia. Watson Scott Swail, an administrator at the Educational Policy Institute, said many programs were affected by President Bush’s decision to cut funds. However, he said the biggest hits were aimed at programs such as Upward Bound, GEAR UP, and other programs designed to help low-income and other disadvantaged youth prepare, aspire and go to college.

PROFESSOR continued from page 3 ogy department. His specialty was algology, the study of algae. Even though he moved and retired in 1995, faculty and staff in the College of Science and Engineering Department still remember him for holding his department chair title there so long. “I only knew him casually, but I remember meeting him when I began working here in the early ‘70s,” said Edwin LeMaster, dean for the College of Science and Engineering. “He was already chair of the biology department.” Frank Judd, who met Sides when he began teaching at UTPA and was a close friend of his, remembers him as “a nice, kind man. There’s not

much to say besides that,” said the biology professor emeritus. He believes that Sides, who served as biology department chair for 23 years, did his job well. While the cause of his death is still not known, Judd and LeMaster noted that the professor suffered from heart and respiratory problems. Gloria Gilpatrick, senior secretary for the College of Science and Engineering who also knew him when he served for the school, believes “he seemed like he was very dedicated to his students, and it really shows that this was his true passion.” Sides’ funeral took place on March 13 at Heritage Funeral Home in Brady, Texas, where the professor had resided since retirement.

March 16, 2006

SPORTS

Page 13

Bronc baseball maintains confidence on road By JORGE HINOJOSA The Pan American Nearing the halfway point for the season, The University of Texas-Pan American Bronc baseball team aspires to reach the .500 mark for games won. With a 11-13 record the Broncs have been on the brink of accomplishing that goal all season. At home their record stands at 6-4 versus a 5-9 record when playing away. For the Broncs, the next eight games are scheduled away. UTPA won’t play at home again until April 4 against the UTSA Roadrunners. Against Dallas Baptist University (DBU) the Broncs maintained another 2-1 margin in the series, only this time coming out on the losing end. The first game ended close with Dallas on top 5-3. In the second game against Dallas the Broncs had a remarkable performance winning the game 21-9. It marked the most runs scored since a 26-run display in a 2001 win against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi The Broncs quickly got on the board against DBU, scoring two runs in the first inning and then scoring consecutively for the next five innings. In the third inning Patrick Brooks hit a towering home run, giving him three for the season. He leads the team in RBI in 2006. In the fourth inning the Broncs were leading 6-4 but ensured their lead with 10 more runs, which included five hits, two walks and three hit batters. After adding three more runs in he fifth and two more in the sixth the Bronc lead was a favorable 16-4. Louie Alamia had a great night at the plate going 5 for 6 with two runs scored and

four RBIs. Alamia had one double and two triples allowing him to tie the record for most triples in one game for UTPA history. He had been struggling lately, but has pushed his average from .250 to well over .300 in his senior season. Leighton Autrey, one of the team’s hottest hitters all season, went 4 for 5 at the plate driving in four runs and scoring three. He also had two doubles. Hitting 2 for 3, Blake Whittlesey had the most runs scored in the game with four. Dane Mason got the “W” by pitching seven total innings improving his record to 3-2. The senior walked no one, striking out six batters, and allowed 6 runs, three of which were earned. In the last game against Dallas Baptist the Broncs were unable to obtain the victory. Zach Smith had a productive day, getting on base five times, going 3 for 3 with two walks. Whittlesley went 3 for 5. Junior pitcher Chad Linder received his first loss of the season, lasting only two innings after giving up eight earned runs on six hits. The Broncs then faced Prairie View A&M in a doubleheader on Tuesday, winning one and losing one. In the first game the Broncs shut out Prairie View 7-0. Lefty Pitcher Ricky Ibarz improved his record to 2-3 and earned 10 strikeouts, giving him 52 total strikeouts for the season, tops in the country. Kelly Casares threw the final two innings for the Broncs, striking out three Panther hitters. Osiel Flores, the UT-Brownsville grad who is among the team leaders in several offensive categories, hit his first home run of the season to give the Broncs a 20 lead. Abraham Garcia and Autrey hit back-toback doubles increasing the lead to three. Flores,

Brooks, and Lyndon Bartosh all hit RBI singles in the fifth. Garcia ended the game 3 for 4 with two doubles and two runs scored. Alamia got on base on all five at-bats, going 2 for 2 with one walk. He was also beaned twice. In the second game of the doubleheader the Broncs were unable to take the win. They came close to taking the lead in the sixth, tying the score when Garcia hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Autrey. However, the Broncs’ Tim Haines of Mission, who has been the most consistent hurler, gave up the winning run against the Panthers with a walk. The Broncs and Panthers ended the series yesterday with a 5-4 victory in a game that went 13-innings.

FOR THE RECORD UTPA SPORTS Baseball Mar. 17 Mar. 18 Mar. 19 Mar. 21 Mar. 22 Mar. 25 Mar. 26 Mar. 31 Apr. 1 Apr. 4

Upcoming schedule Arkansas-Little Rock Arkansas-Little Rock (DH) Arkansas-Little Rock Texas State University Texas State University Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Oregon State Oregon State (DH) UT-San Antonio

Home games in bold. (DH) denotes double-header

Golf Men’s upcoming schedule Mar. 17-18 Bearkat Classic Mar. 20-21 Crown Classic Mar. 27-28 Oregon Duck Invitational Apr. 29-30 Independent Championships May. 5-7 National Minority Championships Women’s upcoming schedule Mar. 20-21 UTSA Rowdy Round-up Apr. 3-4 Texas State Bobcat Invitational Apr. 29-30 Indie Women’s Championships May. 5-7 National Minority Championships

Tennis

Onydia Garza/The Pan American ROUND ROBIN - T.J. Gilmer and Louie Alamia round the bases against Sam Houston State at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium.

Mar. 18 Mar. 25 Mar. 25 Mar. 26

Upcoming schedule UT-San Antonio Texas A&M University of Houston Prairie View A&M

Women’s only competition in italics. Men’s only compeition in bold.

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SPORTS

Page 14

March 16, 2006

Alemania 2006: cada vez mas cerca Por FERNANDO MARTINEZ PECHS The Pan American La décimo séptima copa del mundo de fútbol Alemania 2006 se jugara este verano a partir del 9 de Junio y albergara 32 países en doce ciudades sede. Las doce ciudades en donde se realizaran los encuentros serán Hamburgo, Hanover, Berlin, Gelsenkirchen, Leipzig, Colonia, Frankfurt, Kaiserlautern, Nuremberg, Stuttgart y Munich. Esta será la segunda copa del mundo que Alemania realiza, la primera fue en 1974 y Alemania el país anfitrión alcanzo la gloria al coronarse campeón del mundo ganándole por 2-1 a la legendaria naranja mecánica de Holanda. Se estima que para esta junta veraniega mas de 40 millones de aficionados al rededor del mundo estarán pendientes al frente de sus televisores de los resultados de sus países y equipos favoritos. También se espera que al rededor de 2.8 millones de aficionados viajen a Alemania para presenciar los cotejos del torneo. A solamente 84 días del comienzo del mundial, Alemania se dice lista para la emoción y la intensidad del torneo deportivo más popular del mundo y que despierta más expectación. En la historia de los mundiales, son solo siete los países que han podido levantar victoriosamente la copa de la FIFA. Brasil ha sido el máximo ganador de los mundiales con cinco copas obtenidas (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, y 2002), le sigue Alemania e Italia con tres respectivamente, después Argentina y Uruguay con dos cada uno, y finalmente Inglaterra y Francia con una. Durante los años, hemos podido ser testigos de las grandes actuaciones de los mas importantes futbolistas del mundo en los mundiales. Jugadores como Edson Arantes do Nacimento “Pele”, Franz

Beckenbauer, Johan Cryuff, Romario do Sousa, Gary Lineker, Alfredo di Stefano, Eusebio, Gerd Muller, Ferenc Puskas, Zinedine Zidane y Diego Armando Maradona nos han maravillado las pupilas y nos han dejado anonadados con las jugadas electrizantes que realizaban. Se espera que para la copa mundial de Alemania 2006 nuevos valores tomen el mando y dejen marcada la jerarquía que les representara en un futuro. Jugadores como Robinho, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, y Wayne Rooney son muy jóvenes para tener la gran responsabilidad de ponerse a toda una nación en sus hombros, pero talvez lo logren, salgan victoriosos y graben sus nombres eternamente en los libros de la historia del fútbol. Para el mundial de Alemania 2006, la selección mexicana de fútbol viene de una muy facil eliminatoria en donde salio primera de grupo junto a los Estados Unidos con 22 puntos en el hexagonal final de la CONCACAF. Durante la eliminatoria la verde gano 15 partidos de 18 jugados, metió 67 goles y solo recibió 10. Jared Borgetti que actualmente juega en el Bolton Wanderers de Inglaterra, fue el mayor goleador de la eliminatoria con 14 tantos. Se espera que al igual que Borgetti, jugadores como Guillermo Franco (Villareal ESP), Francisco Fonseca (Cruz Azul), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (América), y Antonio Naelson (Toluca), puedan destacar en el mundial para que la selección mexicana pueda salir adelante. La selección mexicana de fútbol estará participando en el grupo D de la copa del mundo, y se estará enfrentado ante Portugal, Irán, y Angola. Esta es la primera ocasión que México es cabeza de serie en un grupo del mundial y es favorito junto con Portugal para clasificarse a la segunda ronda del torneo. El tri estará jugando en contra de Irán el 11 de Junio en Nuremberg, el 16 de Junio enfrentara a

Angola en Hanover, y finalmente el 21 de Junio a Portugal en Gelsenkirchen. El equipo de Estados Unidos estará competiendo en el grupo E, y se estará enfrentando a la poderosa Italia, a Republica Checa, y a Ghana. El director técnico de los Estados Unidos Bruce Arena, espera que jugadores como Brian McBride, Landon Donovan, y Freddy Adu puedan demostrar un buen nivel para poder clasificar a la segunda ronda en este grupo complicado. El primer cotejo del equipo de las barras y las estrellas será el día 12 de Junio en contra de la Republica Checa en Gelsenkirchen, el 17 de Junio en frente de Italia en Kaiserlautern, y el último el día 22 de Junio en Nurember en contra de su similar de Ghana. Gran parte de los estudiantes de la Universidad de Texas-Pan Americana ya están ansiosos por el comienzo del mundial de Alemania. Estudiantes

caminan por los corredores y pasillos hablando de las posibilidades de sus equipos en el torneo. Se discute también sobre la lista definitiva de Ricardo Antonio Lavolpe, y acerca del posible no llamado del número 10 Cuauhtemoc Blanco. Otros estudiantes cuentan de sus planes de viajar al mundial y de presenciar los partidos de sus selecciones favoritas. Jorge Hurtado un estudiante de ingeniería comento acerca de su próximo viaje a Alemania y de la posibilidad de ir a apoyar a México en el Verano. “Me siento muy emocionado de poder viajar a Alemania, y presenciar los partidos del tri. Siempre tenemos que estar con nuestra seleccion y apoyarla hasta el ultimo momento,” Hurtado remarco. “Aparte de ver los partidos de Mexico, estoy muy feliz por haberme sacado una beca para una practica laboral en ingenieria electrica y vivire en Alemania por un año.”

Laura Gomez / The Pan American

March Madness under way, tournament draws controversy By RODERICK DORSEY The Pan American March Madness officially started on Tuesday night, with Monmouth securing an impressive 71-49 victory over Mid-Eastern Conference champion Hampton. The match was a play-in game for the rights to the 16th seed in the Minnesota region of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Monmouth now has a date with the top-seed Villanova Wildcats on Friday afternoon. This year’s men’s tourney has been discussed by many in the media as controversial due to some of the selection committee’s choices for at-large bid teams. When CBS aired its “Road to the Final Four Selection Sunday” show last weekend, CBS analysts Billy Packer and Jim Nantz criticized the committee for leaving out schools such as Cincinnati and Missouri State for what they considered less worthy teams like Air Force and Utah State. Cincinnati (18-12), who lost in the first round of the Big East Tournament to Syracuse on a last-second three-point shot by Orangemen shooting guard Gerry McNamara, had a Rating Percentage Index (RPI) of 40, in addition to the fifth-strongest schedule in the country. Cincinnati defeated then 18th-ranked West Virginia,

Marquette and LSU. All three of these teams are in the NCAA tournament. Missouri State (20-8) finished the season with an RPI of 21, the lowest in NCAA basketball history by a team making the tournament. In contrast, Air Force (22-6) finished with a strong record, but played in the anemic Mountain West Conference. This was evident when considering the Falcon’s RPI of 50 and Strength Of Schedule rank of 158. Utah State had a slightly better RPI rank of 46, but a weak SOS of 102. Neither team (Utah State and Air Force) won its conference tournament title, but were both granted spots in the postseason classic. There were other teams that didn’t make the roster, and they felt they had a strong argument to present to the committee, including Maryland (18-12, RPI: 49, SOS: 14), Michigan (18-10, RPI: 47, SOS: 37) and Hofstra (24-6, RPI: 30, SOS: 129). When asked about the possible injustice shown toward teams left out of this year’s tournament, Mark Ramos, a University of Texas-Pan American student and football coach at Edinburg High School, disagreed. “I believe the committee did the best job possible under the extreme circumstances of trying to put together a competitive basketball tournament,” said Ramos. “There’s no reason to

criticize those guys. They worked hard.” Mark Burson, a student recruiter at UTPA and selfproclaimed bracketologist, had a different perspective on the selection committee’s pairings. “What is the selection committee trying to do when they select teams? Are they selecting the teams with the best records or the teams with the best RPI and strength of schedule?” Burson asked. “They seem to make it clear with the media in what their criteria are when selecting teams, but somehow the best teams still get left out. Their selections should reflect their standards.” There was also the fact that some teams were seeded higher than expected, while other teams were given lower positions in the bracket, translating into a tougher road to the Final Four. The Tennessee Volunteers received a two seed despite being eliminated early in the Southeast Conference Tournament. However, the Gonzaga Bulldogs, the West Coast Conference champions, received a three seed. Then there is the George Washington Colonials, who finished the season with a 26-2 record, best in the nation. Minus their stellar postman Pops Mensah-Bonsu, the Colonials lost in the second round of the Atlantic-10 Conference Tournament to the Temple Owls.

The loss convinced the selection committee that the number six team in the polls deserved an eight seed in the tournament, pointing them toward a potential second-round showdown with the nation’s top team, the Duke Blue Devils. “The conference tournament for a team ranked number six in the country is not supposed to reflect the outcome of their seeding their way,” says Burson. He believes that the Colonials were seeded way too low despite losing to Temple in their conference tourney. Despite the perceived snubs, there will be familiar schools in this year’s tournament. Among those frequent invites to the big dance is three-time NCAA basketball champion Duke, the number-one seed in the Atlanta region and overall number one seed in the tournament. The other number-one teams in each bracket of the tournament include Memphis (Oakland region), Villanova (Minnesota region), and Connecticut (Washington, D.C. region), the early-favorite to win it all. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament will begin its coverage on CBS Thursday morning at 11. The women play their tournament starting Sunday, with Duke, LSU, North Carolina, and Ohio State as the top-seeded teams in each bracket.

SPORTS

March 16, 2006

Page 15

Golf resumes, looks forward after shaky start By RACHEL REIDA The Pan American It’s been a long break, but they’re about to start again. The University of Texas-Pan American men's and women's golf teams are back in action this weekend and early next week. Almost a month since their first tournament of the spring season, both teams are set to go, with the men competing at the Bearkat Classic hosted by Sam Houston State University, and the women at the UTSA Rowdy Round-Up. Both teams are coming off a somewhat disappointing first tournament and are hoping that taking the month to work on some things has helped. MEN’S The Bronc golf team has worked through some transitions this year with a new coach, and has been working on getting some people to step up. With the first tournament of the spring season under their belts, they hope to improve weekly. “We are close to putting something good all together since the first tournament,” said head coach Andrew Tredway. “At the UTSA tournament the guys were nervous, which is a position that I have

never seen them in, and nervous is good in golf.” Since then, the Broncs have had a lot of practice time on some pretty tough courses in the Rio Grande Valley. “A couple of the guys have been playing our courses well,” said Tredway. “We are improving and hopefully we can have a good next few tournaments.” A ‘few tournaments’ is putting it mildly, for what the Broncs have in store for them. They have been working on preparing themselves for a grueling three tournaments in two weeks. “We've got a big test coming up for the guys with playing three tournaments in only two weeks,” exclaimed Tredway, “which could be good or bad. If you start off playing well its good to have a lot of tournaments, but if you don’t then it is a bad thing.” With the big test coming up, the Broncs will be backboned by the play of Kyle Tudi. “Kyle played well at UTSA,” remarked Tredway. “Probably the best I've seen him play. He's close to putting something good together.” There is a lot of golf to be played in the next few weeks, the Broncs will be looking to accomplish many feats. “We have a lot of golf to play, which will be

Tennis heads to UTSA By DEVIN REED The Pan American The University of Texas-Pan American men’s and women’s tennis programs will travel to San Antonio, on Saturday for a match-up against The University of Texas-San Antonio. This will be a non-conference match-up for the Lady Broncs, but a conference match for the men. Each team will hit the court against the Roadrunners, a Southland Conference foe. On the women’s side of the net, the Lady Broncs are coming off a 6-1 victory over Laredo Community College Saturday at the Orville Cox Tennis Center. Senior Elysia Sloan and promising newcomer Marine de Bourqueney were both double victors against the Palominos as they each won their singles contests and doubles contest. Sloan and de Bourqueney are doubles teammates. “Elysia has been playing very well lately, and Marine has been playing injured, but she has played well, especially against Laredo when she came from behind in the first set,” said head coach Robert Hubbard. The team of Silke Buksik and Nicole Garcia also picked up a victory against LCC while Sheila Mabulac and Jessica Nanez each came up victorious in singles action. “Silke and Nicole have been doing very well at number-one doubles, and they just work well together,” Hubbard said. “That’s a change I made right at the beginning of the semester because they were playing with different partners in the fall, but I didn’t like the combinations. When things weren’t working, I just started adjusting and Nicole and Silke happened to work out well. Sheila and Jessica have each been playing well.” After dropping seven of their first eight matches, the Lady Broncs (4-7) have started to pick things up. They have won their last three matches.

“It really started against Southeastern Louisiana, who is one of the top 65 teams in the country, and I spoke to them before the match about playing hard and playing with their whole heart whether they are winning or getting beaten pretty bad,” recalled Hubbard, the first-year coach. “Even though, we lost I felt good about what they had done because they played hard, and I think that was a turning point in our season.” The men’s team will be facing the Roadrunners for the second time this season. The two teams met on March 4 in Corpus Christi for the H.E.B. Collegiate Team Championships where UTSA came away with a 4-0 victory. The Broncs’ last match was a loss to Laredo Community College, the reigning NJCAA Division I national champions. The Palominos handed UTPA a 61 setback at the Orville Cox Tennis Center. So far this season Oliver Steil has been the Broncs’ top performer with an even 3-3 record while playing in the number two singles position. Steil lost his last match against Henry Estrella of LCC, 6-3 and 7-6, while playing sick. “Oliver has been playing really solid this season, despite his last outing where he was ill in his match,” said Hubbard. With an 0-8 overall record, including 0-4 in Southland Conference play, the Broncs are looking to bounce back with some victories before Southland Conference Tournament action begins in late April. “We’ve been working on our doubles, and we recently had a change in our doubles combinations,” stated Hubbard. “We’ve been working on getting the doubles point in matches. We should have had the doubles point against Laredo but it got away from us. Other than that, we just have to continue to work hard and get the most we can out of each player.” The women’s teams begin play at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The men will follow at 2 p.m.

very tiring,” stated Tredway. “And it will be interesting to see how the guys will react. They are starting to realize that one or two more of them need to step up in order for us to win.” WOMEN’S The Lady Broncs come off a very disappointing finish at the Islander Spring Classic held in Corpus Christi. “The first tournament was horrible,” proclaimed head coach Barb Odale. “Upon reflection, and not making any excuses, but the three seniors just don't play well in cold weather. Having the good weather here always is an advantage.” The Lady Broncs have also had almost a month to prepare for the upcoming tournament and to make some improvements. “The girls have not so much made changes as they have finally realized that they just need to go out and play, play, and play some more,” said Odale. “Everyone is swinging well, now it is just a matter of us playing golf and forgetting the mechanics. They tend to get caught up in their score rather than just concentrating on their play.” Odale has set some goals and expectations about the Lady Broncs in the upcoming tournament.

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“I expect us to win,” said Odale. “I am getting tired of losing to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi! Our competition for this tournament will be Corpus Christi, Texas State and Lamar.” Senior Nikki Boychuk will be looking to help the Lady Broncs to do that, and the senior leader came away with the best score at The Islander. “Nikki has prepared herself well for this upcoming tournament,” stated Odale, “and for that reason she will be playing the number-one spot for us. She is coming to understand that she needs to just play instead of going back to the basics.” With the results of the first tournament lingering in their minds, the Lady Broncs are looking to win the next one and get rid of any bad memories. “We played horrible in Corpus,” said Odale, “And it surprised me just how horrible it was. The team that played at Corpus was not the team that I am accustomed to. When you talk about golf, it isn't about who swings the best, it is about who gets the ball in the hole in the least amount of swings. The slate is clean, these are fresh tournaments coming up and we need to not think about the past, but look forward. If we do that then we can play well and win.”

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Davenport released after two seasons

By DARYL GONZALES The Pan American The University of Texas-Pan American Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced on Tuesday that men’s head basketball coach Robert Davenport’s contract would not be renewed for the upcoming 2006-07 season. The decision was made based on the team’s competitiveness over the last two years,” said athletics director Scott Street Tuesday. “And we found the program was falling short of what we wanted it to be at in order to compete at its full potential come next season when the Broncs compete in the United Basketball Conference.” The Broncs failed to be competitive during the 2005-06 season, as they finished 7-24. It was the second-worst finish by a Bronc squad in program history. In beating a mere three Division I programs this season, the Broncs finished 330th out of 334 NCAA Division I intuitions in the RPI rankings. Davenport’s career at UTPA extended seven seasons, five as an assistant under former Bronc head coach Bob Hoffman, now an assistant at Oklahoma. In Davenport’s short two years as head coach of the Broncs, he has led the team to a combined 19-40 record. His team went 3-16 in the two-year span against other Independent institutions, and was 11-40 against all Division I institutions. “I believe at this point we needed to have new

leadership in the program, and we’re starting with that today,” Street added. This move by the UTPA Athletic Department leaves the team’s future in the hands of a committee that will select Davenport’s successor. Street said that the UTPA Athletic Department had come to an agreement with an organization called ChampSearch to assist in bringing together a list of candidates for the vacant position. Street said that even though UTPA competes as an Independent, he feels that the area and the institution’s Division I status should attract a good number of names. ChampSearch will assist UTPA with an extensive candidate search to fill the position immediately. The group specializes in providing universities and professional franchises with premiere athletic director and coaching candidates for placement in college and professional vacancies. “Well, I think that we want to leave that wide open,” Street said when asked about what preferences their looking for. “We want to find the best applicants for our position, they can come from any different level of athletic competition.” Next season the Broncs will be competing in the United Basketball Conference, a league that will feature New Jersey Institute and familiar foes such as Indiana Purdue-Fort Wayne, South Dakota State, North Dakota State and Utah Valley State. This season, Utah Valley State defeated the Broncs twice and went on to a 13-12 overall record on the season,

and will present the Broncs with some good competition for the new coach to tackle. “Next season we are moving into the United Basketball League, and I think that will be a positive. However at this point, when you look at what other schools are doing in similar situations, they are much more competitive on a national level and against Independents than we are at this point,” Street added. The next Bronc head coach will need to move quickly to outdistance the program’s trouble. Street said that they would work alongside the new coach when he’s hired. “We plan to sit down with the new coach when he’s selected to determine a plan that will make us competitive in a really short time,” said Street, who added that the program has no ill will toward the departing coach. And the former leader, whose team this year had just one returning veteran and a bunch of untested newcomes, also seemed to take the firing in stride “I’m very appreciative of my time here. For the past seven years this has been a home to me, and I’m very appreciative of the support that I have received from the community,” Davenport said. “I appreciate all that the university has done for me, and wish them nothing but the best. “Most importantly. I’m very appreciative of my coaching staff as well as our team, and I know that good things are on the horizon for all of them,” Davenport added.

Joel de la Rosa / The Pan American OVER AND OUT - Robert Davenport’s contract will not be renewed following a noncompetetive season.

Fanatics anxiously await World Cup in Germany By FERNANDO MARTINEZ PECHS The Pan American The 2006 FIFA World Cup will be played this summer in Germany, beginning June 9 and showcasing 32 countries. The 12 cities where the competition will gather are Hamburg, Hanover, Berlin, Gelsenkirchen, Leipzig, Cologne, Frankfurt, Kaiserlautern, Nuremberg, Stuttgart and Munich, for the second German cup. The first was in 1974.. It is estimated that more than 40 million fanatics around the globe will sit in front of their television sets to support their teams. It is also expected that about 2.8 million fans will flock to Germany to watch the 64 matches. Germany is nearly ready to hold the competition. Stadiums are ready to open the doors. In the history of The World Cup, only seven nations have been able to win one. Brazil is the country with the most victories, five (in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002), while Germany and Italy share three titles each. Argentina and Uruguay each have two, and finally England and France have each won once. The greatest players in the world’s most popular sport have played in the competition Many of us have had the privilege to witness

several of the greatest players of all time. Players such as Edson Arantes do Nacimento “Pele”, Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cryuff, Romario da Sousa, Gary lineker, Alfredo di Stefano, Eusebio, Gerd Muller, Ferenc Puskas, Zinedine Zidane, and Diego Armando Maradona have amazed spectators with their electrifying plays. It is expected that for Germany 2006 many new talents will demonstrate their skill and make a name for their nation in future competitions. Robinho, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney are young stars who will have an enormous responsibility in Germany. The Mexican national team qualified first to the FIFA world cup together with the United States sharing 22 points each. During the qualifier games Mexico won 15 of 18 games, scoring an impressive 67 goals in the 18 matches and only allowing 10. Jared Borgetti, who currently plays for Bolton Wanderers in the Premier League, was the top scorer of the qualifier round with 14 goals. It is expected that players like Guillermo Franco (Villareal ESP), Francisco Fonseca (Cruz Azul), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (America) and Antonio Naelson (Toluca) will give Mexico good play. The Mexican national team will be part of group D, facing Portugal, Iran and Angola in the first round. Mexico and Portugal are the favorites to qualify in this

group. Mexico will start the competition facing Iran on June 11 in Nuremberg. The second match will be on June 16 in Hanover against Angola. Then finally the team takes on a dominant Portugal team on June 21. The U.S. team will join group E, a difficult group where Italy, Czech Republic and Ghana will participate. Coach Bruce Arena will need players like Brian McBride, Landon Donovan and young Freddy Adu to keep up their fantastic level shown in 2005. The U.S. begins competition June 12 against the Czechs. The last match for the stars and stripes will be against Ghana June 22. Many students and faculty from The University of Texas-Pan American are excited about this summer’s competition. Students walk through halls and classrooms talking about their teams’ possibilities. Others talk about their plans as they will travel to Germany to be part of history. Jorge Hurtado, an engineering student, commented about his trip to Germany this coming summer to support Mexico. “I am really excited about going to Germany this summer and support Mexico. We have to support Mexico always,” Hurtado said. “Another reason I am going to Germany is because I obtained an internship in electrical engineering. I’ll be living in Germany for a year.”