THE
PAN AMERICAN
T h e S t u d e n t N e w s p a p e r o f T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Te x a s - P a n A m e r i c a n
Tragedy at Virginia Tech Officials examine security policies By tions on the campus, killing students SAN- and faculty members before turning the gun on himself, according to As a result of the shooting ram- media reports. page this week at Virginia Tech As reports of the first shooting at University in Blacksburg, Va., that West Ambler Johnston, a coed dormileft 33 people dead, officials at The tory, surfaced, James Loya, assistant University of Texas-Pan American chief of UTPA’s police department, are discussing possibile security said he never thought it would become improvements. the massacre it turned out to be. In an open letter to the universi“We (the UTPA police departty community, Blandina Cardenas, ment) were really shocked. We inipresident of UTPA, said she has tially thought it was an isolated extended condolences to VTU’s shooting as well; maybe one or two President Charles Steger as a result of deaths,” he said. “When the death the incident, which is the deadliest toll rose, that’s when it really hit shooting rampage in U.S. history. home that the situation was worse On Monday, Cho Seung-Hui, than we originally thought.” a 23-year-old senior English Once he learned of the second major at VTU, opened shooting - at Norris Hall, the fire at two differ- school’s science and engineering ent locabuilding - Loya knew the event would have a profound impact. “I don’t think they ever By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American
thought they’d have an incident of that magnitude. I’m sure we, and all law enforcement, are going to learn from this just like we did with Columbine,” he said. “That brought a lot of changes and I’m sure this will bring some about as well.” IMPROVEMENTS? Though the first shooting took place at 7:15 a.m., students at VTU did not receive an e-mail warning of the incident until 9:27 a.m., according to the Associated Press. Minutes later, gunfire erupted at Norris Hall. The possible tardiness of the email has caused a stir of criticism from various sources, leaving many asking why immediate evacuations and/or a lockdown were not ordered. Some observers are calling for the use of text-messaging to spread the word more quickly in the future. Loya said it’s often a struggle to
See SAFETY page 11
University community reacts to massacre By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American As memorials take place across the country to honor the 32 students and faculty members who died as a result of the mass shooting at Virginia Tech University, The University of Texas-Pan American community will hold its own service today at noon in the Quad. Mallary Bryant, a senior broadcast journalism major, organized the event with help from various entities
on campus. “No one had started one yet, so I began it because it had to be done,” she said. However, while organizing the event, Bryant and other organizers ran into controversy as they had to decide whether to honor gunman Cho Seung-hui. “I know he died and his family is mourning, but we really didn’t want to glorify suicide,” she said. “We agreed that as Christians, that he does
See REACTION page 11
Sidney Meadows/The Pan American IN MEMORIAM - All flags at UTPA were lowered to half staff in observance of the shootings at Virginia Tech.
April 19, 2007
Bilingual education effectiveness defended By VERONICA GONZALEZ The Pan American Debate over the effectiveness of bilingual education has once again become a hot topic, following comments made by former House speaker Newt Gingrich. Gingrich recently criticized bilingual education, stating it was “the language of the ghetto.” He went on to claim that the American people believe English should be the official language of the government, giving him reason enough to want to replace bilingual education with English immersion, so that people would learn the common language of the country and “the language of prosperity.” According to Peter Farruggio, pro-
fessor of bilingual education at The University of Texas-Pan American, the debate to turn bilingual programs into English immersion programs is an attempt to eliminate immigrants’ rights to a decent education and their own language. “For Gingrich to make comments like that reveals a racist impulse. How else can you explain a comment like that?” Farruggio asked. “Take him to a trip to Latin America or Spain, where Spanish is used in science and philosophy classes and have him explain how this is a ghetto language.” It has become a coordinated movement among certain political conservatives to want to force cultural assimilation among immigrant groups in the country, mainly those from Latin
See EDUCATION page 11
SACS committee on campus for evaluation By CLAUDETTE GONZALEZ The Pan American A Southern Association of Schools and Colleges on-site accreditation committee came to The University of TexasPan American campus Tuesday afternoon to evaluate the university’s Quality Enhancement Plan, plus accreditation compliance issues ranging from fiscal responsibility to academic progress and faculty qualifications. In a series of meetings Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday, the eight committee members, all of whom are faculty or administrators from other institutions within SACS, spoke with UTPA President Blandina Cardenas as well as faculty and administrators from across campus. Since the university has already sent the required documents to an accreditation committee in charge of conducting an off-site evaluation, the
on-site committee is focusing primarily on areas that were hard to judge based on the submitted documents alone, specifically the QEP. In committee chair Linwood Rose’s eyes, one salient point is the university’s commitment to improvements outlined in the QEP, which focuses on implementing programs to help students succeed in math courses. “The thing that jumped out for all of us was the institution-wide commitment to this plan,” said Rose, who is the president of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va. “There was a lot of passion for implementing the improvements in the math program.” According to Judy Davidson, Writing Center director and member of the UTPA QEP team, the SACS committee recognized that schools are often reluctant to undertake projects involving
See SACS page 11
News
A&E
Sports
Environmental group celebrates Earth Day
Classic play revisited at Jeffers Theatre
Broncs enter series on three-game losing streak
See Page 3
See Page 7
See Page 14
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R EADER FORUM
April 19, 2007 THE
PAN AMERICAN
Community bulletin
1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 (956) 381-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122 http://www.panam.edu/dept/panamerican 56th Year – No. 27
Student group to hold second bone marrow drive of year
Editor Claudette Gonzalez ThePanAmerican@gmail.com News Editor
A&E Editor
Sports Editor
Sandra Gonzalez
Frank Calvillo
Luke Koong
sandra_ panamerican@ yahoo.com
hennero@ msn.com
lkoong2004 @yahoo.com Design Editor
Photo Editor Sidney Meadows
Roy Bazan
outintherain@ aol.com
crazy_restless@ yahoo.com
Designers Gregorio Garza
Rick Gamez
the_nataku@ yahoo.com
rikgamez@ gmail.com
Reporters and Photographers Leslie Estrada Jeanette Perez Onydia Garza
Rafael Roux
Patrick Kennedy
Angela Salazar
Kristyna Mancias Erick Quintero Savannah Martinez Adviser Dr. Greg Selber Secretary Anita Casares Ad Manager Lillian Villarreal
Asst. Ad Manager Samantha Quintana
Advertising information spubs@panam.edu Delivery Thursday at Noon
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, classification/title and phone number.
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.
The Association for Vegetarian and Vegan Awareness (AVA) will be sponsoring a bone marrow drive today from 10 p.m.-3 p.m. that will take place outside the north entrance of the library. On March 30, the association held its first drive, which was a huge success, according to Sunaina Chugani, member of AVA. “It was a very successful drive,” Chugani, a graduate student in the MBA program, said. “We were hoping to sign up 100 people and actually signed up 145.” AVA worked with Matchpia.org to organize the event. Matchpia aims to encourage minorities to register with the National Marrow Donor Program. When cancer patients cannot find a bone marrow match within their family, they are referred to the
National Bone Marrow Registry, a list of about five million potential donors, according to Chugani. If the patient finds a match, they get the transplant. However, even with so many people on the registry, cancer patients have as little as a 1/20,000 to 1/100,000 chance of getting a match, she added. The statistics for successful transplants is lower for minorities as only 10 percent of the five million people on the registry are Hispanic. Matches have to be from someone with the same ethnicity for medical reasons, according to Matchpia.org. There are no needles involved in getting on the registry – volunteers simply take a cheek swab. If someone is identified as a match for a cancer patient in need, a hospital will draw blood from the hip area which will be used to create stem cells for
NHPO hosts former president of U.S. Hispanic chamber J.R. Gonzales, former President of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, will be speaking at The University of Texas-Pan American April 20 as part of a Professional Development and Leadership training seminar. His visit is being sponsored by The National H i s p a n i c Professional GONZALES O r g a n i z a t i o n Academic chapter. Gonzales is currently president and CEO of JRG Communications, an advertising and public relations
agency that develops marketing and public relations strategies at local, state and national levels. Gonzales, a native of Mercedes, is also president of the NHPO Reno, Nev., chapter. The seminar is available for those interested in improving leadership skills and many other management topics, according to Felix Garcia, vice chairman of NHPO’s academic chapter. The seminar will be held at the International Trade and Technology Building from 1 p.m to 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $30. For more information contact Garcia at (956) 4573609.
The Association for Vegetarian and Vegan Awareness DRIVE - Cesar Rodriguez (right), math major, helps during the bone marrow awareness drive, taking saliva sample from Jesse Solis (left), nursing major.
the cancer patient. “It takes 10 minutes to potentially save a life,” Chugani said. “We hope our community will come together to put as many people as pos-
sible on the registry. “ For more information on holding a drive at a church, school or business, contact Chugani at skchugani@gmail.com.
Program Board looking for stand-up comedians The University Program Board is looking for students on campus to take part in a one-night only comedy event. Those who were considered to be class clowns in high school can finally have a platform to air their comedic takes on modern-day society without getting yelled at by a teacher. Whether or not you’re the funniest undergrad on campus, any and all students are welcome to take part in the event. All students who feel they have a flair for stand-up comedy or just like making their friends laugh should sign up. The comedy night will take
place April 26 in the Student Union at 7 p.m. For more information, contact UPB at (956) 316-7991 or stop by the office located in room 2.316 in the Student Union.
IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF
THE PAN AMERICAN
Available April 26
Coastal research agreement
Jamming out for a cause
- Learn about current plans between UTPA, UTB for marine life studies.
- Read all about mtvU’s Campus Invasion music festival in Austin.
N EWS
News in brief: Members of Gamma Lambda Beta sponsored a day of silence Wednesday to bring attention to issues of discrimination and harrassment of homosexuals.
New student government officers outline goals for year By KRISTEN VILLEGAS The Pan American Several new proposals are expected to impact students at The University of Texas-Pan American in the upcoming year, according to new Student Government Association president Tony Matamoros. Matamoros and new vice president
Tony Villarreal have brought together a list of proposals hoping to better the university as well as comply with the needs of students. “We want to make sure that everyone is aware that we are here for them and for the university,” Villarreal said. With last week’s voting results of 439–267, Matamoros, a political science and history major, and Villarreal, a biol-
ogy major, were elected to their positions. “I feel we won because we campaigned hard,” Villarreal said. Although disappointed with the 200-voter decrease as compared to last year’s elections. Villarreal attributes the decline to a decrease in the number of candidates running this year. Matamoros and Villarreal do not
blame the voting system. “It all has to do with interest generated by the candidates and the organization,” Villarreal said. “It’s our job to motivate all the student body and make it increase for next year.” FUTURE GOALS With the upcoming proposals the duo hopes to address lowering book
Group promotes Earth Day awareness By MICHAEL GARCIA The Pan American The Environmental Awareness Club held its first Earth Day celebration
at The University of Texas-Pan American Tuesday to help make students aware of the importance of getting the campus and the surrounding community involved in caring for the environ-
Joey Cortez/The Pan American COLORFUL FUN - Abby Lindholm, a junior English major, holds one of the tiedyed T-shirts students made during the Earth Day celebration.
ment. Since April 22, 1970, Earth Day has been a tool for organizations around the world to promote better understanding of how the environment and climate are slowly being damaged, according to earthday.org. According to Jonathan Torres, vice president for the EAC and a junior theater major, the event was to help highlight how desperately the environment is in need of our help and attention. Torres said a secondary goal was to get attendees to sign a petition that would encourage the university to go green. “Our ultimate goal for us is to get as many people as we can to sign the petition to have the university consider on going green, which would be a huge help on our constant effort to save our environment from the crisis it’s in currently.” Torres said “going green” would form a partnership between the university and Magic Valley Electric Co. to begin exploring the possibility of utilizing wind power and establish and encourage better recycling projects around campus. “We hope to make the community more aware of what’s at stake here and what we can do to make a difference in our world’s climate and environment so
we can make a better future not just for us, but our children and grandchildren as well,” Torres said. Torres and current club president Jessica Longoria founded the environmental organization. “When it comes to the world’s climate and environment, I personally believe we are in a worse state than we’ve ever been,” said Longoria, a junior nursing major. “If we as a world don’t try and do something about our climate now, than there won’t be a world left to fight for.” Torres said the club hopes to put the Valley in an environmentally conscious frame of mind. “People tend to have a very different mentality down here in the Valley, which is why it took so long to establish a club dealing with the environment,” Torres said. “Once the government and the media are made aware publicly of how the world’s condition is currently in is when it was time to do something about it.” In the future, the club hopes to have further activities geared toward raising awareness about environmental issues. The Environmental Awareness Club meets every Wednesday at 3 p.m. in the second floor lobby of the University Center. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/eacorg.
costs, adding a campus radio station, changes in curriculum, setting a parking task force and a committee to address recycling. Internally, the two hope to establish a monthly SGA newsletter and a student opinion survey. As far as lowering textbook costs, they are looking into various options
See SGA page 12
New deans named to two colleges By BRENDA RODRIGUEZ The Pan American
Two new deans were appointed April 12 by Paul Sale, provost and vice president for academic affairs at The University of Texas-Pan American. Bruce Reed, who has served as interim dean of the College of Health Sciences and Human Services since 2005, was appointed to the permanent position. Valley native Salvador Hector Ochoa, a professor, was appointed dean of the College of Education. Reed and Ochoa were appointed after a national search by the Dean’s Search Committees, which began their work last fall. The process included on-campus interviews with qualified individuals who were selected from a larger pool of applicants. Each committee consisted of 10 to 12 members made up of mostly faculty. SIGHTS ON TECHNOLOGY Reed has been a part of UTPA since 1993 and before he was appointed dean held several positions that included time as chair of the Department of Rehabilitative Services from 1996 to 2004. In addition, he briefly served as interim assistant dean
See DEAN page 12
Mexican journalist speaks on many years of covering Vatican By ANNA FLORES The Pan American For almost 30 years, Valentina Alazraki reported on and became friends with a man Time magazine named as “one of the most influential people of the 20th century.” The Mexican journalist remembers
her first time interviewing Pope John Paul II back in 1979 during his first trip to the land of mariachis and tequila. “I was scared and thought it wasn’t going to be possible because it was known that popes never gave interviews,” she told the audience at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle Saturday evening.
After an hour of hiding in some bushes alongside her cameraman and wearing an oversized sombrero, a nervous Alazraki, then 23, approached the pope’s vehicle as he arrived in Mexico. “I will never forget the moment I stretched out the microphone towards him. He looked at me as if a young, redheaded reporter with a huge hat on was
the most common sight for him and expressed his feeling of joy to visit my country,” Alazraki said. “At that moment, I knew something was going to change in the Vatican and its relationship with media and the press.” FAST FORWARD Alazraki’s trip to the Valley last
week was part of the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville’s launch of “El Peregrino” (The Pilgrim), a quarterly church-run magazine that will include Rio Grande Valley families’ stories of faith. It is the first step in the church’s effort to evangelize through all types of media. As part of its program, the basili-
See JOURNALIST page 12
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NEWS
April 19, 2007
NEWS
April 19, 2007
Page 5
Rafael Roux/The Pan American BUGGIN’ OUT - Pamela Ruiz, a senior biology major, takes a close look at a beetle during an entomology lab. The hands-on teaching approach has made it a popular class for biology majors on campus.
University professors get creative about teaching
By CLAUDETTE GONZALEZ The Pan American Across campus, University of Texas-Pan American professors are taking common classes and teaching them with a twist, imbuing the offerings with their own unique perspectives on how to approach the topics at hand. No two are the same, as illustrated by the professors of three UTPA classes highlighted below. PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE For UTPA biology professor Rod Summy, teaching entomology is all about the practical applications. It’s about hands-on bug catching, identifying and labeling experience. The class is composed of a lecture, where students learn insect physiology and taxonomy, focusing on the approximately 30 major orders of insects, and a lab component, where students get to examine display boxes full of specimens close up. In addition, the final project in the lab is to collect, label and mount 50 different insects from at least 10 different orders. According to Summy, the job market is hot for entomologists, both in the private sector and in governmental agen-
cies. In fact, he says in the Rio Grande Valley alone, there are three or four major laboratories dealing with entomology. Although students interested in pursuing a career in entomology would ultimately need to complete a Ph.D, Summy hopes to get students started on a path that could lead to a rewarding job, and benefits for the community as a whole. A relatively recent local disaster highlighted the need for well-qualified, knowledgeable entomologists. “Ten years ago, there was a very naive attempt to eradicate one of the major cotton pests, the boll weevil, with chemical insecticides,” said Summy, who has been teaching at UTPA since 2000. “Before it was over, the Rio Grande Valley lost 365,000 acres of cotton and it actually cost $150 million.” For Summy and other entomologists, that event was an eye-opener, underscoring the need for alternative methods of pest control. “That can be avoided by having knowledgeable biologists running programs like that,” said the native of Sherman, a small north Texas town near the Oklahoma border. “Any time you try to manage insect populations on a large-
area basis, you’ve got to use the rules that we know we have to play by or we’re going to pay consequences.” According to Summy, the response to the class has been excellent, with the yearly spring section full each time it’s offered. ARTISTIC PHILOSOPHIES While Summy prefers a practical approach to his entomology class, Dave Martinez, a professor in the art department, has taken his Graphic Design II class and given it a philosophical spin. “I’ve introduced a study of aesthetics and the philosophies of aesthetics into the course,” Martinez said. “We’re studying the different philosophies, the different movements that occurred.” Martinez encourages his students to delve deep into the minds of designers from previous eras to grasp the ideas behind the different artistic philosophies. “Some of the course work might ask the students to design a logo or a poster within a postmodern aesthetic so that they learn from the principles and the ideals of that movement,” Martinez said. “I tell them they may not design completely in that postmodern aesthetic
once they leave here but at least they’re given a chance to learn from it.” The artistic eras highlighted in the class include the Victorian Era, American and Swiss modernism, and postmodernism. As wide-ranging as that list may seem, Martinez adds even more dimensions by featuring different art mediums. “I try to introduce graphic design, architecture, product design, furniture design, because they all really sort of relate to each other anyway,” Martinez said. “Students get an idea that it’s just not about graphic design, but how fine art, sculpture, architecture, they all sort of borrow from the same set of principles.” ACADEMIC TEAMWORK Michael Weaver and Michael Faubion, both of the history and philosophy department, have taken a novel approach to teaching two upper-level history courses. Modeled after the freshmanlevel Learning Communities classes at UTPA and other universities, the classes intertwine related courses in an effort to increase retention and student learning. “The basic idea is you take two or more classes and tie them together and the tie that binds them is the cohort of stu-
dents that’s common to all classes,” Weaver explained. “The students see each other twice as often so it’s easier to make new friends and to form study groups.” In addition, classes are small, with freshman groups capped at 30 students, and the advanced classes ranging from 14 to 20 students. Weaver and Faubion’s Learning Communities offering links Weaver’s 20th-century European history class with Faubion’s course on 20th-century American history. For the two, teaming up was a no-brainer because of the similarities between the two classes. “It’s two separate grades but we’re teaching it as one big class,” Weaver said. “Sometimes with some topics that closely overlap, it’s all kind of bunched together, like when we’re doing World War I or World War II and the Great Depression and the Cold War.” According to Weaver, the class is very discussion-heavy, and for many students, that’s their favorite part. “Students like being able to discuss things more,” Weaver said. “They like seeing the connections between what was going on on one side of the Atlantic and what was happing on the other side.”
Folklore expert to speak about Hispanic myths at local museum By MANUEL TISCARENO The Pan American Children are often threatened with consequences for misbehavior, ranging from lost privileges to punishment in “time out.” But throughout the Valley and most of Mexico, University of Texas-Pan American professor Lynn Vincentnathan said another common method for keeping children in line involves instilling a fear of “El Cucuy,” or the bogeyman, according to her research. “These are bogey men that are used to sort of scare children into obedience,” said the professor of expressive folklore. Vincentnathan, who will be speaking at the Museum of South Texas
History Sunday, said in traditional farm families myths were told to create obedience in children and prevent them from wandering off. She calls this social control. Vincentnathan said one of the main reasons for using legends such as “El Cucuy” is that parents are reluctant to be “the bad guy” in their children’s lives. Instead, they transfer the blame to a fictional character. However, she observes an interesting change in modern families “In modern societies, you don’t have that because the child is supposed to grow up and grow out to the world and that child shouldn’t be afraid of the world,” she said. “[He/she] should be courageous
and able to cope with the world.” Vincentnathan also pointed out that modern American families are shying away from instilling other fears in their children. For example, she cites parenting practices in Asia where children are told that misbehavior results in “going to baby-jail” as an example of what modern parents are avoiding. Vincentnathan said in the United States, children are encouraged to trust policemen. Melissa Tijerina, special events coordinator for MSTH, said she is excited about hearing more about Vincentnathan’s research. “I think the lecture on “El Cucuy” will be one of the most interesting programs at the museum, and will be well
received by many visitors,” said Tijerina, who has been coordinating the event since February. The presentation will be from 2-4 p.m. and will also cover topics such as “La Llorona,” or weeping woman, and examples of modern twists to old tales in thrillers like “The Village” and “The Boogie Man.” Vincentnathan, whose main area of study is Indian folklore, will also speak about variations of “El Cucuy” in other heritages. For example, Indian culture has a bogeyman, Poochandi, who serves the same purpose, further proving the borderless domain of parental social control. Her research has taken about three years. As part of her research,
Vincentnathan has collected 50 to 100 personal surveys from her students, assessing the individuals’ conceptions of the bogeyman. The results have helped the professor formulate her ideas. Vincentnathan hopes that an understanding of the function of tall tales will help bring closure to some attendees’ long-time fears. “If you are interested in knowing why you were scared as a kid, head to the Museum of South Texas History this Sunday,” she said. “You might lose your Cucuy fear, who knows.” The Museum of South Texas History is located at 121 E. McIntyre. For more information on the speech, please call (956)383-6911.
EN ESPAÑOL
Noticias en breve: El Lunes, en el Computer Science Student Research Day, estudiantes de UTPA y otras instituciones presentarán sus proyectos en el auditorio ubicado en el edificio de ingieniería desde las 9 a.m. hasta las 4 p.m. Para más información, visite www.cssrd.com.
Profesora hablará sobre El Cucuy, además de otras historias Por MANUEL TISCARENO Traducido por JUAN PINTOR The Pan American Los niños frecuentemente son amenazados con consecuencias por portarse mal, desde pérdida de privilegios hasta castigos cuando “ya estuvo.” Pero en el Valle y en la mayor parte de Mexico, según dice la profesora Lynn Vincentnathan de la Universidad de Texas-Pan American, otro método común para mantener a los niños bajo control, involucra el infundir un miedo a “El Cucuy,” o el Coco, de acuerdo con su investigación. “Estos son los hombres malos que son usados de alguna manera para asustar a los niños para que obedezcan,” comentó la profesora de folklor expresivo. Vincentnathan, quien dará una conferencia en el Museo de Historia del Sur de Texas (Museum of South Texas History) el domingo, dijo que en las familias rurales tradicionales, los mitos
eran inventados para crear obediencia en los niños y para prevenir que se alejaran. A esto ella le llama control social.
Q
“Estos son los hombres malos que son usados de alguna manera para asustar a los niños para que obedezcan.” - Lynn Vincentnathan profesora de folklor expresivo Vincentnathan dijo que una de las razones principales para usar leyendas como “El Cucuy” es que los padres están reacios a ser “el malo” en las vidas de sus hijos. En vez de eso, ellos transfieren la culpa a un ser ficticio. Pero Vincentnathan observa un cambio interesante en las familias modernas. “En las sociedades modernas, uno
no ocupa eso, porque se supone que el niño crecerá, y saldrá al mundo y ese niño no debería tener miedo del mundo,” dijo la profesora. “El, o ella, debe de ser valiente y ser capaz de arreglárselas con el mundo.” Vincentnathan también señaló que las familias Americanas modernas están dejando de infundir otros miedos en sus niños. Por ejemplo, ella citó algunas prácticas de crianza en Asia, donde a los niños les dicen que por su mala conducta “Van a ir a la cárcel para bebés” como ejemplo de lo que los padres modernos están intentando evitar. Vincentnathan dijo que en los Estados Unidos, los niños son animados para que confíen en los policías. Melissa Tijerina, coordinadora de eventos especiales del MSTH, dijo que el escuchar más sobre la investigación de Vincentnathan la tiene emocionada. “Yo creo que la conferencia sobre “El Cucuy” será uno de los programas más interesantes aquí en el museo, y será
bien recibido por muchos visitantes,” dijo Tijerina, quien ha estado coordinando el evento desde Febrero. La presentación será desde las 2 hasta las 4 p.m. y también cubrirá temas como “La Llorona,” y ejemplos de tramas nuevas en viejas historias en novelas como “La Aldea” y “The Boogie Man.” Vincentnathan, cuya área principal de estudio es en folklor Hindu, también hablará sobre las variantes de “El Cucuy” en otras culturas. Por ejemplo, la cultura Hindu tiene un hombre malo,
Q “En las sociedades modernas, uno no ocupa eso, porque se supone que el niño crecerá, y saldrá al mundo y ese niño no debería tener miedo del mundo.” - Vincentnathan
Poochandi, que tiene el mismo propósito, probando aún mas el dominio sin límites del control social paternal. Su investigación ha tomado alrededor de tres años. Vincentnathan ha recolectado de 50 a 100 encuestas personales de sus estudiantes, evaluando los conceptos individuales del Coco. Los resultados han ayudado a la profesora a formular sus ideas. Vincentnathan espera que un entendimiento de la función de dichas historias ayudará a terminar los miedos de hace tanto tiempo de algunos de los asistentes. “Si estás interesado en saber el porqué tenias miedo de niño, ve al Museo de Historia del Sur de Texas este Domingo,” dijo. “Tal vez pierdas tu miedo hacia el Cucuy, quien sabe.” El Museo de Historia del Sur de Texas está localizado en 121 E. McIntyre. Para más información sobre la conferencia, llame al 383-6911.
RTS A EN T& E RTA I N M E N T
Editor’s Pick:
Must-See Movie “Rocky Balboa” will be shown April 19 at 8 p.m. on the Quad and April 20 at 7 p.m. at the Student Union.
Timeless love story comes to Jeffers Theatre
By LESLIE ESTRADA The Pan American The University of Texas-Pan American’s theater department is preparing to present its latest production, “Cyrano de Bergerac,” which will run April 18-21 at 8 p.m. nightly with a matinee on April 22 at 2 p.m. Still rehearsing, the cast is very anxious to show the public what they have been working on. Daryl Hury, one of the actors performing in this play, said that the long hours of hard rehearsals will be worth the effort once the public enjoys the crew’s performances. “The play is very inspiring since it leaves a message to the public,” Hury said. “I believe people will really like it since it is a love story, and most people are attracted by these types of stories.” The play, by Edmond Rostand, is one of the most popular in France. Written in 1897, it was an immediate triumph. It has been translated and performed many times, and is credited for
Tom Grabowski CLASSIC ROMANCE - Jack Stanley brings the beloved tale of “Cyrano de Bergerac” to UTPA theater-goers April 18-22.
introducing the word “panache” (honor) into the English language. The play tells the story of how Bergerac, a guardsman and poet who is cursed with an enormous nose, teams up with fellow guardsman Christian de Neuvillette to win the love of the beautiful Roxane, whom they both are in love with. Bergerac, afraid of Roxane’s rejection because of his looks, finds in Neuvillette, a handsome man, the oppor-
tunity to let her know how he feels. After a series of events and compli-
For more information or special accommodations, please call (956) 381-3581. cations, Roxane discovers that it is actually Cyrano with whom she has fallen in love with. She discovers this a bit too late, since he dies in her arms just after
she confesses her love to him. Jack Stanley, a theater professor at UTPA, who is directing this play, chose it because of its dramatic plot and because it is one of the most popular literary pieces in the world. “It is a very unique romantic story,” Stanley said. “It is the only story I’ve ever heard where there is a love triangle and all the people involved in it are good people.” Originally a five-act piece, Stanley
has turned this classic into two acts. “When this play was written, people were willing to spend four or five hours at a theater,” Stanley said. “I chose to make it shorter because people are not willing to spend that much time watching a play anymore.” Karina Tamayo, a senior English major, is familiar with the play and thinks it is a great opportunity for students and other people to learn a little from French literature. “We discussed the play in one of my literature classes,” Tamayo said. “It is a beautiful play and I am really glad that they are making it available for us to see here at the theater.” According to Tamayo, the play will be able to touch people’s hearts as they will be witnesses to Cyrano’s love for Roxane and all the sacrifices he goes through in order to win her love. “The play reinforces the belief that the beauty of the soul is more important than physical beauty,” she said. “It is very emotional and people will surely love it.”
Italian restaurant still going strong after four decades By RANDALL MONTY The Pan American If there’s a certain air of trespass when sitting down for dinner at Milano’s Ristorante Italiano, it’s only a short matter of time before the feeling will pass. You do not ever eat, per se, at Milano’s. Rather you dine – literally – in the Milano family house. Or, more accurately, the old Milano house. The family now resides next door, in what is the only other building on the block. However, Lino Milano insists that he and his wife still spend most of their time at the restaurant and return to their home, “only to sleep.” It’s as though the Milano family found the lone spot in the mid-Valley that’s completely and comfortably surrounded by canopying trees. It is within this patch of green, just off of the Westgate exit in Weslaco, that one will find the eldest Italian restaurant in the area. The street is not appropriately named “Milano’s Way,” but not long ago the paved throughway was no more than a dirt path. This locale is fitting: Milano’s most successful aesthetic is one of intimacy. This context is at once inviting and
cumbersome. While there is a welcoming, familial sentiment to this design, there is also the ever-present tone that you are a visitor in somebody else’s home. This is by no means a gimmicky seating arrangement; it is a direct descendent of the business’s roots. Before Milano’s was a real restaurant, Lino’s mother would serve dinners to local farmers and workers, making a few pizzas and spaghetti dinners each night, lasagna and some ravioli maybe once a week. Plenty of food for the six or so tables that sat on the family’s back porch.
Milano’s is located at 2900 W. Pike Boulevard, Weslaco, and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 5-10 p.m., Sundays, 5-9 p.m. Call (956) 968-3677 for more info. But that was back in the mid-‘50s; since then, the Milano house has expanded to more than five times that capacity. The number of customers has certainly increased along with the size of the building, but just as location hasn’t changed, apart from a brief venture into a sister restaurant in McAllen, many customers remain recognizable some
five decades on. Mrs. Milano’s Pizza Place was opened by Lino’s father and mother, both first-generation immigrants from il Bel Paese, in November 1955. Five years later, Lino traveled back to Italy to marry Giovanna Corrente in her hometown of Minturno. The younger Milano and his wife have lived in Weslaco ever since, taking over full business operations of the restaurant in 1968. She has only made a single return trip to her homeland, opting instead to live in, as she calls it, “la terra brusciata dal sole” (the land burned by the sun), a time spent almost exclusively working in the family kitchen. Manuela Bocanegra has likewise been along for the duration, starting as a cook at Milano’s when she was only 13 years old. She offers a rather acute summary for the restaurant’s continued achievement. “It’s the food … and the people,” Bocanegra said. But not everyone is a return customer – yet. After only one slice of his pepperoni, sausage, mushroom and Canadian bacon pizza, first-time patron Carlos Zamora knew he’d found heaven. “I’m going to order my pizza from here every time now,” Zamora said.
Sidney Meadows/The Pan American A TASTE OF ITALY - Since the ‘60s Milano’s Ristorante Italiano has proven itself to be one of the Valley’s top choices for authentic Italian cuisine.
The sentiment is one echoed by nearly every parting guest, as Lino and Giovanna are known to personally bid farewell to their customers. This leaves Angela Milano, the couple’s daughter, to run the day-to-day business. In spite of her ever-expanding duties, she’s quick to surrender authority to her parents. “Well, [my parents] are still the
ones in charge. I just handle business operations of the restaurant,” Angela Milano said. Angela Milano came back from the University of Texas with ambitions of franchising Milano’s all over the state. Her father, however, has yet to be sold on the idea. He’d just as soon keep it in Weslaco, with the family.
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Visiting writers bring real- world knowledge to campus Austin author debunks misconceptions about Cinco de Mayo The month of May is quickly approaching and with it comes days of celebration and recognition. Among the popularly celebrated holidays is Mexico’s national holiday Cinco de Mayo, which commemorates the victory of Mexican forces against the French army in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. It is a common misconception that May 5 is Mexican Independence Day, which is actually on September 16. Author Don Miles set out to invalidate that misconception. His new book, appropriately titled “Cinco de Mayo,” sheds a whole new light on the Mexican holiday. In today’s culture, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into an increasingly popular holiday celebrated in the United States more so than in Mexico. For the most part these celebrations center on food, drink, music and dancing. In Los Angeles alone, more than half a million people show up every year in commemoration of the day but, according to Miles, very few Americans really know what they are celebrating. Although retrieving all the necessary components for his book was difficult, Miles’s main concern was getting it all out there for everyone, especially Hispanics, to finally understand the day’s true mean-
ing. “I had a large percentage of Hispanic students in my class and I wanted them to know the whole story, what I learned,” said the author, who paid a visit to The University of Texas-Pan American campus last Thursday to promote his book. “I wanted them to honor heritage they’re not fully aware of. To have some bearing on what the consequences could have been for the U.S. I know history buffs will enjoy the stories. There are fascinating subplots that have never been told before.” An incident at an elementary school where Miles was a teacher first drove him to further explore the widely preconceived notion about that day and what it means. “The principal announced over the P.A. on May fifth that it was Mexican Independence Day, just like the fourth of July is our Independence Day,” said the author. “I was like, that’s not right. I knew that wasn’t right so I told her and she said, ‘I’m certified in history and you’re not, so I’m right.’” It was then that Miles realized that people had been misinformed because of what they had been taught throughout their education. “There are more than 50 children’s books
about Cinco de Mayo that talk about the battle of that day, but you don’t really know the context,” said the author, who currently resides in Austin. “I would hope that the teachers would get their story straight. A lot of Mexican-Americans say they’re celebrating their heritage, but they don’t know the story accurately. They don’t know what they’re missing. There are a lot of things they don’t know.” “Cinco de Mayo” is the first in-depth, adult-level book on the holiday. There’s nothing else in print that contains what Miles’s book has: little-known scenarios that are hard to believe, but true. “A sub-plot in my book is about a farm girl from Vermont that joined a traveling circus and became a bareback rider. She met a German prince, got married and wound up fighting in the emperor’s army,” said Miles of one of the many colorful characters in his book. Miles’s inspiration came mainly from his late wife, Minerva Gonzalez-Angulo Miles, a teacher and professor who grew up in a neighborhood in Mexico City - where the Emperor Maximilian’s castle still stands. With his wife’s support, Miles set out to seek the truth behind the Mexican holiday. But the journey wasn’t as easy as he had planned.
Pulitzer Prize finalist When author Robert Whitaker majored in English at the University of Colorado, he never knew that when it came to his writing career, his major would mean very little. English has come in handy for Whitaker as a writer, but if college taught him anything, it was that he didn’t want to focus on just one subject. “When I look for a topic to write about for a book, often I like to do something that I don’t know about,” he said in a phone interview. “For me, the thrill is diving into the material and educating myself and trying to make sense of it and dig up
things other people haven’t. I really like this sort of Renaissance approach of bouncing from subject to subject.” The bouncing has allowed Whitaker to produce two books with another one on the way - “Mad in America,” “The Map-Maker’s Wife” and a yet-tobe-titled book about a little known 1919 racial massacre in Arkansas. When Whitaker visits The University of Texas-Pan American next week, he will speak about all his books and much more. April 23, Whitaker will take the stage at the Student Union Theater at 7 p.m. where he will dis-
GETTING THERE Miles and his wife traveled extensively through Mexico and the United States, from library to library and bookstore to bookstore in search of critical information. “I looked at the all the libraries for books about it but didn’t find any except at the Benson Latin American Library at the University of Texas at Austin. Fascinating enough, generals filed their memoirs there in the 1800s,” said the author, who started on the book after retirement from radio. “I uncovered so many things while living in the stacks at UT.” Miles’s book has made such an impact that Fred Heath, vice-president and provost of the UT Library System, has recommended his work to all high schools and university libraries statewide, because it not only offers something new but provides for easy readability. “My writing style is informal and fast-paced. I keep it moving. There’s a lot of stuff that’s hard to believe,” Miles said. “This is a book you can put down at night and pick up the next morning and know exactly where you left off.” While the book was meant for the public unaware of the day’s true meaning, Miles also found himself opening doors to a world he had never imagined.
“My view on May 5 has changed tremendously,” he said. “I enjoy putting on celebrations for my students. I’ll even put on plays where I’ll have my third graders speaking Spanish and the ones playing the French generals speaking French.” Although the book covers a lot of material, there are a couple of things Miles says he cannot stress enough. “There are two important things about my book. Number one is that May 5 is not Mexican Independence Day. Number two is that folks with Mexican heritage should be proud of it,” Miles said. Currently, there are two Spanish versions of the book in preparation, one directed at the MexicanAmerican market and the other for native speakers. Miles has been a news director for several radio stations throughout the country, served on the Board of Directors of Florida’s AP Broadcasters, has taught at universities and elementary schools and is the author of two broadcast journalism books as well as his new release. For more information on his book or appearances, visit www.donmiles.com or contact his publicist, Stephanie Barko, at: steffercat@austin.rr.com.
describes joys of writing, learning cuss “Mad in America,” which focuses on what he sees as ineffective schizophrenia treatment methods in the United States. The book came as a result of research Whitaker was doing for an article for the Boston Globe. That article resulted in Whitaker being named a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Whitaker said the research and learning involved in writing all of his books is the best part. “It fits into why I wanted to know and why I continue to like to write. I found that it was to delve into a subject, learn about a subject and to learn
about it thoroughly,” he said. Whitaker, who currently lives in Boston, said this love for research and learning is the most relevant thing he gained from college. “I didn’t leave college with any particular body of knowledge or any particular skill, but I did leave college with a thirst for learning and thinking through things,” he explained. “My belief is college should teach you a process for learning and a hunger for learning. What you learn is immaterial.” Whitaker said he hopes to pass on this curiosity to students he addresses next week.
“Whenever I speak to students…I think the hope is that you say something or deliver some information that raises questions,” he said. “It’s not about imparting knowledge as it is about raising curiosity.” Whitaker will also present on April 24 starting at 6 p.m. in a “double feature.” The first half will have Whitaker giving a sneak preview of his upcoming book and the second part, which begins at 7 p.m., will focus on “The Map-Maker’s Wife,” which tells the story about the first woman to travel the length of the Amazon River.
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April 19, 2007
April 19, 2007
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Visiting writers bring real- world knowledge to campus Austin author debunks misconceptions about Cinco de Mayo The month of May is quickly approaching and with it comes days of celebration and recognition. Among the popularly celebrated holidays is Mexico’s national holiday Cinco de Mayo, which commemorates the victory of Mexican forces against the French army in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. It is a common misconception that May 5 is Mexican Independence Day, which is actually on September 16. Author Don Miles set out to invalidate that misconception. His new book, appropriately titled “Cinco de Mayo,” sheds a whole new light on the Mexican holiday. In today’s culture, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into an increasingly popular holiday celebrated in the United States more so than in Mexico. For the most part these celebrations center on food, drink, music and dancing. In Los Angeles alone, more than half a million people show up every year in commemoration of the day but, according to Miles, very few Americans really know what they are celebrating. Although retrieving all the necessary components for his book was difficult, Miles’s main concern was getting it all out there for everyone, especially Hispanics, to finally understand the day’s true mean-
ing. “I had a large percentage of Hispanic students in my class and I wanted them to know the whole story, what I learned,” said the author, who paid a visit to The University of Texas-Pan American campus last Thursday to promote his book. “I wanted them to honor heritage they’re not fully aware of. To have some bearing on what the consequences could have been for the U.S. I know history buffs will enjoy the stories. There are fascinating subplots that have never been told before.” An incident at an elementary school where Miles was a teacher first drove him to further explore the widely preconceived notion about that day and what it means. “The principal announced over the P.A. on May fifth that it was Mexican Independence Day, just like the fourth of July is our Independence Day,” said the author. “I was like, that’s not right. I knew that wasn’t right so I told her and she said, ‘I’m certified in history and you’re not, so I’m right.’” It was then that Miles realized that people had been misinformed because of what they had been taught throughout their education. “There are more than 50 children’s books
about Cinco de Mayo that talk about the battle of that day, but you don’t really know the context,” said the author, who currently resides in Austin. “I would hope that the teachers would get their story straight. A lot of Mexican-Americans say they’re celebrating their heritage, but they don’t know the story accurately. They don’t know what they’re missing. There are a lot of things they don’t know.” “Cinco de Mayo” is the first in-depth, adult-level book on the holiday. There’s nothing else in print that contains what Miles’s book has: little-known scenarios that are hard to believe, but true. “A sub-plot in my book is about a farm girl from Vermont that joined a traveling circus and became a bareback rider. She met a German prince, got married and wound up fighting in the emperor’s army,” said Miles of one of the many colorful characters in his book. Miles’s inspiration came mainly from his late wife, Minerva Gonzalez-Angulo Miles, a teacher and professor who grew up in a neighborhood in Mexico City - where the Emperor Maximilian’s castle still stands. With his wife’s support, Miles set out to seek the truth behind the Mexican holiday. But the journey wasn’t as easy as he had planned.
Pulitzer Prize finalist When author Robert Whitaker majored in English at the University of Colorado, he never knew that when it came to his writing career, his major would mean very little. English has come in handy for Whitaker as a writer, but if college taught him anything, it was that he didn’t want to focus on just one subject. “When I look for a topic to write about for a book, often I like to do something that I don’t know about,” he said in a phone interview. “For me, the thrill is diving into the material and educating myself and trying to make sense of it and dig up
things other people haven’t. I really like this sort of Renaissance approach of bouncing from subject to subject.” The bouncing has allowed Whitaker to produce two books with another one on the way - “Mad in America,” “The Map-Maker’s Wife” and a yet-tobe-titled book about a little known 1919 racial massacre in Arkansas. When Whitaker visits The University of Texas-Pan American next week, he will speak about all his books and much more. April 23, Whitaker will take the stage at the Student Union Theater at 7 p.m. where he will dis-
GETTING THERE Miles and his wife traveled extensively through Mexico and the United States, from library to library and bookstore to bookstore in search of critical information. “I looked at the all the libraries for books about it but didn’t find any except at the Benson Latin American Library at the University of Texas at Austin. Fascinating enough, generals filed their memoirs there in the 1800s,” said the author, who started on the book after retirement from radio. “I uncovered so many things while living in the stacks at UT.” Miles’s book has made such an impact that Fred Heath, vice-president and provost of the UT Library System, has recommended his work to all high schools and university libraries statewide, because it not only offers something new but provides for easy readability. “My writing style is informal and fast-paced. I keep it moving. There’s a lot of stuff that’s hard to believe,” Miles said. “This is a book you can put down at night and pick up the next morning and know exactly where you left off.” While the book was meant for the public unaware of the day’s true meaning, Miles also found himself opening doors to a world he had never imagined.
“My view on May 5 has changed tremendously,” he said. “I enjoy putting on celebrations for my students. I’ll even put on plays where I’ll have my third graders speaking Spanish and the ones playing the French generals speaking French.” Although the book covers a lot of material, there are a couple of things Miles says he cannot stress enough. “There are two important things about my book. Number one is that May 5 is not Mexican Independence Day. Number two is that folks with Mexican heritage should be proud of it,” Miles said. Currently, there are two Spanish versions of the book in preparation, one directed at the MexicanAmerican market and the other for native speakers. Miles has been a news director for several radio stations throughout the country, served on the Board of Directors of Florida’s AP Broadcasters, has taught at universities and elementary schools and is the author of two broadcast journalism books as well as his new release. For more information on his book or appearances, visit www.donmiles.com or contact his publicist, Stephanie Barko, at: steffercat@austin.rr.com.
describes joys of writing, learning cuss “Mad in America,” which focuses on what he sees as ineffective schizophrenia treatment methods in the United States. The book came as a result of research Whitaker was doing for an article for the Boston Globe. That article resulted in Whitaker being named a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Whitaker said the research and learning involved in writing all of his books is the best part. “It fits into why I wanted to know and why I continue to like to write. I found that it was to delve into a subject, learn about a subject and to learn
about it thoroughly,” he said. Whitaker, who currently lives in Boston, said this love for research and learning is the most relevant thing he gained from college. “I didn’t leave college with any particular body of knowledge or any particular skill, but I did leave college with a thirst for learning and thinking through things,” he explained. “My belief is college should teach you a process for learning and a hunger for learning. What you learn is immaterial.” Whitaker said he hopes to pass on this curiosity to students he addresses next week.
“Whenever I speak to students…I think the hope is that you say something or deliver some information that raises questions,” he said. “It’s not about imparting knowledge as it is about raising curiosity.” Whitaker will also present on April 24 starting at 6 p.m. in a “double feature.” The first half will have Whitaker giving a sneak preview of his upcoming book and the second part, which begins at 7 p.m., will focus on “The Map-Maker’s Wife,” which tells the story about the first woman to travel the length of the Amazon River.
A&E
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April 19, 2007
Tarantino, Rodriguez revisit ‘70s underground cinema By FRANK CALVILLO The Pan American Few, if any, college students remember the way movies were in the ‘70s, mainly because most of them had yet to be born. But for those who do remember, the new movie “Grindhouse” will serve as a welcome piece of nostalgia that more than packs a punch. Directed by two of Hollywood’s most popular and distinctive directors (Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino), “Grindhouse” is a three-and-a-half-hour double feature serving up two outrageous stories in one showing. The first one, “Planet Terror,” deals with the frenzied citizens of a small town trying to escape a deadly virus that turns its victims into disfigured mutants. The second story, “Death Proof,” follows the antics of a strange and mysterious stuntman (Kurt Russell) and his ultrafast car that gives off sinister vibes to all who encounter it. In “Grindhouse,” the characters are so fake that they come across as caricatures rather than actual people and the plotlines are so ludicrous that most audience members will give up trying to
follow them. But through cheesy, and oftentimes hilarious, dialogue, elaborate action sequences, a slew of celebrity cameos and a killer soundtrack, “Grindhouse” manages to entertain. Though each of the two “Grindhouse” directors has his own unique style of filmmaking, with this project, the two get lost in the fun, but not completely. In “Planet Terror,” Rodriguez rehashes his old “something is taking over” routine and manages to re-work it beautifully, while in “Death Proof,” Tarantino delivers what his fans expect: explicit violence mixed with colorful banter. While “Grindhouse” won’t win its large cast any major accolades (other than perhaps an MTV Movie Award or two), the ensemble could not care less and instead have fun with their parts, which include a smart-mouthed female DJ, a one-legged stripper, a grotesque restaurant owner, an unsettling stuntman and a cheating doctor, among others. Amidst the many familiar faces in “Grindhouse,” audiences can expect to see such stars as Russell, Bruce Willis, Nicolas Cage, Rose McGowan, Rosario Dawson, Stacy “Fergie” Ferguson and even Tarantino himself, who pops up in
both films in small supporting roles. Although the time period in the film is present day (as is evident by the appearance of text messaging), the movie’s setting could have easily been 1975 with the reels being presented in a grainy, discolored filter, much like it would have been in the past. Additionally, many of the characters’ costumes, cars and homes reflect the bygone era of the ‘70s when grindhouse cinema was alive. Considered by many to be a subgenre of film, grindhouse cinema was a style of filmmaking popular in the ‘70s that specialized in bringing larger than life stories with exaggerated characters to moviegoers everywhere. Combining elements of exploitation films and horror shows, the genre often showcased movies in double features, a marketing ploy that was all but dead at the time and seldom seen today. “Grindhouse” most definitely won’t revive a genre that most feel wasn’t worth the price of an admission ticket in the first place. But for many, it will serve as a transport to the days when it was okay to like films with blatant sexuality and explicit violence and introduce the art of underground moviemaking to a whole new generation.
About.com
EXPLOITATION CINEMA - Marley Shelton stars in “Planet Terror,” one of two action-inspired films that make up the double feature “Grindhouse.”
NEWS
April 19, 2007
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SAFETY continued from page 1 make a proper, rapid response; having credible information is often the key. “Usually, you’re going to try and get as much information as possible before you release it,” he said. “The perfect scenario is that you get information quickly and then have it released quickly. In reality, that is sometimes not the case.” At VTU, the campus is equipped with an outdoor public address system. However it was not used to notify students, another move that has drawn criticism. Loya said some buildings at UTPA have a PA system, but announcements can only be made from inside the building. Some schools, such as UTAustin, have a campus-wide siren for disaster warning. While Loya said the UTPA PA system is more of a fire-safety precaution, he noted it came in handy five years ago when a chlorine spill near the university caused a reaction and fumes to be emitted. He said improving the system could be of great benefit to the university. “We do have e-mail and some have TV monitors that you can plug information into and make announcements, but an actual PA system that some buildings
have in the fire system would be beneficial,” he said. “So it may be something the university might want to look at; maybe an official intercom system.” OPEN-CAMPUS OBSTACLES Unlike many private colleges, UTPA is an open campus, with many community members often walking on campus for exercise, according to Loya. This poses added risk and an inability to keep a fully controlled environment. “It’s very difficult to see what areas might be vulnerable because the whole campus is open,” he said. “All we can do is make sure officers are properly trained.” According to Loya, research facilities have some of the best high-tech security systems, but the campus as a whole poses difficulties. For now, Loya said the police are going to focus on keeping the dorms safe. “We’re going to look at our housing and see if there are any areas of concern and make those an annual thing to make sure everything is up to par,” he said. “Each building has its procedures
so we just need to make sure everyone is doing what they are supposed to.” Cardenas said she remains committed to ensuring safety on campus. “I feel a profound responsibility for your immediate well being and for your long-term safety,” she said in her statement. PREPARATION IS KEY Prior to the Columbine High School shootings on April 20, 1999, police were criticized for following their training instructions to enter only after setting up a perimeter and when SWAT arrives. Loya said this brought about changes to police strategy and fostered new methods in handling active shooter situations; now all law enforcement officials are trained for immediate entry. In fact, Loya said in March officers took part in active shooter training, a form of rapid response instruction available free to all law enforcement officers. He said one of the best methods for protecting is making sure officers are trained. “We’ve been trying to get our officers in, but it’s very popular since it’s free,” he said. “That’s something we’re
EDUCATION continued from page 1 America, he added. “There’s a racist undertone in my opinion, this conservative movement that wants people to not maintain the Spanish language and home cultural values,” he said.
Q
“I refuse to stand behind poorly delivered bilingual programs.” - Peter Farruggio professor of bilingual education
Currently, bilingual education is administered to 16 percent of the 4.5 million public school children in Texas, a rate that continues to grow annually by 4 percent. Melinda Godoy, senior bilingual education major, was not happy when she learned about the comments Gingrich made, explaining that as a political leader he should know more than one language in order to better communicate with other officials. “He wants to run for president, but already he’s starting out wrong,” she said. “As a political leader, you need to be able to communicate effectively with foreign officials.” Supporters say that the bilingual education program is an effective one when conducted properly. In a bilingual program during their early years, the child’s strongest language is used to teach most of the subjects in order to maintain their intellectual development. A poorly delivered program will not pro-
duce the results educators and officials are looking for. If an attempt is made to maximize teaching of the weaker language too quickly, you will defer the level the students will need to be at intellectually. Teaching the English language needs to take a different focus, Farruggio explained. “Bilingual programs do not use the native language enough, or appropriately for the intellectual development,” he said. The whole point of bilingual education is to use the native language as a tool for intellectual development so that as students acquire English skills they continue learning core subejct at an ageappropriate level. Lupita Gonzalez, a bilingual educator for the Brownsville Independent School District, has also had experience in maintaining the language balance in the bilingual classroom. She agrees that continuing the strength of the students’ first language is crucial when learning a second language. “How can a child learn another language if they’re first not grounded on their own,” she said. “When a child learns another language, they’re learning the same grammatical concepts; it’s just in a different language.” Despite claims from bilingual educators, officials still argue that test scores don’t prove the program’s effectiveness, and that gives them reason enough to question the program’s methods. Farruggio believes that it’s low-
looking to continue since you can do the training as many times as you want.” Loya also added that they are considering combining their quarterly firearm qualification with active shooter training. He said having officers go through both at least four times a year should be beneficial. “You have to train and train and train until it becomes natural,” he said. “The more you do something, the better you get at it and that’s what we’re trying to accomplish.” In addition, Loya said frequent assessments by the PD’s Crime Prevention Unit and the Crisis Intervention of Response Team - made up of members of various campus departments - help ensure campus safety. PAST INCIDENTS The most recent threat to campus security occurred in late March when an alleged bank robber led Edinburg police on a chase that ended at UTPA. The event ended without any students being injured and was over in a matter of minutes. Back in the 1970s, however, an
incident occurred with a student who took a chemistry class hostage with a gun. While no one was injured, Mike Crews, long-time associate professor of mathematics, vaguely recalls the incident, saying the student in question was in his economics class. He said he was reminded of the event when the shooting at VTU occurred this past week. “I mentioned it to my wife,” he said. “It’s a horrible situation. Something like that could have happened here if they hadn’t gotten him to come out of the classroom.” Many other veteran faculty members remember the incident, but details of the long-past event are sketchy. Loya said dangerous incidents can occur without warning and all people can do is prepare. “You can plan, you can train and you can have these plans in place, but it’s not until you have an incident happen that you’re going to find out if your plans are going to work,” he admitted. However, Loya assures should UTPA have a dangerous situation, “we do have everything in place.”
REACTION continued from page 1 level teaching for a multiple choice test prevents students from learning the essentials. In his opinion, teaching the test prevents the student from really learning how to think. They’re not being able to do hands-on science experiments; they’re not being able to explore the wider world of mathematics. “If we want to advocate for these kids’ future, we need to dismantle this whole system and start putting serious money into education, building new schools and training teachers,” he said. At UTPA, teaching bilingual education majors the methods of an effective bilingual program has been successful. Students don’t face serious opposition until they get out into the teaching field. Often, the pressure they face can become overwhelming. “They’re being told, ‘No, you have to teach the test. You have to do our stuff. Not that fancy stuff you were taught at UTPA,’” Farruggio said. Farruggio hopes that bilingual education systems won’t be replaced by English immersion programs. If given the correct attention and support, he believes bilingual programs can give Hispanics an equal chance at opportunity. “I refuse to stand behind poorly delivered bilingual programs,” he commented. “Not that we should eliminate bilingual education, but take these programs and turn them into good programs. Don’t tar our image by doing a bad job. Otherwise, racists will use that and say ‘See, this doesn’t work.’”
need to be prayed for though.” UTPA President Blandina Cardenas is expected to speak at the event. In a statement released prior to knowledge of the memorial service, Cardenas encouraged honoring those who lost their lives. “This is a time for reflection and for awareness of that which binds us together as well as that which impacts our vulnerability as individuals and as a campus community,” she said. “I encourage your participation in campus-based or community-based observances. While nothing we do can possibly make sense of what has happened, expressing our shared grief may help us to find calm in the face of this horrific tragedy.” Bryant, of Ennis, Texas, said she decided to spearhead the event while going over production plans with Bronc TV. When she decided to organize the event, Bryant said she never expected it
to gain so much momentum. “I never expected the president to speak, but it’s great she’s getting involved,” she said. The memorial will consist of songs, a speech by Cardenas and a prayer led by Baptist Student Ministry leader Robert Rueda. In addition, the president’s office will be providing 32 long-stem roses in the victims’ honor. Bryant stressed the importance of the memorial remaining a campus event, adding she has asked all media to remain at a distance during the ceremony. Cardenas added that amid the horror, it’s important to support each other as a community. “College is tough; a caring campus can make it less so,” she said. “The tragedy at Virginia Tech puts many things in perspective, most importantly that every member of this community is precious and that we are, in the end, responsible for each other.”
SACS continued from page 1 student success in math courses because of the inherent difficulty of the subject matter. “They complimented the fact that we chose math as our topic because math is a barrier for students, not just here but all over the country,” Davidson said. The committee’s visit will end today with an exit meeting during which UTPA officials will receive feedback on areas needing further improvements.
The official on-site committee report will be released May 19. The university will then have three months to make any necessary adjustments in time for the final decision to be announced at the annual SACS convention in December. Gaining accreditation will maintain the value of the degrees students receive from UTPA over the course of the next 10 years.
NEWS
Page 12
April 19, 2007
SGA continued from page 3 that would need the cooperation of the administration as well as professors. According to Matamoros, ideas like online books and re-implementing textbook rentals have been considered as alternatives to purchasing books. “Negotiations are continuing,” Matamoros said. Villarreal and Matamoros said a campus radio station seems to be of high interest among students. They consider it an excellent way to get the word out about university activities and concerns. Students in the communication department have been producing TV casts for Bronc TV for almost two years, and several have done radio Web casts for various UTPA athletic events. Villarreal says they feel the core curriculum is “tweaked” in some areas and should be updated to create different
sets of courses. Matamoros said the philosophy department wants to look into and create religious studies courses, an idea they say that professors are coming to an agreement on. Another “big” concern for many students on campus is parking. Matamoros says the reason for that is that there is no real committee in charge to create a long-term plan. Although no research on cost and the long-term effects have been made, their plan is to structure a committee made up of administrators and students to look for solutions dealing with parking at the university. “It’s something in the works but I think it’s going to be big,” Villarreal said. “Students are always concerned about parking.” Matamoros said he cannot promise to get everything done in the first 100
days, but he can promise to continue to research and hopefully find answers to all of these concerns in the future. As far as time, he says it is up to the administration. “As long as we can get the ball rolling, accomplishments should be made,” Villarreal said. According to Matamoros recycling is an issue they are concerned about because the university is not meeting expectations in that area. He said things that are supposed to be recycled are being thrown away. His goal is to get the administration to find a way to fund a recycling program. The science department is looking into a recycling center on campus, the two added.
Tonys” want to work on getting a monthly SGA letter out to students letting them know what the association is doing. Villarreal says that their main focus would be to increase voter turnout among students. He says there are approximately 17,000-plus students and only about 700 voted in this recent election. “Not many people are aware of SGA and what we do,” Villarreal said. Instituting an opinion survey would encourage students to voice their opinion and keep the university issues and concerns up to date. “I think this would be more effective than an Internet Web site,” said Matamoros. “It would help get SGA more exposure.” The SGA works with the City of Edinburg and the administration, and the plan is to increase cooperation with
members of the state Legislature. Matamoros and Villarreal have a campaign Web site in order to stay in contact with students. It contains background information; just log on to www.myspace.com/the_two_tonys.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS While Reed’s assignment began April 17, Ochoa will not officially begin his duties as dean of the College of Education until June 1. However, he plans to get to work right away. In his first 90 days he plans to gather input from faculty,
staff, department chairs and the College Council before he makes any changes. “One of my major goals this year is to revamp and restructure the teacher preparation program and we’re going to be required to comply with the new requirements from the state so that will be a major issue,” said the McAllen native. Another goal Ochoa, who replaced Velma Menchaca, wants to accomplish is to develop a close relationship with area high school superintendents in order to facilitate placement for students who complete their practicum. He has high hopes of making the College of Education a nationally recognized entity. “We’re going to look at our curriculum and try to develop new market areas where people might want to get certified as a teacher,” he said. “The bottom line is I want them (students) to know that we’re here to serve them and
that I think we’ll be able to provide good customer service to them.” Ochoa plans to create an open forum for undergraduates and graduates, giving them a chance to voice any concerns or opinions they have about the college. Ochoa is ready to take over as dean thanks to his experience as school psychology doctoral program coordinator and director of training at Texas A&M University. He has also been the interim school psychology program coordinator, Educational Diagnostician Program cocoordinator, and program coordinator of the Bilingual Special Education Master’s Program at Texas A&M University. He received his bachelor’s in psychology from St. Edward’s University in 1981, his master’s in education in guidance and counseling from UTPA in 1984 and his Ph.D in school psychology from Texas A&M University in 1989.
ca’s Media Center Committee is also planning to establish a Web site, television and radio programs. “I think it’s a good idea that the church is using different ways to promote religious messages,” said Elena Rojas, a 26-year-old Pharr native who attended the event at the church. “The main reason why I came was to listen to Valentina. I really admire her work.” According to Alazraki, Pope John Paul II always said that the Church should not fear the media, and that it should be more open to today’s modern language. He would say that any form of media is neither good nor bad, but that it all depends on how it is used. Alazraki considers herself lucky to
have had the opportunity to encounter a pope who placed importance and value in communication. “The pope would speak to every reporter that approached him during press conferences. He would answer questions in the reporter’s native language,” Alazraki said. “He had an incredible charisma.” Alazraki mentioned that the biggest difference between Pope John Paul II and his successor, Benedict XVI, is their personality, saying the new pontiff is timid and introverted. She also added that Benedict XVI is not interested in being the protagonist of the Holy Message, but instead feels that the message itself should be the focus. Alazraki recently published the
book “En Nombre del Amor” (In the Name of Love), in which she narrates memorable experiences with the pope, as well as interviews with those who were closest to him, including his doctor, photographer and the Polish nuns he shared much of his time with. For more than three decades now, Alazraki has lived in Italy and occasionally visits different parts of the world to speak about her life and career. “As a journalist, the best advice I can give to communication students is never think, ‘This can’t be done,’” Alazraki said. “No matter how difficult a task can seem, always give it a try. The worst that can happen is that you get ‘no’ for an answer, and even then, don’t give up right away. Try, and if that doesn’t work, try harder.”
INTERNAL SOLUTIONS In the internal aspect, “the two
Moses Garcia/The Pan American TEAM WORK - Tony Villarreal (left) and Tony Matamoros are ready to improve the upcoming year.
DEAN continued from page 3 of the college in 1999. Reed, who replaces William McIntyre as dean, said when he saw an ad for the dean position on the university’s Web page, he figured he had a good shot at it. Though his duties as dean began April 17, Reed already has a number of issues he’d like to address within the college. “We want to graduate more nurses because there’s a horrible shortage of nurses in the community,” Reed said. According to the new dean, in the past two years the college made some improvements such as increasing the numbers admitted to the program, but he wants to continue working with the medical community to graduate more nurses. “I want this college to become a leader in structural technology,” Reed stressed. “We need to do more with technology and a part of that are online
course and we need to bring new technologies into the classrooms and into the clinical lab settings.” He plans to form a task force of people from different departments who are technology leaders in their own discipline, with whom he can consult for ideas on how the college can improve itself. Reed knows this will cost money and plans to find funding support for new initiatives by this fall. Raising money isn’t new to Reed. He has brought more than $6.9 million in funded projects to the College of Health Sciences and Human Services through grant proposals he either authored or co-authored. Reed praises the students in this college for their determination to help others. “I’d like to tell these students they should be proud for choosing a career where they want to help people, that in
some of the fields in our college you can make a real nice salary, but most of us don’t do it for salary,” Reed said. “Most of us in Health Sciences and Human Services do it because we want to help people, and they should be proud of making that choice.” Reed received his bachelor’s in history from the University of Colorado in 1978 and his master’s in rehabilitation counseling from the University of Northern Colorado-Greeley in 1990, where he also received his doctorate in 1993.
JOURNALIST continued from page 3
Sidney Meadows/The Pan American MEMORIES - Valentina Alazraki shares the experiences of her writing career.
SPORTS
April 19, 2007 ENLIGHTENED BY LUCAS
Tragedy’s formula strikes again This weekend, I watched “Munich,” a movie about a covert Israeli operation to assassinate the 11 members of Black September, a Palestinian militant group. During the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, By LUKE KOONG Germany, members from The Pan American the Israeli national team were held hostage, kidnapped and executed by the Black September while the entire ordeal was televised to audiences around the world. Seventeen lives were lost. I was merely looking for a good action flick to help pass the time. I wasn’t disappointed, but the movie encouraged me to think (don’t worry, no harm came to me). What drives one human being to take the life of another? I spent a good deal of Sunday night and Monday morning considering the possibilities. And then shots were fired at Virginia Tech. I thought to myself, it’s just another everyday shooting where one person got pissed, got crazy and pulled a trigger. Fast forward about four more hours and we learn it was more than a crazy person with a gun. It was a hate-driven individual seeking out people to kill. By day’s end, 32 Hokies had lost their lives, plus the shooter. Why? Competition. The drive to be better than someone else, to be superior to another person. That is a possible catalyst to the tragic events in
Blacksburg. The shooter was a loner. He was an Asian. Forgive me for stereotyping my fellow Asians, but perhaps he couldn’t accept the fact he wasn’t at the top. Why? Belief in superiority. That’s the root of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. One group thinks the other is inferior and vice versa. There isn’t much differentiation between our genes though. In fact, we’re about 82 percent alike, according to a study published last November. Don’t get me wrong. I love a good basketball game where the last shot matters. And I love football games where a two-minute drill can define a team and lead to a “W” or “L.” (I hate games that go into overtime and come down to a field goal though. Adopt the college rule!) When competition leaves the confines of good sportsmanship however, that’s when the downfall of man takes place. When games are defined by brawls, head-butting or ear-biting, who’s to say that the future doesn’t hold something worse? No one is superior. Each team, player or person has distinct weaknesses and strengths. All teams can be beaten. That’s evidenced in results like Manchester United drubbing AC Milan 7-1 and then losing to Portsmouth 2-1, one tally against them being the result of an own goal. You can’t blame human nature for pride or jealousy, but we can make an effort to try to be civil when those feelings threaten to overcome us. Otherwise, we’ll all lose something dear. Please send all comments or questions to lkoong2004@yahoo.com.
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SPORTS
Page 14
April 19, 2007
BRONC SOCCER CLUB
Futbol enthusiasts prepare to select new leadership
Soccer Club seeking out new talent for next squad By PATRICK B. KENNEDY The Pan American The University of Texas-Pan American Soccer Club is gearing up to hold tryouts to prepare for its most ambitious season ever. “Our goal, this year, is to make it to the national tournament,” said men’s team captain Rodrigo Castillo, a senior education major. With the end of the semester in sight, the Soccer Club is looking to hold elections for officer positions, as well as hold tryouts for both men’s and women’s squads. Both are coming off of an impressive season, which saw the men advance to the semi-finals in the state tournament in only their second year. In its debut season, the women managed a tie with a former state champion. With such strong campaigns behind them, many are growing excited
over the possibilities for success in 2007. The first signs of what next fall will bring are sure to come out during tryouts in early June. Noemi Sanchez, women’s team captain and a sophomore nursing major, said that the club is looking for players that display good ball skills and a good attitude.
For more information: President Luis Aguirre luisaguirre_2005@yahoo.com Soccer Club president Luis Aguirre, a junior criminal justice major, echoed Sanchez’s sentiments. “We are also looking for people that really want to make a commitment to the club, as well as a desire to partici-
pate in university events,” he said. The team is also a university organization, so elections for club officers will take place in the coming weeks. Sanchez said that the women’s team is looking to hold a second tryout in the weeks prior to the beginning of the fall semester. The usual turnout is around 40, with about 30 making the team. According to Castillo, new team members will be selected by a panel of current players and coach. Those not making the team can become members of the club, which Aguirre says is the “backbone of the organization.” Castillo noted that people who don’t make the roster but join the club can challenge for spots on the squad throughout the semester. Although the team coaches will remain the same for the upcoming season, new captains will be chosen after the tryouts. Aguirre says that the club is very excited and fortunate to see the return of men’s coach Carlos Trevino, and women’s mentor Oscar Coronado. Veterans and “newbies” alike are encouraged to tryout for positions on the team. “You can gain new friends, have fun and be a part of a team experience,” Sanchez said.
Onydia Garza/The Pan American OFF-SEASON - The Bronc Soccer Club hopes to return to the pitch and their winning ways after the men lost in the semi-finals of the state tournament last season. The women tied with the state champions.
SPORTS
April 19, 2007
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BASEBALL
Broncs roll into Dallas with 15-30 mark
Mound play, mental game major concerns for team By RAMIRO PAEZ The Pan American The University of Texas-Pan American baseball team will start a three-game series tonight in Dallas against the Patriots from Dallas Baptist University. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m. The Broncs currently stand at 1530 and have lost three in a row. They are coming off a two-game series against their rivals, the Roadrunners from the University of Texas-San Antonio. The month of April has been tough for the Broncs, with seven of 10 games away from the Edinburg Baseball Stadium. They travel to Dallas this weekend followed by a game in Austin with the always tough Longhorns. Coach Willie Gawlik knows that his team needs to stay focused and finish the season strong. “If we play hard, we have a chance to win,” Gawlik said. “We have to do the best we can and good things will happen. We have to keep on moving forward.” As of Wednesday, the Patriots sport a 20-17 record and are coached by Eric Newman. Players Austin Krum
and Austin Knight, both with a .358 batting average, lead the team. They are coming off a game with Stephen F. Austin and a two-game series against Missouri State University. The Patriots have played a tough schedule all season, including Rice, Oklahoma, Iowa, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. The Broncs know that they will have to step up their game in Dallas. “They always have a good team and they are tough,” Gawlik said. “We have to play them hard.” One of the struggles for the Broncs this season has been pitching. Gawlik says that the pitching has to be better and they also have to play better defense in order to have an opportunity to win and be in every game.
“The problem we have been having is consistent pitching. We are getting experience as we go and we have to keep playing hard and keep working,” Gawlik said. Josh Wymer (4-5), a first-year pitcher for the Broncs, says that his team has been dealing with many struggles this season and they are going to try to figure out what each individual problem is. Once they do that, they are going to go out in practice and work on it. Wymer, who has struck out 51 opponents so far, said he and his teammates hope to execute when game time falls. The Broncs will look to close out the season strong. Gawlik said that players’ ability to step up has worked
out very well for his team. He thinks that will allow his squad a chance to win. After the Dallas Baptist series, only eight games remain, including a rematch against the Patriots in late April. UTPA has faced a tough schedule all season, but it has helped the team improve for the next season. “It (the schedule) has helped us,” said Abraham Garcia, a sophomore second baseman and McAllen native. “We’ve had a lot of close games and hopefully we can have a turnaround, so we can reach our goal.” Game two of the series will be Friday at 5 p.m. and the finale will be Saturday at noon. The Broncs will return home for action against the same Patriot team April 27.
The College of Education at The University of Texas-Pan American is collaborating with the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame to celebrate baseball’s legacy in the RGV. This summer, a baseball museum will be located on the third floor of the College of Education building in the Borderlands Room. May 17 has been selected as the kick-off date for the celebration and the exhibit will be on display throughout the summer.
UTPA @ UTSA April 18 in San Antonio UTSA 11, UTPA 1 UTPA UTSA
100 000 000 1 5 0 100 540 01X 11 15 1
W-Brannon (3-4) L-Cisper (0-6) S-None E-Saltzgaber DP-UTPA 2; UTSA 2 LOB-UTPA 5; UTSA 6 2B-Tognietti; Keithley, Ponza 3B-Koger HR-Saltzgaber SB-None Records UTPA (15-30), UTSA (23-15)
UTSA 12, UTPA 2 UTPA UTSA
Onydia Garza/The Pan American SLIDING IN - Jeremy Johnson, a junior second baseman, is ruled safe at base during the UTPA’s second game against Texas A&M-Prairie View April 14. Johnson and the Broncs were victorious at Edinburg Baseball Stadium, winning 9-6.
Summer exhibit to focus on baseball greats
By KRISTYNA MANCIAS The Pan American
Box Scores
UTPA @ UTSA April 17 in San Antonio
BASEBALL HALL OF FAME
Coach Ogletree, former athletes to be honored in early June
BASEBALL
The celebration will begin at UTPA and the guest of honor for the June 8 Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be former UTPA coach Al Ogletree, who won over 1,200 games in his career and guided the Broncs to the College World Series in 1971. Ogletree was selected as The Sporting News National Coach of the Year that season and collected Coach of the Year honors from the NCAA District VI, Texas Sports Writers’ Association and South Plains Professional Scouts Association, among other honor groups. The exhibit will display hundreds of authentic artifacts including vintage uniforms, equipment and media clippings. The art department is designing state-of-the-art information panels and banners, which will be used to decorate the exhibit. “We will feature Coach Al Ogletree and former UTPA athletes who have made it to the major leagues,” said Velma Menchaca interim dean of the College of Education. “We will also have a lot of arti-
For more information: Velma Menchaca (956) 381-2943 Manuel Hinojosa (956) 792-6320 facts and memorabilia, such as old uniforms that were used here at UTPA, baseball gloves from the 1950s, along with photos of some of the legends.” Along with Ogletree, former UTPA players will be present at the ceremony including Don Guillot, who played from
1983-87 and has the all-time record at UTPA for stolen bases with 183, plus Brownsville native Tony Barbosa and Lupe Salinas of Edinburg, two of the best pitchers in Bronc history. Barbosa recorded 351 strikeouts from 1967-70 season while Salinas recorded 38 wins, 41 complete games and 309 strikeouts from 1970-73. The exhibit will be open to all university students and the general public. The College of Education urges the community to view the great accomplishments that Rio Grande Valley athletes have made during their tenures at UTPA and with several of the area’s minor league baseball teams. “We really would like this information to get out to the general public so they can come and join the celebration of people who have contributed to UTPA and the Rio Grande Valley in terms of sports, specifically in baseball,” Menchaca said. Invitations to the May 17 reception and June events, plus fliers advertising the exhibit, are in the works.
010 000 010 2 6 0 300 041 22X 12 15 1
W-Proudfoot (3-1) L-Shepherd (1-5) S-None E-Saltzgaber 11 DP-UTPA 1 LOB-UTPA 6; UTSA 6 2B-Garcia; Lockwood 3B-Palincsar HR-Tognietti, Bourn; Keithley, Wilson, Saltzgaber SB-Davis Records UTPA (15-29), UTSA (22-15) Prairie View-A&M @ UTPA April 15 in Edinburg Prairie View-A&M 3, UTPA 2 Praire View UTPA
002 000 001 3 4 0 000 100 100 2 5 3
W-Herrell (1-0) L-Silva (1-2) S-None E-Bartosh, Johnson 2 DP-Prairie View 2; UTPA 1 LOB-Prairie View 8; UTPA 10 2B-Flores, Garcia SB-Richard; Gonzalez 2, Flores Records Prairie View (25-17), UTPA (15-28)
UPCOMING SCHEDULE Thursday UTPA at Dallas Baptist
7 p.m.
Friday UTPA at Dallas Baptist
6 p.m.
Saturday UTPA at Dallas Baptist
1 p.m.
Tuesday UTPA at Texas-Austin
6:30 p.m.
SPORTS
Editor’s Pick: Game to Watch When: Thursday Time: 9 p.m. Where: Dallas Dallas
French-born tennis player leads by example By ERICK QUINTERO The Pan American Every team has one, because any true squad would be incomplete without one. Some stand out and some don’t, but those who do always play a little harder. Always confident in the end and the one younger players look up to, he’s often high on any coach’s to-do-list. Some squads have at least one senior leader, but for The University of Texas-Pan American men’s tennis squad, there’s only Gary Bianco. Head coach Robert Hubbard knows his senior veteran will be difficult to replace. “He has stepped up and tries to lead by example. When he steps on the court he never gives up,” Hubbard said. “He can be having a bad day, but he will fight for you all the way through the match. He’s a silent leader and he does it on the court.” Bianco plays because he’s passionate. He wants to win and wants the pressure on him the way leaders always do. During his sophomore campaign against Lamar, with the Broncs down 3-2, only he and Oliver Steil, now a first-year graduate assistant for the Broncs, were left standing. Steil claimed his point to even things out for UTPA but the French national faltered on an arduous third set in which, according to him, his opponent threw up after the game due to exhaustion.
“I lost, but that’s why I play tennis; not to lose, but to play those matches,” he said. “To be able to have all the pressure you can possibly have at my level. Obviously I’m not going to play the Davis Cup and have the pressure of the country behind me, but I may have the pressure of my teammates behind me. The Bronc leader’s exposure to the game came growing up in France watching the Davis Cup. He was hooked on the three-day tournament when at five years old his parents gave him a plastic racket with a foam ball. Bouncing the ball off walls in the house quickly became his new hobby. He enjoyed success early in his career and posted 15 wins his freshman year in Edinburg. While playing the top two spots for UTPA he posted a 5-6 record his second year. This season he’s at .500 for the year going 10-10 in singles action while playing high on the list against a stacked scheduled of ranked opponents. He only played the spring portion of his senior season due to a turbulent junior year in which he transferred to Morehead State for personal and financial reasons. Unhappy with the former coach and with UTPA’s scholarship only covering two-thirds of his fees. Bianco took a full scholarship offer from Morehead State. But after the third day of practice State’s coach took a job at the University of Kentucky. After getting some advice from Steil, Bianco made his
way back to the Valley. “He told me that the new coach was really good and Coach Hubbard made an effort, found money for me to be here,” Bianco said. “I want to thank him for that. I’m grateful. A lot of good things have happened since I came back.” He sat out a year because he’d played a tournament at Morehead State, but stayed sharp as he practiced with the Bronc squad and came back to finish his career where he started. “I think I had a pretty good season, because the schedule we played was really tough, and I played the top of the line-up every single time,” he says. “We played 11 ranked teams, and Monterrey Tech, which is number one in Mexico, and that’s just as good as any ranked team in the United States.” His leadership was on display when Bianco and UTPA lost 5-2 against UT-San Antonio Saturday afternoon. In the final match of the regular season the Roadrunners held a decisive 4-1 lead and with UTPA sophomore David Lopez-Heredia holding off Nenad Maric in the number three spot for the final point of the day, Bianco gathered his
teammates along the court to cheer on the second-year player as he pulled through on a windy day, 7-6, 4-6, 10-8. In addition, he said most of the younger players seek him out for advice. Bianco has kept busy like many other seniors with graduation arrangements. Ideally he would like to work as an insurance agent with a backup plan to teach English in Switzerland. “I live close by and it’s better in Geneva,” said the English and French double major. Still the senior has unfinished business as UTPA is scheduled for a rematch Friday against UTSA in San Antonio during the Southland Conference Tournament. “We really want to play them again, because we’re not that far from them,” he said. “We lost 5-2. I mean I can win my match. As far as I understand, whether it’s Ivan, Brett or Nirvick, they all can win their match.” It’s the leader mentality at work, the never-ending will to succeed. Bianco knows this and he wants those around him to know this, because like all good leaders he never stops believing.
Vancouver
Stats, Stats, Stat! Stat! 3
3
The number of runs UTPA scored during its two-game series against Texas-San Antonio
1
1
The seed the Dallas Mavs hold in the NBA Western Conference playoffs. The Spurs are third while the Rockets are the fifth seed. BASEBALL SHORT By RAMIRO PAEZ The Pan American The University of Texas-Pan American baseball team struggled all afternoon yesterday and only managed one run as the University of Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners defeated the Broncs 11-1 at Roadrunner Field. The only run from the Broncs (1530) came in the first inning when Abraham Garcia grounded out to second base, bringing in designated hitter Roly Gonzalez from third. The fourth and fifth innings were the dagger for the Broncs as the Roadrunners (23-15) scored a total of nine runs. Cody Cisper (0-6), starting pitcher for the Broncs, allowed six hits, including a home run in the fourth inning to Ryan Saltzgaber. UTSA starting pitcher Blake Brannon (3-4) pitched for five strong innings and allowed just three hits and one run. UPCOMING ATHLETICS SCHEDULE
Onydia Garza/The Pan American LE CAPITAINE - Gary Bianco, a senior English and French double major, brings leadership to the Orville Cox Tennis Courts. He will help lead the tennis team as it competes in the Southland Conference Tournament Saturday in San Antonio.
Friday Track & Field @ Texas Twilight
TBA
Saturday Track & Field @ Texas Twilight
TBA
M. Tennis @ Southland Conference Tournament TBA