March 23, 2006 by UTRGV Student Media

Littleton joins elite group of Bronc athletes

AMERICAN

THE

PAN

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

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March 23 2006

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Deep thoughts from the shallow waters of America

PAN AMERICAN (956) 381-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122 http://www.panam.edu/dept/panamerican 55th Year – No. 23

Editor Claudette Gonzalez claudetteelena @gmail.com News Editor Sandra Gonzalez sandra_panamerican @yahoo.com A & E Editor Meredith LaGrone meredith_lagrone @hotmail.com Sports Editor 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.

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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 There is a growing number of people, many considered highly credible, who have joined the chorus demanding a new, truly independent investigation into the official 9-11 story. This is completely understandable. Even though we had to suffer through the irrelevant and disgustingly transparent grandstanding of senators on the 9-11 commission and even though if you ask anybody within a two square mile block of a coffeeshop they will tell you Bush lied and people died, apparently we still need to get to the bottom of what exactly happened and which Americans are to blame, if not all of us.

Adding even more credibility to this “new” clamor for the unvarnished truth is veteran actor and eminent political sage Charlie Sheen. You may remember Sheen from such groundbreaking films as “Hot Shots,” “Hot Shots Part Deux” and “Terminal Velocity” and from such distinguished awards as the “Heidi Fleiss Customer of the Year” award. This brings up an interesting question. If the Academy Awards had terrible ratings, if less and less people are buying movie tickets and if Charlie Sheen calls Bush Hitler in the woods and nobody is around to sell him drugs, does anybody care? I figure since Bush’s malapropisms are all the rage, why not give a few examples of other verbal forays into stupidity by glitterati. Here they are in no particular order of vacuousness. “Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean I'd

Based On A True Story:

love to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and death and stuff.” – Mariah Carey. “We're going to turn this team around 360 degrees.” – Jason Kidd, upon his drafting to the Dallas Mavericks. "Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life." – Brooke Shields, during an interview to become spokesperson for a federal anti-smoking campaign. “I would not live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever, which is why I would not live forever.” – Miss Alabama in the 1994 Miss USA contest. “Yassir Arafat has been a great force for peace in the world.” – Jesse Jackson. “You bet we might have.” – Sen. John Kerry, when asked if he would have gone to war against Saddam Hussein if he refused to disarm.

Freshmen always need a bit more time

“There is certainly more in the future now than back in 1964.” – Roger Daltrey. “You can hardly tell where the computer models finish and the real dinosaurs begin” – Laura Dern, about the special effects in the movie Jurassic Park. “Acting is easier and smoother than singing - it's less drama.” – Beyonce Knowles. “Those who survived the San Francisco earthquake said, ‘Thank God, I'm still alive.’ But, of course, those who died, their lives will never be the same again.” – Sen. Barbara Boxer. “I think that the film Clueless was very deep. I think it was deep in the way that it was very light. I think lightness has to come from a very deep place if it's true lightness.” – Alicia Silverstone, actress Please send all charges of bias because of a lack of Dan Quayle quotes to davideric@gmail.com.

by Laura C. Gomez

NEWS

Mayoral candidates . . . . . . . . . . 4

Puppy boutique. . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Soda’s link to obesity . . . . . . . . 5

Faculty voice approval of administrators By LUKE KOONG The Pan American Mid-term grades are being handed out for students, and administrators at The University of TexasPan American are receiving their own set as well. The evaluation of administrators is conducted every three years by the Faculty Senate. Ala Qubbaj, chair of the senate, said administrators being evaluated should use the feedback to improve their work and methodology. “The evaluations ought to be viewed in a positive, constructive manner and used as a tool for improvement,” he said. “I am glad that the evalua-

tions have been received by the higher administration in that positive context.” Carol Rausch, assistant to the president, voiced a similar opinion. “I think conscientious administrators that want to improve are always open to suggestions on how to improve,” Rausch said. “It’s always important to them.” The most recent evaluations took place in Spring 2003. This time around, UTPA President Blandina Cardenas and the six deans will be evaluated. Normally, the provost would be evaluated as well, but Rodolfo Arevalo, the former provost and vice president for academic affairs is leaving UTPA

for the president’s post at Eastern Washington University as of March 31. This year, the evaluations were conducted March 1-14. Full-time faculty members were allowed to take the anonymous online survey that included a scaled response section as well as a comment section. Any comments made have not been released publicly and have been delivered to the appropriate administrator through Qubbaj. Meanwhile, the tabulated data has been announced to the Faculty Senate and the rest of the faculty. Faculty evaluations are one of the only tools administrators have to receive constructive input

See EVALUATIONS page 12

Overall

satisfaction ratings on

Pres. Cardenas’ performance

Insufficient Information Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree

Disagree

Agree

Prof. Rocha Holocaust survivor speaks on experience appointed German-born Epstein visits UTPA for Women’s History Month provost, VP at Metro State

By MARIA ALEJANDRA MAZARIEGOS The Pan American

Holocaust survivor Hedy Epstein, 81, has never been the type of person to let wrong deeds go unnoticed. “Over the years there were certain things I felt were unfair that people would do or in some cases not do, and get punished,” remembers Epstein. Even today, 66 years after she was first separated by her family during World War II, she remembers never folding on her convictions from a very young age. “I found ways to punish them (her parents). One day, I was probably 4 or 5 years old, I did not wish to continue walking and so I sat down in the middle of the street, refusing to go on,” said Epstein, “I did not know yet, at that time, of Mahatma Ghandi's

principle of non-violent resistance.” Now, Epstein is bringing her convictions to The University of Texas-Pan American by giving a talk on her experiences during the Holocaust in commemoration of Women’s History Month. Epstein is set to present “Surviving the Holocaust” tonight at 6 in the Student Union Theater and “Unfolding the Nuremburg Medical Trail” tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. in the University Ballroom. Epstein says that while she knows women’s history is an important subject, she is not completely satisfied with using that term. “I would feel more comfortable if the term were ‘women’s her-story,’” said Epstein. “It has been customary to emphasize the achievement of men, neglecting the role and achievement of women, at best, in the background, or not mentioned at all.”

Epstein was born in Freiburg, Germany, just eight years before Adolph Hitler took control. Since those days of living in children’s camps and receiv-

See HOLOCAUST page 12

By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American

“Since it was a teenage girl, people barely even knew about it. People tend to shrug these things off a lot, and that’s why it happens so often.” In an effort to bring the issue of teenage dating abuse into light, Mujeres Unidas/Women Together is teaming up with The University of Texas-Pan American’s Department of Rehabilitation’s End Violence Against Women with Disabilities program. The two are hosting “Young and in Love: Teen Dating Violence in Our Communities,” a videoconference focused on providing teen dating abuse information for students, professional counselors and adults who may encounter a teenager suffering from an abusive relationship. Cuellar will be a chief speaker at the event, which takes place Friday from 9:30 a.m.-1:30. She believes that holding this event should alert people

While The University of Texas-Pan American is still on a search for a permanent provost and vice president for academic affairs to replace Rodolfo Arevalo, Metropolitan State College has found Rocha its man. Rodolfo Rocha, a professor of history at UTPA, was recently appointed to the position and said he was thrilled upon hearing the news from Metro State president Stephen Jordan. Ever since he saw the advertisement for the position, Rocha said it looked like an interesting challenge to face. “In the advertisement, they were looking for a provost who would go there and help to guide the institution into a new direction with a new leadership theme,” said Rocha, who served as dean of the College of Arts and Humanities from 1999-2005. As part of his new position, which he starts on June 1, Rocha will oversee the college’s three schools and its Academic Advisement Center, Faculty Resources Center, and Sponsored and Extended Programs. Rocha said he is entering the position with several goals. “[I’m] hoping to develop a very strong middle class in Denver. I want to move the college in a direction that will take it to being the foremost college in Colorado,” he said. Rocha added that Metro State graduates a

See CONFERENCE page 12

See ROCHA page 12

www.hedyepstein.com IDENTITY - Hedy Epstein carried around this ID card to identify herself during the time of Nazi Germany. She was eight at the time.

Videoconference to address dating abuse Warning signs of teen dating abuse Isolation Emotional changes Constant contact with boyfriend Jealousy issues Boyfriend's background unstable She's making excuses Source: http://www.acadv.org/dating.html

By ANA LEY The Pan American In December 2003, Brenda Monjares, then 16, was shot in the face with a shotgun by her 13-yearold boyfriend, Jairo Garza, in her Alto Bonito home. The couple was living with Monjares’ parents after the girl told her mother she was pregnant. The case spurred much controversy over who was to blame for Monjares’ death, and her mother eventually received criticism for not foreseeing the situation and ignoring the abuse her daughter was allegedly subjected to. “If this had been a married, middle-aged woman shot by her husband, the news would have been all over the place,” said Diana Cuellar, a sexual assault response team coordinator and prevention educator for Mujeres Unidas/Women Together.

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Former Edinburg mayor seeks return

Joe Ochoa

By JAVIER CAVAZOS The Pan American When Joe Ochoa first entered college he was a math major and had never considered a career in pharmacy. “In high school I did really well in math so that’s what I thought I should major in. After talking to my friend, and seeing the connection between math and pharmacy I decided to switch my major to pre-pharmacy,” said Ochoa, running for the mayoral post of Edinburg he held for a decade in the 1990s. In 1975, after transferring from The University of Texas-Pan American to The University of Texas-Austin, Ochoa received his bachelors of science in pharmacy and moved back to the Rio Grande Valley to work. After working at different pharmacies for a few years he married his wife, Lydia, in 1979, and two years later he opened his first pharmacy in Edinburg. The couple has three children, Carlos, 23 and Omar, 21 who both attend UT-Austin, and daughter Alexandra, 18, a freshman at UTPA. Ochoa, who now owns several businesses in Edinburg, is running against incumbent Richard Garcia, who defeated him in 2003. Although he lost the race three years ago, he is confident of his chances and sure that it is time for a change in city government. “Edinburg needs a mayor again,” said Ochoa. Ochoa points to several city projects proposed or started under Garcia’s tenure that have yet to be

completed, and to his own previous record of public service from 1993 through 2003 as reason for changes to be made on election day, May 13. Edinburg was named an AllAmerican City two times during Ochoa’s first tenure and overcame sagging economic figures. “When I first became mayor in Ochoa 1993 I started a grassroots volunteer program that set goals for improving Edinburg over the next five, 10 and 20 years,” said Ochoa. He mentioned that as far as revenues go, some of the projects currently being pursued may not be the best choices for the city. “The improvement of city hall is something we had the people vote on when I was mayor and they voted against it. A new city hall is not going to improve the quality of life of Edinburg citizens and won’t bring in any revenues,” Ochoa said. He would like to re-establish the grassroots involvement he brought to the community. He cited McAllen as an example of a city that has lowered property taxes because it increased sales tax revenues. “Edinburg needs real representation in city government. I’m ready to get the community more involved and I offer proven leadership ability,” Ochoa said.

March 23, 2006

Edinburg mayor seeks re-election

Richard Garcia

By JAVIER CAVAZOS The Pan American When Edinburg Mayor Richard Garcia was a young boy, he had big dreams. “Ever since I was eight or nine I knew I wanted to be a lawyer.” said Garcia. He became Garcia interested in politics while practicing law, and will be seeking re-election in May as his three-year term comes to an end. Garcia was born and raised in Edinburg and is a University of Texas-Pan American alumni. He attended law school at Texas Southern University, graduated in December 1973, has practiced law for 32 years and is a partner in the Law Offices of Garcia, Quintanilla, and Palacios. Garcia has celebrated 38 years of marriage with his wife Peggy and the couple has two daughters, Gina Garcia and Katherine G. Perez. They also have a grandson, Richard Javier Perez. Garcia also has a brother, Robert Garcia, and his sister, Dahlia Guerra, is a professor in the music department at UTPA. Garcia has held a variety of public offices and has been appointed to different committees. His desire to help his community enticed him to run for public office. “After practicing law for a few years I decided

to enter the political arena because it has always been an interest,” Garcia said. “And my being a lawyer was good preparation for holding public office.” The first elected position Garcia held was Edinburg municipal judge and since then he has held a variety of positions, both elected and appointed. He has served as a state judge, interim Hidalgo County judge, and director of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation (EEDC). Currently, he is chairman of the Texas Border Infrastructure Coalition and was recently asked back for a second term. A protector of the environment, Garcia plans on increasing green space in the city by restoring and expanding current public parks and possibly even acquiring the Ebony Hills Golf Course, whose 50-year lease is scheduled to run out in five to six years. “Around city hall they call me the ‘tree hugger,’ since I’m big on the environment and making sure our parks are well maintained,” said Garcia. He added that the city has plans for upgrading the existing water treatment plant and city hall. According to Garcia, the time for planning has passed, and it is time to maintain. “Instead of wondering what the future has to hold we (city hall) have accepted that the future is already here and we need to work together to ensure Edinburg maintains its growth and development,” Garcia said.

Dating differences could be due to nature By MARIA ALEJANDRA MAZARIEGOS The Pan American Most people have heard the phrase, “Men are from Mars, women are from Venus,” and have probably related to it at least at one point during their search for love and a lasting relationship. But a recent poll conducted by the Kansas City Star stated that out of 600 people, 54 percent of women and only 46 percent of men were looking for a lasting relationship. It seems like when men and women are

together, they are still in two worlds. They have different views and play the love game with different rules. In fact, the poll also found that 8 percent of men said their dating goal is simply sex, while only 1 percent of women said the same. Men and women interact and interpret the world differently, so conflicts and misunderstandings can and often do take place. A man and a woman may walk away from a conversation having two totally different perspectives on how the talk went and what the message was. Diana Salinas, a junior business major at The

Men and women weigh in on dating life A poll commissioned by The Kansas City Star asked 600 singles between the ages of 20 and 34 their thoughts on dating. Here are some of their responses, broken down by gender, in percentages:

ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH YOUR DATING LIFE? SATISFIED Men 63% Women 55% UNSATISFIED Men 37% Women 45%

WHAT IS YOUR DATING GOAL? Long-term committed relationship: Men 46% Women 54% To meet new people: Men 25% Women 19% To fall in love: Men 17% Women 23% To have sex: Men 8% Women 1% Other: Men 4% Women 3%

University of Texas-Pan American, has been with her boyfriend for over three years and says he still doesn’t completely understand her. “For an anniversary he bought me some weirdlooking flowers that we had seen at a shop about a week before,” Salinas said. “All I had said to him was, ‘Wow those are some odd flowers.’ Why he bought them for me, this was his reason: ‘I thought you wanted them but didn’t want to say you liked them or wanted them.” To better understand why couples often feel that their partner does not understand them, it is necessary to take a look at some communication differences between the sexes. When men talk they typically do so in order to give information, while women generally talk to gain information or to further build the relationship with the person they are speaking with. “When talking, men tend to convey facts rather then details and women include more details and feelings during conversation,” said Dorina Casares, a counselor at Norma Linda Trevino Elementary School. The male and female differences can be explained biologically as well. Women have larger connections and more frequent interaction between their brain’s left and right hemispheres. Men have greater hemisphere separation, which is why they do well in abstract reasoning and visual-spatial intelligence. Learning the standard

differences between the sexes can help the malefemale relationship. Danny Castillon, a Digital 101.5 on-air personality, understands many of those differences. He often receives calls from men and women who tell stories about people who have wronged them. Castillon says through his experience he has concluded that double meanings are not very common in men. When a man says something, he generally means it. “I hate it when women try to find a double meaning to what I say,” Castillon said. “If I say she looks tired that is what it means - she looks tired, not that she looks ugly, just tired.” Women tend to replay information over and over in their heads, and often rely on their intuition rather than on facts. “I think that a man and a woman won’t be able to connect unless they find some middle ground in which to communicate,” said Carlos Martinez, a senior biology major. According to counselor Alfred V. Crixell of Alfred V. Crixell Counseling Services in McAllen, relationships are all difficult, but male-female relationships are even more tricky than others. “All relationships require us to choose what we want from a particular relationship and how much we are willing to invest to make sure that we get what we want from the relationship,” Crixell said.

March 23, 2006

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Americans shy away from unhealthy living Soda sales down for first time in 20 years By ADRIANA GARZA The Pan American Julian Fuentes, a sophomore psychology major, has replaced sodas in his diet with healthier beverages such as water and Powerade. He gave up soft drinks for Lent and believes that it is a good way to start getting healthy. “Soda does have a lot of caffeine,” Fuentes said. “Your body needs water, not just Coke, because then later on your health would be affected. If you have a parent that has diabetes then it will catch up to you later on.” Fuentes is not alone in his belief. According to a recently released data survey by Beverage Digest, the number of cases of soda sold in the United States is down for the first time in 20 years. In 2005, 10.2 billion cases of soda were sold, down 0.7 percent from the previous year. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, soft drinks are the biggest source of calories in America’s diet. In fact, it

says that one in every five calories in the American diet comes from liquid. In addition, carbonated and noncarbonated drinks are the source of 13 percent of the calories teens consume. “At 500 extra calories a day, you can end up gaining about a pound a week because all you need is 3,500 [extra] calories to equal one pound,” said Patricia Lopez, of Zepol Dietary Consults in Edinburg. Even soda’s heavy-hitters, Coca-Cola Classic and original Pepsi, suffered losses of 2 percent and 3.2 percent respectively. Esperanza Briones, a dietetics professor at The University of Texas-Pan American, said that with soda only providing calories from sugar and no nutrients, there is no question as to what is responsible for America’s obesity epidemic. “It has been estimated that the risk of obesity increases by 60 percent with each daily sugary drink consumed by overweight children,” Briones said. “Increases in soft drink consumption may play some role in the obesity epidemic, but lack of exercise also plays a role.” According to Lopez, caffeine can also be harmful to the body, causing lumps in the breasts, hyperactivity and even depression. Some soft drinks are starting to incorporate vitamin C, but most sodas are just empty calories. “Especially if people have diabetes and they’re drinking a soda pop, that can really cause problems for their blood sugars,” Lopez said. “It can cause complications with

diabetics, such as blindness, amputation of the legs, kidney failure, cerebral problems, and causing obesity.” Lopez added that those who consume too much soda can end up having circulation problems, heart problems, high blood pressure or kidney failure. With the consequences of overconsumption so bad, some have suggested placing a Surgeon General’s warning on the labels. GOT WATER? It’s widely known that experts recommend drinking at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. While nothing about that fact has changed, one thing has: people are actually listening. According to a recent AOL news item, bottled water now outsells soft drinks. Experts are saying this is a step in the right direction. “Water is crucial to your health,” Briones said. “It makes up, on average, 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water.” Lopez added that though any liquid is better than none, people too often pass on water for more appealing drinks. “Sometimes people don’t drink any water,” Lopez said. “They’re drinking other things instead and completely skipping the water. If you’re thirsty you should drink water.” The human body is made up of about 55 to 75 percent water, which it needs to replenish itself. Lungs, for instance, use

about two to four cups of water each day for normal breathing. Sweating not produced by exercise can cause you to lose two cups of water. “You do not need to drink water all day to satisfy fluid needs,” Briones said. “Your diet, including beverages, can provide a large portion of what you need.” Briones said that food provides about 20 percent of total water intake in an average adult diet. The remaining 80 percent comes from beverages of all kinds. “We need to drink eight glasses of water each day,” Deborah Garcia, a sophomore marketing major said. “It doesn’t matter if the water [price] goes up or not, you still have to drink it. So that we don’t dehydrate while it’s hot, we still need to drink water, especially since it’s getting hotter now. We need to drink more water than anything.”

Sasha’s Paws caters to pure breeds By TREY SERNA The Pan American Needing the company and comfort of other living beings is a necessity for any human. We sometimes find this company in what is known as “man’s best friend.” Dogs become such an important part of one’s life that some go to extremes to keep them happy. One local company that assists in giving your pup top treatment is Sasha’s Paws. The business, located in McAllen at 5000 N. 23rd St. Suite K, has been open to the public for roughly 10 months. Before getting excited and deciding to take your pet for a visit, call to make sure your pet will be welcome. The business is only open for dogs — and specific ones at that. “We only accept pure breeds, upscale, toy dogs,” owner Aisha King said. “The pup has to be approved by me personally.” According to King, since she was eight years old she’s had a passion for puppies. She has brought her love for dogs and class to the Valley in the form of this doggie boutique. She breeds Yorkshire Terriers and guarantees that they’re exquisite. King assures customers that the puppies are handled by her personally, so they can get used to human touch and affection. Each pup comes with a health guarantee and is given a physical exam by a

licensed veterinarian. The business features a spa, where dogs can be pampered from head to toe. A boutique is also available where one can purchase outfits and other accessories exclusively for puppies. In case there’s a need for a pet-sitter, a hotel is offered as well. There’s also a Party Palace where one can have a

birthday celebration with the company of a little friend. Sasha’s Paws offers one-of-a -kind service and features. Though there are many places to take your dog for grooming, some still feel services like this are a nice option. “I’d still go check it out,” said Sara-Patricia

Sara-Patricia Montoya GROOMED - Chanel LaPoo, a miniature poodle, is just one of many dogs adapting to a life of luxury. Sasha’s Paws in McAllen aims at meeting the many needs of its pure-bred, four-legged clients.

Montoya, a junior English major. “I spend about $40 biweekly getting my poodle groomed; plus I pay extra for nail polish, treats, accessories and clothes.” Businesses such as King’s allow owners to give their pride-and-joy puppies five-star quality treatment, and some dog owners simply feel their dogs deserve it. “My miniature poodle, Chanel LaPoo, has dresses, sweaters, T-shirts, jackets, beds, toys, different collars with matching leashes and so much more. Sure, she’d be okay without all these things, but it makes me happy to spoil her,” Montoya said. “She’s a happy poodle and anyone that meets her agrees.” Others believe in giving dogs their necessities but are against the extra spoiling. “I feel sorry for a Yorkie in a dress. To begin with, by nature, they don’t have clothes,” Raul Rodriguez, a Harlingen resident and dog owner, said. “I imagine it would feel awkward carrying around a foreign object on your back all day.” The only important judge of your dog is yourself, so if spoiling your puppy makes you happy, Sasha’s Paws will be more than happy to serve you. Find out more about Sasha’s Paws by visiting http://www.sashaspaws.com.

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March 23, 2006

A&E

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Take Action Tour. . . . . . . 8 & 9 TEIN

Cine El Rey comedy. . . . . . . .10 Cow Hear This! 3. . . . . . . . .10

Spring band performance approaches

By FRANK CALVILLO The Pan American The University of Texas-Pan American’s band performs their annual spring concert at the Fine Arts Auditorium at 7:30 pm. Headed by Dean R. Canty, the concert will feature more than a dozen pieces, each differing in one way or another. The UTPA band, which holds a yearly winter and spring concert, has been in preparation for the show since early January. With a list of musical tastes that vary from Sousa marches to major orchestral works, the UTPA band hopes to showcase their ongoing talents. Sophomore Elizabeth de los Rios, who is performing at the concert, said she spent many hours of training leading up to the show. “We’ve been practicing for two and a half months, every day during class time from an hour to an hour and a half and also on Sundays and Mondays for at least two hours each day,” said the music major. De los Rios, who plays saxophone in the band, hopes the audience will be able to recognize the amount of work that was

Joel de la Rosa/The Pan American THE BEAT GOES ON - Jason Pace, freshman percussion performance major, practices his tympani part for the UTPA concert band’s upcoming spring concert. The band has been working hard the past two months preparing for the event.

put into the concert. “I really want them to be impressed with us and experience the different kinds of music that are out there, not just what they’re used to,” she said. “It’s going to be

long and we don’t want them to be bored, so we are going to have to keep them excited by making them feel what we are playing.” Canty, who was unavailable for com-

ment, is the one responsible for putting the concert together. A graduate of Texas Western College, North Texas State University and The University of Texas at Austin, Canty,

whose main instrument is the trumpet, began performing seasonally with the El Paso Symphony when he was a student. Eventually, he went on to perform with some big name musicians such as Bob Hope, Julio Iglesias and Jerry Lewis. Canty began conveying his knowledge of music to UTPA students in 1967 and, as associate professor, currently teaches symphonic band, jazz ensemble and trumpet. Canty also finds time to perform professionally with his own Dean Canty Orchestra. Music Department Chair Dahlia Guerra speaks highly of Canty and his vast musical history. “It’s like a basketball team that has their coach. He is an expert in the area and also quite popular in South Texas,” she said. Guerra also said the spring band concert is one of the most significant events for the department. “The concerts are chances for our students to put what they’ve been learning on display for their fellow students as well as the community,” she said.

Aguilar Family set to perform at Dodge Arena By CLARALEXIS RIOS The Pan American Pepe Aguilar and The Aguilar Family Farewell Tour will kick off at 8 p.m. at the Dodge Arena. This tour will pay homage to the life and career of one of Mexico’s great show biz families. It also marks the final appearances of Pepe Aguilar’s parents, actor/singer Don Antonio Aguilar and his wife actress/singer Flor Silvestre. Antonio Aguilar is a popular Mexican singer and actor from a small town in Zacatecas called Tayahua. He began his acting career during the Golden Era of Mexican Cinema. During a stint in Puerto Rico, he sang at rodeos and concerts. Pepe Aguilar was born Jose Aguilar in 1968 in San Antonio. He also lived in Puerto Rico for a few years after his father was not selling any more albums or being cast in films in Mexico. In 1973, he made his first singing debut in front of a

Madison Square Garden crowd in New York. At first, he was scared, but eventually, he got over his stage fright and performed with his father during some concerts. He is currently with Sony music and has released his most recent album, No soy de nadie (“I Don’t Belong to Anyone”). Luz Martin, a modern languages and literature assistant professor at The University of Texas-Pan American, enjoys Pepe Aguilar, both as a person and as a performer. “I think he is a good singer and a good family man,” she said. “I like his music because he incorporates two of the genres that I love, which are mariachi and ranchero.” This show will feature Pepe Aguilar’s brother, Antonio Aguilar Jr., performing with his family. They will perform with Mariachi El Zacatecano, Banda Sinaloense and a pop band, complete with backup vocalists. In addition, the show will

include a rodeo complete with bronco and bull riders, cowboys, comedians, clowns, trick ropers, a charro exhibition and the Aguilar family’s worldfamous dancing horses. Yajaira Flores, director of marketing and sales at Dodge Arena, said that this event is for everyone. “The age demographics are so spread out,” she said. “Don Antonio Aguilar and Flor Silvestre attract the older audience and Pepe Aguilar attracts people ages 18-40. His music is made up of different genres of music such as pop and ranchero. There are still tickets left but we are close to selling out and it is going very well.” Flores also said this event is not a typical concert. “This event is more like a huge show than a concert because it offers a variety of events that everyone could enjoy,” she said. For more information about the Aguilar family, visit www.dodgearena.com.

www.dodgearena.com FAREWELL - The Aguilar family is scheduled to perform at Dodge Arena tonight. The Family is marking the exit of their mother and father, Flor Silvestre and Don Antonio Aguilar, from the group.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

March 23 , 2006

March 23, 2006

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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The Take Action Tour is a tour like no other. To some, it means going out and watching well known punk/rock bands put on a hardcore show, but there’s a deeper meaning and cause. According to its official Web site, since 2001 its purpose has been to team up with the National Hopeline Network and 1-800-SUICIDE and, through fan petitioning and fundraising, raise awareness on suicide and mental health challenges leading to suicide. Awareness was spreading while all the Spring Breakers were out March 17 enjoying the music scene at the much anticipated show in McAllen at La Villa Real Special Events Center. Parking was relatively easy to find and entrance into the venue took less than five minutes. People were socializing around the snack bar area and others lined up around the merchandise tables to buy T-shirts, stickers, CDs and other items from their favorite bands. However, the crowd was surprisingly small, especially for the big-name bands playing at the show. One of the tour’s main sponsors was Hot Topic, which was fitting, since most of the pre-teens and teens were dressed like they had just jumped out of a Hot Topic catalog. Many had their favorite band T-shirts on with Vans and Converse shoes stepping everywhere. The “emo” guys had their hair in their faces and were wearing tighter pants than most of the girls. While it was obvious some were there for the “fashion show,” others eagerly awaited the music. Matchbook Romance was the headlining band with special guests Silverstein, The Early November, Amber Pacific and Man Alive. The first band to perform was Man Alive. They’re a punk/rock band from Jerusalem, Israel who have built a strong fan base in parts of Japan and Europe and now have their eyes set on Canada and the United States. Their melody, a rock-driven sound, caught the attention of many as they boosted up the adrenaline of the crowd and set the stage for a good show. Second to play was Amber Pacific. They had a bigger following and it was evident as the crowd sang along and screamed. They played “Gone

Story & Photos By: Trey Serna

So Young,” a song about suicide, followed by “Poetically Pathetic,” “Save Me From Me,” and more from their 2005 album “The Possibility And The Promise.” The lead singer’s enthusiasm and energy made their performance enjoyable to watch and listen. The meaning of the tour was kept alive throughout the show between songs, as musicians reminded the audience about the underlying point of the tour. After they were done performing, the band hung out at the merchandise table, talking to fans, signing autographs and taking pictures. The Early November took the stage next and mixed it up a bit with a few old favorites like “Baby Blue” and some newer material such as “Decoration.” The intensity of the show seemed to decline somewhat from Amber Pacific’s performance. Nonetheless, hardcore Early November fans enjoyed the set. The crowd’s screams intensified every time the singer asked if fans were having a good time, and they got louder when they were asked if they couldn’t wait for Silverstein and Matchbook Romance to hit the stage. The anxiousness could be felt through the air for the next band, and some were caught by surprise when Silverstein took the stage and stole the entire show. The crowd went absolutely crazy, jumping up and down, forming mosh pits and crowd surfing. The band played the fan favorites “Giving Up,” “Discovering The Waterfront” and “Your Sword Vs. My Dagger.” The only obstacle standing in Silverstein’s way was a defective speaker on the audience’s left-hand side that kept going out and coming back on. Despite the minor setback, the band put on a great show, and fans had a blast. Silverstein’s set was extended a few minutes because Matchbook Romance was late for unknown reasons. The sweat-dripping crowd didn’t seem to mind, though, and kept on rocking. The band even

managed to throw in a cover from Lifetime, an older ‘90s punk rock band. There was about a 45-minute wait after Silverstein left the stage before Matchbook Romance got on. The crowd slowly got smaller, and then Matchbook Romance finally got on stage. The audience was pleased to see the band but naturally seemed tired and worn out after Silverstein’s mind blowing performance. Matchbook played their popular songs such as “My Eyes Burn” and “Promise,” but the crowd’s energy had dropped considerably, and no one seemed to be getting too enthused. A trickle of excitement could be felt and heard whenever the band performed songs from their 2003 album “Stories And Alibis,” but their set consisted of many new songs from their latest album “Voices.” Fans didn’t seem to know the lyrics yet, so everyone just stood in a tiresome daze and listened. Major stage presence was absent from the band. It was almost as if they were playing just for the sake of playing so they could get off stage. Talk among fans was also spreading, and the word was that many were disappointed with Matchbook Romance’s live performance. Big crowds of people started leaving before the band even finished their set. The overall feel of the concert was good, but it seemed something was lacking. However, it was refreshing to see bigger bands heading down to the Valley. Next time Silverstein goes out on tour, they should consider coming back as a headlining act. The most important part of the tour was, of course, spreading the message of suicide prevention. The event seemed to pull that off by drawing fans from near and far and integrating the important message with entertainment. For more information on the Take Action Tour, visit www.takeactiontour.com

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

March 23 , 2006

March 23, 2006

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Story & Photos By: Trey Serna

A & E

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March 23, 2006

A serving of ‘Risas Refritas’ Comedy night at Cine El Rey promises laughs By GUILLERMO CORONA The Pan American After Spring Break, most folks have to get back into the old routine of going to class, which can be a hassle. Maybe students feel cheated that Spring Break came too soon and ended too quickly, leaving them without the option of hanging out with friends from other schools. There are also the professors who wait until after the vacation to give out the midterm. It’s just an endless sea of complaints and woes for the students of The University of Texas-Pan American. But wait, there’s a light at the end of this tunnel which leads to Cine El Rey. The people there are giving us another break—a comedic one. March 31 is the date slated for Cine El Rey to host its third Risas Refritas Comedy Night, which has featured comic acts such as Cleto Rodriguez and Patrick Candelaria in the past. “The Risas Refritats series deals with Latino themes,” said El Rey’s owner Luis Munoz, 51, of Austin. This month’s lineup includes Jorge Jimenez of El Paso and Cesar Cervantes of Boston, with an opening act by Carlos Maestas of San Antonio. “I’m just a comedian that talks about his life and makes observations,” said Cervantes,

24. “It’s light-hearted with an occasional surprise.” Cervantes, originally from El Paso, has been named “one of the city’s freshest funnymen” in Boston. He was seen a year and a half ago in the TBS reality show, “The Real Gilligan’s Island.” Jimenez deals with similar subjects while entertaining his audience; someday he hopes to break into acting. “I think we’re two young guys who happen to be Hispanic and love performing stand-up,” said Cervantes of Jimenez and himself. While she’d never heard of the comedians before, UTPA sophomore Jeanna Guajardo, 19, thinks that the comedy sounds like something she would enjoy, to relieve the everyday stress that comes with school and work. “Laughing does help to calm the nerves,” she said. “And the price for student tickets isn’t that bad either.” The price for tickets is $15, but students with a valid student ID can purchase them at the box office for $12. Tickets can be purchased online using Paypal at cineelrey.com or at the box office, which is open Monday through Friday from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 3 p.m.-9 p.m. Tickets can be purchased from the box office all day the day of the event. All are welcome, but Munoz warns people

www.cineelrey.com BEANS - Jorge Jimenez and Cesar Cervantes will perform a show at Cine El Rey March 31. The show is comedy laced with Latino themes. The duo used the refried bean can, above left, to symbolize the Mexican-American themes in their act.

that the material used by the comedians is “mature.” He promised to schedule a future family comedy night suitable for parents and children alike.

To read up about the comedians and their act, go to www.cineelrey.com, visit them on Myspace.com, or call Cine El Rey for more information.

Country CD is best of Texas music Compilation contains hits from little- and well-known artists By MEREDITH LAGRONE The Pan American For all who love Texas country music comes a new set of tunes to pop in the CD player on those long drives through Valley traffic. “COW Hear This! 3,” released early this year, contains hits by a variety of artists, ranging from young upstarts like the Eli Young Band to more classic artists like Gary P. Nunn. The subject matter and sound cover a far-reaching area, which is usual in today’s country sound. Some on this album stick to classic Texas swing style. In pure Bob Wills fashion, Aaron Watson and Zona Jones belt out numbers that could have been written by the legend himself. “The right place,” by Watson, is a catchy, upbeat track that explores Texas and the Southwest as the place to be for country music. “House of Negotiable Affections,” by Jones, carries a similar melody but has much different subject mat-

Reporter’s Rating: ★★★★✩

ter. As one would “Wasted,” by Jamie imagine from the Richards, plays on title, the song is words by using the about a “Chicken term as a euphemism Ranch,” if you will. for being drunk and Of course, using it to show how what’s a country much time he wasted compilation CD on the girl who led without the redhim to drink in the headed stranger first place. himself? Willie “Maybe in Nelson makes a Mexico,” sung by cameo a third of Tommy Alverson, has a way through a George Strait feel to the disc, singing, it. Just like the classic “Crazy,” the clascrooner, Alverson sic song he wrote sings about escaping that was popularMichael J. Media from everyday trouized by the late HITS - “Cow Hear This! 3,” combines classic Texas bles with his lady, tunes with modern hits. The CD picked popular new Patsy Cline. using lyrics set artists to complement old favorites like Willie Nelson. As the against a soft melody. David Allen Coe song says, no country song is Also typical for the genre is the song about complete without a reference to drinking, and a tough yet beautiful girl. Number 10 on this this album has a whole song dedicated to it. album. “Buckaroo Tattoo,” by newcomer Brenn

Hill, talks about daddy’s little girl being ready to work in the pasture just like the guys. Of course, her main dedications are to her horse and cowdog, but take it from him, don’t ask to see that buckaroo tattoo. Rounding out the list is Oklahoma group The Great Divide with their “Cowboy Song.” Set to a rock beat, the song is a great answer to Nelson’s current yet strange hit, possibly inspired by recent “Brokeback Mountain” fever, “Cowboys Are Secretly Frequently Fond of Each Other.” In this song, the main character is missing his girl and talking about being a cowboy in the manliest of senses. The album focuses on idealism and individuality that are “quite evident in the Texas and ‘Red Dirt’ music of Oklahoma,” according to the liner notes. Probably the Eli Young Band, singing “Small Town Kid,” for track three, says it best: “I’m a small town kid driven by rock music with some honky tonk in the mix.” The lurics perfectly describe the mmood of the whole album, and who better to assess the current country sound than a current country band?

NEWS

March 23, 2006

GUPTA continued from page 1 soldiers, Gupta and his crew lay flat on the ground to protect themselves from shrapnel. Amid the fire and commotion, Gupta noticed a fellow doctor reach into his pocket and begin writing. “He looks over at me and says, ‘Hey, have you written to your family?’ I said, ‘What does that mean?’ ‘Well everyone writes letters to their families in case you get killed.’” Gupta said. “I felt this incredible pit in my stomach and was like, ‘Oh my God, I haven’t written a letter to my family!’” Gupta cited the encounter as a life-changing event. “There are few occasions in life that recalibrate you,” he said. FIRST PRIORITY While Gupta traveled with the doctors in Iraq, he was asked on five different occasions to take off his “journalistic cap” and put on a surgical cap to aid the wounded. In one such case, Gupta performed an emergency brain surgery to remove a bullet from the head of a soldier. “I was shocked that when I got back, I took criticism from the journalistic community for crossing a journalistic line, which I fully understand and fully appreciate,” he said. “But, at that time, in the spirit of re-calibration, I understood how important being a doctor was.” Gupta added that neither his job as a medical doctor nor his humanity ever end. “I don’t think putting on a press badge is a bar to humanity. You’ve got to take care of people first,” he stressed. The soldier lived and is now rehabilitating. While delivering news and information to the public is a key part of his life, Gupta has chosen to remain true to his first profession. “If I’m at CNN and someone calls me from the hospital, and something big is happening at CNN, there’s no question in my mind. I go to the hospital,” he said. “Everyone at CNN understands that and everyone at the hospital expects that.” HEART AND COMPASSION Even as a journalist who has witnessed so much, Gupta has not been immune to the sights he has reported on. While covering the events after Sept. 11, Gupta recounted how he felt as he saw the New York landscape for the first time after the terror act. “It looked like the city had its two front teeth knocked out,” he recalled.

WOMEN continued from page 1 However, he has also seen the good side within the tragedy. “There was this venting of compassion. People were lining up to donate blood. There were cops and doctors coming in from hospitala all over the country trying to help,” Gupta said. . THE RIGHT THING Gupta stressed the need for responsible reporting. In medical journalism, there is no room for subtlety in delivering information to the public. “From a reporter’s standpoint, the hardest thing with medical news is to give people information without scaring them unnecessarily,” Gupta said. “Sometimes it’s important to just tell the facts and if it scares people then that’s unfortunate, but we did our job.” For Gupta, one of the hardest issues to cover to date has been the bird flu epidemic. It currently affects a small population of the world, but kills nearly half of those infected. He said it is a challenge bringing those issues to a group of individuals on the other side of the world. “We have a duty to not only provide information and knowledge, but to service a public health message as well,” he said. MANY TALENTS Gupta first applied to medical school at the age of 16, and while in college, had his first encounter with journalism, writing on medical issues and policies. As a result, he received a job at The Economist and eventually was tabbed by the White House as a domestic policy adviser in the Clinton administration. He spent 14 years becoming a neurosurgeon. Though he has been out of medical school for many years now, Gupta continues to learn. “Medicine is one of the few careers where I think every single day is treated not only as a practice, but as an educational experience. We are life-long students,” he said. He continues to operate and see patients. While his schedule is busy, he remains realistic about his abilities. He keeps his responsibilities in perspective, including spending time with his wife and 9-month old daughter, and staying physically fit. Gupta is currently in the middle of a nationwide tour, Fit Nation, promoting health and fitness. The tour will travel to eight colleges in eight weeks teaching college students healthy living.

JOURNALISTS continued from page 1 enough in some cases. Against shady entities, journalists in Mexico need more assistance, according to Juan Carlos Flores, a graphic designer for El Manana in Reynosa. “Going out and doing our job is always a risk, mainly on the border,” Flores said. According to Ana Laura Mirafuentes, a copy editor for El Manana, newspapers and the media need more guarantees to be able to do their job with freedom and veracity. She added that freedom of speech is a doubleedged sword. Reporters have to be careful how they use their right to inform. One such case is of Lydia Cacho, a Mexican journalist who accused Kamel Nacif Borge, a powerful Mexican businessman from Puebla, and Jean Succar Kuri, a Lebanese-born businessman, of partaking in the child pornography industry. Shortly after the article was printed, Cacho was arrested and is facing libel charges. While it cannot be proven the two issues are related, many feel this case represents the

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situation Mexican journalists are facing, one in which they cannot write freely. “In this case, she was arrested because the businessman filed charges, and she was found guilty,” Guerra said. “In order to file charges for defamation, the person filing the charges needs to prove that his name was damaged or he lost money.” Several Mexican journalists recently signed a “Declaration against the Violence against Journalists and for the Freedom of Expression of Mexico” in protest of the criminals, politicians and people in power using libel and defamation charges to silence reporters. Approximately 3,000 reporters spanning 27 U.S. states have signed the declaration. Guerra said that the whole idea of this declaration is to preserve the freedom of speech in Mexico. “Every day it seems harder for the journalist to inform. More and more reporters are stepping back to protect their lives and careers,” she concluded.

for support. “We’re here just to represent the women in the Border Patrol and make sure that people know they are here for the community. [We want to] show them that women are the best,” Jose Vicente Rodriguez, public affairs officer for the United States Border Patrol, said. Underdown, a Chicago native, began her career in 1980 as an agent in San Diego, Calif. She said that while many advancements for women have been made, there are some things that people too often forget. “I think it’s great that we use these occasions…to celebrate women whose names are known to us from history books. But we must also remember to celebrate and recognize those whose actions inspired us,” she said. However, inspiration does not just come from women who lived several decades ago, as Underdown illustrated by sharing the story of Border Patrol Agent Juanita Santana. One summer, outside Tucson, Ariz., Santana stopped a vehicle with three suspicious men in it. As she approached the vehicle, they opened fire on her. Her protective vest stopped three rounds. The fourth round hit her in the arm. Driving off speedily, they left her bleeding in the road. “Unfortunately for them, they underestimated her tenacity,” Underdown said. “Like a good Border Patrol Agent, she got up bleeding, got back into the vehicle and chased them down.” She ended the chase soon after, but only after she had arrested the men. A kilogram of cocaine and a large amount of cash were found in the vehicle. In addition, all three had lengthy criminal histories. Underdown said the courage Santana and so many other women in the workforce display is just what the world needs to shape its future. “In years past, leadership did not come easily to many women because it was not a cloak that they wore comfortably…They

avoided appearing as powerful women because many times, women were viewed at as threatening,” she said. “They were taught it was just not feminine to use power in a forthright manner.” Monica Stewart, a presenter who serves on the Mayor’s Advisory Committee for Homeland Security, agreed, saying women are often given labels with power. “As a woman…don’t try and come off as a ‘b’ (bit**). But you will be known as successful if you are one,” she said. “If you are a successful businessman you’re known as being aggressive and successful. But if you are a successful women in the business world, you are known as a ‘b.’ Take it as a compliment.” Olivarez added that the presentation was also designed to urge men to eliminate stigmas related to females. “We also want to bring awareness to men to let them know that there are women out there in these positions and the mindframe has changed from the past,” Olivarez said. The Honorable Dorina Ramos, a U.S. magistrate judge, also spoke at the conference. She said there is one important thing to remember if you want to change or accomplish something. “Do not let anyone or anything intimidate you, or else you will never achieve those dreams,” Ramos said. But sometimes, people need a little help. Jennifer R. Mata, a professor of history at UTPA and coordinator of the women’s studies minor, said at the presentation that she has needed a little encouragement before. “I met a lot of wonderful professors,” Mata said. “They opened up the idea that I could go on to graduate school.” Rodriguez added that the most important thing to remember is that women are equals. “There’s nothing that a man can do that a woman can’t do. In all honesty, these women show that,” Rodriguez said.

LEVEES continued from page 1 Marin, and others have also met to discuss the situation regarding levees in the Rio Grande Valley. Since Doggett’s bid for funds was denied, U.S. Rep. Hinojosa’s office chose not to submit its amendment, which asked for their $10 million request for levee repairs to be added to the 2006 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act. “We saw that Rep. Doggett’s effort was defeated and rather than risk losing an amendment with similar language, we chose to not submit it and work with the Senate before it is sent to committee,” Ciaran Clayton, press secretary for Rep. Hinojosa, said. Clayton added that though Doggett submitted his amendment alone, Rep. Hinojosa will be working with both Texas senators to submit his. With June 1, which marks the beginning of hurricane season, fast approaching, local lawmakers are trying to allocate funds to upgrade South Texas’ current levee system. The current levees in the Valley are around 40 years old and are part of a system including canals and floodways to ensure drainage of the entire Lower Rio Grande watershed. The IBWC is responsible for the management and upkeep of the 500 miles of levees on the border. With many districts throughout the nation reevaluating their infrastructure and preparedness for natural disasters, area lawmakers have been trying to secure funding for their districts’ projects. The availability of these funds is still unknown due to an

already strained federal budget. This strain came after the hurricane disasters when too many lawmakers were asking for levee repair funds, and there was not enough money to go around. One of the biggest concerns during any storm is its effect on South Padre Island, which currently has no levees. Residents are concerned that the government will forget their needs should a storm hit. “I would like to know that we have funds and a plan of action in the event of a disaster. It would be awful if something could have been done and wasn’t because the government was apathetic about our needs,” said David Quintanilla, 48, a South Padre Island homeowner. According to an IBWC map, the drainage system connects the Rio Grande River near Anzalduas Dam to a floodway that flows through the entire Valley to the Gulf of Mexico. The large canal splits between Mercedes and Weslaco to form the Arroyo Colorado which flows east through Harlingen and on to the Gulf. The North Floodway runs toward La Villa and veers east continuing through Cameron and Willacy counties on its path to the Gulf. “A few million in prevention today could save billions in flood relief,” said Doggett before Congress. The bill will be sent to committee in the Senate in the next few weeks where it will be voted on and possibly amended.

NEWS

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EVALUATIONS continued from page 3 and feedback on their performance. They also obtain evaluations from the person they report to. For example, deans are evaluated by the provost, and the provost is evaluated by the president. Faculty evaluations are unique, though, in that they provide a viewpoint from individuals working under each administrator. Qubbaj said that having anonymous feedback will present administrators a true sense of what they need to work on, since the faculty will not have to fear any repercussions. “Keep in mind that written comments by faculty will be confidentially delivered to the corresponding administrator which will also be helpful,” he said.

ROCHA continued from page 3

A few of the key areas each administrator has been evaluated on are communication, shared governance, fairness, effective management, strategic vision/planning, faculty development and commitment to quality instruction. While this year will mark Cardenas’s first evaluation at UTPA, Rausch believes the second-year president is not worried about her results. “Dr. Cardenas has been in very prestigious positions in her career. She’s been evaluated by hundreds of people – congressmen, senators. She’s been evaluated in all of her positions over the years,” Rausch said. “I don’t think she’s nervous about an evaluation.”

Full-time faculty members in each individual college responded to the following statement, among others:

Overall, I am satisfied with my dean’s performance. DEANS

*Denotes Interim Dean

*Dr. Wallace Tucker

Strongly Total Strongly Insufficeint Agree Disagree Disagree Information Responses Agree 31%

33%

19%

11%

27%

23%

12%

38%

24%

41%

15%

32%

48%

24%

12%

31%

51%

11%

47%

41%

12%

Arts & Humanities

Dr. John Emery Business Administration

*Dr. Velma Menchaca Education

*Dr. Bruce Reed Health Sciences & Human Services

Dr. Edwin Lemaster

March 23, 2006

very large number of students of color and he wants to help increase that. In addition, he wants to help it become “the premier urban college in the country.” Metro State has the second-largest undergraduate college enrollment in Colorado with over 22,000 students. Despite the fact he’s entering a new situation, Rocha said he’s not intimidated. As an American Council on Education fellow, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities-Kellogg fellow and a graduate of the Harvard Institute for Leadership, he feels prepared. “All of those prepared me to be a leader in the academy in terms of provost or presidency,” he

said. “And then, of course, the fact that I was dean of a college that had about 7,000 students and 200 faculty.” Rocha said many of the things he will encounter, will not faze him thanks to his experience as dean. “There were issues of retention, student excess, student success. And all those are issues at Metro, so it’s like, ‘been there, done that,’” he said. Though he admits he will miss the students at UTPA, Rocha said he is excited about the change. He got two degrees at UTPA and then a Ph.D. at Texas Tech, and has spent most of his life in the Valley. But the chance to be a high-level administrator was too good to pass up. “I feel prepared and ready to do this,” he said.

HOLOCAUST continued from page 3 ing monthly letters from her parents who were in concentration camps, Epstein has dedicated much of her life to informing other generations of the horrors of the Holocaust. “I will share my experiences during the Nazi Holocaust and about the trial of Nazi doctors, who performed medical experiments on concentration camp inmates, highlighting some of the experiments,” said Epstein. “I will also share my work as a research analyst, searching for the documentary evidence to be used by the prosecution.” Her visit to the campus was arranged by history and philosophy professor Kristine Wirts. Epstein hopes that students walk away from her presentation with a history lesson and some life lessons as well.

“I hope students will learn about the Nazi Holocaust and the lessons to be learned from that, as well as something about personal responsibility,” Epstein said. “We are responsible not only for what we do, but also for what we do not do.” Epstein added that women have taken that responsibility very seriously in past years. She says women are no longer in the background and have made their marks in history and society. “It was a hard lesson for women to learn to be more assertive. Some still have difficulty demanding their rightful day in the sun,” said Epstein. “Those of us who are in the light, must help our sisters to get there.” For more information or special accommodations contact the Multi-Cultural Center at (956) 381-2659.

Science & Engineering

Dr. Van Reidhead Social & Behavior Sciences

Source: Ala Qubbaj

CONFERENCE continued from page 3 about the dynamics of the issue. “A lot of times people say things like ‘they’re just kids,’ or ‘they don’t know any better,’ but we really hope to disprove these myths for any adults that attend,” she explained. “We understand that a lot of students will have class while we give out the information, so while they’re welcome to attend, I really think adults will be the ones responsible for making the issue gain some awareness with this conference.” She believes that in the past, the issue of teen dating abuse has not gotten much attention, and that in recent years, this has slowly changed. She also believes that this form of abuse occurs everywhere equally, and the situation in the Rio Grande Valley is no different from anywhere else in the United States. “Some statistics do show that the abuse is higher by six percent here in the RGV, but it really doesn’t matter who you are or how much money you have or what your culture is, it’s all pretty even across the board,” she said. “It happens just about the same everywhere.” Judith Guetzow, EVAWD coordinator for the project, says the conference will “be helpful in getting some tech assistance out to departments on campus, like professors, directors, counselors….there’s a certain etiquette you follow with things like teen dating abuse, but you also

have to make sure you’re aware of it happening.” She believes it will also allow the university to network with individuals and organizations outside of the campus to get the heart of their message out to everyone. “We can work with other people to inform the public…we’re always trying to hold conferences like this one for that reason,” Guetzow said. Currently in its second year, EVAWD is funded from the United States Department of Justice, one of 22 nationally funded projects. Housed within the UTPA’s Department of Rehabilitation, it has formal partnerships with Valley Association for Independent Living (VAIL) and Family Crisis Center, Inc. Janel Flowers, a senior rehabilitative services major with a concentration in addictions, has worked with Guetzow on the project since early November and is helping coordinate the event on Thursday. “Professors and students need to be aware of what’s going on,” she said. “We’re hoping we can help them look for the early signs of abuse in their relationship. When people realize how common it is, it’s very surprising for them.” While no fee is required, those interested in attending must be registered. Sign-in begins at 9:30 a.m. at the Academic Services Building in room 1.104. For more information, Ami L. Miell, UTPA EVAWD project secretary, at (956) 292-7205.

Joel De la Rosa/ The Pan American ADVICE - Frank Judd, former editor of Texas Journal of Science, speaks to Hector Ochoa and UTPA faculty on how to get their publications into journals. The meeting took place on the third floor conference room in the library Wednesday afternoon.

March 23, 2006

SPORTS

SPORTS CLIPBOARD Lady Broncs place ninth at UTSA Rowdy Round-Up

FOR THE RECORD UTPA SPORTS Baseball Wednesday, Mar. 22 UTPA 5, TEXAS STATE 4 UTPA 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E

UTPA 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 0 - 5 10 1 TSU 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 - 4 8 3

Cortes leads Lady Broncs as top golfer The UTPA women's golf team finished ninth overall with a three-round tally of 980 at the UTSA Rowdy Round-Up on Tuesday at the Buckhorn Golf Course. UTPA senior Daniela Cortes was the Lady Broncs' top finisher as she tied for 12th overall with a three-round score of 233. Stefanie Maynard finished five strokes back of her teammate with a three-round score of 238 while Nikki Boychuk concluded the Rowdy RoundUp with a 54-hole total of 244. Melissa Uriegas finished with a three-round total of 266 while Bronwyn Sandberg ended the tournament with a score of 268 during the 54-hole tournament. The Lady Broncs will be back on the course at the Texas State Bobcat Invitational in San Marcos on April 3-4.

Ibarz Named Independent Pitcher of the Week Bronc hurler honored for performance The University of Texas-Pan American junior Ricky Ibarz earned Independent Pitcher of the Week honors on Tuesday. The Bronc left-hander started two games this past week and worked 14 innings, scattering seven hits without allowing a single run. Ibarz pitched seven innings against Prairie View A&M to earn the win while striking out 10 Panther hitters. Just four days later, he threw seven innings against ArkansasLittle Rock, struck out 10 batters and did not factor in to the decision. Ibarz now has three double-digit strikeout performances in eight starts this season. Ibarz owns a 2-3 record with a 2.91 earned run average in 46.1 innings of work. He leads all Independent pitchers with 62 strikeouts and is averaging over 12 strikeouts per nine innings. The Independent Pitcher of the Week award is voted on by Sports Information Directors at NCAA Division I Independent institutions.

Broncs edge Bobcats for 5-4 victory UTPA makes it two straight wins The University of Texas-Pan American baseball team completed a season sweep of the Texas State Bobcats on Wednesday in San Marcos with a 5-4 come from behind win. Texas State took a 4-0 advantage through five innings. The Broncs finally pushed a run across in the top of the seventh when Louie Alamia smacked a two-out double to left center field, scoring T.J. Gilmer from first. Alamia then advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball as Zach Smith walked. Trailing 4-2 heading into the eighth, UTPA pulled within one when Ruben Shives Jr. scored on a throwing error by the catcher as Leighton Autrey stole second. Autrey advanced to third on the next play as Gilmer dropped a sacrifice bunt, reaching first on a throwing error. He then stole second before Alamia hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Autrey and move Gilmer to third. Gilmer scored on the pitch as Osiel Flores lined a sacrifice fly to right field to give the Broncs a 5-4 lead. Morales struck out the next hitter before closer Tim Haines came in and induced a ground ball to second base. He then retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth with two strikeouts to earn his sixth save of the season and pulled within one of the program record for saves in a career with 12. Alamia hit safely in his sixth straight game and led the Broncs with three hits in four at-bats. The Broncs will play a two-game series against the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders. The first game will be played at Whataburger Field at 2 p.m. on Saturday. UTPA Sports Information

Page 13

BATTING

Gilmer Alamia Flores Smith Brooks Garcia Powers Honeycutt Lozano Buhagiar Autrey Totals

RBI

4 4 4 3 3 3 2 3 3 2 3 34

2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4

0 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 10

0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 2 8

E - Smith (2); Wood (1); Schramm (1); Fiske (1). DP - UTPA 1. LOB - UTPA 14; Texas State 7. 2B - Alamia 2; Smith; Keel; Field. PITCHING

Foster Guerra Morales Haines

5.0 2.0 0.1 1.2

6 1 1 0

4 0 0 0

2 0 0 1

0 4 1 2

19 7 2 5

Win - Guerra (2-4). Loss - Fiske (2-2). Save - Haines (6). Tuesday, Mar. 21 UTPA 4, TEXAS STATE 1 UTPA 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E

UTPA 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 - 4 7 1 TSU 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 7 0 BATTING

Gilmer Alamia

RBI

4 4

0 2

0 3

0 1

1 0

Flores Smith Brooks Garcia Honeycutt Lozano Buhagiar Autrey Totals

2 3 4 2 4 4 3 1 31

1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 4

0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 7

0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 3

2 0 1 1 1 0 3 1 10

E - Honeycutt (1). LOB - UTPA 6; Texas State 5. 2B - Smith (4). SH - Gilmer (3); Smith (1). SB - Cannon (2).

T3. Kyle Tudi 6. Craig Berger T8. Shane Pearce T51. Jeff Hensley 66. Colin Norris

7.0 1.0 1.0

7 0 0

1 0 0

0 0 0

3 2 1

27 3 3

Win - Linder (1-1). Loss - Garza (0-1). Save - Haines (5).

Mar. 25 Mar. 26 Mar. 31 Apr. 1 Apr. 4 Apr. 7 Apr. 1

Upcoming schedule Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Oregon State Oregon State (DH) UT-San Antonio Birmingham-Southern Birmingham-Southern (DH)

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

Golf Men’s Stephen F. Austin Crown Classic Mar. 19-21 T1. Missouri State T1. Oral Roberts 3. UT-Pan American 4. Sam Houston State 5. Southern Illinois 6. McNeese State 7. Stephen F. Austin 8. Nicholls State 9. Texas State 10. UMKC 11. Centenary College

72 73 77 84 90

143 145 148 160 173

Upcoming schedule Mar. 27-28 Oregon Duck Invitational Apr. 29-30 Independent Champs. May. 5-7 National Minority Champs.

Women’s UTSA Rowdy Round-up Mar. 20-21

PITCHING

Linder Casares Haines

71 72 71 74 83

1. Oklahoma City University 2. Lamar University 3. Western New Mexico 4. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 5. Texas State 6. Louisiana-Monroe 7. St. Mary’s 8. Sam Houston State 9. UT-Pan American 10. McLennon CC 11. UT-San Antonio 12. Detroit Mercy 13. Incarnate Word 14. Texas Southern Individual stats: T12. Daniela Cortes 83 T22. Stefanie Maynard 79 T31. Nicole Boychuk 77 59. Melissa Uriegas 91 T60. Bronwyn Sandberg 90 64. Natalie Haime 91

76 80 87 88 91 85

74 79 80 87 87 98

233 238 244 266 268 274

Upcoming schedule Apr. 3-4 Texas State Bobcat Invit. Apr. 29-30 Indie Women’s Champs. May 5-7 National Minority Champs.

Tennis Mar. 25 Mar. 25 Mar. 26

Upcoming schedule Texas A&M University of Houston Prairie View A&M

Women’s only competition in italics.

Individual stats:

Men’s only compeition in bold.

Five Broncs receive post-season accolades By ASHLEY ROBERTS

The Pan American All-Independent honors define accuracy, the quality of nearness to the truth or the true value. On March 16, The University of Texas-Pan American hadfive basketball athletes that were recognized for their accuracy. There were four from the women’s team and one from the men’s team. For the women’s team, Teshay Winfrey, freshman, was named to the AllIndependent newcomer team, and Devin Reed, MaHogany Daniels, and Dominique Montague each earned honorable mention All-Independent honors. For the men’s team, Colin Lien earned honorable mention. Earning the honor caught them all by surprise. Some were shocked and others smiled. To Winfrey the news was a shocker. “When I found out I was on the AllIndependent newcomer team, I was surprised, but yet felt good about it. I thought Robin would get it,” said Winfrey. Garrett, a promising freshman, received UTPA Female Newcomer of the

Year honors. The honor brought a smile to Daniel’s face, because it was her first award as a collegian. Montague and Reed, both seniors, and Lien were all flattered to be recognized with such honors.

Q “The year was

long, hard and rough. It wasn’t fun losing 24 games. Losing that much in basketball is not fun.” - Colin Lien Bronc basketball This year wasn’t the best year for the Broncs as far as wins, as the team combined for 14 total, but players gain something from experiences like this. Each of them agreed that the year did not go as expected. “The year was long, hard and rough. It wasn’t fun losing 24 games. Losing that much in basketball is not

fun,” shared Lien, a center who was among the men’s team’s leading scorers and rebounders. Although the year was not an easy one, each Lady Bronc feels that it was a learning experience. “With the talent we had on the team, I thought we would have had more success,” said Reed, a versatile two-year starter. “To end like we did feels like you didn’t fulfill everything you wanted to do. We, as a team will definitely learn from it.” Although the season may have been a long one, the game of basketball must go on, and the Broncs will be back in action again next year with the help of a handful of honored players. Lien, Daniels and Winfrey will be back again next year as players and Reed and Montague will be assisting them. They plan to practice with the Lady Borncs next year. They know what is expected by the coaching staff and of their competition. Knowledge is always needed on a team. “I feel that greatness is in the numbers. I can be that extra practice player that is needed to make others better,” stated Montague.

SPORTS

Page 14

March 23, 2006

Bronc track team travels to Texas Invitational By DARYL GONZALES The Pan American The University of Texas-Pan American track and field teams have been setting new records left and right this semester. They will have another opportunity to continue that progress as they head north to compete at the Texas Invitational on Saturday. “I think that it’s the type of athletes that we’re bringing in, and their willingness to work hard and get better,” UTPA track and field coach Ricky Vaughn said about his teams’ great performances this semester. At the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and

Field Championships two weeks ago, it was junior Will Littleton who became the second-ever male Indoor All-American at UTPA as he finished eighth overall in the high jump. The Cuero native cleared a height of 7-foot, 2 1/2 on by his fourth jump, which was good enough to set a new school record and personal best by the Bronc high jumper. “We are going to redshirt him for the outdoors season,” Vaughn commented. The only other male athlete in the program’s history to receive All-American honors was Isaac Ybarra, now a coach with the team. “He had one outdoor and two indoor seasons remaining on his eligibility coming in

Joel de la Rosa / The Pan American STEP IN TIME - Freshman Armando Olguin leads the track team in hurdle warmups March 22.

here [UTPA],” Vaughn continued. “Since he is switching to a new school, we wanted him to have a year to adjust to the different environment.” Also having respectable performances at the Border Olympics on March 4, were UTPA senior Westly Keating who led the men's track and field charge as he crossed the finish line first overall in the 1,500-meter race with a time of 3:53.15. The time fell seconds short of the provisional regional mark. “Westly is definitely ready to run well as he will be heading up to run at Stanford next week,” Vaughn added. David Trevino and J.J. Hernandez were third and sixth overall in the 1,500-meter race, respectively, with times of 4:00.50 and 4:06.16,. In the pole vault, it was Sal Gonzales finishing second overall as he cleared 15-0. Bronc hammer thrower Matt Clinton finished fifth with a mark of 151-5. “Sal has been jumping very consistently, but there are just a few little technical things in his jump that are holding him back. I think if he does things a bit different, he can improve his jumps,” Vaughn said. On the women’s side, Wendy Wells made her UTPA track and field debut, turning heads as she accomplished two goals. Vaughn said that Wells is ready to perform well now that she has a meet under her belt. “She has been throwing really well in practice,” he said. “She really did a great job in her first ever meet on a grass run way hitting the provisional regional qualifying mark.” Her throw of 143-8 in the javelin at the Border Olympics set a school record and won the meet, allowing her to reach the provisional mark in the javelin for the 2006 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Regional Championships. The throw passed the 14-year

record of 143-2 that was held by Delilah Johnson in 1992. “I knew all along through the recruiting process what we were getting. I used to tell people that I got a sleeper and that she was going to be a great athlete,” Vaughn said Setting a pair of personal-records that placed her in the top-five in the UTPA record books was Liliana Cavazos, who finished first in the triple jump with a distance of 38-1.50, She also finished second overall in the long jump with an 18-5 1/4 leap that fell fifth on her personal-best list. Putting together a pair of runner-up finishes was Amanda Ferris in the hammer throw and shot put. She finished with a mark of 156-8 in the hammer and set a personal-best throw of 45-1 1/2 in the shot put. Pacing herself to a second place finish in the 1500-meter run was Karla Hernandez with a time of 4:56.60. Teammate Sonya Rivera came in seconds later to earn third-place honors. “Every year she works harder and harder, and I think that this season is going to be a very strong one for her,” said Vaughn of Hernandez. Finishing second and third overall in the 800-meter race with times of 2:26.74 and 2:29.53 were Shardae Bey and Los Fresnos native Amy Torvik. “I think that we had a really good showing at Border Olympics, and I think that there are several athletes that are ready to step up and continue performing,” Vaughn continued. The program seems to be heading in the right direction with all the accomplishments lately, following on the heels of several great years from Keating, Ybarra, and Amy Moses. But there’s always room for improvement. “I think overall that we are ready to compete well heading into one of the best facilities in the country,” Vaughn concluded.

Broncs continue strong showing through spring schedule Focus on carrying momentum to Oregon Duck Invitational By JORGE HINOJOSA The Pan American

“Craig played very good,” said head coach Andrew Tredway. “I think that’s huge. Confidence is everything in golf, and when you The beginning of a strenuous two-week can get that going you just kind of roll with it.” tournament journey has proven to be a testament Baylor earned the team championship with a to what the men’s golf team is 54-hole total of 866 and capable of doing. After almost a Oklahoma Christian finished in one-month break the team put second place with a total of 877. their spiked shoes on the grassy The Broncs ended with a total of knolls in Huntsville. 885 in the tourney, 19 strokes The Sam Houston State behind Baylor. Bearkats hosted the tournament Last week Tredway last weekend, and the Broncs commented that the next couple teed off to a pretty good start. of weeks were going to be a test After two days in the sun the for the men as they played in Broncs performed the best they three tournaments. He said that if have all year, finishing in third they start off playing well, it’s a place out of 12 teams. good thing, but not starting well is TREDWAY Senior Craig Berger sunk a 6-foot putt on a bad thing. the 18th hole to take the number-one spot in the “I thought we played well, we finished third tournament, finishing one stroke ahead to make in Sam Houston and we’re actually coming back him the champion. home from Stephen F. Austin right now, and I

believe we finished either third or fourth there,” said Tredway. “We had a great chance to win today. We kind of let it slip through, but it was obviously a great start to this two-week road trip.” Tuesday, the Broncs finished third out of 12 teams at the Crown Classic in Lufkin, Texas, hosted by Stephen F. Austin. For the Broncs, Kyle Tudi finished on top, tying for third with a total of 143 in two days of competition. Coming off his first career tournament championship, Berger placed sixth overall, at 145. “These guys have some good confidence going into Oregon’s tournament next week,” said Tredway. “We play against a lot of teams all the time, and it’ll be good for us to see some teams that we never get to see. I think there are some advantages to going up there, one is that we’re able to practice all winter, and a lot of those teams don’t get to practice as much as we do. We’re a hot team, and we can definitely do some damage

in Oregon.” Previous to the start of this two-week run the last tournament for the Broncs ended a lot less

Q “We’re working hard, and it’s paying off, ” -Andrew Tredway UTPA men’s golf coach favorably when they played in San Antonio, finishing 14th overall with a total of 909. The tournament was almost a month ago and since then the Broncs have been able to improve. “After a very tiring couple of weeks, it gave us time to rest, get caught up in school, and do everything we need to do to get ready and prepared for these tournaments,” said Tredway. “We’re working hard, and its paying off.” The next competition for the Broncs will be at the Oregon Duck Invitational on Mar. 27-28 where they hope to continue improving.

March 23, 2006

SPORTS

Page 15

All-American Will Littleton raises the bar By RACHEL REIDA The Pan American Starting as a small town boy and working his way up to All-American status has been quite a journey for Will Littleton, junior high jumper for The University of Texas-Pan American track and field team. Littleton came from the small town of Cuero, Texas where he excelled in football, basketball and track. He then worked his way up to a career in collegiate athletics, spending his last three years at Angelo State University, a Division II school in San Angelo before transferring to UTPA this past semester. “High school was great. I came from Cuero, a small school where sports are everything. People in the town expected a lot from their athletes,” commented Littleton. “Angelo State was great and I had a lot of fun competing there for three years.” During his stay at Angelo, Littleton posted many career highs. He was a two-time Division II national champion during his freshman and sophomore years, and was also the Lone Star Conference champion in all three years of competition. He is the UTPA record holder in the high jump with a jump of 7 feet, 3 1/4 inches, set earlier this season. Although he accomplished a lot at San Angelo, Divison II athletics just wasn't enough for Littleton. “I wanted a chance to compete at the Division I level,” he said when asked about why he transferred. “It was just time for a change.” When he first got to UTPA, Littleton and head Joel de la Rosa / The Pan American coach Ricky Vaughn had a lot paperwork to get done before he could compete, because he had to be ON THE RISE - Junior Will Littleton has worked hard to become UTPA’s second Indoor All-American.

officially cleared from Angelo State before he could become part of the UTPA team. “It was a hard two weeks,” harped Littleton, “but I think that it ended up being good for me in the long run.” A hard two weeks is putting it mildly, because once he was cleared, which wasn't until the end of February, Littleton's main goal was to get qualified for the Indoor National Championships. This road was not one easily traveled for Littleton as he journeyed to three different competitions in just six days. With hard work and determination, Littleton accomplished his goal, and it was off to Fayettville, Ark., for the 2006 NCAA Indoor National Championships. There, Littleton became the second ever male All-American at UTPA, placing eighth in the high jump competition. ‘It was a great experience,” exclaimed Littleton. “There were a lot of great athletes there and I am just glad that I met the qualifying mark and was able to get there and compete against them.” Littleton will continue his career at UTPA with a redshirt during the outdoor season, and then it is time for the next indoor season. With goals set, and his first season ending with All-American status, Littleton has a lot more planned for himself during the upcoming seasons. “I want to become a three-time AllAmerican,” he said. “This season went great! I went in there looking for a chance to be an All-American and that's what I did. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be, but I am ready to train hard and get there again next year.”

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SPORTS

All-Independent.................13 Track.................................14 Littleton.............................15

Lone senior leads way for young Bronc golf

By NATALIE HAIME The Pan American The University of Texas-Pan American men’s golf team is mounting a charge this semester with a new coach and some talent and leadership from one of the team veterans. Craig Berger has been with UTPA since the 20022003 season and his experience has made him not only extremely competitive, but also respected by his teammates. Originally from Alberta, Canada, this colorful golfer has settled quite well into Valley life. “The weather was a huge factor in my decision to attend UTPA,” the Alberta native explained. “In Canada, we can really only play golf for about five or six months out of the entire year, and that’s just not enough time to get really good at the sport.” Berger started golfing competitively when he was 14; however he was first introduced to the game much earlier. In a golfing family, his parents were the first to introduce him to the game. From the moment he picked up a club, he was hooked. Berger spends most of his time either out on the course or on the practice tee. Upon graduating in December, Craig is looking to stay as involved in the game as possible. “After I graduate I’m going to turn pro. I’m going to gain as much experience as I can

playing mini-tours and hopefully that will lead to bigger and better opportunities,” Berger said. As much as he likes being independent and away from home, the reality of being so far away from family is tough on him. Berger also attributes some of his success in coping to his teammates. “You learn to adapt. I’ve met some great people that make being away from home easier,” he explained. “The guys on the team are great. I enjoy coming out here and teeing it up with them.” First-year Bronc head coach Andrew Tredway has also been a deciding factor with regard to Berger’s success. “Coach Tredway has helped me out more so than any other coach I’ve worked with so far. He’s very helpful and I really like working with him to improve my game,” Berger commented. Berger totaled 228 in San Antonio action to start the season, four strokes behind sophomore teammate Kyle Tudi’s 224. Golf and academics seem to be going extremely well for the senior economics major. During his spring 2005 semester, he recorded his career-best finish at the National Minority College Golf Championships, placing sixth overall. In addition to doing so well in the tournament, he posted a career-best three-round total of 211, which included a 68 in the final

round. Berger also managed to finish third on the Broncs squad with a stroke average of 76.9 while competing in all seven tournaments of the semester. Most recently, Berger drained a six-foot putt on the 18th hole to capture the Bearkat Classic championship hosted by Sam Houston State by a single stroke on Mar. 18. Berger, who had the lead after the first two rounds, held on after a late surge from Baylor’s Chase Thomas, by shooting a threeround total of 210, including a 72 in the third round. The victory was Berger’s first-ever career championship and lowest round as a Bronc. Academically speaking, Berger has much to be proud of, having earned Bronc Pride 3.0 Club honors for the second consecutive semester and earning a spot on the 2004-2005 UTPA Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for the first time. If his accomplishments thus far are any indication of how well Berger will do postgraduation, he will clearly have nothing to worry about. With another semester of golf tournaments and a full course load, there is no question he will be busy until May. “Even though I’m busy, I’m in no rush to leave,” he said. “I know I’ll be much busier come graduation and I’m going to enjoy being commitment-free as long as possible!”

UTPA Athletic Department STANDING ALONE - Canadian transplant Craig Berger is the only senior on the Bronc golf squad.

Bronc tennis looks to rebound from opening loss Antonio and the Broncs received a 7-0 defeat, the Lady Broncs a 5-2 setback. In men’s doubles action, Oliver Steil from The Netherlands and Canadian Rehman Esmail were defeated in a rough match 7-6 to Andre Moreira and Robin Fernandes. British Nik Porter and Andrew Bost fell back to the pair of Jonas Hoglund and Anthony Portois by a count of 8-4. Valley native duo Danny Farias and

Enrique Montemayor were flattened 8-0 by Adam Becker and Joe Olfindo. In singles clashes, Portois defeated Porter The University of Texas-Pan American in an intense game 6-4, 6-4 while Steil was men’s and women’s teams each fell back in beaten 6-4, 7-5 to Moreira. On the other end, their singles and double matches against their Esmail won his first set 7-6, but fell in the Southland Conference rival The University of second set and tiebreaker, 6-1, 10-8. Texas-San Antonio on Saturday. The duels were Tennis coach Robert Hubbard commented played at the UTSA tennis courts in San that the Bronc squad is constantly gaining experience and performing better as competition continues. “We are an inexperienced team, but we competed hard against UTSA,” said Hubbard, whose main focus at the moment is building a strong foundation and putting together next year’s schedule. “We are actively recruiting players for next season we might have four or five new members in the team. Two outstanding players have verbally confirmed their participation in the program,” Hubbard concluded. The Broncs will be back in action March 25 in College Station against Big 12 adversary Texas A&M. In women’s doubles action, UTSA was Joel de la Rosa / The Pan American able to defeat the Lady Broncs in all three matches. Nicole Garcia and German Silke WALKING THE LINE - Senior Rehman Esmail returns a volley during practice March 22.

By FERNANDO MARTINEZ PECHS The Pan American

Buksik lost by a margin of 8-3 in the first duel to Tanya Hasking and Ana Soto. Elysia Sloan and Sheila Mabulac fell by an 8-2 decision. Parisian Marine de Bourqueney and Jessica Nanez lost 8-4 in the third duel. In singles play, Senior Sloan defeated Monika Drabkova 6-4, 6-4 in the fourth match of the competition. The rest of the Lady Broncs suffered straight-set losses. Vigorous Parisian de Bourqueney commented about her trials with injuries, and her performance in last week’s competition. “I’ve been dealing with a tendon injury in my arm, ever since I was 12 years old. The constant competition has worsened my arm and developed a wrist injury too,” said the freshman. “Coach Hubbard has been protecting my arm by limiting my practice. In last week’s competition I had to step out from my singles match because of the pain.” De Bourqueney has a singles record of 3-9 and for doubles 5-5. She is a sophomore and will be going back home in Paris to continue her law studies next semester. The Lady Broncs will go back to action March 25 in Houston, against the University of Houston.