Littleton joins elite group of Bronc athletes
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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 23, 2006
Gupta makes ‘House Call’
Mexican journalists under fire
Medical correspondent speaks at UTPA By LUKE KOONG The Pan American How would you like to have one of People magazine’s sexiest men alive operating on your brain? While it may sound like part of a script from “Grey’s Anatomy” or “ER,” The University of Texas-Pan American welcomed one of 2003’s sexiest men and host of “House Call,” Dr. Sanjay Gupta, as the second speaker in the Spring 2006 Distinguished Speakers Series Monday night. Gupta, a practicing neurosurgeon and medical correspondent for CNN, has helped to pioneer a new form of journalism. He has traveled to worn-torn Iraq, seen the devastation from Hurricane Katrina and witnessed the plight of the poor affected by the tsunami tragedy. While others might be looking for award-winning stories, Gupta searches for the ones that matter.
IN HARM’S WAY In 2003, while on assignment covering bio-terrorism, Gupta met and joined up with the “Devil Docs,” a Navy medical unit serving in Iraq, as an embedded journalist. Gupta was fascinated by the doctors’ service to the soldiers. “It was a balance between risking their own lives and saving others. They wanted to put themselves right behind the frontlines and in times of great conflict, obviously subjecting themselves to considerable danger,” Gupta said, “the idea being that if you take care of these soldiers as they get injured, you have a much higher likelihood of saving their lives.” Gupta said his experiences in Iraq were powerful. He witnessed some of the most gruesome injuries and saw individuals killed right before his eyes. During his time at Camp Viper, a surprise attack was launched on the base. Following the direction of other
See GUPTA page 11
By CAROLINA SANCHEZ The Pan American
Franco Caballero/The Pan American BRAINS - Practicing neurosurgeon and CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta addresses an audience in the Student Union Theater on Monday. Gupta is the second speaker in the Spring 2006 Distinguished Speakers Series.
United States Border Patrol agents swarmed The University of Texas-Pan American campus Tuesday afternoon, but not for a security matter. They came to celebrate “Women Builders of Communities and Dreams,” a
presentation in honor of Women’s History Month. Held in the University Ballroom, the presentation was aimed at highlighting the prestigious positions women hold in the workforce today, according to Sonia Olivarez, program coordinator for the Office of Student Life and Transition Services.
Since March 2004, at least 12 journalists in Mexico have been killed, and several others have been detained on charges of libel. Each case had one thing in common: all dealt with organized crime and people in high power. Mexican journalists have been targeted recently for revealing information pertaining to criminals. While the job of a journalist is to inform the audience, why would they risk their lives for their job? Petra Guerra, a professor who teaches media law and ethics at The University of Texas-Pan American, said it is because of their professional responsibilities. “The duty of the press is to inform what is going on to the public,” said Guerra, adding that journalists normally look to the government for safety. “The constitution in both countries, Mexico and the U.S., protects the media…,” she said. “Journalists have freedom of the press.” That protection is not nearly
See JOURNALISTS page 11
Working women take center stage By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American
see Page 15
WORKING WOMAN Lynne M. Underdown, chief Border Patrol agent for the Valley, speaks at “Women Builders of Communities and Dreams.”
“We want the audience to gain awareness that those jobs are out there,” Olivarez said. “There is an availability of those jobs for women.” Lynne M. Underdown, chief Border Patrol agent for the Rio Grande Valley sector, was one of the speakers. Notably, she brought about 30 of her colleagues
See WOMEN page 11
Sandra Gonzalez/The Pan American
Levees proposal sinks in House of Reps.
CONCERNED - U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett talks to constituents about funds for hurricane levees during during a September 2005 meeting at McAllen City Hall.
By JAVIER CAVAZOS The Pan American
Joel de la Rosa/The Pan American
In response to last year’s devastating hurricanes, Katrina and Rita, federal, state and local governments have been looking to see what can be done now to prevent similar tragedies. Particularly germane to the issue of prevention has
been levees, which collapsed in and around New Orleans during Katrina. However, the U.S. House of Representatives recently ignored a request from U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett for $7.8 million in funding to help fix the old and dilapidated levees in his Valley district. “New Orleans is not the only place
where tens of thousands of Americans stand in peril from flooding and drowning because of defective levees,” said Doggett in a March 15 speech to Congress. U.S. Representative Ruben Hinojosa, Texas State Bank CEO Glen Roney, International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) chair Carlos
See LEVEES page 11