April 2, 2008 by UTRGV Student Media

Thursday April 2, 2008

59th Year No. 25

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER

BUDGET

$4,571 $4,011

$2,639

$2,964

$3,034

$4,266

Tuition, fee hikes anticipated in UT System for next two years By J.R. ORTEGA The Pan American The University of Texas-Pan American was among the UT System’s nine universities to be approved by the Board of Regents last Wednesday for a tuition and fee increase. The approval came after each university made proposals in an effort to better meet their growing campus needs. Currently, UTPA’s tuition for each semester hour is $79.15, but will increase to $87.70 in academic year 2008-2009 and then to $97 in academic year 2009-2010. The 15-hour academic cost for a semester, which includes tuition and fees, will shift from the existing $2,462, to $2,611 and $2,761 over the next two years. The initial recommendation was an academic cost of $2,987 and $ $3,249 for 15 hours for academic years 2009 and 2010. However, in December 2007, the regents placed a 4.95 percent (or $150 an academic year) maximum on the amount tuition can be hiked at each university, hindering the recommendation from even being discussed for approval. John A. Edwards, vice president of enrollment and student services and co-chair of the Cost of Education committee (COCE), said the sole purpose of the committee, which is comprised of students, faculty and at least one parent, is to review proposed changes in budget for anything of educational value. “We take any proposed increases very seriously and discuss them thoroughly,” he said. “They’re weighed against the university’s need to continue to enhance programs and expand services to students.”

$3,800 $2,612

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THIS WEEK

See TUITION page 11

SGA

NEWS Legislators announce plans for literacy reform See Page 3

A&E Meatout event promotes vegetarian lifestyle See Page 7

SPORTS Mixed martial arts to debut in RGV See Page 13

Crowded election ticket heats up contest By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American

The five executive tickets running for Student Government Association office are preparing for what could be one of the most competitive presidential races in recent memory. In years past, there were two, maybe three duos vying for the presidency. But this year, an influx of choices has made it a race for anyone to win. Four of the five tickets participated

in a skimpily attended debate to discuss each platform’s key issues Thursday on Troxel Lawn. Text book prices, environmentalism and solving internal SGA conflict were among the hot-button issues up for grabs. In years past, internal conflict has lead to the near impeachment of the SGA president, as well as several complaints from senators. All tickets said they have plans in increasing the organization’s efficiency. With so many candidates to keep

track of, The Pan American has compiled candidate’s debate responses in a handy voter guide, to aid in the process. Voting for SGA president and senatorial races will take place via online ballot until April 4. Laptop voting stations will also be set up in the Library and Student Union should technical issues arise. Last year, 716 votes were cast in the SGA elections, electing Tony Matamoros to president. Matamoros relinquished office in late fall to vice president Tony Villarreal,

so he could attend the Archer Fellowship in Washington, D.C.

O PINION

Page 2

April 2, 2008

THE PAN AMERICAN

PONDERINGS

Media still obsessing over Spears BY: JEANETTE PEREZ

fter a month-long diet of celebrity gossip, I decided last week that it was time to end the fasting and go into overload. So of course, where else do I turn to for my celebrity fix? TMZ on the CW network. About an hour long of the TMZers tearing apart some boring celebrity news (Clint Eastwood outside of a sushi place and Christy Brinkley running down a block to get to her car), there came the inevitable—Britney news. Britney, Britney, Britney! Nothing major was said about the star and her downward spiral, just a few remarks here and there. But the fact that Britney’s

every move has to be recorded astounds me. South Park’s Matt Stone and Trey Parker couldn’t have said it better with their recent episode poking fun at the media’s obsession with the troubled songstress. Their theory about Britney’s rise to fame and slow downfall took elements of satanic rituals and borrowed the concept of sacrifice. Remember Children of the Corn? Let me explain. Even after Britney ended up shooting herself in the face with a shotgun and blowing the cap of her head off in the episode, the media still didn’t hesitate to criticize her latest debacle. With no husband, no children and no face, the media still insisted on keep-

ing Britney’s popularity stabilized at all costs. Stan and Kyle began questioning the media’s intent toward Britney’s obviously unstable condition and the answer, although far-fetched, brought forth an interesting concept. Her fame had all been planned out since she was a young teenager and her misfortunes were no accident. Britney had been chosen as a sacrifice for the harvest. She had become so intensely popular that her success would ironically be the death of her. Immediately, it all made sense. Although Stone’s and Parker’s satirical social commentaries are beyond ridiculous at times, they never fail to point out

the facts. Society has in fact put all of its focus on celebrities like Britney not because they care about her, but because they benefit from her very existence. It’s a “We made you, we own you, we can destroy you” world, and Britney has become another victim of the media’s wrath. Until society realizes there are more imprtant issues out there than harassing her, the sacrifices will continue.

Do you think the public does in fact benefit from Britney’s existence? Should the sacrifices continue? Let me know: fae_myst@yahoo.com

JAYARE SAYS

What not to do at a public university BY: J.R. ORTEGA

ttention arm-flailing, running, screaming students: So I was walking east down one of the walkways one Friday morning, and just as I was about to pass the Communication Arts and Sciences Building, a group of about five to seven students ran out of the building screaming bloody murder and running for what seemed like their life. I stopped and kind of staggered back to fully comprehend what was going on. I couldn’t. But it sure did wake me from my two-hour slumber the night before. A couple of other people also slowed down their already fast “college” walk, as I like to call it. People seemed concerned, and even if they weren’t, they sure did look like it. The whole

APRIL 2, 2008 THE

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

ordeal took place within the span of five to 10 seconds. Once the students reached the middle of the quad, they walked calmy back toward the Comm building, like a group of bipolar escapees who acted as though nothing happened. WTF? I have yet to find out what happened, then again I haven’t really looked much into it. All I’m left with is the assumption that it was just some 1000 or 2000 level acting course that was practicing an exercise in giving people panic attacks. Panic attack, you may ask? Listen here, my honest first thoughts were, “Oh my God, it’s a school shooting.” Hate to say it, but it’s true. With the recent tragedies at Northern Illinois University and Virginia Tech, what else was I left to believe? Excuse me for being rash or just paranoid, but that is what it honestly sounded and looked like. Take a snap-

shot of that exact moment and slap on a cutline reading “Students flee from gunwielding student,” and you probably wouldn’t even question it. A similar event happened to be a past couple of weeks ago. I was walking from the Student Union across the quad and I saw someone squatting behind a small palm near the Comm. building, but they had a gun. I remember just looking ahead and trying not to look that way, I was in the middle of the open after all. Turns out it was ROTC practicing, which was what I figured. Maybe I just tend to get nervous over guns. Which is more than likely the case because I do tend to get antsy when my cousin’s husband goes shooting. This goes to show that because of so many recent school shootings, students are becoming more aware of their surroundings. In another sense it’s sad

that it can’t just be an acting class doing an exercise; ah the power of the media. Let’s just be happy it was nothing of that magnitude. But it did show how quick I was to react. I’ve always been the type of person who plays worst-case scenarios in his head and thinks of any possible way to escape. Perhaps I have too much time on my hands to throw everything out of proportion. I’m not quite sure if that makes me psychotic or just aware. I think I’ll stick with the latter.

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

Assistant News Editors Abigail Muniz..............abby.muniz@yahoo.com J.R. Ortega.....................ortega.e.jr@gmail.com

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

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

Designers Rick Gamez Juan Torres

Sports Co-Editors Greg Garza...............the_nataku@yahoo.com Ramiro Paez...................ramiropaez@aol.com Photography Editor Roxy Solis..................roxysolis34@yahho.com

Reporters and Photographers Alvaro Balderas Ana Villaurrutia Bobby Cervantes Russen Vela Leslie Estrada Onydia Garza Laura Garcia

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

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

Did you happen to see the same thing I saw and actually know what was going on? Put my suspicions to rest at ortega.e.jr@gmail.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.

Savethesedates April

Spring 2008 Teacher Career Expo at UTPA Field House from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

4-5

La Plaza Mall Primavera Fashion Show features runway shows introducing latest spring fashions

How to stay debt free: Student Union event from noon to 1 p.m. in Palmetto Room

Newsinbrief The Entrepreneurship Speaker Series will come to a close on April 9 with featured speaker Tom Torkelson, founder of IDEA Public Schools. His presentation will take place in the Science Building, Room 2.102 from 7:10 p.m. to 8:25 p.m. The series was launched by the UTPA Entrepreneurship Cluster, a group of faculty from the College of Business Administration and the College of Science and Engineering as well as staff from the Office of the Vice Provost for Research. It’s goal is to increase the quantity and quality of entrepreneurship education. The series begain on Jan. 23 with Edward Munoz from Munoz Group Investment Banking. Another notable speaker that presented was Pocket Communications founder Paul Posner.

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.

April 2, 2008

N EWS

Page 3

THE PAN AMERICAN

REHABILITATION

SEEN AND CAPTURED

Support group in the works By J.R. ORTEGA The Pan American As a freshman, Elizabeth Hinojosa went to the Office of Student Development to find out more about a support group for people with disabilities, but was surprised to learn the organization was no longer active. Now four years later, she has taken matters into her own hands by revamping the organization herself. Almost a year of work has created the Council of Students with Disabilities, thanks to the 23-year-old rehabilitation graduate student. The council is made up of disabled and non-disabled advocates for students, faculty and staff with disabilities. Different from the existent Rehab Club, which caters to students involved in the rehabilitation field, the group offers support and seeks to raise awareness about disability issues. Plans are for the council board to be made up of students with disabilities, though the organization has yet to begin advertising and recruiting people. “We are coming up with flyers and

See REHAB page 12

Ben Briones /The Pan American LEADING TOMORROW - Bobby R. Inman, cyber security expert and former navy admiral, spoke at UTPA on Tuesday drawing on 18 years of experience in the investigation of start-up technologies. His presentation was held at the Education Complex as part of Global Security Studies and Leadership Speaker Series. Inman was recently appointed co-chair of the Commission on Cyber Security and will inform the next president of the United States about the advancing threat of cyber technology.

EDUCATION

SUPERNATURAL

Congressman Hinojosa STC hosts local UFO expert addresses Valley illiteracy By ANA VILLAURRUTIA The Pan American

By ABBY MUNIZ The Pan American Over the next five years, Congressman Ruben Hinojosa hopes to distribute books to over 207,000 students from kindergarten through sixthgrade, from Laredo to Brownsville. Partnered with Reading is Fundamental Inc., a non-profit organization, the congressman hopes to have all South Texas schools under a RIF program known as Books for Ownership within the next five years. The program would allow students to choose and keep at least two books a year and through book ownership and family involvement, students would be motivated to read.

Hinojosa’s concern about high illiteracy and low graduation rates in the South Texas region prompted him to address the trend. “The objective is to raise the graduation rate of high schools,” Hinojosa said. He hopes that the numbers could increase to over 90 percent. The South Texas Literacy Coalition, as it is formally called, is comprised of politicians like Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, as well as Congressmen Solomon Ortiz, D-Brownsville, and Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, Plus Region One, The University of Texas-Pan American, The University of Texas at Brownsville and other agencies. Their efforts will target raising availability

See ILLITERACY page 12

All South Texans are aware of a steady flow of people crossing the United States/Mexican border, both legally and otherwise. But some may be taken aback when they hear of an Unidentified Flying Object making the same trip. It took Noe Torres a native of the Valley and Ruben Uriarte, from northern California, two years to chronicle this lost piece of history in their book, Mexico’s Roswell: The Chihuahua UFO Crash. For Torres, a researcher and McAllen High School librarian, and his co-author, it has been an experience like no other. So called UFOs, are objects of circular or triangular shape that cannot be identified by the observer. Torres said only three to 10 percent of UFO sight-

Photo Illustration Noe Torres WHAT IF - Noe Torres, a UFO expert, created this depiction of the 1974 mid-air crash between a UFO and an airplane between Coyame, Mexico and Presidio, Texas.

ings are reported. “I think it’s important to investigate the unknown, it’s about getting to know the unknown and finding out why things

happen,” Torres said. “My book is just an adventure story, kind of Indiana Jones with scientific analysis.”

See UFO page 12

April 2, 2008

Page 4 NEWS

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April 2, 2008 NEWS

April 2, 2008

Page 6 NEWS

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

April 2, 2008

Page 7

THE PAN AMERICAN

I CULTURE

I STUDENT LIFE

Engineering groups hold car show Historian examines Mexican identity, cinema

By JEANETTE PEREZ The Pan American

Motors were running on campus Saturday morning into the afternoon as two UTPA engineering organizations the American Society of Mechanical Engineering and the Society of Automotive Engineering - sponsored their first car showcase, Revolutions of Automotive Generations Expo. ASME president Cristina Alicia Martinez couldn’t have been more excited about the event, as it was the first promotion of its kind for both the engineering department and the university. “We actually had a couple of meetings and for some reason we were able to come up with the idea, ‘Hey, let’s have a car show. The two organizations go hand in hand and well if we can help each other out, we can pull this thing together,’” said the 20-year-old senior mechanical engineering major. “It actually worked out.” Martinez’s main concern was creating awareness among the college students. “Students on campus had no idea what these organizations were. We got to talk to people and tell them, ‘Look, here’s what goes on in the engineering building,’” continued Martinez, of McAllen. “Not a lot of people know the time we put into this. We want to get students excited and motivated about

By LESLIE ESTRADA The Pan American

Roxy Solis/The Pan American REVVED UP - A car showcase was displayed Saturday morning at Parking Lot B in honor of FESTIBA. The car show, held by the ASME and SAE, will help fund the engineering groupsʼ national conference trips.

engineering. People that have an interest in cars need to know that there’s a lot more to it.” However, while excitement was abundant, participating cars were scarce due to inclement weather. “We intended to have a lot of cars, but it didn’t end up happening. We invit-

ed a couple of cars but we did get a few calls about the rain so it kind of set us back,” explained Martinez, who has been fond of cars since her freshman year in high school. Despite a less than successful turnout that day, Martinez expressed no signs of defeat.

“We had a few cars,” she said with a laugh. “But we had fun and we made the best of it. All we can do is learn and grow from it.” Next year Martinez hopes to set the car show up during HESTEC, with a “little more planning, and promoting it everywhere.”

I CAMPUS SCENE

Musician brings comedy, stories with act By LAURA GARCIA The Pan American This coming month has been dubbed “Crazy April at the Student Union” by its organizers and several activities are planned around campus. Kicking off the craziness is musician Jason Levasseur, no stranger to the campus, as he put on a performances during the 2006-2007 school year. Only this time, the concert is being put together by the Student Union in conjunction with National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. Cindy Mata, assistant director at the Student Union, felt students needed variety to counter everyday life at the university. “We are trying to incorporate some different activities and novelties

this semester to give our students a better sense of university life,” she said. As for their choice of musical talent, Levasseur was chosen because of his unique style and his interaction with audiences. This is just one of the many stops on his campus tour and he already has students buzzing. “I’m really looking forward to the concert, it’s not something you see every day on campus and I’m sure everyone will enjoy it,” said Glenda Garcia, a 19-year-old nursing major from McAllen. Levasseur has been named Campus Activities Magazine’s Best Musical Performer for 2004 and 2005 and boasts other highlights such as opening for noted bands like: Maroon 5, John Mayer and The Wallflowers. He is a native of the United States , but has

traveled the world, and spent most of his childhood in Mexico and Belgium. His travels have greatly influenced his musical styles and made for unique experiences he puts into his songs. “Jason is a different kind of artist, he also has a style that is not usually found in the area,” added Mata. Levasseur has been praised for his storytelling manner, which he uses to engage the audience by telling funny stories in between songs, according to his MySpace page. His latest album, Live in Lyndonville, makes one feel the pain, sadness, joy and happiness along with him. Levasseur mixes folk-like melodies and imaginative lyrics. It is a concert Mata hopes students will enjoy; it may actually be the first of its kind.

“If students request more concerts of this magnitude or larger it would be something to consider for the upcoming semester,” she said. The student union does not want to compete with the Coffee Houses that the University Program Board has, but it could be done in conjunction with and at different times of the day. If students have any suggestions for concerts or acts that they would like to see they can stop by the Student Union office, call 316-7989 or leave a message on their MySpace page www.myspace.com/utpastudentunion. Levasseur will be performing in the Student Union Wednesday at 11 a.m. Admission is free for students, faculty and staff. For more information or speical accommodations please contact (956) 316-7989.

Mexican Historian Rogelio Agrasanchez Jr. is scheduled to speak in a conference tonight at Salon Cassia Business and Education Building (EDBC) at The University of TexasBrownsville/Texas Southmost College. The conference, which is being offered by the Mexican consulate in Brownsville, will consist of two parts, focusing on film and national identity, and Mexican immigrants in the United States. Agrasanchez has been studying Mexican cinema since 1988 and has built an archive over the years of materials from old movie theaters, closed warehouses, personal collections, bookstores, antique dealers, and even flea markets. “The history of the archive is more than collecting and preserving,” said Evangelina Garcia, consul for cultural, commercial and tourism promotion in Brownsville. “An important part of it is the sharing of its holdings with researchers and the public in general.” Garcia said that the main purpose of this event is to show one of the many positive sides of Mexican culture. The second part of the conference is April 10. “Every country has its culture and every country promotes it in different ways,” she said. “We want to promote our culture through the arts and just let people learn more about Mexican cinematography that has influenced the Mexican culture.” Garcia also talked about the importance of becoming more culturally educated. “The dissemination of cultural events is important because learning other cultures means being universal,” she said. “Learning about your own culture or other people’s culture enriches your knowledge and brings people closer together.” Garcia explained that cinematography has always been a very important part of people’s lives. “This conference is very important

See MEXICAN page 10

April 2, 2008

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April 2, 2008

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Page 9 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Students cut meat from their diets during Annual Meatout Festival By ANDRIELLE FIGUEROA The Pan American

he third annual Great South Texas Meatout Festival was held at the Good News Mennonite Church in San Juan March 30. The event was organized by two clubs at The University of Texas Pan-American: Association For Vegan and Vegetarian Awareness (AVA), and the Cochehua Vegetarian Collective. UTPA students as well as people of the community joined together to learn about vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. Certain aspects of being a Vegetarian or Vegan are intertwined, so many erroneously believe that they’re the same lifestyle. In actuality, there are six different types of diets that sit under the Vegetarian wing; adherents believe in forfeiting the consumption of any meat from an animal. Vegans not only give up meat, but also any product from an animal: eggs, milk, cheese, leather, and wool. Other types of Vegetarians are LactoVegetarians (include dairy products), Lacto-OvoVegetarians (include both eggs and dairy products), Pesco-Vegetarians (include fish), and PolloVegetarians (include poultry). The Meatout Festival was created for misconceptions such as these, so people could assemble and ask questions about the meatless wonders. It’s not just a local affair; it is also held in many cities nationwide. This year’s festival was celebrated in 28 countries, including China, Kenya, Spain, Italy, Japan, and South Africa. Sponsored by a company called FARM, or the Farm Animal Reform Movement, it is the largest grassroots diet-education campaign. The company calls this month Meatout March and organized the event on March 20, the first day of spring, to educate the community and spread awareness about vegetarianism. For AVA it was decided the event would be held 10 days later. The event was filled with short classes on such topics as Growing a Salad on Your Front Porch, Vegan Nutrition, Easy Bake Recipes, and Mexican Vegan Cuisine, where the groups instructed the audience about many books, Web sites, and recipes to help them begin a healthy diet. The groups have also collaborated to create their own magazine, Rio Grande Veggie Cookzine, which includes many of their own

cooking methods; students can find the magazine in the campus library. According to The Vegetarian Resource Group’s Vegetarian Journal a study was taken in 2006 of 1,000 people nationwide. Results showed that 6.7 percent of adults (18 and older) did not have meat in their diets. Vegetarianism, is obviously a regimen that people use, but is it really healthy to ignore the protein that meat provides? Donato Eduardo Medina, a music major, disagrees with the idea of this lifestyle being unhealthy because it eschews meat. “Meat isn’t really any kind of necessity to us. There are more problems caused by the consumption of meat,” he claimed. “I think it is a very healthy alternative, there are so many different sources of protein from plants, vegetables, and other items we don’t even know about.” Living in the Valley, it is always easy to find chicken fajitas, burgers, tacos, almost any type of cooked meat. Sara Alvarado, president of AVA is a Pre-Med major and resides in Edinburg. With the plethora of meats, Alvarado claims the region in no way affects her veggie lifestyle. She has been a vegetarian for two years. “Since we are in the Valley, we wanted to do a workshop on Mexican food because I am a vegan, but I eat Mexican food all the time,” she said. At the Great South Texas Meatout Festival, the audience learned that there is a wide selection of food to be found within the world of Vegetarianism. The event preached to at least forty people, and the ideas did not fall on deaf ears. Families were able to enjoy the vegan and vegetarian foods, and some of the children were even able to help cook. The attendees asked questions, and were eager to find out more of the groups recipe’s and sources. “We don’t eat weird food and weird vegetables no one has ever heard of, and not everything is tofu,” Alvarado insisted. “We want people to know we eat other foods and it does taste good.”

For more information on the Great American Meatout www.meatout.org. FARM company www.farmusa.org. Vegetarian definitions www.msu.edu/user/daenzerr/rd491/types.htm.

Portobello Mushroom Fajitas Serving Size: 6; Preparation Time: 0:20 * * * * *

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 clove garlic — minced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 lb. fresh baby portobello or crimini mushrooms — thinly sliced * 2 cups frozen stir-fry bell peppers & onions (from a 16 oz. pkg.) * 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro * 2 tablespoons lime juice * 6 flour tortillas * salsa, guacamole Heat oil, garlic, cumin, and salt in a 10inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms and bell pepper mixture in oil for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Sprinkle with cilantro and lime juice. Spoon about 1/2 cup mushroom mixture onto each tortilla; roll up. Serve with salsa, guacamole, and/or vegan sour cream, if desired.

April 2, 2008

Page 8

April 2, 2008

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Page 9 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Students cut meat from their diets during Annual Meatout Festival By ANDRIELLE FIGUEROA The Pan American

For more information on the Great American Meatout www.meatout.org. FARM company www.farmusa.org. Vegetarian definitions www.msu.edu/user/daenzerr/rd491/types.htm.

Portobello Mushroom Fajitas Serving Size: 6; Preparation Time: 0:20 * * * * *

Page 10

April 2, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

I COMMUNITY

Lark Center reaches out to disabled with art By RUSSEN VELA The Pan American Some of the most influential artists of all time never let extreme odds or disabilities get in the way of their craft. And Very Special Arts of Texas wants disabled locals to know that they can do it too. The organization sponsored ARTWORKS: Dream Big, an event that allowed people with disabilites to channel their inner artist. The event was held Saturday at the Lark Community Center in McAllen. Francisco Ortegon, a retired McAllen police lieutenant, helped organize the event and was pleased with its outcome. “I am part of the Texas Advocates, and we help organize events helping and empowering those with disabilites,” said the Texas native. The event, which had nearly 50 attendees, was a success to Ortegon. “Some people without disabilites did participate, but they were mostly helping their loved ones who have the disabilities, with their artwork,” he said. Activites consisted of painting, sculpting, collage-making, and abstract painting, with supplies ready for the participants in an event open to the public. The participants were given the opportu-

nity to showcase their work or take it home as a personal memento of their creative outlet. “We like to hold these sort of workshops to encourage people with disabilites to use their creativity and showcase it to the world,” Ortegon said. “We are planning to do more workshops to build up the level of confidence for people with disabilites, and show them that they can do anything if they put their mind to it.” Kristina Flores, a sophomore art major at The University of Texas-Pan American, was happy that the Valley community helped those with disabilites showcase their artistic side. “I think it’s wonderful that the VSA held this event,” the McAllen native said. “I mean if you think about it, there were and are a lot of artists who have disabilities and have become influential to artists today, so I think its great and wise to allow people with disabilites their turn to shine as an artist.” Flores also gave examples of creative geniuses with physical ailments but nonetheless changed the world of art. She listed Frida Kahlo and Vincent Van Gogh, who both overcame their disabilities to become two of the most notable artists. Born in Mexico, Kahlo is known throughout the world for her unusual and colorful paintings. Her problems

stemmed from childhood polio and a bus accident when she was 18 that left her unable to have children, and in constant pain. Many of her paintings reflect the physical suffering she experienced through most of her life. Van Gogh’s important work, The Starry Night, was completed near the mental asylum of Saint-Remy, 13 months before his death at age 37. Vincent’s mental instability is a legend. Some scholars believe that he may have been autistic and of course could not control his mood swings or behavior, while others insist that he may have been

a manic depressive. He later committed himself to several asylums in hopes of an unrealized cure. Everybody deserves an opportunity to experience the arts. Whether they are disabled or not, art is for everyone to create and see. The arts are valuable tools which can open doors, incite dreams, and build bridges. “We plan to do more art workshops for the disabled,” said Ortegon. “We are not only doing this to bring awareness to the disabled community, but to everyone who feels they can express themselves the way they want.”

MEXICAN continued from page 7 because cinematography has been, for many years, one of the most important communication mediums,” she said. “It has offered entertainment for all types of people in almost all parts of the world.” Garcia also said how important it is for people to take advantage of opportunities like this one. “We are very proud of what our department is doing, trying to spread cultural, educational and commercial events,” she said. “The public should be aware of this and make plans to attend. They will have a great time.”

FILM AND NATIONAL IDENTITY: Mexican Immigrants In The U.S. by Historian Rogelio Agrasánchez Jr. UTB, Brownsville April 2, 6 p.m. & April 10, 6 p.m. Roxy Solis/The Pan American ARTIST WITHIN - Sergio Luna, a 12-year-old diagnosed with autism, was among the participants in the VSAʼs ARTWORKS event for people with disabilities.

For more information: Mexican Consulate in Brownsville 542-4431

April 2, 2008

Page 11 NEWS

TUITION continued from page 1 Edwards added that although higher tuition would benefit the university, it would not be fair to many students. Some areas that would win with a rise in the rate are: competitive faculty salaries, technological and facility upgrades, and maintenance of two fairly new software programs, Oracle and BANNER. Juan C. Gonzalez, the assistant vice president of business affairs and budget director, said that due to the region’s generally low income, the initial proposal would have proven distressing for many students if approved. He added that although UTPA’s academic cost is low, the university is “financially sound.” “We’ve been using up funds that had been built up over many years but we have reached a point where we can no longer do that in order to keep tuition & fees low,” he said. “We are financially sound but we are having to be much more diligent in order that we not be placed on financial watch by UT System in the future.” The UT System has a financial watch procedure that closely examines each institution’s finances. For example, a university can be placed on watch if the institution spends more funds then it can afford. Under the probation-like sta-

YURI BAZAN

tus, the UT System would be the only ones able to give budget-type approval on matters the university usually approves themselves. Gonzalez said financial watch usually occurs when the System notices a “bad trend” as opposed to a “one-time thing” in regard to budget woes. As for the increase, he acknowledges that although some students struggle with increasing fees, financial aid programs like UTPAdvantage and other forms of financial assistance would help even things out. “I feel that students really are aware they need good resources to get a quality education,” he said. Yuridia Bazan, a senior international business management and political science major, serves as a student on the COEC and said considering the countless proposals was not easy. “It was difficult trying to give the departments what they wanted,” the La Joya native said. Bazan added that many proposals requested financial alleviation, but said some of the suggested increases were not as essential as others. She feels that if the state gave more to UTPA, less would have to come out of the students’

pockets. The percentage of funds the universities has gained from federal and state entities has decreased steadily over the past decade, and is now as low as 35 percent for some institutions. “Being that we are a government institution, the state funds part of tuition,” she said. “It seems it [funding] has been decreasing, one of the reasons they are funding us a higher percentage.” Bazan, who is also part of the UT System Student Advisory Council, said she is not sure whether tuition will increase or decrease in the coming years, but said the council is discussing the issue. Gonzalez said UTPA continues to cap semester hours at 14 hours, meaning any student registered for 15 hours or more will not be paying extra tuition. The cap helps ease financial burden while encouraging students to further their education. By fall 2009, UTPA proposed to have increased tuition by $149, still making the university the most affordable UT school in Texas, which it is currently. Conversely, The University of Texas-Dallas proposed a $366 increase by fall 2009, making it the most expensive in the System.

MARCOS SILVA

SGA VOTER GUIDE

University of Texas System proposed tuition increases Institution

Current Fall 2007 TAC

Proposed Fall 2008 TAC

Percent Increase

UT Arlington

$3,822

$4,011

4.95%

UT Austin

$4,065

$4,266

4.95%

$2,661

9.82%

UT Brownsville

$2,423

UT Dallas

$4,355

$4,571

4.95%

UT El Paso

$2,884

$3,034

5.20%

UT Pan American

$2,462

$2,612

6.09%

UT Permian Basin $2,489

$2,639

6.03%

UT San Antonio

$3,621

$3,800

4.95%

UT Tyler

$2,814

$2,964

5.33%

ASHLEY CEDILLO

MELISSA URIEGAS

V.P.: Michael Martinez

V.P.: Raghuveer Puttagunta

V.P.: Ruben Ramirez

V.P.: Marco Setien

Bazan, a senior international business management and political science major, is an SGA senator. In her time with the organization, she spearheaded the Ace the Test program, which gave away scantrons and served as Personnel Chair, but recently resigned. She hopes to establish a fund that would give each college a certain amount of money to spend on their individual needs.

As SBS senator, Silva has been very involved with the environmental movement on campus and even started the Reuse it or Lose it campaign in the dorms. He also serves as Sergeant at Arms. Silva said he wants to put profesPresident sors’ syllabi online before students register for the class so students “know what Not pictured: Cesar Aguilar they are getting into and how much the and Rick Munoz book will cost.”

Though not involved with SGA this year, Cedillo has a long history with the organization, serving for two years. She is a senior philosophy, English and political science triple major and says she wants to “enforce the policy already stating that professors have to use textbooks for at least three years,” and add more measures to the Handbook of Operating Procedures regarding textbooks.

Uriegas, a senior biology major, is a member of the golf team and has served on the student athletics advisory committee. She has never served on SGA. Uriegas says students should not be shortchanged on amenities in an effort to keep tuition low, saying “there are always other options to get what we need, whether it be through increasing the tuition or finding...sponsorships.”' Roxy Solis/The Pan American

April 2, 2008

Page 12 NEWS

UFO continued from page 3

REHAB continued from page 3

Noe Torres TV APPEARANCE - Noe Torres made his History Channel debut on UFO Hunters Feb. 20. The episode was based on his book Mexicoʼs Roswell: The Chihuahua UFO Crash. Filming took place on the site.

The book reports that in 1974, a UFO flew over South Texas at an altitude of 75,000 feet going at a speed of 2,500 mph. It was picked up on the radar of a Corpus Christi seaport and flew over the desert plains of Coyame, Mexico, at 10:30 p.m. where it collided with an airplane. “Not anything man-made that wasn’t a spacecraft flew at that altitude,” Torres noted. “People were thinking it was a missile from Russia because the Cold War was still going on so we were on the alert.” The wreckage from both aircrafts was found by Mexican spotter planes the

next day. Torres said when the Mexican Army came to investigate, officials found unidentifiable material. “They found a silver disc about 16 feet wide and six inches tall,” he said. “Shortly after that, all the Mexican soldiers who investigated the disc had died of unknown causes. The U.S. government then intervened… after that it was all covered up by government secrecy.” Torres and Uriarte, both members of a national UFO club called Mutual UFO network, began investigating in the Coyame desert and asking the locals of the nearby town, Presidio, about that

night in 1974. Their findings led to the book, which was featured in February on the History Channel’s paranormal show UFO Hunters. Torres values every opportunity to share his story with others. “Most UFO sightings don’t make it in the media so people don’t have places to talk about what they’ve seen,” Torres said. “Whenever I do book signings or discussions there (are) always people staying after telling me what they’ve seen.” Kristina Wilson, an STC library programmer, has invited Torres to speak at a presentation next month. She believes that his talk will draw a different crowd to the library, and also hopes that inviting authors like Torres will create a revitalized interest in the library. “We’re trying to reach out to different people in order to get people to come to the library,” Wilson said. “We realize that people have different interests and would also like to see local authors here.” The multimedia presentation on April 5 at 2 p.m. will feature a multimedia presentation with clips from UFO Hunter and from Torres and Uriarte’s book. The library also plans to have a book signing at 1:30. This event is open to the public. Though Torres says his findings are still circumstantial, he has always believed that UFOs exist. “One-hundred percent certainty, they do exist,” he claimed. “There are objects in the sky that are seen all the time. And they’re seen by policemen, military officers, and other people.”

will post them on campus, in classrooms and hallways and of course through word of mouth,” said Hinojosa. Recently the council submitted its constitution to the OSD and is now officially an organization, something Hinojosa is very proud of. “I feel students with disabilities are left aside,” she said. “With this [organization] we can come together and work with disabled students.” However, Hinojosa’s dedication toward students with physical problems began long before she became a rehabilitation major. Born with no complications, Hinojosa was almost ready to go home with her family, but nearly 24 hours after her birth, a vein ruptured in her brain and doctors diagnosed it as cerebral palsy. As a teenager at Mercedes High School, Hinojosa never attended school events and did not really consider herself social. With this council, Hinojosa hopes to reach out and accomplish that for others. “Maybe I can share it with people who still experience it even now,” she said in regard to the lack of support she felt. Belinda Rivas, adviser for the council and clinical specialist professor in rehabilitation, said that what makes the organization so unique is that it was created by students for the university, not vice versa. The McAllen native said the council is looking to “equalize the playing field,” by making life for students with disabilities a little bit easier not only at UTPA but in society in general.

According to Rivas, she became interested in the group after several students came to her with concerns about students with disabilities. Rivas added some issues involved better technologies and tools that could help make life more comfortable for them. “There is a need for this support group, and as an adviser I’d love to be a tool to their empowerment,” said Rivas, who has been with the university for a year and a half. Christopher Wheats, an undergraduate rehabilitation major, heard about the council from Rivas and decided he wanted to help out. “I want to help offer a platform for people with the university so that students can be heard,” he said. Also helping advise the council is Shawn Saladin and Roy Chen, both professors in rehabilitation. The council hopes to have at least 15 to 20 people on board by the end of this year and get plenty of feedback about their efforts. The organization currently meets Mondays at 9 a.m. in HSHW 1.274. However, meeting dates and times will change come mid-April when the organization begins promoting the council. Hinojosa said she is proud of the accomplishments. She said that while it may have taken four years for her to jumpstart the support group, she knows it is well on its way. “We might do things differently and they may take longer,” Hinojosa said. “But they’ll get done.”

ILLITERACY continued from page 3 and awareness of literacy services available to families and children across the area. The group met during the Festival of International Books and Arts last week for the first time, at a roundtable discussion and press conference at UTPA. According to Hinojosa, nearly half of all adults over the age of 18 in South Texas do not have a high school diploma or a General Equivalency Diploma. “We can break the cycle of low education and low wages,” he said. The first step is a commitment to strengthen and evaluate literacy from cradle to grave.” Even though this problem is common in the South Texas region, poor reading habits are also a national issue. Sunil Lyengar, director of research and analysis for the National Endowment of the Arts, said that Americans, particularly young adults, are reading less than in the past and as they read less, they read less well. “Reading is really a significant predictor of success in a variety of ways,” Lyengar said. He referenced a study showing that in homes with 26 or more books in them, regardless of income,

young people tended to perform better on aptitude tests. The group has a clear set of missions with the objective of promoting a culture of literacy. They hope to distribute resources, train individuals, and provide access to strong literacy services and resources for the community. The lack of parental involvement though, Hinojosa said, is contributing to the literacy problem. The RIF organization operates as a model to South Texas, Hinojosa said. The company represented by its president, Carol Rasco, serves more than 4.6 million children nationwide. “The best known tool for raising an educated, healthy productive child, is an involved parent,” Rasco said, enforcing Hinojosa’s plea for parental involvement. The congressman made it clear that reading is an activity of interest that can last a lifetime and is beyond a doubt for the benefit of the person. “Right now I believe we have a truly unique opportunity to enrich the lives of our students and start a life of reading that will last a lifetime,” he said.

Ben Briones /The Pan American BREAKING THE CYCLE - Congressman Ruben Hinojosa speaks Friday at the first meeting of the South Texas Literacy Coalition. The groupʼs vision is to enhance learning opportunities for the entire region to ensure that all children have access to strong literacy services.

Page 13

April 2, 2008 SPORTS

LOCAL

E3 promoters bring MMA league to South Texas Olmeda, Ramos reveal Edinburg as next venue By ADRIANA ACOSTA The Pan American E3 Promotions found success with its first sold-out event, “New Blood,” in February, but now is moving on and hoping the next mixed martial arts showcase will garner just as much hype. “Aftershock,” which will take place May 3 at Edinburg Baseball Stadium, will feature 11 bouts. Scheduled on the fight card are Edinburg native Danny Salinas and Marcelo Lumakang, from San Antonio. At the “New Blood” event, Salinas defeated Chris Herbold by a TKO at the Pharr Convention Center. E3 promoters Paul Olmeda and Raul Ramos, who created the South Texas Fight League, said the sports’ popularity is on the verge of a major breakthrough. “We are going to run with it,” Olmeda said of local MMA activity. “This is blowing up. We got in at the right time because it’s a very popular

sport. I think it will take over boxing.” The idea to bring the STFL to the Rio Grande Valley began when Ramos was watching an Ultimate Fighting Championship event on television and thought it would be a great thing to bring to the area. He quickly consulted with Olmeda and they agreed to look further into the sport. “We got on the phone the following day and we really did our research,” Olmeda said. “We spoke to our lawyer then we were able to get the bonds and the licensing and we got approved.” MMA is a full-contact combat sport that requires training in striking, wrestling and submission fighting; it involves a wide variety of fighting techniques such as grappling and striking. Each round is three minutes long with the main event lasting five minutes. “The last show was great – this next one is going to be even better,” said MMA fighter “Big” John Springer. “We need all the support from the fans and the community.” He added, “The Valley is finally catching up. People didn’t really know about this sport but now they love it. To have a promotion of the sport here, it’s great.”

The last event brought in 1,500 fans and the upcoming event is expected to fill the 5,500 seats at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium. Aniel Cortes, an active MMA fighter since 2001, has been preparing for the last two months and is glad the Valley now has a local fighting league. Boxing has always been popular in the area, and now MMA is taking its turn. “Now my family and friends are able to watch me fight,” Cortes said. “Before they couldn’t because most of the fights were far; this will bring the best in me.” In addition to MMA fighters, students at The University of Texas-Pan American are also looking forward to the different, newly-acquired sport. Jay Saenz, a political science major from Edinburg, said it’s an appealing sport and is something the Valley needs. “The sport is extremely exciting and it’s new to the Valley, which is what I think it needs,” he said. “It will enhance the Valley’s life and is a positive thing.” Ticket prices for the event range from $15 to $75 and are on sale at EZTIXX.com. Doors will open at 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled begin at 7 p.m.

Adriana AcostaThe Pan American ITS ON - (left to right) Danny Salinas, E3 promoters Raul Ramos and Paul Olmeda, and Aniel Cortes gather at Rodz Bar & Grill to announce “Aftershock.”

BASEBALL

UTA loss drops reeling Broncs to 9-16 overall for season By PEDRO PEREZ IV The Pan American The 2008 campaign hasn’t been a season the University of Texas-Pan American’s baseball team hoped for. Before returning home, the Broncs looked to rebound with a doubleheader win against the University of TexasArlington. But the Mavericks got the best of UTPA in Game 1 after a solid pitching performance en route to securing a 4-1 victory. The Broncs fell to 9-16 on the season. Game 2 result was unavailable at press time. NEW MEXICO STATE After a win on Saturday at a windy Presly Askew Field, the Green and Orange closed its three-game series

against the Aggies with a loss. UTPA posted a 1-2 record, having opened the series Friday with a 12-2 defeat, and heading into a three-game homestand at Edinburg Baseball Stadium, against the University of New Orleans beginning at 6:05 p.m. Friday. In the initial match of the series in Las Cruces, the home side put on a fiverun first. Junior Jordan Rutenbar and third baseman Ryan Vest helped the Broncs come back, scoring in the second inning to cut into the deficit at 5-2. But UTPA did not manage another run. Cody Cisper (1-4) pitched five innings of the game and was marked with the loss. In the second game, the Green and Orange exacted revenge on the Aggies with a dominating effort and a 10-2 win. “It’s a big win against them to beat

them in their own park,” said baseball coach Willie Gawlik. “They’re in the Western Athletic Conference and they’ll be one of those teams that will be there in the end for a playoff spot. We felt like we played a great game in game two, but their guys can score.” The Broncs separated themselves in the fifth and sixth innings after taking a 4-0 lead, and would not stop there. In the top of the seventh, the visitors exploded with their final six runs of the game on four hits. Roly Gonzalez got things rolling after a single up the middle that brought in freshman Andrew Perez, making the score 5-1. After two more runs, Joey Mendoza sealed the Aggies’ fate after the newcomer tripled to right field, bringing in Billy Donaho, Rutenbar and Vest. Senior pitcher Matt Shepherd (2-1)

received the win while Mendoza finished 2 for 5 with three RBI. Miami native Gonzalez was 3 out of 4 and Rutenbar cracked his third home run of the season. With the series tied 1-1, the Broncs looked to claim the season series but it was the Aggies who proved to be too much as they almost doubled their season best in runs (14) to defeat UTPA 24-5. “Those guys are one of the best hitting teams in the nation,” added Gawlik. The home team used a devastating 10-run sixth inning to pull away from the Green and Orange. Donaho led the Broncs after going 2 for 4 with three RBI, but freshman A.J. Franco (3-2) received the loss after pitching two innings, yielding six runs on six hits. Despite the loss, UTPA did hit a pair of homers, with Donaho and senior Chris Lozano connecting.

Remaining Home Schedule at Edinburg Baseball Stadium April 4

New Orleans

April 5

New Orleans

April 6

New Orleans

6:05 p.m. 3:05 p.m. 1:05 p.m.. April 19 Prairie View A&M 6 p.m. April 20 Prairie View A&M 1 p.m. April 22 Texas A&M-CC (DH) 3 p.m. National Independent Tournament May 22 May 23 May 24 May 25

TBD TBD TBD TBD

TBA TBA TBA TBA

April 2, 2008

Page 14 SPORTS

April 2, 2008

Page 15 SPORTS

FEATURE

Economedes standout vies for second chance By ALVARO BALDERAS The Pan American “Everything happens for a reason” is a phrase that most people have heard at some point in life. Folks try to learn from success or failures but in the end, some feel they have no control over their destiny. But for one University of Texas-Pan American freshman, success has come in all forms and the simple phrase has

impacted her life like she never imagined. Roxy Rodriguez, a kinesiology major, graduated from Edinburg Economedes High School in 2007 as an exceptional three-sport athlete in softball, basketball and volleyball. Rodriguez’s petite 5-foot-1 frame made others underestimate her abilities in the sports environment, but she has proven there are greater pursuits still awaiting her. Growing up, the Weslaco native

kept close ties with her family. The proximity to her father and brothers made her take an interest in sports and grow a passion for softball. She maintained a starting role on the Lady Jaguar softball varsity team in all her four years en route to earning second-team All-District selections at shortstop and second base, and was selected team MVP three times. Her success did not stop there. In addition to softball, she was

Onydia Garza/The Pan American ALMOST IN - After an unfortunate mishap, freshman Roxy Rodriguez, an intramural player, hopes her chance to play on a college softball team will come next school year. The local plans to transfer to Texas A&M-Kingsville at the end of the summer to begin a collegiate athletic career.

TRACK AND FIELD

By ALVARO BALDERAS The Pan American The University of Texas-Pan American men and women’s track and field coach Dennis Darling assessed his team appropriately before leaving to the 26th Annual Victor Lopez/Rice Bayou Classic this past weekend in Houston. His team received the message in the Gulf Coast after several Broncs garnered top-10 finishes. “That’s all we can ask for is to be competitive against big schools,” Darling said. “We did pretty good this weekend competing against big schools. Accomplishing season-best times against these schools shows what hard work we are doing.”

and the routine we had every day that prepared ourselves to go out and compete,” Rodriguez said. “I hate the feeling of not being on a team and not having people ask me, ‘Hey Roxy, how did you do last game?’ I wish I was still playing and that’s why I look forward to going to Kingsville in the fall to try out.” Economedes softball coach Maria Campos has no doubt that her former standout’s determination and willingness will eventually push Rodriguez toward a varsity squad one day. “I’ve never had a hard-working player quite like her in my six seasons here,” said Campos, who played collegiate ball at Kingsville. “She’s a very special kid who is willing to go above and beyond to do whatever it takes for her team.” Rodriguez currently maintains her competitive spirit by playing basketball, softball and flag football in UTPA intramurals. As her second wind lurks on the horizon, she will begin playing on a select girls’ softball traveling team in the summer, going to various tournaments in Central Texas before her departure to Kingsville. “I like keeping my competetive drive high by playing intramurals here at school,” says Rodriguez. “I know sometimes playing co-ed can be fun and games but I’ll without a doubt take softball seriously using the games as practice for my upcoming softball season in the summer.”

SCHEDULES

Teams stride toward successful showing on Gulf Coast Broncs to be tested at Texas Relays in Austin

selected second-team All-District in basketball during her junior and senior years and in volleyball, she attained best defensive player her junior year and MVP of the squad the following season. Rodriguez decided to continue her post-high school athletic career but the local took a different route in getting there. After high school, she decided to walk on with the women’s softball team at Texas A&M-Kingsville, impressing the coaches with her skills and tenacious drive. They asked her to commit but an unfortunate mishap on her application prevented her from attending and getting a shot with the Lady Javelina squad. Rodriguez, who kept a positive mindset, returned to the Rio Grande Valley to attend UTPA, and decided to wait until the next opportunity presented itself. “I want to try out again this fall at Kingsville,” said Rodriguez. “I’ve been practicing and keeping myself in shape so that hopefully when I get another opportunity, everything goes well for me.” But if there’s one thing the local has learned through her experience, it’s that the transition from high school sports to college can be difficult. To counter, Rodriguez remembers the times her Lady Jag teammates helped her through tough situations, but college has made her realize the drive comes from no one but herself. “I miss practicing with my team

Junior standout Vanessa Brown finished sixth in the 400-meter dash with a time of 55.86, cutting almost two seconds from her previous personal record at the Texas Southern Relays, and McAllen native Cecilia Lott recorded a personal-best time of 25.73 en route to a ninth place finish in the 200 meters. The women’s 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams both attained season-top times, 47.93 and 3:49.96 respectively, placing third in both competitions. On the men’s side, Bahaman native Jameson Strachan, who was called for a false start in the 200, exacted revenge in the 400 and recorded a PR of 48.08. Wally Gonzalez of Edinburg and senior Luis Nava also had top-10 finishes, with Gonzalez placing fourth in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:53.37, and the La Joya native finishing seventh after clocking in a time of 3:54.39 in the 1500 meters. The teams will be challenged in Austin today at the annual Texas Relays hosted by the University of Texas.

Golf Schedule

Tennis Schedule

Men’s

April 7

April 8

Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Schedule Texas Relays Host - University of Texas Austin April 12 Kingsville Meet Host - Texas A&M Kingsville Kingsville April 19 UT Twilight Host - University of Texas Austin April 24 Rice Twilight Host - Rice University Houston May 2 Houston Invitational Host - University of Houston Houston May 10 McNeese Last Chance Host - McNeese University Lake Charles, LA May 30 NCAA Regional Championships Lincoln, NE June 11 NCAA Outdoor Championships Des Moines, IA June 27 U.S. Olympic Trials Eugene, OR

May 9

April 2

May 10

May 11

Wyoming Cowboy Classic Host - University of Wyoming Scottsdale, AZ Wyoming Cowboy Classic Host - University of Wyoming Scottsdale, AZ National Minority Golf Champioship Port St. Lucie, FL National Minority Golf Championships Port St. Lucie, FL National Minority Golf Championships Port St. Lucie, FL

Women’s April 7

April 8

May 9

May 10

May 11

Lady Eagle Invitational Host - USM Hattiesburg, MS Lady Eagle Invitational Host - USM Hattiesburg, MS National Minority Championship Port St. Lucie, FL National Minority College Championship Port St. Lucie, FL National Minority College Championship Port St. Lucie, FL

April 3 TAMUCC Orville Cox Tennis Center TBA April 11 Portland State Davis, CA 9 a.m. April 13 San Francisco San Francisco, CA TBA April 14 Santa Clara Santa Clara, CA 5 p.m. April 19 UTSA San Antonio 2 p.m.

Southland Conference Tournament April 25 TBA Nacogdoches April 26 TBA Nacogdoches April 27 TBA Nacogdoches

All Day All Day All Day

Women’s April 6 UTA Orville Cox Tennis Center 11 a.m. April 11 San Jose State San Jose, CA 10 a.m. April 13 San Francisco San Francisco, CA TBA April 14 Santa Clara Santa Clara, CA 1 p.m.

Page 16

S P O RT S

April 2, 2008

THE PAN AMERICAN

TENNIS

StatsAtAGlance

8 8

By RAMIRO PAEZ The Pan American When The University of Texas-Pan American women’s tennis team took the court Thursday afternoon against nationally ranked Lamar University, the Lady Broncs knew it was going to take a team effort to defeat the Lady Cardinals. UTPA entered the game with a 146 record after having won seven of its last eight matchups, including a dominating performance against McNeese State the previous day. The team’s momentum catapulted them to one of the best records in women’s tennis history and it seemed as though no team would knock them off their pedestal. But the Lady Broncs finally met their match against the Red Birds as Lamar battled its way back to stop the

upset with a 4-3 decision at the Orville Cox Tennis Center. “It was a heartbreaker,” said Coach Ron Hubbard. “We had the 75th-ranked team in the country on the ropes, and we can’t say that we’ve ever been in that position with the women’s program before. I’m certainly proud of them. “I’m a little disappointed that we really didn’t play our doubles well today and if you get that doubles point, that turns to 4-3 our way,” he added. “Over the next week, we’ll try and solve that.” Indeed, the doubles matches proved to be the decisive point. The Lady Broncs, who now stand at 14-7, dropped all three twin matches by counts of 8-3, 8-4 and 8-5, which gave Lamar an automatic 1-0 edge heading into singles play. The home team regained a 2-1 advantage after senior Silke Buksik and sophomore Luisa Cantu recorded victories in the fifth and sixth flights, respectively, but three straight losses ensued and the Lady Cardinals escaped with a nail-biting win.

“We did pretty well,” Cantu said. “The other team is ranked but we could have done better.” Despite the loss, she says the winning streak has been a motivational tool for the squad. “We’ve been winning and we have a good streak, and that helps because we’re all pumped up for the matches,” Cantu commented. The women will use the loss as incentive in their final home game of the 2008 campaign as they have their eyes set on surpassing the best record in women’s tennis history (15-10 in 1990). The challenge will begin Sunday against the University of Texas-Arlington before they travel to the West Coast for three games in four days. BRONCS As the women celebrated five consecutive victories and slowly climbed their way into the record books, the Broncs watched from behind the scenes. The Green and Orange hit a bumpier road this season and entered Saturday’s game at three games below

.500 with a 5-8 record. Still, Hubbard never doubted his team’s capabilities. And after the Lady Broncs wrapped up their 14th win of the season Wednesday afternoon against McNeese State, the former UTPA alum commented that the mens’ match against Lamar was “going to be a war.” He was right. UTPA had to recuperate from doubles play to pull off its second Southland Conference win after the Cardinals claimed the doubles point with 8-6, 8-1 and 9-8 victories. But in the end, it was the Broncs who sent the Red Birds packing, claiming four of six singles matches to improve to 6-8 overall and 2-2 in conference play. With the Southland Conference Tournament less than a month away, the Broncs will look to close their regular season with a win against Texas A&MCorpus Christi before heading on a fourgame road swing. “We’re a little young,” Hubbard said. “It’s just going to take a little more guidance and work to equal the results of the women but the guys are still in a good position.”

The number of games the San Antonio Spurs have won consecutively

10 10

Senior Silke Buksik’s current singles win streak

50 50

The number of times the 2008 Final Four participants have appeared in the Final Four

ShortSports WELLNESS CENTER The following is the tenative schedule for intramurals and events in April hosted by the Wellness Recreational Sports Complex: April 4 April 5 April 8 April 14 - 18 April 29 - May 2

Bouldering Friday Kid Fit Two-Rope Tuesday Flexibility Week Stress Relief Week

Football (Men’s) Division A April 10, 17, 24, 31 Division B April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 and May 1 Co-Rec April 8, 15, 22, 29 Men’s Softball April, 2, 7, 9, 14, 16 Co-Rec Softball April 3, 8, 10 Men’s Soccer April 7, 14, 21 Women’s Soccer April 2, 9, 16 Roxy Solis/The Pan American MOMENTUM SWITCH - (left to right) Sophomores Brett Bernstein and Luisa Cantu recorded victories in their singles matchups against Lamar over the weekend, though it was the Broncs who escaped with the momentum at home.

Men’s Tennis April 7 Women’s Tennis April 8, 15