November 29, 2007

Thursday Nov. 29, 2007

58th Year No. 13

The few, the brave

NATIONAL

SERIES

War on Terror’s unpopularity reduces amount of recruits for armed services

By ABIGAIL MUNIZ The Pan American

The Army tried to start its recruiting year with 25 percent of its fullyear goal, which were 20,000 cadets, according to the article. Instead, the Army got 7,392 cadets, which is 9 percent of its fullyear goal.

THIS WEEK

It was not easy to get support from her family and friends when Cynthia Casas, a junior at The University of Texas-Pan American, first told them she was going to try the ROTC program.

“When I first talked to my family about it, they were a bit scared that they might lose me to the war,” the Mission native said. “It was very difficult for me in the beginning because I didn’t have support from almost anyone, except the other cadets that were at UTPA.” Casas’ lack of support for her military endeavors is reflected in the U.S. Army’s recruitment efforts.

Despite the fact that the Army’s recruitment goal for the fiscal year 2007 was exceeded, pay increases for enlistees and bonuses have led some to question whether the army is now struggling to find volunteers for an unpopular war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In a recent American Forces press release from the Department of Defense Web site, the U.S. Army Recruiting Command announced a $20,000 “quick-ship” bonus for aspiring recruits with no prior military experience who enlist for at least two years of active duty from the beginning of August through Sept. 30.

The bonus was created possibly because the Army missed its recruiting goals in June for the second month in a row.

The percentage of Army recruits, also known as Category IVs, has quadrupled since 2002 according to a recent Monitor article.

But the beginning of the fiscal year 2008, which started in October, is off to a rocky start for the Army.

According to the Associated Press, fewer signed up for basic training than in any year since it became an all-volunteer force in 1973.

The Army tried to start its recruiting year with 25 percent of its full-year goal, which were 20,000 cadets, according to the article. Instead, the Army got 7,392 cadets, which is 9 percent of its full-year goal.

Lt. Col. Andre Dean, a professor of military science at UTPA, said that the United States is adjusting standards.

“When you think of the big picture such as ‘are we lowering our standards?’ we’re adjusting them constantly to meet a congressional cap,” Dean said. “I think the longer we serve at war and the more the political trend goes and says ‘we really need to get our soldiers back’ the more there is a hesitancy to serve… in any nation.”

See ARMY page 11

EDUCATION

NEWS Grant to fund medical Spanish program See Page 3

A&E Student takes director reins for latest play See Page 8 & 9

SPORTS Lady Broncs take third place at volley NIT See Page 15

Public school standards reviewed Students’ college preparedness major concern

By J.R. ORTEGA The Pan American Public schools may feel the pressure to better prepare students for college in the next couple of years, if a draft of College Readiness Standards is adopted by state education officials in early 2008.

The standards, released on Oct. 25 by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, aim for a deeper level of understanding in English/language arts, mathematics, science, social science and cross- discipline skills.

In previous years, public school districts have tried to get students to understand the material needed to graduate with a high school diploma to get them out of the public education system, said Dominic Chavez, director of state relations for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Education aided or hindered by tech?

By BOBBY CERVANTES The Pan American As part two of a three-part series on technology and education, The Pan American examines the drawbacks technology advancements has on the learning process. Part one examined innovations in technology that aided education.

It is not news that advanced technology and education have gone hand in hand for the past couple of decades, but with new media systematically invading college campuses, the drawbacks seem to shadow the benefits.

With the explosion of technologyincorporated education, teachers at The

See TECH page 11

Former staff member dies of cancer

By ABIGAIL MUNIZ The Pan American

“This is part of an overall effort to better link public education to higher education,” said Chavez. “The College Readiness Standards are designed to not just help students get out of high school, but it’s designed to help once this student gets into college and into that entry level college course.”

THECB will also make revisions to the graduation exit Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) test.

The revamped standards will strive for more integration of skills, to make

After a yearlong battle with brain cancer, former vice president for institutional ddvancement Edward Mercer passed away Sunday. Mercer served The University of Texas-Pan American as the first vice president for the aforementioned department, continuing as part-time member of the advancement team as chief planned giving officer until 2004.

Lydia Aleman, executive director for university advancement, said Mercer was an “exceptional man.”

“He was very instrumental in garnering funds for the UTPA Foundation,”

See SCHOOLS page 11

See MERCER page 11

O PINION

Page 2

November 29, 2007

THE PAN AMERICAN

LESSONS FROM LEY

A mid-mid-life journalistic crisis BY: ANA LEY

I

t mostly began with some chats I had with my friend David a couple of months ago. I’m beginning to have my doubts about journalistic integrity, and it kind of worries me, especially considering I have spent the last four years of my life pursuing the practice.

And I’m not talking about any of that Rathergate or Outfoxed nonsense. If you’re an avid liberal/conservative, I know what’s probably running through your mind.

I’m talking about journalists of all sorts—those Pulitzer-cravin’, politician-

houndin’, foreign country-travelin’, tiny notebook-carryin’, pontificating, knowit-all attention hounds.

How many journalists write articles with the sole intent of educating the masses? How many are really that hungry for public enlightenment? Can most journalists honestly say they don’t just publish things because it’s gratifying to see a byline published on something read by lots of people?

I don’t care much for badgering politicians/officials to get the next big scoop. I don’t want to eventually convince myself that harassing people who have been through difficult times to “tell

their tale” somehow is a contribution to society. I probably don’t care about most of the stories I read in newspapers.

Maybe I’m in the wrong field?

After examining the pros of my anticipated career path (because they do exist), an odd feeling creeps up to me.

I think this is the type of career for twentysomethings. One where you’re constantly running around meeting new people, getting them to like you and eventually tell you their life story and if it’s good enough - handing it in to the news desk by deadline. Journalists are like fratboys working up the notches on their bedposts. Everything’s fine and

dandy for now, but I don’t plan on acting 21 for the rest of my life.

I’ll probably have gotten over my indignant fit in a few hours. Nothing I say here is remotely indicative of the way I really feel, and I’m probably just having a hissy fit because it’s nearing finals week.

I’m out. I’ve gotta get back to helping the staff lay out tomorrow’s issue.

Have you also been getting the career-threatening blues?

Tell me about it: analey23@yahoo.com

QUIPS FROM QUINTERO

Animals need a helping hand, too all me a sucker, but as big of a bad ass as I am, I’ve always had a soft spot for people that are down and out, especially furry ones. No, I’m not ready to join PETA just yet; I just happen to think animals are people too and should be treated with as much respect as the next person. Sometimes I think I enjoy their loyal company more than the know-it-all types I’m surrounded with.

To this day I carry a picture of “Champ.” The once tiny kitten my girlfriend was given by an angel, well not necessarily an angel but a very kind soul who I assume is still employed by the university. One of the few who kept doing the right thing even after everyone was warned not to feed the stray cats on campus, she saved a few by finding good homes for them. I’ll call her Jane.

I say saved because shortly after everyone was told not to feed them - so they wouldn’t come back to campus mysterious people with cages started

showing up on school grounds snagging the helpless felines. We knew better as to what lay ahead in their grim future. My girl and I were horrified so we decided to do something about it.

My girl knew Jane fairly well and we decided to adopt one of the many cats we enjoyed seeing sprawled about on trees or sleeping in the bushes all over campus. A few days later, Jane handed us a tiny half-tabby half-tuxedo, the size of my fist.

Of course, a month later we got him fixed, hooked him up with some vaccines and in no time he was getting big thanks to the fancy gourmet food my girl buys him. We’re both usually busy as college students often are, so Champ spends plenty of time around the apartment or hanging out in the balcony.

We often joke about Champ living the good life while we bust asses trying to pay for all his luxuries, but at the end of the day I can honestly say it was the best decision ever. Our precious wolverine, as we sometimes call him, brings

plenty of joy into our otherwise hectic/mundane schedules.

I don’t see many furry ones around campus anymore, apparently that ‘problem’ is no more, but I sure wouldn’t mind petting the fatsos again. While Champ is one of the lucky ones who found a good home, not all share the same fortune.

The Humane Society of Upper Valley in Edinburg has hundreds of healthy cats and dogs ready for a good home. On average they take in 80 to 90 a day and 40,000 over the course of the year. Needless to say, not all of them find a home.

On Sundays, I often visit the center just to chill in the big cage designed for older cats that are destined to meet their grizzly fate. At the risk of sounding like some lame public service announcement, I urge anyone with an ounce of humanity to swing by and adopt one. It becomes very hard not to do so once you see them in their cages, pressed up against the plastic wall, begging for a pat

on the head or a rub on their coat.

I know I often babble on about sports in this section (or most of the day for that matter), but some things are just more important than who scored what amount of points or posted some meaningless stat no one will remember in a few years. After all, if you were down and out, wouldn’t you want a helping hand?

NOVEMBER 29, 2007

Editor-in-Chief Sandra Gonzalez................................................. sandra_panamerican@yahoo.com

Designers

Secretary Anita Casares..........areyes18@utpa.edu

BY: ERICK QUINTERO

C

THE

PANAMERICAN 1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 381-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122 www.utpa.edu/dept/panamerican

News Editor Ana Ley....................analey23@yahoo.com

Rick Gamez Greg Garza Reporters and Photographers

A&E Editor Jeanette Perez.........fae_myst@yahoo.com

Brian Carr

Sports Editor Erick Quintero................................................. erickquintero4@hotmail.com

Onydia Garza

Photography Editor Veronica Gonzalez........................................... vdgonzalezz@gmail.com

Lezette Villarreal

Design Editor Roy Bazan......................rbazanzz@yahoo.com

Adviser Dr. Greg Selber..........selberg@utpa.edu

Leslie Estrada Ramiro Paez

Laura Garcia

Do you wish more humans cared about their fellow people? Let me know: erickquintero4@hotmail.com.

Advertising Manager Samantha Quintana.....spubs@utpa.edu Assitant Advertising Manager Jacqueline Iglesias................................... jiglesiasz@broncs.utpa.edu *** Delivery Thursday at noon 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 paper or university.

Newsinbrief GOLDEN KEY On Wednesday, Golden Key International Honour Society inducted more than 200 new members during a ceremony at the University Ballroom.

Keynote speaker for the event was Rosa Valencia, president, owner and CEO of R. Valencia, Inc. Homes of America.

The society, originally founded in 1977, chooses to honor students from all academic disciplines by providing more than $400,000 in scholarships and award programs.

This is the largest number of new members ever to be inducted into the Society since its inception as a chapter in 2002. They now have 1,000 members.

The society has provided personal growth and leadership through community service opportunities and interaction with university faculty and administration.

TOY DRIVE Spreading Christmas cheer is no ordinary matter for members of Omega Delta Phi as they kicked off their annual toy drive at an organization event Nov. 13.

This year, items collected will benefit the Knights Before Christmas toy drive. Toy donation boxes have been placed at various locations throughout The University of Texas-Pan American as well as local businesses.

The fraternity will be having its ninth annual softball tournament toy drive Dec. 8 at Edinburg Municipal Park in order to increase donations for the fund. Teams participating in the tournament are asked to donate a new unwrapped toy, along with a $100 entrance fee. Proceeds will go towards the purchase of additional toy items.

For more information on donating or the softball tournament please contact Luis Jaciel Maldonado at (956) 2076272 or e-mail luismaldonado2005@yahoo.com.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Pan American accepts letters of 300 words or less from students, staff and faculty regarding recent newspaper content, campus concerns or current events. The Pan American reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and length. The Pan American cannot publish anonymous letters or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send all story ideas to thepanamerican@gmail.com.

Individuals with disabilities wishing to acquire this publication in an alternative format or needing assistance to attend any event listed can contact The Pan American for more details.

November 29, 2007

N EWS

Page 3

THE PAN AMERICAN

FACULTY

FAMILY

Employee to take on new admin position

Parent involvement sees growth

By J.R. ORTEGA The Pan American After facing challenges at The University of Texas-Pan American for 35 years, Frances Rios is prepared for just about any obstacle that could come her way. Rios was recently appointed assistant vice president of Business Affairs and director of Human Resources, a title formerly known as director of Human Resources.

The new title merges the once separate responsibilities of directing the HR department RIOS and the school’s Business Affairs division.

She officially begins her duties Dec. 1.

Her title upgrade was the result of a change in the school’s administrative

See RIOS page 12

UTPA student service aims to continue trend

By ANA VILLAURRUTIA The Pan American For Alma Munoz, a typical morning starts in McAllen at 5:30 a.m. and rolls rapidly from there.

“I get my kids ready, get them to school and get myself to school. If I forgot something I can’t go back because it will ruin my whole day,” the senior sociology major at The University of TexasPan American said. “The little breaks I have between classes I use to study and do some work, because at home the kids are yelling and screaming and running around.”

Munoz is not the only student-parent struggling to make room in the schedule for kids and studies.

A recent study by The National Center for Education Statistics has shown that parents are spending more time with their children; more than 13 percent of parents are college students.

The university has helped to provide some relief for student-parents, as

Veronica Gonzalez /The Pan American QUALITY TIME - Marty Lopez, senior English major, takes time to help her 7-year-old daughter Karla with homework. The 29-year-old said she always finds time to help her daughter between evening classes.

well as faculty and staff through the campus daycare center, which is going on its third year. Elizabeth Quintanilla, assistant director for the center, said she has noticed a change in the way people spend time with their children.

“Before it was [the daycare’s] prob-

Contraception debate surfaces

By LUPE A. FLORES The Pan American King Middle School in Portland, Maine, recently became the first middle school in the state to provide a full range of contraceptives to their students with parental consent and confidentiality. The decision sparked nationwide controversy, and at The University of Texas-Pan American, opinions regarding the measure remain split.

The Portland school board approved the controversial proposal in early October, making birth control pills and patches available at the school’s health center.

child’s behavior, the assistant director went on to say. Student-parents have become aware of the care their own parents gave them and don’t want to make the same mistake twice.

“They come in and ask why he’s

See PARENTS page 12

ACADEMICS

SOCIAL ISSUES

Changes in school’s policy cause discussion

lem and not theirs,” Quintanilla said about parent’s reaction to their children’s needs.

“But now they want to know what’s going on. Parents seem to come in more and they rarely are in a rush to leave.”

The daycare makes sure to notify parents about any differences in the

Some think this is a good thing and another smart move toward a generation of pregnant-free youths, but a number of people believe access to birth control in middle schools will encourage adolescents to have sex.

That idea, however, is unlikely, according to Kathryn Hearn, community services director of Planned Parenthood in Edinburg.

“We don’t have to guess… we know from the history of the communities that offer contraceptives in schools like California,” Hearn said. “The availability of [birth control] does not increase and does not encourage teens to have sex. It only encoura g e s

them to be more responsible in using birth control, if they need it, to prevent pregnancies.”

In the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, high schools began providing birth control to students. At the time, the public was unsure that making contraceptives readily available encouraged sexual responsibility. Some also decried the idea because of religious or conservative beliefs.

After two decades of having only a few high schools provide contraceptives, the method has proven statistically effective, as states like California

See PILLS page 12

Medical Spanish Grant creates program for health students

By LEZETTE VILLARREAL The Pan American It’s an increasingly common tale: health professionals practicing with a language deficit. And in areas like the Rio Grande Valley where Spanish is spoken exclusively by a large portion of the population, doctors not fluent in the language can find their work difficult to do.

But a recent grant from the U.S Department of Education could help treat the demand for Spanish-speaking health professionals in the Valley.

The $442,000 grant, received by the College of Arts and Humanities, will fund a

Medical Spanish minor program at The University of Texas-Pan American.

According to Martinez, the idea and brainstorming began about two years ago for the program, but it was denied after a grant proposal was submitted and denied by the Education Department. This year’s proposal was more focused, thus approved, he added.

“This program is a win-win situation. Students will be better prepared to perform in their fields.”

-Hector Villarreal South Texas College Spanish Professor Dahlia Guerra, dean for the College of Arts and Humanities said that UTPA is at the forefront when it comes to offering the medical Spanish minor.

See MEDICAL page 12

November 29, 2007

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November 29, 2007 NEWS

November 29, 2007

Page 6 NEWS

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

November 29, 2007

Page 7

THE PAN AMERICAN

I CAMPUS

Artsinbrief

Reel 2 Red finds appreciation in nature

By JACKLYN ALVAREZ The Pan American Before the hectic process of studying for exams begin, the University Program Board and Reel 2 Red are hoping students will take a few hours to enjoy the outdoors at the second annual Garden Gala.

The gala, scheduled from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Nov. 29 at the Butterfly Garden, will feature food and entertainment by different ensembles and solo artists from the university.

Chelse Benham, radio-TV-film specialist for University Relations and director of R2R, said they hope the gala will help preserve the original purpose of the garden.

“The garden was intended to be an outdoor lab, a rest area, where people could just go and sit and enjoy a pretty day, a pretty afternoon and appreciate the fauna and flora,” said Benham. “It was supposed to be long-term and used to encourage more activity outdoors as well as an appreciation of our indigenous life.”

Benham said organizers also hope to promote the sale of engraved bricks.

“The bricks are primarily for students and a way for them to have their name permanently preserved on campus although staff, organizations or others in the community are welcome to purchase them also,” said Benham. “The gala provide the student an art show.”

These bricks help R2R repay the

University-loaned funds that paid for the garden’s benches, canopies, water feature and lights, all of which were not covered by the original grant that funded the project. Benham, in collaboration with Oscar Villarreal, the director of maintenance and operation for the university, obtained the grant for the garden from the Texas Parks and Wildlife committee.

When the grant was written it was agreed that events would be held in the garden to promote and appreciate environmental issues, Benham said.

Involving the university arts community seemed like the next logical step.

“The whole point is the garden should be a combination of garden and art. The art show and entertainment also allows student to preview the cultural arts on campus in a smaller venue and free of charge, so if they like the performance they will go to one of their larger events,” she said. “It’s also to provide a crossdepartmental event, for the campus, for students, by students, free to students.”

This year 20-year-old Alexis Carranza, R2R’s graphic manager, was the head coordinator for the gala.

“This year Chelse has handed me the torch and I have done the entire thing, because I was the only one who had done it before,” said Carranza.

From scheduling all the acts, making a presentation to UPB for the necessary funds, getting a work-order from the physical plant, talking to artists and catering, Carranza has been working on the event for several months now.

“When booking the acts, I did not

Nick Dodd/The Pan American NATIVE FOLIAGE - R2R director Chelse Benham hopes students will take pride in the natural beauty the UTPA Butterfly garden has to offer. The Garden Gala combines live entertainment, nature and art.

I CAMPUS DANCE Put your dancing shoes on, the UTPA Ballet Folklorico will kick off its 20072008 concert season this Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the UTPA Fine Arts Auditorium.

Adult general admission is $8; $5 for children/students/faculty and staff. The performance season will continue throughout the month of February.

Tickets are available at the box office and at the door. For further information, please contact Mary Munoz at: (956) 381-2230.

I ARTIST CALL Are you an aspiring writer? Love to draw? Know your way around a lens?

Submit artwork: paintings, poetry, drawings, photos and short stories to VOLARE-zine for publication at: volare.zine@yahoo.com.

I DANCE

Nick Dodd/The Pan American SOLID GROUND - Sales of the engraved bricks are only part of what Reel 2 Red seek to promote during its annual Garden Gala.

want to book anything that wasn’t mellow, it would not have fit with the atmosphere we are trying to create,” she said.

“Almost everyone I have, with the exception of about two or three, have been willing to donate their time and energy to help us out with the event, and they are not getting any money. It was a lot of work but the garden is a great place where people can go and hang out.”

Aside from the poetry, guitar show and dance ensemble performances, student are able to display their art for sale.

Anyone will be able to purchase original pieces from the students.

“Students need to be appropriately showcased and validated in the work that they do,” said Benham.

General studies major Adina Flores, 30, will be performing in the modern dance ensemble. This will be her second year participating in the Garden Gala.

“It gives us a chance to perform something we are working on, and it’s a chance to show students and whoever goes to the gala what we do, performancewise. A lot of people don’t know about

modern [dance] or flamenco.”

It is an opportunity to perform and to showcase all the arts together for students and faculty alike to enjoy.

“I think it’s a very good opportunity for students to exhibit their work. It’s hard enough to find a venue to display art and here not only can you display your work, but it’s in a great place,” said 18-year-old art education major, Beatrice Campa. “You can go see art and eat some food, and it’s all for free.”

Flores appreciates that the Garden Gala has much to offer to the university grounds.

“Last year it was fun, I enjoyed it, I loved the location,” said Flores. “I like the garden, and am glad it is there.”

Event Schedule: 4:05 p.m. - Saxophone Ensemble 4:25 p.m. - Poetry 4:35 p.m. - Melissa Morgan Performance 4:50 p.m. - Dance Ensemble 5:15 p.m. - Kurt Martinez Solo 5:25 p.m. - Ballet Folklorico 5:40 p.m. - Cuadro Flamenco

The Jr. Snake Charmers will be having dance tryouts Dec. 8 at the DanzForce Academy in Sharyland. Junior dancers selected will perform at six of the Rio Grande Valley Viper basketball games.

Everyone between the ages of six and 12 are welcome to try out but must have at least one year dance experience. Tryouts will be held from 9 a.m. to noon and tryout fee is $10. If interested, please call: 400-1068.

I MUSIC The UTPA Music department’s Faculty String Chamber recital scheduled for Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in room 103 was canceled. According to the department, cancellation was due in part to the participating parties not having enough rehearsal time and preparation. Music department chair Pedro Martinez apologized “for the miscommunication on the part of the faculty members in not letting the right people know to make the proper changes on the music calendar.” The recital was the last faculty performance of the fall season. The department will continue with their regular schedule in December.

Upcoming events: Dec. 1: 3 p.m. & 8 p.m. - Valley Symphony Orchestra Dec. 2: 7 p.m. - Woodwind ensemble Dec. 4: 7:30 p.m. - Men’s and Women’s Chorus Dec. 5: 7:30 p.m. - String Studio Dec. 9: 3 p.m. - Student Junior Recital Dec. 11: 7:30 p.m. - Graduate Student Recital Dec. 14 & 16 - Mariachi

November 29, 2007

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November 29, 2007

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Theatre presents last play of season T

he cool chill of winter is in the air. Although the month of November has not yet come to an end, Christmas spirit is already blossoming for The University of Texas-Pan American’s Theater Department.

“A Christmas Carrot,” written by communication lecturer Brian Warren, brings the theater season to a close with a heart-warming children’s tale in light of the coming Christmas celebration; a playful end to the usually serious, mature fall lineup.

“It’s a fun little story in the tradition of ‘The Grinch.’ [The play] is about a battle between a friendly household rabbit and a snowman outside in the yard. The rabbit covets the carrot that’s the snowman’s nose because all he ever gets is pellets,” said Warren. “He schemes and attempts to get the carrot but what he didn’t count on was that the snowman is indeed alive.”

Warren, who wrote the play in 2002, finds more passion in children’s theater above all else.

“There’s a greater feeling of imagination where anything is possible. It [the play] was something to make my daughters smile. I was thinking of little kids before they get too cynical,” he said.

While Warren loves the joy of directing “sweet” plays like this, he felt the storyline needed a fresh touch so he passed his work down to TV-film major Gerardo “Bull” Sanchez, who was in search of a challenge.

“The playwright gives it over to the other artist,” said Warren. “It’s all one big collaboration.”

Sanchez, an aspiring director, like Warren shares love for this genre.

“I love children’s theater. It’s great to play for a crowd who still believes in magic,” said the 28-yearold from Edinburg. “It’s a completely wonderful experience.”

The play, unlike the regular ones that Sanchez is used to, has only a cast of five and is completely student-run.

TV-film major Ali Faqvi, who plays Santa, finds himself enjoying children’s theater a lot more than the past performances he’s been in.

“This is a smaller cast so it’s a lot more intimate,” said the 20-year-old from Mission. “This gives us more artistic freedom to work with our characters. When you’re acting for adults, it’s harder to get away with stuff like a wrong line. Here you can improvise and have fun with it.You can have more fun with this kind of show because you’re going out there for a bunch of kids who are going to be excited to see you.”

Nick Dodd/The Pan American WINTER WONDERLAND - The rabbit, played by Victor Prado, and the snowman, played by John Flores, fight for the carrot. The play portrays the spirit of giving at Christmas.

The new director, said Faqvi, adds an important element to their performance.

“What I really like is that you can get direction from everybody. It’s good to have someone like Bull because he’s blunt,” said Faqvi. “He gives us our freedom but he also says, ‘let’s try it this way instead and see how that works.’”

While kid shows allow for some leeway in improvisation, Sanchez wasn’t aware of how much more work a play directed toward a young audience entails.

“I thought everything was going to be wonderful. When we had the first rehearsal like three weeks ago I realized, ‘Oh wow, this isn’t going to be as easy as I thought,’” said Sanchez, who also took part in a previous children’s play, “Golden Cobwebs.”

Children’s theater, he learned, requires more of everything.

“It’s a lot different. Your movements need to be bigger, your energy has to be a lot higher. By the end of rehearsal, the rabbit is practically out of breath just because there’s so much running around and jumping,” said Sanchez. “This play is tougher because they have to keep their energy levels as high as possible during the 45 minutes. It’s kind of a challenge to step it up even more.”

Keeping the varying audience in mind is another important element involved in the process.

“There are some jokes for adults and lots of interaction. We have a lot of audience participation and the bunny even goes into the audience,” said Sanchez. “I tried making this play enjoyable to a mass audience.”

Senior Victor Prado, who plays the rabbit, finds the experience refreshing for all types of ages.

“People walk by the posters and see ‘children’s play’ and think ‘Oh, it’s only intended for children.’

For teenagers or someone of older age to sit down and actually watch it and think that at one point that was them sitting down and believing,” said the 26year-old TV-film major. “This is something set in their lives that they can take with them.”

Sanchez, with the help of his set designer Jason Huerta and costume designer Marcy Garza, planned a Tim Burton-esque feel for the atmosphere of the story in hopes of spreading that magical embrace without the usual Christmas stereotypes.

“It’s like a story book. You’re used to seeing everything in 3D but this one is all painted and opens like a book,” said Faqvi.

The director concurred, and elaborated.

“The houses are crooked. The proportions just don’t make sense but in a children’s world of fantasy and cartoon, it makes sense,” explained Sanchez.

“We have a lot of practical elements like a kitchen but everything like cabinets and a fridge are all painted onto a wall. That’s going to allow the older audience to look past the life-like and let them embrace their inner child.”

The set is not the only thing that required remodeling. Santa himself had a makeover.

“It was trying to get away from the ‘Coca-Cola’ Santa. We went with a more traditional look instead of the big, jolly guy,” said Sanchez. “He doesn’t wear the red suit. He wears a robe and no hat, like Saint Nick.”

Even the scene changes were livened up.

“The people doing scene changes are going to be dressed up as elves. They’re going to have to come out happy and keep up the same amount of energy so they don’t look like a bunch of zombies,” he continued. “Scene changes are usually gloomy, everyone wears black so we’re making it festive.”

While Sanchez has made changes to Warren’s original concept, the message still remains the same.

“The most important thing is for them to have fun,” he said. “We’re hoping people can embrace the spirit of Christmas and bring back the wonders of being a child.”

Nick Dodd/The Pan American CARROT TIME - Mother and daughter argue over vegetables at dinner.

November 29, 2007

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November 29, 2007

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Theatre presents last play of season T

he cool chill of winter is in the air. Although the month of November has not yet come to an end, Christmas spirit is already blossoming for The University of Texas-Pan American’s Theater Department.

“A Christmas Carrot,” written by communication lecturer Brian Warren, brings the theater season to a close with a heart-warming children’s tale in light of the coming Christmas celebration; a playful end to the usually serious, mature fall lineup.

“It’s a fun little story in the tradition of ‘The Grinch.’ [The play] is about a battle between a friendly household rabbit and a snowman outside in the yard. The rabbit covets the carrot that’s the snowman’s nose because all he ever gets is pellets,” said Warren. “He schemes and attempts to get the carrot but what he didn’t count on was that the snowman is indeed alive.”

Warren, who wrote the play in 2002, finds more passion in children’s theater above all else.

“There’s a greater feeling of imagination where anything is possible. It [the play] was something to make my daughters smile. I was thinking of little kids before they get too cynical,” he said.

While Warren loves the joy of directing “sweet” plays like this, he felt the storyline needed a fresh touch so he passed his work down to TV-film major Gerardo “Bull” Sanchez, who was in search of a challenge.

“The playwright gives it over to the other artist,” said Warren. “It’s all one big collaboration.”

Sanchez, an aspiring director, like Warren shares love for this genre.

“I love children’s theater. It’s great to play for a crowd who still believes in magic,” said the 28-yearold from Edinburg. “It’s a completely wonderful experience.”

The play, unlike the regular ones that Sanchez is used to, has only a cast of five and is completely student-run.

TV-film major Ali Faqvi, who plays Santa, finds himself enjoying children’s theater a lot more than the past performances he’s been in.

“This is a smaller cast so it’s a lot more intimate,” said the 20-year-old from Mission. “This gives us more artistic freedom to work with our characters. When you’re acting for adults, it’s harder to get away with stuff like a wrong line. Here you can improvise and have fun with it.You can have more fun with this kind of show because you’re going out there for a bunch of kids who are going to be excited to see you.”

Nick Dodd/The Pan American WINTER WONDERLAND - The rabbit, played by Victor Prado, and the snowman, played by John Flores, fight for the carrot. The play portrays the spirit of giving at Christmas.

The new director, said Faqvi, adds an important element to their performance.

“What I really like is that you can get direction from everybody. It’s good to have someone like Bull because he’s blunt,” said Faqvi. “He gives us our freedom but he also says, ‘let’s try it this way instead and see how that works.’”

While kid shows allow for some leeway in improvisation, Sanchez wasn’t aware of how much more work a play directed toward a young audience entails.

“I thought everything was going to be wonderful. When we had the first rehearsal like three weeks ago I realized, ‘Oh wow, this isn’t going to be as easy as I thought,’” said Sanchez, who also took part in a previous children’s play, “Golden Cobwebs.”

Children’s theater, he learned, requires more of everything.

“It’s a lot different. Your movements need to be bigger, your energy has to be a lot higher. By the end of rehearsal, the rabbit is practically out of breath just because there’s so much running around and jumping,” said Sanchez. “This play is tougher because they have to keep their energy levels as high as possible during the 45 minutes. It’s kind of a challenge to step it up even more.”

Keeping the varying audience in mind is another important element involved in the process.

“There are some jokes for adults and lots of interaction. We have a lot of audience participation and the bunny even goes into the audience,” said Sanchez. “I tried making this play enjoyable to a mass audience.”

Senior Victor Prado, who plays the rabbit, finds the experience refreshing for all types of ages.

“People walk by the posters and see ‘children’s play’ and think ‘Oh, it’s only intended for children.’

For teenagers or someone of older age to sit down and actually watch it and think that at one point that was them sitting down and believing,” said the 26year-old TV-film major. “This is something set in their lives that they can take with them.”

Sanchez, with the help of his set designer Jason Huerta and costume designer Marcy Garza, planned a Tim Burton-esque feel for the atmosphere of the story in hopes of spreading that magical embrace without the usual Christmas stereotypes.

“It’s like a story book. You’re used to seeing everything in 3D but this one is all painted and opens like a book,” said Faqvi.

The director concurred, and elaborated.

“The houses are crooked. The proportions just don’t make sense but in a children’s world of fantasy and cartoon, it makes sense,” explained Sanchez.

“We have a lot of practical elements like a kitchen but everything like cabinets and a fridge are all painted onto a wall. That’s going to allow the older audience to look past the life-like and let them embrace their inner child.”

The set is not the only thing that required remodeling. Santa himself had a makeover.

“It was trying to get away from the ‘Coca-Cola’ Santa. We went with a more traditional look instead of the big, jolly guy,” said Sanchez. “He doesn’t wear the red suit. He wears a robe and no hat, like Saint Nick.”

Even the scene changes were livened up.

“The people doing scene changes are going to be dressed up as elves. They’re going to have to come out happy and keep up the same amount of energy so they don’t look like a bunch of zombies,” he continued. “Scene changes are usually gloomy, everyone wears black so we’re making it festive.”

While Sanchez has made changes to Warren’s original concept, the message still remains the same.

“The most important thing is for them to have fun,” he said. “We’re hoping people can embrace the spirit of Christmas and bring back the wonders of being a child.”

Nick Dodd/The Pan American CARROT TIME - Mother and daughter argue over vegetables at dinner.

Page 10

November 29, 2007 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

I MOVIE REVIEW

I TV CORNER

Legendary hero animates big screen

What

By RUSSEN VELA The Pan American “Beowulf,” the original brawling, arm-yanking epic poem from AngloSaxon folklore, earns a brilliant, eyepopping experience in the new film from the extraordinary team who brought us “The Polar Express.”

The film is so thrilling, and so majestic in size -- the budget for the film was reportedly $120 million -- and writing that one can look past the spellbinding, life-like digital animation in which the film is presented, and gaze with awe and amazement at this Dark Ages quest, a story of pride, bravery, lust, greed, and

the consequences that come with them.

Based on the heroic poem, “Beowulf” tells the story of a Danish kingdom ruled over by King Hrothgar and Queen Wealthow, voiced respectively by Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins (“Fracture,” “Silence of the Lambs”) and Robin Wright Penn (“White Oleander,” “Forrest Gump”). Their peaceful and carefree kingdom becomes the victim of the demon Grendel, voiced

by Crispin Glover (“Back to the Future,” “Willard”) and his manipulative mother, Oscar winner Angelina Jolie (“Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” “Girl, Interrupted”). After Grendel kills a batch of villagers during a celebration, the king offers half his

beowulfmovie.com HIT - Based on the heroic poem, “Beowulf” tells the story of a Danish kingdom ruled over by King Hrothgar and Queen Wealthown.

gold and his young queen to anyone who can rid the land of him and his mother.

The legendary hero Beowulf, perfectly voiced by Ray Winstone (“Sexy Beast,” “The Departed”) braves the ocean to come home and reap the rewards.

Oscar-winning director Robert Zemeckis (“Forrest Gump,” “What Lies Beneath”) uses his innovative digital motion capture animation to capture the actors’ performances and create a creative, visionary world as seen on the pages of the graphic novel.

The faces are not as fake and plastic looking as in Zemeckis’s first feature with motion capture animation “The Polar Express,” and the action is vivid and definitely more life-like. While it is hard to judge the performances in the film since they are all animated, Winstone’s Beowulf and Jolie’s demon mama are by far the best in the film.

Beowulf is cocky, and of course narcissistic -- what hero isn’t? But viewers connect with him on a different level. He atones for past mistakes and misfortunes brought on by pride, and the audience can’t help but root for the guy to win (he is a hero, after all).

Jolie’s crazy manipulative water demon is beyond anything we have seen her play before. She makes her

character sexy and deviant (wait, haven’t we seen her play this kind of role before?) but the audience concludes that she only acts that way to survive in the man-ruling world.

Writers Gaiman Roger Avary give each character deep development so that the audience doesn’t feel cheated or confused as to what is going on in the film.

One could be lying if he or she did not enjoy the epic poem “Beowulf” taught in high school. The film, which made $27.5 million in its opening weekend, is as ruthless as the poem.

“Beowulf” has everything an audience needs for a great motion picture experience: a great story, awesome conflict, incredible actors, and all of Hollywood’s awesome digital technology thrown behind it.

The original is the oldest surviving epic poem in Old English, with a manuscript from some time prior to the Norman Conquest in 1066, but the story itself is from many centuries before, having evolved in oral tradition.

These origins suggest writers Avary and Gaiman used a certain amount of artistic license in their adaptation of the poem, but after all, each storyteller around the ancient campfire would have changed something, too.

You’re

Not

Watching “Project Runway”

By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American

The writers may be on strike, but Bravo’s “Project Runway” isn’t.

The fashion design reality show began its fourth season Nov. 14 with an all-new batch of eclectic, quirky and sometimes downright strange designers.

Not so new is the judging panel; made up of designer Michael Kors, Elle Fashion Director Nina Garcia and supermodel Heidi Klum. And the perfectly-postured, eloquent Tim Gunn is back as well.

This season, the panel has been graced with the presence of guest judges and style gurus Monique Lhullier and Sarah Jessica Parker, with even bigger names expected later on.

The repeats that are dominating a once fruitful fall season have gotten TV lovers down, forcing many to turn to reality shows. Thankfully, viewers can tune into the only show “making it work” Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on Bravo.

Page 11

November 29, 2007 NEWS

TECH continued from page 1 University of Texas-Pan American must focus their attention on one issue: to what extent should technology be used in the classroom setting?

A poll released in July by Cisco Systems found that most Americans support the fundamental positive impact of technology on a student’s education, but tend to disagree on approaches. Anthropology professor Sheila Pozorski is not an avid technology-espousing teacher and avoids it when she can. In her experience, student tend to be more attentive in class when the teacher is directly involved in the class dynamics, she said.

“I personally avoid PowerPointtype presentations and write on the

board a lot because otherwise it slows me down,” she said. “I have found that if I write something on the board, students will usually write it as well. ” She attributes her tendency to avoid technology use to her unfamiliarity with it, as well as the unpredictable nature of smart classrooms, recalling a previous technology-related incident.

“Usually, if there is a problem, it is my fault because I am not super comfortable with technology, especially in a classroom where I have not taught before,” she admitted. “I did have the projector bulb go out during one class when I had planned to show a video.”

According to longtime technology columnist Todd Oppenheimer, the tech-

nology revolution in American classrooms has robbed students of their educational experience.

In his book, “The Flickering Mind: The False Promise of Technology in the Classroom and How Learning Can Be Saved,” Oppenheimer argues that computers should not be “the be-all and endall” in education.

“Part of my effort in writing this book is to show that we have to understand what technology can and can’t do well and make intelligent choices accordingly,” he said in an interview with education technology supplier Course Technology. “I believe that we’ve cut too many basic programs and ignored the central importance of the

teacher in a naive hope that a machine could do what humans couldn’t.”

If technology overreaches its proper place in the classroom, the outcome could jeopardize traditional teaching methods significantly, according to Stephen Crown, a mechanical engineering professor at UTPA. He warns against having a professor-absent classroom where a computer is in charge of teaching students.

“There is something about the credibility and accountability of a live professor,” he said. “The final balance will come where there is a proper use technology and verbal communication.”

Students like Michelle Ramirez find the advent of new technologies threatening to the academic process.

“I feel like [technology] takes a large part away from the common teaching method,” said the business major.

“Being a senior, I’ve become used to copying notes off the board. It’s the traditional way and it shouldn’t change just because of a new invention.”

However, for Michael Cortez, who does not have access to the Internet at home, this does not stop him for excelling in class.

“Students need to be exposed to this now so that they can have excellent credentials to land a job when they graduate,” the sociology major said. “Me not having a computer at home only drives me to get to school earlier and stay later to use the ones available here.”

According to a spring 2007 UTPA academic report conducted by the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, UTPA enrollment has grown from 14,173 to over 17,000 in the past five years. And that number continues to rise, so a higher standard at the secondary level should only raise the rates of college-ready kids.

The 2004 Census Bureau’s American Community Survey found that 58.4 percent of Hidalgo County residents had at least a high school diploma. That number continues to increase. However, the percentage of those that went on to

further their education is unclear.

After reviewing the CRS standards, Leticia De Leon, assistant professor of elementary and secondary curriculum at UTPA, taught at Progreso High School for eight years.

She said the standards aren’t necessarily new because she used them when she taught, but certain portions of the draft did grab her interest.

“What I thought was really good was the cross-discipline standards,” she said. “Those are the ones I thought were well put together because there is a lack of cohesion between the different subject

areas in high school, even here [UTPA].”

Having taught at the high school level and now at a university, De Leon recognizes that the standards do need to be implemented. How the THECB plans on training teachers for this revamped curriculum is a different question.

“I think the standards have always been there, but I think the level of quality of teacher has declined in some areas,” she added. “A lot of teachers stopped trying when they mandated the TEKS. They stopped teaching in other words and starting training. There is a big difference between teaching and training.”

SCHOOLS continued from page 1 sure that high schoolers are ready to succeed in critical thinking challenges at the next level. For example, the goal will be to make students understand why historians think the way they do, aside from knowing plain old history. As well, practicing how to apply writing and researching skills to a specific audience will go alongside basic writing practice.

Currently the draft is available for public comment until Dec. 10. When the period expires, final revisions will be made to the CRS and presented to the THECB and state commissioner of education in January 2008.

A BRIGHTER FUTURE Jessica Gonzalez, a 22-year-old junior elementary education major at The University of Texas-Pan American, recollects her Harlingen High School experience as “laid back” and remembers the initial educational shock she felt during her first year at UTPA. Almost four years later, Gonzalez said she realizes how important college readiness is and how it should be incorporated into the high school curriculum.

“A stricter curriculum can help better students for the college experience,” she said.

MERCER continued from page 1

ARMY continued from page 1 The Rio Grande Valley has traditionally been a hotbed for military recruiters, and Hispanics in particular have won more combat medals per capita than any other ethnic group.

But Mike Flores, a senior in the ROTC program, said that these days, the Valley is a hostile territory for those who serve or wish to serve.

“Outside of the Valley, you find that they are more hospitable to those who are serving,” the McAllen native said.

Flores recalled a time one of his

service friends was referred to as a “baby- killer” at the McAllen International Airport.

“Sometimes, some people don’t want to wear the uniform because they get ‘the look,’” he said.

According to Master Sergeant (MSG) Lee R. Maloy, a senior military instructor at UTPA, the military is trying to increase its numbers in various ways, and the perception can sometimes be misleading.

“They’re trying to grow rapidly, so

that could possibly get the perception that they are having a hard time finding volunteers because they want more people in,” he said.

In contrast to the Army, the ROTC program at UTPA is exceeding expectations.

“We’ve averaged six cadets a year for the last 25 years, but 2006 we produced nine officers, and by 2008 we have 14 lined up,” Dean said.

“We are the only brigade in the U.S. to actually exceed admission—we went beyond.”

Aleman said of the man who first hired her back in 1994. “He always had the students’ interests in mind first and realized that a lot of Valley students needed that extra financial help.”

The university endowment grew from $75,000 in 1982, Mercer’s first year, to approximately $64 million today.

Former Associate Director of Planned Giving Debby Gonzalez, now an associate professor of accounting at Schreiner University, worked with Mercer for three years and said she was “blessed

to have worked with him.”

“Whenever we worked with individual donors, it showed he cared for their interests too,” said Gonzalez. “He has left a legacy for both students and teachers in years to come. He will certainly be missed.”

Edward Mercer was born in Austin and grew up in Round Rock, obtained his bachelor’s degree at Howard Payne University after attending on a football scholarship. After graduating, he earned two master’s degrees.

November 29, 2007

Page 12 NEWS

PARENTS

PILLS continued from page 3

continued from page 3

have shown a 30 percent decrease in teenage pregnancies in the last 14 years.

But despite arguments in favor of birth control availability, there are other concerns. The younger the kids are, the more important it is to promote waiting before becoming active, Hearn said.

“It’s Planned Parenthood’s belief that the younger the person is, the more we should strongly encourage abstinence,” she said. “But the reality is, by their senior year in high school, twothirds of all students have had sex.”

Stephanie Trevino, a freshman psychology major at UTPA, started using birth control early in high school.

She feels that providing contraceptives to sexually active students, even if they’re pre-teens, is a good thing.

“Whether or not [access to birth control] motivates students to be more sexually active, it prevents unwanted pregnancies, which is what the case is about,” she said.

On the other hand, Nydia Vela, a junior education major, has two children in middle school and believes students at that age should not engage in sexual activity.

“They are children for crying out loud,” she said. “They are supposed to be focusing on growing up as they learn

acting that way and then we ask them how involved they have been with the child,” related Quintanilla.

Adding to that element, parents must be involved with the daycare in other ways as well.

“They are required to come in and volunteer an hour a week,” Quintanilla said, adding she recommends parents use that time to spend with their children and explain why they leave them at the daycare every day.

Although Quintanilla said parents are spending a good amount of time with their children, some still feel guilty for the time they don’t have for their kids. She advises spending one to two hours a day interacting with their child.

Munoz said she doesn’t see herself spending enough time with her children as recommended.

“Being a parent is very demanding, you have to find the little chances you have to do your school work,” she said.

Yukiko Takahashi, senior biology major, feels guilty for the time she doesn’t have for her child.

I

“Being a parent is very demanding...”

-Alma Munoz senior sociology major “For me it’s really hard, I don’t have a family here like most of the parents here,” she said. “I pick up my kid at 5:30 unless I have an exam, then I have to use the time after he sleeps to study.”

Although still feeling guilty for the constant struggle, Munoz is happy to be finishing school in May and hopes her schedule will settle, providing more time for her family.

“Its something that’s going to pay off in the long run…being a mom is a delayed gratification,” Munoz said.

new things academically, and should not be worrying about getting knocked up or even contracting an STD.” Vela, 32, says she would not approve of her children having access to birth control if middle schools in the Rio Grande Valley considered offering them. “[Access] can lead my children, as well as many other kids, to become curious and engage in sexual behavior,” she said.

I

“Whether or not [access to birth control] motivates students to be more sexually active, it prevents unwanted pregnancies...”

-Stephanie Trevino freshman psychology major At King Middle School though, students must have a signed parental permission slip in order to use the student health center. But by state law, if a student requests confidentiality, health care workers must honor it.

Eddie Quintanilla, a health educator at The University of Texas-Pan American, said that high school students can find themselves inappropriately

using birth control, or being careless as a result of the ample availability of prevention methods.

“Students will start to feel like, ‘I am protected; therefore, I can do it and nothing is going to happen to us’,” he said. “But that does not mean the [promotion of contraceptives in schools] is to blame. People should take responsibility for their own actions.”

According to the Texas health department, Hidalgo County’s pregnancy rate for females ages 13-17 decreased 7.5 percent from 1994 to 2004. But according to the Associated Press, the Valley has the highest pregnancy rate in Texas and among the highest in the country with more than 37 of 1,000 girls getting pregnant by the age of 17.

Hearn says we have the availability of contraceptives for young adults to thank for that promising statistical situation.

But it’s very rare for middle schools to request distribution of birth control, and it should not be taken lightly, she added.

“If parents feel that their middle school-aged children are engaging in sexual behavior and need protection, then we believe that the parents have the right to consent for that.”

CampusViews Contraception for teens “It's silly! Kids are expected to become responsible with contraceptives in their hands even though the majority of them don't have self-control.”

-Eliana Mendoza junior, psychology “The sooner we start to empower them, the better. It would engage parents to talk about sex in a positive way with their kids.”

-Amy Hay professor, history “I don’t want to imagine some 12year-old running around unprotected. They’re at that age where they can be irresponsible, so it’s better for them to be -Derek Olivares safe.” sophomore, criminal justice

RIOS continued from page 3 structure, she said. Rios explained that the decision to create the new position resulted after UTPA’s president and vice president of business affairs met to compare other schools’ organizational structures.

“After working at the university for so long, you pick up a few things,” the former director of UTPA’s Materials Management Office said. “To get familiar with the inner workings of an HR operation, I need a few months to get the

ins and outs but hopefully I can provide the leadership they’ve been wanting.”

As a part of the materials management effort, Rios was responsible for providing services in purchasing, central receiving, travel and contracts, as well as adequate equipment and tools the university needs in order to compete in a rapidly modernizing technological society.

With knowledge of leadership, Rios said one must learn how to “study

the situation” before jumping in and making changes to an operation, fixing areas that may or may not be already on the right track.

For this reason, Rios is unsure of the modifications she wants to see made in HR’s business procedures. She will be able to make those resolutions once she understands how the HR department operates.

“It’s going to take a few years to get the operation to where I think an

operation should be,” she said. “But then I can’t say anything definite until I get in there and get my hands dirty.”

Rios, an Edinburg native, began working at UTPA as a work-study employee in 1972 while she was an undergraduate.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1985, subsequently attaining a full-time position under the Materials Management Office’s purchasing department.

greatly.

“Learning to be bilingual in our region in the health care field is very advantageous,” she said.

The training students receive through medical Spanish courses would enable them to properly explain medical documents and translate tricky information directly to patients.

“This program is a win-win situation. Students will be better prepared to perform in their field,” said Villarreal.

“They will have a better linguistic and cultural training that will only highlight other academic courses.”

According to Villarreal, the upshot is that eventually, medical institutions in the region will be able to better serve residents.

“This program will allow care

providers to tackle the language and cultural barriers here in the Valley,” he said.

“These barriers often play a role in not having enough bilingual personnel, effective communication with patients, and lack of assistance for Spanishspeaking patients.”

Glenn Martinez, chair of the modern languages & literature department at UTPA, believes this program is a response to the lack of health care attention paid to Spanish-speaking residents.

“It’s an issue of where we are and who we are, and how we respond to our community. Health disparities are a major challenge for this region in the 21st century,” Martinez said. “If you look at the incidents of diabetes here, it’s three times the state average. If you look at the mortality rate of diabetes, it’s four

times the state average.”

Through partnership with Nuestra Clinica del Valley and Clinica de Hidalgo, students will be given internship opportunities. The internship will provide students with the experience they need in interacting with Englishproficient patients, bilingual doctors and health care professionals, Martinez said.

“What we are trying to do is sort of like a concurrent enrollment model between STC and UTPA, where we can create incentives for students in allied health professions to make the jump from the associate’s level to the bachelor’s level,” said Martinez. “If we do that successfully, then we’ll have widened the pipelines of minorities entering the health profession, which is also a key concern.”

MEDICAL continued from page 3 She added that the program would really improve the linguistic aspect of the medical field.

“It’s wonderful because the training it will provide will benefit not only the students but the community,” she said. The first-of-its-kind program, which has a four-course sequence, will have students start at South Texas College. The first two courses will focus on medical terminology, interpreting, translating, and patient interviews in Spanish. The second set takes students to UTPA where they will acquire proper writing skills for the health profession and learn health and language policies.

All courses will be offered to students starting fall 2008.

“In these courses, as it is extremely needed here in the Valley, students will

be exposed to a language-instructed curriculum that involves medical terminology, translation, and interpretation,” said Hector Villarreal, STC Spanish professor. “All of these will be embedded within a rich, cultural perspective.”

Eighty-seven percent of Valley residents are of Mexican descent. A majority of them, whose first language is Spanish, struggle to communicate with English-speaking personnel in hospitals.

Although many within the medical field are able to speak conversational Spanish, few are properly trained to explain medical emergencies in depth.

Sandy Sanchez, BSN program coordinator who has taught at UTPA since 1981 said that having a course, or minor in this case, that teaches medical terminology would really help the region

Page 13

November 29, 2007 SPORTS

VOLLEYBALL

Lady Broncs take third at NIT, post 15-18 record

By ERICK QUINTERO The Pan American It’s always a good feeling to finish what you start. The University of TexasPan American women’s volleyball team can tell folks all about that.

The Lady Broncs (15-18) just completed one of their most successful campaigns in recent memory after taking third place at the National Independent Tournament in Orem, Utah.

“I liked where we finished, I think it was right where we were and where we are. It’s a good stepping stone to build from, to end like that,” said first-year assistant coach Leah Johnson.

The two-day tourney took place Nov. 16-17 and culminated an arduous season which included 26 road games and only four at home.

The women entered the tourney with a chip on their shoulders, sporting a 13-17 record, without head coach Angela Hubbard roaming the sidelines, but winners of four out of their last five. Hubbard welcomed her firstborn on Nov. 18 and could not make the trip.

UTPA was coached by rookie assistants Johnson and Talia Ogle, who took over the program’s reigns for the weekend tourney hosted by Utah Valley State.

Together they guided the women to a 4-1 victory over Providence but were turned away by Utah Valley State in a three-set decision.

Johnson said the win over Providence proved to be tougher than expected, and she praised the squad for stepping up to the challenge in Hubbard’s absence.

“I think one, they had a little incentive to kind of represent their coach very proudly since she wasn’t there and they did a great job of that,” Johnson said, equating the tournament to the Prairie View A&M tournament which UTPA won Sept. 15 with victories over Prairie View A&M, Texas Southern and the University of Texas-San Antonio.

“There was a little stronger competition on this one with Utah Valley and Cal State-Bakersfield. The girls were very solid and very strong.”

The Friars of Providence took a 21 lead over UTPA after pulling away in the third game with a 32-20 victory but dropped the subsequent games. The Lady Broncs built up the necessary energy behind a .325 hitting percentage to go along with 19 kills to collect the fourth game 30-23 and resolved the fifth frame 15-12.

Freshman Marci Logan, who quit

playing like a freshman several games into the season, asserted herself for an All-Independent honorable mention selection with a 22-kill performance while second team All-Independent junior Kellie Phillips tacked on 16 of her own, with 17 digs.

The Lady Broncs were relegated to the third-place game against Chicago State after being tripped up for the third time this season by UVS. They lost to the host in a second match of pool play 30-17, 30-23, 30-22.

Logan had a match-high 12 kills and Chelsea Blakely, another All-Independent honorable mention performer, dished out 33 assists in the losing effort.

Logan and Blakely continued to fuel their offensive explosion against Chicago State with 16 kills and 52 assists, respectively as the Lady Broncs won handily in four sets 24-30, 30-25, 30-24 and 30-28.

Blakely was rewarded for her efforts with an all-tournament nod.

Sophomore Rebecca Toddy had a breakout season and picked up AllIndependent honorable mention for the Lady Broncs.

Things seem to be on the rise for the women’s program. They will return all their players and add some prized recruits from the area and the rest of the state.

National Independent Tournament 1st - Utah Valley (21 - 10) 2nd - California State (8 - 20) 3rd - UTPA (15 - 18) 3rd Place Match: UTPA vs Chicago State 24-30, 30-25, 30-24, 30-28 UTPA (15-18) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Logan, Marci 16-2-1; Schneyer, Deanna 15-0-4; Mayor, Noelle 13-3-1; Phillips, Kellie 12-3-2; Reed, Danielle 7-0-1; Blakely, Chelsea 7-11; Toddy, Rebecca 0-1-0; Totals 70-10-5.5. (Assists) Blakely, Chelsea 51. (Dig leaders) - Toddy, Rebecca 25; Blakely, Chelsea 11 Chicago State (6-25) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Alexandra Mason 18-0-2; Christine Eberhardt 17-0-0; Jessica Khouri 10-0-4; Jennifer Hoffman 9-0-2; Monica Toure 5-01; Hanya Minta 2-4-4; Jennifer Van Kempen 0-0-1; Jessica Schmidt 0-1-0; Jean Keenan 0-3-0; Totals 61-88.0. (Assists) - Hanya Minta 50. (Dig leaders) - Jessica Khouri 13; Christine Eberhardt 12; Hanya Minta 11; Jean Keenan 8

BASKETBALL

Rio Grande Valley Vipers begin first season with two home victories

By ALEX DEL BARRIO The Pan American The Rio Grande Valley’s newest sports franchise kicked off its season with a bang on the Friday after Thanksgiving. The Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League made their highly anticipated debut at the Dodge Arena with breathtaking pyrotechnics during introductions, exciting play on the floor, and most importantly, a sell-out crowd.

Elements that could keep the RGV’s basketball faithful returning through the turnstiles include the high quality of play on the court, a familiar head coach, and wins. The Vipers had an impressive opening weekend with home games versus the visiting Austin Toros,

affiliated with the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, and against the Bakersfield Jam. The Vipers started their D-League experience with a 104-97 victory over the Toros Friday night at Dodge Arena.

The Vipers, without recent Rockets assignee Steve Novak, outscored the Toros 32-25 in the third quarter and held the lead for the remainder of the game.

The team welcomed over 5,000 fans for the first ever professional basketball game in the facility.

Former University of Texas guard Gabe Muoneke led the way for the Vipers with 31 points, including an impressive 14 of 18 showing from the foul line. First round pick C.J. Watson added 28 points, nine rebounds and four assists despite missing a majority of the

first quarter after picking up two quick fouls. Starting center and former NAIA Player of the Year Jarred Merrill added 15 for the Vipers as three Rio Grande players finished in double figures.

“We got great minutes from a lot of guys tonight,” Vipers Coach Bob Hoffman said. “C.J. and Gabe were huge for us tonight but we played everyone and they all helped contribute to what we’re trying to do here.”

The Toros received solid contribution from starting guard Keith Langford, a Kansas ex, who finished with a team high 28 points and seven rebounds.

On Sunday the Vipers closed out their home stand with a 117-102 victory over Bakersfield. Watson led all scorers with 27 points and chipped in defensively with four steals.

The Vipers had five players in double figures including Muoneke’s 25. He was a game-time decision with a lower back injury but paid big dividends.

Kenny Taylor chipped in with 13 points including 3 of 5 shooting from behind the arc. Rio Grande Valley outrebounded the Jam 31 to 28.

“We had a great crowd tonight and we put a strong offensive performance and everyone was involved,” said Hoffman, whom Bronc fans will remember from his five-year stint as UTPA men’s coach.

The Vipers will take on the Los Angeles D-Fenders today at the Staples Center; they played the Anaheim Arsenal last night at the Anaheim Convention Center as The Pan American went to press.

Rio Grande Valley Vipers

December Home Games Dec. 1

Sioux Falls

7 p.m.

Dec. 9

Tulsa

5 p.m.

Dec. 11

Austin

7 p.m.

Dec. 14

Idaho

7 p.m.

Dec. 15

Colorado

7 p.m.

November 29, 2007

Page 14 SPORTS

November 29, 2007

Page 15 SPORTS

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL

Men rebound with 72-59 victory over Western Illinois Broncs recover 102-75 loss to Texas State

By RAMIRO PAEZ The Pan American It was a short-lived, enjoyable feeling for the University of Texas-Pan American men’s basketball team. After riding high to begin the season in their quick 2-0 start, the men were brought down to reality.

Last night, the Broncs traveled to Western Illinois University and defeated the Leathernecks 72-59 behind Paul Stoll’s 22 points. Nate Hawkins chipped in with 17 points.

On Nov. 21, UTPA suffered a setback against Texas State at the Field House, 102-75, after splitting its games in the two-day Missouri State University Tournament.

The University of North CarolinaGreensboro held the Green and Orange in check on Nov. 16, 70-56, but the men responded the next day, posting a 19point win against the Bison of Harding University, 83-64.

Onydia Garza/The Pan American INSIDE MAN - Emmanuel Jones has stepped up his inside play as the Broncs remain short-handed in the paint with injuries and eligibility issues. Jones scored 17 points in UTPAʼs 102-75 home loss to Texas State on Nov. 21.

TEXAS STATE In probably their biggest contest at home this season, the Broncs (4-2) wanted nothing more than to prove doubters

wrong who still questioned their capability of beating a quality opponent. The Bobcats made sure that they would not be the ones UTPA would boast about as they completely dominated the men from the opening tipoff to the final buzzer and posted a 27-point win.

“Texas State came out and they were ready,” Coach Tom Schuberth said.

“They kind of bullied us early and did a good job. I honestly felt that we would make a run and get back in it to cut it with single digits, which I thought we could get the momentum going.”

The problem started with the first play of the game, Schuberth said.

“Technically we got the jump because the guy got it on the way up, we threw it in and we looked like we had never played basketball before,” he said.

Indeed, UTPA looked disoriented from the start as the Bobcats went on an early 13-0 run in just two minutes and 36 seconds after the score was knotted at 2.

The Green and Orange could never recover, but at times showed signs of life as they crept back to within nine at 2819 with 10:48 left in the half. That was the closest they got though throughout the game as Texas State took a comfortable 16-point lead into the locker room.

“We didn’t play well and that’s all there is to it,” senior guard Paul Stoll said. “They sped us up, we just had careless turnovers and they kind of got us playing their game.”

The Broncs shot a measly 38.7 percent from the field in the first half and dropped that total to 30.3 percent in the second, with the Bobcats shooting at 54.3 percent for the game. Emmanuel Jones led all scorers with 17 points and seven rebounds. Brian Burrell recorded 16 points, while Stoll added 10 to along with seven assists.

TOURNAMENT On the first day of action, it looked as though the men would pull off an upset against a team that had just come off a huge victory over ACC power Georgia Tech. The teams went into halftime tied at 26, but the Spartans rallied in the second half to outscore the Broncs by 14.

Stoll finished the night with 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Against the Bisons, UTPA quickly got over the hurdle of posting a win on the road. They handily defeated Harding University as the closest the Bisons got was within one late in the first half, but the Broncs blew the game open in the second, holding their largest at 81-56 with 2:41 remaining in the game.

Burrell led all scorers with 21 points and five rebounds.

“I thought we got better in the tournament,” Schuberth said. “We lost to a good team in North Carolina Greensboro. We were actually up one in the second half. We ran out of gas.”

NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

UTPA perfect at home, but loses 69-58 at Texas State Lady Broncs drop to 2-2 after loss in San Marcos

By ERICK QUINTERO The Pan American Of course it’s too early in the season to make generalizations about the University of Texas-Pan American women’s basketball team, but truth be told, they only go as far as senior point guard LeKeisha Gray will take them.

That could not have been more evident than during the second half of the Lady Broncs’ 69-58 road loss to Texas State (4-2) Tuesday night.

Gray entered the game as UTPA’s first option on offense and leading scorer with 15 points per game. She started off well, scoring 13 points in the first 20 minutes as the Lady Broncs took a 34-30 lead at halftime, but was held in check in the second half and finished with 15.

Gray shot 5 of 13 from the field, 3 of 8 from behind the arc and 2 of 2 from the charity stripe. UTPA shot 40.7 per-

cent from the field, 38.9 from beyond the arc and 70 percent from the free throw line.

Teshay Winfrey was the only other Lady Bronc in double figures with 11 points, but she and Gray combined for nine turnovers.

The women will suit up for the Green and Orange when they welcome Schreiner to the Field House on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Against Texas State, UTPA was able to take a 34-30 lead at the half after a Robin Garrett lay up with 20 seconds left. The Lady Broncs, now 2-2, were held scoreless in the first four minutes of the second half and only mustered 22 points in the remainder of the game.

On the other side of the court, Texas State came out blazing behind a 23-6 run capped off by Joyce Ekworomadu’s three-pointer with 8:51 left. Ekworomadu finished with 16 points as the Lady Bobcats had thee other players score in double figures.

Texas State shot 40.3 percent from the field, 23.5 from three-point land, and 78.6 from the charity stripe. They also scored 23 points from 21 UTPA

turnovers and 20 second chance points from 16 offensive rebounds.

That was the first time in 10 days the Lady Broncs had taken the court against an opponent and it showed.

BETTER DAYS However, the women did have a couple of good outings, including a 8648 thrashing of Huston Tillotson on Nov. 17, and they sneaked past Centenary, 73-63 on Nov. 20 to remain unbeaten at home.

“I just thought that collectively we had some great game minutes tonight, being so new in the year, to be up on this team by that much and still have over 11 minutes to go,” UTPA head women’s coach DeAnn Craft said following after the Centenary outing. “I told my staff, ‘This is too good to be true,’ and sure enough it was.”

After taking a 25-point lead on a pair of Winfrey free throws with 11:37 left, the Lady Broncs weathered a 20-0 Centenary run and were able to hold on for a 73-63 win.

Against Centenary, Gray scored 18 and Winfrey chipped in with a career

high 11 points.

“We had our leader [LeKeisha Gray] hit big shots at the most critical

times in the game and that’s what you expect your leader, your senior captain to do,” Craft said.

Roxy Solis/The Pan American TIME OUT - Womenʼs head coach DeAnn Craft instructs her team during a time out after Centenary made a run at the Lady Broncs. UTPA won 73-63 on Nov. 20.

Page 16

S P O RT S

November 29, 2007

THE PAN AMERICAN

BASEBALL

StatsAtAGlance

3

3

Women’s volleyball team finish at the National Independent Tournament

15

15

STRONG ARM - Evan Cunningham winds up during game two of the Green and White series.

Cunningham pitched four innings and was among one of the many players that caught coach Willie Gawlikʼs eye.

By GABRIEL SALDANA The Pan American ew and returning baseball players alike got a chance to flaunt their skills and show Head Coach Willie Gawlik what they’re made of Nov. 1416 in the Green and White Series at Edinburg Stadium.

The annual series brings fall training to a close and serves as a primer for the beginning of the spring 2008 campaign. The Bronc squad was split into two teams, green and white, that faced off over the span of three days.

The competition this year was back and forth between the opposing squads.

Day one had the green team at an advantage finding success on 12 of 29 at bats to close the day with a 12-1 standing over the white.

The start of the game was indicative of the outcome as the first inning yielded three big runs for the Bronc green team. The white stood by for a

N

FUN AND GAMES Bonham Hough (11) reaches home to an ecstatic Green team following Jordan Rutonbarʼs threerun home run in the bottom of the 10th inning. The Green team won the game 8-5 and clinched the series 2-1 after the play.

Photos By: Onydia Garza/The Pan Ameriacn

one-point rally in the top of the second only to be matched by green in the bottom, bringing the score to 4-1.

Green brought in seven runs in the third, fifth and seventh innings combined and delivered a final one-point blow in the eighth inning to close an 11-point lead over game one.

“The guys who have come in… are going to do a great job,” Gawlik said. “There are so many new guys and it’s hard to just single out one. We’ve got a lot of new faces but that’s what we had to have happen. We’ve got a lot of guys who are graduating and signing pro contracts.”

By the end of game two, with Evan Cunningham and Shane Janecka at the mound for the bulk of nine innings, the white team found itself three points over the green posting a 6-3 victory.

“This is one of the last games we’ll play for a few months so each team wants to win,” Cunningham said. “They don’t want to end on a bad note.”

The white team marked run number one in the first inning before posting nil during the next two. Green responded in the top of the forth posting three runs only to be answered in the bottom by three from white bringing the game to a one point white lead at 4-3. Following scoreless fifth and sixth innings, the white team sealed the game with two determining runs in the bottom of the seventh taking gametwo laurels.

“We’re having a lot of fun,” said third baseman Ryan Best. “This game really changed the day. We started out yesterday pretty bad but today was back and forth and we had a big inning so there were a lot of close calls and a lot of big hits. We started out scoring first.”

In the third and final game green rallied to clinch the series in the tenth inning from a fighting white team.

Green fell behind early on by a run scored in the top of the second by white.

Green posted two runs at the bottom of

the fifth followed by two white runs in the top of the sixth bringing the score to a one-point white lead at 3-2.

Following a scoreless seventh inning the green and white recorded two and three runs respectively to tie the game up at five at the end of the eighth.

Neither team crossed the plate in the ninth but the bottom of the tenth yielded three match-deciding runs for the green team who took the game and the series.

“They’re all making key contributions right now,” said Gawlik. “It’s good for the program… and ten years from now when these guys are out, they’ll remember these games.”

The collective Bronc team now looks to the remainder of the semester and Christmas break to begin training for the spring campaign.

“We’re gonna start our workouts and get ready,” said Gawlik. “We got six weeks to get ready for the season opener. We’ll hit it full speed. Feb. 22 is when the season opens”

Total number of wins UTPA’s volleyball team posted this season, a ninegame improvement from last year’s 6-25 record

21

21

Sean Taylor’s jersey number.

The former Washington Redskin safety died Nov. 27 after he was shot at home by an intruder. He was 24

59

59

The number of minutes the “Mud Bowl” between Dolphins and Steelers lasted before Steelers’ Jeff Reed kicked the winning 24-yard field goal

ShortSports TRACK AND FIELD The University of Texas-Pan American track and field season kicks off with the annual green and white inner squad meet on Dec. 3, at the UTPA track, followed by the Leonard Hilton Memorial hosted by the University of Houston on Jan. 18. The men and women enter the season under the direction of new head coach Dennis Darling.

HOCKEY Representatives for the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees were on hand at UTPA’s Student Union to hand out 200 tickets to students for Friday’s game against the Laredo Bucks.

Students will be bused to the Dodge Arena on game night. The game is scheduled to start at 7:35 p.m.